FARMERS' REGISTER— COMMERCLiL REPORT— THE VINE CULTURE. 493 



gathering the fruits of the earth." And there is 

 a tradition, handed down to us by Aha-Harisat, 

 that our great prophet, speaking of tlie lieavenly 

 reward that awaits good farmers, uttered tliese re- 

 markable words : " The man who sows and plants, 

 and, with the assistance of God, makes the eartli, 

 that before produced nothing, yield grain and 

 fruit, of whicii men, beasts and birds may eat, 

 will be rewarded in Paradise; and all he has thus 

 produced, will be reckoned in his favor, as if he 

 had given so much in alms to the poor." From 

 another part of Aba-Harisat's book we find the 

 following words of the pro])het : " He who builds 

 houses and plants trees, will, for doing so, be re- 

 warded not only in this world, but also in the 

 world to come, provided he does not oppress the 

 poor, and is just in all his dealings, for God is mer- 

 ciful and just." We also find it written down by 

 the prophet himself, " God pours his i)lessing on 

 the land that is best tilled, and commissions an 

 angel to keep watch over the grain growing on it. 

 Thus when you sow or plant say the following- 

 prayer: " As an effect of thy mercy and goodness, 

 O God, shower thy blessing upon this land, and 

 guard it against evil influences." « * * 



Klnderhook, N. Y. Dec 19, 1833. 



* * * I have read your last number of the 

 Register, and am happy to see you keep up the in- 

 terest of the work. I see you have an extended 

 and valuable correspondence, which will not only 

 aid much the circulation, but the practical useful- 

 ness of the Register, to that class of persons for 

 vvhom it is intended. * * # I would like to 

 see more subscribers to the Register in this sec- 

 tion of country, and hope ultimately they may be 

 obtained. I clearly see in this state much more of 

 an agricultural spirit than was observable even 

 two years ago, and I impute it in a great measure 

 to the extension of the circulation of agricultural 

 journals, and I am pleased to see that they are ge- 

 nerally read and much sought after. * * * I 

 was glad to see in a former No. your notice of the 

 steps taken in this state for the advancement of ag- 

 riculture. It will produce a happy effect upon the 

 minds of our political men to see our efforts no- 

 ticed elsewhere. Whether we will succeed this 

 winter in obtaining an appropriation for an agri- 

 cultural school, is rather doubtful — but in the end, 

 the measure must carry, for the public will in a 

 short time be satisfied with nothinof less. * * 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 COM5IERCIAL REPORT. 



December 31, 1833. 

 The prosperous state of commerce which existed 

 throughout the country a few months ago, has un- 

 dergone a woful change. At that time, no diffi- 

 culty e.xisted with the merchants in negotiating 

 their bills on any commercial city in the Union; 

 and those on England and France, could be readily 

 sold at favorable rates of exchange — consequently, 

 at that time, a merchant who purchased produce 

 could at any moment obtain money for his bills 

 drawn on its shipment, and the dealer in dry goods 

 or groceries, could readily obtain checks on the 

 banks at the north, to make his payments. But 

 now an almost entire change has taken place, 

 in consequence of the derangement among the 

 Banks. Bills of Exchange and stocks of almost 



every description have fallen, and can scarcely be 

 sold at any price, nor can money lie obtained on the 

 beit security. The prices of almost all articles of 

 country produce have greatly declined, and even 

 at the decline, it is very difficult to elTect sales. 



Confiden( e is very much shaken, failures are ap- 

 prehended, and prudent merchants appear to avoid 

 engaging in any business, although it may offer a 

 fair prospect of profit, fearing to enter into any en- 

 gagements in such perilous times. 



Whether this disastrous change arises from tho 

 differences existing between the Federal Execu- 

 tive and the United Slates Hank, I do not mean to 

 discuss, as that has become a party and political 

 question, which suits the pages of other j)ublita- 

 tions ratlier than those of the Farmers' Rcgisler. I 

 merely state facts, and leave to youi readers to form 

 their own conclusions. 



The decline in flour this month is about 62^ 

 cents per barrel— the present price being $5 to 

 5 25. 



Cotton has fallen to ten cents. 



To! acco of the old crop, although nominally 

 high, cannot be sold. 



Public stocks at the North have fallen 5 to 20 

 per cent. 



Exchange on England is as low as 3^ or 4 per 

 cent 



Let us hope that a favorable change will soon be 

 produced. X . 



ON THE PROPAGATION .\ND CULTURE OF THE 

 VINE. 



Columbia, S. C. Nov. IStfi, 1833. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Regi-ter. 



As the climate and soil of Virginia are certainly 

 well adapted to th-5 culture of the grape, both for 

 the table and fbr'wnie, we have every reason to 

 hope that some daj' or other, this state, as also those 

 adjacent, will furnish abundant crops of this most 

 valuable production. W'hether the time for such 

 a benefit be near at hand, or very remote, neces- 

 sarily depends on the exertions that are made to 

 promote it. The great advantages to be expectei' 

 from successful results in that culture, in everv 

 respect — moral, physical, political, and even reli- 

 gious — induce me to propose to you the publication 

 of the following observations on one of the modes 

 (by grafting) of obtaining, in a comparatively 

 short time, extensive vineyards in liearing. So 

 mtich has been of late years })ublishcd on the cul- 

 ture of the vine, according to various plans, and 

 also on grafting it, that it is not without some con- 

 siderable hesitation that I propose to you the pub- 

 lication of this. I am satisfied, however, that what 

 is true and good cannot be too often repeated, at 

 least until it be generally known and adopted. If, 

 notwithstanding this opinion of mine, you think 

 differently, you are at perfect liberty to throw it by. 



Whatever method we adopt of propagating the 

 vine, there are some general principles whichought 

 never to be overlooked. If by cuttings, these 

 should be selected of well ripened wood, and ai)out 

 eighteen or more inches in length, planted some- 

 what sloping, leaving only one or two buds out of 

 the ground. Although I admit that, generally 

 speaking, a plant raised from a cutting, and never 

 removed from the i)lace where it was first planted, 

 is likely perhaps to make a better and more dura- 

 ble vine; yet this mode is liable to so many disad- 

 vantages, that I give the unhesitating preference 



