338 
THE POLICY OF AMERICAN FARMERS.—NO. I. 
wooden wheel, with a cast spur head on the axle 
of band wheel, with 228 cogs in the main wheel, 
and 21. in the spur head, the band wheel being 5-|- 
feet. The driver, or drum, or whirl, on the saw 
cylinder being 30| inches in circumference, or 1 0 
inches, about, in diameter, will give data to cal¬ 
culate the velocity of saws. My reason for ad¬ 
vancing this idea of a gin stand arises from some 
two or three little trials. I have ginned cotton on 
McIntyre’s patent spinning machine, and sent to 
Yicksburgh and New Orleans with samples of my 
gin’s performance, and found the former did com-, 
mand from one to two cents more in the market, 
I therefore concluded if we could have a gin with 
fine teeth, that we might secure this advantage ; 
but we would lose in quantity—to make this up, I 
looked to size in the saw plate. 
I should remark here, that a long band, with 
an idler to support the lower part of the band so 
as to hug the drum more, would make the run¬ 
ning of the gin lighter to the horses. What size 
this idler should be, I know not, but think four to 
six inches diameter would be large enough. I 
have heard tell of one being made by a man, who 
called himself a mechanic, of some two to three 
feet; his object was to give more velocity to saws. 
Wliat a mechanic ! I suppose an idler of four 
inches would run lighter than one of two or four 
feet, and therefore than one 8 to 12 inches, and 
probably enough to notice. 
1 have been particular and minute that I may 
aid the beginner. 
Gin Bands .—I am not very sure, but what 
leather bands are the cheapest in the end. My 
present band has been in use nine years, the 
weight and cost of each are given to show what 
is the difference of present value, then the differ¬ 
ence between the wear of two years and very 
probably full fifteen to twenty will show the dif¬ 
ference in the end, which is the only mode for a 
farmer to calculate. My band weighs 15 lbs. 
which at 37| cts. per lb. cost. $5 62-| 
It measures 42 feet long, it will therefore 
take two thirds of 14 yds. at 14 cts., 1 31 
The leather band will last 15 to 20 years, 
say 15 years, per year, 37 
The band will last 3 years at most, 43 
When the leather band is 15 years old it is worth 
nearly half price, for strings, &c., whereas the 
cotton band is not worth anything. But there is 
another way to look at it, the use of that much 
cotton is something in creating more demand, with 
less demand for leather. 
It may not be a wise policy to invite attention 
to improving gin stands, it might hasten on to a 
change in the affairs of the world. Should the in¬ 
genuity of man once succeed so as to combine on a 
large scale the ginning, carding, spinning, and 
weaving into one operation, by which the large 
planter could turn out his cloth with as much ease 
as the pin-maker makes and sticks his pins, when 
compared with twenty-five to fifty years ago, it will 
cause a greater revolution than did Arkwright, 
with his power looms. What a change! And yet 
it may be done in less time than we can anticipate. 
M. W. Philips. 
Log Hall , Miss., Sept. 6, 1844. 
THE POLICY OF AMERICAN FARMERS.—No. 1 
If the farmers of the United States are ever to 
reap the full benefit of their labor, they must do 
something beyond raising the largest amount of 
products, at the least amount of expense. An en¬ 
larged and comprehensive view of our circumstan¬ 
ces and commerce as a nation, and its internal and 
foreign relations, and a general, systematic, and 
concerted action, on the part of the agricultural 
interests, founded upon such information, is indis¬ 
pensable to their realizing all the advantages to 
which they are entitled. We see this intelligent 
and embodied effort in every other profession and 
craft; the clergy, acting through regular and fre¬ 
quent assemblies, for the more effectual promotion 
of their benevolent objects; the physicians, asso¬ 
ciating for the protection of their profession under 
law, and securing to it the highest amount of in¬ 
telligence ; the lawyers, in controlling legislation 
so as to secure to the profession the largest bill of 
fees ; the mercantile and commercial interests, 
by their boards of commerce and other active 
and well-remunerated agents, influencing national 
laws and commercial regulations for their own 
benefit; the manufacturing and mechanical inter¬ 
ests, by concerted movements, effecting the same 
objects for their own pursuits; and even the la¬ 
boring classes, by the well-drilled and efficient 
strikes , not unfrequently compelling an attention 
to their own interests, beyond their intrinsic 
merits. The farmers, it is true, are well, indeed 
amply, protected by an impost on the objects of 
cultivation in this country sufficient to exclude 
every article they are now engaged in producing. 
The staple productions, grain, vegetables, beef, 
pork, cotton, &c., have always been fully protected, 
and by the late tariff the duties have been so in¬ 
creased on wool, hemp, silk, and some other 
products, to which Americans have been recently 
turning an increased attention, that they can now 
defy competition from abroad. It is not the want 
of higher duties on their crops, which they now 
require; it is a well-organized, efficient, intelli¬ 
gent, central board, supported by funds from the 
general government, which, procuring information 
from every portion of our wide-spread union, and 
from every foreign nation, with which we can 
have any profitable traffic, will be enabled to sug¬ 
gest new and profitable objects of cultivation ; give 
additional value to such as are already receiving 
attention, and mature and communicate for ac¬ 
ceptance, such modifications of adopted systems, 
as the constantly varying circumstances of the 
country require. Such a board was recommended 
by the illustrious Washington, in his last message 
to Congress, Dec. 7, 1796, and had his wise coun¬ 
sel been at th'at time adopted, and efficiently car¬ 
ried out to the present time, we might confidently 
have looked for a success and intelligence in 
American agriculture, far beyond anything that 
the world can now exhibit. 
That the creation of such a board, is at any 
time within the power of our landed interests, is 
clearly manifested in the fact, that every officer of 
our government, legislative or executive, is either 
directly or indirectly elected by the popular vote, 
and at least two thirds of this vote is given by 
