No. 12. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



181 



Culture of the Premium Crops. 



AVe intend in this and forth-coming numbers to 

 publish the statements respecting the mode and ex- 

 pense of culture, vnltie and use of product, &c-, of 

 the numerous extraordinary crops for which premi- 

 ums have been awarded the past season. From tlie 

 publication of this kind of information we bclicve.jvill 

 result some of the greatest benefits to be derived from 

 agricultural societies. We cannot devote much spoce 

 to the subject this month, but will commence Nvith 

 eome Root Crops. 



Rl'TA BAGA. 



Crop raised by F. P. Runt, of Sweden, Monroe 

 Co. — 1200 bushd per acre — Soil, black vegetobic 

 mould — rather moist — previous crop, Wheat. The 

 ground was ploughed once in the fall and twice in the 

 spring, previous to sowing. Only a part o^ the land 

 was manured — that part produced the largest roots. 

 Theseed wnssown on the lOihof June. (Other par- 

 ticulars not state '.) 



Crop uf Rvla Bagn raised hy Geo. Shiffcr, of 

 IVkiail'indj Monroe Co. — 5.'J2 hushcU per acre — 

 Soil, black clay loam, CGeneeec Flats,) bears drouth 

 and wet extremely well, Previons crop, corn ; no 

 TTianure. Sowed at the rate of two pounds of seed to 

 the acre ; in rows 2 feet and 3 inches apart, and left 

 the plants 6 t) 10 inches apart in the rows ConeH- 

 ers the roots worth 12i cts. per bushel — feeds them to 

 sheep, principally. 



SUGAR BKETS AXI> MAXGrT, WURTZEI.. 



Raised hy Geo. Shcffcr, of WheutUnd—WOO 

 bushels Sugar Beets, — \0M bushels Mangel ll'urtzcl 

 per acre — S lil the same as above ; previous crop. Po- 

 tatoes ; manured with 25 loads of well rotted manure 

 per acre, ploughed under in the fall. Ploughed once 

 in the spring when ready for planting — midle o( May. 

 (Manner of preparing the ground, planting, &,c., the 

 eame as described liereafier for Carrots.) Sow three 

 pounds of seed per acre. Feed these roots to my cows 

 and other cattle — consider them worth about the same 

 as Ptuta Bagas. 



CARROTS. 



Raised by George Shiffcr — Coih bushels per acre. 

 SrATKMC.vTS. — The soil on which I raised my corrots, 

 is a black heavy loom ; ( Genesee Flats,) not liable to 

 suffer much from drouth or excessive in'oisture. The 

 previous crop was potatoes. Twenty-five loads of 

 well rattled manure were applied per acre, and 

 ploughed under in the fall. It was then left till the 

 time of planting — 20ih of May ; 1 then commence 

 and plough a narrow land on one side of the field — 

 this I harrow and roll immediately, before it becomes 

 dry, which leaves the surface fine and smooth for 

 planting. I then mark out the rows, tu o feet apai t, 

 with an implement made for the purpose, resembling 

 a heavy rake wiih two pegs or teeth 2 liL-et apart, 

 which is drawn across the field by a man, first putting 

 up three or lour stokes to meosiire with and go by, so 

 OS to moke the rows straight. 



I s.ink the seed 48 hours, then roll it in white plas- 

 ter belbre sowing. Two pounds of clean seed are 

 requisite for an acre. I measure off the ground and 

 ascertain how many rows there will be, bct'ore I com- 

 mence sowing ; then 1 measure the seed and calculate 

 theciuantily per row; then a boy dropa the seed by 

 hand along the brills calculating the requisite qnonti- 

 ty for each row. Another percon immediately passe 

 along with a hoc and covets the seed J to Jihs of an 

 inch A'Bf, with fine earth, smoothing it down firmly 

 with the back of the hoe, which leaves the rows dis- 

 tinctly visible and greatly facilitates the first weeding. 



As soon as the plants sliow the third leaf, I hoe and 

 thill them, leaving them from 3 to G inches apart. 1 

 keep them clean of weeds during the summer, and 

 ab.nit the 1st of Noven:ber 1 harveet the crop — dig 



ihcni with a spade and put them in a cellar. 



The following is as nearly as I can estimate the ex- 

 pense of raising and value of my crop, of one acre of 

 corrots. 



Preparing the Innd and plonting, 5 days work. 



lloeing and thinning It^t time, 9 do. 



" " 2d " 6 do. 



" " 3d " () do. 



" " 4ih " 4 do. 



Digging and sccurirg crop 10 do. 



Soy 40 days labor at 7.) cents per day, $30,00 

 Two pounds clean carrot seed, 3,00 



Expense of crop, - - - $33,00 



I feed my carrots to horses, and consider them 

 worth at least half as much oe oats, 

 S.iy 653i bu.shcls at 1 shilling and 3 pence 10-2,10 

 Value oi the tops for fall feeding, at leaat 10,00 



Ti'tal value of crop. 

 Deduct expense, as above, 



Nett profit of the crop, 



112,10 



33,00 



.$7i),10 

 GEO. SIIEFFER. 



Wheatland, Monroe Co-, N. V. 



Remarks. — Our readers will perceive that Mr. 

 Sheffer hos omitted to reckon the rent of the land ond 

 the value of the manure used for the above crop. 

 These items we should judge, would reduce the nett 

 profit to olxint Sixty fire dollars. A liberal sum for 

 one acre. — Ens. 



IIj° (Other premium rrnps next month. ) 



Ciiltme of Silk in Families. 



We hove received a communictition uf some length 

 from Thomas Lefevere, of Venice, Cayuga county, 

 detailing in full his first experiment in the culture of 

 ailk on a small scale, which oi r li nits will not permit 

 to give entire. Our correspondent did the whole of the 

 work hinicctf, and kept an aecurote account ol the 

 lime required in attendoncc upon the worms, on ob- 

 stract of which is here y ven, with cost and proceeds ; 



Dr. 



Time fecrlintt, &.c 103 hoiira. 



Fixing frame, &c 7 " 



tiritlicVing cocoons and picking them clean . 3 " 

 Dryingtlieu). . • 2 " 



115 hours 

 wliii-h at 10 Iiours a ilny .ire 11 days 5 hour!— 



wliich lit only 50 cts a day is ©5 7.'* 



1 year iutcredt on cost of trees, HO 



Cr. 



Haifa Iitishel and 2 quarts cocoons, at 83 00, 



The .Auburn price 1 78 



State bounty 2*> 



$i 04 



Loss $4 21 



The midberry used was the v.hite Itolion and Mul- 

 iJCTulis — mostly the I'ormer — and our correspondent 

 adds, " I find by this oxperiinent 10,000 worms would 

 be full employ for one person, which, if no casualties 

 occurred, would produce 3 huabclsofcnccoone ; ihcee 

 at the Auburn price would be 9 dollars, and the state 

 bount; would be §1,35, making $10,35 for the labor 

 of one person fiir at least 40 days ; allowing nothing 

 for trees and attending them, interest on their cost, 

 and on the ground, &c. and without any allowance 

 for tiiTie in obtaining the state bounty. And even if 

 it could be attended to hy the wife and children of a 

 farmer, to save expense of hiring, even then the pay 

 is so jmall as not to be worth the additional labor — 

 leaving out the loss by neglect that the butter and 

 clieeee would sustain — as n.oet females, particularly 

 the wife, have as much work as can usually bo nccoin- 

 pliahed. From this trial I am fully persuaded ihot 

 silk cannot be rai.^ed in a small way in a farmer's 

 family, to any ndvontogo — though it moy perhaps an- 

 swer better on a large scale as Q busiiics:* by itself, fls 

 with many other things." 



We would merely re:nnrk, that with all the disnd- 

 vontogesof a first evpcrinient, inipcrfoi't fixtures. &e., 



we think this is perhaps quite se successful as could 

 have been expected. The silk business must of 

 course be like every other pursuit — it must require 

 thorough experience, strict economy, closo application, 

 and everything in good order, to be profitable — and 

 those who expect to jump at once into wealth hy this 

 means, will find themselves os greatly mistaken, as 

 the farmer would, who, without knowledge, without 

 tools, without seed and without live stock of modern 

 kinds, should dive ot, into the wilderness, and attempt 

 at oiicc to compete eucccssfully with the products of 

 our large markets. 



Asricultuial Fairs— the Iliglit Spirit Kevivliig. 



The Aummo of 1841 fans been peculiarly distin- 

 guished hy the attention that hos been given to the 

 couse of Agriculture. The great Fair of the State 

 Agriculturnl Society at Syracuse, the Fair of the 

 American Inetitute, in this city, numerous Fairs of 

 county Societies in this State ond of other Agricul- 

 lurol Societies in the Stole of Maesochueetts, Con- 

 necticut, Pennsylvanin, ond several other Slates, have 

 exhibited products of the soil, and improvemcuts in 

 the mode of cultivating it, never before equalled in 

 this country. These assemblages have also encour- 

 aged, attended and conducted by the very ablest and 

 host of men in the country; and we cannot doubt 

 have sent abroad a spirit that will exercise a most 

 wholesome.influeuce upon the pursuits, the habits, and 

 chniaeier of the people of this country. 



The natural busincES of the American people ia 

 agriculture. It is the basis of our weolth ond inde- 

 pendence. This ia evident from the extent, fertility 

 and productiveness of our soil. The national ond in- 

 dividual welfare of our people requires that agricuU 

 lure should keep the position which noture has assign- 

 ed it. in advance of all other callings. We would 

 n u depress manufactures and commerce, but would 

 let them depend upon the products of the soil, ond be 

 sustained thereby. It is impossible thot they should 

 be successful to a proper extent, if regulated by any 

 other standard. 



It is gratifying, therefore, to see the lively iiitetcst 

 every where awakening in the cultivation of the 

 earth. It is on honest, and independent and a healthy 

 business. It was grossly neglected e few years since; 

 rnrms were aold in city lots on speculation, instead of 

 being planted, os they should hove been, with corn, 

 potatoes and turnips; our people were so deluded as 

 to buy grain from the shores of the Block Seo, rather 

 than raise it on their own lane. Depravity of mor- 

 als, commercial ruin and general distress fidlowed as 

 the inevitable consequences of this great erior. We 

 are glad to see the people returning home from their 

 wanderings, filling their boms, and houses ond storts 

 with the products of honest industry, ond rejoicing in 

 ihestnidy independence of thrifty farmers. Long 

 may it be before our fertile " pototre patches" ond 

 " cabbage yards" ore again laid waste by being 6ur- 

 vevedaiid iilhogropbed into uninhobiloblc cities. 



It is the duty of the press ond of our public men to 

 encourage the movement of what moy he considered 

 our great national business, agriculture. There is 

 no dot^ger of overdoing it. Who ever heard of over- 

 trading in this branch of business ? No motter how 

 extensive i>nr surplus products may be, there will be s 

 market for ihem in some part of ihn world. The bu- 

 sinraa of exporting and exchanging them will suppo. t 

 a vast commercial interest, ond a large manufacturing 

 interest will also grow up as a natural and nccesfory 

 incident. But agriculture must take the lead; in it is 

 heotiginofal prosperity; before wee begin to trade 

 we mt'st produce something to trade with; and we 

 must produce the raw material before wc set up fac- 

 tories to improve it. 



No matter, therefore, how much we stimulate by 

 proper means the cultivation of our soil, there is no 

 danger but that commerce ond morufaeturcs will fol- 

 lowloit enough of their own accord. They arc iriore 

 liable than agriculture to exc«6S and over action. 

 Their results are more splendid, and ambilousadvtn- 

 uircsare more en ily coptivotcd by thctn. There is a 

 c instant tendency, especially in commercial nffaiis to 

 TO too fast, Noapprebtnsion reed therefore he lelt 

 Ten the business of ogricuUnrc should get too for 

 ahead; the difiiculty is in le ping t sufficiently ad- 

 vanced. Let commerce be regulated by it, dealing 

 only in the surplus values produced in the country, 

 and looking to no ficiit ons and tcmporory stimulants, 

 ond how soon the Umncssof the eminlry m every 

 deportment would become settled, stnhle, regulur and 

 permanenrly profiioble. Wc should hear ol '">^"'<^ 

 ruinous revulai-ns and fluctuations, and should hove 

 no troubles with a depreciated currency.— A^ 1 . Sun. 



