28 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 2. 



CENSUS AND STATISTICS OF 3I0N110E COUNTY. 



For the i\Vw Genesee Farmer. 



ARricaltnral Societies— Legislative Aid. 



Messrs. Editors — The increased circulation, and 

 great improvement, of our agricultural journals, and 

 the formaiion of the numerous agricultural socieues, 

 ■with their splendid exhibitions, the past season, afford 

 cheering evidence that the cultivators of the soil, aie 

 beginning to realize the importance of useful instruc- 

 tion and prncticnl improvementB. 



I am also glad to perceive that farmers begin to 

 think it is time for the Legislature to assist them in 

 the laudable work of improvement. I am not strenu- 

 ous respecting my individual views, but it is my pre- 

 sent opinion that an ngricnliural survey of the State, 

 would meet with less opposition, and perhaps be more 

 generally uselul at present than appropriations to coun- 

 ty societies, provided the societies can be sustained 

 wiUiout sucit aid, but if they cannot be otherwise sus- 

 tained, then, I say, the sooner siich aid is obtained 

 the better ; for I consider their support very essential 

 to agricnUnrnl improrcmrnt. 



I am aware that many objections ore brought n- 

 gainstour societies, and some of them not without rea- 

 son, I do not suppose it is possible to conduct them 

 in euch a manner as to please all; but it appears to nie 

 that some plan can be devised by which many of the 

 most serious objections might be removed, and the 

 Tissfiilncss of the societies be made more general 

 «nd e.\lenaivc. It is my opinion that premiums ought 

 never to be given for single acres ot produce, unless 

 for the purpose of introducing some new production; 

 as it to^ frequently withdraws the attention of the far- 

 mer from his other crops, and the large amount of the 

 premium crop when compared with average produc- 

 tions, often causes doubts as to the correctness of the 

 statements; and the love of preeminence often causes 

 the unsuecessfiil competitor to feel dissatisfied. 



If wc can obtain Legislative aid, our societies should 

 be remodL'leJ; and I will now suggest a plan for the 

 purpose, in hopes that some abler pen will improve it, 

 or propose n better. 



Resjiectmg the amount which the Legislature 

 ought to api'^ropriate, I am of the opinion that ,'ji!200 

 for ei-U member o.*" Assembly would not be too great 

 J sum for the J-lmpire Siite to bestow for the encour 

 vguiDtiit of productive industry; and it ought not to 

 )€ foi l»se than leu y.cft.rs. Each county society ought 



to raise a sum equal to that which is received from the 

 State. 



i would suggest that each county society consist of 

 the usual officers, together with a publishing commit- 

 tee; to hold annual Fairs for the exhibition of stock, 

 prcjductions, implements, and domestic manufactures; 

 but no premiums to be awarded to indicidiials at the 



ounty Fair — the towns only to compete. The mon- 

 ey received from the State by the county, to be divi- 

 ded among the towns, according to their ratio of popu- 



ation, provided they raise an equal amount by volun- 

 tary contributions, and conform to the requisitions ol 

 the law. Each town to form a society auxiliary lo the 

 county society, to consist of the usual officers, togeth- 



r «ith a viewing committee of three, whose duty 

 ^hall be to examine the farms and crops in the town, 

 at least twice in each season, and make an annual re- 

 port of their inspections, to the county society. These 

 reports should contain, ns far as practicable, an agricul- 



ural survey of each town; and the committee men 

 should receive a compensation for their time. Encb 

 town society to hold an annual Fair, at least one week 

 previous to the county Fair, and to award premiums 

 to those who raise the greatest avcrogc crops, and to 

 ibe persons exhibiting the best slock, *.te., as usual. 

 Each person receiving a premium at the town Fairs, 

 to be required to attend the county Fair; where the 

 towns, and not individuals, ore to he competilors. 

 Each competitor to give all necessary information as 

 to raising, breeding, &c., as usual, and all the state- 

 ments and reports to be handed to the county commit- 

 tee for publication. 



Any towns neglecting to raise the necessary amount, 

 their quota of the public funds to be distributed omong 

 the other towns, but any town raising part of the sum 



cquired, shall be entitled to an equal amount from the 

 public fund. Any county neglecting to comply with 



lie requisitions of the law, of course the money would 



smain in the Slate treasury. 



1 think the foregoing plan would remove many ol 

 the objections which ore made against our present so- 



MCties. and would bring the improvements more gene- 

 rally home to each cultivator. If the towns tvouhl 



nnstly co-operate in the plan, there would be splendid 



:ounty exhibitions. 

 I hope others will coinmunicntc their views on this 



subject, in order that the best plan may be devised and 

 adopted. Respectfully yours, 



W. GARBUTT. 

 Wheatland, Januanj 22, 1841. 



Remarks. — The plan proposed by our esteemed 

 correspondent, embraces many suggestions deserving 

 of consideration; but we apprehend that a difficulty, to 



hich he alludes in his closing paragraph, will, for 

 some years at least, prevent the possibility of its suc- 

 cessful application. Thee are not a sufficient num- 

 ber of spirited farmers in the majority of towns to se- 

 cure their co-operations. The plan is new to us, how- 

 ever, and we hope to hear from others on the subject. 



Eds. 



Hour Ail. 



We wish to call the attention of our correspondent 

 N., whose communication on this subject appears in 

 another column, to an experiment reported in the 

 eighth volume of the old Genesee Farmer, page 156, 

 by Hemon Chapin, of East Bloonifield A calf, 

 which had been slightly aficcted with hoof ail, but bad 

 nearly recovered, vx-as fed (mixed with bran) one quart 

 ii day of the ergot of spear grass, which had been care- 

 fully obtained and cleaned for that purpose, until he 

 had eaten a bushel of it. Itdid not produce the slight- 

 est apparent effiict on his health, although often and 

 closely examined. On the 189th page he will find an 

 account of several cattle affected with the hoof ail 

 which were fed wholly on corn stalks. These, and 

 the fact we have often observed, of cattle eating hay, 

 the winter ihrousjh, which contained vast quantities of 

 ergot, v^'ilhout being at all affected, serve at least to 

 throw doubt on the opinion our correspondent express- 

 es. The remedy he proposes, of sowing the hoof, 

 we have found the most effectual of any tried. The 



emedyof H. E. Hubbard, following his communica- 

 ion, given from the Cultivator, we presume applies to 

 the "y««nn the foot," a disease quite distinct from 

 the hoof nil, and which is also cured by the opplication 

 of hot tar, which is done by rubbing a hot iron rod, 



lipped in tar, between the claws at the upper part of 

 the foot. * 



Market tOt Cocoons. 



We are oskcd if there is any market for cocoons in 

 this vicinity. Ifany person is desirous of purchasing 

 lihem, we should be glad to be informed of it. — Ee^ 



