IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) // ^.% :/. i/j. M^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 •- lllffi IIIIM i^ III 1.6 <9 V] ^>. /;j ^/ ^^v^. ^ / Photogi^cipriic Sciences Corponitidn iV ^ ■^ o 73 WIST MAIN SIIIIT WIBSTIR N Y 14)10 ( 716 1 177 4?0J ^^' >5^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microrepr << jctions historiques ^ Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibiiographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. 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This Item IS filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ca document ast filme au taux de reduction indiquA ci dessous 10X 14X 1IX 7?X 28X 30X J L MX 1SX 20X MX 28X 32X The copy filmed h«r« hu b««n raproduccd thanks to th« ganarosity of: MemorisI Univenity of St. John's L'axamplaira filmA fut raproduit grica k la ginAroaitA da: Memorial Univartity of St. John's Tho imagaa appaaring hara ara tha baat qudlity posaibia conaidaring tha condition and legibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacificationa. Original copiaa in printad papar eovars ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha lait paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- sion, or tha back covar whan appropriata All othar original copiaa ara filmad baginninq on tha firat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion. and af>dlng on tha laat paga with s prinfd or illuatratad impraaaion. Tha laat racordad frama on aach microficha ihall contain tha symbol '^-^Imaaning CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol ▼ (maaning "END"), whichavar appliaa. Mapa. plataa. charts, ate., may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba a.itiraiy includad in ona axpoaura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand coma^. \»K to right and top to bonom. aa many framaa as raquirad. Tha following diagrama illuatrata tha mathod: Las imagaa suivantaa ont AtA raproduitaa avac ia plus grand aoin. compta tanu da la condition at da la nanat* da l'axamplaira film*, at «n eonformiti avac laa conditiona du contrat da filmaga. L.as axamplairaa originaux dont la couvartura mn papior sat imprim4a sont filmte an commancant par la pramiar plat at W} tarminant soit par la damiira paga qui comporta una amprainta d'impfaaaion ou d'lllustration. soit par la saeond piat. salon Is cas. Tous laa autros axamplairaa originaux sont fllm«s an commancant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'Impraasion ou d'lllustration at tn tarminant par la damiAra paga qui comporta una taila amprainta. Un daa symbolaa suivants spparaltra sur la dami^ra imaga da chaqua microficha. salon la caa: la symbols -ii«»- signifia "A SUIVRE". la symbola ▼ signifia "FIN". Laa cartaa. planchaa. tabiaaux. ate. pauvant Atra fllmte A daa taux da reduction diff «rants. Loraqua la documant aat trop grand pour Atra raproduit ti un taui clich4, il aat flim4 A partir da I'angia sup4riaur gaucha. da gaucha A droita. at da haut an baa. an pranant la nombra d'Imagaa n4caaaatra. Laa dijgrammaa suivants illustrant la m4thoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 '^&Sm J-^ ' *;; • The Report of the 'Agncuttural- S6c\rly for 1S19. '^i^Vk^^^-^ ^^5* .'"I "ruuLisnrD by the AciucuLrtRM, 5oci''ry or KEwrouNDj,AJ6«'-'-*'^'*Wv«- n,, ,. I' • _ • ;. • ^____ ._ • V 4. " '• " 'ilia ' «» 'm^^mw,. 1 1 • i-if- '-. '**' >4r.«::^ \*i^»4fmM > .1 "p j fv - i . - t r' x^ ^ fce- 092578 c l! 1 ' tlFld UPON THE CAPABILITIES OF THE C / REMARKS SOIL AND CLIMATE OF NEWFOUNDLAND FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONS, VITH A FEW PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TO THE FARMER, AND Tfie Report of the Agricultural Society for 1849. • /■ V ■ '-'fOlJNu'J-' .3 / PVBLISllCD BV THE lAGnjCL'LTURAL SOCIETY OF NEWFOfNOLAND, iwg. rrn^ii *i tli* Oft, oftl^ -'M^nvig r<^" » ■ > .»w i. i»i ^t ly k n w -a i KP i ^ iwmtw' T. ' J ^'^ ."- * 1**- »■- If •1 «-» i.^'^wa*-* J- *.'!-,*. I.:.' 1 I ■■I^MIX— >t.>.'.l>ra I ■! I ■ A FEW PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TO THE AGRI- CULTURIST AND OTHERS IN NEWFOUNDLAND. The Committee of the Agricult\iial Society determined at their last Meeting to issue a publication, in the hope that those engaged in farming pursuits might derive some practical and iiseful infiyrmatioii from it, and that it might serve to attract to a subject of \ital importance — the cultivation of the soil — the actenioii cf '.hose v.hosc interest is involved in the pros- pe; ity of the country. I appiove of the design, and I am willing to contribute my mite towards the fulfilment of it. In the following pages much will be found to require indul- gence, bu; it is hoped that something also may be found to interest and improve; the suirgcstions offered and the facts stated ar. the i(:;ult of practrcal experiment, and are mostly gathered fr-^-m the opinions of those who, hving within its influence, are glad to avail themselves of the light which Science is daily supplying in other and older countries. Let the ignorant ridicule our boil and climate — let the pre- judici'd «l('v:dc tliem as Sibcri;;n — let h11, if they please, criti- cise and ronder.in my humble endeavour; only let them ex- amine for themselves and I shdl be content ; for I am firmly persuaded that the cultivation of our lands is a subject of such importnnce to our prosperity and comfort, nnd is so piactic.ible, that the more it is examined the more it will be found worthy of encouragement. So long as the population of the Country was small, and the markets for our Co' nercial produce numerous and vemunera- tive ; whilst we enjoyed almost a monopoly in catching and curing fish ; whilst the policy of the Imperial Govfrnment and the habits of the people combined to render Newfoundland merely a place of temporary abode, and to resemble wliac Lord North once likened it unto, " a hvige fishing ship moored on the Banks," it is not to be wondered that but little attention was paid to rural pursuits. The difficulty tliat formerly was interposed to the acquisition of land ill fee, offered another obstruction to the growth of Agriculture, for the settkr in Newfoundland was denied the realization and enjoyment of that peculiarly British feelinT which makes a man long for a spot of land which he can call "his own," which he m:»y impro\c and adorn, and transmit to u -' . **- " ■ ' » i — »^— _ i I I I ]j .II I _ r'-. i i '. .. ^. ki ' • • . ' ' ." •• •> ■», •" a!« , ?■ •»■ - < ■ '. , ■. . . W- ., ■• " -V . . ^j 1 1. '-■i ri. ■/'^?''^^^ t >\' ' ' , , u- (• '■-' <■ ''' **i.i*)fWi'*'^mit^ ■d^mU^'Jt' ««A.^ ..'-. . >. ■ *■■ ,-9 , , -a ■J, ■■■ H \.~ .- *-l -* .- . --1 -•- •—. -• .^ - . ' - •-<:_■ t ^* J ' 1-^ " . ■♦• - *»• -.^- t^. ■-•;-••-■'■-.* - '■*•* . ! -i -^"T-- u - 1 -^ f1 \9 , / \ ^:«tT' his cliildren w-ithoiit fear of disturbance, Tb? instinct of a people, like the roots of a tree, will ever direct their rnerpies to that quarter whence a s-.ipply may be obtained, and in spite of the unnntural impediments which " maternal policy" threw in their way, the people of Newfoundland did maiTV, would have children, although not according to Act of Parliament, and found it disirable to cultivate the soil. Two-and-iwenty years ago, St. John's could not boast of m;)re than a dozen horses. Now there are many hundreds. At that time ^reen peas or stewed cucumbers, or such like things, WL-rc looked upon as luxuries so extrava ant that inevitable ruin w;is predictid for the unliappx but hospitable wight who was betrayed into the hopeless prodigality of '■aising them. "Tbey Irctiireil, predicted, but ft-li at their east, They pitied his ruin, but swdUowed his peas." Now we raise fuie vegetables and common garden fruits, in abundance. A qu.irter of a century ago, in the month of February, meat at St. Jolm's was seldom less than Is. Gd. per lb., and bad meat it was; now we eit as good as any epicure could desire for Gd. a lb. Last Mrrch the Governor was pleased to offer prizes for tance it has received, and what it is capable of doing with proper en- couragement. Great indeed, nay, insurmountable must be the impediments that will ju-;tify a people in abandoning the soil of tiieir own country to idl- luss, and tiiemselvcs to dependence u])on foreign bread for support. I'roxidencc has laid no sucii interdict upon Newfoundland, and a little consideration will prove this fact- It is an axiom in Natural Philosophy that all places at an equal distance from the Kquator would be sulijeeted to the same degree of tenijierature, were it not for the operation of t-onie toimtervailing ':'au^es. The sun-the prime distributor of heat, and the soul of vegetation — sends forth his genial rays impartially to enliven ve::etable nature under the same jiarallels ; and as Newfoundland is situated in the same parallel with ■i^ ■■^ , y < 'i ^tJi- H' »>^ t i'|iiiB .. U , mju -y> - ' n !r ; ». r. - '.i^-4- .-j r^^..*^ «:;.•■•."■ •?■.. .-• .• ■• t-.' .'■c»;_J ..■\.K^^-"*' .:■>.: '^:i„-«' -'••if. ■•,.r.v- 'K>' Iff i f r I 1 France and Canada, it may be well to slup for a niomont to enquire why she does not enjoy a temperature equally nuld. — Ditfcrcnces of climate in the same parallels are accouiittd for by three causes. First, varieties of elevation above the level of the sea. At the foot of the Alps the traveller is surrounded by the luxuries of tropical fruits — the orange grove and the vine yield him their luscious fruit, and helanguis-hes under the fervour of a sultry sun. As he ascends the mountain, the climate be- comes tempcrDte, and larch and pine trees indicate the presence of a more chilly atmosplieie — until, at last his respiration becomes afficted by the intensity of the cold, and ne finds himself in the region of eternal snow. All this takes place within the unassisted range of the eye, for from the moun- tain toj) the traveller can bt!:old at the same time the three climates. Now whilst we in Newfoundland annot boast of the heat of the lower regions, it is not from our altitude above the sea that we are exposed to some of the ^i.^'ours of the upper, for tlie sunmiit of Signal Hill is only 510 above the sea; the severity of our climate is not therefore attributable to the first cause. Second, the relative pos'tion of c ~ountry with refirciice to htiid or irater. — As cold aflects the surface of the ocean, the colder parts bei oming specifically heavier, sink, and are replaced by the waimer and lighter waier, and cold is absorl.ed ard lu at is thus constanily evolved, but th.e surface of the earth has no mvans of escrping from the intensity of the chill whiih acts and reacts upon it until it becomes buried under an accu- mulation of ice; it follows thirefore that the temperature of an Island uill be, cwfcris /jtiribiis, warmer in winter and cooler in siinuncr than that of a Cciitiri-nt, and snch probably wonld that of Nt wfouudland be, but I'or the opi ration of the 'J'/iird cause, the state 0/ Afinculture ni't only in the country itself, but in those which adjoin it, and over which its prtvaUnt xrinds blow. 1 do not Ibrget (I wish 1 could !) the fields of ice that pay thL'ir unwclcoue visits to us in Spring, and by their wither- ing iufliunce retard our vernal operations, but they are not tlie c m>e of our s'.cri^ity ; for the waters of tbe St. I.awrence carry a similar visitation to tiie shores of Canada, and yet that country yields its abundant crop of wheat because of the advanced state of its cultivation. Sir Traniis Head says that (he clim.tte of North America gams one degree of heat in I very ten \ears in cousecjuencc of the clearing of forests and «liaining of lands. And in every country, old or new, drainage is iu'lispensable no less to the productiveness of the soil than the iiealthfulness of man. Few of my readers have failed to hear of .Mr. Mechi, of Leadenhall Street, who.se advertisements find ^^ " tB " . y ■ > w iyt ^t mf i* i fi . i t >i '^ ■" ■'■ ■ » M' B * *ir • ..... .*v. uk'^t.-' ^;; . J>«;iv.«rvJ?'». iy.A-''^*h.j>»iW>f-^i-,v.»h>^. .f- • ■* '* . 4 I 6 tlielr >Yuy to every qiiaiter of the globe. A lew ycai- aye h* purchased a small Estate in Essex, the labourers upon it had lone- been subject to a malignant fev6r, which no medicine removed or care prevented, but no sooner were the lands drained, than the emlcmic ^?ntirely disanpcared. Excess of surface water chills the earth, and by excludmg the air and rays of the sun from the roots of p'.auts, destroys vegetation ; nor will any advantnge be derived from the application of ma- nures even ot the most caustic description, such as lime, so Ion" as the land continues immersed in water, you waste your substance bv applvinj; it, you may make good lime water which is excellent' for scalds but useless for vegetation. The Almighty has decreed that in the sweat of his face shall man eat bread, he has no warranty, therefore, to justify him in supposing that he may commit the seed to the "I'uthful bosom of the earth," and there leave it to the unassisted efforts of na- tiuc without the direction of skill and labour, for " Nature, a mother kind alike to all, Slill grants her bliss at labour's earnest call." A^ricultiiie is a science; like other arts the knowledge of it may be acquired in a gieater or less degree, but a few element- ary principles must be known by nil who prosecute it with ad- va'ntn'^e. The emigrant who rears his miserable hovel in the midst'~of a half-ret laimed wilderness, who plants a few potatoes and scratches in a few oats, and hopes therefrom to eke out a wretched existence, may aspire to independence, but it is the ir.deperidencf of poverty. The same expense, labour, and time, which he wastes in unproductive, because ill-diiected, expemli- ture, would, if applied witli judgment, be adequate to eiicrease his stor<-, and multiply hir comfort> tenfold. No one who reads'tlie hi^tory of other countries should deem >ew!oundland incapable of amelioration by means of cultiva- tion. We learn from Ihroilolus that on the shores of the Hlack Sea, which now teem ^Mth wheat, tlie groi.nd lay u.ider the dominion of snow for eight niontlis in the year. Ovid re- peats the same fact, and tells us that in his day the whole of tli.U sea used to be frozen ovei md travelled upon ice. To invalids the balmy air of Home is now recoinmLtided as possess- ing sinj^ular mildness and npi.i'.ilit) tluouj^hout the year. \ et \\c i« ad that in fctiiner days the rvonian matrons uere obliged in the pt-rfornKMuc of tluir reii,i;ious ritts to bn-ak the ice which bound the waters of thc'iiber; and in many parts of France grapes are now cultivated in the open air, where form- crl\ {.Tarn would hardly ripen. '¥\ T' ■ r m m » i wi iw |M Ig ' -^ V ' ^ ' 1 1 , iw n y « i •rt«i*«'*i-s -'•••*' i: < I I ■n 4 I deem ii to be tlie duty of cveiy {riiiriple of .^;:iiciiltinc is to break, loosen, and pul- . verizo the ground ; the important e of these operations cannot well bf p\ii^.•!.'(•nif(d. and I.iliour is not lost tliat is eNpended in phugliiiirr nu(\ ph>ni:\.'ing t the Ii(juid to be wasted, nor the -lases to escape; — with as nuich wisdom would the Mi rihant allow the oil tiom his seal vat 'o run into the sea, that he might clutch the refuse dregs, or the di>tiller n- gleet to fix the worm uiuin his still to c:it(h and condense ihe volatile sniril! In few countries cm more valuable maiinres be found than the refuse of mu Seal and Cod fi-lurlis, jet I fear luucli of its tfFp ac) is Idst for ^^ant f)f |ir(ii».i !iiiin:'.L;e;rent. I think I am safe in asbtrting that, taking into consideration the vi»lue cf "•T' ' ■ \t*» y i » I wi j i I ■ ■ n tm » t m •,'^ «*»ij,.M" I I y li'Ugl)t fotbecai)ital— and the market of St. John's is as little acccssil)le to the live stock and farm produce of the districts of Ferryland and St. Mary's as they were thirty ycnrsago. The reason seems to me clear— we began' at the wron"" tnd ; instead of opening a narrow but cfFicient road from the centre right through to the extremities, we have been ex- pi'nding tlinusnnds uj.on making roads as wide as the Great Bath Road ; these extend perhaps six or seven miles and then abruptly terminate in a ml dc sac, or a bog hole. I do not think for some years, at any rate, that anv road except in the innnediate neighbourhood of a town should be madi- and pravelled to a gr. -iter width than tight I'eet. bla/A- it and open it if you please to a width (.fa liuiKJivd feet, but let all our muj- gies be concent rattd in making it a thvnnr^hfure. Far bc-ttt-r would it be to havi- a safe and pas:^al)le road eight f.et wide and forty-five miles in V-ngth. tlian one twciitv-rour fiit wide and only fiftfcn miles long. We in N'cwfoun.lir.nd on-ht surely to be content to brgin with the aoconiin.,dati(.n whah satisfied our ancestors. The time is hardly '..eyoiid the rerol- li ctiun of some now alive, when the Judges of England nd Ireland rode their circuits on horseback, because the Thorough- farcs of the Kini'dom were only bridle-paths ; a commodious V.J I h' ¥ i ■'«'?• "'f ' I '^ ix y ■ .»*»k. ••> •.••v.-l»vt- 10 'r:::f-:-r-d\ ^.•air of saddlebags sufficed to cany their narapbernalia — their dignity was secured by their character and learning — and fortu- nate did they consider, themselves if they escaped sinking into a slough, or, like some of their learned brothers on this side of the Atlantic, with the loss of their horse's tail. Macauley says that the great route through Wales to Holy- head was in such a state at the end of the seventeenth century, that the Lord Lieutenant on his road to Ireland was five hours in travelling fourteen miles from St. Asaph to Conwa}, between Conway and Beaumaris he was forced to walk great part of the ^vay, and his lady was carried in a litter, and at the present day many of the roads of England and Ireland, remote from the Capital, are more agreeable to ride over on horseback than on wheels. In clearing waste lands, piles of stones present an unsightly appearance, and are moreover an encumbrance; the most eco- nomical way of disposing of them where they are too round to be used for dry walls, will be by laying them as the founda- tion of the internal roads on the farm, or by using them up in French drains. It is difficult to over-estimate the value of good seeds and improved implements of Agriculture, and to assist in the importation of such was among the objects for which the Agricultural Society was instiluU-H. A man lusilates, ;md th'e caution is ju'stTiable — to embark his o»vn capital for the public good, while he would cheerfully bear his share in a joint adventure; and as the benefit to be derived from the introduction of any new implement is common, it should on that account be effected by means of a general fund. T'.^us in 17^9 The Dublin Society was founded— in 17S1 Tlie Highland Society was established— in 1793 The Board of Agri- culture in England was formed— in 1818 The Central Board of Arviculture was instituted in Nova Scotia, and throughout eve- r\" other Province in Amc.ica have similar institutions been created, a;id all of t'ltni have been from the fiist, and still are, fostered by thtiv icsp. ctivc I.ci-lituns jnd Govt mors. To the Lei;islaturc of Newfoundland I ai)p('.d with conlidince— it has always been favourable to the cause, and the inipoitance of that cause is daily increasing— the markets for our (ish are not so numerous astlicv wtic, wiiil.-t our competitors have quadru- pled. The fisheries ;>re noi sufficicrt to sunily employment to our labouring popiilati( n; our insular pos.tiju Ehculd m.'.ke us conten.plite tlie consetjuenccs of a war, or any other ob- sliuction to the receipt of the bread stuffs whi(h are almost ex- clusively drawn by us from Foreign Lands. Like prudent men -»— T- "V^ •^irymmmr mnuM^ns " mm* ':>:T' ttt^j f-t^ii^tit.'if ' . >w_» ..= ."• ■>■ •>'^*i«.<.»- •-.•-*"#. "St**..'" ..K-.#Hf.iu "». i* -J •fC.. j« ..V -« f .«■. ■ .« t f 11 \vc should Tisc forecast, and pronde for a contingency before it arrives. It will be too late when our supplies are cut off, and our children are crying for bread, to beir'in to make 'provision for the cultivation of our own soil I earnestly entreat the attention <>' the Gentletfien of the outports, and especially of their Hcpresentatives, to this important subject; — let them form Bninch Societies in every District, and vie with one ano- ther in raising; tlie "staff of life." Such were the arguments which the patriotic and talented John Young of Nova Scotia used in 181«, and by a series of letters which for brilliancy of composition and practical soundness have seldom been sur- passed, stimulated his brother colonists to arouse them from tlieir lethargic dependence upow American bread and to bring their own lands into requisition. The Goveniment and the Legis- lature nobly and wisely backed him, and mark the consequence! Nova Scotia, then as dependant as we are now, raises within itself bread enough for the support of its own people. My belief is tliat Newfoundland can do the same, and he who helps this good work, either as a legislator, an official, or a private citi- zen, will earn the lasMng gratitude of his country, and bring down individual blessings upon his head. BRYAN ROBINSON, St. John's, 4th March, 1S50. President. METHOD OF TREATING DISEASED POTATOES. In a rgcent despatch from Lord Howard dc Wiildon to Vis- conni Pahnerston, (the English minister at Brussels having caused some inquiries to be addressed to Mr. Tombclle Lomba,) is enclosed that gentleman's reply, from which the following is an extract : — " I can state in tlie mst formal iianner. that when the potrjto stems ate cut ofT with a sickle propeily sharpened (acec J/ne /(;< .Icthmt le Iran- chant est cdnvniaUe' \.\\c tubes are not at all iiiturrupted in their growtit; til it thf-v rer.aii) attached tc tlie stem until thcv ate rip% j i«t as if l';? I'l.'j'.yi' a relative 1 have so often observed this continuation of ;,'rowtij tli.it I -.in sp ik positively to its pning ot\ without the sli_'htest interruption, and t!) it the tre.tTnent uhich I Inve ii'coininended jsmii altcwlcd by any loss ichat,-, , r in .\izc or giali- ty. I tin offer the most p()<:itive fi!ipv-ad on gr.ifs lai:d and allowed to remain there throujjh au vvintcr. In ihe fprfng the stnich rcninined unhuii; mostof the fihrou- nd watery nintter had disappeared, and they were worth more than 'l-- their ■weight of sound potatoes for feeding swine.— T!:-^ early varieties gener- ally esc.iped, being ripe before the rot appeared. '" In 18 IG the peculiar marks of the ro* wr-re first seen cu the leaves in th; hist week of .?ulv ; after the lapse ol three or four days during very hot weither, with p.'tiiiek fog, and violent soutiiwcst wind, the potatoes were all struck with the rust, the leaves turned black and fell ofl, and the tubers ceased growing when the common late varieties had not reached more thin the fourth part of their usual size ; the action of the rot also 'cer-.J iinmpdiatplv, aiKl b:it a trifling portion were affected by it, but tlu p itati.es being inripe were of very bad quality, except the early varieties which were nearly ripe at the end of July. " The lust is not a new disease, in IS;2G the pola'ot;s were all killed bv it in the middle of August, and in many seasons some fields which are eiposcd to the sou'hwest sea-breeze hive been strucl. with rust before they were fully ripe. .l i » '• 'I'm S/.edish tiirt.ips mnn^cl wurtzel and carrots have the last ^ncnn b'en tried bvnianv, and fo-.md to be very good substitutes for the ,,•• -o for fcedin" st(^r cent, of free alkali. The last year I had a failure of beet carrots, which I attributed at that time to tlie season, but upon exam- ining the soil carelully, 1 found w ireworm. As it was to be wheat this year, and my last sown wheat, I mixed it with soda ash. It is now growing faster than any wheat on my farm and not a blade missed. Until I ado]ited the use of soda ash, I sutl't red Muefimes to the amount of C(JO in a field The dis- (■o\ery was accidrntal •, I had sown a lie.-dland with it as a fer- tili/;('r, on the principle laid down by Sir H. Davy, that all aU.ali were stimulants to plants; it certainly improved the crop, but tipon the whole I considered it a failure. The fol- lov. ing spring it was turnips, and a man hoeing them asked me if any an\thing bad b( in (lone to tlie lu'adland. 1 asked him \h\. Ill' said there was not a pl.inf attacked by wiinvorm, and the n st of tin fiiM had (iClKn at a nest. I then deter- mined to tiy it niK.ii anothir field which was full ofwireworm; I have never since seen one in it. In the '"ollowing \ear I had twenty-(i\e acres of o, its .i!t.i(k(il ninic ^4, m rally. I liappi iied to have a c.i'-k by me, ami oiduid it to be sown; from that day the r.nages c(,im(1, .uid \Mlhin a wcik tb" whole field had ed its colour to a vi^ 'd j;r« en. i have since ce.i'-ed to ( Man consider it as an e\prr:nient, and ab^avs ha\e a ca^k l>v me ■ ■ ■■ K ^ p r ■■ly I :^At«« '-.«k»-^W^ •'■ .-'AJ»J' .i^.'t»S•,»^^^^. .'<^ .^ 'Xt ?- f mam r* ~* • , i f3 ■ *:" ■ i •• • 1 ■ 4 . ., (, 14 ready in case of any appcnrancc of flic wircwdini, and Ikivo not a pa'cli ;ts larj^e as my hand from wireworm on iny f^irin. An Jgricul/urist.—Behs IVfekly Ma nger. "We infer tliat tlie pg;js of tlie moth, from which the wire- worm is produced, are dt-positcd early in Autiimn, and that the joi- '.r worms pcnefnite Nenearh the surfice to avoid the frost of \M -, consequently deep plou-hing late in Anfimm, l)y dis- lot ■ ;i.' !)i-ni from their places of retreat, will occ;ision the de- strucuon of the greater part of them. Indeed, thouiiii fall ploughing is an admirahle s|)ccific against this insect, coni'iion salt apj)lled to the fie'd would douhtless destroy the wire worm, but the danger would he that tlie crop would a'l^o he destrovfd by the remedy /•—ZJ^rii'j Textbook oj Agiictilture, IGa. Where the worm is very prevalent and destru'-tive, Summer fallow and plenty of salt would be the best rcmedv, and perliaps the cheapest in the end. In 1S47 the learned Registrar of the Supreme Court, Charles Simms, Esquiie, who is a successful and enli-'htened farmer, kindly gave to the YwhWc the result of his ex- perience in Agriculture: he forciMy ur.a'd the expediency, nav necesMfy, ofsui.plung llie place (.f the uueirtain potato, by an enlaiged culti\ati()n of turnip, carrot, parsnip, and field beet. He rei cnmiended the wliite Helglan carrot as peculiarly adaiit- ed to our soil and clunate, and the fi^-ld beet as a crop 'of great value. Mr. Simms, uhilM ur.iii<: the importance of cultivating wheat, and e-^peci.lIly spring wheat, shewed that barley is ii crop so safe and so cpiiik in riprniii-, that no dan-er of 'f.tilure or loss would result froin tlie cuhivat' >n of it. The following is the description of Siberian barley given in Lanson o" rem// g-'Y/w,',? . -^-" Sibtrian ]-.r]ry was intTuch.ccd in liGS. OnthcUhhani iMili April the seed was sown, and wa< rei.ped on the i:,th and Kith Ar.Mst fo!;,>v\in<.'; the'iiro- diicewa^ 3(< luivl,, 1^ ,;f clan corn fur ilie bushel sown, wci-ht Cfillis. per bushel." It i>^ recominc iidcd p;.i ticnlailv for t^he north olS:-otlan(i. wlurt it might form a v,iliial)le a'c cpnsition on nccouMt of its ( ..rliness. being ii;.c :,h,,i.t a week bif,, re com- mon be.ir, and ihrrefm.' s'lonld b,- uell suited fu \, ur,..md- I url, .u- ur,liM-ly the Agrir^i'Mii al S,.r;,.ty (.f \,-,v r.iuidl nid ii.ive sent for a ('. xv bushels, wine U llnv ii,,;,e'to l.ci i\e e.ii!\ j,, M;,v. Tor feednig . attle, pigs, pouhry, or p. ople, b.iiley is uiuivalled.' ■^F'WT^r-"— -— ^- • I ■ • l.l • ^..^rv -wr •• «.» I TAKES OK SUM.MF.R VETCHES. - Let not any farmer be without a spot of tares, tliey are a crop uliicli lie requires but to try and he will not willingly afterwards dispense with it. For milch cows or for horst.s it supplies a strong and succulent food in Au^'ust, just at the time that the after-^rass is not quite <:rown. Plough your land v.-ell, harrow it, pnlvcrize it, niaiuu-e it reasonably. Three bushels of tarei 'v('d with one bushel of oats or barley will suffice fo, an acre. V should be cut and used as they *^et into blossom. A 411a ir of an acre will, with a little hay, keep a horse or cow a quarter ofayear, and the ^eed will not cost more than 6s a bushel. TURNIPS. If your farm "^is near St. John's, Harbour Grace, Carbonear, or any other market, try liard to raise early turnips ; the Fly is till- i^rcat obstruction, and the only method of escaping that in- sect is to have your pioimd in good order and force the plant up quickly by tlie lid of strong putrescent nv 'uires, still should your I ro]is be cut do\\n yon have only lost the seed, which is not I- .\ pensive, the improvement your ground will derive <"rom the culture will more tOvk, a;id for mil- b im, s in p.ntit ul.ir, as tin y are found to iiii] .irt a rich and .igK'i able fla\ our to tluir produce." — l.avsim, 'Jc8. Ilie (ulu\alion of this loot is not so ii.ilik' to the risk of !..'lui. from aduTsc s asons as Swedish turnips and not more tioublesoine or 1. (piiiing more skill. To the rns.>li.l '.J fl,,- .f^uni'f.ni! Soru'ty. SIR- Th' jM ' Tf ■ ouitLii Uje'> liiiNc wiilau iLcmichcs. Tbat wc, oiuu A^ii(.uiidi.J,Sytit;i3", --;5-'r- • ^-iC*- ••"--.- f ^. mw ^ f " ■ I ' ■ ». m ^ > I ■ —^ ■Arr .'•m i It) arc aNaili...' ou.ulvcs of tl.e asswlancc ul.Ich n bountiful Provi.k-i.cc l.as placed witliin our .eacU is very questionable. !• or instance ^-« ''f° *;;»J- ,V annually for vetches, and a more useful seed could not be b.ou?ht into cultivation by the farcer «ho inayrequire green fodder for lus c-llle, buttbef.ctis. our o«n land pioduces . jv.ld vetch, which isocour,o adapted to our soil and climate, and which. a» we may iiatupllj con- clude, croNvsmore luxuriantly than any plant of that descnpl.ou raised from imported seed. As if to attract attention and court cultivation, \his plant springs up occasionally even in our g»-.den». while to those Iho travel at Til in cur woods it i, any thins but a stranger mere jt crows in very great abundance near St. John s I do not lnc ,. I bel.e^^ it to be. and judging from its roots, which are several feet in length, it nay possible prove to be a perennial, an/, if so. by culu^at.on it cay be- come a valuable esculent. In the neighbourhood of the great Codroy River there is a natural grass growing, and that in great abundance. Tl.e settlers there cut as much fodder as they please lor heir winter Mock; some of them gather to the extent as lam assured, of oO tons. Suppose. Mr. Picsident. as our paper will find Us way to our more remote settlements, suppose wc advertise for samples of vetches, pea-s and grass seed; let us give at the rate of :K)s. per bushel for either vetches or peas and Is. 6d. per pound for grasi seed, the produce of T,;,„ts iMdiAnous to the country; and luv.ug a proportion ol any of Ihese, we ^haU then be iu possession ot tne means of co-nmencng some ;.,-ncultuK.l t-xpcrinunls which may e..ntually be of the great- I "it use. \oiir>, K'c, OBSERVER. MIl.CH COWS. Some Cuws "ive a hii-e quantify of milk l.iit tlicir milk is thill, while other cows pivo U>s milk, but i f a better (luahty. The riclnipss of the milk is known by tli- lua.it.ty ol cream that is tlnown ui). ^ ,. , n i . i.. The Devonslure Core att'crds a fin" quality of milk, bnt onl\ wIkii fed on good iiastuve. Tl.e hu^lmc Cuw when properly fed will yeild from jOJ to 7 JO "allons in the vear. Sir Cia^paid LeMarchant has nuport- ed alnll and cow of this breed.andhi^ Excellency confirms the -ood character which the cow bears fur the quantity as well as quality of her milk; he says she uill afi'ord more than twice as nmrh milk a^ the ordinary cow of the country. The hWn/ Cou- is a pin tty little beast which will subsist on seanty pasture, and for its si^e is a gnod milker; it w -mid seem well suited to the soil and climate of Neufour.dland. ^ The Ahknicy and Guerr.je>j Cows are fine milker., o.th is to quanfitv and qualitv. Cows are thou-ht to be in their best ■r'H'JJ^^i'P. WiV »' -* i«t>^ i/A^'C I n state the third or fourth summer they are in milk, and they will co'ilinue in good condition till they are 10 or 12 years old. Poor feeding is the cause of many calves turning out bad cows ; it is a proverb in Somersetshire.that "if you starve your stock, your stock will starve you." To rear or keep any animal in per- fection it ought to be well fed and housed during the winter aj well as the summer. To the Newfoundland farmer I would suggest, that if during the winter he will pour boiling water over a bucket of choi)ped hay, and allow the whole to stand until it is lukewarm, and give it twice a day to his milch cows, he will be astonished at the good effect it will have upon them. I need hardly observe that bran and barley mashes and a chans^e or variety of di"t will be fouvid beneficial to the cow. Tnrmp, (in inod'^ration) carrot, mangel wurzel, are all excel- lent for milch cows, and the curry comb is as ^nportant nearly as hJf their food; there is not an implement upon a farm that is deserving of i.iore rc-spsct than the curry comb. Cleanliness in a cow-house are very important ; cattle arc more sensitive of bad smells and ainmoniacal evaporations than manv would suppose. SuHiiig'h the feeding of caUlc with green ciops in the house by mf.'aiis whireof dung is greatly acnnnulated, and the beast is b'pttir maiutnincd at a less o\pou^L• than ni p.i'^ture. Tl:e same n-.niiber of caltle inav be maintained on somewhat less than half of the land which" would be n(iuired if alU)wed to feed in tlie field. Uegular and frecpicnt fcedinii and d'anliness are the principal points to which attention should be directed. The cattle ouaht to be fed at least four times a day. and have plenty ol-vvat.^r." Tares, turnii)S. and turnip t.'ps are valuable food \\>v snilmg. The animalV milk i^ not lessened by cui.linemcnt I. • \* \ condition impair d. T!k farmer may be asMn( d that the gain in manure and sav- in- of food will largelv compensate for the trouble attending this- ■^v'^tem. and he is invited to read the evpenments that have been tried and on which it ha^ been otablishcd. The remark- .-.ble advanta-,'es of the system have been denion^t rated in Holland and B.lginm, and are now n.i'ch used in Scotland. Th^^ following directions for niakint: the manure pit are given bv one of the most skilful auricultuiists on this side of the ^"•l lutic -the late John V».nng. Lsq.,— " Let drains converge fio'n theduelliimbunse. stable, pigsty, and cow house into a pit in t'le vaul; let this pit be two or three feet deep and lined Vith fia's'or something to prevent the moisuire from escaping, and wid'e in proportion to tlie means of filUng it. Lay a coating A ■ •.■.'.-.■\ . .i.; -'*'»' ^;»Ur^'a-A-^- - % ■■..:• li ;!.;^v --•-• ■} -. T» MS •7 «' If . f •- 1 / ' i \ *. \ 13 of peat or (•.ulh at tlu' Ijolloin ;i foo' (Ict'.i. wln-d all the m;m- uic out of tlie (liHcieiit ofRces to t!.e pit, spreiKlinp it over the whole. When the heap b.-gins to fcinicnt spread the cleansing of ditches or voao or conmion c-yth over it, whereby the escape of the gases will be prevented ; continue in the same manner until the pit is filled. When the heap is removed, the peat or earth at the bottom, from havinp been saturated with the liquid, and the mould on top and thrc-ighout the heap, from having absorbed the gases, will be as nutritive as any part of the heap." The same author gives thu following advice respecting a com- post heap : — " A layer from the bamyard is first spread down in the form of an oblon''^ stji-ire, iibovc this is laid earth on the 9urf;ice, or the sward cut off by the spade.again another layer of dung, and so on alternately until it is raised three or four feet high, its sides and top are then covered over with soil (caked over), in this state fermentation takes place, and all the gases are con- fined. Sometimes the farmer turns over the heap a second and a third time, bringing on fermentation each time, until by this means all seeds of weeds arc effectually destroyed." In a publication' referring to Agriculture, and wntttn for the perusal, airongst oth.ers, of the labouring classes of .Xewfound- iand, a sh.crt notice of the manufacture of homc-inane cloth, both in wool and cotton, can b.ardly fail of proving inU resting. In the farm-houses of Iicland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Ed- ward Island, the loom is constantly to be found, but tlie manu- facture of l!on;e-spnn has only very recently been introduced into tliis Col'.nv. ; nd fniirelv thro'.iL'h the p.-r.-c^a' excvt;c:i3 of Sir G;,s].r,nl"l.f Minchant.' T'.K GoviiiidT .alnptcd :-horily after his ,,rri\al in t!i'- C>']ony, a wise rule in the di tnbntion of public r.'lief, viz.. that tliose v.ho received it ^hollld, if possible, give .^oi-.-.e wi,rk in return, not so much fur the value of the work itself, as of the moral t((i t'. <.i /.mdcr. requisition, :i tnc roads principle of n.-.-^.' ji Till St. .lehn's Fa to;v \\as accoLiindy pu* «. 1/. i;;ti.' tr. r tiii- lisi- di ti;a-'j ■' no n)u:anot hi' e.:,plo;.cd i or "tlur public works, and r few months a:,o a nic'i and his wif^' Wire lin-nght to St. .John's from Ca]H' Bit ton, who had been accustomed to the op^-rations of spinning ;:nd we; ving hcMUC-pun. Women and clilldren, who had no otl.cr einploy- nv nt (luring the winter, v, ire employed at tiie Tactoiy raiding and si-iiniin'g wool, and h aiiiiug tlie art of u caving ; and in the short space of three months, a "strong and warm descript. >n of woollen and cotton cloth has been produced, admirably a apt- miy^tllJIIi y l l MilW ■ ■ l| I lUJ I ■ ■ < / ij ,i^i*lpL.3auiwi :*a^^-*MLtte*.wi»i:'^ Si*<««*w-^j. ir^W «u-«-: . ..-.AifcA*----!-*--* 19 I ed to the purpos;3 of the Colony. Fema es who a few ^.e..ks since never had seen a loom are no« enabled to make from two to tliree yards of homespun in the day whilst a practised weaver will make seven yards a day, for which 2s. Od. or 3s. a yard can readily be obtained. . r i »u ;ft\,- One pound of clean wool will make one yard of cloth . it the produce of our own sheep will not suffice as much wool a^ may L required for some time, can be obtamed from the neighbour- ing Cilopies at 1 Od. or Ud. pt=r pound. A loom with ah its ap- pliances can be had for about £5, and one would be sufficient for a snail settlement. , , i , A'tiion-h our winters are not so dreary and hyperborean as some would represent them to be. there ^;;% ^^^'^^ .If "'j^^ during which in-door employment could be lohowed w ith gieat advantage and comfort by the labouring classes; and that occu- pation is surely worthy of encouragement wherem every mem- ber of a familv. from the father to the child of five >e^r» old. can be employed parts of the day m preparing wa-m and ma- ble clothing' for themselves. During many a long w nters eenin.^ the tedium and other evil consequences ol idlene s 3d%e happily averted wer. the manufacture of homespun more generallv follo^^ed; whilst the children are care ing the wooUlie mother spinning it. the lather weavmg it, al .ou d be contributing to the general support and each an n g n ne growth of industry and increase of domestic comfoit and ^'¥h?™stness and con.ancy w^ ^ which the Govenror encourn'^cs this branch of industry w fleet bs i.g ciedt mrhis administration, and he ..U t^u . mcrease tl- .uenent suiting from it bv enl.rging the sphere o 'ts open. Uo . I would tlierefore, respectfully suggest that the § 'P;-^ ; .\ ; ^ ; tices in the Ontports be instructed to proniote bj all m..,n. n. te?r power amingst the poor people of their respective d.^ tk^s^he spinnui.^of van! where weaving cannot """'o^-l'^t^- •b introduced; Wool might be ^^' J^^^ ^' ^'^Z^::^^ rlturned in its manufactured state to S . Johns, IL- 1... Giace. Carbonear, or such other places as m.gnt ofler a maiket. ' M the last An.rial Meeting of the A.nicultnral Society held on'll.e 9th January, 1S30. the following gentlemen were eiected ofliccrs : — Brvan Robiir.on. Esq., President. remaining in office a» Vice-I'risidt-nts al>o. C^^B;::;;^ E^n:: lion. J^e^^ yo.d. V.c.PrendenU. CharlM Simms and Anarcw Milrov. Esfjuires, re <.v ■F-^ - .- .^ «.~- ■» ^ -1 I »f I W JM}' 9 * i \ ,'...-*■ •IWri' » ■ ' ■' ■ l.^it ' -A"'-' ^i^'"i^;t,t^^r^>^v;>i'aA*at.i5tVi%.^* .«Wbi^.i^ '.l^i-^i^-di-. .Jig,. \^ ■ > \* - • •- -A I 1 20 Thomis R. Job, E?q., TrcanurcT. Mr. F. Tctpplfinan, Secretary. Comhultee of Management .-—Hot). E, M. Archibnld, Hon. \V. D. Row, L. O'Brien, Esq., Rov. T. F. H. \rid-e, J. Cllfr, E-^q., B. G. Gariett, Esq., S. Carson. E?q., M.D., E. Kiflley, Esq., M.D., H. W. Hovles, W. J. Ward, J. B. Bulley, P. Kough, M. Alien, M. Scaiilan, T. Byrne, J. Scaton, and J. Douglas, Esquires. The following is a copy of the Report reaJ, received, and adopted on that occasion : — On submitting the following report of the proceedings of the Newfoundland Agricultural Society during the past year, we feel great satisfaction in stating, that by .he blessing of Divine Proviik'.ue our humble efforts to i)roniote the objects of the Societv, in disiiibuting seeds ;ind in endeavouring to iuduce better and more improved modes of husbandry, have been em- inently successful, and that the result of the labour and atten- tion bestowed on the cultivation of the soil has been amply reunmerative, and fully confirm the anticipations of tliose wlio have been induced to cute rinize it. In the early jiart of the sta'-on the Comn.iitee procured and distiibuted such v.irieties of seeds as could be obtained by them, and were judged suitable to the soil of the climate ; the experience of former years had so sati'^factorily jiroved the utility of using such as bad been acclimatized, that they wcmld havc'jiroceeded to a nuich greater extt nt if the funds at the disposal of the Society had not restricted them, and as the ad- vantaL;cs resulting arc' now so manifest, they indulge the hope that more ample means will enable tbem on future occasions to meet the \\ants and encourage the industrial babi's of those whn mav not be able to jnccure seed for themselves. The Soei.tv have grat.iully to acknouhd,i:e the \msc and villing aid they have leceived from the Legislature, as well by the counlinauce and support accorded to tlieni, as by the pecuniary means which it placed at their disposal, thereby cnablni"' tl.rm to can v out their views and oi'jtcts with so much -uat^r < tfu iencv."and they trust that the finances of the Colonv v\:ll piiinit tlK'fieiural.A'-Mmbly to incn.is.' the Cii ants huttoYure m.ide for the encouragement of Agriculture, and the con-eipii ut iPioducticm of the nccssaries of life. The Soci*-#ypi 'jrrifiM TLM'^ m ■■n V ^ ')1 f*!] They rightly jiulgcd that a full development and juJiciors combination of all tlie available resources of the Colony are alone best calculated to promote and secure the prosneiity and happiness of the people, and that the cultivation of the soil, vliilst it in no way interfered \vith or retarded the ordinary operatio'is of our fisheries, would afTovd employment to many, who could not otherwise profitably dispose of tlieir time, and that in return, it would yield, if not abundance, at least as much as would well re|)ay their toils, and secure them against tb()se wants and casu.ilities v.ith which they had been so often visited. Influenced by these coii>id( rations. His l£,\cellency the Governor has span J no pains, and lias been uniemitfing in Ins e\Cilions to piMiiote aiul i xtuid the cultivation of the soil, and to bring into operition all the resources of the land ; and short as the time has been during which these experiments have been in active progress, His Excellency has doubtless the satisfaction of seeing tint his most sanguine anticipations are being fully realized. Since the failure of the potato crop, and during the cc' itinu- ance of tlie disease, the attention of the Farmer has been naturally directed to the cultivation of grain, a.id it is gratifying to observe, that with very ft u exceptions, the result has f)fen sali'.faetoiy both in \itld ami (luality. The quantity of bailey iiiul oats, iiuhprndiut of wlua' gii'wn, and dv( -ed at the Farmers' Mill, ]\i\er Head alui duiing the / utunin, and still coming in daily, sufficienlly delll()n^trates tht mportant fact, that the ulture of our com is no longer conluied to a scanty preen crop, to help iu fu'dini: cattle, but now results in the jirodiietion of a pvimaiy aitiele of human food. Ou- wheat is found to weigli, with \(ry few exceptions, not less than sixty poun(is to the bushel, and our oats and barley maintain a prop irtionate character. With a vie v to encourage this im- portant br.uuli of our agriculture, His Excellency caused Si . (val fhnu-aiul Im-luls of sied corn, of the best and most suii'Me di>ni|)tii>n, to be iii,]unted fioin \arious places, and di^triiuited a ,1(111: tlie fanm rs tlnnirjlmut the CoKiiiy. The rc-^ult has biin lnuliiy .ahantagi'ous ;— the harvest has yielded a fair return, and ihu e.nc has liei n tnlvrn to mark and ascer- tain the rarieties of srcd uliich apprar to be best suited to our f-it'\\ and cliiiiate. 'i'ln Society tliankfulJy arknow ]. il;;e the soliiltudi' man "st- ed b) the (ni\( iiKir, th.it llu bu(d of (attle here should be impio\ed '.ad eiicomaged. With this \iew His Kxcellt ncy has in. ported two cows and a bull of the Ayrshire breed. The bull h, 1){ I n placed at the drove Farm, in the care of Mr. Jocelvn. I I- .„J — .,( .^'Ci-t-'>«.N -*1 'ft: ..>: ■■■]:: ^■a-^ V* . . . --L- i' 22 Of the character of tlie Ayrsliirc cow it is umccto^.iry to say more than that the one imported yields now, without having bestowed on it any more care or trouble than upon the ordina- ry cattle, almost double the quantity of milk that can be ob- tained from the ordinary cow of tlie Cojoi j. Tiie prizes ofTered for Cdinpetition by His Excellency last season, produced a show of fat cattle in the park fronting Go- vernment House, in March last, ^^iich as never had been wit- nessed here before, and would not have disgraced the English market. His Excelkiicy in pcri^on lianded over the prizes to the successful competitors, and on doing so stated, that he shoidd feel happy in gi^ ing similar prizes for the next year. — The show of fat cattif for the ensuing year comes off on the 12th of March next Those prizes, also, which His Excellency so liberally offered and paid to those who, by their skill and industry, had reclaim- ed and brought niuler cultivation the greatest quantity of ground, and for the best and nio>t approved s;niii)V.>s of grain, of various kinds, and of \egi tiil'ks, luitter, and cheese, have been attended with the hapj)iest results. The exhibition which was held in October last, in the j.-^eat hall of the Market House Building, in compctitio!! for lliise prizes, excited the wonder and a^tonishniint of inaiiy wlm IkkI Ikiu present at exhibitions in the old countries, and who ;i ft ^ voars ;igo 'Muld not be induced to believe til, it our soil v as cajjable of yielding such fine s. mples. The H;dl on this occa-ion was tastefully deco- rated \.ith flags and cm rgneijs, the Band of the Royal New- foundl. nd Coiiipaiiie> W.I'-, till uii-li tile courtesy of tlic Com- manding Otficer, in ;itti ii(Lince. and His Excillcr.cy, ;is on former occasions, hai.(U,l the Sv\ I. '.Ill prizes with suitable ;-,;',d encouraging observations to (ad; of the suc< ( ssful compiiitors. His Excellency has be en pleased to oiler an .ulditional prize of Ten Pounds for the m^uitig and ^ucctcding years, fo be called " Tiie Le Marcliant I'li/e." With ,i \ it w that lo p.utoftur pojnilatioii who nia\ l>< iiulu-ti imwly inil ud may w.mt usi'ful and profitable ( u.pi'.-. ;iu iit His I'xceliui \ li.'.s takm measures to inijiort and ^eeue the m i\i(c> of a man and I'is wife to in- stnut those who I'Mx lie iK ikhi- to barn the operation of spinning and \M,\ii;g f1,i\ .md\\ool. Tin Sniiity stronglj' recommend the a''.iitioii ol the I lu>uiing i1.i.-m s to this impor- tant bi-,iiich of ini'i^try ; it is om iiiii\ . i - ill_\ [uir>iieil thro\i;4h- oiit the Meiglibjuriiiv; colonies ; it i-. \\''I1 kiiu.Mi that om jioupd weight of \\ool will jDii'hui' oni' yaid ofg^xid warm ilotli, and of much belter te\t.ire th.m is usu.,liy piirch.iMd in the shops; and as the <\p'^n^e in |.r 'lucing i( is sor.rcely anything beyond n« lilRi p f ■■ If I 'TT 23 ihu ti:m', \v];ij!i in loo in;iny iiist:i:ici.-s is unnrofitably spoilt, it is lioj)(.'(l that the honiesj)un of Xewfouiulland will soon become as g(.'!:t'ially known and valued as the other productions of the Country. The Society begs that those who have not witnessed lIic operation of cloth-making will satisfv themselves by visiting the St. John's Factory, where they will v^itness and be giatified by the ]iroficien':y already attained in this domestic manufac- ture. Should this measure succeed, as there is good reason to tnink it will— it will serve as «. further inducement to pay more attention to the breed and increase of sheep, which would prove of i;reat adv.uitage. it is ]iii;lily gratifying to see enrolled among the Members of the Apricr.ltural So( lety, the nanies of so many of the re- spectable nurchants of this place, who have been spending their lives in pursuing the Trade .uid Fisheries: it affords the strongest evidence of the falk-cy of the opinions formerly pre- valent, but of late years rapidly disappearing, that to encourage Agiieiiltinv and promote the cultivation of the soil, would nece^saviIy create separate and conflicting interests. The facts already prove the contrary, for not only are the orjinary pur- suits of the Fibhcries not impeded or in any wise interfered ^\ith, but it has now become evident that the best interests of the ti.ide. and the itioral and social condition of the people, are cciiKiIlv i>ronu>tid bv briuLring to ou. aid all those valuable • ~C> ... f, I'll auxiliary rvsources, whi; h by a proper application o. our skill and iudn>try our soil is capal)le of yiJding to us, and the So- ciety wo'.ild now impress upon the minds of all the working cla>-st", iiivie i>aiticulaily on those en^raged in Agricultural pu',>u:t>, that tlie present state and condition of the country rftjuire iiiat every one should renew, and if possible rcloable his e\i.;r;ons in his ies;)ective position; and experience abun- dantly proves, that nun cajL-'ljle of labour, relying under Pro- vidence on tl'.eir own pvrscverance and industry, and having surh f'jc'lities as are so easily attained in Nowfoundl'i'id, will sehi.i'.n fail in profuving a conifoitahle support a:id maintenance for till. :;^sv!-,es and tli'.ir f,.mil;es. It is - sjjive of great sati-fiL-tion to observe that the disease nffectin.: our potato crops h.is duri:v.; this season assumed a more mitigated rspect, and has lieen much less destructive in its ravages; it is still li(>\\e\(T inore or Icfs extmsive, but we ii:(hilge the liope that, b\ the Blessing of Ptovidencc, and a carefu! alt, nlion to tiie iiiltnre of the root, it may soon pass auay. It In hovcs us in the mean tune to bcstOA- every care on the culture of our corn, and to apportion the various seeds to the different soils bcbt fitted fur their reception. ' I .1 Vf — ■ I H4 I ,•■• '>••*.> i4r»-»» mB SKESOESSSmaES m • .J- ,' ^ -I, <• , x-Ti^--*? .- ft. ■ • 4. if ■ i 1?!- 24 Tiic ha- crop is found to be nnicli lelow an avi-ru^'c one this season perhaps to the extent of one third ; this deficiency, however will not be so severely felt, as the increased quantity of com raised, yielding also fodder, (whi -h uith a portion of the -rain) will enable the farmers to keep their cattle through the winter. The turnip crop has been abundant, and proves a vcrv seasonable auxiliarv. With regard to the turnip crop the'^^ocictv find by experience that those dcscripHons of that v'e-ctable required for winter use and for cattle f-cdmg (except Swedish, which should be sowed as early as possible) may with safety and advantage be sovved from the ISth to the 2oth July, as by that period the flv, so destructive to the plant, has dis- appeared, and -afficient time remains to mature and save the crop before the advent of frost. Ci.ds' heads green p,ouglitd into the )and- a fortnight or three weeks before tlie seed is sowed is an infallible and excellent manure for turnips. The cultivation of Spring (or Summer) vetches requires only to be Generally known to be universally adopted ; sowed with a little oats as late as the bcuinning of June, (but belter if earlier) thev will vield a valuable crop of green fodder just at that period of' the vear when the pasture is eaten low aiid the '.ftcr-'^rass has not matured. Ahout four bushels are sufficient for an^'acre. mixed with about lialf a bushel of oats. The Societv has ordered an as~ortnunt of seeds of the best GLScripiion to avrive early in the spring, and thtv Imp:- that the Le-i-lature will enable tliem to repeat and incivase their orders. The T'rea'^urcr-s account exhibits the manner in which the funC^ place-' ^ the disposal of tlie Committee have been chs- burscd during the past year. The society regret to say that tlie more pressing claims on its funds would not permit ihein to appropriate so much as they dcMved for prizes fur the best cultivated farms. r .i „,„ Before closing this report, the Agricultural Society, for them- c^lv-s and for all others e..^.,..: in the cultivation of the soil, U-^cresJ.'ct fully to tender tlieir grateful and si'iceie thanks to v;:tExcelUnev tlie Goveninv for tlie p-tronage ana i.uivaMng co-opcralionuith which His i:vcelK-.Ry has b.en pleaded to honour the soci.tv. and for all those persona e.Nertions ^^1uch His Excellencv has made in furthcnance of this object 1 be S.cietv beg to reiterate its thanks to the Lvgi^lature for the countJnance it has Miown to and tlie eonruUnce it has repos.d in it, and in cchkIumou to ^-'.^i.fc"*^ » f.' ■ - i 'f- ■-"■ - .J, -i i **' ■<,:-i-irf^-:<^L ^-.:\':':^\,:\r: f'^-- f^'. ^:;^. _. . ,..,,. • AlnTnte iti.tiIiij; of ll^e ' Ai;ncultirrnl SoVirAVX^mfV "dift, "EsIj.^ broiinlit 1,1, Jir ils coiiMil..r..li>,;is it h: '>rpii siilniiiicd to ilic it-st offuccess-rul expc liinrrt, ir,d we.'" 'oforc !in»e niLcli plcnsiirf in sul.juiniii;; ii,c folli.v\ii.j,r r, ci ipt -.^ilb . wliitii «e luive b. CI, kindl; fumislKd Lj- Mr. Clifi for puLlicaiiou : '•'"■ ■ ■ '. ''"" ■ •- ^ ' v: ■"-■■-■-• -■^■- ''■'': '"o mckc ra.'nt.— Hiiviiy Lren so frrtjuenily rp| lied to for ilie fdllow-. ingriciiji, iiiilil ilhi.s lui;ii.elroLLli.'Oiiietojji\ec(piesofil, I i.cujst joutopi.Mi^i.it. j^,. i-^^;^^ To n.:.l>i- A-i;,/ wi linit vliiie Icid or oil : 2 Qiu.ns >V nm id n i.k,' 2 ouiirit fr. hli fl-ikul !in:r. 5 I (uiikIs wliiiiiii'. Tilt ll.r lime in'n a >•( no vp"r', pr u- iijon it a s-.irTc'cnl qr..\; u'y i ' I!;, to n-.akf a iijxiurr rrs,ii,l. in;: cr. an . ilu- r,-iM ,in.Kr o: il.c iiiiik i» il„n lo l,c .,("ej; and lasih ilie vlming is tlipn lo te rriin.l.l. d, nuii i d on il.e sn ! .re of the fluid, in «l,ir|, ii p,adu.illv >it,k». At tl>i!< j.rriod it n.i. . b- well niirej in, or grmiiid i.s _»im >.ouIJ m! er juint, .-nj ii i» Ii: (or iiiC. 1 Ik re m.iv Lc a„,!. J uvy co'( urir g ini.ll. r iliat n.iis li.e fury. It is lo Lr ;.;>jliiJin i!ie s inie i: .-nner as o.Iifr p.iinf, r.r'l in .■> fi v. 1,. lirs it «iil bnomp|.pir-r;IyHrv. A;,..il,er co.i „ ny il.en be r,ilJ ,!. .- „ I so on until the l\cil iiCoiLjilrlrd. Tblsp.lnt is of j^r. al trr.;iei:y/ aii.I iuivv.-ls a f'i 'hi elashciiy, kIikIi Jiiibles it to bear m'.bn^ cv 'n wiili a cjarss iv.ko ! n c' )'.Ii wiil.oul biiim ill ill- I :.s,t H > p j i tp pi 111 I t .1 , 1 (AJf.}'»-:*.V ! -. t '• ''i • Ksit 1 ' ^ . _ ^ V w^ r.- . . - Wi- . '■f' *\-^ fp*' ■•(...■ -*.-- fe ; u-i w; p? I...*- . w^ -■• !..•>.- -.■-^- BK'Vi^ •:itr;'^:.- Ei^ c_v!:s pes?' p^.*^ r .- ^ ■-» ■ •-"'.. ^-- ?r4V ' -- • 4^?^ . ,. ■ r,>- i- ^ " fe-e ... '. - -' ^*tA. ff^" ■ " * ivf- _ . .-_ ^Firi J ' »i_ ?^J V j-' n.^^i;; -•«»<:i?«r .;^:jft4*'5i&'u s.^'..* few***-.. -.^ .<-.v.'«»oi»..v . *.- -^ . . * .iVtCAi .1 ^! -. . .J**'