For the New England Farmer. FARM IMPLEMENT FAIR. of persons engaged in it. The Andover Advertiser says that the aggregate value of boots and shoes manufactured in this State is $37,000,000, or more than that of all the other States combined dress you respecting the introduction of the mowand far exceeding that of any other manufacture ing machine. It has occurred to me that there is in the Commonwealth. About one-third of the a kindred subject to w ich it may be well to call above amount is shipped to New York, and the remainder is sent to the South and West, to Cali- your attention. I observe that you frequently nofornia, the West Indies, South America. Australia, and I consider this as something which gives petice the improvements in agricultural implements, the Sandwich Islands, England, and the European culiar value to your truly excellent paper. It is continent. Lynn is more extensively engaged in an interesting inquiry, how can these new inventhis business than any other town, making nearly tions be most successfully introduced, so as to be five millions of pairs annually. Then come in properly appreciated by the farming community. succession Danvers, Stoneham and Grafton. In They are not to be seen at our agricultural warethe latter town, a single manufacturer uses one houses, nor at our cattle shows, nor yet at the hundred bushels of shoe pegs every year. The Mechanic's Fair. We hear, indeed, that they are pegs used in this immense business are mostly to be found at the Crystal Palace, some two or made in New Hampshire; they are cut by ma- three hundred miles off, but for aught we know, chinery, and one firm manufactures fifty bushels they may never be any nearer, and that may be per day. Machinery is also now used to a con- the first and last that we ever hear of them. Now siderable extent, for sewing and stitching the I would propose to meet this exigency, that we leather. CARROTS vs. CORN. have a Farm Implement Fair, in connection with a practical exhibition of the mowing machine. This movement may be thought to be a novel one, MR. EDITOR-Reading in No. 3 of the present but it is not more so than the Horse Fair at Springvolume of the Farmer, the report of committees field, and it is believed that it is not less imporon crops of the Kennebec Co. Agricultural Socic- tant. ty, led to some thoughts about carrots. Which The proposition of holding a national exhibition is worth the most, an acre of carrots or an acre of of horses, in connection with the Hampden Agricorn? I see Mr. May raised 199 bushels of ears cultural Society, was first made by George M. Atof corn, which he reckoned at 50 cts. per bushel, water, in May last. A committee was then apamounting to $99,50. He estimates the cost of pointed to take the subject into consideration, as plowing, planting, hoeing and harvesting, at the society did not deem the object of the exhibi$26,50, but makes no mention of the fodder. tion as coming exactly within their sphere, and Capt. Foster raised on one-eighth of an acre out of the action of that committee has grown this 130 bushels of carrots, which he sold for two shil- grand exhibition, whose objects have been so genlings per bushel. This is after the rate of 1040 erally appreciated and forwarded by the press bushels per acre, which, at the price the Captain throughout the country. sold for, amounts to the sum of $346,66. He es- The horse has been called the great civilizer of timates the cost at $10, making $80 per acre, man. That I deny. It was said with much more which I think is about right, leaving a profit of truth, "Wherever a man comes, there comes revo$266,66. Now, Mr. Editor, any one can make lution. Man is the wonder-worker." The horse figures for themselves. I think carrots are profit- is undoubtedly a noble animal, but he can do able roots to raise. We can raise more of them nothing of himself. It is only when harnessed to than any other root, and it is not so much work to human inventions that he becomes efficient. It is raise them as many people think it is, till they left to the skill and agency of man to increase his try a few. I have raised carrots for three years, power, and make it available; it is by man's conand like them much. I raised 60 bushels the past trol and efforts, that he is made to aid in the great year, and am feeding them to my cattle (10 in machinery of civilization. I certainly have no disnumber) one-half bushel per day, which is not 2 position to undervalue the capability of the horse, quarts apiece, and they do well on them and straw. and while it is admitted that he is important in I think I can winter a stock of cattle on oat straw the progress of the arts, it cannot be pretended (cut when the straw is about one-third turned) and one-half peck of carrots each a day, as well as on second quality of hay. -Maine Farmer. JONA. S. LONGLEY. that the genius and efforts of man are less essential; indeed, I think that the pre-eminence of our rational nature over mere brute force, is clear and incontestible. Award then to man his just place in the march of improvement, and let him stand BENEFITS OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS.-Three years conspicuous in the great work of progress. ago the Legislature of North Carolina made an If then there is nothing in the merits of the appropriation for a geological survey of the State. case why a Horse Fair should have the precedence The discoveries of the first year developed the ex- over a Farm Implement Fair, the question is, istence of copper and gold ores, drew to them the whether the demand for the latter has been or attention of capitalists, and have already increased can be supplied in any other way. I have already the revenues of the State to five times the cost of stated that the implements in question are not to the whole survey. In the second year, seams of be found at our cattle shows. The farming utenthe purest bituminous coal, some of them fifteen sils there exhibited, occupy but a small space. feet in thickness, extending through a region of They generally consist of a plow, hoe, hay-cutter some forty-five square miles, rewarded their inves- and apple-parer, and are crowded into a corner or tigations. It is estimated that every thousand six foot square. While every possible variety of acres of these seams will yield thirty millions of fruit is spread out in profusion, agricultural im tons of bituminous coal of the best quality. plements form but a meagre and insipid part of the show, and are almost overlooked or forgotten. power of machinery, so as to serve as a substitute How is it with the Mechanic's Fair? Here, per- for this precarious help, of which we know nothhaps, the farmers' department is better represent- ing, and upon which we cannot rely, why should ed, but even here the display is mostly confined to they not have the preference? In the one case, the old and common tools of the farm, and there we have a sure and never failing resource; in the is little which from its novelty and importance in- other, all is doubt and uncertainty. vites attention. As a significant fact, I notice that In view of these facts, I have been led to prothe editor of the Ploughman states, that he ex-pose a Farm Implement Fair, to be held at a season pected to see a mowing machine at the last exhi- when we can have a practical exhibition of the bition, but did not find one there. mowing machine. Taken conjointly, they would It is not much consolation to know that they mutually lend attraction to the time and place. I are to be found at the Crystal Palace. They are would have this Fair for the benefit of inventors. It not accessible, visible or tangible to the great body is not to be supposed that individuals would bring of our farmers, and there is little reason to hope their machines from distant sections of the counthat they ever will be. Should we ever have a try, without some consideration. No one could Crystal Palace in our neighborhood, they would afford to do it at his own charge. Now it is be probably come with it, but this is an event upon lieved that the sale of tickets for admission to the which we cannot calculate. If it should ever oc- show for two or three days, would secure an ample cur, it most likely will be in some remote period fund to meet this contingency, and gratuities might of the distant future. But while we cannot go to be awarded by an examining committee, which the Crystal Palace, nor bring it to us, we can would operate as a bounty upon the products of transport a part of the mighty whole into our American genius. I was happy to find that the midst; we can gather that portion which most President of the United States alludes to this subnearly concerns us as a farming community, and ject in his late message to Congress. "I commend have a show quite as interesting to us profession- to your favorable consideration the men of genius ally, as the Great Fair at New York. of our country who by their inventions and dis And now if it is asked what is to be gained by coveries in science and art, have contributed largethe introduction of all this machinery, I answer, ly to the improvements of the age, without, in much every way. It not only multiplies the pow- many cases, securing for themselves anything like er of production, but at the same time diminishes an adequate reward." It is only by a just and its cost. Take Ketchum's Mowing Machine, for liberal patronage, that we can stimulate the best example. In the ordinary act of mowing, the mo- minds to labor in the wide field of invention. tive power comes out of the man; he has emphatAside from the practical advantages of a Farm ically to put his shoulder to the wheel, and make Implement Fair, it would be a museum to every it go; but by the use of the machine, he is relieved curious and inquisitive mind. It would be a high from this exhausting toil; the labor is transferred from the man to the team. He is released from held. Is it asked where shall we hold it? I would day, a great day, for the place where it should be the wear and tear of personal effort, he takes the answer at Concord. There the Agricultural Soplace of an overseer, and at the same time is able to push forward the work five times as fast as he ciety have a building suitable for such an exhibition, and the warm and generous spirit of the peocould do it himself. He thus saves himself, and saves time, and time is money. ple afford ground to hope that they would give a The process of unloading hay is usually a slow hearty response to this movement. You, Mr. Ediand toilsome one. Pitched and mowed away as influence which gives peculiar weight to your tor, are a Concord man, you move in a circle of it commonly is with a fork, it will take two or opinions and efforts. If, then, what I have ad three men fifteen or twenty minutes to remove a vanced in this communication, meets your views load. By the use of a certain apparatus construct- and wishes, I hope you will have the frankness to ed by Mr. J. A. H. ELLIS of Rochester, New York, one man can do it as well in less than five minutes. say so, and if not, as a committee of ways and means, I trust you will suggest some other methREAM'S patent corn harvester is upon the same od by which the same great object can be better labor-saving principle. It will cut with the labor accomplished. of a horse and boy, from sixteen to twenty acres of corn a day, and lay it in bundles all ready for binding. Acton, February 1, 1854. A. REMARKS.-We most heartily concur with the Such are some of the triumphs of genius. Great as they are, they are but a specimen of what has opinion so succinctly and earnestly expressed by been achieved in the improved implements of the our intelligent correspondent. Our County Show farm. A correspondent of the Ploughman, in his has been sadly deficient for several years in the observations upon things at the Crystal Palace, number and variety of Farm Implements presentremarks, "If we were to judge from the number ed. As a single item of encouragement to our of labor-saving implements, and the recommenda- friend, we will say that we have engaged a Mowtions, we think our farms might be carried on with fewer Irishmen than they are at present. Un- ing Machine, and intend to use it in our neighbordoubtedly many, perhaps a majority of them, are hood during the next haying season. We hope adapted to some sections of our country, and are his suggestions will induce some action on the a great saving of labor." In the scarcity of farm laborers, Irishmen are, with few exceptions, the only men to be had, and subject. VEGETABLE MECHANICS.-There is a remarkable they are generally raw hands,green in every thing in tree on the farm of the late Hon. Olney Ballou, of which we wish to find them efficient. If then the Cumberland, R. I., which is an emblem of himself horse and the ex can be humanized by the magic in his struggles against the obstacles of life. An old elm standing near a mass of rocks, died. A glutted with apples. If there is nothing to blast young elm then appeared in a fissure of this rock, the crop in the future, I see no reason why the casting down its slender roots, and in twenty or market may not be overstocked again, therefore, thirty years, it has become a foot and a half in di- farmers who live in the country, distant from ameter. Its roots have penetrated into and under market, who do not possess the knowledge rethe rock, and have lifted and thrown off about quired for cultiviting fruit trees, I think their seven tons of it, and have loosened and partly money and time (as the markets now are,) would lifted ten tons more, which in a few years will be be better appropriated to the raising of neat stock, separated from the mass. The roots to bear the and other country produce. A man bought of immense pressure upon them, have become changed me last season 750 scions, and hired them set. He from the ordinary appearance, and have a tough says there is not more then one in twenty which casing which may be compared to the skin of an are alive. This is one instance, out of many, alligator. The provisions thus made by nature where money and time have been thrown away and for the growth of the tree under such difficult cir-trees very much injured. I would, however, recumstances, furnish a striking specimen of what commend the grafting and pruning, fruit trees may be called vegetable mechanics. The greatest anywhere in the country, if it can be thoroughly wonder is that the roots could grow and expand done, so as to meet the approbation of the owners, under such a heavy pressure of hard substance.-in giving them their desire of the choicest fruits the country affords. N. P. MORRISON. Somerville, Feb. 6, 1854. Providence Post. For the New England Farmer. REMARKS.-We have no fears that the market will be overstocked with good fruits. FARMS IMPROVED BY KEEPING THE "APPLE MAN'S" STORY. FRIEND BROWN:-As you have honored me by the title of "Apple Man," and seeing not long since an article in the Farmer, giving an account of my fruit crop, the last barren season, I thought it might not be amiss to give you a few more particulars respecting the same. The lot of land on To some extent, keeping sheep is found to imwhich my buildings stand, contains between 8 and prove a farm, as they consume much feed that 9 acres, about 7 of which I cultivate; planting is left by other stock and lost, and at the same or sowing, where it is not too shady, except a small time enrich the ground, and give it a better and patch where I keep a cow. The amount realized smoother appearance. This is shown by instanfrom my fruit and other crops was, as near as I ces quoted in the Transactions of the Norfolk Agcan calculate, for apples, $625; pears, quinces ricultural Society, which we relate in brief :and cherries, $165; strawberries, raspberries and A man having a small farm, formerly kept forty currants, $115; vegetables and fodder, $120; sheep, four cows and one horse, and had food sum total, $1025. The quantity of manure used, enough for them the year round. The price of I think would fall short of five cords. I plow wool falling, he sold his sheep, and for a number late in the fall, after the leaves drop from the tree. of years has kept other stock altogether. He Use the plow and cultivator in summer to keep now keeps but three cows and one horse the year down the weeds, where it is not planted. I think round, and pastures two cows extra through the all the labor performed in raising and marketing, summer, sells very little hay-not half enough to I could have done myself (although 61 years of keep another cow; he has the same amount of age,) with the exception of paying out to children pasture and mowing as when he kept the forty twenty or twenty-five dollars for picking straw- sheep in addition to his other stock, and yet his berries and peas; and considered it a pleasant farm does not look near as well as then. He used and healthy exercise too. I have found by long to raise turnips among the corn for his sheep to experience that any kind of business whatever, eat in winter, and gave them besides, a few bushwhich we choose to pursue for a livelihood, or els of grain. The lambs, however, more than paid gain, requires perseverance and economy. We for his extra feed. should always count the cost before entering into Another farmer for a great number of years any branch of industry, in order to make us happy kept about sixty sheep, eight or nine cows, (or and prosperous. other stock equal,) one pair of oxen and one horse. When I purchased my farm, my principal ob- After keeping the sheep for a number of years, he ject was the cultivation of fruit. I have given found he could then keep as large a stock on his strict attention in pruning and grafting and have farm with the sixty sheep, as he could keep withcultivated about thirty varieties of apples; some out them before; showing that they had improved of them are seedlings selected from different towns, the farm to furnish their own support. To stock in order to test their qualities and productiveness. a farm entirely with sheep would not be so profitSome of them you have had an opportunity of able as to keep a limited number-yet it would seeing and testing, my Red Favorite particularly. pay as well as other stock. The object is to keep The Baldwin, I think, is the standard apple as enough to consume that part of the veget retation yet, although somewhat depreciated; the Hub- peculiarly fitted to sheep, and which other stock bardston commands a higher price, but will not will not eat, adding at the same time enriching keep as long. Now, sir, as I am located near good elements to the pastures and yards by their mamarkets, my advantages for selling fruit have been nure. It is the opinion of many farmers, that extremely good, therefore, my business thus far pastures for other stock may be improved by keephas proved to be a profitable one. I have had ing a small flock of sheep upon them a portion of many doubts with regard to overstocking the mar- the time, and the opinion seems fairly supported ket with fruit. One year ago the market was both by reason and experiment.-Wool Grower. UNITED STATES AGRICULTURAL The annnal meeting of this society commenced its session at Washington on the 22d of February; but owing to the unprecedented storm which had delayed the arrival of delegates, no business was transacted on the first day. THURSDAY, Feb. 23. The Society was called to order at half-past ten o'clock-Hon. MARSHALL P. WILDER, President,in STEEL DOUBLE PLOW. This plow has been well tested, and is coming into use very generally. We use it with satis faction, and believe we can do our work easier, cheaper, and better, with it, on smooth land, than with any other plow. We take our description from Ruggles, Nourse, Mason & Co.'s illustrated catalogue. The double plow is not a new implement, as it has been used in England for many years; but these manufacturers have made im- the chair-W. S. KING, Recording Secretary. portant improvements in it. About 100 members were present from 19 States. "The forward mould-board is connected with The President delivered his annual address, which the beam, and its depth of furrow is adjusted as was referred to the executive committee for publifollows: A substantial iron flange is fastened to cation. the under side of the plow-beam by two bolts On motion of Col. C. B. CALVERT, of Maryland, ing up through the flange and the beam and made business committees of three were appointed, to tight on top by nuts and screws: the flange has whom were referred the various subjects brought two rows of slots in it to receive the bolts from before the meeting. pass the landside of the forward plow, and the bolts A committee of one from each State was also make the plow entirely and substantially fast to appointed to nominate officers. the flange when their nuts are tightened; and by Prof. MAPES, of New Jersey, had several submeans of the slots in the flange, the forward plow jects to present, if he knew the proper time to do is raised or lowered and made perfectly fast and 80. He had in his hand a head of wheat, part secure at any point wanted for the regulation of wheat and part chess, which he wished to offer. its depth of furrow, and any requisite depth may It was placed in his hands by a farmer of Livonia, thus be secured to any degree of nicety. The for- Livingston county, New York. He had also a ward mould-board turns the sod-furrow as wide new style of plow to bring to their notice. as the working of the whole plow, and the earth Mr. DEDERICK, of Albany, New York, moved on top assuming an arch-like shape, is naturally that a committee of three members on the subject opened, while the effort of the rear mould- of Agricultural Machinery be appointed, and to board brings up the deeper soil, completely cover- report to the Society. He spoke at some length ing and filling the surface, so that the sod-furrow in explanation of the great importance to the agis in no case liable to be brought to the surface by ricultural interest of being placed in possession of harrowing or other processes of after-cultivation, the best implements for the prosecution of their the surface of the furrows lies arching, the cohe labors. The motion prevailed, and Messrs. Dedsion of the soil is neutralized, its integral parts erick, Musgrave,of Ohio, and Mapes, were appointare disunited, and the plowed land lies light ed. and mellow, and almost as fine as if harrowed,- Mr. DENTON OFFUTT, of Lexington, Kentucky, indeed, in some free soils rendering the use of the moved the appointment of a committee on Animal harrow quite unnecessary. Two other sizes of Physiology, and the general improvement in all the Double Plow are made by the manufacturers, respects of domestic animals. It was a subject of namely, Nos. 31 and 35,-No. 31 being a size high importance. smaller, and No. 35 a size larger that the No. 33 above represented. These sizes afford a range of work from 7 to 15 inches deep." Mr. CALVERT testified to the influence, to him wonderful, whatever it was in itself, of Mr. Offutt's power over at least one animal, the horse. He had been an eye witness to a scene at the FERTILIZERS.-The official report of the Minister Maryland State Fair, which may be mesmerism, of Finance of the Republic of Peru states that ac- or magnetism, or what not; but Mr. Offutt recording to the recent measurement of scientific duced almost instantaneously a horse noted for men the Chincha Islands now contain 16,401,466 vicious propensities, to gentleness and tractability. tons of guano. Peru possesses also many other He warmly seconded the motion of Mr. Offutt. guano deposits containing a very considerable An invitation from Mr. GLOVER to the society quantity, the measurement of which has been or- to visit his collection of models of fruits at the dered by government. Large deposits of guano Patent Office was then read. The invitation was are also scattered about the Indian Archipelago, accepted, and a committee consisting of Messrs. and specimens of bats' guano have been sent to Worthington, Berckman, Warder, Munn and England from Penang. But a member of the Richards, was appointed to report upon the same. Chemical Society in London, Mr. Way, believing The President then offered for consideration the that all these immense stores of agricultural contents of two communications confidentially wealth must be exhausted in a few years, has committed to him. One was from Mr. JOEL brought the subject before the Society. There are HITCHCOCK, of St. Lawrence county, New York, at Farnham, in Surry, deposits of "soluble or gel- on the subject of a remedy for the potato rot; the atinous silica," some eighty or one hundred feet other on the subject of a remedy for the devastations in thickness, and covering an area of several miles. of the curculio on fruits, by some person whose name This silica, Mr. Way says, can be easily made to did not transpire. The object of the parties seemed combine with lime, forming silicate of lime, which to be to get their remedies to be tested by the sois very beneficial on light lands, inasmuch as it ciety through committees of the same, and reports prevents the over luxuriance of growing grain, made at the meeting of next year. and strengthens the straws.-Journal. The question on the reference of these propo |