&l)e farmer's iHcmtl)ln bisitor. 



155 



really serious importance, whether 1 ■ is horses 

 accomplish this work with difficulty or with 

 case. 



There are two or three points, which if suffi- 

 ciently attended to by all road-makers, would, 

 with no additional cost, work a revolution in our 

 roads — nay, more, would actually advance the 

 price of land, in many Well settled districts, to 

 an aggregate amount of hundreds of thousands 

 Of dollars. The Erie Canal added to t lie wealth 

 of the country hundreds of millions; fine and 

 easy roads, hy virtually diminishing distances all 

 through the country, would he of the highest 

 benefit 



1. One of the most important points, is to 

 preserve a level, as nearly as possible. This im- 

 portance is strikingly exhibited hy computations 

 and experiments for engines on railroads, the 

 same principles applying in less degree to com- 

 oion roads. It was found that an eighteen ton 

 engine, 



On a level, would draw 700 tons. 



On grade, 10 feet per mile, 452 " 

 On •• 20 « " 332 " 



On " 30 " " 263 " 



On " 50 « " 185 " 



That is, if a horse could draw seven tons on 

 railroad, on a level, he could not draw two 

 tons up a slope of only one foot in a hundred. 

 But a slope of only one foot in a hundred on a 

 common road would he regarded hy every one 

 as about the same as a dead level ; — what then 

 must he thought of such accents as are continu- 

 ally occurring, of one foot in three or four I 

 The loss of power here must he enormous. But 

 enormous as it is, and straining to a horse's eve- 

 ry muscle and joint, it is in most cases entirely 

 unnecessary. Many parts of the country are 

 more or less broken up into irregular bills. But 

 with must singular stupidity, the roads instead 

 of being led judiciously round them, by slight 

 curves, pass directly over them. Sir Joshua 

 Reynolds said that if he were to paint Folly, he 

 would represent a boy climbing over a high and 

 difficult fence, with an open gate close beside 

 him. He could have done it much better by ex- 

 hibiting a road, for the accommodation of, say 

 fifty teams a day, year in and year out, ascending 

 a sharp hill and then down again, with a fine 

 natural valley or level for the road twenty-five 

 rods distant.* 



Every common road to be perfect, should he 

 laid out with some kind of levelling instrument, 

 and where ascents must be made, proper curves 

 should make them as easy as possible. Naiv 

 row and small gorges should he crossed by 

 bridges or embankments. Let not the narrow 

 policy that this or that man's fields are cut 

 into an inconvenient shape, ever prevail. It is 

 better for every farmer to have a three-cornered 

 field, if he can only have level roads, on which 

 his horses may draw double loads with ease. 



2. The material for the construction of roads 

 is very essential, and often entirely neglected. 

 The surface of the earth is in many cases rich 

 black mould or muck, very fine for the growth 

 of potatoes and corn, but making horrible wagon 

 tracks. It is, however, usually scraped into the 

 highway for the very simple and cogent reason 

 that it is scraped easily, being so much softer 

 than the hardpan below, which, though hard to 



* Within a circuit of ten miles from the resilience of 

 the writer, there are not less than twenty cases where 

 ro.ids ascend and pass down sharp hills, at least fifty I'eet 

 perpeudicular height, while a very slight curve would 

 place the road on nearly a perlect level, without adding 

 five rodB to its length. 



work, would nevertheless be equally hard to get 

 muddy. Sometimes, like the politician, who 

 "steered between right and wrong," a midway 

 course is taken, or rather both plans are adop- 

 ted ; that is, the muck is first scraped up into a 

 high turnpike, and then a coat of hardpan covers 

 the top — which does well for light wagons, but 

 heavy ones cut through the crust into the ma- 

 nure below. One of the hardest and smoothest 

 roads we ever saw, was the wide shallow ditch 

 made by scraping the muck out, to form the 

 turnpike, and thus leaving the clean hardpan 

 surface. What fine hard roads might he made 

 in many places, by merely removing the black 

 upper soil to enrich the adjacent fields. 



3. A third important item, is the removal of 

 loose stones. The law of the State of New 

 York requires that all road-overseers should 

 cause these to be thrown from the road once a 

 month, but it is rarely observed. It is believed 

 that if this were strictly attended to, and our 

 roads kept smooth, wagons and carriages would 

 last double the time they now do, to say no- 

 thing of the discomfort of being thoroughly jar- 

 red a thousand times a day, and the rack to 

 horses, harness, and merchandize. A single 

 stone, against which every passing vehicle 

 thumps like a sledge, may alone cost a hun- 

 dred dollars a year by broken or shattered 

 wagons. 



The property invested in wagons in the State 

 of New York alone, is probably not less than 

 ten millions of dollars. If by keeping the roads 

 smooth, by the removal of stones, this enor- 

 mous sum would need renewing only once in 

 twenty-five years, instead of once in twelve 

 years as now, wotdd it not he an economical 

 operation ? 



If a hundred thousand farmers in the State, 

 do fifty dollars worth of teaming on the road, 

 each, per annum, the yearly aggregate would be 

 five millions. If their loads could be doubled, by 

 milking all the roads nearly level, would not 

 the clipping off of a few fanners' fields for the 

 passage of the road, be a matter of strict econo- 

 my to individuals, as well as a great public 

 benefit ? 



If besides, by all these improvements, bring- 

 ing farms virtually nearer market and all other 

 places of business, the price of land should 

 rise, as it certainly would, at least to some ex- 

 tent, who would be the losers ?— Cultivator. 



New York State Fair at Buffalo. 



The eighth Annual Showand Fair of the New 

 York State Agricultural Society took place at 

 Buffalo, agreeably tu appointment, on the 5th, 

 (Jih and 7th of September, and in the aggregate 

 may be said to have fully equalled any former 

 exhibition. The weather, always an important 

 element in the success of displays of this kind, 

 was all that could have been desired, not only 

 during the show, but several days preceding, 

 which greatly favored the attendance of com- 

 petitors and spectators. The collection of peo- 

 ple was immense, estimated at least at fifty thou- 

 sand. We are informed that the entire receipts 

 WKre upwards of six thousand dollars, and this 

 would seem to justify the above estimate, as 

 to the number of persons admitted within the 

 gates. 



The attendance from abroad was very large. 

 Every State in the Union was represented, and 

 the population of those parts of Ohio, Michigan 

 and Canada, which border on the lakes, turned 

 out in masses. All mingled with our own citi 

 zens with perfect harmony, and the utmost cordi- 

 ality and good feeling prevailed throughout. 

 The general appearance and demeanor of the 

 vast crowd was highly creditable. We did noi 

 see a disorderly person, nor hear of a vicious or 



mischievous act. All seemed actuated by a 

 laudable motive of learning something useful, or 

 else desired to gratify an innocent curiosity ; and 

 nearly every one appeared pleased and satisfied. 

 In every view of the case, the exhibition has af- 

 forded abundant cause of gratulation,— it has 

 been a credit to the Empire State; both in re- 

 spect to the display of its products, and the in- 

 dication it has afforded of the enterprise, taste 

 and intelligence of its citizens. It is a matter of 

 gratification, also, that these occasions are be- 

 ginning to be regarded as the annual jubilees of 

 the people; and we are confident that their in- 

 fluence in the establishment of our reputation 

 and good standing, is very important. 



The show-ground was on an elevated ridge, 

 about two miles north of the city, and comprised 

 an enclosure of sixteen acres, "admirably suited 

 in every respect, to the purpose. The arrange- 

 ments were generally convenient. Three large 

 buildings received most of the manufactured arti- 

 cles and dairy products, and a large tent was 

 provided for the horticultural department. The 

 smaller implements were shown in one of the 

 buildings, and the larger ones were arranged in 

 the open ground. 



The animals had every accommodation which 

 could be provided on such an occasion. The 

 cattle were fastened in a beautiful grove, which 

 extended nearly across the entire breadth of the 

 show-ground, and afforded ample room for sev- 

 eral hundred animals, which being abundantly 

 supplied with forage and pure water, reposed 

 quietly in the shade. This was a great advan- 

 tage over a situation exposed to the scorching 

 heat of the sun. The sheep and swine were in 

 pens, shaded by boards laid across one side. 

 The horses were disposed mostly in the central 

 part of the field, and when exhibited to the 

 judges were paraded in a circular enclosure 

 where there was sufficient space for them to 

 display their action.— Albany Cultivator. 



From tiie (Jenesee Farmer. 

 The Constituents of Plants. 



Messrs. Editors .-—From a perusal of the Gen- 

 esee Farmer for the last six months, I find it is 

 considered important for us, if we would insure 

 good crops, to return a full equivalent to the soil 

 for the elements our crops take therefrom. This, 

 I infer, is not only important, but may be deem- 

 ed the great principle, founded upon experience, 

 and firmly established by extensive experiment ; 

 in fact, the true basis of a successful rotation of 

 crops. 



But the questions arise— 1st. Mow are we to 

 obtain a knowledge of the simple elements 

 which the different crops take from the soil ?— 

 and 2d, of the best manner of incorporating 

 these elements with the soil ? 



It is not probable that the mass of us can con- 

 sult the scientific works of Liebig, Johnston, &c; 

 but if we should receive through the Farmer, 

 more analytical and synthetical items on the 

 subject, would they not he conducive of the 

 happiest result, hy enabling us intelligently to 



" l'AV OUR DEBTS." 



A SUBSCRIBER. 



Bloomlield. Ontario Co., > 

 September, 1818. J 



Remarks. — Our correspondent is searching 



for light in the proper direction. Practical Ag- 

 riculture is wholly indebted to Science for "a 

 knowledge of the "elements" which nature 

 must have to form. each plant, seed and fruit 

 grown on the farm or in the garden. We have 

 known a kernel of corn this season, in Georgia, 

 to produce one thousand kernels equal in weight 

 to itself The matter in the parent seed could 

 form but one kernel, leaving that contained in 

 the Other nine hundred and ninety-nine, as well 

 as that which exists in the stems," leaves, roots 

 and cobs, to be derived from the substance of the 

 earth, air and water. Now, why should one 

 kernel of seed corn give a harvest" of one thou- 

 sand kernels in one soil; and a harvest of onlv 

 one hundred in another? The same degree of 

 sunshine, i\k\\s and rains ; the same atmospheric 

 gases and meteoric influences affect both corn 

 plants alike. But if you analyze the soil criti- 

 cally, one will be found to abo I in the ele- 





this 



important grain ; and the other will show 



