The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-04-10
The Farmer.
From the Buffalo Patriot and Journal.
AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS


AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The growing interest every where perceptible, land
the signal improvements making in every depart
nent of rural industry, but regard as sus-
pcions omens of an approaching period of great ma
tional prosperity. More than three fourths of the
productive industry Of the United States, is engaged
cultvang the SOIL Our confidence that general pros
perity will soon be experienced-u the pesten
shade of Loco Focoism shall blight every thing-is
gbased upon the fact tina: the rural industry of this
faroad Republic is now being made vastly more pro-
ducve in its legitimate results than at any former
,eriod. We are happy to see that this increase of
oroductiveness is not confined TO the northern middle
o western states; but is likely to benefit in equal
if not greater degree the cotton growing region of
the south By the sku application of science to the
culture Of the cotton plant DIR Cloud of Alabama, has
succeeded in growing four times the quantity of cot
ton on an acre of ground that is usually made in that
country while the article obtained is greatly superior,
and worth some 20 per cent more per To-. than the
average staple. DR.. c. is publishing in the Albany
Cultyator account Of the process by which he is
able to produce such important results. His new
system of cuture--high manuring, and rotation of
crops are its essential elements-s exciting great in
,anty 5000 pounds of cotton from each acre in cul
tivaton which is worth in these times per lib; Civ
ing him $3.50 as the annual product of an acre of
land The land cultivated by DR.. c. was, while in
the state Of nature extremely poor and sterile.
The wool growing business of the eastern and west
ern portions of the Union is receiving much attention,
and is found be susceptible of being made vastly
more profitable than is generally supposed MIR
Reybold-a wool grower in the state of Delaware
has flock of 1000 Leicester sheep from which he OBJ
tanned 5000 pounds Of good wool last season. This i'm
portant result has been dmany by the aid OF
phgsiaaSS pasisgsy applied 10 the breeding OF this
|ASE& domestic animal
Mr. Reybod can sell bis wool at the low price Of 20
\ cents pound and then realize from his flock
nual income Of s 600. Suppose il will take $500
ofthis sum- and the whole value of the increase OF
the flock delray the expense Of their keeping, then
each sheep%&tts its n clear profit OF dol
lar Year. Sheep husbandry must and will flourish
in this land Of boundless pastures.
Mr. Young Of Kentucky has grown the past sea-
son 100 bushels Of corn on enc acre of ground; and
his crop for years past has seldom fell below, in
bad seasons, 40 bushels to the acre. This state
ment is copied from the Louisville Journal, and its
correctness seems not to be questioned where Mr.
Young is known and his method of culture well un
derstood. In this comparatively cold and unpropitious
n climate the N. Y State Agricultural Society on the
Il lsth ultmo, granted to Mr. Samuel Phelps, Of Ira,
Cayuga county, premium Of $l5, for having grown
n % bushels Of corn on an acre.
The expense Of producing these large crops is Of
ten less in large run, than what is necessary to
4 obtain fourth Of the amount. The old system
of sknnng and starving land by continuous cropping
soon reduces the occupant to the necessity of aban
u doning it, or starving himself While agricultural
chemistry, animal and Vegetable physiology, and 9TH
N er kindred sciences are doing much TO augment
the productiveness of the soils, scientific machniss
are constantly sun ."in~ the husbandman with val
liable labor saving machines by which the cost OF
cultivating any given quantity Of land is greatly d-
minished.-It is in this way that agricultural in
herest is now beginning to realize double gain in its
IA pp6ts-an immense gain in the aggregate product,
and a equal gain by cheapening the cost of produc-
M iOl Should the coming season be favorable to ru-
raj employment, our farmers must not expect third
gain, or the benefit Of additional prices for their sur
~ plus produce. Those who sell wheat at 60 cents
bushel which six years since would have brought
them 81 30 a bushc make rs much, or
more money, by growing two bushels on the same
land and at the same cost which then produced but
0ne' The remark will apply to the culture OF
cotton, corn, tobacco and hemp: and to the making
Of pork and beef.
A II.