310 



THE farmers' cabinet. 



VOL. I. 



might be produced, for tlie following reasons: 

 — 1st. They should be planted earlier in the 

 season, that in case any of the seed should 

 fail to como up, (as some of mine did,) the 

 vancancies might be filled by transplanting 

 from places where they would be too thick; 

 and in sowing the seed enough should be put 

 in the ground for that purpose. 2d. They 

 might be planted mucii nearer together, say 

 the rows two feet apart, and about eight 

 inches between each plant in the rows ; 

 there would be then sutlicient room to give 

 them all the necessary culture. My object 

 in raising this crop was to make an experi- 

 ment in the way of obtaining Sugar, at the 

 suggestion of an individual who had that 

 object in contemplation for several years; but 

 from our limited knowledge of the process 

 necessary to the accomplishment of that end, 

 were notable to succeed further than in obtain- 

 ing tolerably good molasses. I discovered, 

 howevi^r, that but little was lost in conse- 

 quence of this failure, because the pumice 

 (that is the roots after being ground and 

 pressed) proved to be very good food for 

 either cattle or sheep. By feeding on this 

 my cows yielded an additional quantity o 

 milk. If for sheep, there was nothing perhaps 

 much better, in consequence of the root being 

 reduced to such very small pieces. The last 

 year, 1836, I again raised another crop, but 

 under the same disadvantages as the year 

 previous — not getting my seed in the ground 

 sufficiently early to admit transplanting and 

 have all the benefits of the season, which was 

 rather an unfavourable one for this as well 

 as most other crops, in consequence of so much 

 cold weather, 1 had, however, a large quanity 

 of beets, which I have fed away to cattle to 

 good advantage, making use of the tops, in 

 the early part of the fall, as food for hogs, 

 and the roots for cattle. I have fed my cows 

 chiefly with them, and find they give 

 more milk than before, and of a good quality. 

 Laying aside the profits contemplated in the 

 manufacture of sugar from the beet-root, I 

 think it as valuable a crop to the farmer as 

 almost any other, and I think by fair experi- 

 ment it will be found to be better. 



The manufacture of sugar from the beets 

 is a subject that is now engaging the attention 

 of many individuals in difl^erent parts of this 

 country, and I have no doubt but little fiirther 

 exertion in diffusing a knowledge o( the 

 fact, that it is now become a profitable busi- 

 ness both to the agriculturist and manufacturer 

 in foreign countries, and also if the improve- 

 ments, plans, processes, &,c., by which it is 

 carried on, would in a few years bring the 

 thing into elToctunl operation. 



I am ruKpectfully, thy friend, 

 John Jackson. 

 Daifcy, Del. co., 1st Mo. 1837. 



[With the following communication from 

 one of our active and esteemed friends in 

 Washington county, we received the names 

 of twenty-four new subscribers, and twenty 

 dollars. We merely mention this as a mat- 

 ter of encouragement to others.] 



Receipt for the Cure of Scab in Sheep* 



Inlernally — \ of magnesia to 1 lb. of sul- 

 phur, mix it well, and give it with salt, about 

 six table spoonfuls to 100 head. This must 

 be given a short time previous to the exter- 

 nal application, which is to be prepared as 

 follows: 



Take of the root of skunk cabbage 1 lb, 

 dry — 7 lbs. of tobacco — ^ bushel of green 

 mullien leaves — ^ bushel of the roots of elder 

 — ^ bushel of the tup of elder. Boil them 

 in chamberley, and apply the decoction as 

 warm as the animal can bear it, which may 

 be done by putting the liquid into a bottle; 

 perforate the cork, through which insert a 

 quill, from which pour the liquid. Particu- 

 lar care should be taken to wet the body of 

 the sheep all over, using about 1 quart of 

 liquor to a sheep. The above ingredient will 

 make a decoction of sufiicient strength to 

 cure one hundred head. 



The disease for which the foregoing is a 

 cure, has been raging in this (Washington) 

 county for sometime, and still continues to 

 rage. The person who furnished it had his 

 flock badly infected with it; his sheep are 

 now cured by the application of the foregoing 

 receipt. The internal application is once 

 prior to the external and tvv ice afler, — the 

 external applicatiori but once. 



Report, 



Of the Committee on Agriculture, to whom 

 was referred the Petition of citizens of 

 Union county, praying for Legislative 

 aid to AgricuUure. JVlr. Harper, C/i'm, 

 Read in the Senate, of Pensylvania, 

 March 25, 1837, 



That they have bestowed as much time and 

 attention on the subject, as their other avoca- 

 tions would permit. The subject" brought 

 before the Senate by the petitioners is one of 

 very great importance. Land is the source 

 of subsistancc for all. It is the capital which 

 supports all kinds of business — it is the sub- 

 stratum of credit. The precious metals may 

 be the basis of circulation; but there could 

 be very little active business, without the 

 credit which rests upon land, and its annual 

 productions. The specific value of land, as 

 well as of its produce, mainly depends upon 

 a proper system of agriculture, of course 

 the interests of every man in the community 

 are blended with those of the farmer. The 

 subject, therefore, is too important to be 

 viewed with indifference by a wise Legisia- 



