386 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAY HO, 1840. 



AUn HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



ON, Wednesday, May 20, 1840. 



THIRD REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF 

 MASSACHUSETTS. 



The Third Re|)ort on the Agriculture of Massachu- 

 setts, by the Commissioner of Agricultiual Survey, is 

 just issued from the presa. It constitutes a close printed 

 octavo volume of ahout 2^0 pages. It embraces the sub- 

 ject of the wheat culture, containing the result.s of an ex- 

 amination of nearly four thousand wheat returns; and a 

 general discussion of the culture of wheat, including, its 

 proper soils, cultivation, manuring, diseases, enemies, 

 remedies, preventives, quantity of seed, hind of seed, 

 time of sowing, and the general adaptation of the wheat 

 culture to the climate, soil, habits and condition of the 

 farmers of Massachusetts. The next topic in the Report 

 is the culture of silk, in which every important matter, 

 connected with the subject, is discussed in the fullest 

 manner, .tccording to the best judgment of the Commis- 

 sioner ; and all the valuable inlbrmation which lie could 

 gather from going to the principal localities of the culti- 

 vation and travelling more than sixteen hundred miles 

 for these objects, is fully given. The Report embraces a 

 iketch of the history of silk culture in the United States, 

 m account of the principal varieties of trees, the nian- 

 igement of the woims by the natural and artificial 

 methods, the subjects of cocooneries and reels, the calcu- 

 'ations of products and profits, the manufacture of silk as 

 onnected with rural industry ; and the circumstances, 

 4nder which its introduction may be jnacticable and de- 

 lirable. The experiments of D. N. McLean, of James 

 Oeane, of the Messrs. Cheney, of Joseph Field, and 

 others are given at large ; and lite great objjscl of the 

 Commissioner has been to present such facts in ihe case, 

 without exaggeration or crdorin^, as may be entirely re- 

 lied upon. He does not design, by this suggestion, to 

 reflect upon the statements which others have given, but 

 only to say, that the sources from which his information 

 has been obtained, are, in his belief, perfectly eotifiden- 

 tial and responsible; and the inferences to be made 

 from the statements given must be left to the judgment 

 of others 



To the Report he lias taused to be subjoined tiie em- 

 bellished Synoptical Table of Jjeauvais, translated from 

 the French, which contains a perfect method of treat- 

 ment of the silk worm liy the improved management 

 through every stage of his progress fi-oin the hatching of 

 the eggs to the winding of the cocoon. This is a most 

 valuable paper. 



The appendix likewise contains lull accoun's of the 

 modern Scotch improvements in agriculture, by draining 

 and subsoil ploughing, and various other matters, inci- 

 dental to the culture of wheat and silk. Tlie appendix 

 likewise contains a highly interesting letter from l)r Da- 

 na, of Lowell, on ploughing in crops for manure. With- 

 out reference lo any other part of the Report, in respect 

 to which the (Commissioner has nothing to say, other 

 than that he has done the best in his power to make it 

 valuable to the farmers, lie has no hesitation in saying, 

 that there will be found in the selections and communi- 

 cations in the appendix no small amount of as v.iluable 

 agricultuial inhirmntion as has ever been laid before the 

 American farming community. It will be seen that this 

 Report is given under a difl'erent form from the two pre- 

 ceding This is owing to an order of the Senate, re- 

 quiring, as will appear, a particular Report on the subject 

 of Wheat; to which, by their permission, on account ol 

 the particular interest felt in the case, he asked leave to 



subjoin his Report on Silk. The subjects, however, 

 necessarily embrace a large amount of miscellaneous 

 matter. It is expected that the remaining Reports of the 

 survey will be given as before, with reference to the dif- 

 ferent counties of the State 



The Report, in this case, being a Senate document, 

 only Iialf the usual number of copies have been jirinled, 

 the rule of the Senate limiting the editions of their doc 

 uments to loOO copies, only a few copies beyond this 

 number have been printed. The Commissionir men- 

 tions this as an apology for not making the distribution 

 among his friends and correspondents as liberal as he 

 would otherwise be glad to do 



The Commissioner respectfully renews his claim in 

 this Report upon the candor of his friends and the agri- 

 cultural community. He finds, as he goes on, the work 

 greatly increases under his hands; and equally increased 

 is his conviction of its importance. It has been the 

 highest gratification to him that its importance is duly 

 appreciated in other parts of the country and in Europe. 

 That he may be enabled to complete it in a manner, 

 which will be just, creditable, and useful to the Common- 

 wealth, he earnestly entreats the aid and communications 

 of the farmers and others interested in the subject in 

 every part of the State and the country ; and promises 

 the unremitted devotion of his time and efforts to this 

 great object. H C. 



Boston, Mill/ 20, 1840. 



We had the pleasure, .some time since, of received from 

 our friend, Capt. Chandh'r, the following returns of the 

 products of the House of Industry, under his manage- 

 ment, the histyear. They do great credit to his acknowl- 

 edged intelligence and skill. It was our intention to 

 have reserved them for the Agricultural Report, but as 

 they have been presented in other forms to the public, 

 we will not longer delay the gratification wliitli our 

 readers will have in examining the document. 

 REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF THE 



HOUSE OF INDUSTRY AT S. BOSTON, 

 Under the care of Capt. Daniel Chanliiek. 

 No, of acres of tillage, 24 ; of English mowing, 7. 

 The work done by the paupers. 

 Amount of sales in 1839, (principally vegeta- 

 bles and small fruits,) ' $002 06 

 Value of produce used or on hand, the princi- 

 pal part of which will becimsumed by the 

 paupers, 414G 52 



$5i0d m 



English hay— tons, 111-2 



Mangel wurtzel — tons, 17 



Barley — bushels, 148 1-2, on less than S.icres, 

 Green pease, " 150 Dry do bush, G 



Potatoes, " 1072 Onions, " 546 



Carrots, '• 233 Blood and sugar 



beets, " 360 



Turnips, " 1125 Ruta baga, " 330 



Squashes, lbs, 10,875 Cabbage heads, .5837 



Straw, tons, 3 1-2 Corn fodder, green, 



tons, 12 



Pork, lbs. 7024 Silk, 2 bu. cocoons. 



Honey, lbs. 50 Milk, galls. 3150 



Medicinal herbs, $53 Garden seeds, $500 



Manure made, cords, 75 — .Manure bought, 40 cords. 



Pigs sold, 43; average price, $3 50— .f 1511 50 



Calves sold, 2; " " 6 00 12 00 



Average yield of a cow per annum in milk, 315 galls. 

 " weight ofa hog fatted at 18 mos. old, 404 lbs. 



Estimated expense of cultivating and securing crops 

 per acre, labor at one dollar per day, including board : 

 Indian corn, $53 00 Wheat, $22 00 



Oats, 14 75 Barley, 15 50 



Rye, 10 00 Potatoes, 42 00 



Onions, 76 50 Ruta baga, 52 00 



Beets, 58 00 Carrots, 50 00 



Garden seeds, 100 00 



The breed of cattle fiir labor, stall or dairy, of which 

 Capt. Chandler expresses his preference, is '* Native '' 



Extraordinary product. "On one acre of land was 

 obtained, fiist a crop of pease, 75 bushels gathered green 

 in pods ; and two bushels of dried pease ; next 8125 lbs. 

 Canada squashes After which 250 bushels of turnips." 



*' Mixing bone manure with earth, as follows, one part 

 bone and two parts earth, laid in a heap and moistened 

 with cowyard wash or water, and turned over often, the 

 bone will become completely decomposed in ahout two 

 months." 



" The most profitable articles of cultivation arc deemed 

 small Iruits and vegetables." 



The tlouse of Industry is situated about two miles 

 from the centre of the city of Boston. It has the advan- 

 tages ofa proximity to market, and abundant resources 

 for manure. Its management, however, requites peculiar 

 skill, resolution, and intelligence. As a laboring com- 

 munity, as well as pensioners, it is extremely difficult to 

 regulate it ; but the condition of every department, and 

 especially the agricultural, was in the highest tneasure 

 creditable to its superintendent We may speak confi- 

 dently and in terms of equal commendation of the House 

 of Reformation for Juvenile Offenders, and of the House 

 of Correction. We have no room in the present in- 

 stance, to remark on their moral results and tendencies; 

 but in an economical, penal and humane view, they do 

 much honor to all concerned in their arrangement, man- 

 agement and care. H, C. 



WALKER'S TULIPS AND I'ANSIES. 



We would call the attention of the public lo Walker's 

 splendid show of tulips, which are now in all their glory, 

 at the Public Garden, foot of Beacon street, in this city. 



This valuable collection has been greatly increased 

 since the last exhibition, and far exceeds any other in 

 America, and embraces all the valuable varieties culti- 

 vated in Europe. Amateurs and others who take an in- 

 terest in the richer of Flora, should not lose the present 

 opportunity to see this magnificent display. The num- 

 ber of blooms docs not fall short of 3U0O. For further 

 particulars see the advertisement. 



P*Nsir.s. We have been gratified with a sight of Mr 

 AValker's pansies, which are well worth a ride to his 

 place in Eustis street, Roxhury, to see. He has four or 

 five thousand plants now in all their beauty, and whicli 

 fill the air with their agreeable odor. Purchasers have 

 the privilege of selecting for themselves such as please 

 their fancy, and we should suppose among the endless 

 varieties in this collection, every taste might be suited. 



We have for sale at No. 52 N. Market street, seed of 

 these pansies, saved by Mr Walker, which we sell at 12 

 1-2 cents per package The seed may be sown at all sea- 

 sons of the year with good success. J. B. 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The proposals of the Massachusetts Agricultural So- 

 ciety for premiums on stock and agricultural experiments 

 and improvements, for 1840, are just issued from the 

 press and will be found in this number of the Farmer. 

 The publication of the premiums has been necessarily 

 delayed, in order to adjust the arrangements with the 

 Middlesex and Essex Agricultural Societies, of the sub- 

 ject of premium for that portion of their funds, which 

 the Massachusetts Society, with great liberality, appro- 

 priates to these Societies. We have not time now to go 

 into the particular subjects, proposed lor premiums. The 

 noble premiums on the best cultivated and managed 

 farms are continued 200, 175, 150, 100, 75 dollars. Two 

 premiums one of 100 and one of 50 dollars, are offered 

 for the best ploughs, of which a public trial is to be 

 had ; and the competition is open to every part of the 

 country. 



We hope these liberal premiums will excite the atten- 



