56 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 3 



ROCHESTER, APRIL, 1843. 



To Readers and Conespondents. 



We must claim indulgence. We have several vnl- 

 unble agriculturQl addressee and communicatione from 

 valued friends and correspondents, which we cannol 

 more pariicularly acknowledge in this paper. 



We thank D. F. K. for the Tranpactione of the 

 Essex Co., Mass., Agricultural Society, always val- 

 uable and instructive. 



We acknowledge " The Muck Manual for Far- 

 mers" from its learned author, S. L. Dana of Lowell. 

 We shall give an extended notice hereafter. We are 

 confident, from a partial examination, that it is the 

 most valuable contribution that Science has yet made 

 to American Agriculture, and will take rank with the 

 best publications of European learning and skill. We 

 are happy, as far as we have read, to find a perfect con- 

 firmation of our own heretical views on several sub- 

 jects. The style is transparent ; and the information 

 practical ; just as they should be. 



We have to thank a Canandaigua friend and a doz- 

 en others for very kind letters. We should have been 

 home-sick without them. There is nothing like pat- 

 ting a boy, who wishes to do well, upon the head and 

 giving him a hand when he is almost up to his chin 

 in trouble ; instead of giving him a kick and telling 



him to go to the d ogs. Some people may think 



we meant to have said a naughty word here, which 

 we might have caught in Rochester, either at meeting 

 or in the streets ; but we did not, certainly ; it is only 

 an impediment we have in our speech. 



To G. K., Geneva. — We shall be very glad of the 

 plates of the Cotswold sheep, and promise to do them 

 justice. Let us know what to say of his Berkshire 

 pigs. 



A correspondent in Ohio inquires " what will Mr. 

 Allen take for a pair of his Berkshires ?" Mr. Allen 

 ia in Buflalo,and we in Rochester, only 80 miles apart, 

 and 80 miles nearer to him than to us. This honest 

 inquirer ought to have a patent for hie remarkably di- 

 rect mode of doing business. Would he not like that 

 we should send him our Farmer by Pomeroy's E.x- 

 press, via Boston and New York ? 



The subject of IMadder is necessarily excluded by 

 the length of the article on Hemp, which we commend 

 to those interested. 



S. W. on TarilTand Homo League, J. E. M. on 

 Agriculture, H. P. on Corning, two communications 

 on Ploughing Matches, E. S. on Domestic Industry, 

 E. B. on Bail, C, L. G. W. and others on Education, 

 R. S. C. on Schools, M. A. on Winter Agricultural 

 Meetings, W. G.'s corrected Statement of his Views, 

 J. J. T. on Dials, &c., W. S. T. on Bees; and several 

 others, are respectfully acknowledged and under con- 

 sideration for the future. 



Two articles on Threshing Machines will be more 

 seasonable three months hence, if Heaven sends the 

 manna. 



The large Hog from Clyde, is in pickle for the next 

 number. 



We beg P. B. to let us know where we shall return 

 his fifty cents, which wc are anxious to do, together 

 with his very gracious and courteous letter addressed 



t0U5. 



" I heard a little lamb cry, ha ! 

 Said I. you have lost vour mam-a." 



Some few small Inquiries. 



The Secretary of the Wisconsin Agricultural Soci- 

 ety, in a very polite letter, postage paid, very mod- 

 estly says, — "1 wish to know, (an inquiring mind is 

 always to be r;ommended) 



1st. "The number of souls engaged in agricul- 

 ture in your stale?" We believe there are a good 

 many more bodies than cn\il8, or we should double our 

 subscription list. Lnok at U. S. Census. 



2d. " The number of acres of arable land occupied 

 for agricultural purposes, and the estimated average 

 value per acre?" A very pret.y calculation this, to 

 get the average value of land in a territory 500 'miles 

 in length, presenting every variety and diversity ot 

 soil and situation as it respects climate, products, mar- 

 ket, &c. V/ill this Secretary please tell us what is 

 the average weight of the inhabitants of Wisconsin 

 taking all the men, women and children together ; 

 and please add how large is a piece of cholk ? 



3d. *' The various kinds and aggregate amount ot 

 the agricultural products of the State for the year 

 1841, and their value?" The Census of the United 

 States for 18-10, which embraces this information, cost 

 the labor of several thousand men and several hun- 

 dreds of thousands of dollars. Probably in Wiscon- 

 sin, being a territory, they never heard the census was 

 token. It can only be a trifling affair to get it for the 

 little Slate of New York for 1841, and we shall set 

 right about it and will fqrward a copy when completed." 

 In the mean time, let him go to the Commissioner 

 of Patents. 



4th. " The most important and striking results of 

 those associations formed for the purpose of promoting 

 the agricultural interests throughout the stole?" Come 

 to our 3Q og iciillural shows next autumn, and see 

 for yourself. It will not do to boast. 



5th. '' Whether agriculture has received any legis- 

 lative aid; and if so what, and what effect such aid 

 has had upon that interest?" New York approprintce 

 among the several counties 8009 dollars per year, di- 

 vided according to their population, and given upon 

 condition that each Society raises os much as it re- 

 ceives from the Stole to be bestowed in annual pre- 

 miums for products, crops and animals. She gives a 

 certain amount to the State Society for the same object. 

 She gives likewise, a small premium on cocoons and 

 raw silk. Agriculture is next to education her great 

 interest. Instead of $8000 she should give .f50,000 ; 

 but at present, like her sister states, she has found a 

 large hole in her purse, her shoes are down at the 

 heel ; and some propose that she should take advan- 

 tage of the bankrupt act. It is hoped the little thing 

 will get her spirits again, when the ugly dilch, where 

 she has dropped so much of her money, is filled with 

 water. Now, in the suspended state of her public 

 improvements, she seems to be in the condition of the 

 man who undertook to descend the shaft of a deep 

 coal mine by the rope. Before he got to the bottom 

 he found himself, in an agony of terror, at the end of 

 hie rope, There he hung, with his legs doubled up, 

 incapable of returning, and feeling that when he let 

 go his hold certain destruction awaited him. The 

 poor fellow, in this dreadful condition, deplored his 

 folly, eaid his prayers,thought of his wifeond children, 

 and when he could hold on no longer, shut his eyes — 

 gasped, — dropped and fell about three inches. 



6ih. "What effect has been produced upon the 

 agricultural interests by the Tariff; and what, in your 

 opinion, would be the operation of imposing a coun- 

 tervailing duty upon goods from those countries that 

 impose a duty upon our exports of grain, &c.?" Ask 

 Mr. Cloy, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Calhoun, the Secretary 

 ot the Treasury, or Gen. Tallmadge of New York. 

 These are oil gentlemen of entire leisure, and would 

 doubtless feel much honored and most hoppy to an- 

 swer these inquiries. 



7th. " What per centum of tax is imposed upon 

 the capital invested in agriculture in your elate ; and 

 in what manner would it be proper, in your opinion, 

 for the legislature to grant aid to the agricultural in- 

 terest?" In respect to the first, there is no specific 

 or direct tax upon agricultural capital. In regard to 

 the second, we intend to make this a special subject 

 pf consideration in the Farmer. We hope to heqr 

 from many of our correspondents in relation to the 

 same matter, and should be highly gratified with the 

 opinions of the Wisconsin Secretary. 



In conclusion we respectfully advise that in the 

 mean lime the Wisconsin Agricultural Society should 

 subscribe for lOi'O copies of the New Genesee Far- 

 mer, and we will in such case give them our bvm 

 notices on all ihe very trifling subjects proposed. Did 

 the Secretary of the Wisconsin Agricultural Society 

 ever hear that any body in this world ever hod any 

 thing to do besides eating his dinner and smoking hia 



pipe ? 



*' Ladies Saloon. 

 Posilirehj no admission foi- gcntlcmai." 



Zelia, came very near a breach of prpmise. Dpn'f 

 be late on the great occasion. Still incogpito ! We sliall 

 soon have a Junius excitement about you. 



Here's a bevy of lasses I opening in beauty like the 

 flowers of spring ; full of sentiment, enthusiasm, poe- 

 try. " O ! the days when we were youfig." 



Flora has our respect for excellent sentiments, well 

 expressed, of which we shall avail ourselves. Imagi- 

 nation is not wanting; but her rhyme flutters upon 

 one wing. Her secret is safe ; and let her often show 

 " Mercy." 



Sarah ! you are a rogue. Stand up for the farmer's 

 industrious daughters. They are the jewels of the 

 land. Lift up your veil; and don't set us running 

 after a 'will of the wisp.' We should like to see your 

 milk pans and pails, your churns and cheeses, 



Annette is too personal; why sliould you pin — ish 

 an unfortunate youth in that style? The motto on the 

 seal " a hand to give and a heart to forgive," seems a 

 sort of " Return Jonathan." " Thf deadly arrow re- 

 mains in the side." O, cruel, cruel, Barbara Allen ! 



The letter from Helen, referred to last month by 

 Adolescens, was not seen by us until after the re- 

 ceipt of Annette's letter. It is the one published 

 in the Farmer last September, page 141, on Female 

 Self-Education. Wc have read it, and deem the 

 inquiries highly reasonable and important. We 

 have partially answered them in our reply to Ado- 

 lescens : but wUl say more when we have more 

 leisure. Such an inqiury is not to be dismissed 

 with the brush of a pen. 



The pretty lines from J. L. are accepted, with the 

 exception of the two last stanzas. There the nag evi- 

 dently broke his trot and got into a shuffle. A tighter 

 rein, and a little more uprightness and firmness on the 

 saddle, the certain result of skilful practice, and the 

 plate is won. 



The Weather."-The King Apple. 



[fe a letter from Cayuga cotmty.'} 

 Foretelling the weather — or rather guessing at itr-^ 

 is a common practice in this country. It serves to 

 amuse a vacant moment. It would be quite o privi. 

 lege indeed, for him that works in the open air to 

 foreknow just when he might be pelted by the pililesa 

 storm, — for according to the proverb, "forewarned, 

 foreormed" — with a great coat or umbrella. 



It was said in ancient times that no man was ever 

 caught in a shower without due notice of its approach, 

 so significant are the phases of the atmosphere ; though 

 in some countries without doubt, the indications of 

 change aie more certain than in other countries. Im- 

 migrants in this region of lakes and inland seas, often 

 complain of the uncertainty of the weather ; " there's 

 no telling ;" but nfier u time they get nearly as much 



