1961 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
231 
“ Information Wanted ” from Practical 
Men—$240 offered in Cash Prizes. 
Winter Wheat — Bye—Fattening Hogs, etc.—Winter 
feeding of Stock—Spring Wheat — Oats — Corn — Ap¬ 
ples — Roches—Blackberries and Baspberries — Fami¬ 
ly Vegetable Garden—Flower Garden. 
There is a large amount of information among 
practical cultivators, that would be of great 
utility to the country generally, could it be 
drawn out and put in tangible form. We are 
aiming to do what we can in the good work, 
and the main question is, how can it be best ac¬ 
complished. Two years since we offered a prize 
for me best article on Onion Culture, to be writ¬ 
ten by an experienced man, in a plain style, etc. 
The result was, a large number of excellent ar¬ 
ticles came to hand. They were carefully ex¬ 
amined by a committee of competent practical 
men, and the prize awarded—the best article be¬ 
ing published in the Agriculturist. Seventeen of 
the essays were afterwards published in book or 
pamphlet form, producing a little work which 
stands unrivaled as a source of plain, practical, 
condensed, but complete information. Nowhere 
else can such a variety of good information on 
the subject be found in so small a space. The 
plan worked so well, and was of so much value 
to the country, that we propose to extend it to 
other topics. We therefore now offer prizes on 
twelve different topics, and if the plan contin¬ 
ues to work well, as it doubtless will, we shall 
hereafter make other similar offers for other top¬ 
ics. Those competing for these prizes, will do 
better to write wholly from their own experience 
and general observation, than to attempt to 
make up a complete treatise by copying from, or 
garbling books. The main point aimed at in 
this enterprise, is to collect the experience of a 
considerable number of practical observing men, 
and it is hoped that such men will write, for the 
general good, even if without expectation of 
gaining the prize. The prizes, which will be 
cheerfully and promptly paid in cash, are de¬ 
signed both as a stimulus, and to call direct at¬ 
tention to the subject. Here are the specifica¬ 
tions. The time for preparing the first three is 
short, but we want the information this season. 
REMARKS APPLICABLE TO ALL THE ESSAYS. 
1. Each article must be written by a person hav¬ 
ing had full practical experience, (the amount of 
experience to be stated,) and be of the length, and 
furnished at the time specified below for each. Only 
one side of the paper to be written upon. 
2. The shorter the essays the better, if plainly ex¬ 
pressed and embracing all needed items. Those in 
our work on “ Onion Culture ” are fair models. 
3. The articles must all be written so as to be un¬ 
derstood by the inexperienced. The best rule will 
be for each writer to give his directions just as if 
instructing a person who had not the slightest 
knowledge or experience on the topic. 
4. The articles should be written in a large plain 
hand, so as to be easily and rapidly read. The lan¬ 
guage should be that of familiar talk; the grammati¬ 
cal style or expression is not of so much import¬ 
ance as the amount of information clearly expressed 
in few words. The style can be corrected by our 
editors, when an article is to be printed. 
5. The prize in each class will be paid to the or¬ 
der of the person to whom it shall be awarded by a 
competent committee, after they have had time to 
examine all the manuscripts submitted. 
6. The prize article in each case will be published 
in the American Agriculturist, as we have space, 
with due credit to the writer. 
7. All the manuscripts submitted, will belong to 
and be the property of the Publisher of the Agricul- 
tumt, who will retain the right to publish any por¬ 
tion of them in book or pamphlet form, when de¬ 
sirable. (At least three copies of any book or pam¬ 
phlet published will be sent post-paid to each writer 
of any article therein published.) 
8. If it should chance that only two or three ar¬ 
ticles, and these of but little value, are offered for 
any one of the subjects named below, the publisher 
will claim the right to withhold both the publica¬ 
tion and the prize. 
9. Each article to be accompanied with a sealed 
envelope containing the full name and address . of 
the writer, the whole enclosed in a parcel marked 
on the outside “for Prize No. I, II, or III,” etc., ac¬ 
cording to the numbers below, and sent to Pub¬ 
lisher of American Agriculturist. 
Specifications. 
I. Winter Wheat.— Article not to contain over 
20 foolscap pages—to embrace all items from selec¬ 
tion of seed and the best varieties, to the marketing 
of the grain, including preparation of ground, time 
and mode of sowing, after treatment, insects, har¬ 
vesting, threshing, etc. To be delivered on or be¬ 
fore Sept. 1st, 1861. Prize $25. 
II. Rye—Winter and Spring, embracing 
same items as for Winter Wheat. Not to exceed 15 
foolscap pages. To be delivered on or before Sept. 
1st, 1861. Prize $15. 
III. Rearing and Fattening Hogs. —Not to 
exceed 15 foolscap pages. To include selections of 
breeds; best age for fattening; feeding; prepara¬ 
tion of food, and time and manner of feeding, kil¬ 
ling, salting, marketing, etc. To be delivered on 
or before Sept. 1st, 1861. Prize $15. 
IV. Winter Feeding and Care of Stock.— 
Not to exceed 20 foolscap pages. To embrace items 
of care and feeding of the various farm Animals, 
from Horses to Poultry. The more full the hints, 
the better. To be delivered on or before October 
1st, 1861. Prize $20. 
V. Spring Wheat.— Not to exceed 15 foolscap 
pages. To embrace precisely the same items, (va¬ 
rieties, etc.) as for Winter Wheat (No. I). To be 
delivered on or before Nov. 25, 1861. Prize $20. 
VI. Oats.— Not to exceed 10 foolscap pages. To 
contain various items, from selection of seed and va¬ 
rieties, preparation of ground, best soils, time of 
sowing, and after treatment, through to marketing. 
To be delivered on or before Dec. 2, 1861. Prize $15. 
VII. Indian Corn.— Not to exceed 20 foolscap 
pages. To contain the various items, preparation 
of ground and seed, time and mode of culture, ene¬ 
mies, gathering, storing, and marketing. To be de¬ 
livered on or before Dee. 2nd, 1861. Prize $25. 
VIII. Apples.— Not to exceed 20 pages fools¬ 
cap. To embrace various items, best varieties of 
sweet and sour, Summer, Fall, and Winter; prepay 
ration of soil, time and mode of planting, treatment 
of trees, insect enemies, gathering and marketing 
fruit, etc. To be delivered on or before Dec. 2nd, 
1861. Prize $20. 
IX. Peaches.— Not to exceed 12 pages foolscap. 
To embrace varieties, planting, treatment of trees 
and fruit, diseases, marketing, etc. To be delivered 
on or before Dec. 2nd, 1861. Prize $15. 
X. Blackberries and Raspberries.— Not to 
exceed 15 pages foolscap for the two. To include 
different varieties, value, soil, preparation, propa- 
hand,” or a family just commencing to raise flow 
ers and wishing to get up either a small or a com¬ 
plete collection for private grounds. To be deliv¬ 
ered on or before Dec. 2nd, 1861. Prize $25. 
-—■ 'MO— —- 
Population of the United States in 1860. 
The following statistics, which have been 
compiled for the American Agriculturist from the 
Census Report of I860, and that of 1830, will be 
found useful for reference. The figures are be¬ 
low the truth, for the reason that the Census 
Marshals, as a class, were appointed from politi¬ 
cal favorites—and generally from the least effi¬ 
cient of the party hangers on, whose “ claims ” 
for services had been hitherto ignored. It is not 
to be expected, therefore, that there was any¬ 
thing like a full gathering of the number of 
persons, or of the actual amount of different 
productions. It is probable that the actual 
population was nearly thirty-five millions last 
year, and over that now. But since the previ¬ 
ous census was similarly taken, the figures 
showing the ratio of increase are nearly correct: 
EIGHTH CENSUS—1860. 
Free States. Whites. Free Colored. Total. Tot. in 1850. 
California.... 
. 376,200 
3,816 
380,016 
92,597 
Connecticut. 
. 451,609 
8,542 
460,151 
370,792 
Illinois. 
.1,704,684 
7,069 
1,711,753 
851,470 
Indiana. 
.1,340,072 
10,869 
1,350,941 
988,416 
Iowa.. 
. 673,925 
1,023 
674,948 
192,214 
Kansas. 
. 106,487 
623 
107,110 
J f 
Maine. 
. 627,081 
1,195 
628,276 
583,169 
Massachusetts! ,221,611 
9,454 
1,231,065 
994,514 
Michigan.... 
. 742,289 
6,823 
749,112 
397,654 
Minnesota.. 
. 161,793 
229 
162,022 
6,077 
N. Hariipshire 325,622 
450 
326,072 
317,976 
New-Jersey. 
. 647,084 
24,947 
672,031 
489,555 
New-York... 
.3,839,544 
47,998 
3,887,542 
3,097,394 
Ohio. 
.2,303,374 
36,225 
2,339,599 
1,980,329 
Oregon. 
. 52,343 
121 
52,464 
13,294 
Pennsylvania.2,849,997 
56,373 
2,906,370 
2,311,786 
Rhode Island. 170,703 
3,918 
174,621 
147,545 
Vermont.. . . 
. 314,534 
582 
315,116 
314,120 
Wisconsin... 
. 774,392 
1,481 
775,673 
305,391 
Total. 
, 18,683,344 
221,738 
18,905,082 
13,454,293 
Union 
EIGHTH CENSUS—1860. 
Slave States. 
Whites. 
Free Colored . Slaves , 
Total. 
Delaware ... 
. 90,697 
19,723 
1,798 
112,218 
Kentucky.. . 
. 920,077 
10,146 
225,490 
1,155,713 
Maryland. .. 
. 516,128 
83,718 
87,188 
687,034 
Missouri... 
.1,064,369 
2,983 
114,965 
1,182,317 
Territories .. 
. 208,233 
299 
63 
220,143 
Dist. Columbia 60,788 
11,107 
3,181 
75,076 
Total . 
.2,860,292 
127,976 
432,685 
3,432,501 
Seceding 
EIGHTH CENSUS—1860. 
States . 
Whites. 
Free Colored, Slaves • 
Total. 
Alabama . 
. 526,534 
2,630 
435,132 
964,296 
Arkansas. ... 
. 324,186 
137 
111,104 
435,427 
Florida . 
908 
61,753 
140,439 
Georgia . 
. 591,638 
3,459 
462,232 
1,057,329 
Louisiana ... 
. 357,642 
18,638 
333,010 
709.290 
Mississippi... 
. 353,969 
731 
436,696 
791,396 
North Carolina 631,489 
30,097 
331,081 
992,667 
South Carolina 291,623 
9,648 
402,541 
703,812 
Tennessee. . 
.. 826,828 
7,235 
275,784 
1,109,847 
Texas . 
. 421,411 
339 
180,682 
602,432 
Virginia. 
.1,047,613 
57,579 
490,887 
1,596,079 
Total. 
..5,450,711 
131,401 
3,520,902 
9,103,014 
SUMMARY. 
White Population. 
I860. 1850. 
In Free States.18,683,344 13,258,031 
In Union Slave States and Terr. 2,860,292 1,953,371 
In Seceding States.5,450,711 4,341,948 
Free Colored. 
In Free States. 221,738 196,262 
In Union Slave States and Terr. 127,976 115,484 
In Seceding States. 131,401 122,708 
gating, planting, after treatment, picking, market¬ 
ing, drying, wine-making, etc. To be delivered on 
or before Dec. 2d, 1861. Prize $20. 
Slaves. 
In Union Slave States and Terr. 432,685 394,771 
In Seceding States. 3,520,902 2,809.303 
Total in all States and Territories. 
XI. Family Vegetable Garden.— Not to ex¬ 
ceed 25 foolscap pages. To embrace directions for 
soil and location; one list of standard products ; a 
second list of desirable products, and a third em¬ 
bracing rarer plants or those required for a complete 
garden, with notes on new sorts ; time and mode 
of raising, with brief directions—in short just 
such directions as an experienced cultivator could 
give to a green city neighbor who had settled near 
him, and came daily for all kinds of information. 
To be delivered by Dee. 2d, 1861. Prize $25. 
XII. Flower Garden.— Not to exceed 20 fools¬ 
cap pages. To contain similar items as for Family 
Vegetable Garden—adai-ted to the wants of a “new 
1860. 1850. 
Whites.26,994,347 19,553,350 
Free Colored. 481,115 434,448 
Slaves. 3,953,587 3,204,313 
Total Population.. 31,429,049 23,192,112 
Increase of whites in 10 years.7,452,781 
Increase of free colored in 10 years. 46,666 
Increase of slaves in 10 years. 751,274 
Total increase of population. 8,248,721 
Percentage of Increase in ten years. 
Whites.38.06 per cent. 
Free Colored. 10.74 per cent. 
Slaves.23.38 per cent. 
Total Increase. 35.56 per cent. 
Taking the above figures as the basis, and al¬ 
lowing the same ratio of increase (35.56 p. cent,) 
