Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-05-10
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
! GLANCE avn OUR aHoME" DEPARTMENT.

who every now and then pauses in his career 10
anime his social, worldly, and moral condition, and
to use mercantile phrase, take g stock account
of his business capital, his social propenstes, and
his moral habits, il must be equally proper in
lion to take occasional views of its position in
der that il may improve hitherto Neglected advan-
tages remedy errors and deficiencies eradicate the
wrong which may unnoticed have crept into its po-
LEY, and lend helping hand TO the spontaneous
good which may be struggling into existence A
few words, them to our national position in these
respects.
One peculiar advantage in our position as ma
ton is the vast extent Of our hitherto uncultvated
soil, and the generous return which very large
proportion of our land, when cultivated, makes TO
the industry and the skill of the cultivation. With
respect to Brad S6S it is evident that the amount
of their produce will he bounded by the demand for
home consumption and for such additional guam
ry as can be disposed of advantageously to other
countries. We on average, raise at least an ade-
quate amount for these purposes. No more land,
therefore, wanted for their growth at present OF
Cotton, Rice, and Tobacco we probably raise as
much as we need for home consumption and can
dispose OF abroad. The same may be said of land
cultivated for Hay and other winter food for cattle,
OF pasture land for cattle, and of land for gardens,
orchards, and nurseries.
The demand both at home and abroad for our
but the land adapted TO the growth OF the SUI
gar cane is found only within limited portion
of the Union. We have imported annually of
Hemp, upon average of five years, 3,4O0 tons,
at cost of S4s5,000; and we have, during the
same PERIOD imported an annual amount of
81 $4,000 of articles manufactured from hemp,
much Of which might produce at home, and
thus bring into profitable cultivation considerable
tracts of our unimproved land by the growth of the
Il Iz.a 49, L.
may be said of Far, and Six, and Tool. attention
to the manufacture OF which would increase the de-
mand for the raw materials and cause the employ
ment Of more land in the production of them
There are a great number of valuable products
which we have hitherto not attended 10, for which
we pay large amounts annually, which we might
raise from our own soil, not only for home con-
sumption but for expectation, and thus encourage
domestic industry and skill, and develop the re-
sources of our country.
Dyer's Madder is one of these articles. Our
printed documents give information respecting
the amount of madden which is imported Mr.
ELLSWORTH estimates the amount g at 5000 tons,
which, al the low price of ten cents per pound,
makes the sum of one million of dollars paid an
nuay 10 foreign countries for article that be
produced as good and cheap at home" See page
81 of the last Patent Office Report.) An acre Of
land will produce from 1000 10 5000 pounds
weight OF madden thus employment might be given
for four thousand OF uncultivaed territory
and for large amount Of our labor and capital,
even to supply our home consumption.
Indigo Is another article which might be advan-
tageously cultivated Our annual imporiatons are
about $40 tons, costing nearly Sl,000,000. Mr..
ELLSWORTH says, indigo was formerly an article
of export from the United States,' and adds that
il is crop to which the attention of portions of
the Southern country may yet be prohtably direct
ed, rs il formerly was, from The over-producton OF
cotton" There is no doubt that Uoad, Sumdch,
and other plants used as merchants and dyes, might
be successfully and proftably cultivated. in various
parts of the United States We have seen il stated
that the g ripe seeds of The Okra plant Juynf and
used as coffee cannon be Distinguished Merejrona,
and that many persons of the most astidous tastes
have not been able 10 distinguish il from the best
Java" Now, if there be even any approximation
TO this assertion, we have an abundant source of
employment for much Of our uncultivaed land, for
our annual importation OF coffee is more than one
hundred and ten millions OF pounds weight, costing
us from Hsmillions 10 ten millions OF dollars.
The Okra plant Is very easily cultivated, and is
adapted to The soil and climate Of great portion OF
the Union.
We viii mention only one other subject in con-
nexion with this branch OF inquiry, and that
the introduction of the alpaca Peruvian Sheep
lHio Hit IHOuutdllls ol NHgiuid,
North and South Carolina and Georgia. This
subject has been already discussed in the American
Farmer and alluded to in Mr.. ELLswoRTH's report,
and appears TO very deserving OF our attention.
The wool Of the Alpaca enters largely into British
more than two millions of pounds
weight were imported into Great Britain in S43
and IL is calculated that more than twelve millions
OF pounds have been used since Its first introduce
ton in 1892. The animal has been introduced in
TO Scotland, and Mr.. STIRLING, of Glasgow, who is
well qualified to speak upon this subject, says /"
can have no doubt that when the subject is better
: understood the animal itself better known, and a
+. more expeditions mode contriyed TO bring them
: into Britain, fce shall hare thousands of them.
When known their docility, their temperate habits,
their hardness, and, may add, their easy keep,
viii bring them into general notice. ! can answer,
without the fear of being conradicted, that they
win thrive and breed in Scotland equal, il not SUI
perior, to our native black-faced sheep
The American Farmer says: There are mil
lions OF acres OF land in our vast territory which
are not now producing dollar year TO their pro-
pretors that might be converted into Alpaca pas
lures, and mus be rendered sources Of great profit
In Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Geor-
gia, there are mountains and highlands enough, f
converted into walks for the sheep Of the Andes,
as would in very few years add million 10 the
annual income OF those States" 1t has been cal
culated that the Alpaca could be delivered at the
Atlantic ports of the United States for lat the most
twenty-five dollars each its food would literally
cost nothing as il feeds best the heritage