Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1851-10-09

, .
out these hints to direct your attention the subject
not knowing whether others may have preceded
leave II 10 your better knowledge, and your practi
cal qualifications as farmers TO make the necessary
permens believing that in agriculture, in other sci
ences and occupations, experience alone the prope
test OF all discoveries and improvements.
have, within the last year, procured considerable
quantity of the seeds OF this rice from the Patcnoc,
at Washington and distributed them among Those whom
thought likely to make experiments in different parts
Of the country; but sufficient time has elapsed
certain the result. We're it for the British system
Of derential duties upon articles, the productions
different species of labor South Carolina and Georgl,
rice woud have continued to be exported in large quan
titles But the system by which England has of late
years, favored the agricultural products of her East In
da Provinces 10 the detrment and OF her West In
dla colonies has also, for time at least exercised
discouI aging influence the egrowcrs of America
IL Is subject OF congratulaton, therefore, TO know
that, more recently, rice has found ready home mar.
ket, at such remunerating prices promise to that
branch OF agriculture long period of prosperity and
success.
i Hemp has long been, and still continues be- very
considerable item in foreign imports. The govern
ment itself has, from its foundation, been large i'm
porter oil hemp Tor naval purposes, addition TO what
has been introduced private account principally for
the use oil our commercial marine. The importation
commenced when little no hemp produced in this
country and have been continued under the impression
that American hemp was not equal to that of Russia
Tor the manufacture OF cordage Ii has long since been
ascertaIned however that soil and climate well
adapted 10 the growth of hemp, and that pro-
duce it cheap and in abundance. 1t is believed that
the hemp grown in Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio Illinois,
Indiana Iowa and perhaps other States Of the Union
Is nly equal to the Russian in strength and texture,
and that counr ymen have discovered process oil
rotting by which be rendered equal if not supe
nor, to that OF Russia, for all purposes which the
latter has been applied in this country This fact renders
the culture of hemp well worth the attention Of Ameri
can agricutursts. people now only the second, and
destined soon to be the first commercial and maritime
nation Of the world, ought to bestow special
all products necessary the OF its commercial
and naval enterprise. The capacity OF our soil for the
production of hemp is unlimited; while our immense
oreign coastwise and internal navigation insure to II
an ample and increasing home market.
would fain say few words on the culture of Muber-
connection with the raising ofthe and the
manufacture Of Silk am aware that the experiments
heretofore made have usually proved but the
enterprise resembed mercantile speculation than
fair trial by practical / am 10th to believe that
within the wide range of Northern and Southern la
ttudes there should ot be spot favorable 20 the cut
walton of the silkworm Silkworms and the peculiar
species of mulberry upon which they live, first in
troduced into Asia Minor from China; and the expert
ment having succeeded in Greece, in Turkey in France,
in Italy, in Spain and in Portugal is it reasonable
to suppose that they would also thrive many portions
Of our own country, if the attention and care were be-
slowed upon them which are the conditions of their
growthf Experiments have lately been made in South
Carolina the cultivation of the Chinese tea plant and
II the accounts have TO be relied upon, have
entirely succeeded Why, then, shond not silk, art
Gle much less delicate than and which has already
succeeded in many different cimes. be susceptible,
also, OF profitable cultivation in the United States
large portion OF imports from Europe, consists OF
manufactured silks, and il we could succeed n domes
eating that species Of industry, degree Of stability
would be impaired to our foreign commercial policy,
which would serve to prevent the conounding oi polti
cal economy with partzan politics.
My remarks the subject of silk, apply, perhaps,
with equal force, the cultivation OF the vine The
vine is native OF Asia but has attained its highest per-
econ in Europe and Africa. While there is scarcely
species of Asiatc wine known commerce, some of
i'll .k-~s al
from vineyards in atitudes AZ and So Careful tending
and manuring, and the treatment OF the wine in the
cask and IN the cellar, 10 have done every thing
We have many varieties of the grape any part OF
the world, Indigenous country, and growing
uxurlantly wild in wood and prairie. The greater part
Of them, however, remain still uncultiyated without the
least value being attached to them by farmers YETI
strange TO say almost every experiment which has been
made with indigenous grape has succeeded. Good
Wines far superior quality the ordinary hooks and
clarets imported into this country, made from
pure Indigenous grape many portions oil Pennsylya
MIA, Ohio Kentucky Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and
doubtless in other States of the Union while it is well
known that inc has long been staple article OF pro-
ducon the valley Of the Rio Grande, and the south
ern portions of California. The Catawba grape has
shown itself admirably adapted to the manufacture of
champagne, while the lighter sorts OF 1t furnish an ex
celent article for the OF the table. have been in
formed that natives OF Europe adopted citizens oil
the United Sates willing to pay higher price for
them than for the usual qualities o French and German
wines to which they are accustomed.
very fair Ladies' wine is produced in North Caro-
na from an indigenous grape called scuppernong pe
culiar TO that State Similar experiments have been
made in other States and It would indeed seem as If the
indigenous American grape were infinite in its yarities,
and its culture better adapted to the soil and climate Of
this country than that Of any other kind of grape
ported either from Europe, Africa, or the Canary ISL
auds In view Of these facts is certainly wild
lecture to suppose that the United States WILL in very
short time, produce good wine cheap and in such
abundance, TO render it common and daily bever.
age. Such result is not to be deprecated the part
OF those most unscrupuous the subject OF ardent
spirits for it is we'll established fact verified by the
observation of every day. that the population oil wine
growing countries noted for sobety and temperance
The sober people in the old world, in the wine
growing countries of southern Europe where the arti
Gle, like water placed every table, free oil cost but
extra charge made for coffee and very exorbitant
one for They scarcely ever indulge IN II to excess
while in Northern Russia where ardent spirits used
substitutes for Wines ntoxeaon is the prevailing
/ vice. aai atf Il 8lffai ia sss-fisa
| am now about to say few words on a very impor-
branch of husbandry, OF peculiar interest to the
the American farmer / alude 10 the growth OF Wool
an article which in no small degree affects our foreign
and domestic exchanges So far experience has dem
onstrated large portions OF country are admirably
other article has there been great an Improvement
quantity and quality Our early attempts at woolgr
i ing almost exclusively confined to the inferior
breeds Of Sheep and the qualities OF WOOL unde
the prevalent impression that the Saxon, Merno, Soni
Downs and all other finer qualities, could not be raised
in this country Recent experiments, however, go fan
TO show that the finer qualities OF wool be produced
this country by similar and attention the breed
and culture of the sheep, well in any part Of Eu
rope, and extent far beyond present demand
The hills of New England, New York, and Pennsyva
MIA have been shown be we'll adapted the raising
Of sheep, and it hardly be doubted that the noun
tains oi Virginia, North Carolina and other Southern
and sheep growing also becoming an importan
branch OF industry on the Western praries, and it i