the present time, it is hoped that the de- reciprocally, and lead to a more general votion to this subject of more space than and perfect sympathy. The subject is needed for a mere table of figures repre- one worthy a more able pen, and I senting our products of agriculture will would shrink from the task, conscious of be tolerated, and that you will approve inability to do justice to the subject, did the short history attempted for each of I not suppose that this feeble effort may our great productions of agriculture, well present points of practical value, for emcalculated as such an account will be to bellishment by those better adapted for make our people better acquainted the duty. with the importance of their productions STATEMENT SHOWING THE NUMBER OF ACRES OF IMPROVED AND UNIMPROVED LAND, IN FARMS, CASH VALUE THEREOF, AND AVERAGE CASH VALUE PER ACRE IN EACH STATE, ETC.: Lands-Farming Implements-Domestic Animals. IMPROVED LAND.-The statement under this head in the agricultural table shows that the average quantity of improved land, by which is meant only such as produce crops, or in some manner add to the productions of the farmer, is about seven and one-third acres to each inhabitant; but as perhaps twofifths of the population live in towns and villages, and are engaged in other pursuits than those of agriculture, the proportion of improved land to be assigned to each person occupying or working it may be assumed to be not less than twelve acres. In the New-England States, the average for the whole population is a little more than four acres to each person; in New-York and Pennsylvania, three and nine-tenth acres ; in the other Middle States the same. In Virginia the proportion is about seven acres; in South Carolina, six acres; in Kentucky, twelve acres; and in Tennessee, five acres. The cash value of the farms in the United States is set down at $3,270,733,093. 223 prices of labor so low, as to create less necessity for such machines; and nowhere does the same amount of ingenuity appear to have been exercised in their preparation as is evinced with our mechanics and husbandmen. In some portions of the old world where the necessity is felt and acknowledged by the intelligent, a predominating prejudice not unfrequently exists among others in the community against what is new, and prohibits the introduction of anything not stamped with the approval of their ancestors, nor covered with the venerable moss of antiquity.. Here, however, no such sentiment influences the farmer to reject a useful invention. cane); Ohio, $12,750,585; Kentucky, $5,169,037; Virginia, $7,021,772. No greater delight was enjoyed by foreigners in London, during the great Industrial Exhibition, than that by Americans on the trial of the reaping machines and the triumphant success of the American Reaper. Of the whole sum expended in articles of this character, New-York has invested $22,084,UNIMPROVED LAND.-This return is 926; Pennsylvania, $14,722,541; Louto be understood as including the unim- isiana, $11,576,938 (perhaps to a great proved land connected with or belonging extent in machinery for crushing sugarto those farms from which productions are returned. In the present unsettled state of large portions of the country, DOMESTIC ANIMALS.-When we conthis classification is of less practical sider the social condition of nations, long utility than it will become at a future congregated and civilized, and necessaday, when similar returns will enable rily existing under the impulses of utilius to form calculations respecting the tarianism, it is not surprising that man, quantity of land brought into requisition whether possessing a permanent abode, annually for agricultural purposes. The or having emigrated to a distant land, preceding table exhibits the quantity and value of the improved and unimproved land belonging to the farms and plantations of the several states, and of course it includes the value of the buildings thereon. VALUE OF FARMING IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINERY.-For no stronger proof of the ingenuity and activity of the American mind need we search, than that developed in the readiness with which labor-saving expedients for carrying on the commonest operations in agriculture are discovered and applied. One hundred and fifty-one millions of dollars would appear to be at this time invested in implements and machinery for aiding and abridging the work of the hands in cultivating the earth and in preparing its produce for consumption. In most civilized countries of the old world, so great is the density of the population, and the should become attached to those animals which have proffered to him their perfect obedience, sagacity, courage, strength, velocity, milk, fleeces, flesh, &c., and should regard them with admiration, gratitude, and even affection. Such, doubtless, was the case with most of the adventurers who first sought a new home on our shores, and brought with them those animals which would render them the most assistance and subserve the best purposes for clothing and food. The first animals introduced into America from Europe were by Columbus, in his second voyage, in 1493. He left Spain as admiral of seventeen ships, bringing a collection of European trees, plants, and seeds of various kinds, a number of horses, a bull and several cows. The first horses brought into any part of the territory at present embraced in the United States, were landed in Florida by Cabeza de Vaca, in 1527, forty-two in number, all of which perished or were otherwise killed. The next importation was also brought to Florida by De Soto, in 1539, which consisted of a large number of horses and swine, among which were thirteen sows, the progeny of the latter soon after increasing to several hundreds. The Portuguese took cattle and swine to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, in the year 1553. Thirty years after they had multiplied so abundantly, that Sir Richard Gilbert attempted to land there to obtain supplies of cattle and hogs for his crew, but was wrecked. Swine and other domestic animals were brought over to Acadia by M. L. Escarbot, a French lawyer, in 1604, the year that country was settled. In 1608 the French extended their settlement into Canada, and soon after introduced various animals. In 1609, three ships from England landed at Jamestown, in Virginia, with many emigrants and the following domestic animals, namely, six mares, one horse, six hundred swine, five hundred domestic fowls, with a few sheep and goats. Other animals had been previously introduced there. In 1611, Sir Thomas Gates brought over to the same settlement one hundred cows, besides other cattle. The year following Sir Ralph Lane imported some cows from the West Indies. In 1610, an edict was issued in Virginia prohibiting the killing of domestic animals of any kind on penalty of death to the principal, burning the hand and loss of the ears to the accessory, and twenty-four hours' whipping to the concealer. poultry and swine. Hence it may be concluded that their importation followed soon after the first settlement in 1620. In the year 1629, one hundred and fifteen cattle were brought over in the "Grand Embarkation," besides some horses and mares, several conies, and forty-one goats. In 1750, the French of Illinois were in possession of considerable numbers of horses, cattle, and swine. The present stock of the United States consists of the offspring of the animals first introduced into the country; the crosses of the original breeds with one another, or the intermixture of the progeny of these crosses with those of more recent importation and the pure-blooded animals brought directly from Europe, or the crosses of these with one another. The principal breeds of horses adapted for specific purposes, in the middle, northern, and western states, are the Norman, the Canadian, the Morgan, the Conestoga, or Pennsylvanian, the Virginian, and the Kentuckian. For carriages of heavy draught, the Conestogas are regarded by many as the best. For the saddle, draught, and other useful purposes, the Morgans are highly prized, especially in New-York. For roadsters, the Normans and Canadians are frequently sought. For blood, the Virginians and Kentuckians generally take the lead. Among the various races of cattle existing among us, where strict regard is paid to breeding, with a definite object in view, a preference is given to the Durhams or Short Horns, the Herefords, the Ayrshires, and the Devons. The Durhams, from their rapid growths, earAs early as the year 1617, the swine ly maturity and capability of taking on had multiplied so rapidly in the colony fat, are adapted only for high keeping, that the people were obliged to palisade or to the richest pastures of the middle Jamestown to prevent being overrun and northern states, and those of Ohio, with them. In 1627, the Indians near Kentucky, and other parts of the west. the settlement fed upon hogs, which had The males, when judiciously crossed become wild, instead of game. Every with the other breeds, or with the comfamily in Virginia, at that time, who had mon cows of the country, often beget the not an abundance of tame hogs and poul- best of milkers, and for this purpose they try, was considered very poor. In 1648, have been especially recommended. some of the settlers had a good stock of The Herefords, on the contrary, from bees. In 1657, sheep and mares were their peculiar organization, are better forbidden to be exported from the prov- adapted for poor or indifferent pastures, ince. By the year 1722, or before, sheep and regions subject to continued drought; had somewhat multiplied, and bore good and for this reason they are well suited fleeces. for California, New Mexico, Texas, and other parts of the South. The oxen of this breed are good in the yoke, and the As early as 1629, the Plymouth colony of Massachusetts possessed cattle, goats, Varieties of Sheep, Swine, Cattle, and Horses. cows, when properly fed, give an abundance of milk. The Ayrshires are best suited for a cool, mountainous region, or a cold, rigorous climate. They succeed well in Massachusetts, New-Hampshire, and Vermont, and are highly prized for their tameness, docile tempers, and rich milk. The Devons, from their hardihood, comparatively small size, and peculiar structure, appear to be adapted to almost every climate and to all kinds of pasturage. From their stoutness, good tempers, honesty, and quickness of action, they make the best teams, and in this respect their chief excellence consists. The cows make fair milkers, and their flesh very good beef. They also possess great aptitude to take on fat. The kinds of sheep most sought for are the pure-blooded Merinos, the Saxons, the Cotswolds, the Leicestershires, the Oxfordshires, and the South Downs. The Merinos, including the Rambouillets, the Cotswolds, the Liecestershires, the Oxfordshires and the Saxons, are the most highly prized for their wool. The South Downs are particularly esteemed for the excellence of their flesh, and their wool is valuable for many purposes, on account of the facility with which it can be wrought. The prevailing breeds of swine in the middle, northern, and western states are the Berkshire, the Leicestershire, the Suffolk, the Essex, the Neapolitan and the Chinese. From these and other varieties, various crosses have been produced, the more important of which are the Byfield, the Woburn, the Bedford, the Grass and the Mackay. The Neapolitans are particularly well adapted for a Southern climate. In 1627, the plantations on James river contained about 2,000 head of horned cattle, goats in great abundance, and wild hogs in the forest without number. In 1639, there were in Virginia 30,000 cattle, 200 horses and 70 asses; and in 1648, there were 20,000 cows, bulls and calves, 200 horses and mares, 50 asses, 3,000 sheep, 5,000 goats, swine, both tame and wild hens, turkeys, ducks and geese innumerable. There were exported from Savannah, in 1755, 48 horses and 16 steers and cows; in 1770, 345 horses, 30 mules and 25 steers and cows; and in 1772, 136 steers and cows. In 1820-1, there were exported from the United States 853 horses, 94 mules, 5,018 horned cattle, 11,117 sheep, and 7,885 225 swine; in 1830-1, 2,184 horses, 1,540 According to the census returns of tucky, one to three free inhabitants. The agriculture. The only schedule in number of horses in the United States is more than three times as large as that in Great Britain. ASSES AND MULES.-As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, we find in the tables of 1840 no basis of comparison in regard to the raising of asses and mules. By the last return it is shown that the number of these animals in the Union is 559,070, of which all but 30,000 are found in the Southern States. For various employments, the mule is far better adapted to that region than the horse. Extreme and long-continued heat does not enfeeble him, and the expense of his subsistence and general care is much less, in comparison with the service he is able to perform. In some Northern States a considerable number formerly were reared for export, and a brisk trade was kept up with the West Indies in this kind of stock. What are now exported from the points which formerly monopolized this branch of traffic are brought from the South. Tennessee is the leading state in the production of mules, the number in that state, in 1850, having been 75,303; Kentucky was next, having 65,609. In New-Mexico the number of mules was 8,654, greater by nearly four-fifths than the horses returned for that territory. Much attention has been given to the improvement of mules in some of our Southern States, and those sent from Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri, to be employed in army transportation in Mexico, were often not inferior in height to the horses of that country, and were at all times superior to them in strength, endurance and usefulness. which the live stock of the country could be enumerated, were those used for obtaining the agricultural products of farms. From this fact the schedules for population and manufactures being alone used in cities, their live stock was not included in them. BUTTER AND CHEESE.-The census of 1840 furnishes us no statistics from which we can accurately determine the quantity of butter and cheese then produced. The value of both is given under the heading of value of the products of the dairy, at the sum of $33,787,000. It is presumed that the marshals made their returns in accordance with the prices governing in their respective districts, which would differ so widely as to render any assumed average as mere conjecture. New-York is far in advance of any other state in the productiveness of its dairies. They yield one-fourth of all the butter, and nearly one-half the cheese produced in the Union. Pennsylvania, which makes 40,000,000 lbs. of butter, is less prolific in cheese than many smaller states. In this latter article, Ohio is before all other competitors, except New-York. The following table shows the amount of dairy products exported from the United States for several years past. 7,343,145 .3,587,489. 7,941,187. .3,436,660... 8,675,390....1,063,087 4,214,433. ..15,673.600....1,741,770 2,751.086....12,913,305....1,361,668 3.406,242....17,433,682....1,654,157 .3,876,175. 13,020,817 ..1,215,436 MILCH COWS.-Under the general 1849-50.. term of neat cattle were embraced, in 1850-51.......3,994,542....10,361,189....1,124,652 the Sixth Census, the three descriptions SHEEP. There was, between 1840 of animals designated in that of 1850 as and 1850, an increase of 2,309,108 in the milch cows, working oxen and other number of sheep in the United States. cattle. The aggregate of the three classes It will be useful to observe with some in 1840 was 14,971,586; in 1850, closeness the progress of sheep breeding 18,355,287. The increase, therefore, be- in different parts of the country. We tween the two periods, was 3,383,701, perceive that in New England there has or about twenty per cent. They appear occurred a remarkable decrease in their to be distributed quite equally over the number. There were in that division of Union. The amount of butter gives an the Union, in 1840, 3,811,307; in 1850, everage of something over 49 pounds to the number had declined to 2,164,452, each milch cow. The average produc- being a decrease of 1,646,855, or 45 per tion of cheese to each cow is 162% pounds. cent. As with horses, the same allowance In the five Atlantic Middle Statesmust be made on account of the omis- New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, sion of cows, except in connection. with Delaware and Maryland-there was a |