^1 ?mmw®^s!im' 



^^ERICAN HERD-BOOli 



DEVOTED TO 



AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE, AND RURAL AND DOMESTIC AFFAIRS, 



Perfect Agriculture is the true foundation of all trade and industry. — Likbio. 



\ol. XII.— No. lO.J 



5th mo. (May) 15th, 1848. 



[Whole No. IGO.. 



PUBLISHED MONTHLY, 



BY J O S I A H T A T U M, 



EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR, 



No. 50 North Fourth Street, 



PHILADELPHIA. 



Price one dollar per year. — For conditions see last page. 



Effects of Railways upon Agriculture. 



The following are extracts from the evi- 

 dence of James Smith, Esq., of Deanston, 

 given before the Select Committee of the 

 House of Commons on Railway Acts Enact- 

 ments — the minutes of the testimony ad- 

 duced before which committee have just 

 been issued, pursuant to an order of that 

 House, dated the 25th of Augu-st last. The 

 extracts in question relate to the effects of 

 the facilities afforded by railway ccmveyance 

 to agricultural improvement: — 



Have you had occasion to consider the fa- 

 cilities afforded by railway conveyance to 

 agricultural improvements? — Yes, I have. 



Will you state generally what you con- 

 sider has been the result! — I have observed 

 upon those hnes that have been in existence 

 for some years, over which I have had occa- 

 sion to travel, that a very great agricultural 

 improvement of the lands in the neighbour- 

 hood has been the result, arising mainly from 

 the cheapness and facility of transport; and 

 I have drawn out some tables to illustrate 



Cab.— Vol. XII.— I\o. 10. 



that. I have one table taking a farm of 200 

 acies and a six-course shift; the committee 

 are aware that there are different shifls of 

 rotation, and that some lands suit best to be 

 cultivated upon one, and some upon the 

 other. I have taken this farm upon the si.x- 

 course shift, which is most suitable for the 

 bulk of the medium land of England and 

 Scotland ; I have supposed that farm to be 

 in most full cultivation, thoroughly improved,, 

 and to be both arable and pasture. I have- 

 taken the quantities of green and dairy pro- 

 duce, and cattle, and everything which I can 

 conceive will be exported from that farm, and 

 it amounts to 148 tons. I have then taken 

 the imports, consisting of store cattle to be 

 fed, lime and other matters, such as guano,, 

 and the different chemical manures which 

 are now being introduced; and also seed,, 

 because the shifting of seed in a good farm 

 is always attended to: and I have supposed^ 

 that this weight shall be transported upon 

 an average fifteen miles, which I think is a 

 Ivery low estimate. The quantity imported 

 I will be 197 tons; making altogether, of im- 

 i ports and exports, 346 tons 14 cwt. 

 ! That is all for fifteen miles'! — Yes. Then 

 I have taken the expense of transport by 

 Irailway at Id. per ton per mile; on some 

 'railways it is considerably higher, and on 

 I some lower, but in the present advanced 

 jstate of railways we may fairly assume that 

 to be the general rate. 



For the produce transported, and the ma- 

 nure brought to the land? — Yes; taking it 



(297) 



