202 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JTAMTART a, 1839. 



each of 72 pigs, from 3 to G months old, 3 gallons 

 with 3 quarts of corn. 



8 galls. 



6 galls. 



And these eight gallons, divided by their terms, or 

 four, sliow that on an average, througlunit the year, 

 two galliins are required daily per head for the 144 

 pigs ; or equal to 288 gallons; and to our twelve 

 breeding sows, and two boars, we give per day, 

 three gallons each, or equal to 42 gallons, making, 

 altogether, an aggregate of -330 gallons ; thus quite 

 consuming our throe mes-ses of 112 gallons each. 

 By the different ages of the pigs, as above com- 

 bined, wo have a constant and daily call for the 

 same quantity of swill through the year, so that 

 our business proceeds with perfect regularity. 



Ballimore, .Vou. 2I«<, 1835. 

 Dear Sir, — 



Your detailed account of the management of 

 your Piggery, hus afforded me great ])leasure and 

 instruction. And your very oblijTJng offer to send 

 me a list of the vegetables raised for your miuithly 

 supplv, tempts nie, not only to ask for it, but for 

 some other e.vplanations which you I ike wisjp; proffer. 

 I am anxious to have a summary view of the total 

 quantity of each and every kind of food used in 

 your Piggery per annum — the cost of raising or 

 purchasing the food — the extent of land on which 

 it is, or might be raised — the labor of feeding and 

 attending at other times — the annual weight and 

 value of the pork killed — the usual number and 

 value of supernumerary pigs — the probable value 

 of your farm, of the food consumed — and the 

 quantity and quality of the manure saved or pro- 

 duced, as well as the cost of an equivalent in ma- 

 nure, if otherwise obtainable. I have, you see, 

 some curiosity ; but I persuade myself, that it can- 

 not give one so systematic as yourself, any trouble 

 to answer me on each of tliose points, and in a way 

 to show me by a glance of the eve, that it is better 

 for you to convert your vegetables and corn into 

 pork and manure and sell vegetables ; whilst I shall, 

 at the same time, be taught economy and method 

 by your precept and example, which I will endeav- 

 or to observe, and imitate at my breeding establish- 

 ment. I feel somewhat at a loss as to the manner 

 of building my pens; and on the inclosed paper, 

 you will see doubts exemplified in rough diagrams ; 

 jour correction on these would particiilsrly oblige 

 fne. It is my desire to btiild them in a long nar- 

 row .shed ; on one side of my barn yard ; and to 

 have at one end, cooking and vegetable apart- 

 ments. 



At your request, I am induced to ask whether it 

 rwould not be better, that is to s;iy, cheaper, to 

 steam than to boil your vegetables ? I have seen 

 it stated in the explanations of Scotch implements, 

 published by their Board of Agriculture, in the 

 year 1814, that one person by a simple apparatus, 

 may steam in an hour, food enough, say of pota- 

 toes, to feed fifty horses a day, at 32 lbs. for each 

 horse. And I had quite concluded to procure a 

 boiler and steaming box from Scotland, on the 

 strength of that statement. 



I have been led to make some inquiries of you 

 in this letter, from an attempt to push your pro- 

 ceedings to their results ; as you will see by the 

 enclosed estimates, which will best define the most 

 of my inquiries. 



Do you give die swill warm in summer as well 

 as in winter ? Do you spay your sow pigs, or put 



fattening sows to the boar, shortly previous to kill- 

 ing .' Have you used the mangel wurtzel and ob- 

 served its comparative value or relish ? I think 

 highly of it, and wish that it may be fairly tried 

 by every farmer in this country. In our climate it 

 is more certain and productive than any other root. 

 On this head I beg leave, however, to refer you, 

 for my opinions, to No. 5, Vol. iii. of the American 

 Farmer, in the notes on Mr Cooper's account of 

 his several crops. And I remain truly, sir, your 

 obliged and obedient servant, 



JOHN SKINNER. 



N.\THANIEL IngERSOLL, Esq. 



Estimate of Food, Fuel, Labor, S,-c. employed at Mr 

 IngersoWs Piggery, per amium. 



G bushels of vegetables, roots, &c. three 

 times per day=18 bushels per diem, 



for .3G.5 days^to (J.570 bushels per annum, 



which at 25 cts. per bushel, $1542 50 



1 bushel of corn 3 times a day 

 added to the above for 365 days, 

 equals 1095 bu. 



13 1-2 bushels or 3 quarts per 

 day, given to each of 144 fat- 

 tening hogs, for three months 

 or 90 days 1215 



Corn per annum 2310 .50 c. 1 155 00 



Fuel 1 1-2 cords per month, sawing, &c. 



18 cords, 100 00 



Labor one man and one boy, wages and 



board, 250 00 



Yearly value bestowed on Piggery, Dr. $3147 50 



Cr. by Pork and Pigs sold. 



142 hogs at 280 lbs. 39, 7G0 



lbs. at G cts. .$2385 GO 



24 pigs, one by each sow, at 

 each farrow, over and above 

 9 suckled, $1, 24 00 



$737 90 



Showing a difference lost by using the food in 

 the piggery, instead of marketing it ; provided the 

 corn and vegetables are valued at a price at which 

 they could be marketed free of expense, and also 

 return manure enough to keep up the fertility of 

 the soil, which I presume might be done near this 

 city, if not near Boston. 



And if this is practicable near Boston would not 

 the sale of vegetables and purchase of manure, be 

 attended with less care than the piggery, and be 

 more certain ? At what price is the manure of 

 stables to be had at Boston, say per load, of given 

 cubic feet, when unrotted ? And do your owners 

 of market farms, who have been successful and 

 long established, buy manure, and at what rate ? 

 An elucidation of my attempt to estimate your op- 

 erations, will give me the marketable value of your 

 vegetables at home and in Boston, as well as an 

 idea of the expense of converting them into money 

 by direct sale, all which will be very acceptable 

 and useful to me personally, if you can find time 

 conveniently to furnish it. 



Estimate of Land and Labor, required for the Pig- 

 gery, S,-c. ifc. 



For 2310 bushels corn for piggery, at 40 bush- 

 els per acre, 68 acres. 



For 6600 bushels vegetables, 500 bushels 



per acre, 14 acres 



.^cres for piggery, 72 

 For the farm purpose to support 2 horses 



and two oxen, say grain and grass, IG acres. 



Pasturing, orchards, lots, &c. 12 acres. 



Acres, 



100 



Labor required to cultivate 100 acres as 

 above, say 2 hands, 12 months wages 

 and board, .$300 OC 



For additional labor, spring, summer and 

 fall, suppose to be equal to the ex- 

 pense of 6 hands for si.x months, or 3 

 for a year, .*450 OC 



Annual labor, say .$750 OC 



A farm of 100 acres of first rate charac- 

 ter might be worth .slOO per acre, .*10,000 OC 

 And tlie increase of value, attributable to aug- 

 menting population, would be more than equiva. 

 lent to the wear and tear of utensils and stock em- 

 ployed. 

 Tiie interest might therefore be considered 



as rent, $600 OC 



Add for taxes, 25 OC 



And for labor as above, 750 OC 



$1375 OC 

 Then the farmer for his time may be con- 

 sidered as earning on a permanent 

 scale, over and above interest, on his 

 capital, by his piggery, for his own 

 support, provided the manure keeps up 

 the fertility of his soil, about 1034 6C 



*$2409 (3C 



*Mr IngersoU's reply is omitted this week for want 



room. 



SMITHSONIAN LEGACY. 



We give below a highly interesting extract from 

 a letter of a correspondent of the New York Her- 

 ald on the subject of establishing an Agricultural 

 School. 



W e have likewise received a circular from al 

 gentleman at Washington, which we herewith sub- 

 join, and who we presume is the gentleman referred i 

 to by the correspondent of the Herald. 



Washington City, Dec. \Ath, 1838. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE N. E. FARMER, 



Sir — The bequest of the late Mr Smithson, 

 of London, for the establishment of an institution: 

 for the diffusion of useful knowledge, in which 

 Congress have been appointed as executors in the 

 application of said fund, induced me to submit a 

 memorial accompanied with drawings and estimates 

 for the necessary buildings, live-stock, apparatus, 

 &c. &c., to that honorable body ; detailing a com- 

 plete plan for tlie organization of an Agricultural 

 School, combining theoretical as well as practical 

 exercise for youth intended to pursue this useful 

 science. 



My motive of addressing you is, to solicit your 

 favor and influence in this object, knowing the 

 interest you take in promoting the science of agri- 

 culture. 



Very respectfally yours &c. 



CHARLES LEWIS FLEISCHMAN. 



