THE CULTIVATOR 
18 
WORK FOR THE MONTH. 
One of the most important truths that can be impressed 
on the mind of the farmer, is, that whatever is worth 
doing at all, is worth doing well; and, by acting upon this 
principle, he will rarely find that he has labored to no 
purpose during the year. The winter months, to the 
farmer, are months of comparative leisure, hut he will 
find no time for idleness. Negligence is no more to be 
tolerated in January than in July; and inattention to the 
interests of the farm now, will frequently add materially 
to the labors of the year, and seriously reduce, if not 
wholly destroy, the profits of a season. Industry, econ¬ 
omy, sobriety, and unimpeachable integrity, should be 
the watchwords of every farmer, for with these for his 
guides, he can hardly fail of success. To these he must 
add a knowledge of his business, the most improved 
modes of culture, the advantages of agricultural read¬ 
ing, and a habit of comparison and retlection on facts, 
and competence may be considered certain. 
There is an error somewhat prevalent, that animals do 
not require salt and water as much in winter as in sum¬ 
mer. This is a mistake, and the good farmer will see 
that they have both. Nature’s laws, in this respect, can¬ 
not be trifled with. 
Animals fed on dry hay, will do much better if they 
have a meal of roots once or twice a week. For the 
horse, we prefer carrots, and even if fed on grain, these 
roots will be found most healthful. 
Do not feed your stock in the street, or about your 
fields, but in your yards. The man who feeds in fields 
or roads, loses his manures, poaches his grounds, and by 
the habit wastes at least one-third of his fodder. 
If any of your animals exhibit symptoms of falling 
off, such as growing poor, neglecting their food, &c., 
they should immediately receive extra attention, and a 
stop at once, if possible, be put to farther decline. Cows 
should have mashes of bran, or more nutritive food, and 
all kinds of stock so conditioned should be carefully pro¬ 
tected from the severities of the season. 
Do not starve your fowls, if you expect large, well 
filled eggs, or plump fat pullets for next Thanksgiving. 
Your profits from your fowls will in general be in direct 
proportion to the care and feeding you give them. Re¬ 
member they must have a box of sand, gravel, plaster, 
ashes, &c. to roll in, and pick pebbles from, to aid in 
the digestion of their food, and preserve their plumage 
and health unimpaired. 
Give your horses salt frequently with their grain, and 
if you add a good handful of ashes, once a week, you 
will rarely find them troubled with cholic or bots. If 
you keep your horses on corn, you will find it better 
for them to have the grain and cob ground together. 
Keep your lambs and old sheep separate, and, if possi¬ 
ble, never allow more than fifty of any kind to lie together. 
Where too many are herded together, the strong are 
always in advance, picking out the sweetest and best of 
the hay, and trampling on the remainder. This is one 
of the ways in which the weak are sure to grow weaker, 
as well as the strong stronger. 
Be certain to keep your diseased animals, no matter of 
What kind, if you have any, away from the rest of your 
stock. Diseases are frequently contagious, and the sickly 
or weak can be better caredjfor when separate from the 
rest of the herd. 
Keep your stables and pens well littered with straw, 
and if you have plenty of it, keep your yards in the 
same condition. Littering adds to the comfort of your 
animals; it increases the quantity of your manures, and 
it adds to their quality, as it absorbs and retains the fluid 
parts that are otherwise mainly lost. 
Examine your apple bins, and separate the sound from 
the partially decayed fruit. If you keep a memoran¬ 
dum of the times your various apples arrive at perfec¬ 
tion, it will aid you much in arranging a permanent suc¬ 
cession of good fruit for the year, which every good 
farmer should aim at. 
Feed all your animals regularly. You find such a 
mode of feeding best in your own case, and you will 
find it so with them. Where animals are fed irregu¬ 
larly, they remain constantly in a restless, dissatisfied 
state; whereas, when fed punctually, they eat,, and ex¬ 
pect no more till the stated hour arrives. 
Look out for your fire wood for the ensuing year. 
Frost seasons wood rapidly, and if you cut and split 
now, the trouble of drawing tons of water to your wood 
house may be prevented. Nothing can justify scolding- 
in a woman, but a smoking house, and a fire of green 
wood. If you love soft words, fair faces, and sweet 
smiles, make sure of dry wood and a bright fire. 
Commence the year with a regular farmer's book. 
Enter in it, daily, every thing you will wish to remem¬ 
ber with regard to crops, labor, &c. Keep a close ac¬ 
count of your receipts and expenditures; it is the only 
certain mode of knowing your actual profit and loss in 
your business; and this is as necessary in farming as in 
trade. 
Dr. Franklin said that creditors were a superstitious 
sort of people, great observers of set times and days; 
and it would be well if those who are in debt would 
always bear this fact in mind. Settle up all your ac¬ 
counts punctually; do not let your mechanics complain 
for want of their pay, or the cry of those who have tilled 
your fields, rise to heaven in complaint of your negli¬ 
gence or dishonesty. 
Winter, too, is the season in which works of charity 
and kindness are frequently required, and which the 
farmer ought never to neglect. There will always be 
those who are unfortunate and poor, and for such, good 
may always be done. The widow and the orphan, the 
sick and the destitute, all have their claims, that may 
not be disregarded. The able poor must have employ¬ 
ment, but in this land of abundance, none must be left to 
suffer. 
Visit your district school, and take an interest in its 
management and progress. On this single point, our 
country schools, the destiny of our country may be said 
to be depending. There the men of our country receive 
their first and most lasting impressions; and what is 
done here, should be done in the best possible manner. 
Children are pleased with such attention, and the instruc¬ 
tor will not be less gratified. 
Look round among your farming friends, and see who 
of them takes an agricultural paper. If they have hith¬ 
erto neglected the advantages such a paper offers, would 
it not be an act of kindness to them to bring the subject 
to their notice; to show them your copy of the Cultiva¬ 
tor, and invite them to become subscribers. It is those 
who read such journals that are the best able to appre¬ 
ciate their utility. Do not forget to provide food for the 
mind as well as the body; the means offered in this 
country are ample, and easily accessible; and of all neg¬ 
ligence, this is the most criminal and fatal. 
SILK MANUFACTURE AT AUBURN. 
We are indebted to William R. Prince, Esq.. Flush¬ 
ing, for the following letter from Mr. A. Gridley, 
showing the gratifying results which have followed the 
efforts to introduce the manufacture of silk into the State 
Prison at Auburn: 
State Prison, Auburn, Dec. 6, 1841. 
In reply to yours of the 2d inst., I furnish the annexed 
tabular view of our small beginning in the silk opera¬ 
tion, but do so as a matter of courtesy to you. You will 
observe a great falling off in the daily earnings after 1st 
September; this is accounted for as follows: we pro¬ 
cured one of Brooks’ machines for twisting and doubling 
into sewings directly from the cocoons ; on the 20th 
May last, we put two convicts (raw hands) at work. 
The first month, they earned 27 1-2 cents per day; se¬ 
cond monih, 41 1-2 ; third month, (August,) 63 cents. 
In the mean time, we built four new machines, on the 
same plan, and in September and October put them in 
operation, with an addition of ten inexperienced hands ; 
all the convicts employed are of a very low grade, crip¬ 
ples, boys, and negroes. The result shows a daily ave¬ 
rage of 30 1-3 cents per day ; the men ihus employed 
are such as are let to contractors, as quillers and spool¬ 
ers, at 15 cents per day. 
We have been engaged this season in building a two 
story brick workshop, 208 feet by 34 ; this has given 
employment to all our efficient men who are not em¬ 
ployed by the contractors, so that it has been impossible 
for us to go largely into the silk operation, nor did we 
think it prudent to do so ; it is an experiment, and pru¬ 
dence dictates that we should enter upon it cautiously. 
The experiment, thus far, has satisfied us perfectly that 
our convicts can be as profitably employed in this inte¬ 
resting branch of business as in any other. We feel a 
suitable solicitude for the ultimate success of the silk 
business, not only in this prison, but from motives of 
patriotism, we feel a keen anxiety that it may, as we 
think it must, ere long, become a principal staple of our 
country, second only to cotton and wheat. When we 
commenced operations, we considered it very doubtful 
whether cocoons could be procured to any considerable 
amount, but have been happily disappointed thus far, as 
we find there has been a simultaneous commencement 
(in a small way) throughout the entire country in the 
culture of the worm ; and there are now indications of 
a general movement throughout the western part of this 
state and elsewhere, that leaves no room to doubt that a 
most abundant supply of cocoons and reeled silk awaits 
us the ensuing season. I am aware of the immense im¬ 
portance to the country of our success in this prison, and 
as this is properly understood and duly appreciated by the 
present agent, Henry Polhemus, Esq., I have the fullest 
confidence that nothing will be left undone on his part 
that shall tend to produce so desirable a result. 
The following table of results shows, in 
Col. 1—The months in which the work was done. 
££ 2—No. of skeins of silk made, 320 skeins to the lb. 
££ 3—No. of days of convict labor. 
££ 4—Cost of cocoons, at $4 per bushel—113 ounces 
silk per bushel. 
C£ 5—Value of silk made, at 2 1-2 cents per skein. 
££ 6—Amount earned per day by each convict, (omit¬ 
ting the fractions.) 
££ 7—Total amount of convict earnings per month. 
May &. June, 
2800] 
102 
$35 00 
$70 00 
$0 27 
$28 00 
Julv,. 
2243 
54 
28 00 
56 07 
0 41 
22 46 
August, .... 
3279 
52 
41 00 
81 97 
0 63 
32 77 
September, . 
5075 
168 
63 44 
126 87 
0 30 
50 74 
October, .. . 
7476 
308 
93 45 
186 90 
0 24 
74 76 
November,. 
10150 
338 
126 87 
253 75 
0 30 
101 50 
31023 
1022 
$387 76 
$775 56 
$310 23 
Average earnings of each- convict, per day, is a frac¬ 
tion over 30 1-3 cents. 
The following is the amount paid for cocoons, silk, 
&c., since our commencement, 20th May last : 
For cocoons, at an average cost of $3 34,.... $949 69 
££ reeled silk, average per lb. of $4 87 1-2,. 1,663 91 
4 silk machines, and other ? fixtures, for manu¬ 
facturing sewing silk,... 178 75 
Total investment to 1st Dec., 1841,.$2,792 35 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY of the U. STATES. 
A meeting of the friends of Agriculture from the dif¬ 
ferent sections of the United States was held pursuant to 
public notice, in the hall of the House of Representatives, 
on the 15th December, 1841; when, 
On motion of the Hon. Dixon H. Lewis of Alabama, 
the Hon. James M. Garnett of Virginia, was appoint¬ 
ed P"esident of the meeting; and the Hon. D. H. Lew¬ 
is of Alabama, Hon. Edmund Deberry of N. Carolina, 
Dr. James W. Thompson of Delaware, Joseph Gales, 
Esq. of the District of Columbia, Benjamin V. French, 
Esq. of Mass, and James T. Gifford, Esq. of Illinois, 
were appointed Vice-Presidents; and J. F. Callan of 
the District of Columbia, -and Robert E. Hornor of 
New-Jersey, were appointed Secretaries. 
The President having very ably and pointedly address¬ 
ed the convention, appointed the following Committee 
to present the Constitution of the Society, viz. Hon. H. 
L. Ellsworth of D. C., Hon. D. H. Lewis of Ala., Hon. 
James A. Pearce of Maryland, Hon. Zadok Casey of Ill. 
Hon. G. M. Keim of Penn., John Jones, Esq. of Dela., 
Peter Thatcher, Esq. of Mass., and C. F. Mercer, Esq, 
of Florida, who after having retired for a few moments, 
reported a Constitution, which was read and adopted. 
On motion, J. S. Skinner, Esq. Hon. D. H. Lewis, and 
Hon. H. L. Ellsworth, were appointed a committee to 
wait upon the Chairman, and solicit a copy of his ad¬ 
dress for publication. 
On motion of Mr. Torrey of Massachusetts, it was 
Resolved, That the Board of Control of the Society be 
instructed to present a petition to the present Congress of 
the United States, to set apart the Smithsonian bequest 
for the purposes of carrying out the objects of the jS<a 
ciety. 
The Hon. Levi Woodbury of N. H., Hon. Lewis F. 
Linn of Mi., Hon. W. C. Rives of Va., Hon. W. C. John¬ 
son of Md., Hon. D. H. Lewis of Ala. Hon. John Hast¬ 
ings of Ohio, Hon. Henry L. Ellsworth, John S. Skinner, 
Esq. and J. F. Callan, of the District of Columbia, 
were appointed to select the officers of the Society pro¬ 
vided for in the - Constitution, to serve until the regular 
election in May next. 
On motion, it was 
Ordered, That subscription papers be left with the Se¬ 
cretary of the Senate, the Clerk of the House of Repre¬ 
sentatives, the Librarian of Congress, and with the Secre¬ 
taries of this meeting, where persons desirous of becom¬ 
ing members may enrol their names. 
And the Convention adjourned. 
U 9- 4llak > 1 Secretaries. 
R. E. Hornor. S 
The committee, appointed by the Agricultural Society 
of the United States to select the officers of the Society, 
to serve until the first general meeting and exhibition on 
the 4th day of May next, have met and do hereby recom¬ 
mend and report the following gentlemen to fill the of¬ 
fices annexed to their respective names. The Recording 
Secretary is requested to publish the list, and give special 
information to each individual of his selection. 
Levi Woodbury, Ch’n, for the Com. 
President —JAMES M. GARNETT. 
Coresponding Secretary —John S. Skinner. 
Recording Secretary —John F. Callan. 
Treasurer —Edward Dyer. 
Board of Control —Levi Woodbury, Elisha Whit¬ 
tlesey, Alexander Hunter, John A. Smith, W. J. 
Stone. 
VICE-PRESIDENTS. 
George Evans, Maine. 
Isaac Hill, N. Hampshire. 
B. F. French, Mass. 
Eli Ives, Connecticut. 
Gov. Fenner, R. Island. 
Wm. Jarvis, Vermont. 
C. N. Bement, N. York. 
C. S. Green, New-Jersey. 
Geo. M. Keim, Penn, t* 
J. W. Thompson, Delaware. 
Thos. Emory, Maryland. 
Edmund Ruffin, Virginia. 
Edmund Deberry, N. C. 
Wade Hampton, S. C. 
W. Lumpkin, Georgia. 
Dixon H. Lewis, Ala. 
Alex. Mouton, Lou. 
Archibald Yell, Arkansas. 
F. H. Gordon, Tennessee. 
M. W. Philips, Miss. 
Chilton Allen, Kentucky. 
Lewis F. Linn, Missouri. 
A. W. Snyder, Illinois. 
Solon Robinson, Indiana. 
Isaac E. Crary, Michigan. 
John Hastings, Ohio. 
H. L. Ellsworth, D. C. 
R. AV. Williams, Florida. 
Timothy Davis, Iowa. 
Henry Dodge, AViskonsan. 
The Vice-Presidents of Virginia, Maryland, District 
of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, are ex-officio 
members of the Board of Control. 
J. F. Callan, Rec. Sec. 
SALES OF STOCK. 
Mr. Bement of this city shipped, in December, six 
heifers, mostly Devons, to the Island of Bermuda. They 
were of a deep red color, and said to be handsome 
animals, and were purchased by A. S. Peniston, Esq. of 
New-York, for the Agricultural Society of that Island, 
of which Gov. Read is President. Mr. B. also informs 
us, that he recently sent four Durhams to South Car¬ 
olina. 
It will be seen, by a notice in another part of this 
paper, that E. P. Prentice, Esq. has disposed of his 
flock of South Down and Cotswold sheep, heretofore 
kept at Mount Hope, near this city, to J. McD. McIn¬ 
tyre, intending hereafter to devote his attention more 
entirely to the breeding of Improved Durhams, of which 
he has now about forty head. In addition to this pur¬ 
chase, Mr. McIntyre has quite a flock of Cotswolds, bred 
from the stock imported by Messrs. Corning & Sotham 
in 1840. 
