No. 9 



AND nVRDKXER'S JOURXAT, 



ir?7 



with a view to catch and luiillc one of his best colts. 

 He has a tuU team always in liis own stables. 



The farm work in this part of the state is performed 

 almost exclusively by horses. 'I'ln' horses in general 

 are horses o( all work. No liorses among us are rais- 

 ed for the turf, and the various vehicles in use, wagons, 

 deitrborns, buggies, sulkies, &c., have put saddles 

 almost wholly out of use. This is to be regretted, for 

 there is no more manly, healthy, and vigorous exercise, 

 for man or woman, than riding on horseback. The 

 horses in general arc of a. medium size, and impressed 

 me favorably. 



Of the comparative expediency of keeping horses 

 rslherthan oxen, or otherwise, I shall not speak in this 

 place. Confidently as some persons have decided in 

 this case for themselves, there are yet two sides to the 

 question. A pair of horses is required on almost every 

 farm for market, church, visiting and business from 

 home ; but if the team must be extended beyond this, 

 it is well worth considering whether oxen may not be 

 kept to more advantag.e ttan horses. We shall now 

 give no opinion in the case, but suggest it for farther 

 inquiry. 



Of Skeep I saw some flocks, but not many large 

 ones. Mr. "Wadsworth has several thousand ; the 

 Sbakers at Grovcland have a considerable (Jock ; The- 

 ron Brown of Wheatland, has a flock of 500 sheep of 

 mixed blood, fjis wool brought this year 28 cts. per 

 lb., last year 35 cts. ; the previous year 44 cts. The 

 average yield of this flock, where there was a large pro- 

 portion of wethers, was 3 lbs. 4 oz. of washed wop! to 

 •"ich sheep. 



In his opinion, 7 sheep require a ton of hay for win- 

 tering. Hay is valued at 5 dollars per ton. The an- 

 DijaJ increase of the flock is reckoned at "25 per cent. 

 The value of mutton here is very Utile, and that in- 

 crease will do little more than keep the flock good. 

 Giving, however, the flock the advantage of all the in- 

 c.ease, the account may be thus stated : 



Wool, 3 1-4 lbs, aj 28c. 91 cents. 



Lamb, I in 4 or 1-ith, 25 " 



Sleeping 1-7 of 500, 

 Pasturage, say 



116 



71 cents. 

 40 " 



111 



Net balance in favor of sheep, 5 cents- 



This presents no great encouragement to the sheep 

 husbandry. Mr. Brown is of opinion that swine and 

 cattle are not worth raising beyond the wants of the 

 family. I give it as the opitijon expressed by him and 

 Bome other farmers to me, but as a matter in my own 

 judgment admitting of several qualifications. It is a 

 complex question, in which a good many elements are 

 involved, and my very imperiecl knowledge in this case 

 does ^ot authorize me to pronounce with decision. 



The value cf land is rated here at 50 dollars per acre. 

 The yield of hay estimated at 1 1-2 tons. The hay at 

 the above estimate would be equal to $7,50, and the 

 expense of getting can hardly be less than S2,50 per 

 acre, leaving 5 dollars income in favor of the land. 

 But on a farm it must be considered thai there is much 

 land in wood or in fallow, or otherwise unproductive ; 

 and there are uncertainties attending all crops and 

 seasons. 



I regret the necessity of leaving my journal in this 

 case unfinished ; but without occupying m,ore of the 

 columns of the Farmer with my own lucubrations than 

 I am willing to do, I must postpone several misceUaiie- 

 ous notes to another number. 



To Friends and Correspondents. 



We have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt 

 from William Turner, gardener to Nath. W. Howell 



ii» Canandaigua, a parcel of gooseberries of the fines' 

 description in size and quality. They might any 

 where challenge competition ; and they show how 

 much may be done by care, pains-taking and skill. 

 " 1 can't do it, I can't do it; I always have bad luck." 

 This is the sterei)typcd cry of the Do-little family; a 

 very numerous progeny and a very ancient rac/>, who 

 were born in the afternoon and never yet quite got 

 their eyes open nor their shoes up to the heel. AVe 

 are happy to recognise one of a difli-rcnt race, who has 

 found out that gooseberries will not always mildew. 



Messrs. Elwangcr and Barry have favored us with a 

 splendid spc<-imen of the Bolmar Washington Plum, 

 quite as large as hen's eggs, and with some bouquets of 

 exquisite beauty. We have transferred tlio plums to 

 fair mouths, whose tints are ruddier and perfume sweet- 

 er even than that of the richest nectarine; and the 

 bouquets to fair hands, or rather ma\' we not say to 

 flowers even more fair, one of which is as iijuch, even 

 in this land of monopolies, as any one of us poor sin- 

 ners dares appropriate to himself, though of this bright 

 order we are compelled to say 



" Full many a flower is born to blush unseen 



And waste its sweetness on the desert air." 



We should like to say more, but there is somebody 

 looking over our shoulder. 



Garget. — A correspondent inquires, what is Gar- 

 get ? It is a root or plant well known amang us, and 

 commoidy called Poke, having a reddish stem, broad 

 pointed leaves, and bearing large clusters of black ber- 

 ries. Its botanical name is PhyMoan dec-anilra. 



J. E. T. — A friend remarks in a letter to us ; " I have 

 read the articles of J. E. T. twice over. Such a cor- 

 respondent is invaluable." We entirely agree with 

 him and regret that the pressure of business engage- 

 ments deprives us this month of his usual welcome 

 contributions. 



BF.RKSurnE Farmer.-^ We have received the first 

 number of the Bcr/.shire Faniur, which, having been 

 abstracted from us, we request our friend tile Editor to 

 semi us another. AVe had only time to see thai it is a 

 monthly agric«ltural paper of 8 Iblio pages, published 

 at Pittsfield, Berkshire Co., Mass. ; and well printed, 

 at 50 cents per year. It is to be edited by AVm. Bacon 

 of Richmond, whose communications in the New Gen- 

 esee Farmer, the New England Farmer, and the North- 

 ern Light, over his initials and dated at Mount Osceola, 

 have been always welcome to our readers. We prom- 

 ise those, who choose t^ take the Berkshire Farmer 

 under his care, that it will be instructive, useful, .^afc, 

 piquant and agreeable. Its editor is worthy of respect 

 for his talents and acquirements ; and regard and es- 

 teem for his refined tat^te and his excellent moral quali- 

 ties. AVe part with him as a correspondent with un- 

 feigned regret, and welcome hiin with an equal pleas- 

 ure to tlie editorial fraternity. 



The Farm Hof.sE or the XlXth Gen'tury. — 

 Tills fublication has just ^ppearc^ from the press of 

 S. S. Haskell, No. 138 Fulton street, IS'fiw York. It 

 is a translation cf the celebrated French work, "ap En- 

 cyclopedia of Agriculture, Maison Rnstique, in four 

 closely printed 8 vo. volumes, by Elizur AVright,»Jr. ; 

 and is to he pubUsKed in semi-monthly numbers of 48 

 pages each, in forty numbers, and at 25 cent each. 



The Translator is perfectly competent to the task 

 and promises to add some notes, which may better 

 adapt the work to the wajUs of American Farmers. 

 AVe have known and owned the work in French for 

 some time. It is a complete vvork and highly valuable 

 to the Farmers. What the French do in this way 

 they do most thoroughly. AVe hope all the intelligent 

 farmers in the country will sock to possess it ; and we 

 shall from time to time, as the numliers are sent to us, 

 give some account of their contents. It will be embel- 

 lished with 2000 engravings, and we trust it is not t«o 

 late to express the hope that the public patronage will 



be such as to allow it to be printed on better paper and 

 with a fairer type than that in wliich the first number 

 appears. 



Several valuable communications already in type 

 arc necessarily laid over. The vaUioble oommunica- 

 liona from J. D in Monroe, Michigan, are just re- 

 ceived, but loo lote for any farther notice in this num- 

 ber. 



The following description of the visit of our friend 

 to the Elysinn Fields, really mokes our month water. 

 We have no doubt it ie every wurd true, graphic and 

 imnginalive as it may seem to ony ; and we only re- 

 gret that we could not ourselves have accepted the po- 

 lite invitation of the principal of this Academy to at- 

 tend on thifl interesting occneion. But liow we ever 

 got our friend back from this Paradise we know not, 

 unless he was driven out for looking, it may bo, too 

 wishfully at some of the forbidden fruit ; and how he 

 should ever dream, old and rusty as we ore, that we 

 could have an ear for this celestial music, is beyond 

 oiirimagii;Qtion. "0 1 the days of auld l.nng syne.'' 

 But we mean to go eo far this autumn as at least to 

 peep into this Eden ; ond if oar friend Flora, we be- 

 lieve ihe privileged resident of this cbarmiogviclnitj', 

 will condescend to give us her particular locale we 

 mean to let her know in person how sincerely we re- 

 spect her talents and sentiments and desire a nearer 

 acquaintance. Here we are treading again upon dan- 

 gerous ground, a sort of volcanic region, full of com- 

 bustible matter, and therefore stop. — Ed. 

 Aurora.— Cayuga Academy: 



Mn. Editor — I spent two doys the past week at 

 Aurora, during the public examination of pupils of 

 this Academy. Ijet me advise you to visit thischarm- 

 ing place ; sail on the beautiful lake and feast your 

 eyes on the unrivalled scenery ; then luxuriate among 

 the highly cultivated fields, verdant lawns and shady 

 groves ; taste the deliciouo fruit, hanging in profuse 

 abundance in the orchards and gardens ; observe the 

 beautiful flowers ond clustering vines surrounding tbe 

 tasteful dwellings ; partake of the generous hospital- 

 ity of the intelligent and wealthy inhabitants, and 

 (tovtbeuu!)\\sen\.a the sweet music or sprigbty 

 conversation of the beautiful and accomplished ladies 

 — and you will agree with me, that Aurora is indeed 

 a charming place. But this is a digression. — 



The Academy is the oldest institution of the kind 

 ill this part of the country, having been in successful 

 operation for nearly half a century. Some of the 

 ablest men in the state, were, ineorly life, participonls 

 of its advantages, it has permanent funds, which 

 essentially increase the facilities of education. A full 

 board of qunliiied and faithful teachers ore employed, 

 and the opporatus and library are excelleni. The 

 course of education deeer?es especial cotnmendolinn, 

 for giving a thorough knowledge of the English lan- 

 guage. This department is under the personal charge 

 of that well known philologist, Saleji Tows, author 

 of ' Town's Analysis,' ond other valuable works. 

 Mr. Cooper, the Principal, appears well qualified for 

 bis situation ; and much credit is due to Dr. Thomp- 

 son, teacher of Botany and Chemistry, also to the 

 Rev. C. N. Matoon, lecturer on Menial and Moral 

 Philosophy. The catalogue of pupils for the past year 

 Dumbcrs 138 moles and 'lO females — total, 208. The 

 examination occupied three days, and was highly cred. 

 liable to both teachers and pupils. An excellent nd- 

 dress was delivered at the close by Gen. J. A. Dix 

 of Albany. M. B. B. 



Bochesi e' , Allg.\9,th,^Mi, 



To Prescne flowers .—Be careful not to press the 

 flowers loo hard at first, and chonge the blotting paper 

 frequently to absorb the moisture, increasing the pres. 

 sure as the flower dries. — Eng. Puli. 



