Vol. C— No. 23. 



NEW ENGLAND FAllMEU. 



i7iv 



(listened a cord near the end of the pipe, and let 

 it down nearly lo tlie bottom of the well — confin- 

 ing the othA- end of the cord to a stick ti.\ed across 

 the well, near the top. The use of this cord is lo 

 raise the end of the pipe, in case we find at any 

 time by measuring, that the sand ia washini^ in — 

 and liable to cover the strainer, and thus stop the 

 water. Then by recnoving the stopper from the 

 lower end, the water began to run, and has con- 

 linoed runninff a small stream ever since, without 

 danger of exhaustinij: tho well, which, in the pre- 

 sent wet season, contains fifteen feet of water. 



N. L. 



From the New York Statesman. 



AGRICULTURE. 

 We are happy to perceive by the subjoined cor- 

 respondence, that the spirit of improvement in ag- 

 riculture, cherished by the munificence of the Gov- 

 erment, and wiJely diffused through the medium 

 of societies under it» patronage, is not yet extinct 

 though it seems to have slumbered for a year or 

 two, while public attention has been engrossed by 

 canals, rail-roads and other pluiis for promoting 

 Ihe interest of the state. The former ought to have 

 been done, a>id the Utter not left undone. Agri 

 culture must for centuries be the great source of 

 wealth and prosperity in the United States. Com- 

 nerco i.nd m.-umlactures cannot flourish, if this 

 paramount interest, whence they draw their life 

 and activity, be permitted to languish. We have 

 always li,i(i full faith in the salutary influerce of 

 agricultiinl societies ; and it is witti us a subject 

 of deep r"!;rei, that the enthusiasm by which they 

 were ai" .tsu .i few years since, has in any de- 

 gree iiib- 1 tu Brief as wns 'the full tide of suc- 

 cessful L':.pt.Tiinent," and sudden as hus been its 

 reflu.v, it was like one of those inundations of the 

 Nile, which bring down fertility and plenty. The 

 traces of the vivifying and invigorating principle 

 are visikle over the whole surface of the state ; — 

 and in many instances, waste places have been 

 converted into productive farms. Look, for exam- 

 ple, at the rural retreats of the late Chief Justice 

 and his neighbour Judge Buel, whose fertile acres 

 were reclaimed by the hand of perseveringindustry. 

 If such nn impulse was communicated to .Tgricul- 

 ture by a few seasons of active exertions, what ef- 

 fects might not be produced by systematic and 

 continued efforts, such are made in Great Britain 

 and in some parts of our own couutry ? We have 

 all the elements of one of the richest agricultural 

 countries in the world, with every po.ssible facility 

 of transporting produce to a ready market. With 

 such peculiar advantages, and with a population 

 rapidly increasing, the state of New-York pre- 

 sents the strongest inducements for improving 

 every acre of its soil. 



• Id giving publicity to the following letters, we 

 will merely add, that it will afford ns pleasure at 

 all times lo make the Statesman the medium of 

 similar communications, believing that if we may 

 be the means of " making two blades of grass 

 ijrow, where but one grew before," a service more j 

 beneficial to the community will be performed, than 

 by filling our columns with angry discussions on 

 the subject of the Presidency. Without censuring 

 any of our editorial brethren, who have a tn.'ite 

 tor the turmoils of party strife, we can only scy 

 fur ourselves, that we would rather be found 



'*■ Roasling turnips on a Sabine farm" 

 than engaged as heated parti^aus for this or tlsat 



candidate, playing at cut and thrust in the politic- 

 al arena, lor the amusement of the public : 



JVew York, .Yov. 30, 1627. 



Deab Sir — When I was at your farm last sum- 

 mer, 1 observed a field of Lucerne" in lu,\uriant 

 growth, and of great promise. Your absence from 

 home p/evcnted my learning the particulars of its 

 culture, uses and value. 



This grass, I think, is not grown lo any consid- 

 erable o.vtont in Great Britain nr Ireland. In 

 passing through those countries a few years ago, 

 I do not recollect to have seen it all. Perhaps 

 the humidity of the climate, the nature of the soil, 

 and the strong growth of the other finer grasses, 

 may account for its absence. In Prance, howev- 

 er, I found it held in great esteem ; it produced 

 abundantly, allowing of four or five cuttings in a 

 season, and was used in its greou state for soiling 

 cattle. 



Your experiments have, no doubt, beeu made 

 with care. A detailed statement of them will be 

 of service to our agricultural interests. If you 

 will oblige me by furnishing the stateraont, it will 

 gratify mc to be the medium of communicating it 

 to the public. Yours, very respectfully, 



I. M. ELY. 



Hod. Jesse Boel, Albany. 



Jllbanij, Dec. 7th, 1827. 



Df.ar Sir — I most cheerfully comply with your 

 request, in communicating my experiments in the 

 culture of Lucerne. 



My first essay to cultivate this grass was made 

 in 1820. I sowed it with summer grain, but too 

 thin ; the summer was dry, and not more than a 

 fourth of the plants survived till autumn. I 

 ploughed it up at the end of the second year. 



In 1824 I sowed 16 lbs. seed on an acre, well 

 prepared by manure and potatoes tho preceding 

 year, with half a bushel of winter rye, the whole 

 broadcast. The ground was well harrowed and 

 rolled after it was sown. The rye soon spread 

 its leaves upon Ike surface, and protected the Lu- 

 cerne until its roots had good hold of the soil. It 

 grew well, notwithstanding the drought. The 

 latter end of August, perceiving that some of tho 

 rye was pushing up seed stalks, and that soine 

 weeds were overtopping tho grass, I mowed it, 

 and fed it green to my cattle. In 1825, I cut 



three tolerable crops, and soiled it to my cows 



In 1826, I cut it tour times for green fodder, and 

 in the autumn gave the field a slight top dressing 

 of rotten dung. This year my stock has consisted 

 of si.x cows and four oxen. My summer pasture 

 would not more than suffice for two of them. — 1 

 fed them on ruta-bagij and hay until about the 20th 

 May, when I commenced cutting nnd feeding my 

 Lucerne, morning nnd evening, in such quantities 

 as I found ray cattle would consume. By the time 

 I had cut over the acre, the part first mown was 

 again fit for the scythe. Two cuttings with the 

 small pasture in which the cattle run, sufiiced until 

 my meadows and grain fields were fit to turn into. 

 A third crop was cut for hay, and fourth might 

 have been cut also, hut for the difficulty of curing 

 it. This is the field which you saw when at my 

 hoOse. 



From my own experience, as well as from tin- 

 observations of others who have cultivated thi^ 

 grass, I am satisfied, that an acre of good Lucerne 

 will feed six cows live months, from the 20th o; 

 2.")th May to the 25th Oct. Thi.s, to a person local-' 

 cd BS I am, upon a small farm, v\ hero land is liigii 

 would be worth $45, or !?! .50 per month for each 

 benst. 



Lucerne is less affected by drought than nnj' 

 grass I am acqnuinted with ; and but fsw grasses 

 abide loojjer than it docs in the soil. It does not 

 attain its full strength until the third year, and itb 

 medium duration is ton or twelve years. 



I will further remark, for the guidance of tho.-ic 

 who may undertake to cultivate Lucerne, and aru 

 unacquainted with its character and habits, that 

 it requires a rich, deep, clean, light, aoil dry soi; 

 It will neither do well upon clays nor wet grounds. 



It should he sown only in the spring, when the 

 ground has acquired warmth sufficient to promott 

 a quick and vigorous growth. 



It should be inowii for soiling as soon as tli 

 blossoms appear; and be permitted to wilt a few 

 hours in tho sieath before it is fed to neat cutt!.";. 

 And lastly, like all other crops. 



It is benefitted by tin occasional dressing of .iia- 

 nure. I think the best way is to apply compost or' 

 short dung in autumn, and harrow with a ligh'- 

 liarrow in the spring. 



When cut for hay, there is a difficulty in curing- 

 Lucerne without great loss, as the leaves dry aiu: 

 crumble before the stem is cured. It should bi, 

 managed like clover — lay a few hours in swath, 

 and then put into sniall slender cocks with a fork. 

 It will cure in two good days. I mixed my au- 

 tumn crop, in the barn, with alternate layers o'. 

 straw. Your obd't servant. J. BUEL. 



Is.\ic M. Ely, Esq. 



CONSTANTINOPLE. 



The climate of Constantinople, for the latitude 

 is one of the coldest places in Europe, as the pre 

 Vailing winds are north and south, blowing direct- 

 ly through the Bosphorus. A modern travcUe: 

 1 has aptly compared a resident at Constantinople 

 j to a man in a thorough draft, or standing at the- 

 ■ muzzle of a pair of bellows. Vegetation is scarce - 

 jl}' a fortnight forwarder than in England, and fire.v 

 j are agreeable in the middle of April. Allhougl: 

 i the neighborhood of this city exhibits as rich :. 

 J verdure as could be seen in ihe first dairy couii- 

 Irios in the world, yet butter can scarcely be pro- 

 cured, and the milk is not drinkable. The rneai, 

 from bad management, is likewise very inferior : 

 i lamb is not allowed to be killed till the end o' 

 i May ; pork, when in season, is excellent ; and 

 though the butcher pays an enormous sum for tho 

 privilege of selling it, tho price does not exceed 

 3d. per pound; of fish, there is a great abund- 

 ance, and of the most extraordinary colours and 

 shapes, but in general very inferior to what is 

 caught on our coasts — the shell-fish in particu- 

 lar, is almost without flavor. 



* The botjinical name ol'this plant \^7JKdkago mtiva. It is a 

 native of Spain and the south of Europe. It grows to the height 

 of from one to two feet, and ihe (lower is of a pale blueish pur- 

 ple. The term " soiliiic^" niade use of in this correspondence, 

 may not be familiar to all our readers. It is applied to the 

 feeding of cattle confined in narrow enclosures, not afibi'diug siif- 

 licient pasturage. — Editor. 



Bologna Sausi'ges. — Ail the world are aWare 

 that these sausages nie cstcemeit Ibe nicest, if 

 not the most delicate food that can be eaten ; yet 

 they are made with ass's flesh. Xenophon, in hi^ 

 Anabasia, remarks that the fleslj of the wild ass 

 was esteemed a delicacy by the army ; and in tho 

 history of Belisarius's wars, we find mention o? 

 sausages made from the flesh of xnules that halj 

 died o!' the plague. — -London Weekly Review. 



