251 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



PEBRCART 13, 1838. 



AiND HORTICULTL RAI. IlKGISTER. 



Boston, Wednesday, Fkdruaby 13, 1839. 



AfJUICI.I.TURAL MEETINGS. 



Tlie Itiird agricullural meeting wasiioldcii at the Slate 

 House on Thursday evening; and was well attended. 

 Tlie subjects announced for the eTcning were llie Bread 

 Grains, and matters incidental tci them ; and the discus- 

 sion called up sevsral gentlemen, whose remarks were 

 gratifying and instructive. 



The Commissioner of Agricultural Survey, after a 

 brief statement of the proposed subject for conversation, 

 made some general remarks as to the value of Indian 

 Corn, ita various uses, its comparatiTe certainty and the 

 improvements made in its cultivation. He then exhibited 

 what he deemed tiie ti»est specimens of Indian Corn, for 

 this latitude which he had ever «een. This corn is a 

 twelve rowed corn and of a larger size than the Dutton 

 corn. If there be any objection to it, it is an objection 

 which lies against all the sorts of corn, the ears of which 

 arc large. The cob retains too nmch moisture ; and 

 thongjijit may appear to be perfectly sound and dried, yet 

 when stored in the bin it is not uncommon for it to be- 

 come mouldy. This sample, which was represented as 

 only a fair specimen of llie whole field, appeared per- 

 fectly sound ; and there is no doubt that each of these 

 cars would yield, if shelled, more than half a pint of 

 corn. The history of this corn is, that a single ear three 

 or four years ago was brought from the northern part of 

 New Hampshire, beyond the AVhite Hills, by Mr Mun- 

 roe of Lexington, and presented by him to E Phinney, 

 Esq., the distinguished and well known cultivator of that 

 town. By him it was planted and carefally nursed. It 

 was small when first received compared with ita present 

 size. This year, and the specimen shown was of the 

 crop of this year, the fi«ld was planted from the ]Oth to 

 the 20lh of May ; and the corn was ripe and harvested 

 from the lOtli to the 20th of August. The season last year 

 was extremely propitious to the soundness and perfect 

 ripening of of corn, but this ripened well the two cold 

 years; and yielded thia year at the rate of 75 bushels to 

 the acre. We have been asked by what name it is desig- 

 nated ; as yet it is without any distinctive cognoraen. 

 We do not know by what name more honorable or respect- 

 ed among the farmers, it can be called, nor vfhat name 

 seems more api)roj)rialc in reference lo the circumstances 

 under which it has been brought to this degree of perfec- 

 tion, than to call it the Phinney Corn. 



Several gentlemen then vvcnl into the discussion; and 

 made statements of the results of their own cultivation. 

 Formerly, and that within the memory of many now liv- 

 ing, the raising of fifly bushels of corn on an acre would 

 have been deemed an impossibility. But many fields could 

 be referred to in Maasachu.setts, which the last year have 

 averaged seventyfive and eighty bushels to an acre. We 

 have it upon testimony, which would be deemed ample 

 and conclusive in any court of law, that in many cases 

 over one hundred bushels have been produced upon an 

 acre. In the western parts of the State two gentlemen 

 in the same town produced one hundred and twenty bush- 

 els to an acre. The Agricultural Society in Plymouth, a 

 few years since, bestowed a premium upon a farmer for 

 having raised one hundred and tljirlysix bushels to the 

 acre. 



It was remarked hy one gentleman at {he above meet- 

 ing that he had no desire to hear of these extraordii»ary 

 crops. His wish was to know the average vield. Now 

 we differed from him entirely. We are v'cr^ desirous 



always to ascertain the highest degree of perfection to 

 which the cultivation of any crop can be carried. Wlial 

 has been done can be done. If there be any mode by 

 which our staple crops can be doubled, how important it 

 is that w» should know that mode. If this can be done 

 without doubling the expenses of the cultivation and the 

 costs of the product, and by means which arc or can 

 be brought within the reach of any farmer, we know of 

 nothing more important than to learn such facts, except- 

 ing to ascertain fully the mode by which they have b»en 

 brought about ; and to excite the farmers to do likewise. 

 There is with many persons an incredulity in relation lo 

 this subject, the possibility of raising one hundred bush- 

 els of corn upon an aere of land, which is vrholly incor- 

 rigible. What has been often certified as matter of actual 

 measurement upon the most respectable authority, it 

 would seem was equally entitled to credit with other 

 matters resting upon like testimony. We can find per- 



SfMMARY OF PUBLIC INTELLIGENCE. 



Congress hare now been in session since the first Moi 

 day in December, and yet no measure of great impo 

 taucc has been matured. Some per.ons say they did m 

 intend to do anything. Others say that from an incor 

 gruous mixture of parties in the house they cannot d 

 anything. Others, perhaps with a good deal of truti 

 declare that they have nothing to do. There is one a< 

 which it requires no extraordinary sagacity to predict the 

 will do before the 4lh of March comes round ; and tha 

 is vote the appropriation for their own pay. A sort o 

 surgical committee of Congress are making an examina 

 tion of a bad case of defalcation in New York. The 

 have found oat that the horse is stolen ; and they knov 

 who rode him away. They know loo that he carrie. 

 double ; but they are not quite certain how much wuscar 

 ried away in his saddle bags. The thieves are out o 

 reach ; and the committee will no doubt according to th. 



n, without number who do not believe that sixty bush- .a^e counsel always Zen """""> ='^'=°™'"g to th. 



J "a,,!, counsel always given in such cases by the I-lnlH 



s were ever grown upon an acre of ground. They are you-,o f^iily, adviso, now that the horse is stolen Z 



that class of persons who lack all confidence in human ,he stable door should be kept shut ' 



els 

 of 



testimony ; and who never believe that anything can be 

 done which they themselves have not accomplished. 

 With minds thus constituted argument or proof multi- 

 plied upon argument and proof avail but little. The 

 Messrs Pratt of Whitesboro, New York, aver that they 

 have produced over one hundred and sixty bushels to the 

 acre. Who shall say that the fact is impossible. The 

 evidence by which it is attested is perfectly credible. 



A few years ago a reverend and most highly respected 

 friend of ours, resident at Martha's Vineyard, was accus- 

 tomed to state that he used to plant twentyfive acres of 

 corn, which averaged him about ten bushels to the acre. 

 Those days have long since gone by; and the son of the 

 same gentleman, one of the most observing and intelli- 

 gent farmers in the State, now states thai he commonly 

 obtains on the same ground forty and fifty bushels of 

 corn and from twentyfive to thirty of wheat to an acre. 



We regard the crop of Indian corn as the most impor- 

 tant product of the State ; and as adapted in itself to be 

 the foundation of the most improved and successful hus- 

 bandry. Every possible encouragement therefore should 

 be given to its cultivation. There is no grain crop which 

 will furnish the same amount of feed for man and beast ; 

 there is none which returns more material for enriching 

 the soil ; and there is no crop of more simple cultivation, 

 liable to fewer accidents and injuries, and more certain 

 of success. 



The meeting was adjourned to Thursday next at the 

 same time and place, and at the suggestion of a gentle- 

 man present, who thought that such an arrangement 

 would encourage the attendance of many farmers in the 

 vicinity, it was voted that the meeting should be opened 

 precisely at 7 o'clock, and close jit nine The public are 

 much indebted to the distinguished gentleman, who has 

 presided at these meetings ; who by his seasonable 

 promptings and suggestions has elicited much informalion ; 

 and communicated much from his own long and careful 

 observation and experience. He has followed the plough ; 

 and he is therefore well qualified to speed the plough. 

 His example and lead in this case are doing a substantial 

 service to the great cause. ]^ q 



pon 



ExTRAOKDiNART Prodi'ct.— The subjoined rests i 

 unquestionable testimony. 



Statement of Potatoes and Carrots raised the past sea- 

 son on one and an halt acres of land, by Horace Clapp, 

 Houseviile, N. Y. 



520 bushels of potatoes, some of which weiglicd 2 lbs. 

 2 oz. each ; 1340 bushels of Carrots, some of which 

 measured 2 feet 10 inches in length. Tlie particulars of 

 •oil and cultivation are not given. 1], (; 



pli 

 Our own Legislature are occupied with that vcialioui 

 subject, the License Law. This has proved a sad boneo 

 contention, and bids fair to be picked quite clean. Bu- 

 after all the barking and growling over it, who will carry 

 It ofl in triumph does not as yet appear. Would it no 

 be well to give the law afair trial ? It is certain lyrathei 

 a novelty in the history of legislation to repeal a law 

 obviously of such great and universal importance, befcrt 

 It has gone into operation. The evil which this law pro- 

 poses to check, abate, or annihilate, all considerate per 

 sons will agree, is indeed the greatest with which a com- 

 munity was ever afflicted. The prevalence of a fatal 

 epidemi., which should decimate our population, would 

 be a minor calamity compared with the crimes, distur- 

 bances, miseries, and deaths which have flowed from this 

 prolific source. A fire which lay every house in the city 

 of Boston in ashes would be a small evil compared with 

 the wretchedness and vice, which have sprung from 

 drunkenness within the last twentyfive years in that single 

 city, if this could be shown to us in the aggregate, and in 

 all its infinitely various ramifications and results. In 

 such a case as this it is for every man to look at the mat- 

 ter as it is ; and as far as possible to divest himself of 

 every bias of private interest ; and every influence which 

 might pervert or corrupt his judgment. We have no 

 party or private feelings in the matter. AVe would call 

 no harsh names. We would impute no corrupt motives 



We would disdain 



man s opinions. But shall thia 



terrible conflagration burn on ; or is an enlightened, hu- 

 mane, christiaa community never to reach a period, when 

 rising in all the majesty of its moral power, it will declare 

 and decree that it shall be extinguished > The indiffer- 

 ence with which some persons seem lo contemplate the 

 subject is truly melancholy. It reminds one of the infat- 

 uation of an individual whose well was near his front 

 door, and had been without a curb fur twenty years 

 Upon being remonstrated with for sufi-ering it lo remain 

 in this dangerous condition, he replied 

 lost but one child down it." 



by I never 

 H. 0. 



(From the Yankee Farmer.) 

 REMEDY FOR SPRAINS, BRUISES, &c. 



As it frequently happens that severe swellings occur 

 from bruises, sprains, ic, I take the liberty to send you 

 a recipe which has, in various instances, within my own 

 sphere of observation, produced the most rapid and ex- 

 traordinary lelief It was tried a few days ago, upon the - 

 foot of a gentleman who was sufl'ering agonr from a vio- 

 lent sprain, and aflbrded instantaneous relief I have 

 u.sed it Willi great success in dispelling fistulous 6Wellinr.< 



