JNEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



PUBLISHED BY JOHN B. RUSSELL, ROGERS' BUILDINGS, CONGRESS STREK'J", BOSTON.— THOMAS G. FKS.-ENDEN, EDITUK.' 



VOL. 111. 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1824. 



No. 9. 



©riflfual erommum'rnttoHS. 



TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW EMOI.AHD FARMEB. 



Dear Sin, — I send you the following lines for 

 insertion in yonr valuable pajver, should you 

 think them worthy the attention ofyomTeiiders, 

 otherwise you are at liberty to destroy them. 



Intemperance lias become a great and pre- 

 vailing evil in our country, insomuch that its 

 dismal eftects are very sensibly felt, not only by 

 individuals and families, but by the community 

 at large. So universally has the contagion 

 spread, that scarcely a village or neighborhood 

 can be found, that does not share in a greater 

 or less degree the sad ellects of this direful mal- 

 ady. So destructive are the ravages of this 

 loathsome monster, that multitudes are continu- 

 ally falling in its death-like embrace. 



In some instances the miserable victim is des- 

 troyed in a sudden and awful manner, while in 

 others the unhappy wretch is reduced by slow 

 degrees from respectability and usefulness to 

 degradation and ruin, and finally ends his <lays 

 in a stale of brutish insensibility. This deplor- 

 able and most fatal pestilence prevails to an a- 

 larming degree among the yeomanry of New 

 England, many of whom have already ruined 

 themselves and their families by making a con- 

 stant use of the poisonous cup, and many more, 

 in all probability, will soon find themselves 

 dashed upon the same fatal rock. Strange as it 

 may seem, a great proportion of our farrai rs 

 make use of ardent spirits as regularly and sys- 

 tematically as they take their meals of victuals. 



It is no uncommon thing for a farmer, now-a- 

 days, to expend a barrel or two of rum in the 

 course of a year. A respectable farmer lafelv 

 inlormed me, that he had made use of nearly a 

 barrel of rum during the summer past. On ac- 

 count of ill health and a rheumatic complaint, 

 he was unable much of the time to take the 

 oversight of his business; and consequently his 

 men managed in some measure as they pleased, 

 and that on account of their drinking so much 

 rum, or something else, he know not what, thev 

 perl'ormed but very little work ; and it seemed 

 to him, that did he enjoy health and strength as 

 he once did, himself and a boy could aciluallv 

 bring more to pass, than all the hands he now 

 employed. So much in this case for drinking 

 rum ! 



A neighbour of mine, who two years ago paid 

 the debt of nature, was in his younger days a 

 respectable man and a flourishing farmer. Such 

 was his industry and economy in farming, that 

 he was admired and respected by all his neigh- 

 bours, and the passing stranger too was often 

 prompted to remark concerning the good man- 

 Hgement of his farm, and the neatness and regu- 

 larity so visible in everything which pertained 

 thereto. At length, sad to rehite, this prosper- 

 ous man, to the surprise and astonishment of 

 every lieholdcr, was seen in a state of in;o\ica- 

 tion. This circumstance however was fliough! 

 to be an accident, and of course was smothered 

 and nothing openly said about it. After awhile 

 he was again and again overtaken in tb.' same 

 manner, until at length his family and friends 



began to be alarmed for his safety, fearing that 

 he would soon be in the high road to ruin ; — 

 and their fears were soon after realized. He 

 soon contracted n habit of drinking more or less 

 ardent sjiirit every dny, and the consequence 

 was a neglect of business, --bis farm began to 

 decline, — and at length everything peitaining 

 to it wore the aspect of decay and ruin. This 

 man eventually became a perfect sol, and at last 

 died as thoughtless and insensible as the brute. 

 So much in this case also is to be accredited to 

 strong drink ! 



Another farmer who lived in the same neigh- 

 bourhood has lately fallen a prey to this roaring 

 lion that goeth about seeking whom he may 

 devour. He was the only son of a wealthy farm- 

 er, and one on vvhom the fondest hopes of his 

 parents were placed. IMiey looked forward with 

 anxious solicitude to the time when he would 

 he the stay and support of their old age. Dur- 

 ing his youthful days, and the beginning of his 

 manhood, no one had a higher claim to respect- 

 ability, and promised fairer for usefulness in the 

 world than himself But while in the prime of 

 life, and the midst of usefulness, he became ad- 

 dicted to ardent spirits, and, like the witless bird 

 charmed by the subtle serpent, although aware 

 of danger and ruin, pressed onward till at length 

 being seized by the jaws of the devouring mon- 

 ster, he was engulphed in ruin and death ; while 

 his venerable parents were left to deplore his 

 untimely fate, having no other child on whom 

 they could lean for comfort and protection wbilf 

 descending the vale of years. This is another 

 dis'ressing instance of the bewitching influence 

 of the jioisonous cup I 



Several instances more of a simil.ir kind, with 

 which 1 have been familiar, might he mention- 

 ed, were it necessary, but I forljcar ; as enough 

 h:\s already been brought to view to prove sub- 

 st.intially and clearly to a reflecting mind, the 

 mischievous and ruinous efl'ects of ardent spirits 

 on the Farming Interest of our country. 



As to the beneficial effects and .solid advanta- 

 ges arising from the use of ardent spirits in com- 

 mon case=, I challenge any one to produce an 

 instance in which the opinion of sober, judicious 

 men, deciding conscientiously and understand- 

 ingly, shall be in its favour. On the contrary, 

 numerous instances can be produced, where en- 

 lightened farmers have entirely dispensed with 

 the use of this stimulating ingredient, who en- 

 joy hciilth and strength, and an abundance of 

 prosperity, together with an approving con- 

 scifnce and a sound, intelligent mind. 



Those of this class will uniformly tell you, 

 that the use of ardent spirits is nothing but a 

 contracted habit, and the common idea that a 

 man cannot labour without it, is nothing but a 

 ivhimsical notion. They will tell you that a 

 man can perform more work at any season of 

 the year, without strong drink than with it, and 

 that b.'lter and more vigorous health is enjoyed 

 oy wholly abstaining from the use of ardent 

 spirits, than by an occasional or constant use oi 

 the same, and that by an entire abstinence there- 

 from, nothing h lost on the score of respectabil- 

 ity and social happiness. 



On the whole, would it not be best, consider- 

 ing the dangerous tendency and evil conseijiirn- 

 ces attending the use of ardent spirits in corrnnon 

 cases, I'or every farmer to resolve that he will 

 have no more to do with the slimulaling cup, 

 which in so many cases conveys disgrace, ruin, 

 and deatn to its devoted subjects ? May not the 

 day be anticipated when the use of spirituous 

 liquor siiall be as universally detested and avoid- 

 ed, not only by farmers but by every class of the 

 community, as it is now advocated and approved 

 of! Then, and not till then, may we calculate 

 on the universal prevalence of habits of sobriety 

 and- honest industry. Yo; is, &.c. 



^^eli! England, Sept. 1324. A YEOMAN. 



to THE EDITOR OF THE NEW EKGLAND FARMER. 



ONIONS. 



Sir, — I believe there has nothing yet been 

 published in your paper lespeciing tha raisino' 

 of Onions. As I iiave had but liitie experience 

 in raising them, I wish seme gcntlenian, well 

 acquainted with cultivating Iheni, would answer 

 the Ibllowing queries in your useful paper : 



1. What is the best kind of soil, or m:'.nure, 

 for their growth ? 



2. What time of the season is best to put liie 

 seed in the ground ? 



3. In what manner will the same piece of 

 ground produce the most, — in hills, drills, or 

 broad cast ? 



t. What is the best mode of preserving a 

 q,uantity through the winter ? — And any other 

 nselnl information relating to the raising of 

 Onions. Yours, truly, 



Stoch-poH, (Pa.) S. PRESTON. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



IMPROVEMENT IN MAKING CIDER. 



Mr Fessenden, — If you think that the follow- 

 ing description of an Improved Hoop for press- 

 ing Cider from the pomace will be of use to 

 some of your readers, you may insert it in the 

 New England Farmer. 



Instead of the hoop formerly in u^e, a square 

 box is made use of in this improvement. The 

 box is in the form of a cube three ansl an half 

 feet each way. It consists of hard wood slats, 

 or pieces of timber, three and an half feet long, 

 three inches wide, and one inch thick, which 

 are placed in a perpendicular position, at one 

 fourth of an inch distance from each other. — 

 These slats are secured to two joist-bands which 

 are made of hard wood, of thiee inches perpen- 

 dicular diameter, and four inches horizontal 

 diameter. The upper band is placed with- 

 in twelve inches of the top, and the lower 

 band within nine inches of the bottom of the 

 crib or box. The back parts of the bands are 

 secured by lock joints, and prevented from ris- 

 ing by buttons betweer, the bands. The front 

 part of the box is kept in place by small tenons 

 in the side-bars or joists, which tenons pass into 

 the front bars, and are secured by iron hooks 

 affixed to eye-bolts, passing loosely through the 

 front bar, and having wrench-nula attached to 



