118 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Oct. 30, 1629. 



who ploughs quickest ami best, with the least ex- 

 pense, should be entitleil to the 6rst prctiiiutn. 



" The Committee deterniincil to limit the plough- 

 ing one fourth of an acre to forty iiiiniitcs, exclu- 

 sive of five minutcN respite, which was at tlie ex- 

 piration of twenty minutes, anil niinounced the 

 same to the ploughmen before starting." 



CULTIVATION OF HEMl'. 



The Worcester j-Egis of the 14th inst. states, 

 " an interesting commueiication was made to the 

 Worcester Agricultural Society by the President 

 on the subject of the cultivation of Flux and 

 Hemp." In this it was observed tliut "during 

 the [last year, more than twenty thousand bushels 

 of grain of the various kind.s, including Oats, Kye, 

 Corn, and Barley, had been brought into our 

 County from remote places, by way of I'rovidence. 

 It was in conscipiencc^ of tliis fact that the cnlti- 

 vation of Flax and Hemp was recommended. 

 That industry which had been heretofore directed 

 10 the raising of grain in this vicinity, must be di- 

 verted and applied to other objects of agriculture ; 

 nt least so much of it as was necessary to the pro- 

 duction of the quantity of the importcil grain as 

 mentioned above. It might seem from this, that 

 agriculture had been afl'ccled prejudicially by the 

 canal from this place to Providence, and in this 

 particular it was no doubt true ; but in almost 

 everything else it had been greatly benefited. 

 The price of the 20,000 bushels of grain has 

 been more than saved in the diminished sum at 

 which the article of Plaster of Paris alone may be 

 purchased. Lime, and many other articles have 

 been procured at lower prices, and probably con- 

 sumed in the same districts where the imported 

 grain might have been raised. We say nothing 

 of the new market created for much of our pro- 

 diice, and the greater facilities of transportation." 

 The same paper presents copies of two letters 

 on cultivating hemp, from H. L. Uak.vl'm to Gov. 

 Li-^coL.-v, from which the following passages are 

 extracted. 



"No branch of agriculture is so well calculated 

 at the present time, to promote the interests of in- 

 dividuals, or the prosperity of tho country, as the 

 culture of Hemp and Flax. 



"Tho demand for these articles will be shown 

 by the following statements : — 



In 1827, the value of hempen fabrics imported 

 into the United States, amoimtcd to $2,154,615. 

 In addition to this, large sums are annually ex- 

 pended in equipping American vessels in foreign 

 jiorts, where such equipments can be obtained 

 chca|)cr than in the ports of the United States. 

 The Navy of tho United States, which is now far 

 from being inconsiderable, and is rapidly increas- 

 ing, as well as their cointncrcial tonnage, (at pre- 

 sent anwunting to more than one million and a 

 half) must always create a great and increasing 

 demand for hemp. 



"The Navy ('ommissioncrs, in llnir Reports on 

 this subject, state that tho American llemp is in 

 all respects much preferable to the Russian Hemp. 

 Why not, therefore, encourage domestic mnnufac- 

 turcs, secure fortunes to ourselves, and save our 

 country tlie ex|>ensc of large smns of money, sent 

 abroad for articles which we are better colculatcd 

 to rniso at home ? 



" The advantages or profits to bo derived from 

 this business, will probably bo made apparent by 

 the following exhibit of the expenses and proceeds 

 attending it. 



One acre of good land, suitable for corn or po- 

 tatoes, will average one-third of a ton of hemp, 

 which is a cash article in marki;t, at from 200 to 

 235 per ton. Taking the lowest of these, the 

 value of the hemp from one acre would be ^66 60 

 7 bushels of seed at $3 i)er bushel, 21 00 



$87 66 

 Deduct the expense of 2 bushels of seed 



for sowing, $6 00 



Do. labor in ploughing, sowing, and har- 

 vesting, 5 00 

 Do. for dressing, 20 00 



$31 00 



Which, deducted from $87,66, leaves $56,60 

 proceeds from one acre. 



1 hove in my possession, certificates from gen- 

 tlemen of the fir.?t respectability, stating that the 

 net profits of land of a middling quality, sown to 

 hemp, the last season, was §85 per acre. 



These facts need no comment, for I consider 

 them suflicient inducements for agriculturists to 

 engage in growing lleirqi and Flax. 



I am now travelling through the New England 

 States for the purpose of encouraging the culture 

 of these valuable products, by giving the necessary 

 information respecting the manner of cultivating 

 and dressing them for market or for manufactur- 

 ing. Credentials will be presented from oflicers 

 of the General Government." 



Brighto.n Market. — Monday, Oct. 26. 

 ( Keponed for ihe Clironicle and Fairioi.) 



Ciiltle — 1956 at market. We do not recoil 

 of wilne-ssing a more biii-y, acli\e market <lay 

 a long time. The barrellers cunie forward in g' 

 earnest, and with a spirit which put life and anil 

 lion into the whole market. We venture to 

 sirt that a moderate advance was realized on 

 kinds of IJeef, and we quote prime market Bee 

 ^5 per cwt. ; from fair to nnddling, 3i to ^4, i 

 thin qualities less. | 



Sheep — Not 500 at market, and one half 

 them were in the Monday bcfnre — an occurrei 

 which has not happened before at this season 

 the year, perhaps, since the establishment of 

 market. All were sold before nine o'clock, i 

 probably at nn advance on former prices. 



.Swine — 1738 at market. A very brisk tr; 

 was kept up throughout the day — more tha 

 thousand were sold, and fully supported forn 

 prices. 



PLANTING FKUIT TREES ON THE SIDES 

 OF HILLS. 



DonART first observed that trees pushed their 

 branches in a direction parallel to the surface of 

 the earth. If a tree stands on a steep, it pushes 

 both towards the hill, and towards the declivity; 

 but on both sides it stilt preserves its branches 

 ])arallel to the surface. As there is an attraction 

 between the upper surface of leaves, and light, I 

 am also persuaded, though not equally certain of 

 it from ex[>eriment, that there is an attraction of 

 the same nature between the under surface of 

 leaves and the surface of the earth. This I con- 

 sider as the cause of the phenomenon. 



I had long observed that tho most fruitful or- 

 chards, and the most fertile trees, arc those plant- 

 ed on a declivity, and the steeper it is, though not 

 quite a precipice, the more fertile will they prove. 



It is well known that the spreading of trees al- 

 ways renders them fruitful. On a plain, however, 

 they incline to shoot iqiwards : and therefore, art 

 is culled in by skilful gardeners, and applied in va- 

 rious ways to check their perpendicular, and to 

 promote their lateral growth. But this point, 

 which can only be gained on a plain by art, is ob 

 tained on a declivity by nature. There a tree Iom^s 

 its tendency to shoot upwards, and in order to pre- 

 serve its branches iiarallel with the surface, is con- 

 strained to put them in a lateral direction. 



Hence an important rule in the choice of or- 

 chards and gar<lens. 



BEST SHEEP. 

 A gentleman is desirous of obtaining informa- 

 tion on the subject of the best description of sheep 

 for mutton ; particirlarly as to tho Tecswatcr, 

 Dishley, South Downs, Lincoln, &c. &c. ; also the 

 brre<l of Mr FKATiiEasTONnAiGH of New York, 

 and Mr Barnkv of Philadelphia. Weight of tnut- 

 ton per quarter — weight of lleece — whether short 

 or long wool — where they may bo hod, price for 

 rams and ewes, &c. 



Horticultural. — The show of rare fiaita at the F 

 of the Society, on Saturday last, was very fi 

 among them were the following : — 



By S. W. PoMEROY, Esq. as a curiosity, app 

 from the island of Pico, one of the Azores — al 

 plums of a peculiar quality, from Plum Island, Ne 

 buryport harbor. 



By Jon.N Prince, Esq. specimens of the Napole 

 pear {from Mr Knight's scions) a beautiful, bi 

 llavored pear, in fine order — melting, sprightly, a 

 full of delicious juice. — Also, tlie Maryland pippin 

 fine apple, and the Charles D'Aulriche pear. 



By Joii.N IIeakp, Jr. Esq. a fine specimen of I 

 Napoleon pear, — the same as Mr Pri.-jce's. 



By Mr Cook, specimens of Mr Carr's Petre pe 

 from Philadelphia— also, several varieties of graf 

 of fine appeaiance and flavor. 



By Mr C. Tappa?c, specimens of a remarkti 

 productive potato, received by him last season fr. 

 Havre in France — of good quality, and so product! " 

 \.\)'it four hills have afforded a bushel, upon an a* 

 rage, planted in the usual manner, 3 halt potatoes 

 the hill. Mr Tappak will leave some of the Po 

 toes, at the Hall to-morrow, for distribution — alsc 

 specimen of the Bland Grape, of Bloodgood's m 

 sery. 



By Mr Besj. V. French, of Braintrce, Seedli 

 Sweet Apples, from a tree on the land of Mr Ciiaui. 

 French, of Braintree, transplanted fifty-two vi; 

 since, scions of which he will furnish the raeuib' 

 ne.\t spring, if desired. 



By Mr E. M. Richards, of Dedham, Crasan 

 Pears, and some remarkably fine red Currant \Vu 

 7 years old, made according to the following reccif 

 Take one gallon of the juice, two gallons of watt 

 two pounds and a half of brown Havana sugar, p 

 in a cask in the cellar, or other cool place, to tV 

 ment slowly— stopped tight soon as the lermentntii 

 ceases, and bottled in tlie Spring, after which it is 

 for use. 



By Mr Pond, of Cambridge, specimens of see 

 linn^ potatoes, raised thi^ year from tlie seed, nine 



which, from one seed, weighed ten ounces .W. 



cuttings of his seedling grape, tor members. 



By S. Downer, Mr Lowri.i.'s Sylvange Vcr 

 Pear, the same that was sent to the Hall two weel 

 since, then not in eating, and now a little past its be 

 state for tasting; still very exccUenL, melting, at 

 full of delicious juice, flavor resi -nbles the Citrc 

 Melon, if it had been eaten sooner, would have bee 

 more sprightly. 



From Mr Dowse of Cambridgcport, two vei 

 large |iears yellow color, and hanikome, one callc 

 "Golden Beurro," weighing 17 ozs. tolerable ft 

 eating, but belter for liaking, the other still ham 



