362 



THE GENESEE FARMER 



November 19, 1831- 



only need the tops so covered as to prevent being 

 too often frozen and thawed : such are some of 

 the tender kinds of European Grapes, Figs, Hy- 

 drangeas, &c. ; a very convenient and safe way of 

 protecting 6u:h are, to bend them down and se- 

 cure them with hooks, and cover them with green 

 sward or sods, laid upon them grass downward, 

 as in removing them in the spring, the operator is 

 not as apt to injure the plants as when covered 

 with mould. 



THE SEASON. 

 We have been informed by a gentleman from 

 Grand River, U. C, that there has been more 

 rain during the months of September and October 

 past, than is remembered to have fallen during the 

 same months in any former year, by the oldest in- 

 habitants. In much of the country, the farming 

 operations have been greatly retarded, and much 

 ground prepared for winter wheat, remains un- 

 sown. Our informant gave it as his opinion, that 

 there was not more than half the quantity of win 

 ter grain sown, that there would have been, hid 

 the weather been as favorable as usual. If this is 

 true, it will be detrimental to the farming interest 

 of U. C, as the country upon the north side of 

 Lake Ontario, is the only part of the province 

 where a surplus produce of wheat is grown. In a 

 communication from N. Herbemont, to the editor 

 of the American Farmer, published the 21st Octo- 

 ber, dated Columbia, S. C. Sept. 24th, lie savs, 

 " with us, all this summer has been an almost un- 

 interrupted series of rains; such, I believe, as was 

 never witnessed by our oldest inhabitants." This 

 gentleman is engaged in the cultivation of grapes, 

 and making wine; and observes that in conse- 

 quence of the continued rains, the must or juice of 

 his grapes did not contain so much saccharine 

 matter as usual, and that three quarters of a 

 pound of sugar to the gallon is necessary to bring I 

 it to the same specific gravity, as that of last year. 

 Many of his grapes burst, and he estimates that 

 he lost 100 gallons of wine in consequence, upon 

 one sixth of an acre; yet, notwithstanding, he 

 made 260 gallons, or at the rate of 1500 gallons 

 per acre. 



The following challenge is from the National 

 Intelligencer : and although we have not been so 

 particular as to weigh, yet did not omit to count 

 the potatoes produced from one hill presented to 

 us, which numbered 80 great and small, ard meas- 

 ured about half a bushel ; but we are not sure they 

 were of the " true Irish breed ;" but think they 

 were American, as we were assured they were na- 

 tives of the state of New- York : 



Bkat this who can. — The following cer- 

 tificate, from two respectable citizens, shows 

 what the land in this neighborhood is capable 

 of, under good cultivation. We have seen 

 these potatoes; they are of the true Irish 

 breed. -Nat. Intel. 



Washingt n City, Oct. 31,1831. — We 

 certify that we were present when twelve po- 

 tatoes (raised on the farm of Mr. Adam 

 Lindsey near the Navy Yard,) were weighed, 

 and that the same weighed seventeen and 

 one half pounds good weight, averaging 

 nearly one and one-half pounds each. 



george b. Mcknight, 

 wm. speiden. 



3275 squirrels were shot in a hunt, at Norwalk, 

 O., on the 30th October, averaging 15 to each 

 hunter. 



CHINESE MULBERRY. {Morns Multkau- 

 lis.) 

 In answer to the inquiries of J. B., respecting 

 this plant, we would inform him that we are not 

 aware of there being more than two or three 

 plants, which have been wintered in this county, 

 all of which withstood the seventy of the cli- 

 mate, without any material injury. A few years 

 will determine whethe it will supersede the com- 

 mon White Mulberry, for feeding silk worms, 

 as there has been several imported into this coun- 

 ty this fall. 



SOUTH CAROLINA GOLD. 

 It appears to be the opinion of many, that A- 

 merica possesses greater mines of wealth, than a- 

 ny other nation in the world. This we believe 

 to be the fact, and that we have also some of the 

 best mining instruments ever invented ; among 

 which, cast inn ploughs and hinge drags should 

 be placed in the (fore) ground, by those who 

 woull gather the precious metals. 



Rcvieio of the Cincinnati Markets. — The fol- 

 lowing is from the Western Tiller, of October 

 29th, 1831: 

 Flour, superfine, pcrbbl. $1,50 



Wheat, per bush. ,75 



Hemp, per ton, 120,00 



Lard, per lb. ,08 



Pork, mess, per bbl. 12,00 



Linseed Oil, per gall. 1,00 



Should these prices continue, the farming inter- 

 ests of the state will increase beyond precedent. 



The following prices of forced fruits and ve- 

 getables, in Covent Garden Market, is from Lou- 

 don's Gardener's Magazine for 1826, and is quoted 

 to show the encouragement which gardeners re- 

 ceive in England, for producing early or rare spe- 

 cimens : 



Feb. 7 — Asparagus 10 to 12s. per 100. 

 " Apples 16 to 20s, per bushel. 



Cucumbers 21s. per brace. 

 March 21. — Colman Pears 21s. per doz. and 

 thought cheap. 

 Strawberries 3s. per ounce. 

 Sweet Water Grapes 21 2s. and up- 

 wards per lb. r 

 April 21. — Grapes 24 to 30s. per lb. 

 " Strawberries 2s. per oz. 

 " i Apples 34s. per bushel. 

 May 1C. — Cherries 12 to 16s. per lb. 

 At those prices, we think our gardeners would 

 furnish as fine articles as could be found in Covent 

 Garden Market. 



j£J=The following note is appended to a commu- 

 nication on American Grapes, in a late number 

 of the American Farmer, and we publish it for 

 the information of the writer, who is one of our 

 most esteemed correspondents. 



[The writer of the above will accept our 

 thanks for bis excellent article, and we soli- 

 cit a continuance of his correspondence, 

 feeling well assured that a portion of our 

 columns cannot be better occupied than 

 with the productions of such a pen. The 

 article he Speaks of in a privato note, which 

 was received last spring, remains for the ul- 

 timate decision of the committee in January 

 next. We regretted the necessity that cal- 

 led Inr Ibis delnv. mill lltp more «n ns if nn«t_ 



poned the pleasure we shall derive from the 

 appearance of that article in our columns.— . 

 Will the author favor us .-ith his address 

 that we may be enabled, as a small mark of 

 the high estimation in which we hold his 

 writing , to send him our journal ?] 



(t^-Several communications have been recei- 

 ved since the portion of our paper allotted to 

 them, was filled, which will appear next week. — 

 We make room for the following in this place: 



FOE THE GENESEE FARMER. 



A late number of the New- York Farmer con- 

 tains the " valedictory" of " I Guess." Finding 

 himself unqualified for argument, he has closed 

 his career with prevarication. 



The Editor of the New-York Farmer is also 

 inclined to withdraw. He appears to have just 

 found out that it issvwll business forthecoi luctor 

 of a respectable paper to endorse the buffooneries 

 of his correspondent ; and I congratulate him on 

 the discovery. CI. 



THE FARMER. 



The farmers have a fine season to gather their 

 late crops; to make up their apples into cider: to 

 bring their wheat to market ; and lay in their 

 winter stores. 



There are some men who pretend to be farmers ; 

 — who plough, and hoe, and sow, and harvest; — 

 all these things are done well enough. But, when 

 Old winter is sifting his snow flakes about their 

 ears, spend their time in sleigh riding — at tav- 

 erns — shooting matches, and make a dozen christ- 

 mases and New- Years, during the winter. What 

 is the consequence? Their flocks and herds are 

 attended by boys, or not at all; the top-rails of 

 their fences are burnt off until the boys reach the 

 ground; their orchards; garden; nursery; are 

 brmosed and destroyed; their low wet meadow 

 land, trodden up by cattle, and rooted up by swine 

 About the first of April such a farmer finds his 

 cattle just able to rise alone : his sheep dying with 

 disease ; his barn empty ; his cribs empty ; his 



granay . The man seems to come to 



himself, — he goes to work like a slave, to put his 

 grounds under fence, — and to prepare his lands 

 for the plough. 



Such a man is not a farmer. 



If the picture is a true one of any farmer in 

 Monroe county, we hope the Temperance Society 

 will give him an Almanac. 



Convention of Tanners. — About a month since 

 our townsman, Jacob Graves, in consequence of 

 not being able to obtain the insurance of his targe 

 and extensive Tannery, from a positive refusal 

 of the Insurance Companies in this State, to in- 

 sure Tanneries, — proposes to the tanners in the 

 State to hold a Convention of tanners in each 

 county, for the purpose of concentrating and ma- 

 king a schedule of the number, value and business 

 of the tanneries in the several towns, with a view 

 of applying to the Legislature, for an act incorpo- 

 rating the Tanner's Mutual Insurance Company 

 Mr. G. estimates the capital invested in tanneries, 

 at about $5000,000. 



We notice in a Utica paper, that Thomas Wil- 

 liams of Vernon, and Ilubbel & Curran, and S 

 Lightbody, of Utica, concur in Mr. Grave's re- 

 commendation, ami have called a meeting of the 

 tanners of the county of Oneida, on the 30th No- 



v*n>ikpr instnnt 



