THE CULTIVATOR 
43 
twice, and afterwards rolled with a heavy roller; 15th 
June, they were 12 inches high, and were mowed by 
catting to within 5 or 6 inches of the ground; lOth to 20th 
of August, they were harvested by reaping; after which 
they were hauled, stacked, threshed, and cleaned, by one 
of Pitt'S separators. 
Expense of the Crop. 
6 days plowing in the fall,. $10.50 
2 days harrowing, 1st time, spring, .. 3.50 
Furrowing into lands, and sowing,... 1.25 
Harrowing twice, 4 cl.-iys, . . 7.00 
Rolling, one day, 2 teams,. 2.76 
Mowing in .Tune, 3 days,. 2.25 
22 days reaping,. 
15 days binding and stouting,. 11.25 
men, and 4^ teams, hauling and 
. 'stacking,. 10 88 
32 days with men, and twenty-one with 
horses, threshing, cleaning, and 
measuring,. 34.50 
$91.40 
Value of the crop, at 15 cts. per bush. $130.69 
20 loads straw, at $1.00 per load,. 20.00 
$150.69 
The average yield per acre of the above crop, is 91 
bush. 28 lbs. George Sheffeb. 
V/heatland, Dec, 1842. 
Peas. — Mr. White’s Statement, 
Of raising a crop of marrowfat peas, the season of 
1842. The condition of the land, green-sward. It had 
been mowed and pastured for the last eight years. The 
field contained about three acres or more, as near as I 
could judge. The ground was plowed seven inches deep, 
which is the common depth when I turn green-sward. 
The quantity of seed sown, was tea bushels. They were 
sown upon the furrows, then harrowed the same way 
that it was plowed, and tlien corner ways, minding to 
turn back the sods that were torn up. There was no rol¬ 
ler, bush, or manure, used on the ground. Time of 
sowing was the 13th day of April. Cuttingand drawing 
them in, was the 20th, 22d, and24th days of August. The 
time of threshing and cleaning one acre, the 1st of De¬ 
cember. 'Number of bushels, 33|, measured. At the 
time of cutting the peas, I went and measured off from 
one corner of the field, one aci'e, and staked it out, so 
that they could be by themselves. When we drawed 
them in, we put them separate from the others; threshed 
and cleaned separate. The expense of cultivating, har¬ 
vesting, thi'eshing, cleaning, and seed, for the whole 
piece, is twenty-two dollars. George White. 
Rutland, Jefferson oo. Dec. 1842. 
Potatoes. — Mr. White’s Stateme?it, 
Of raising a crop of Pinkeye Potatoes, the season of 
1842. Previous cultivation of the soil; In the spring of 
1840, I turned over about 2^ acres of green-sward, on 
which I raised wheat. The following season I plowed 
it but once, and then sowed it to barlej', and W'orked it 
sufficiently with a harrow, intending it for mowing. But 
owing to the dry weather in the spring, the grass seed 
failed. It was not plowed in the fall, on account of the 
grounds washing; no manure used. The present season 
plowed oKce.about seven inches deep, and thenidi-awed 
on twenty loads of yard and stable manure per acre, and 
then it was spread and harrowed. I then took the horse 
and plow, and run the furrows just three feet apart, and 
the potatoes were then dropped in the furrows, about 
two feet apart; potatoes cut, and three pieces put in a 
hill. The quantity of seed, twentj''-five bushels. The 
quantity of land, one acre, one rod, and eight-tenths 
rod. The time of planting, the third day of May. Time, 
of harvesting, the 26th, 27th, and 28th days of Septem¬ 
ber. Number of bushels, 42 I 4 -. The expense of culti¬ 
vating and harvesting the above crop of potatoes, is fif¬ 
teen dollars and thirty-eight cents. Geo. White. 
Potatoes. — 3Ir. Sheffer’s Statement .— 1 acre and 20 rods. 
The soil on which my crop of potatoes was grown, is 
Genesee flats, a dark clay loam. The land had lain to 
meadow, six years previous to the potatoe crop, and 
about one ton of hay was cut per acre, previous to the 
potatoe crop. 35 loads of stable and yard manure was 
applied in April, which was made the previous winter. 
The land was plowed once, the latter part of May; then 
rolled, then harrowed thoroughly, then furrowed s’inch¬ 
es deep, and 3h feet apart into rows, and planted the last 
days of May, and first of June, 30 bushels of Rohan po¬ 
tatoes, cut so as to average 3 eyes to a piece, and drop¬ 
ped in the furrows one foot apart, and one piece of po¬ 
tatoe in a place, after which they were covered with a 
hoe, 4 inches deep. They were hoed twice, the first 
time a cultivator was used, and then followed with a 
plow and hoe. The first hoeing was done when the po¬ 
tatoes were about 3 inches high; the second time, when 
the potatoes were 12 inches high, by plowing, and after 
hoeing. The crop was harvested the last of September, 
and first of October, by digging in the usual way with a 
hoe. 
Expenses of Crop. 
35 Loads manure, at 2s. $8.75 
Seed, per bushel. Is. 3.75 
Plowing, 2 men, and 4 horse team, .. 2.63 
Rolling, harrowing, and furrowing, 1 
(^lay,. 1.75 
^ Planting and culling seed, 4 day’s work, 3.00 
Cultivating and plowing, first time,... 1.25 
Hoeing, 3 day's work, first time,. 2.25 
Plowing, second time, man and horse, 
half day,. 63 
Hoeing second time, 3 day’s work, ... 2.25 
Digging, 5 day’s work,. 4.38 
Man with team, 2 days, hauling,. 3.60 
$34.14 
Value of the crop at Is. per bushel, 451 
bushels, and 28 lbs. $66.35 
The average yield per acre, on four acres, 401 bushels, 
i lbs. George Sheffer. 
Wheatland, Monroe co., Dec. 1842. 
Beets. — 3Ir. Sheffer's Statement. 
The soil on which my crop of sugar beets was grown, 
is Genesee flats, a dark clay loam. The condition of the 
land before planting this crop, was good; the crop previ¬ 
ous, was potatoes, thirty loads of manure was put on to the 
acre, the crop three hundred and fifty bushels. Twenty 
loads of well rotted manure per acre, was then applied to 
the land, in the fall, and plowed in. The fifteenth of 
May, commenced plowing a narrow land on one side of 
the field, rolled and hai-rowed immediately, while the 
ground •was moist; then planted in drills 27 inches apart, 
five lbs. seed to the acre; the seed was soaked in soft 
water until they were sprouted, then rolled in plaster. 
During the season, the crop was hoed three times. The 
first time the plants were thinned out from 10 to 12 inch¬ 
es apart; the second time the ground was hoed, and all 
the weeds cut; the third time a light plow was used, and 
afterwards the hoe. The crop was harvested the last of 
October, and first of November, by digging with a spade. 
Expense of the Crop. 
20 loads of manure, 2s. per load,. $5.00 
Plowing in the fall, three-fourths day,. 1.31 
Plowing in the spring, three-fourths day 1.31 
Rolling and harrowing, 1 day,. 1.75 
Hoeing first time, 8 day’s woi-k,. 6.00 
Second hoeing, and transplanting, 8 days 6 00 
Plowing, boy and horse, 1 day. 1.25 
Harvesting 14 days, and 4 days with 
team,. 14.50 
5 lbs. seed, at 2s. per lb. 1.25 
$38.37 
Value of the crop, 1026 bushels and 40 
lbs,, at 7 cts, per bushel,. $71.87 
The average yield, per acre, of the above crop, is 955 
bushels. George Sheffer. 
Ruta Bagas — Mr. M’Connell’s Statement ..— 1 acre. 
The soil on which my ruta bagas were grown, was 
part sand and part clay. Two y^ears before, had a crop 
of wheat, which was overrun with tares and pigeon 
weed. The following year, 1 took from it a crop of 
potatoes. After the potatoes came otf, I plowed the 
land; also twice in the spring, followed by sufficient 
dragging and rolling. I then applied 24 wagon loads 
of good manure from the barn-yard. They were sown 
19th and 20th of May'. 
2 lbs. seed, . $1.25 
Drawing dung and drilling, 4 days,.... 8.00 
Three days plowing,. 6,00 
Hoeing, 8 days,. 6.00 
Taking up and dressing,. 3.00 
$24.25 
Product, 855^ bushels, at 8 cents,. $68.44 
Expenses,. 24.25 
$47.19 
Canandaigua, Dec. 11, 1842. John M’Connell. 
Carrots. — Mr. Risley’s Statement. 
The condition of the land previous to the present sea¬ 
son, was as follows:—The crop of 1841, was carrots, a 
part for the roots, and a part for raising seed; the land 
had no manure put on it for the last ten years, but had 
been used for a meadow for the most part of the time. 
In the spring of 1842, there was a light covering of ma¬ 
nure, say ten loads to the acre; land plowed twice, har¬ 
rowed, and raked, and two pounds of seed sown in rows, 
sixteen inches apart. Sown the 1st of May, and har¬ 
vested between the 25th of October, and the 1st of No¬ 
vember, and the expense of cultivation was $31.00. The 
product on one acre, was 985:j bushels. 
Wm. Riseey. 
Fredonia, Chant, co., Dec. 17, 1842. 
THE SILK BUSINESS AT AUBURN. 
Those who believe with us, that the only obstacles to 
the success of the culture and manufacture of silk in this 
country, are such as can be easily removed by perseve¬ 
rance and the capital necessary for its manufacture, will 
rejoice at the success which has attended the effort which 
has been made to introduce this business into the Auburn 
prison, by the enlightened and well directed efforts of 
Mr. Polhemus, the Agent of that institution. It will be 
seen from the following Report, recently made to the 
legislature, that notwithstanding all the obstacles attend¬ 
ant on the introduction of a new business, it has been 
made sufficiently profitable to pay as large an amount for 
the labor of the prisoners, as any other branch of indus¬ 
try affords: 
Report of the Agent of the State Prison at Auburn. 
The effort to introduce the manufacture of silk was 
commenced by the agent on the 20th of May, 1841, at 
the suggestion of the Governor. A single thi'owing mill 
was purchased, and a small quantity of cocoons was pur¬ 
chased in the vicinity of Aubui-n. Two convicts were 
assigned to the business, one of whom was employed in 
turning the wheel, and the other in preparing and serv¬ 
ing the cocoons. After six months, four other throwing 
mills, built in the prison, were set in operation in the 
same manner, with an addition of eight convicts. In 
April last, water power was provided, and soon after¬ 
wards, five other throwing mills were put in operation, 
one of which was purchased, and the others built here. 
Two machines were subsequently added, and in August 
last, a steam engine was substituted on the failure of the 
water power. The effort had attracted some attention 
abroad, and a full and regular supj)ly of cocoons was re¬ 
ceived, at i)rices varying from three to four dollars per 
bushel. 
The machinery and apparatus now consists of the 
steam engine, 12 throwing mills furnished with 64 spin¬ 
dles, 12 bobbing wheels, 12 stationary wire swifts, 6 pair 
of upright swifts, 8 pair of horizontal swifts, 1 drying 
rack, 2 quilling mills and appartus, 1 set of reeling pins, 
lO seventy-two inch reels, 12 forty-four inch reels, 1 band 
maker, a dye house with kettles, implements and fix¬ 
tures, and other utensils and implements. The value of 
the machinery, utensils, and implements, is $2,115,which 
may be assumed as the cost, and of course, includes the 
labor of the convicts in constructing the same. The 
force employed in the manufacture of silk, has been in¬ 
creased from two to forty convicts, and the aggregate la¬ 
bor of the whole since the commencement, is 8,662 days. 
The table hereto annexed, exhibits the result of the 
operation. The aggregate value of the avails of silk 
manufactured, in sewing silks, twist and fabric, together 
with the materials and products on hand at low rate mar¬ 
ket prices, is. $12,763.26 
The whole expense of the manufacture, ex¬ 
clusive of the labor employed, is. 9,766.51* 
Leaving the sum of. $2,996.75 
for the avails of the labor and interest on the capital; e- 
qual to 34 cents and 6 mills per day, for the labor of 
each convict. A reference to the agent’s annual report, 
will show that this average is equal to that of the pro¬ 
ducts of the labor of convicts under the contracts in me¬ 
chanical departments. 
The sewing silk produced is superior to the imported 
article, in strength and softness of texture, in smoothness 
and in color, and is preferred wherever both have been 
fairly compared. 
The operation was begun merely as an experiment; 
neither the agent nor the operatives had any practical ac¬ 
quaintance with the manufacture. 
The chief part of the machinery has been not only con¬ 
structed, but invented here; consequently, there have 
been hindrances,delays, expenses, and losses, which could 
not occur in a business conducted with the advantages of 
skill and experience. 
The cost of the material has been far greater than it 
would have been, had there been any general attention to 
silk culture in the country. The products encountered 
prejudices in the market, and the market value of such 
products has been depreciating, while the cost of the 
rnaterial has not diminished. When these facts are con¬ 
sidered in connection with the machinery provided, to¬ 
gether with the material and products on hand, and the 
condition of the business, and the fiscal condition ef the 
prison, the agent has no hesitation in declaring that the 
business may he conveniently enlarged during the pre¬ 
sent year, so as to increase the force employed to an 
hundred men, with an increase of profits exceeding fifty 
per cent ; and that it may be so extended as ultimately 
to employ all the convict labor which can be assigned to 
it, consistenUy with a proper conduct and management of 
the prison. 
The agent therefore feels himself authorized to con¬ 
gratulate the Inspectors on the successful introduction of 
a new, most interesting, and most useful department of 
industry; which can be rendered at least as profitable as 
other modes of employing the convicts, while it is ex¬ 
empt from objections on every side. The financial ad¬ 
vantages thus secured, could scarcely be exaggerated, 
since the results fortunately appear at a time when more 
than an hundred of the convicts are left unemployed by 
the operation of the law of 1842, designed to protect the 
mechanical labor of our fellow citizens against competi¬ 
tion in the penitentiaries. But these advantages are in¬ 
considerable, compared with the general and lasting be¬ 
nefits which must result from the successful establish¬ 
ment of the silk culture and manufacture in the United 
ted States, a department of industry that has enriched and 
aggrandized every country by which it has been adopted. 
The manufactory here, will give the necessary im¬ 
pulse to the silk culture, while it will present a model 
and furnish instruction to our fellow citizens who may 
desire to engage in the manufacture; and by its success¬ 
ful results, encourage the employment of capital in the 
production of fabrics, which, though more generally used 
by the opulent, are still regarded as among the most in¬ 
dispensable articles consumed in every civilized country. 
Henry Polhemus, Agent. 
State Prison, Auburn, Feb. 1, 1843. 
_ »In the obscurity of the cottage, far from the seduc¬ 
tions of rank and affluence, is nursed the virtue which 
counteracts the decay of human institutions; the courage 
which defends the national independence; the industry 
which maintains all the classes of the state.” 
* Of this sum $3,416 went into the hands of farmers, for co¬ 
coons and reeled tilk.—It'ds. 
