of woman. The Female Academy, by Miss Sarah Pierce, opened in the year 1792, was one of the earliest schools of the kind established in the United States. And as in mental culture, so in the mechanic arts, we, of this county, have not been last, nor least. The clocks from Plymouth, the scythes and axes from Winsted, and the woollen cloths from Wolcottville, have been celebrated almost throughout the country long time ago; and more recently, in Salisbury, there has been established the pioneer shop for manufacturing American pocket cutlery, already followed by one in Plymouth, and others in this State. But if Litchfield has been some what celebrated as above stated, she has been more so in a different line. There is not, perhaps, a county in the United States where so many fine steers and oxen have been raised as in this. To particularize the different towns of the county might be thought invidious, where nearly all take so much interest in the subject. The Messrs. Hulburt, of Winchester, were the pioneers in raising stock from imported Devons, and their celebrity is to this day as extensive in our country, as their orders received for bull calves from year to year will show. Mr. Case, of Harwinton, has a Devon bull which was imported a year ago at great expense-a very fine animal.

The stock of the county are generally grade animals, being a mixture of what is usually termed native and Eaton breeds, with or without Devon blood. The usual manner of breaking in steers is to yoke them at any age from one year to two and a half years old, and put them between two pairs of cattle, to drive occasionally until familiarized to the yoke and driver; then, when returning towards their place of keeping, after having been a while from it, to put them on the lead, and accustom them to mind the motions of the whip, and haw or gee, as told As they advance in training, put them on the pole or neap of the cart or sled when empty, and accustom them to hold it back or carry it steadily down hill. Use and care in driving by an experienced teamster will soon make them pefectly tractable and handy. A large proportion of the finest steers raised in the county, and broken to the yoke, are sold out of the county at four or five years old; and many of them are those which have taken premiums at the shows and fairs of the adjoining counties of Hartford, New Haven, and Fairfield, in this State, and at the New York State fair, and that of the American Institute of New York city, but more particularly bulls and heifers at the two last mentioned places. CYRUS CATLIN.

COLUMBIA, CONNECTICUT,

December 30, 1852.

SIR: In reply to your Agricultural Circular of August last, a copy of which came to hand, I would say, that corn is the principal crop with us. Guano is but little used; average product, about 40 bushels per acre. Cost of production varies much; an average, perhaps, would be 25 cents per bushel for the labor. I planted, the season past, 24 acres on a field which had been pastured for about 30 years previous, and it was considered worn-out. In the spring of 1851, it was ploughed up; July 1st, ploughed again; 12 loads (25 bushels each) of barn yard manure spread on; two bushels buckwheat sown and harrowed in; product, 40 bushels

buckwheat. In the spring of 1852, in May, 48 loads (30 bushels each) of coarse manure from the bain-yard were spread on; ploughed once; dunged in the hill with 20 loads (30 bushels each) of fine manure, which was carted on the fall previous; planted the 20th of May; rows 3 feet apart each way; yellow corn; hoed twice; running a cultivator between the rows each way before the first hoeing, and using a plough at the second; harvested by cutting up by the ground, and husked about the 20th of September; carted in and husked about the 1st of November; product, 196 bushels ears assorted corn, and 36 bushels of poorer quality, making 232 bushels of ears in the whole, equal to about 120 bushels of corn. I have measured out and shelled two bushels of ears; product, about one quart over one bushel grain. The whole expense, including drawing the manure last fall and this spring, was $40, or 33 cents per bushel; cultivation, aside from the hauling of manure, $16, or about 14 cents per bushel.

I have described this crop more minutely, as it is the ordinary course pursued in this vicinity. Considering the previous state of the field, I should consider this more than an average crop for the labor. It was so considered by my neighbors.

There is a spirit of emulation excited in regard to this and most other farm crops in this region, and I think I hazard nothing in saying that the average per acre of the corn crop has doubled in the last 20 years in

this town.

The crop is usually ground before it is fed out.

Oats are a profitable and good crop; average, about 40 bushels per acre; usually do well; expense of cultivating, small; and a ready sale at about 42 cents per bushel. They are now worth 50 cents per bushel.

Barley but little cultivated in this vicinity.

Ryc.-Our soil in the main is not fitted for this crop, it being springy and wet, except some sandy land on the borders of the small rivers, and occasionally dry knolls.

Clover and Timothy are the grasses mostly cultivated; average per acre, 1 ton. Clover is thought to be injurious to horses by most peo. ple, tending to an irritation which results in the heaves. Others claim that if the clover is cured in a proper manner it will not produce irritation, or a cough, in horses sooner than any other kinds of hay; and this opinion seems to be gaining ground, and people are more particular about curing it. The results, as far as my observation extends, are most favorable to the latter opinion.

Butter is made to some extent; sold in the manufacturing villages at sixteen to eighteen cents per pound in summer, twenty to twenty five cents in the winter.

Hogs are raised only for home consumption. There is much emulation among farmers in regard to them. Many, at sixteen months old, are made to weigh, when dressed, over five hundred pounds. Pigs, at eight months, are often made to weigh three hundred pounds and over. Making pork here is a good business at present prices-eight to nine cents per pound in the hog.

Irish potatoes are a good crop; but have suffered by the rot in past years, and farmers have not planted so many as usual. The past season they have escaped entirely.

Fruit is beginning to receive attention, and I am satisfied can be

made with us an exceedingly profitable crop. Our soil seems to be favorable. The yellows are destroying our peach trees, however. I know of no remedy except one, which I regretted to put in practice last spring, to wit, hitching a yoke of oxen to the trees and pulling them up, root and branch, as I did some favorite ones.

Respectfully, yours,

JOHN L. YEOMANS.

DEAR SIR: By the politeness of C. M. Ingersoll, esq., I received your Circular some time since, and, more recently, am still more indebted to him for a copy of the Patent Office Report.

These reports are very useful, and highly prized by the farmers; and I could wish that every man that tills the ground of our beloved country was possessed of these books.

My home is in New England, in one of the oldest towns in Connecticut. The land here has been cultivated for more than two hundred years; and yet, when properly improved, is capable of producing, and does produce, as good crops as most any other section of the country. The manures mostly used are barn yard manure and white fish, (manhaden,) although the latter is not so much used as formerly.

Wheat. But little is raised here, for the reason that, years past, it could not be raised; but last summer some fine pieces were grown here. One man told me he had as fine a piece of wheat as ever grew out of the ground. It is being more cultivated than formerly, and, if it continues successfully, will enlist the attention of farmers immediately.

Corn.-Corn is grown here extensively, principally for feed. People generally raise and fatten their own pork. Hogs will fatten on ground corn. I cannot tell what the average yield per acre is; some large and some small. It is generally planted on grass ground, turned over with a coat of barn-yard manure. Some turn in rock-grass with yard manure, and some add a coat of manhaden at the first hoeing; others think it best to put on a coat of fish at the third hoeing, just as the corn is setting, which tends to push out, and fills the ears more perfectly.

Oats.-Oats are not so much raised. Formerly it was the practice to seed our land down in grass, with oats; but of late years grass seldom comes in with oats; so that oats have, in a measure, gone into disrepute. Rye.-Rye has become quite a favorite with our farmers. Grass succeeds much better sown with rye than oats. A mixture of wheat and rye is frequently sown together.

Grass.-Herdsgrass and clover are grown here. Herdsgrass is the chief. It is now almost universally sown in the fall; sometimes alone, but oftener with rye or wheat.

Clover is sown in the month of March, on a light snow generally, the object being to secure a crop of grass the first year. The clover is soon overcome by the more hardy herdsgrass.

Neat Cattle.-Probably there are more neat cattle in the town than were born here. If it were not for making manure and disposing of

some of our poorer kinds of hay, the raising of neat cattle would not be profitable.

Potatoes.-Irish is the crop on which the farmers principally depend as a source of income. Being on Long Island Sound our potatoes find a ready market in New York city, by means of coasting vessels. We have suffered much from the rot for some years past; know nothing of the cause, but are well acquainted with its effect. The past fall our potato crop was nearly free from the rot; the average yield would not be more than one hundred bushels to the acre, if that. Those planted early have succeeded best; those planted late rotting more than early ones. Last year late ones did very well, not rotting.

Manures. Perhaps nowhere in the United States are manures of more importance than to the New England farmer. Without it we can do nothing; with it we succeed in raising fine crops, by careful attention. To us the study of the nature of soils and manures is of vast consequence, and, indeed, necessary.

I have not had much experience in agriculture, or, rather, my experience has been such as would bear testimony that, with improper treatment, good New England land can be made to bear small crops.

It was formerly our practice to drain our yards, and keep them as dry as possible; but now I feel perfectly convinced of the folly of such a

course.

If I were to build a barn, I would have a cellar under it; which I think would be better laid with stone and cement; although yards are dishing, and there is no chance for the liquids to run off, yet, the best part of it will be constantly soaking into the ground. Rock-grass is used, or has been used extensively some years past; it is a very good manure if you can get that which is good.

But, next to barn-yard manure, nothing has been so generally used as white-fish. The use of them has been the means of making many fertile fields of land, which were before barren and unimproved; although many times they have been used injudiciously.

I was thinking, if these Reports from the Patent Office could be more generally distributed amongst our agriculturists, or be placed within the means of our farmers, they would be eagerly sought for, and prove a blessing to the nation. I am not aware that the books can be purchased at any book-store, or of any agent.

After Congress have published their quantum, if many thousand copies extra were printed, to be sold at cost of publishing, I think that many of a class who seldom now, if ever, get hold of one, would soon have them after an opportunity.

I am, very respectfully, yours,

SAMUEL BEACH.

WESTON, SOMERSET COUNTY, N. J.,
December 20, 1852.

SIR: In compliance with a request contained in your Agricultural Circular, I forward you some practical hints on the different crops which are cultivated in this part of our State.

Wheat, varieties sown: Mediterranean, white flint, red chaff, Hutchi

son, old ball, and several others; Mediterranean, however, is the kind which is mostly sown; in fact there is more of that kind raised than all others together, and when cut in the dough state makes a very superior flour, since it has become acclimated among us; bakers considering the flour from good Mediterranean wheat superior to any others for bread, because it is stronger and will bear more water. I would here remark, that I consider any wheat better by being cut while it is so that you can mash most of the grains between your fingers when you commence cuting. If left until fully ripe, the bran is thicker, and of course is more liable to be cut up among the flour.

Our rotation consists of the five-shift course, commencing with corn on the sod, which has been top dressed with lime the previous year, and ploughed under in the fall or spring. The corn is followed by oats, which being harvested, the stubble is turned under about 7 inches or more, (the deeper the better for wheat,) manure spread upon the ground and ploughed two different times after, and a portion of lime-say 50 bushels per acre-harrowed in with it; when it is sown with wheat and Timothy seed in the fall-say by the 15th of September; clover-seed is sown in the spring. About 2 bushels of wheat and 6 quarts of the grassseeds per acre are used. The wheat has the important advantage of succeeding two cleansing crops, and the ground, after harvesting the wheat, is left in fine condition for hay grasses. The first year after the wheat is harvested, the grass is mown; the second, pastured; after which, the sod is again turned under for corn, and the rotation recommences.

Guano is used by some farmers in large quantities, who apply from 200 to 400 pounds per acre. It is considered an excellent and economical manure for wheat; 400 pounds will generally give 30 and 35 bushels per acre on land that would not give 15 bushels without it. We have an article called the super-phosphate of lime, manufactured on a large scale, which comes at the same price of guano; it is composed of bone-dust dis. solved in sulphuric acid and mixed with sulphate of ammonia and guano, and it is said by those who use it to be superior guano, inasmuch as it is all soluble, not volatile, like guano.

Average yield per acre, about 20 bushels; though some farmers get as much as 40 bushels per acre. After sowing, we sometimes use the plough to work in the grain, which, by the way, is one of the best modes of putting in wheat. Some use the cultivator, which answers very well. Within the last two years some farmers are introducing seed drills, and, when the land is not rough, these machines will prove very valuable to the farmer. By using them there is a great saving of seed. The yield is generally on the increase; land improving rapidly by the use of the subsoil-plough, and by the draining of the wet lands. Many farmers who use tile and stone for draining the wet lands get paid for all expense in the first crop raised after, especially when planted in corn. Price of wheat, $1 12 per bushel.

Corn. This important crop is largely cultivated among us. New Jersey corn always stands highest on the list in the New York market. The practice of raising varies with the location. Some lime and plough up the sward without any manure; others draw out all their barn-yard manure, in the spring, on their corn ground, and plough it under as deep as the strength of the team will admit of. The last practice is generally followed in sandy and loany locations, especially where wheat is not