The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-09-24

grape, in many portions OF Pennsylvania, Ohio, Ken
lucky ndians Illinois, Missouri. and doubtless IN other
States OF The Union while II is well known that vine
has long been staple article OF production IN the valley
OF the Rio Grande and the southern portion OF California
Inc Catawba grape has shown itself admirably adapted
10 the manufacture OF champagne, while the lighter sorts
OF furnish excellent article for the use OF the table
have been informed that natives OF Europe, now adopt
ed citizens OF the United States are willing TO pay
higher price for them than for the usual qualities oil
French or German wines TO which they are accustomed
very fair ladies' wine is produced in North Carolina
from an Indigenous grape called scuppernong peculiar to
that State
Similar experiments have been rnade in other States
and would indeed seem as if the Indigenous American
adapted the soil and climate Of this country than that
OF any other kind oil grape imported either from Europe
Anca or the Canary islands In view OF these facts.
IS certainly wild conjecture suppose that the uni
ted States will in very short tme produce good wine,
so cheap and IN such abundance 10 render 1t COM
mon and daily beverage, Such a result is not TO be
deprecated on the part OF those most scupuous on the
subject OF ardent spirits for IT is well establsbed
fact, verified by the observation of every day. that the
population OF winegrowng countries is noted for sobre,
~ and temperance The most sober people OF the Old
World in the wine growing countries OF southern
Europe, where the article like water placed every
table, free OF COST bat extra charge made for coffee,
and very exorbitant for tea. They scarcely
indulge in il to excess while in northern Russia, where
ardent spirits are used as substitutes for wines, inoxl
cation is the prevailing vce-the example having been
set by no less luslrous person than Peter the Great
am now about TO say few words on very import
ant branch OF husbandy OF peculiar interest to the Amer
which in small degree affects our foreign and domestic
exchanges So far as experience has demonstrated large
growth OF WOOL In the production OF no other article
has there been great Improvement in quantity and
quality Our early attempts at wool-growing were al
exclusively confined the inferior breeds OF sheep,
and the coarscr qualities of wool. under the prevalent
impression that the Saxon, Nerino, South Downs, and
all other finer qualities, could not be raised in this coun-
try Recent experiments however, go Tar TO show that
the finer qualities of wool can be produced in this coun
try, by similar and attention to the breed and culture
OF the sheep, well as in any part OF Europe and to an
extent far beyond present demand. The hills OF New
England New York and Pennsylvania have been shown
to be well adapted TO the raising of sheep; and i can
hardly be doubted that the mountains of Virginia, North
Carolina, and other southern States equally tavora
BILE TO the same culture.
Wool and sheep growing are also becoming an i'm
poant branch of industry the western praes and
highly probable that the best adapted to them
will yet be found between the Mississippi and the Pacihc,
in the valleys and upon the great plains on both sides OF
the Rocky Mountains. Those regions particularly
adapted to grazing They for the part elevated,
dry, and healthy, abouniing in rich grasses and pure
water. The extent OF country to which reler embraces
an area more than twice that OF the original thirteen
States Of the Union and is destined TO be occupied by
intelligent Industrious and energetic OF men, not
inferior IN any respect to those who lnhabt the old
States. Nature has designed it Tor the habalion of an
agricultural people, and grazing must be their predoml-
nant pursuit
In The eary stages of the woollen manufactures of
Europe, the finer qualities of wool almost exclu-
slvely supplied by Spain and the belief existed there as
il did here that other country could supply the same
impair the tineness of the staple But the Merno sheep
introduced into England, dspelled that prejudice
and their ntroduclon at the beginning OF the present cen
fury, INTO Saxony and Slesa, established the fact that
proper and cultivation will do more in this branch Of
husbandry than climate or other favorable ADVENT
tous circumstances The Saxon Merino for the purpose
of woolgowng, is now lar superior TO the Spanish and
its wool brings much higher price in the principal mar
keis of England. France, and Belgium Indeed the finer
qualities OF wool are now almost exclusively supplied
by Germany, while Spanish Merno wool has almost
entirely disappeared from the wool markets of Europe
The history OF wool growing and sheep culture Eu
rope full Of valuable lessons TO the American farmer
Ii shows what knowledge, diligence, and accom-
plish against adverse climates and indifferent soils The
lesson is full of encouragement u.s. and has already
stimulated the emulation OF our husbandmen. Ii can
read the future OF this country WOOL in very few years,
will become much article of expectation cotton,
provisions, and breadsus and this Notwithstanding the
powerful rivalry which our woolgrowers on the Pacific
will find in the progress of wool growing in Australia
There is more species OF industry lately come into
use as incident TO agriculture, which deem oil suh-
cient Importance recommend TO the attention OF your
society 1t is the manufacture of oil and candles from the
fat OF the "pairie whale" vngarly called the hog The
process OF anuacure OF these articles western dis
covey and leading to important results IN the agricu
ture and commerce OF our country.
The uses TO which lard oil may be applied are almost
infinite. Ii was first employed substitute for lamp
oil and sperm candles but was gradually made TO take
the place OF almost species oil animal lat or vegea
BILE oil employed manufactures, and is now most extern
svey used in all kinds Of machinery. /, is also intro
duced 10 very large extent in many branches OF domes
tic economy and, when refined and properly prepared is
indispensable article of the toilet Lard OIL il is said, is
largely exported France, and after undergoing various
chemical operations, remported into the United States,
and sold in various meamorphoses salad oil, poma
um, or bears grease.
know not whether am permitted 10 press these
sderaons for the purpose oil stimulating competition
but | feel quite certain that even the ingenuity OF
European chemists will in due time find its match in the
indigenous Yankee ingenuity" OF the United States
Meanwhile am glad TO see the lard-o manufactures
flourish, having apprehension that they will sc.
rously interfere with the whale fisheries OF New Eng
land the great school OF sailors and the great
sery OF our navy. On the contrary appears sperm
OIL notwithstanding the competition OF lard, still
mandng respectable and Temuneratng prices its superior
qualities and the valuable TO which il may be applied
operating quite much in It's favor the diminished
number Of whales, which compes hardy fishermen
to seek for them in higher and more dangerous ATTITUDES
| would now say lew words on the growth OF tim
ber-a subject much neglected by countymen. Yet
timber is one of the most valuable productions of
the SOIL ard indispensable requisite TO the Improvement
and civilization OF man No country on earth IL, in
this respect more blameess than None boast
OF such variety Of forest trees, adapted TO the various
OF farming, the mechanic arts, architecture and ship
building In no other country do we lind such magnih.
cent shade trees such extensive and superb prmeval
forests. and in part OF the world is the reproductive
power OF the soil less exhausted than Yet,
with all these incalcnlabe advantages, and with
bounded coal fields the want OF rewood is already felt
in districts which, like the prares OF the West,
naturally destitute OF timber, in which locomotives aud
steamboats, consuming the article faster than il
be reproduced in the ordinary course OF nature There
is also believe that the extreme desire OF
ing civilization forward, and OF ferzing the wilder
the shortest time, induces many hardy pioneer
OF the West to enter some what enthusiastically on the
"exterminaion" of our woods when considerations