THE CULTIVATOR. 
205 
portion to the capabilities of the soil, but to the deficien¬ 
cy of employment.” 
Mr. Blacker next makes some very proper remarks on 
the duty of governments to encourage the employment 
of its own population. 
The exports of grain from Ireland for several years 
past, have been great—the average for the last thirteen 
years amounting to more than one half of all the imports 
into Great Britain. This will be seen by the following 
table. 
An account of the Com, Grain . and Flour, imported into Great 
Britain in each ye ir, from 1st Jan. 1S30 to 1843.* 
Year. 
Imported 
from Ireland: 
Qrs. 
Total 
Imported: 
Qrs. 
1830. 
2,215,521 
4,660,567 
3 S31.. 
2,429, 182 
5,971,182 
1832. 
2,990,767 
3,788,665 
1833.. 
2,737,441 
3,191.710 
1834. 
2,792,668 
3,351.55S 
1835. 
2, 679,438 
3,000,643 
1836. 
2,958,272 
3,601,865 
1837. 
1,030,293 
4,366,223 
1838* • .... 
3,474,302 
6,009,031 
1839. 
2,243,151 
6,831,249 
1S40. 
2,327,782 
6,318,304 
1841. 
2,856,525 
6,542,406 
1842. . 
2,083,600 
6,806,697 
1843. 
2,721,400 
4,167,823 
35-639-332 I 66,588,023 
Ireland contains about fifteen millions of acres under 
cultivation—only four millions more than the state of 
New-York—yet Ireland, with a population of about ten 
millions, exports annually more grain than the whole 
territory of the United States. 
From government surveys lately made in Ireland, it is 
stated there is yet remaining five millions of acres, un¬ 
improved, capable of profitable cultivation. It is also 
stated there are fifteen millions of acres of a similar cha¬ 
racter in England and Scotland; so that it cannot be sup¬ 
posed that those countries, notwithstanding the vast ad¬ 
vances they have lately made in agricultural improve¬ 
ment, are as yet anywhere near the highest limit of pro¬ 
duction. Is it not, therefore, unwise to look to Eng¬ 
land with the expectation of finding there a market for 
our surplus farm products? 
NOTES OF A WESTERN TOUR. 
We have received from Mr. James Wiley, of Bed¬ 
ford, Pa., some account of a journey from Pittsburgh by 
way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to St. Louis, 
thence to Chicago, and by way of the lakes to Cleveland, 
&c. Want of space prevents our giving the communi¬ 
cation in detail. 
In speaking of Cincinnati, the writer says it is one of 
the prettiest and most orderly cities he ever saw. The 
draymen, butchers, &c. are better dressed than the same 
class he has seen anywhere else. “ In short, 5 ’ he says, 
“ everybody and everything, even the hogs and dogs, 
about the city, looked well.” He saw no indications of 
mobs or anything of the kind. At Louisville, he saw the 
celebrated Kentucky giant, whom he says is “ a very qui¬ 
et-looking man ”—a description which we have no doubt 
is quite as graphical as that given of the same personage 
by Charles Dickens. He found St. Louisa very flourish¬ 
ing place, and he thinks it is destined to become one of 
the largest cities in the world; but the appearance of the 
city is not agreeable, and the market places, &c. were 
very dirty, and in respect to order and neatness, contrasts 
very unfavorably with Cincinnati. The American bot¬ 
tom, opposite St. Louis, on the Illinois side of the Mis¬ 
sissippi, is spoken of as being the finest land in the 
world, and the most unhealthy. He says there are ma¬ 
ny people settling there, but if the land was ten time3 as 
good, he would not go to “ this death pot.’- 
Of Alton, Mr. W. says he hopes those who have oc¬ 
* Note. A quarter is 8 bushels, grain measure. The Impe¬ 
rial bushel of wheat is 70 pounds—the standard bushel of 
wheat in this country, is 60 pounds—thus, a quarter of wheal 
is 660 pounds, or 9 and a third American bushels. 
casion to mention it, “ will remember the mob-tu nu- 
ment raised to its disgrace.” 
About Jacksonville, he saw many good things. “Good 
churches, good schools, good farms, and some good Dur¬ 
ham cattle. From. Jacksonville to Springfield, is a beau¬ 
tiful country—much open prairie, and thousands of hor¬ 
ses, cattle, mules, &c., feeding.” Being in the neigh¬ 
borhood of Springfield the day before the cattle show 
holden at that place, he saw some good cattle and sheep. 
Springfield is described as being located in a beautiful 
prairie, the land being excellent, &c. The country on 
the Sangamon river is spoken of as being “ settled by 
persons apparently not much accustomed to agriculture—- 
at least on any improved system.” The farmers have 
not yet introduced the cultivated grasses, except in a few 
instances on a very small scale. He called on one far¬ 
mer who had resided there sixteen years. He had a few 
yards of blue grass in front of his house, but he was not 
much disposed to encourage the growth of this “new 
thing.” 
Peoria is mentioned as a beautiful place, rapidly im¬ 
proving. &e. The country on the Rock and Fox rivers, 
is spoken of as being very fine—good for sheep, &c. 
Chicago is represented as a very thriving city, doing a 
great business. It is the depot for an immense wheat¬ 
growing region. The husbandry through a considerable 
portion of Illinois is described as being very bad. The 
weeds were growing, says Mr. W., as “ if they were 
contending for a premium.” But on the whole he thinks 
there is a spirit of improvement being diffused, which 
will ultimately be productive of much good. 
KENRICK’S AMERICAN ORCHARDIST. 
The great demand for this standard work, having near¬ 
ly exhausted the former editions, a new one, making the 
seventh , has been lately issued. We have no doubt that 
Mr. Kenrick’s work is in many respects superior to any 
one of the kind ever published in this country, and in 
fact, none has been received with such favor. Mr. K. 
informs us that the present edition has been revised with 
very particular care, and many additions made to the for¬ 
mer editions. In 1840-41-42, Mr. K. visited France and 
England, where he collected much information which 
he has here given. To the list of fruits which was 
before very large, he has added several new kinds 
which have been lately proved at the garden of the Lon¬ 
don Horticultural Society, and elsewhere in England and 
in Fi ance. The appendix contains excellent remarks on 
vegetables, ornamental trees, shrubs and flowers, &c. 
Published by Otis, Broaders & Co., Boston. 
MACHINE FOR DRAINING. 
Mr. A. Hodge, jr., of New Orleans, inquires whether 
there is any “ Yankee invention more convenint and less 
weighty” than the English drain plows. We are not in¬ 
formed of any implement invented for this puprose in 
this country, excepting the one spoken of in the late re¬ 
port of the Commissioner of Patents referred to in our 
June number, p. 179. Perhaps Mr. Ellsworth may be in 
possession of some particulars in relation to the machine 
which are not made public in his report. We find de¬ 
scriptions of several machines or draining plows in va¬ 
rious English works, but they all require great strength of 
team to work them, and we are unable to say whether 
they would in this country be found useful. If any of 
our correspondents can throw any light on the subject of 
Mr. II.'s inquiry, we shall feel obliged. 
The mummy or Egyptian wheat, has proved unprofita¬ 
ble, as far.as we know. It does not become readily ac¬ 
climated, and at best it makes only an inferior flour. 
It is of the many headed variety ( Triticum compostiumf) 
as is all the wheat we have known brought from Egypt* 
The wild-goose wheat, and the “ California ,” which at the 
south attracted so mnch attention a few years ago, are 
merely different names for the same variety. 
Onondaga County Cattle Show at Syracuse, on the 2d 
and 3d days of October next 
