370 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
which it might be found profitable, such as on farms < 
where the poor are kept. In England, no farm is ever 
connected with a pauper establishment, and some caution 
is there used, lest those establishments be found too com¬ 
fortable and attractive. Mr. Colman cites the example 
of a man in New-England, who from Only seven acres 
of land, sells annually $2,500 worth of produce. ,i 
Condition of Laborers. —Mr. Colman says “it is 
with England a question of tremendous importance, what 
is to become of the vast accumulations of people, which 
are continually increasing here at the rate of from seven 
hundred to a thousand per day. * * * The subject, 
it appears to me, and perhaps wholly from my being un¬ 
accustomed to a condition of things in any degree resem¬ 
bling it, is daily assuming a fearful aspect; I do not mean 
of danger to the government, for the government seems 
never to have been stronger, but fearful in its bearings 
upon the public peace, the public morals, the security 
of property, and the state of crime.” Mr. C. does not 
pretend to offer a remedy for this state of things, but 
seems to think the allotment system the best which has 
yet been devised, as it is, at all events, capable of impro¬ 
ving, to some extent, the laborer's condition. 
Progress of Agriculture. —Under this head, Mr. 
Colman gives an interesting description of the great im¬ 
provements which have been made and are still going 
forward in England, by means of draining, irrigation, &c. 
Of the live stock , he speaks in the highest terms, but does 
not go minutely into this subject, intending to take it up 
by itself hereafter. He speaks not of the cattle as seen 
at the cattle shows, but as they are seen every Monday in 
the Smithfifcld market, and at the other smaller markets 
and fairs in various parts of the kingdom. He says— 
“ here are cattle and sheep of several distinct breeds, and 
all of-remarkable excellence of their kind; I do not say 
perfect, for that, in almost all cases, would be assuming 
too much, but leaving very little to be desired beyond 
what has been attained. Their condition and form, their 
symmetry, their fatness, are admirable; and each breed is 
seen retaining its distinct properties; and what is most 
remarkable, showing how much can be done by human 
art and skill, in improving the animal form and condition, 
and bringing it to a desired model.” 
Application of Steam to Agriculture. —The ap¬ 
plication of steam to the plow, so far as Mr. Colman has 
heard, has not been attended with much success. Steam 
engines are extensively used in some sections, for thresh¬ 
ing grain. In the Lothians of Scotland, it is said that the 
use of steam power for this and other purposes, saves one 
quarter of the horse power required on the farm. A very 
important item, as the keeping of horse teams is the 
greatest single source of expense to the British farmer. 
A six horse steam power, usually threshes from 30 to 
40 bushels of grain per hour. Mr. C. suggests that in 
the prairie districts of our western country, wherever 
coal can be had, steam power might be advantageously 
used for many farm purposes. 
A very important use of steam power in Britain, is the 
conveying of live stock to market by means of steam¬ 
boats and rail-roads. Cattle are brought in immense num¬ 
bers to Smithfield market by these conveyances, without 
loss of condition—sometimes the distance of seven hun¬ 
dred miles. Mr. C. thinks no parties have suffered injury 
from rail-roads. Contrary as it may be to all theories, 
the farmer near market is not injured, though the distant 
one is largely benefitted. 
The Increase of Agricultural Products in Brit¬ 
ain, is shown in a very striking light. The average im¬ 
portation of wheat into England from 1803 to 1810, 
when the population was set down at 17,442,911, would 
have given a fraction over one peck to each person. 
From 1811 to 1820, when the population was 19,870,589, 
the quantity imported would have given less than a gal¬ 
lon and a half to each person. From 1831 to 1835, the 
population was 25,000,000, and the quantity imported 
would have given to each person one gallon. Ta¬ 
king the three years 1833-4-5, the importation would 
have allowed only one pint and one fifth to each consu¬ 
mer. This will give some idea of the immense produc¬ 
tion and resources of that little island. Under a fast in¬ 
creasing population, as before mentioned, the dependance 
on foreign supply, has been constantly growing less. 
Among the means of improvement, Mr. Colman re¬ 
marks that the Royal Agricultural Society is an efficient 
organ. It ivas instituted in 1837.. It has begun the es¬ 
tablishment of an agricultural library and museum, the 
.object of which is to exhibit specimens of*agricultural 
productions which are capable of preservation, seeds, 
plants, grasses, samples of wool, mineral manures, mod¬ 
els and drawings of implements, &c. &c. Mr. Colman 
remarks that he has often urged the establishment of ag¬ 
ricultural museums in the United States, especially in the 
capitals of the States, where the different legislatures as¬ 
semble. The suggestion is a valuable one. Cannot our 
New-York State Ag. Society profit by it? 
The management of the Royal Ag. Society at its exhi¬ 
bitions, is spoken of as admirable in many respects. Mr. 
C. says—-“ every possible effort is made to secure an im¬ 
partial decision among the competitors; for besides that 
they are not suffered by their presence to influence the 
examiners, the examiners themselv.es are selected from 
among persons as far as possible disinterested, and not 
likely to be influenced. They are chosen, likewise, with 
a special reference to their characters and qualifications, to 
the nature of the subjects submitted, and every pains is 
taken in this way, to secure the greatest aptness and ta¬ 
lents. The name of the competitor is not given if it can 
be avoided, but only the number of the article presented. 
The rules of admission and competition, are stringent and 
absolute, and no exceptions are on any account allowed.” 
The Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, and the 
Royal Ag. Society of Ireland, are both spoken of as ex¬ 
cellent institutions, similar in their objects and manage, 
ment to the Royal Ag. Society of England. 
Model Farms. —Mr. Colman notices some of these. 
He has visited that at Glasnevin, near Dublin, and fur¬ 
nishes some highly interesting particulars in regard to it. 
In connexion with this establishment there is also an ag¬ 
ricultural school, where young men receive such an ed¬ 
ucation, theoretical and practical, as fits them to pursue 
the occupation of farming to the best advantage. The 
young men work in the field about 6 hours a day. Mr. 
C. had the gratification of listening to an examination of 
fourteen of these young men, brought out of the field 
from their labor, and declares that “it was eminently 
successful, and in the highest degree creditable both to 
master and pupil.” The products of this model farm, as 
given by the superintendent and teacher, are quite re¬ 
markable. Seven hundred and twenty bushels of potatoes 
per acre, are given as an average crop. The superinten¬ 
dent states that the largest crop he ever obtained, was in 
a field where the sets were three feet apart each way. 
Medium sized potatoes, planted whole, are preferred to 
cut ones. The experiment had been made, and the dif¬ 
ference between whole potatoes and cuttings was mark¬ 
ed and obvious in favor of the former. The cattle on the 
farm are soiled. Italian rye grass is mentioned as one of 
the best articles for feeding. It is cut four times in a 
season, yielding at each cutting a good crop. Lucerne is 
sometimes cut five times. The Scotch potatoe oat, and 
the Hopetown oat, are the varieties of this grain here 
raised. They yield an average of 80 bushels per acre, 
and weigh about 44 lbs. per bushel. 
The typographical execution of the second Part of Mr. 
Colman's work, is very perfect, and though the matter is 
somewhat miscellaneous, it is of a nature calculated to 
interest not only the agricultural, but general reader. 
The style is exceedingly chaste and agreeable, and a most 
beautiful moral tone pervades the whole. His re¬ 
marks on the condition of the laboring classes in Eng¬ 
land, show how vastly superior are the advantages of 
that class in this countiy. 
American Masonic Register. —This work has just 
commenced its sixth volume. The form has been chan¬ 
ged from a quarto to a royal octavo of sixteen pages,each 
number. It is neatly printed, and is well filled with mat¬ 
ter which we doubt not is highly interesting to the 
“brethren of the mystic tie.” Published monthly, at Al¬ 
bany, by L. G. Hoffman. One dollar a year in advance 
