1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



307 



should pray that my farm might be at a respecta- 

 ble distance from the oil diggings. The slow but 

 certain gains of farming are to be coveted rather 

 than the supposed rapid ones of mining, whether 

 in mountains of California, at Pike's Peak, or at 

 the diggings of Pennsylvania or Ohio. "Godliness 

 with contentment," the Bible tells us, "is great 

 gain." What a miserable exchange they make, 

 who, with gold, silver or precious stones, receive 

 what will tempt and ruin their sons, and blight 

 the morals of a whole people. The good people of 

 Mecca are making some feeble, as it seems to me, 

 efforts, to oppose the progress of immorality 

 among them, with what success we shall see. 



In my next, I will speak of things connected 

 with my travels through the country, and per- 

 taining more particularly to the agricultural in- 

 terests of different sections of the land. 



May you be greatly successful in your labors. 

 With the highest respect, yours fraternally, 



J. H. Geeen. 



For the New Englcmd Farmer. 

 THE CORN CROP. 



Mr. Brown : — I was sorry to learn that your 

 correspondent at Methuen was so unsuccessful 

 in his large outlay for a crop of corn. The fail- 

 ure, I think, must have been in consequence of 

 unsuitable land. I should also think that he 

 failed in being a good financier for a farmer. 

 His expenses on one acre would have been amply 

 sufficient for three acres of the average quality 

 of land in New England, and had he thus have 

 labored for a crop of corn, the balance would 

 have been largely in favor of the corn. In many 

 parts of this State, and in New Hampshire, I 

 have known of a yield of corn, from an acre, of 

 ninety, and in some cases one hundred, and one 

 hundred and ten bushels, with less than one-third 

 the expense of that of the farmer at Methuen. 



Such an account as your correspondent has 

 given is quite discouraging to most farmers, who 

 are unable to expend such an amount for the cul- 

 tivation of one acre, or even for five acres. The 

 average crop of corn on most farms would prob- 

 ably be twenty to thirty bushels to the acre. That 

 ■would be of course slightly manured, and per- 

 haps a handful of ashes and plaster in each hill. 

 There is much land entirely unsuitable for corn, 

 and it would therefore be extreme folly to make 

 the attempt to raise it ; but on suitable ground 

 corn will pay very well with only a moderate out- 

 lay, and should by no means be neglected. 



Farmers, of late years, in too many cases, have 

 thought it cheaper to buy breadstuffs for the use 

 of the family, and given their attention to other 

 pursuits ; this, I think, is a mistake. Let every 

 one endeavor to grow on his farm whatever he 

 may need for home use. There may be excep- 

 tions to this rule, but generally, this should be 

 the leading object with every farmer ; more espe- 

 cially the present season, every one should obtain 

 all in his power from his farm. E. 



Boston, May 3, 1861. 



Remarks. — "We are glad the letter of our Me- 

 thuen friend is noticed. We thought it a dis- 

 couraging letter, but published it in accordance 

 with our rule when the subject needs discussion. 



We believe that no other crop in New England, 

 when put on valuable land and properly tended, 

 is more profitable than the raising of Indian corn, 

 — not even the hay crop. We are aware that 

 this is contrary to the common opinion, never- 

 theless it is our present impression. The corn 

 crop is the glory of our New England crops, and 

 we hope to see it extended, rather than abridged. 



Fc^ the New England Farmer. 

 ■WTLD LANDS OP LONQ ISLAND. 



Mr. Editor: — Having returned from a visit 

 to the wild lands of North Islip, Long Island, I 

 would like to suggest to your readers a few ideas 

 in regard to the place. Strange and unaccount- 

 able as it may appear to many who have no per- 

 sonal knowledge of the central part of Long 

 Island, yet it is a fact, that here are for sale many 

 thousand acres of wild, yet, as I believe, natural- 

 ly good land, within two hours' ride, by railroad, 

 of New York city, at an average price of about 

 twenty-five dollars per acre. 



Here we find a healthy climate, good rail- 

 road accommodations, a market unsurpassed, 

 and a soil better than the average of New Eng- 

 land. And yet, it has been passed by as unwor- 

 thy of cultivation. I do not pretend that here is 

 a soil equal to many parts of the West, or that 

 there are no privations or disadvantages to be 

 encountered. But I do believe that they are tri- 

 fling, and* easily overcome, when compared with 

 many parts of the West, and that here is, all 

 things considered, a desirable and valuable field 

 open to emigration. 



I am aware that the statements of Dr. Peck, 

 Johnston, Schnebly, Watson, Elliott, and others, 

 conflict with the prevailing opinion of many New 

 England people. 



My first favorable impressions of the wild lands 

 of Long Island were on reading an article in the 

 January number of your Monthly. Until then, I 

 had the idea that these lands were nearly worth- 

 less for agricultural purposes. But now, after 

 having had a personal examination of the depth 

 and appearance of the soil, end spending a few 

 days on the central part of the Island, I have be- 

 come satisfied that here is a tract of country that 

 has been overlooked, and sadly neglected, yet 

 fully equal to the recommendations given. 



Is it not due to the agricultural interests of 

 New England, as well as New York, that the facts 

 in regard to these wild lands should be known. 

 If here is such a place as has been described, let 

 those know of it, who, instead of going West, 

 will at once "come up and possess the land," and 

 avail themselves of its advantages, and secure its 

 hidden treasures. E. T. Richardson. 



Medway, March, 1861. 



Effects of Chloroform on Bees. — The oth- 

 er afternoon, says an exchange paper, Mr. Annan, 

 wishing to have some honey taken from a hive 

 without killing the bees, and having before heard 

 of chloroform being used, felt anxious to try the 

 experiment. He first closed the doorwaj', and 

 then covered the hive with a cloth, to shut out 

 the light as much as possible, after which he com- 



