NO. 3. 



THE farmers' cabinet. 



43 



yet the plants increased; the neighbors also 

 were furnished with leaves throughout the 

 summer, and witii offset plants in the suc- 

 ceedmg spring. During the two past sea- 

 sons the root stocks increased to such a size, 

 that wiien it became needful to remove some, 

 it required a barrow to contain tlie weighty 

 Mi;is^ tliat was raised, after great labor, from 

 the .soil. If any one try the experiment in 

 a favorable soil, and with any thing like ju- 

 dicious management, he will scarcely fail to 

 discover that the growth and production of 

 Mic plant will e.xceed every demand that can 

 '"e justly made upon it. 



From the New York Farmer. 

 Successful Farming. 



We ask the attention of our readers to the 

 following communication of Mr. Bement, of 

 Albany. It ought certainly to convince those 

 who ridicule the idea of deriving instruction 

 from agricullural publications, that tliey are 

 not witliout their use and value. They must 

 certainly admit, that even a printer, with the 

 aid of agricultural papers, good sense, and 

 proper care, can at least " make tiiat two 

 ends meet," which is as much as many do 

 who have enjoyed the superior advantagres of 

 along apprenticeship to agricultural labor — 

 and which they seem to think renders further 

 instruction unnecessary — whereas in trutli 

 they are then only just prepared to learn by 

 reading, reflection, and experiment. 



The " lesson" of the " grandfather should 

 be learned and practised upon by every farmer 

 in the country. 



Mr. Bement is always ready and pleased to 

 exhibit his stock of cattle, sheep, and hogs, 

 to those who take an interest in such animals, 

 and also to explain his mode of farming ; 

 and he enjoys superior advantages for de- 

 monstrating the excellence of the productions 

 of his farm, in serving them up, in superior 

 style, at his Hotel in State street, to those 

 •who are so fortunate as to make his house 

 their home while in Albany. 



Mr. Minor : 



Sir, — In my letter to you of January 27th, 

 183-5, I said, "my farming operations have 

 necessarily been very much limited," &c. &c. 

 Another season has passed, and I embrace a 

 few leisure moments to give you some ac- 

 count of my success, on the same farm; not, 

 however, in the same way of boasting, but to 

 show you that I have not been unsuccessful. 

 The farm consists of 110 acres, and put down 

 in the tax-book second and third rate land — 

 80 acres in cultivation, and the remainder 

 wood, of which I only had the privilege of 

 cutting for fencing. Rent four hundred dol- 

 lars per annum. 



It was considered by many, as a very high 

 rent, — a very hazardous undertaking, and tliat 

 I never should get enough oil' to pay rent and 

 meet expenses; which, in fact, was the case 

 the first year, as I was minus two hundred 

 and thirty dollars. 1 could, iiuwever, account 

 ['or it in repairing, and altering stables for 

 my cattle, building pig-stye, digging well, 

 draining, repairing, and making new fences, 

 drawing manure from the city, — the benefits 

 of which I received the next year. Of my 

 success you can ioxm an opinion from the 

 statement below. For certain reasons I have 

 witliheld the nett proceeds. Suffice to say, 

 I have made up the deficient, and added to 

 my capital. 



1 am a mere novice in farming — I am by 

 profession a printer — it is new business to 

 mc — I have much to learn, and for what little 

 I do know, I am indebted to agricultural pub- 

 lications, and lessons derived from Mr. Buel, 

 and other eminent farmers who 1 am proud 

 to number among my acquaintances. 



The question is often asked me, "Where 

 did you imbibe your notions and taste for 

 farming!" My answer, is, "When a boy 

 eight or nine years of age, I used to " ride 

 ho7se" for my grandfather, to plough corn ; 

 and if, perchance, 1 should allow 'old Dobin' 

 to tread upon a hill of corn, look out for a 

 lump of earth at tiic urchin's head ! ! ! " He 

 is now dead and gone — but the lessons^ he 

 taught me are still fresh in my memory. He 

 was a good farmer — and had a time tor every 

 thing, and every thing must be done in time — 

 a place for every thing, and every thing in 

 its place. His buildings in good repair. His 

 stock fed regularly, and at regular hours; 

 not feeding surfeit one day and half starving 

 them the next. In short, he had a system 

 and followed it strictly — and made money by 

 farming too ! ! His pork-barrel and granary 

 were never empty. He never ran up accounts 

 with the merchants, nor run in debt because 

 his credit was good. He lived to a good old 

 age ; and died, as he lived — an honest man. 

 Peace to his ashes. 



On looking over my sales book, I find the 

 following articles passed to the credit of the 

 farm : — 



Cattle, consisting of 1 cow and 

 9 calves, (Durham short 

 h: rn,) S325 GO 



Sheep, consisting of bucks, ewes, 



and lambs, for breeding, 615 00 



Pigs, principally for breeders, 276 00 



Milk, sold besides feeding the 



calves, 157 00 



Pasturing cattle exclusive of my 



own stock, 136 13 



Potatoes sold for family use, 612 69 



Ruta Bagaturneps,486 bushels at 

 .50 cents per bushel, 97 40 



