NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



29!) 





rough the instrumentality of agricultural so- 

 eties, let me ask, is the sum, which wouhl 

 obably be expended in the two years to come, 

 be brought into competition with such an im- 

 M'tant improvement. 



These are the mere items on the score of 

 iprovements which are now making. Can it 

 J denied,, that our farms would be better, and 

 ore productive, if these things were more 

 sneraliy understood. 



It is in these societies, that they are explained, 

 lemplitied and encouraged ; they are there- 

 re of immense benefit to the public. 

 I will ofl'er one other remark. A thirst for 

 rricultural knowledge, has gone abroad in the 

 orld, and will increase ; great improvements 

 re rapidly making ; is it better then for our 

 irmers, that this knowledge should be limited 

 od confined to a few, or that it be extended 

 ad dilVuscd to the many, 



Every farmer, who has natural understanding, 

 ught to be a well informed man, in reading 

 id thinkings in theory and practice ; such we 

 J ought to be, and such the farmers of this 

 jantry can be. 



In my view, sir, one of the best means to 

 lise us to that dignity, and respectability. 

 hich I consider as belonging to an American 

 rmer, would be, to establish and perpetuate 

 le system,* which this bill contemplates to 

 jolish. 



In short, sir, I am unwilling to part with a 

 w which has been so beneficial to the best in- 

 vests of the state — a law which has been so 

 strumental in producing that equality among 

 ir citizens, which is so essential to the pros- 

 arity and happiness of all republican gov- 

 rnments. ^ . 



I hope at least we shall permit this law to 

 e a natural death. I shall therefore vote 

 fainst the bill with all its amendments. 



'As some gentlemen doubted, whether the state of 

 ■assachusetts sustained her agricultural societies, the 

 !St answer I can give, is an extract from Gov. Brooks' 

 eech to the legislature of that state. He says : 

 " You will, I am sure, observe with complacency 

 ,6 attention bestowed on agriculture. The improve- 

 ■ents manifested iji the cuhure of the soil, and in the 

 lality of our stock, have increased the amount of our 

 foductions, Which, after yielding an ample supply for 

 W own consumption, has furnished a respectable sur- 

 (ns for the purpose of commerce." 

 J' To the ordinary motives to agricultural enterprise, 

 (iaiug from personal and domestic wants, and from the 

 iftainty of producing a ready market for a surplus, 

 lere have been superadded in the course of the last 

 years, munificent grants of the legislature, to the 

 lective agricultural societies in the state, and the 

 o less liberal contributions of individual citizens to 

 he same object." 



From the American Farmer. 



TORTH DEVON CATTLE— their prices is Eng- 

 land. 



Many gentlemen express surprise at the pri- 

 ;es asked for cattle of improved breed, from 

 mported stock, without reflecting sufficiently on 

 ihe causes, which go to shew the justice and 

 easonableness of such prices. The breeds in 

 jjighest estimation now in England, are the Im- 

 proved short horns, the Herefords, and the 

 North Devon cattle. These several breeds, in 

 :the perfection they now exhibit for the various 

 purposes, for which neat cattle are reared, have 

 been brought to their present condition, by im- 

 mense expeose, by great skill in the selection 



of the progenitors, and unwearied attention to 

 every pariicniar, for more than half a century. 

 Is it then reasonable to expect, that they should 

 be sold for any thing near the prices of common 

 cattle ? As well might we expect to |)urchase 

 a line full grown tree, bearing abundantly thr' 

 high flavored pipin, for the price we siiould 

 have to give for the scion of a common red- 

 streak. We have ascertained by actual pur- 

 chase, the cost of the improved short horns, 

 when procured ii»der the most favorable cir- 

 cumstances, and from one of the very best 

 breeders of that stock in England — and we have 

 already stated at different times, the prices of 

 the Herefords purchased by Mr. Clay, and oth- 

 ers in Kentucky; but the North Devons of full 

 blood, which have fallen under our notice, were 

 a free and spontaneous offering, to tlieir present 

 owners, by that enlightened and generous far- 

 mt-r, Mr. Coke, of Norfolk. His opinion of 

 their superior qualities, has already been pub- 

 lished in the Farmer, but we knew not what 

 would be the cost of such cattle in England. 

 Having heard that a gentleman who owns a 

 cow of this breed, has sent to England to pro- 

 cure some hoifers, we solicited such informa- 

 tion, as he might have received, as to the pri- 

 ces at which they are selling, to which he has 

 politely replied by the following note :^- 



Mr. John S. Skinner, 



Dear Sir, — In answer to your enquiry re- 

 specting an order sent to England, for Devon 

 Cattle, I take pleasure in communicating the 

 result. 



Last May I wrote to Messrs. Wm. and .las. 

 Brown & Co. of Liverpool, to purchase and 

 ship to me, by a vessel in which 1 had previ- 

 ously engaged accommodation for them, three 

 full bred Devonshire Heifers, provided their 

 cost did not exceed j^70 or 80 each, and on the 

 -1th July, they wrote as follows : 



" We should be very glad to carry your wish- 

 es into effect, as respects the stock you w ant ; 

 Lut we are sure it is quite impossible at the 

 prices you quote. The flarl of Sefton is the 

 only person in this neighborhood who has any 

 Devon Cattle, and he bought them at Mr. 

 Child's September sales, at two or three times 

 the price you mention, and none of his Lord- 

 ship's are to be sold." 



If I mistake not, yon are in possession of the 

 prices obtained by Mr. Child, at his last Sep- 

 tomber sale for Devon cattle, and which I think 

 will confirm the above letter. 



Your's very respectfully, 



H. T. 



Baltimore County, 11th February, 1823. 



acres, and^last year about Ihe same product, 

 from another lot of about 5 acres. I cradled it 

 as wheat, bound it in large sheaves, brought il 

 in the following day — threshed the sheaves at 

 the end of s(!veral month';, without unbinding 

 them, and obtained about 17 bushels of seed 

 per acre; returned them to the mow for the 

 use of my horses, v.'ho ate it as greedily as the 

 best timothy h.ay. This mode of managing the 

 millet saves much room, as it is very bulky ; 

 more seed is saved, than when cut with the 

 scythe as hay — I calculated the product at 

 about 20 bushels per acre, including the seed 

 remaining in the unbound sheaves. In 1G21 I 

 had abo4it 'M bushels, weighing bb lbs. each, 

 ground ibr my hogs, who ale it as eagerly a.< 

 Indian meal, given to them at the same time. 

 Both crops were sown about the Uth June, and 

 gathered in the middle of August — they were 

 sown after Indian corn — one j-ear with one 

 I ploughing, and the Other with two, and harrow- 

 1 ed in, without any perceptible ditl'ercnce — the 

 j quantity of seed, half a bushel ()er acre — the 

 ' average length of the straw, about 5 feet. I 

 have this year sold it at one dollar per bushel 

 for seed, which is much in demand. 



\"erv respectfully, vour's, 



"wM. coxr. 



JouN S. Skinkf.r, Esq. 



From the American Farmer. 

 MILLET. 

 Burlington, March 28, 1823. 

 Dlar Sir — I observe in your 52d number, just 

 received, mention is made of white millet seed, 

 received from Col. Pickering. 1 am desirous of 

 ascertaining whether this is the same kind, 

 which I have cultivated for several years, of 

 which I send for your inspection a small sam- 

 ple.* In 1821, I had about 11 tons from five 



* The Millet sent by Mr. Coxe, is of the common 

 kind, and that which is generally referred to in com- 

 munications which relate to that grain. That from 

 Col. Pickering, was very different, being somewhat 

 larjer, rounder, and whiter grain. — Ed. ^vi. Farmer. 



OIL ESSENTIAI/, hou; ohiained from Flowers. 

 Take a clean earthen pipkin or deep dish, in 

 which place a Ia3'er of cotton previously steeped 

 in some inodorous oil, as pure Florence oil, or 

 the oil of the bene seed when fresh and taste- 

 less. On this place a layer of the fresh gather- 

 ed leaves of the rose, tube-rose, sweet pink, 

 jasmine or other odoriferous flower or plant ; 

 over this layer place another of cotton which 

 has been steeped in oil as before directed, and 

 thus continue till you have filled the vessel 

 with alternate layers of leaves and cotton, or 

 you have the desired quantity, when cover it 

 up closely, and let it stand tor four or five days, 

 when the oil will be found to have fully im- 

 bibed the odour of the leaves; then take them 

 out, express the oil carefully from the cotton, 

 and bottle it up for use. 



OIL OF BALSAM OF GWJZkV), hoxv ohlained. 



This excellent family oil, which should be 

 kept in every house, is made in the following 

 simple manner. Put loosely into a bottle of any 

 size, as many balm of gilcad flowers as will 

 reach to about one third part of its height, then 

 nearly fill up the bottle with good sweet oil, 

 and after shaking it a little occ.isionally, and let- 

 ting it infuse a day or two, it is fit for use. It 

 must be very closely stopped, and will then not 

 only keep for years, but be the better for keep- 

 ing. When it is about half used, the bottle may 

 again be filled up with oil, and well shaken"; 

 and, in two or three days, it will be as good as 

 at first. The most alarming cuts and bruises of 

 the skin which are so frequently rendered 

 worse by spirituous balsams, salves, &c. are 

 completely cured in a ievi days, and sometimes 

 in a tew hours, by this incomparable oil. 



A remedy for corns on the feet. — Roast a clove 

 of garlick on a live coal, or in hot ashes, apply 

 it to the corn, and fasten it on w ith a piece of 

 cloth. This must be made use of the moment 

 of going to bed. 



