700 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 11 



the moisture upon the plants, house-burn ensues, 

 when then the leaf perit^hes on each side ot the 

 eteni. The ciirin<r of tobacco is a nice oliemical 

 process; yet it is jjenerally entrusied to illiterate 

 manairers and ignorant ne^jroes, neither knovviiifr 

 the firs;t principles of the science. The constitu- 

 ent parts ot" tobacco, are wood, water and oil ; and 

 he who dries the wood, evaporates the water, and 

 preserves the oil, in the best manner, is the best 

 tobacco curer. 



I am inclined to believe from observation, that 

 most farmers keep more horned cattle, than are 

 u^^efiil or profitable. It can scarcely be said, that 

 we have a market lor beef; an indilferent one for 

 butter, and none for nnlk. Our cattle are only use- 

 ful ilir a family supply of" those articles, and for 

 work oxen : and beini^" very prejudicial to improve- 

 ment, a subject of first importance with all of us. 

 Would it not be good management to lessen the 

 number, and keep the balance better? and would 

 it not be still better to substitute your old field scrub 

 cows, with some of the improved strain, the Dur- 

 hams, Devons, or Herefbrds, one of which to the 

 pail, would give as much milk, and upon the 

 same keep, as three of your ordinary scrubs'? 



Permit me to invite your attention to the blood- 

 ed horse, an animal every way, and every where, 

 superior to the cold blood; possessing more 

 strength and activity, better resolution and action, 

 better form, wind and elegance, more docile and 

 tractable, better under the saddle, in the carriage, 

 on the turf, or in the plough. 



CHARTERS YANCEY, 



President of the Buckingham ^■:/griciiltural Society. 



SKETCH OF THR TU AXSACTIONS OF THE RE- 

 CENT AGRICt'l,TURAL CONVENTION OF NEVA^ 

 YORK, 



To the Editor of the Fanners' Register. 



Kinderhook^ Saturday evening, ? 

 February 4th, 1837. S 



Dear Sir: — As you have been pleased to express 

 an interest in all our proceedings that tend to the 

 advancement of agriculture, permit me — immedi- 

 ately on my return hone tmm the meetinir of our 

 Agricultural Convention, and Agricultural Slate 

 Society, at Albany, while my recollections are vi- 

 vid, and the emotions excited by our interesting 

 di-'CUssions have not yet subsided— to give you an 

 account of"our doings. 1 have neither the minutes 

 nor the time, to give you a detailed statement; and 

 as I write li-oai memory, it will not be a particular 

 account of all that was done. 



We met on Thursday, the 2dinsr., at 4 P. M., 

 in the Assembly Chamber, shortly after the ad- 

 journment of" the house, which, at this season of 

 the year, is in session. On looking around, it was 

 extremely gratifying to seethe numbers in attend- 

 ance; the body of the large room was filled; the 

 seats of the members all occupied; around the 

 fire-places numbers thronoedj while the lobby and 

 gallery contained many lisiening and apparently 

 interested spectators. Ashy far the greater num- 

 ber of delegates were strangers to each other, this 

 want ot acquaintance caused an awkwardness in 

 our preliminary proceedings, from the fear, that in 

 the distribution of the ofTices of the convention 

 and the appointment of committees, each portion 



of the state would not be duly represented; for we 

 soon fijund that distance had been no obstacle to 

 prevent the attendance of delegates, as many had 

 come from one hundred to thiee hundred and fifty 

 miles for that purpose. The very thought gave 

 an Interest to our acts, that gentlemen would tra- 

 vel so great a distance in the depth of winter, to 

 to be present at the meeting of, at most, two or 

 three days of an agricultural convention. 



Immediately after (he organization of the house, 

 several resolutions wereotiered crealinu' the neces- 

 sity ot the appointment of committees to act u[ion 

 them. Some of these were upon topics that 

 could, in a few hours, be reported upon; but others 

 involved inquiries that would lead to more thorough 

 and minute investigation. They were all of a na- 

 ture to call forth whatever of talent or knowledge 

 we possessed; and when these reponts shall be 

 given to the world, which I think in due lime they 

 will be, it will be acknowledged that our labors 

 have not been without beneficial results. Suffice 

 it to say, they created distinct topics tor report and 

 discussion, and all had an important be,aring upon 

 the great and varied interests ot" agriculture. I 

 will give you the leading features of a it;w of 

 them. 



We resolved to solicit aid from the legislature 

 for an appropriation to be applied in awarding pre- 

 miums tor the exhibition of the best specimens of 

 agricultural products in the different counties in 

 the state; 



For aid to establish our agricultural school; 



For the appointment of a committee to inquire 

 into what is the most usel'ul application of the pub- 

 lic money to be expended in the improsement of 

 agriculture; 



What progress has been made in becoming ac- 

 quauued vviih the habits, and preventing the des- 

 truction of our wheat crops, by the ^^vibriotritid,''^ 

 or wheat worm; 



Unanimously resolving to recommend the work 

 of Mr. Taylor, on agiiculture, as one of the ele- 

 merttary books to be used in our schools; 



Recommending the silk culture, and inquiring 

 what progress has been made in it in this state 

 the last year; 



What advances have been made in the subject 

 of" the beet culture; 



What late improvements have been made in 

 our farm implements; 



What are our most useful kinds of stock, and 

 what are the best modes of improving them; 



For an inquiry into the statistics of our agricul- 

 ture; to know why it is that toreign wheat, rye, 

 oafs, barley and hay, have been imported the last 

 year for the consumption ot our pofiulation, we be- 

 ing peculiarly an agricultural people; 



llequesting a communication from the geoloi'ists 

 appointed to take a survey ot this slate, with such 

 a statement of appearances as have been present- 

 ed to them in their tour thus fitr, as titr as those 

 appearances bear upon agriculture. 



I have thus briefly presented some of the topics: 

 there were others introduced which I do not re- 

 member, but upon subjects quite as interesting. 

 Time was given to make out elaborate reports 

 upon many of them, and gentlemen appointed 

 both compptent and willihg to enter into details. 

 When they afipear, I trust they will embody a 

 mass of information that will serve as land-marks 

 in ourfuture course. Many of these, and other re- 



