Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-09-22
WHOLE NO. 33S.
AGRICULTURE IN RHODE ISLAND.
We find the following in late number
of the New York Farmer.

oI tle INeW ofk Farmer.
A short visit TO Newport and Bristol,
IN Rhode Island has given me o favora-
bic impression OF their husbandry; in
some cases, J am half disposed to call j,
gardening. Rhode Island, properly SO
called, on which Newport is situated,
lies on the eastern shore OF the State to
which 1t gives name, and stretches from
southeast to northwest, Il distance Of o.
bout fourteen miles, and with AN average
width Of three miles. Ii is surrounded
by deep water; and has in general bold
rocky shore with very little salt marsh,
and as well as could Judge no swampy
ground in the interior II lays in tho
bay like large whale rcposing on tho
surface Of the sea, without any great eSe-
walton, but gradually rising on its east
ern aud western sides longiiudinally to
an agreeable and beautiful height in the
GENRE. IL is almost entirely destitute Of
any other than ornamental trees; but
there are IA good many of these, though
we regretted among these to see that the
common button wood predominateJ, as il
is almost as great an impoverisher Of the
soil as the Lon'bardy poplar. The mois-
tnre Of the climate gives 10 the landscape
that bright and beautiful green, which is
said to characterize the British Islands,
and which the Emperor Napoleon SO
much admired. The island seems based
upon rock, kind Of slaty granite; and
the water, which is easily obtained, is Of
an excellent quality In the northwest
ern part of the Island anthracite coal a
bounds; but the coal is not Of so good a
Kind as to encourage further operations,
and the mine, at least for the present, is
abandoned. In general the soil is deep
dark loan, in the southern parts more
mixed with sand than in the northern,
comparatively free from stone; and al
though it produces good crops Of Indian
corn,ye il seems more favorable TO grass,
oats, and potatoes. The fences are in
general Of stone, high and well built; tho
fields, a rare thing in New England, di-
viding generally into rectangu ular b,s,
and in the southern parts Of the island
are fertile, richly manured, and under
high cultivation. The farmers are most
Of them the independent possessors ofthe
soil which they cultivate; and the houses
and buildings generally in the country
are remarkably neat; some in the neigh
borhood of the town are tasteful and eie-
giant. Without the town do not recol-
lect a single house that was iD a state Of
dilapidation or that hook ed like the abode
of intemperance and vagabondage. We
may reasonably infer that, there being a
mong the inhabitants large proportion
OF Quake,s, who ale ordinarily models
Of neatness and good domestic manage
lhent, has had in these respects favOra-
BILE influence. The climate, TO those
who like the proximity Of the sea, is de-
lightful in the warm months: it is milder
in winter, and is much cooler in sum-
mer than places more inland.
The stock kept upon the island are
principally sheep; and these chiefly OF
wha. are called the old fashioned merino,
with very little mixture Of Saxony; tho
average yield Of fleece from three 10 four
pounds; and bringing in the market from
fifty to sixty cents per pound. On Land
averaging in value one hundred dollars
per acre, and with hay at fifteen to twen-
ty FIVE dollars per ton, though the price
in years past has been about ten dollars
per ton, sheep husbandry would seem
hardly to be profitable, though they say
that "sheep pay better than any other
Stock" as. indeed well it may, rs who
would think in such circumstances Of
raising neat cattle 10 advantage, when
the value Of a yeariing would not be SO
much as that OF calf six weeks old
They arc wise in desiring to consume oil
their hay upon the place, for although
the farms on the seashore are favorably
situated for procuring sea Dansre, yet ~
the interior they require all the manure
they can make on their farms. lgot M
formation of no considerable dairy farms.
Many swine are fatted on the island ;and
very large amount Of poultry, especial
ly geese and turkeys, raissd. For these
n ready market is always to be founds
but with what profit they are raised is n
mother matter. As long asthe geese ave
fed in The big hw ays, the expense is Roils-
ing but whoever undertakes to fat either
geese or turkeys at the corn crib, or, as
some permit them, to feed themselves -
mong the standing corn, we advise TO
Count the cost. ..
We saw extensive fields Of oats,wa'ch
highly promising; and some
mos, luxuriant folds Of barley already
suffering from their own weight. The
crops Of barley have for several years
been cut of by an insect, whose dcprs-
d,t;oos are similar to those Of the wheat
worm, and for which no remesy has yea
been discovered The crops VI cora
gives fifty and sixty bushels