28 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
Means for the improvement of Agriculture. 
We invite the attention of the readers of the Cultiva¬ 
tor to the following extracts which Ave make from the 
letter of an eminent individual, and one of the most in¬ 
telligent and thoroughly practical farmers in our coun¬ 
try. The opinions of such men on the subject of agri¬ 
culture, and the best means of advancing it, deserve and 
Avill receive consideration : 
“ As to legislative aid, whenever farmers shall be con¬ 
vinced that it is for their advancement and interest, 
whenever they shall wake up to the importance of their 
pursuit, and its intimate connection Avith the prosperity 
of their country, they will have it ; their petitions Avill 
command immediate attention, and Avhat we are now 
craving as a boon, they will require as their right. But 
with all due deference to others, I Avould suggest that on 
this point we are premature ; we are in advance of the 
times, and are trying to force on the farmer Avhat he 
has not yet been taught to appreciate. With these 
views, I would rather turn the attention of the Society 
to the more extended circulation of Agricultural Pe¬ 
riodicals, as the great preparative step to improvement; 
for myself, I feel it a great individual gain Avhenever I 
can induce a neighbor to subscribe to a periodical—he 
becomes to me a more intelligent and valuable associate 
—our minds hav r e been occupied with the same subjects, 
and are prepared to converse of them Avhen Ave meet, 
and exchange our views, opinions and experience, upon, 
whatever has been presented to us. I also believe that 
occasional lectures, adapted particularly to the agricul¬ 
tural community, and having in vieAV certain prejudices 
which might thus be overcome, would be of infinite ser¬ 
vice, and would go far to convince them of the great ad¬ 
vantage to be derived from reading. The moment the 
great body of agriculturists consent to read , they will 
become the most intelligent portion of society, and I 
need scarce say, the most influential. Let the farmer 
read , and he AvilJ soon understand what Avill most con¬ 
duce to his interests, and will learn how best to pro¬ 
mote and secure them. I think then there will be no 
difficulty in supporting an agricultural school in various 
districts of the State, and I am strongly inclined to be¬ 
lieve that they Avould be more useful than one large in¬ 
stitution as was formerly contemplated. * * * * 
“ It may be said that these are subjects for individual 
action. I am aware of it, and most sincerely do I hope 
that every friend of agricultural improvement will so 
consider them, and if they vieAv them as I do, that they 
may be induced to act upon them. There are those in 
every community, who by a small sacrifice of time and 
attention, and with a very trifling expenditure in aid of 
the objects to be desired, may in a few years revolution¬ 
ize the present miserable state of agriculture around 
them, and thus become identified with the best interests 
and most enduring prosperity of their neighborhood.” 
This appears to us to be sound doctrine. Make men 
intelligent, make them to understand the subjects that 
are of the most consequence to them, place in their 
hands those works that relate to their business and their 
interests, and they will soon act understandingly and 
decisively. We believe, and Ave doubt not all well in¬ 
formed men Avill concur with us, that the most effectual 
means for the advancement of agriculture in this coun¬ 
try, and placing the farmer in the position Avhich the 
genius and institutions of the land allot to him, is the 
diffusion of agricultural knoAvledge—teaching the farm¬ 
er to read, and thus disabuse his mind of the prejudice 
which still lingers Avith so many, of the inutility of sci¬ 
ence, knowledge, and general learning, in connection 
with agriculture. 
It may easily be shoAvn that there is no single occu¬ 
pation or business in life, where extensive knowledge 
is more necessary than it is to a full understanding and 
proper practice of agriculture. There is none so inti¬ 
mately blended with all the important branches of the 
natural sciences as this ; none to which geology, che¬ 
mistry, botany, and entomology, are such important 
contributors and invaluable auxiliaries. The earth, the 
air. are full of instruction to the farmer ; the pebble, 
leaf, insect ; the composition and decomposition of mat¬ 
ter and its causes, are all before him, all constantly 
going on around him, all inviting attention as part of 
the processes he must produce if he is a successful cul¬ 
tivator of the soil. He must read ; and if he feels Ihe 
value of knowledge himself, he will be proportionally 
anxious that those around him, his neighboring farm¬ 
ers his friends, should read also. A community of 
knowledge constitutes one of the strongest ties that can 
bind society together ; whatever may be the topic, it is 
a bond of feeling and interest not easily broken or de¬ 
stroyed. An intelligent practical man may change the 
whole course of agriculture in a neighborhood, and give 
an impulse to its prosperity, which may endure long af¬ 
ter the cause is forgotten. We have seen a man go in¬ 
to a neighborhood of farmers, respectable men, but who 
did not read, and felt the old fashioned contempt and 
aversion for those Avho did. This man Asms a reader of 
agricultural papers, and when an improvement was 
pointed out that his good judgment showed A\ f as adapt¬ 
ed to his means, his farm, or his circumstances, he 
adopted it at once. He improved his farm by draining 
his lands, and nearly doubling the ordinary crops, by 
skillful cropping and rotation. He improved his stock 
by purchasing at great cost, superior animals to breed 
from. His neighbors at first called him a book farmer, 
and sneered at his management. They soon found the 
laugh was on the Avrong side, and began to inquire the 
causes. If he could get a neighbor to read, his period¬ 
icals were always at their service ; and if he met a 
brother farmer, some proposition was made or some in¬ 
quiry started which he Avas sure would lead to useful 
results. Soon they found agricultural papers necessary, 
and became subscribers themselves; an agricultural pa¬ 
per has become as indispensable as a political one, and 
its arrival is alsvays looked for with interest and plea¬ 
sure. The prominent farmers of that neighborhood are 
noAV readers; several different publications are recei¬ 
ved ; and when they meet, the comparative merits of 
the different modes of husbandry are freely and intelli¬ 
gently discussed. We would wish to see such examples 
as this more frequently imitated. When they become 
common, it will be a proud day for American ag¬ 
riculture, In such instances, we trace the true secret 
of improvement, for although the looker on may at first 
sneer at the reader, he is sure eventually to imitate, 
first the improvements he makes, and lastly his course 
of reading. We ask it then as a favor, of every friend 
to agricultural improvement, to bring a knowledge of 
farming periodicals to the notice of his neighbors—let 
them be induced to become subscribers—to read, to re¬ 
flect on the means of improAung their cultivation, and a 
point Avill be gained, which will afford a rational hope 
of rapidly increasing and permanent prosperity. 
Indian Corn--a Kequest and Acknowledgment. 
We wish to collect for the use and examination of 
the public as large a collection of the numerous varie¬ 
ties of Indian corn, as can be conveniently made. To 
do this, w r e ask the aid of our friends in every part of 
the country ; and hope they Avill forAvard us as oppor¬ 
tunity may offer, such specimens of this valuable grain 
as they may have, noting the name by which it is 
known, the latitude in which it is grown, the time of ri¬ 
pening, and such particulars relative to its origin and 
history, as they may be able to give. Albany offers 
such facilities of communication with all parts of the 
United States and with Canada, that the transmission 
of ears of corn, and it is the ears we wish, can be effect¬ 
ed with little trouble and great certainty. It Avould be 
agreeable to hav r e two or three ears of each kind, where 
they can be had ; and as we shall at intervals acknow¬ 
ledge the receipt, should any be received, it will save 
any the trouble of forwarding the varieties so na¬ 
med. Dr. BroAvn some years since made a collection 
of 42 varieties, Avhich he presented to the king of France ; 
and in his work on this valuable plant he enumerates 
36 varieties, yet there are several, well known, which 
he has omitted. 
We have the pleasure of acknowledging the receipt 
of the following varieties from Theron Cowles, Esq. 
of Onondaga Co. Tavo varieties of the Canada Flint, 
middle size, yelloAV and Avhite, a very hard, bright and 
sound corn. This ripens early, and will yield from 40 
to 60 bushels per acre. Tavo varieties of the sugar or 
sweet corn, the white and the red cob kinds. Tavo va¬ 
rieties of the Rice corn, (this is omitted by Brown,) the 
pointed and the round kernel. The Blue corn, (Brown’s 
No. 31.) Mr. Cowles informs us that the Rice corn, 
and the Blue corn adjoined at the ends of the rows, and 
the rice corn shotvs the effect in some of the kernels of 
the mixture of the pollen. 
We haA r e also received from H. M. Gaylord, Esq. 
of the same county, a bag of the Brown corn, for the 
benefit of our friends. These varieties of corn may be 
seen at the Cultivator office. Any favors of this kind, 
will be reciprocated as far as possible. 
Production of Silk. 
It cannot be disguised, even had any one an interest 
in misrepresenting facts, that many have been disap¬ 
pointed in their expectations the past season in the grow¬ 
ing of silk. Many deemed a failure almost impossible ; 
they made no alloA\mnce for inexperience, and the dis¬ 
advantages inevitable to the commencement of a new 
business, and when they find the expected hundred 
pounds of silk reduced one half or three-fourths by 
want of foliage, or disease of Avorms, or defective co¬ 
coons, denounce the business as unprofitable, and the 
attempt to grow silk in this country as chimerical. 
Others with less sanguine expectations Avent to Avork 
more carefully ; secured an abundance of foliage, pro¬ 
cured eggs that had not been half hatched, and then 
chilled some three or four times, and these, by proper 
feeding have had good success, no loss from disease, 
and no difficulty in the formation or quality of the co¬ 
coons. 
We find from the Awrious notices of this subject m the 
public journals of the country, that many have re¬ 
peated the experiment of Mr. McLean of New-Jersey, 
in seeing hoAV much silk could be produced from one- 
fourth of an acre of mulberries, and some express an 
opinion, that they shall equal or exceed his crop. From 
a variety of notices of the culture in the NeAV-England 
Farmer of Dec. 23, 1840, we extract the folloAving from 
a silk grower in the county of Franklin, Mass. 
<£ One person fed 30,000 Avorms, consumed 1,200 lbs. 
of multicaulis leaves, and had 70 lbs. of cocoons ; an¬ 
other fed 35,000 worms, consumed l,327_lbs. leaves, 
and had 100 lbs. of cocoons ; another fed 25,000 worms, 
consumed 817 lbs. leaA r es, and had 75 lbs. cocoons , an¬ 
other fed 45,000 worms with: the white mulberry, (leaves 
not weighed,) and had 105 lbs. of cocoons ; another 
fed 8,000 worms Avith multicaulis (leaves not weighed) 
and had 10^ lbs. of cocoons : four founds of these last 
reeled half a found of raAv silk.” It Asms the opinion 
of these feeders, and is that of many other persons 
Avho have tried the methods, that chopping the leaves 
for the worms in the feeding, promotes the health of 
the worms, prevents waste, and lessens the labor of 
feeding. It is also the mode folloAved by the Chinese 
in producing their silks. 
The readers of the Cultivator for 1840, will remem¬ 
ber that we gaA^e some account of the manufactures of. 
silk at Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, by Mr. G. W. Gill; and 
AVe are glad to see by an extract from a letter of that 
gentleman in the western papers, that his labors the 
past year have been eminently successful. Mr. Gill 
says, respecting his manufactures : 
11 We have increased our variety of goods. Our 
stock now consists of plain and figured Terry, Eng¬ 
lish, Dutch and Genoa velvets ; hat, tippet, and cap 
plush ; Gros de Naples, and other dress silks ; black 
corded aprons ; Italian cravats, silk tassels, and silk 
lace, super silk hats, and super silk caps. Our stock 
of goods is large, and I can fill orders (accompanied 
by cash) on very reasonable terms.” Mr. Gill purchases 
all good cocoons at $4 a bushel; keeps six looms in 
operation, and is confident the silk business must suc¬ 
ceed in this country, and partiularly in the great west. 
To command the above price, the cocoons must be killed 
by suffocation Avith camphor, sulphur, or charcoal : if 
killed by baking, the price is $3 per bushel ■ if iho floco 
is taken off, the measure is level; but if not, the bushel 
is heaped. 
From the evidence which is already before the pub¬ 
lic, it seems most probable that the failures which have 
been noticed, were rather the resul.t of mismanagement 
of the eggs or the worms, than of any inherent diffi¬ 
culty in the business ; and that Avhen these obstacles 
are surmounted, as they may be by experience, there 
will be no more difficulty in grovving a crop of silk, 
than one of potatoes, and the labor and expense will be 
far less. 
Flour Trade of the Erie Canal in 1840. 
We haA r e condensed, from Governor Seward’s Mes¬ 
sage, the following account of the flour and wheat trade 
on the canal for the last year. It is interesting as show¬ 
ing that the agriculture of the country west of Oneida, 
has sent to tide water through this channel alone, and 
in a single article, property to the amount of twelve 
millions of dollars. We are but just beginning to reap 
the benefits of the Erie canal, as the rich tribute which 
the Great West must eventually pour through this chan¬ 
nel to the sea, has hardly yet began to Aoav : 
Flour through the canal,. 1.805,135 bbls. 
Wheat through the canal,. 1,395,195 bush. 
Entered the canal from Lake Erie, 646,970 bbls. flour. 
“ “ “ “ “ 1,467,904 bu. wheat 
The following will show at a glance the States from 
which the wheat and flour which entered the canal at 
Buffalo was derived, and the quantity from each. When 
we remember that it seems but a few years since some 
of these states or territories were first me abude of civ¬ 
ilized men, and that but a single year has elapsed since 
one of them at least was obliged to import flour for the 
use of the first settlers, the transportation of flour pro¬ 
duced by them the present year, can only be regarded 
as a specimen of Avhat may be expected Avhen the fer¬ 
tile west is peopled, its prairies com^eried into Avheat 
fields, and the rapids of its beautiful rivers occupied as 
they soon will be by merchant mills : 
Where produced. Flour—bbls. Wheat—bush. 
Ohio,. 505,262 725,025 
Michigan,. 112,215_ 97,249 
Indiana,. 13,726 48,279 
Illinois, ... 
Wisconsin, 
2,259 . 10,634 
166 
Mr. Coleman’s Agricultural Addresses. 
We have received from our respected friend, the Ag¬ 
ricultural Commissioner of Massachusetts, a pamphlet 
containing the Addresses delivered by him the past year 
by invitation, before the three Agricultural Societies of 
NeAA r -Haven, New-London, and Hartford, in Connecti¬ 
cut. We find them to be, what indeed every one ac¬ 
quainted with the author would infer them to be, pa¬ 
pers of the first order, abounding in excellent directions, 
interspersed with abundance of valuable facts, filled 
with an ardent love of country, and particularly of New 
England, and thoroughly imbued with that love for the 
great cause of agriculture, for which he has been so 
long and honorably conspicuous. Those Societies did 
honor to themselves in the choice they made of an in¬ 
dividual to address them, and the confidence bestowed 
has been most honorably and satisfactorily redeemed. 
We shall hereafter have occasion often to avail our¬ 
selves of the facts here condensed and accumulated. 
For placing them in our possession, he has our unfeigned 
thanks. 
Transactions of the N. Haven Ag. Society for 1840. 
We have received from the publisher, Mr. Stores of 
New-Haven, a phamphlet bearing the above title. It 
contains an address to the members by the President of 
the Society, Constitution, Officers, &c. ; a list of the 
working cattle and other stock exhibited, premiums 
aAvarded, and farm reports. These last form an impor¬ 
tant and instructive part of the publication. The socie¬ 
ty of New-Haven county appear to be actuated by the 
right spirit, and we are confident they will find them¬ 
selves much aided by the Farmer’s Gazette, published 
in their beautiful city. We are also indebted to Geo. 
Sherman, Esq. for a second copy of the Transactions. 
We should be glad to receive Iso. 1. 
