122 
THE CULTIVATOR 
Notices of Nora ^publications. 
A Letter to the Right Hon. Baron Ashburton, on the Im¬ 
portance of the Corn and Flour trade with England, via 
the River St. Lawrence: and on the Advantages to be de¬ 
rived from introducing Maize into Great Britain, as a 
cheap article of Food for the Poor and Laboring Classes. 
New-York: 1842. 
Such is the title of an anonymous pamphlet laid on 
our table, evidently written by an Englishman, but one 
very well acquainted with our country, its productions, 
and the natural course of trade between G. Britain and 
the U. States. The pamphlet contains many interesting 
statements and statistical tables, which, if not absolutely 
new, are valuable from the facts they contain. The 
letter is in two parts; the first is devoted to the impress¬ 
ing upon the mind of Lord Ashburton, the importance 
of the trade in wheat and flour, which within a few years 
has sprung up along our northern frontier, by which 
wheat and flour from the States is taken to Canada, and 
from thence is shipped to England as Colonial produce. 
By this course, American grown wheat finds its way to 
G. Britain with the payment of a mere nominal duty; and 
the rapid improvements making by the Home and Pro¬ 
vincial governments, in the communication between the 
upper lakes and the lower St, Lawrence, are calculated 
greatly to facilitate and extend this trade. To the farm¬ 
er of Western New-York, Ohio, Illinois, or Michigan, it 
can make little difference whether his wheat goes to 
Montreal or New-York; the price is what he looks at; 
but to the finances of this state, it does make all the dif¬ 
ference in the world, whether the western wheat finds 
an outlet through the Erie canal or the St. Lawrence. 
The discussion of this topic, however, more properly be¬ 
longs to the statesman than the farmer, and we shall not 
pursue it, although it cannot with safety to our interests 
be overlooked by any. 
From a careful survey of the trade from the various 
points on the northern frontier, the writer estimates the 
export of wheat, the staple product of the North, through 
this channel, at six millions of dollars, and thinks that 
ere long it will perhaps treble that amount. 
The writer sums up his remarks on the first subject of 
his letter, in the following manner:— 
« That America should supply England with food is 
natural enough, because one abounds in fertile soil, and 
the other with population; but we give the preference 
to the supply passing through Canada, for the following 
reasons:—1st. Because the St. Lawrence is the natural 
outlet for all bulky articles from that part of the North 
American Continent. 2d. Because from the rates of duty 
on the frontier and in England, wheat enters the ports of 
G. Britain by this route, under very superior advantages. 
3d. Because, when the Welland canal becomes enlarged, 
and the impediments in the St. Lawrence removed, the 
navigation from the upper lakes to Montreal and Quebec 
—the ports of shipment—will be so easy, that flour and 
grain may be transmitted thither, and shipped at a lower 
rate than at any other port on this continent; and 4th. 
Because by this operation, G. Britain can give admission 
to the American products on terms more favorable and 
exclusive, than if her ports were opened generally to all 
nations. And it is advantageous to offer this favor to 
America, because America will take British goods in 
exchange.” 
But we are inclined to attach the most importance to 
the second part of our writer’s essay; or that part which 
treats of the introduction of Indian corn into England, as 
an article of food. The quantity of corn we could fur¬ 
nish is illimitable, were there a demand to call out its 
cultivation; and when kiln dried, there is no obstacle to 
sending it on ship board to any part of the world. There 
could in all probability be no measure adopted for the ul¬ 
timate relief and prosperity of the states north of the 
Ohio, equal to the opening of a market for their immense 
corn product. There are only two obstacles in the way; 
the difficulties of transportation, and the British corn 
laws. The first are in a fair way to be removed; the 
latter are more doubtful; but if the pressing wants of 
starving millions produce their natural result, such modi¬ 
fications may take place, as to justify the anticipations of 
our author. 
Wc have room for only a few of the author's deduc¬ 
tions and conclusions, although every person acquainted 
with corn meal, will agree with him in his statements of 
its value as an article of food. A few of his conclu¬ 
sions are as follows:— 
«1. That the laboring classes and the poor of Great 
Britain, require a cheaper article of food than wheaten bread. 
2. That although wheat contains a larger portion of 
gluten, or the nutritive ingredient, bulk is necessary, not 
only to satisfy the cravings of hunger, but to promote di¬ 
gestion by the “ stimulus of distention,” which bulk alone 
can give. 
3. That the craving of hunger being removed or alle¬ 
viated by the quantity of food taken, the mind is more at 
ease, the mental irritability consequent upon hunger is 
assuaged, and man goes to his labor with cheerfulness 
and vivacity, becoming a more peaceful citizen and per¬ 
haps a better man. 
4. That maize possesses a great superiority over rye, 
barley, oat meal, or potatoes—not that it contains a 
greater portion of gluten, but that its constituent parts are 
better proportioned, and consequently make a better ar¬ 
ticle of food. 
5. That admitted into England duty free, it would be a 
cheaper article of food than any of those above named, 
besides being vastly superior to them in nutritive and 
healthful properities.” 
It will be at once seen that the questions discussed, and 
the positions advanced in this letter, are such as will in¬ 
terest every one, and particularly the farmers of the west. 
On them the action of this Canada trade is direct; on the 
farmers of the east indirect; but its influence will be eve¬ 
ry where felt. That a very large portion of the wheat of 
the states bordering on the lakes, has this season been 
purchased for the Canada market, is well known; and it 
is certain that a still larger part of the coming crop will 
follow in the same channel. To us, it appears evident, 
that a train of causes are at work which will tend mate¬ 
rially to modify the course of trade and exchange on our 
whole northern frontier. It is the province of the states¬ 
man to see that the interests of the farmer suffer no de¬ 
triment. — 
The Book of the Farm. By Henry Stephens, Editor of 
the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture. 
This is a work publishing at Edinburgh, in numbers 
of about 100 bages each, price 4 shillings sterling a num¬ 
ber, and of these the first four numbers are now before 
us. The high reputation of Mr. Stephens; the exten¬ 
sive, and varied information he has exhibited in conduct¬ 
ing the Q. J. of Agriculture; and his intimate acquaint¬ 
ance with all that relates to the farm, and the improved 
methods of husbandry, had led us to form raised expec¬ 
tations of his forthcoming work, and thus far it appears 
we shall not be disappointed. “ The Book of the Farm 
is intended to be a guide to those who wish to learn hus¬ 
bandry with the purpose of becoming practical farmers.” 
The work is divided into three portions. The first 
shows the pupil the obstacles he has to encounter, and 
the best way of surmounting them; the second details 
the various modes of farming practiced in Great Britain, 
with suggestions for improvement; and the third intro¬ 
duces the young farmer into the world, points out the 
qualifications of a good farm, and the capital necessary 
to furnish and manage it. In the second part, the course 
of the seasons is followed in describing the successive 
processes of farming, and every information relating to 
these processes will be given in the amplest manner. 
Numerous engravings, and wood cuts of animals, imple¬ 
ments, and practices of husbandry, will be given in the 
course of the work, drawn from the most authentic 
sources, and illustrating the topics discussed in the text. 
The whole will be comprised in twelve numbers. 
The first number gives an interesting account of the 
several Agricultural Schools that have been established 
in the different countries of Europe; the Templemoyle 
Seminary in Ireland; the establishment of M. Fellen- 
berg of Hofwyl, in Switzerland; the German institution 
at Moeglin under the direction of Von Tbaer; the 
French model farm at Grignon under the management 
of M. Bella; and the lectures and classes of Agricul- 
culture in the Edinburgh College. He also gives a synop¬ 
sis of a farm school, such as he thinks would possess ev¬ 
ery desired advantage, and furnish every requisite in¬ 
struction to the pupil. A liberal extract from this part 
of Mr. Stephens’ “ Book,” will be found in another part 
of the present number of the Cultivator. 
The “ Book of the Farm” is one, which, so far as we 
are able to judge from these numbers, will be useful to 
farmers generally, as embodying a vast mass of practi¬ 
cal instruction. - 
The Farmer's Land Measurer, or Pocket Companion, show¬ 
ing at one view, the content of any piece of land, from di¬ 
mensions taken in yards, with a set of Useful Agricultu¬ 
ral Tables. By James Pedder, editor of the Farmer's 
Cabinet. 
This work has recently been published by Thomas, Cow- 
perthwaite & Co., Philadelphia, and consists, first, of a 
set of tables so constructed as to enable any farmer to as¬ 
certain the dimensions of his lots, large or small, in an 
easy and practicable manner. All that is necessary, is to 
ascertain the length and breadth in yards, when a refer¬ 
ence to the tables will at one view show the amount in 
acres, roods and perches. The measure being in yards, 
most farmers may readily ascertain the size of their 
fields, with sufficient accuracy for ordinary purposes, by 
pacing their length and breadth, without recourse to the 
rod and chain. In addition to these land measuring ta¬ 
bles, which occupy about 120 pages, the work contains 
tables for manuring lands, of planting distances, for 
plowing, measurement of live cattle, &c., &c., making 
it altogether a truly useful Pocket Companion, which 
should be in the possession of all farmers who wish to 
learn w T ith a good degree of exactness, the result of 
their operations. - 
Silliman's Journal, No. 87—July, 1842. 
This number of the American Journal of Science and 
the Arts, contains a greater variety of papers than usual, 
and the most of them are well calculated to interest the ge¬ 
neral reader, as well as the man of science. The notice 
of the coal mines in Virginia; the Human Foot Prints 
at St. Louis in solid limestone; a capital description of 
the Wisconsin and Missouri mineral region; the Third 
Annual meeting of the Association of American Geolo¬ 
gists and Naturalists; the Notice of Dr. Danas’Muck Ma¬ 
nual, and the Properties of Wood Ashes examined, are 
all papers which cannot fail to instruct and interest. 
The paper of Dr. Plummer on the dangerous proper¬ 
ties of wood ashes, should receive an attentive perusal by 
every housekeeper, and we doubt not, would prevent 
many of those disastrous fires which prevail so frequent¬ 
ly both in city and country. Perhaps one third of our 
farmers, as well as others, preserve their ashes in wood¬ 
en boxes, or barrels; and if each new addition of ashes 
is kept from actual contact w r ith the vessel, no danger is 
apprehended. The numerous and varied experiments of 
Dr. Plummer, prove that such an opinion is fallacious in 
the extreme; and that by the application of hot ashes 
and coals to the surface of a quantity of coal ashes, the 
whole may be ignited, and the destruction of the vessel 
holding the ashes, or perhaps the building itself, ensue. 
It cannot be too forcibly impressed on the minds of all, 
that ashes should never be desposited in wood. 
The notice of Dr. Dana’s Muck Manual is of the most 
favorable character, and reiterates the opinion express¬ 
ed by us in the June number of the Cultivator, that as a 
a work of real value to the agriculturist, “the Manual 
would not suffer by a comparison with any other.” 
Less elaborate and learned in appearance, less dogmati¬ 
cal in its theories, but infinitely more common sense and 
practical in its instructions than some foreign contempo¬ 
rary publications, we cannot doubt that the Muck Manual 
in its successive editions will greatly advance the cause 
of agriculture among us. 
American Eclectic, No. X—July, 1842. 
If any additional evidence were wanting of the deep 
hold which the cause of Agriculture has taken on the 
public mind,it would be found in the readiness with which 
Journals purely literary and scientific, admit and invite 
to their pages, articles on the theory or practice of Ag¬ 
riculture, Horticulture, and their kindred arts. The 
Eclectic, a valuable bi-monthly of New-York, devoted 
to a dissemination of the most valuable papers to be 
found in the literature of the world, gives in the July 
number an able review of Liebig’s Organic Chemis¬ 
try from the London Quarterly Review. Speaking of 
the importance of potash to the production of some class¬ 
es of crops, the writer of the article relates the fol¬ 
lowing anecdote, for the truth of which he says he can 
vouch, having heard it attested by the parties themselves. 
“ A distinguished professor of chemistry in Germany, in 
discussing with Prof. Liebig the question of the use of 
alkalies, and in particular the necessity of potash for the 
growth of wheat, mentioned as unfavorable to that view, 
the fact that fine crops of wheat were obtained from 
a purely calcareous soil, ljdng over limestone, in Hano¬ 
ver. “Then,” answered Prof. Liebig, “you may rely 
upon it, that the limestone contains potash.” His friend 
took an early opportunity to investigate the matter, and 
found, to his surprise, that the limestone in question 
did contain a very notable proportion of potash, a fact 
previously unknown. He found potash also in other fer¬ 
tile limestones, and in every specimen of clay he exam¬ 
ined, even in the purest pipe-clay. We doubt not, there¬ 
fore, that potash will be found in some form, in every 
soil in which wheat thrives.” 
We make this extract, because we do not recollect to 
have ever before heard potash mentioned as a constitu¬ 
ent part of limestones; and because if such is the fact, 
it would seem to throw some light on the cause of some 
kinds of limestone being so much more valuable as fertil¬ 
izers than others, a result which the experience of ma¬ 
ny fanners in England, and we believe in this country, 
would affirm. The writer in the Quarterly, attributes ma¬ 
ny of the obscurities complained of in Liebig, to the 
defects of translation, occasioned by the haste necessary 
to have the volume laid before the British Association at 
its meeting of last year; defects, which the new edition 
now in press, and carefully revised by the author will 
doubtless remedy. -- 
Address on the formation of the Agricultural Society of Es¬ 
sex. By James M. Garnett. 
An Address before the Ag. and Hort. Society of Henrico, at 
their Anniversary meeting, May 25, 1842. By James 
M. Garnett. 
We have read these Addresses, for copies of which 
we are indebted to the respected author, with great plea¬ 
sure; and, did not the crowded state of our columns for¬ 
bid it, should be gratified to lay copious extracts from 
both, before our readers. There is a directness of pur¬ 
pose, a clearly defined effort to promote the great cause 
of Agriculture, in all that proceeds from the pen of Mr. 
Garnett, which renders his writings acceptable and usefu 
to the public. He not only aims to make our farmers 
good reapers and mowers,—good tillers,—good mana¬ 
gers of stock and industrious collectors of manure, but 
also to impress upon them the fact, that high intellectu¬ 
al and moral culture is equally essential to form the com¬ 
plete and accomplished agriculturist. “Nay, more,” 
says Mr. G. in one of the addresses before us, “ I deem 
it my duty to assert our just claims to the highest rank 
in public estimation—on the score of general utility;— 
to point out the chief means necessary to the attainment 
of this rank;—and to impress on every member of our 
numerous fraternity, this all-important truth, that the 
owners and cultivators of the soil are, in fact, the foun¬ 
dation, the main pillars, and chief support of our great 
social edifice. Other classes have their uses and value, 
as essential elements of every civilized, well constituted 
community. But let it never be forgotten, that all are 
dependent, even for their subsistence, on the agricultu¬ 
ral class. Deeply, then, does it concern every mem¬ 
ber thereof to aspire to something more—something in¬ 
finitely higher—than merely to make good crops, and to 
enrich his land, or he would deserve to rank, in the scale 
of being, but little above the horse, the mule, or the ox 
that he drives. Would he either reach or maintain that 
exalted standing among his fellow men to which he has 
so just a title, let him make himself worthy of it by the 
diligent culture and unremitted care, not only of his 
fields, but of all his faculties—both intellectual and phy¬ 
sical. Let him qualify himself to theutmostof hispow- 
