142 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



our public journals relative to the comparative deficiency of our bread- 

 stuffs. It is but a very few years since we imported wheat from Europe, 

 while a hundred years ago we were called by old England, the Grecian 

 daughter who gave her milk to the old man. 



In 1770, we exported of flour and bread, 45,868 tons, equal to 458,868 

 barrels of flour. 



In 1791, 1,000,000 bushels of wheat, and near 700,000 barrels of flour. 



In 1793, 1,450,000 bushels of wheat, and 1,074,000 barrels of flour. 



In 1803, 2,000,000 bushels of Indian corn. 



In 1803, agricultural products, $32,995,000, 



If our exports of bread stuffs had continued to increase with the population 

 since 1803, from about five millions to about thirty millions, it would be this 

 year nearly $200,000,000, It is said by those who know nothing of agricul- 

 ture, that our lands are wearing out. One says its fertile elements are 

 running off by rains into the sea, Italy had been treated as we have 

 treated much of our land, before the birth of our Saviour; they said it is 

 exhausted and we shall starve ! Some 1700 years ago, Columella restored 

 his farm to perfect fertility, and the populace said that to do it he had dealt 

 with the devil. I have heard many say almost as much of Mapes and 

 some others. 



I wish this Club to speak now. Let our country hear and work, and 

 there will be trouble in finding ships enough to carry the bread to Arma- 

 geddon, instead of idling empty at our wharves. 



The Southern Planter, Richmond, Va., May, 1859, thinks tobacco 

 raising a curse to Virginia, but tells us, what may seem odd, that tobacco 

 growing is a good preparation for a crop of wheat. But that tobacco is 

 the most exhausting of all crops, is demonstrated by the impoverishment 

 of all the counties of Virginia, from the sea to the mountains, to such a 

 degree that its cultivation is abandoned ; for it is a well known fact that 

 the richest high lands are rarely found strong enough to bear a third crop 

 in succession. Richard Sampson, of Little Dover, says: "After a fair ex- 

 periment of ten years, I cannot afford to cultivate tobacco, finding it took 

 one half of the labor of the plantation and yielded but one fourth of the 

 value of the other products." 



The following interesting facts in relation to the Robin were deemed of 

 sufiicient importance to be read, and to form a page of the Transactions 

 of the Club. The facts were communicated by Wilson Flagg, Esq,, to 

 the New England Farmer, 



PLEA FOR THE ROBIN. 



I have lately become informed of some new facts in regard to the robin, 

 which I think may be worthy of another communication to the Farrner. 

 Before I had investigated the habits of this bird, with particular reference 

 to the services he renders to agriculture, I supposed he was only of second- 

 ary importance, compared with the blackbird and others that possess the 



