No. 14. 



Sumac — Quince Trees. 



239 



I am fully convinced in my own mind, that 

 our country does produce many spontaneous 

 vegetable products, capable, with but a mode- 

 rate share of toil, of amply rewarding the 

 capitalist, or the farmer, who shall undertake 

 their cultivation, for commercial or manufac- 

 turing purposes ; and I farther believe, that 

 a careful study into the natures, properties, 

 habits, and usefulness, of such plants as are 

 indigenous to, or capable of being introduced 

 into this country, could not be otherwise than 

 entertaining and instructive to every citizen. 



Is it not a matter of astonishment, that at 

 the present period, when our manufacturers 

 have already arrived at such a high state of 

 perfection, as in most brandies to stand forth 

 successful rivals to, and in others to challenge 

 competition witli, the older and longer prac- 

 tised artisans of Europe, we are found impor- 

 ting from thence, or elsewhere — instead of 

 furnishing ourselves, from our own soil — 

 nearly all tiie important adjuncts to successful 

 competition ! Suppose, for a moment, we 

 look into the statistics of other countries, for 

 some information regarding an article largely 

 used in this country, but mostly imported 

 from Europe, when if we would but realize 

 it, we sJiould discover, that we can hardly 

 travel twenty miles hereabouts without see- 

 ing it growing wild in abundance — it is no- 

 thing more nor less than that poisonous shrub, 

 or weed, called shumac, or sumac, which 

 grows frequently tohere nothing else icill 

 grow, and is generally looked upon by the 

 former as good for nothing — while, if he 

 would but bestow upon it some attention, he 

 would find much benefit accruing therefrom, 

 which now gets into the pockets of foreigners. 



At the first glance, it will, no doubt, be a 

 matter of surprise to many, and difficult to re- 

 alize, the vast quantity of the sumac used in 

 Great Britain, for the purposes of dyeing and 

 tanning. In the years 1832 and 1833, ac- 

 cording to M'CuUoch, the quantity entered 

 for home consirniption only, amounted to no 

 less than thirteen thousand eight hundred 

 and twcntyfour tons and two hundred 

 weight ! ! ! 



The following tabular view of the number 

 of bags imported into Liverpool, during a pe- 

 riod of five years, is taken from a circular is- 

 sued by Messrs. Jee, Brothers & Co., 31st 

 December, 1832. 



1828. 1829. 1830. 1831. 1832. 

 Bags, 23,000 26,000 35,000 41,200 44,000 

 which shows a progressive increase. 

 I am yours, &c., 

 A Friend to Native Industry. 



The external misfortunes of life, disappoint- 

 ments, poverty and sickness, are light in com- 

 parison of those inward distresses of mind, 

 occasioned by folly, by passion, and by guilt. 



For the Farmers' CabiTiet. 



C^uiuce Trees. 



The time for planting trees being now 

 near, I take the liberty of recommending to 

 farmers, to cultivate the quince tree more 

 extensively than they have heretofore done, 

 both for pleasure and profit. Quinces in the 

 Philadelphia market sell tor, from two to six 

 dollars per pushel, according to the quality. 

 I have never known them to sell for less than 

 twenty-five cents the half peck, and fine one's 

 have often sold for three times that price. 

 The great demand for them is for preserving, 

 for which purpose every house-keeper knows 

 their value. But for drying; to mix with 

 dried apples or peaches, they possess a value, 

 unrivalled by any other fruit; the superior 

 flavor communicated by them to pies can 

 only be appreciated by those who have tasted 

 of their excellence when used in that way. 

 The tree is more easily cultivated thaji 

 most other kinds of fruit trees; they grow 

 from the slip, if the soil is moist; may be pro- 

 pagated from suckers, or by grafting, or any 

 oflhe usual methods of propn gating fruit 

 trees. They are hardy, do not shade the ground 

 much, and are not as liable to injury Irom 

 cattle as many other trees; and to crov^^n all, 

 the fruit, either green or dried, always sells 

 readily for a high price. Now, what should 

 prevent a farmer frqm having twenty, fifty 

 or a hundred of these valuable trees set out 

 along his fences, where they would not 

 lessen his other crops, and would bring in a 

 handsome annual revenue, to increase his 

 library, or help to procure an out-fit for a 

 son or daughter, when they are about to quit 

 the paternal mansion, for a settlement in 

 life on their own account. 



I would particularly recommend the ex- 

 tensive cultivation of the quince to ourOhio,^ 

 and Western Pennsylvania farmers. If 

 they are brought to the Philadelphia mar- 

 ket in a dried state they will bring five 

 times as much as dried apples, and the car- 

 riage would be the same ; they would sell 

 at "once, and not lay on hand for a long 

 time as the western dried apples often have 

 done, and then been sold for a trifle, hardly 

 sufficient to pay transportation, storage and 

 commissions. Think of it, and act promptly ; 

 there is no mistake about it. 



Maria. 



Feb- 27, 1838. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



" Gather up the fragments, thai nothing be lost," 



Tlie Poor Widow and lier Co^v. 



On the approach of the winter 1836, '37, 

 a poor widow, who resided on a small lot in 

 the lower part of Bucks county and kept one 

 cow, that was a principal support for her 



