VOL. XV. NO. 44. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



m7 



iFroTil the G-nesef Fanner.) 

 Oy THK CUt-TirRE OP TEA. 



In a late luimlier nf the Cliinc'so Ile|)Ository is 

 an intei-Rsling account of a journey perfonnod by 

 G. I. Gordon, attarlicil to tlio English factory at 

 Canton, and tliat iiidi'fuligublo missionary, Jir. 

 (iutzlaff, to the tea hills in the interior, which 

 proiliice tlio celebrated black teas, known in com- 

 merce as Ankoy teas. Their journal furnishes 

 some intcreslini,' details of Chinese agriculture, 

 and the manner in which they husband all their 

 resources, to meet the wants of their millions of 

 population. The country tlu-ough which they 

 passed, swarmed wiih inhabitants, ami though 

 what in other countries would be termed second 

 rate land, exhibited the highest degree of cultiva- 

 tion. Kice, the sweet potato and sugar-cane, were 

 the principal articles of culture; rice, as in all 

 eastern countries, forming the principal article of 

 sustenance. Wheat and corn are scarcely known 

 there, they occupying too much land, in propor- 

 tion to their [iroductive ))ro|)erties, when comI)ar- 

 ed with rice. 



In one part of their journey, the travellers vvere 

 obliged 1(1 ascend a rugged barren mountain ; yet 

 even there, there was not a spot, where a vegeta- 

 ble could take root, that was not occupied by at 

 least a (Iwarf pine, planted for the purpose of 

 yielding lirewood, and a kind of turpc^ntine ; and 

 wherever a nook presented an o|)portunity of gain- 

 ing a few srpiarc yards of level country by terrac- 

 ing, no labor seems to have been spareil, to re- 

 deem such spots for the culture of rice. 



On their arrival in the neighborhood where the 

 lea-jilant was cultivatf'd, they found that no ground 

 suitable for other [uirposes was devoted to it. — 

 'i'he plant is a small shrub, planted generally in 

 rows about four and a half feet apart, with leaves 

 from three fourths of an inch, to two inches in 

 lengtli, and growing to an average height of three 

 feel, with bushy tops very close. The hills where 

 the tea-plants grow, are too high for rice anil cane. 

 On these hills boar frosts are common during the 

 winter months, and snow falls to the depth of 3 

 or 4 inches, 'i'he plant is never injured by the 

 most severe cold experienced there, and thrives 

 from ten to twenty years. 'J'he tea-plant has its 

 enemies, among which is a worm which makes 

 its way into the pith, and converts both stem and 

 branches into tubes. 



The ground around the plants is kept light and 

 loose by hoeing, and no leaves are taken from 

 them until they are three years old ; after that, the 

 leaves are usually gathered four times a year. — 

 The cultivation and gathering of the leaves is per- 

 formed by the families ; but the curing of the leaf 

 is an art that recpiires some skill, and persons are 

 employed for that purpose, who are paid at the 

 rate of one dollar a pcciil (133 1-8 lbs.) of fresh 

 leaves, which yield one fifth of their weight of 

 dry tea. Tlie jirice on the spot for the best qual- 

 ities, is twentytiirec dollars per pecul, or about 17 

 cents per lb. The process of curing, consists in 

 rolling and drying the leaves over a gentle fire, 

 the operation for the best kinds being repeated 7 

 or 8 limes. Any desired quantity of seed was of- 

 fered our travellers; and indeed, throughout the 

 journey they were hospitably treated, and receiv- 

 ed every information freely which the natives 

 could give. 



That the culture of tea, as an article of profit, 

 could ever enter into competition with cotton, so 



not to be expected ; still, as large regions in the 

 southern or middle states are adiiiiraSdy adaiited 

 •to the culture of tea, it is to he wished that such 

 fivorable opportunities for its introdui'lion, and, if 

 possible, naturalization should not be overlooked, 

 fhe perfect familiarity of Mr Gutzlari" with the 

 language, his acquaintance with their customs, his 

 skill in medicine, and the confidence the Chinese 

 themselves feel, that he only wishes their good, 

 have given him facilities for access to the interior 

 of that secluded country, that few have ever en- 

 joyed ; and we trust that some of the enterprising 

 shi[)masters who frequent that country, will avail 

 llieuiselves of the opporninity. and be the means 

 of giving us another item in our already extended 

 list of resources. 



4 l-'2, I raiseil 86 bushels in one year. The land 

 was H't even I'urrowed in the spruig ; but holes 

 were dug for the manure the last week in April, 

 and planted immediately. They were plauled 

 " in hills" at about the same distances as the corn 

 above mentioned, and, allir the fir.»t hoeing, a 

 small quantity of .-ishes upon a nairow shingle, 

 put niion each hill around the potatoes. They 

 were hoed three times. 



Another fact that is iinportajil, is, the earlier 

 the potatoes are, the better they are for suHiinei, 

 autumn, winter and spring. Those w hose tops 

 are green when the frost comes, are positively 

 iinhealihy. It is a great object to have them ri- 

 pen in hot weather. 



Yours respectfully, 



/. S. I3ARSTOW. 



(From the Americiin Silk Grower ) 



Keene, April -20, 1837. 



Mr Cookf, — Dear Sir: — As " one of the far- 

 mers" has requested "the Reverend !;cntleman !" 

 (whose statement concerning a half acre of corn 

 that produced 70 bushels of ears,) lo give some 

 explanation of the mode of cultivation, yon are at 

 liberty to publish the following: — 



My object in making the statement alluded to, 

 before the Agricultural .Meeting was to show the 

 importance of early planting on our sandy soils, 

 and the benefit of ashes on such ground. 



In answer to the inquiries of "one of the far- 

 mers," I remark : — 



1. That it is not known " how long the land 

 has been cleared;" it was a pasture when I (nir- 

 cJnised it. 



2. The corn was planted " in rows one way," 

 about 2 1-2 feet apart, and the hills in each row 

 were less than 2 feet a))art. 



3. The ground was ploughed about 7 inches 

 deep the October before, and not at all in the 

 spring. It was harrowed, and then furrowed for 

 planting. 



4. I usually put 5 or C kernels of corn in a hill; 

 iind at the first hoeing reduce the plants to 4 by 

 pulling up the least t.irifiy. 



5. The manure was a compost of decayed chips, 

 clay and barn-yard niiinure — one shnvel-fuU to a 

 hill. 



6. The ashes were applied some days before the 

 first hoeing. 



7. The sea-on was pretty dry in July, hut as 

 the ground had not been ploughed in the spring, 

 there was no injury from the ilroiight. 



8 &- 9. The corn was hoed 3 times and 'hilled' 

 hut little. 



10. No instrument was used in dressing it but 

 a hoe. Ploughing between- corn is also inju- 

 rious to the roots. It also hurts potatoes in dry 

 seasons by making the ground more dry. 



11. A part of the stalks were cut for my horse, 

 and the rest were left till the corn was ripe. 



Having thus dis[iosed of the questions pro|)os 

 ed, I will add, that 1 have iinifontdy found tliat 

 autumnal ploughing is the best for oiir plains, 

 with harrowing in the spring. The drought nev- 

 er injures a crop on hmd thus prepared. Even 

 beds for beets, carrots, iSic, should be i^repared 

 in the autumn, and only raked in the spring. — 

 The roots grow straighter and longer, and wiih- 

 out the radicles that are so 0)4* to injure them. 



As a proof that potatoes do best with autumnal 

 liloughing and early planting, I would nieation, 



long as that article is in such demand abroad, is | ihat on a piece of land in my garden, 5 rods by 



Oy THr. Sowing or Clover Skep. — My land 

 is a sandy loam, with the exce|>(ion of some acres 

 of clay. For many years past, when laying down 

 mv land for grass, I sowed four pcninds of red 

 clover seed, and one pound of timothy, to tach 

 acre. From this manner of seeding down, I gen- 

 erally cut from OHO to one and a half tons of hay 

 per acre, and the quantity of fall pasture was not 

 great. The mowing was slow and expensive, as 

 the grass stood thin. It would fall down in ev- 

 ery direction ; the stalk grew lengthy and coarse, 

 and made poor bay. To remedy this, 1 began by 

 sowing six jiounds of clover seed, and two pounds 

 of timothy on each acre. I found this a great 

 benefit ; and by recent experiments, I find that 

 ei'fht pounds of clover and four of timothy seed, 

 is the proper quantity to be sown on an acre for 

 niovvini' or twelve pounds of clover seed on each 

 acre, for pasture. From land in a good state of 

 cultivation thus seeded, I now cut four tons of 

 hay per acre, which is fine, and of good quality. 

 The expense of mowing, is not as much as for- 

 merly, as the gr.i.'^s grows thick and fine. If it 

 lodges dov/i), it generally falls one way, so that 

 the mower can jiroceed much faster than when 

 it lies in every direction. The extra fall pasture, 

 produced by tliis manner of seeding, pays me the 

 first fall for the extra seed sown — the grass being 

 so tliick, it preserves a nioistuie on I he surlace ot 

 the earth, and Is not so liable to be injured by the 

 dry weather, as it is by the common mode of 

 seeding,and it leaves no room for noxious weeds; 

 the piislures are clean ajid handsome. When I 

 wish to break up land that has been thus stock- 

 ed, (which 1 do every fouith year)^ I find the soil 

 increased in quality, easy of cultivation, and in a 

 good state for vvheat or corn ; and after alt that 

 can be said on this subject, much depends on the 

 judgment of the farmer. Poor, dry soils require 

 more seed than rich good ones. It may be ob- 

 jected, that the quantity of seed required is too 

 expensive ; to which I reply, that farmers should 

 always raise their own seed. It indicates a want 

 of prudence in the farmer, that purchase clover 

 seed year after year. 1 raise as much clover with 

 $10 expense, as I can purchase for f 40. — »'i. St. 

 John of .Vont. 



Literary Labor. — It is stated that Mr Lock- 

 hart, editor of the London Quart. Review, receives 

 for his services a yearly salary of £1400— upwards 

 of $6000 ; and '.hat ihe ordinary conqiensation for 

 articles published in tlmt Review is 20 guineas 

 per sheet, or 16 pages. The sale of the Review 

 amounts to 9000 copies. 



