THE GENESEE FARMER 



193 



ally manifested that Congress has attempted to gratify it 

 by publishing annually, at great expense, gleanings on ag- 

 ricultural subjects, gathered by the Commissioner of Pa- 

 tents, and by scattering seeds of various kinds among the 

 farmers of the country. This eiibrt on the part of Con- 

 gress, altliough well received, evidently does not satisfy its 

 constituents. The innumerable agricultural societies 

 springing up everywhere, and the multitude of agricultu- 

 ral journals, all express the general desire in favor of some 

 head and system, to make a model school of instruction, 

 which will beget similar institutions in tlie States through 

 those taught in it. The contribution Congress now makes 

 to advance the husbandry of the nation is evidently not 

 properly directed ; for it leaves the public unsatisfied and 

 restless in regard to the aid afforded by tiovernment to ad- 

 vance the great art upon which its wealth and power main- 

 ly depend. The committee thinks whatever Congress at- 

 tempts to do in a matter of such magnitude it ought to do 

 well. It exerts its power liberally to promote and protect 

 the commerce of the country. Military and naval schools 

 are the smallest part of the machinery devoted to tliat ob- 

 ject. Manufactures have had millions on millions lavished 

 in indirect bounties to establish them. Our Patent Ofiice 

 and its a})]iendages constitute a Government establishment 

 to advance, by the large bonus derived through patent 

 rights on every good invention in mechanics, the interest 

 of the class engaged in that species of national industry. 

 Copy-rights provide the remuneration to stimulate literary 

 labor. Yet the Government does nothing to embfidy intel- 

 ligence and give it direction to assist the efforts of individ- 

 uals in the greatest business of life, and that which should 

 be the greatest care of Government. 



" The committee would recommend the memorial of the 

 State Agricultural Society of Maryland, supported by that 

 of the United States, to the favorable consideration of the 

 Senate, as presenting a plan well calculated to fill what all 

 admit to be a great void amid the institutions of the coun- 

 try. It recommends an appropriation, to be placed at the 

 disposal of the President, and applied at his discretion, to 

 purchase Mount Vernon, to be converted into an experi- 

 mental farm, connected with an agricultural school, and 

 both to be attached either to the Smithsonian Institution or 

 the Patent Office, and to receive from the controlling au- 

 thority of the one with which it may be associated an or- 

 ganization in analogy (so far as difference in objects allows) 

 like that of the West Point Academy, under the War De- 

 partment ; the plan when matured to be submitted to Cou- 

 gress for moditication and adoption. 



" The committee, in further elucidation of its views, sub- 

 mit the said memorial, which contains the recommenda- 

 tions of "Washington upon the subject, as a part of this re- 

 port, and ask that it be printed herewith." 



The Memorial of the Maryland State Agricultural Soci- 

 ety we will publish in our next. We have little confidence 

 in the favorable action of Congress on the scheme ; 

 although the Senate Committee on Agriculture appear to 

 be unanimous in its behalf. If the Agricultural Press and 

 Societies of the whole country would take up the subject, 

 probably the noble e state of Washington might become 

 public property, as it deserves to be, and the locale of the 

 best educational institution in America. Now is the time 

 to move in the matter. 



Potato -CoLTUfiE. — Too much pains can hardly be 

 taken in the planting and cultivation ®f potatoes. Although 

 a fair dressing of wood ashes will not, under all circum- 

 stances, secure a full crop of sound tubers, yet uo other 

 fertilizer has so generally benefitted the crop. Rich stable 

 manure has often appeared to induce the premature decay 

 of potatoes ; and the most experienced cultivators in this 

 coimtry and England avoid the direct application of 

 maniu-e. On the prevention of the rot. Mr. C. Coey, of 

 Lima, Indiana, has sent us the following excellent sug- 

 gestions : 



"Facts woktu knowing. — The potato rot may be 

 propagated by means of diseased seedlings. Hence much 

 care should be exercised in the selection of potatoes for 

 planting. There are but very few potatoes found in the 

 market entirely free from this disease. The dry scab on 

 the surface ordinarily indicates it as certainly as do the 

 dark putrid spots within. Frequently the two show a dis- 

 eased connection. For planting purposes select those 

 potatoes whose surfaces are most free from all blemishes. 

 Examine them around the stem, eyes, &c., seeing also that 

 there is no internal affection. If resort must be had to 

 those which show signs of disease, cut out deeply all 

 affected parts. It is far better to cut out and plant simply 

 the potato eyes, including a reasonable quantity of the 

 potato, than to plant whole potatoes which are in tlie least 

 affected. Here an ounce of prevention is better than a 

 pound of cure. Elevated land with a loose soil, is better 

 as respects this blight, than low lands, naturally wet and 

 heavy. New clearings, recently burned over, planted with 

 healthy seedlings, are, other things being equal, least liable 

 to said disease. Ground that has been well stirred and 

 aired, and kept clean, as in the thorough cultivation of 

 corn, for one or two prior seasons, is better than sod or 

 stubble ground. Stable manure purified by filtration, with 

 a mixture of salt, lime and water, liberally applied to each 

 hill at the time of planting, will tend to increase the crop 

 and to counteract said disease. Plaster, lime or ashes ap- 

 plied to the vines during their growing process, will have 

 the same tendencies. 



" The potato rot, judging from its nature, is probablj 

 destined to always remain iu all countries where it now 

 exists ; and, under the ordinary mode of cultivating the 

 potato, is likely, in warm and wet seasons, to increase. 

 Much of the evil, however, arising from this disease, may 

 be prevented on perfectly scientific principles and at a 

 moderate expense, when its true nature shall have become 

 generally known and heeded. The above remarks, which 

 are most respectfully submitted, are based on known facts 

 gathered from investigations and experiments made during 

 several consecutive years." 



Beet Root Brandy. — The Imperial and Central Ag- 

 ricultural Society of France appointed a committee of 

 three of its members, eminently qualified, to examine the 

 best process for the distillation of the Beet root. Ac- 

 cording to their Report, from the pen of Payen, of the In- 

 stitute, the operation is as easy and simple as in the case 

 of the cereals and potatoes ; and there is no loss of the sac- 

 charine ingredient, or of the alimentary substance for cat- 

 tle. The root yields as good brandy as even tlie grape. 

 Distilleries multiply, and Some are on a large scale. 



Hogs Packed in the West. — The Cincinnati Price 



Current has a very elaborate review of the Hog Trade of 



the Western States, which indicates an increase of 333,600 



head slaughtered in the winter of 1853— t over those of the 



previous winter. From the following figures it will be 



seen that Ohio and Indiana send more hogs to market for 



packers than seven other states : 



States. 1852-3. 1S53-4. 



Ohio, 617,.342 734,.300 



Kentucky, .369,600 505,225 



Tennessee, 26,500 58,880 



Indiana, 611,018 019,176 



Illinois, 361,132 365,784 



Iowa, 57,500 45,060 



Missouri, 112,500 149,845 



WirtCi.Msm, 85,518 49,000 



Detroit, 10,000 7,500 



Grand Totals, 2,201,110 2,.534,770 



The prospect for a large fruit crop is first rate in the 

 neighborhood of Cincinnati. 



