398 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept 



observations. The martins left their boxes in our 

 garden Sunday evening, Aug. 7. This year, the 

 barn swallows remained later than usual. A few 

 remain still, but they are undoubtedly late broods; 

 the largest portion of them left the 4th and 5th of 

 of August. For several years past they have left 

 on the 27th, 28th and 29th of July. 



THE SANDV/ICH ISLANDS. 



VVe are indebted to our correspondent, Mr. 

 Green, at Honolulu, for several copies of The Poly- 

 NEsiAX, one of which contains the report of the 

 Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, at Hono- 

 lulu. The society appears to be in a flourishing 

 condition, and we notice with pleasure that some 

 of our own people are interested in the prosperity 

 of those remote regions, and are active in aiding 

 the efforts of the agriculturist there. 



They find the raising of coffee a profitable busi- 

 ness, and one, "evidently destined to advance; and 

 the Kona coffee of Hawaii, it is admitted by the 

 best judges, is not surpassed by any in the world.'' 



The farmers of East Maui have gone to work 

 with the determination to raise sufficient wheat to 

 supply their home consumption. The experiment 

 of raising wheat has been a doubtful one; but the 

 efforts of Mr. Green, and a few other earnest men, 

 have given general couCdeuce of future success. 

 They are about erecting a good Flour Mill on the 

 Wailuka river. 



The Indian Corn crop has increased, and what 

 has been produced has sold from three to five cents 

 a pound. The corn crop, however, is a very un- 

 certain one, the success or failure of which depends 

 in a great degree on the seasons and time of plant- 

 ing. The study of the weather is almost as im- 

 portant to the farmer of these Island, as to the 

 mariner. On Oahu the season for plantingis from 

 November to March, while on Kauai, only 70 

 miles distant, where corn has been planted almost 

 for the first time this year, it is found that that 

 planted in the winter months has come" to nothing. 

 On the contrary, that plaiited by Lieut. Reynolds 

 in September last, gave a fair yield. 



The climate is admirably adapted to the sweet 

 potato, to which increased attention is given. The 

 report states that it grows well in almost every 

 part of the Islands, and no where better than 

 among the dry, hot stones of Puna, Kauai and Ko- 

 na, on Hawaii. No one who has ever travelled 

 over those districts can flxil to have been struck 

 with astonishment at the sight of beautiful sweet 

 potatoes, growing in liills of broken lava,with not a 

 particle of earth to be seen in their vicinity. The 

 sweet potato is the great article of food in the dry 

 burnt districts of Hawaii, and the cost of raising 

 them is next to nothing. The yield is from 125 to 

 175 bushels to the acre. 



Apples, pears, plums, cherries, &c., they have 



not yet been able to raise, but produce figs, grapes, 

 bananas, oranges, and most other tropical fruits 

 in abundance. The potato disease has not made 

 its appearance among them. 



The raising of cattle, when connected with the 

 dairy business, is found profitable. They require 

 no feeding, no salting, no sheltering. On the is- 

 land of Oahu they are worth about $5 per head, 

 all ages counted, and on the other -islands only 

 about half as much , owing to the difficulty of trans- 

 portation to a market. They are improving the 

 breed by importation of stock from the states and 

 other countries, particularly Australia. 



Sheep are abundant, and have been kept hereto- 

 fore for their flesh, without the least regard to the 

 value of their wool. 



The best breeds of swine have been imported by 

 the society. This report states that the pigs im- 

 ported were ' 'a present from Henry A. Pierce, Esq. , 

 of Boston, and that the freight etc., were given by 

 Messrs. Pierce & Brewer, two gentlemen who 

 seem ever ready to advance the agricultural inter- 

 ests of the islands." We take sincere pleasure in 

 noticing these noble acts in our own citizens. Mr. 

 Pierce has also pieseuted the Society with hives of 

 bees, one of which was packed in ice. Horses 

 and poultry of the finest breeds have been import- 

 ed, so that our friends out there bid fair not only 

 to produce the most abundant crops of bread stuffs, 

 vegetables, beef, poultry and pork for their own 

 use, but for their neighbors, the Californians. We 

 cannot but feel a lively interest in their efforts, and 

 wish them complete success. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE TOMATO. 



To many persons there is something unpleasant, 

 not to say disgusting in the flavor of this most ex- 

 cellent fruit. It has, however, been used for cul- 

 inary purposes in various countries in Europe, and 

 has of late years been extensively cultivated in 

 this country. It is one of the most powerful de- 

 obstruents of the Materia Medica; and in all those 

 affections of the liver and other organs where cal- 

 omel is indicated, it is probably the most effective 

 and least harmful agent known in the profession. 

 A chemical extract may be obtained from it, that 

 will altogether supersede the use of calomel in the 

 cure of diseases. When used as an article of diet, 

 it is almost a sovereign remedy for dyspepsia and 

 indigestion. It is, also, a most powerful alterative. 

 Eaten as fruit or as common food, it is a most ex- 

 cellent article; and as a sauce, pickle or preserve, 

 equal if not superior to any, and may be prepared 

 and eaten in as many different forms. I have oft- 

 en used it in complaints of the liver and other or- 

 gans with the happiest success. 



The method commonly adopted of preparing the 

 fruit, is to cut them in slices, and put them in salt 

 and vinegar like cucumbers. 



To stew them, take them ripe from the vines, 

 slice them, put them in a pot over a stove or fire, 

 without water ; they will cook in their own juice ; 



