176 



Commerce vs. Agriculture. — Grapes in Pots. 



Vol. VI. 



tion of all known principles an»i rules in put- 

 ting the bones tog-ether, and then offering it 

 as a nondescript of great interest. The par- 

 ticulars of these errors have been given in a 

 way, and from authority, which would seem 

 to set the matter at rest. 



One word as to the motive for this commu- 

 nication. I have witnessed with pleasure the 

 ea/rerness with which the Cabinet is received 

 and perused by the younger members of those 

 families where it is a regular visiter, and, as 

 an old subscriber, feel jealous that nothing 

 should be placed in their hands, through its 

 instrumentality, calculated to produce erro- 

 neous impressions — thus first teaching them 

 what they must again unlearn. The object, 

 then, is truth, not controversy; and if you 

 should think that you subserve the cause of 

 the former by inserting this in your forthcom- 

 ing number, do so; if otherwise, do not hesi- 

 tate to throw it aside, as in either case I shall 

 remain your friend, and constant reader. 



M. 



Mill Creek Hund., New Castle Co., Del., Dec. 4th, 1841. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Commerce vs. Agriculture. 



Much pains has been taken by the author 

 of an article, entitled American Farming, in 

 the "Cabinet" for the present month, over 

 the caption of " Vir," to show that the profits 

 of the farmer are, or ought to be, equal to 

 those resulting from any legitimate business, 

 the capital, enterprise, and intelligent appli- 

 cation, being in both cases the same. To 

 prove his position beyond all doubt, he goes 

 into an elaborate comparison between the re- 

 lative condition of the English and American 

 farmers, in the course of which he gives 

 valuable information, for which I thank him 

 cordially, though to my mind it does not 

 settle the truth of the conclusion at which he 

 arrives, that " It will pay as good a return 

 for capital invested, as any legitimate busi- 

 ness whatever." 



I shall, in very few words, offer another 

 mode of reasoning, and shall, accordingly, 

 deduce a different result. I reside in a sec- 

 tion of Chester county. Pa., which, in point 

 of fertility, local advantages, and the intelli- 

 gence of its inhabitants, has few superiors, at 

 the same distance from the great emporiums 

 of commerce ; yet, such is the state of affairs 

 hereaway, that a person purchasing a medium- 

 sized farm for $;6000, and entering upon its 

 cultivation with the utmost industry and good 

 management, will find that by the time he 

 pays all expenses, and maintains a moderate 

 family decently, nothing will be left to pro- 

 vide against a " stormy day," or for a " sea- 

 son of infirmity !" Now, supposing the avail- 

 able proceeds of $0000, at interest, to be 



$300, I maintain that the latter sum would, 

 in my neighbourhood, maintain decently such 

 a family as I have contemplated above, in per- 

 fect idleness ; so that, so far as mere lucre is 

 concerned, the idlers have the advantage, by 

 the prodigious difference of a whole year's toil. 

 Of the moral tendency of the two conditions 

 I do not speak, as it would be irrelevant to 

 my subject. Now, I believe I may assert 

 and challenge a disproof of my position, that 

 ^•6000 could hardly be invested in a fair 

 " legitimate business" in the country, under 

 the management of ordinary intelligence and 

 industry, without a more generous return 

 than 1 have awarded to it from farming. The 

 above remarks are from the spur of the mo- 

 ment, and though the reasoning is of a very 

 ordinary cast, I presume the conclusions are 

 correct. Time permitting, much might be 

 said touching sundry articles and sentiments 

 now and then published in this valuable work, 

 the "Cabinet" — but let the above suffice at 

 present. From a subscriber and 



Pr.\ctical FARMSai. 

 West Grove, 12th mo., 1841. 



Grapes in Pots. 



TnE following is a certain way to insure a 

 crop of grapes in pots: — When the vines that 

 are let into a house have reached the top of 

 the rafters, instead of topping the leading 

 shoot, as is commonly done, turn the shoot 

 back, and, having a pot of suitable size, well 

 filled with turfy loam and perfectly rotted 

 dung, equal parts, place it upon the back 

 shelf of the pit, and as soon as the shoot has 

 attained a sufficient length to be laid in it, 

 cut out two or three eyes and as many of its 

 leaves and scrape off" a little of the bark the 

 whole length of the part intended for roots, 

 which bend into the pot, and cover with six 

 or seven inches of the mould ; no other at- 

 tention is nece.csary, except to train the shoot 

 as it advances in growth, keeping the mould 

 in the pot a little moist to encourage the 

 emission of roots, which will appear in two or 

 three weeks, and soon fill the pot. Allow the 

 shoot to grow to the length of from four to 

 eight feet, according to the strength of the 

 parent vine, and leave it attached to it until 

 it has done growing, and has perfectly ripened 

 its wood. When these plants are severed 

 from the parent vine, they are put out under 

 a wall, where they are protected from the 

 frost until they are taken into the house 

 for forcing, at which time they are shifted 

 into pots a foot over and fourteen inches deep, 

 and in these they remain. A fresh supply of 

 plants can thus be obtained every year, and 

 with the greatest ease, which will produce 

 fruit the second year, and often the first year 

 from striking. — Gard. Chron. 



