Report of the Commissioner of Labor and of immigration is likely to effect much with Agriculture. We gave in our last a brief summary of the leading points of this Report, and as it has been widely circulated by the Legislature, within the State, we devote the further room we can give to it to the consideration of the topics it presents of greatest as well as most general interest. It will be found that they interest communities outside of our State, while they only more directly concern us, under the wise provision of our Constitution, establishing a State Department of Agriculture, with a Chief Officer having all these matters in special charge. The Superintendent, Dr. McPherson, takes a comprehensive and appreciative view of his duties, and the practical and business-like character of his Report commends him to the confidence of the public. The Legislature, there is reason to suppose, will second his suggestions, by suitable provisions of law. A bill now in progress in the Senate is designed to give them effect. It is indeed a happy circumstance that the way is laid open to all the ends proposed in the provision of the Constitution establishing this Department by one which frees it from any financial embarrassment. The proposed tax upon oysters is just and practicable. It is matter of wonder, that this very large property of the State in her waters, has been so long overlooked; or rather, so bunglingly managed as to yield no revenue to its Treasury. The Commissioner proposes a tax of three cents a bushel on oysters, which at the rate of product of the past year-estimated at about 12,000,000 bushels-will give $360,000. The proper means for protecting this property and for the collection of the tax being provided for, there will be left an amount worthy the notice of a financier, and very likely to increase from year to year. The lover of oysters may grumble at such a tax, but, in truth, the matter of price cannot be made much worse than it is now, and we can consent the more readily when we recollect how large a portion of the product is sold to outsiders in the interior. out such agencies, as we took occasion to urge some months ago. The lines of steamships about to be started, which will put Baltimore in regular monthly communication with each of these ports, will facilitate very much the purposes in view, and a very moderate degree of success in introducing hardy labourers with more or less means, would greatly overbalance whatever might be the necessary cost. There is no more direct and practicable means than this of adding to the wealth of the State, even apart from the peculiar necessity there now is for effective labourers. It is directed by the proposed law, that these agents shall speak the language of the people among whom they are to operate, and distribute maps and other information furnished by the Superintendent, as well as exert themselves by personal intercourse with the people, in advising and aiding useful and industrious persons to emigrate to Maryland. The design being to fix in advance of their leaving home the final destination of the emigrants. The Superintendent is required also to keep a register of such citizens of Maryland as require his assistance in procuring labourers, and through his agents abroad to invite the attention of immigrants to the offers extended by our citizens, and when necessary, to furnish written directions to all applicants for employment or lands, to such places in the State as may be selected by them. On the important subject of Inspections 'Considering the the Superintendent says: immense aggregate of capital annually invested by our farmers in artificial fertilisers, and in many cases without the least increase of crops, it is desirable that prompt and ef fectual protection, should be afforded them by the State through this Department. Upon this subject I may be excused for asking your attention to a suggestion made by a committee who reported this 10th article for the consideration of the Convention: "There is no question, but that if a high standard of inspection was established for such articles as are compounded of really fertilising materials, an immense trade for them In the matter of immigration, so very important in the present aspect of our rural industry, the bill reported to the Senate auth-would be attracted to Baltimore from this and orises the appointment of agents to reside abroad, one at Liverpool and the other at Bremen. No scheme for the encouragement all the Southern States; and we can see no better mode of securing that standard of excellence in artificial fertilisers than by requir. ing the manufacturers of them to obtain a license from the Department of Labour and Agriculture, and pay therefor such sums as would enable it to guard us from fraud, by having the materials carefully inspected by a chemist, and, if necessary, by having the whole process of manufacture and manipulation, supervised by sworn agents. These manufacturers could well afford to pay for such inspection, because, while it secured our farmers from imposition, it would increase their trade immensely, and banish from the commerce of the State all rival compounds not so inspected. Should your Honorable Bodies desire to act upon this subject, I should be pleased to invite a conference with the gentlemen engaged in this trade; and as their true interest corresponds with that of the Agriculturists, which this Department is designed to protect, I doubt not but that a plan of supervision satisfactory to all may be devised." In view of these and other important charges committed to the Superintendent of Labour and Agriculture, we can but join in the hope with which he concludes, that his future Reports will disclose the fact that his Department has become a most useful one to the State. Southern Planter and Farmer.-The Richmond Farmer having been merged into the Planter, the title of the latter has been made to correspond, and we have now The Planter and Farmer, showing in its varied and excellent contents the result of the combination. We notice an interesting article from the vigorous pen of Mr. F. G. Ruffin, on the Watt Plough, and on the important matter of "fixing" a plough for work. We club with the Planter and Farmer, furnishing it and the Am. Farmer at $3.50 for the two. LOUISA CO., VA., Jan. 16, 1868. EDS. FARMER: I have a large orchard, and wish to know how it would answer to set it in orchard grass and turn the sod with a plough every year after cutting the grass, for the benefit that it would be to the trees. Ane.-An apple orchard may be set in grass after the trees are well grown, but the sod could not be turned every year and yield a crop of orchard grass too. Benevolent Institutions. There are some good people who in their high appreciation of the American Farmer, and perhaps of agricultural papers generally, seem to look upon them as purely benevolent Institutions. We have a letter from a gentleman at North Williston, Vermont, not a subscriber, who writes to us that he has “a young horse with the Ringbone," which he very naturaliy wishes to cure, (we suppose it is a Blackhawk,) and writes to us for the ingredients of a prescription which has been published by us, but does not even send a postage stamp to pay for the reply to his letter. We refer him to Dr. Dadd, Vet. Surgeon, No. 65 N. Calvert st., who will, no doubt, give him a satisfactory response for a proper "consideration.” From Texas we have a letter written in the most courtly phrase of diplomacy, in which we have every assurance of the writer's "distinguished consideration," except that he has no idea of paying for his paper. Having made this very apparent, he requests us to do him the further favour of having mailed to him regularly one of our City Dailys. We commend him to the good graces of our neighbours of the "Sun" or "Gazette,” and will furnish them the address of our correşpondent whenever they send for it. We have another from the noble and wealthy State of Kentucky, as follows: False Packing of Tobacco. A Committee of the Legislature appointed to visit the Tobacco Inspection Warehouses made majority and minority reports, giving their views on various points embraced in their investigation. On the matter of fraudulent packing, the majority report has the following: "Your committee, from all the obtainable information, and they sought knowledge from every source from whence it could possibly be afforded, are satisfied that the present system of inspection is very defective and should be remedied. They have had before them letters from the leading tobacco merchants, not only of this country, but of nearly the whole of Europe, and there is not in the large number, one single exceptional case as to the imperfect system of inspection in Baltimore city. The fault is in the law, not in the inspectors, for, from a personal knowledge of these gentlemen, your committee are satisfied they are as competent as any of their predecessors. We propose two remedies for the correction of these abuses. The first is to repeal the present tobacco laws, and enact in lieu thereof such as will embrace the following leading features. The details of the proposed changes have been written out and handed to the honored chairman on inspections: First. There should be a penalty for false packing, to be exacted by the inspector from the owner or agent, where the design is a palpable intention to defraud, but before such a penalty is exacted one or more of the associated inspectors should be called upon to hold a survey of such hogshead or hogsheads supposed to be designedly falsely packed, and their decision shall be final." the privilege of making them where they please, and with the whole outside surface exposed to view when the hogshead is open. We cannot believe that any thing but the grossest carelessness could ordinarily fail to detect the false packing complained of. Hop Growing. In reply to several inquiries as to the management of a crop of hops, we refer to an article in our last number, and will give hereafter such further information as may seem to be demanded. For the present, we give an estimate of the cost and profit of a yard of five acres, as we find it in the Prairie Farmer Annual Agricultural and Horticultural Advertiser. Any one wishing to get what seems to be a very good essay on the subject of hop growing, would do well to send 25 cents to the Prairie Farmer office, Chicago, and get a copy of this little publication, containing this and much other useful matter: "The cost and profit of hop raising, based on an estimate of a ton to the acre, 50 cents a box for picking and board, considered with the present high provision and labour, is as follows for a yard of five acres: Five acres of ground, $30 per acre............. $150 00 75.00 1125 00 67 50 35 00 Hop house, with press, stove, hop boxes, &c.... 875 00 550 CO 240 00 15 00 $4196 00 Six days baling and preparing for market.... 475 days board at 50 cents per day. Total........ This report seems to be an acknowledge- Five tons of hops at 50 cents per lb............. 5000 00 ment of the charges of customary false packing made against Maryland planters.— How or to what extent, the tobacco growing community will clear their skirts of it, remains to be seen. The first season clear of all expenses........... 804 GO There being $2,877.50 of the above cost for permanent improvement, at the same, the second year $3,681.50 would be cleaned. Fifty cents is a very large price, and like the prices of other agricultural products, may or may not be continued. The crop is subject to rust and mildew, and about as precarious, we suppose, as many others that we rely on. As to soil, it will grow on any good loam made rich, and as hop vines have been grow The committee lays the charge of failing to detect these frauds, in the Baltimore inspection houses, to the defect in the law. We do not know in what points the law is different now, from what it has been in many years past, when no such complaint was heard of, and we are not willing to have the Inspectors going from time immemorial in all our old garfree of blame in allowing such abuses to grow up under their eyes, with an obligation upon them to make five breaks in a hogshead, and dens, we do not see that there should be any serious difficulty in the matter of climate. To manage the crop, however, requires skilled labour for some departments of it, and it should not be entered upon, on a large scale, unadvisedly. The planting is done in rows 8 feet apart each way, making 680 hills to the acre. Advertisements. We beg the attention of our readers to the advertising pages of this number. We are well assured that the business men who seek the substantial pages of the Farmer, through which to communicate with the agricultural community, are of such character as to give the strongest assurance of the value of what they offer for sale. We exclude with all the care we can, humbuggery and quack advertisements, and seek only those of reliable business men, engaged in legitimate trade and responsible in their dealings, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that our pages put such advertisers in communication with the most stable men of the agricultural class, and such as want to buy and are generally able to do so. Of Fertilisers.-We have the Rodunda Island Guano, offered by Wm. Crichton & Son, General Agents. The agents sent last fall a lot of this guano for trial, to the Agricultural College, which unfortunately miscarried, and no report can be made of it. Very strong assurances are given by gentlemen who have tried it, of its value and cheapness. The Baltimore City Fertilising Company, a valuable institution for preserving the health of the city, by utilising its filth and offal, offer various fertilisers, including bonedust and poudrette. George Dugdale offers Baugh's Raw Bone Phosphate, of which enormous quantities are now being manufactured, and which has obtained a National reputation. Neale, Harris & Co., an old Baltimore firm of the highest standing, offer the Patapsco Guano Co's Ammoniated Soluble Phosphate. Andrew Coe's Superphosphate of Lime has been long known in our market, and is in excellent hands, Messrs. Herbert & Hairston, Agents. G. Ober offers his Manipulated and the Ammoniated Alkaline Phosphates. Mr. Ober has been long known and commended in this line, both on his own account and by his long association in the firm of Kettlewell & Ober. John S. Reese and Co. need no introduc tion to the agricultural community, at any point, which intelligent and industrious advertising could reach. Their wise policy has been to be very sure of having excellent articles for sale, and then as sure that every body should know it. Soluble Pacific Guano, and Flour of Raw Bone they offer. Lister Bros. Fresh Bone Superphosphate of Lime, is offered by the enterprising firm, Townsend & Sons, Agents, and is highly re commended. Rhodes & Co. offer their far-famed Superphosphate, which we have reason to think has a substantial merit that may perhaps, in a measure justify them in not advertising so freely as in years past. J. B. Ruth & Co. offer Bergen & Butz's Superphosphate of Lime, and bring up the rear of our list, making such a variety of fertilisers, and of such character as afford the best opportunity for selection. Nurseries-Trees, Fruit and OrnamentalPlants. Se ds, &c.-Edward J. Evans & Co., York, Pa. R. Halliday & Son, Baltimore. and Flowers-specialty. Also Plants Ellwanger & Barry, Rochester, N. Y. Richard Cromwell, Baltimore. Henry K. How, New Brunswick, N. Jersey. (Hewes & Warner, Agents, Baltimore.) John Saul, Washington City, D. C. Also, Plants, Flowers and Seeds-specialty. Wm. Corse & Son, Baltimore. Frank L. Morling, Baltimore. Also Plants and Flowers-specialty. H. F. Crowell, Hammonton, N. J. Lukens Peirce, Ercildoun, Pa. Small Fruits, Seeds, &c.-D. H. Brown, N. Brunswick, N. J. John S. Collins, Charles Collins, T. C. Andrews, Moorestown, N. J. P. Sutton, Beverly, N. J. New Plants and Seeds.-B. M. Watson, Plymouth, Mass. Grape Vines.-Sullivan & Ford, Sykesville, Md. Dr. John B. Keasby, Washington, D. C. Dr. R. T. Underhill, New York, who also makes PURE WINE from the Grape-neither drugged, liquored nor watered. Wheat and Grass Seeds-specialty. George A. Deitz, Chambersburg, Pa. Stock, Poultry and new varieties of Oats.-N. P. Boyer & Co., Chester Co., Pa. Agricultural Implements.—Our old friends: R. Sinclair & Co., Richard Cromwell, Thos. Norris & Son, all of whom supply also Seeds, &c., &c. Cresylic Soaps and Compounds, Plant Protector, Sheep Dip, &c.-Jas. Buchan & Co., N. York. Hewes & Warner, Agents, Baltimore. Horse and Cattle Powders.-David E. Foutz, Baltimore. Chemical Manuring. We are indebted to a friend for the following extract from the Chemical News: "On the property of M. Payne, at Boricourt (Aisne) there is an experimental plot of ground which is quite perfect in its way, and which has already furnished important results. This piece of ground is laid out similar to that at Vincennes, where, by different chemical manures, combined by the formula of M. Ville, we remark the same ascending scale of crops, from the weakest to the most luxuriant, without the law governing the culture having shown a single exception. Not far from the border of a road, in a flinty land of very bad quality, a plot was manured with 40 tons to the hectare; another parcel of the same ground received a complete manure of 400 kil. of superphosphate of lime, 200 kil of nitrate of potash, 250 kil. of sulphate of ammonia and 350 kil. of sulphate of lime-in all 1200 kil.-the cost of which was 325 francs per hectare (24 acres.) Stable dung produced a miserable crop of wheat; the chemical manure gave a splendid return.From a letter addressed to the Journal de le Aisne we learn the following: A New Agricultural Monthly-We take much pleasure in calling attention to the advertisement of The Farmer's Gazette, about to be issued at Richmond, by Col. S. Bassett French. We welcome to a seat at the Editorial Board, one who has been long a warm friend of The Farmer and a frequent contributor to its col umns. The communication in this number with his initials, and others during some of the past months on practical topics, with the initial "F." are from his pen, and will indicate to our readers, in some measure, his ability for the work he now enters upon. We wish the Gazette the most ample success, and commend it especially to the favour of Adver tisers. Having been for more than twenty years in important public positions in "Old" Virginia, there are few of her citizens better known than Col. F., or more able to command success. The Use of Paper.—We notice that there is a company in Camden, N. J., who manufacture a Patent Water-Proof Paper, extensively used for building purposes, said to be cheap and durable, and used in place of shingles, tin, slate, &c., also for weather-boarding, walls, ceilings, and even for carpets, that are handsomely designed and will wear many years. THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE AT CIRENCESTER.-There seems to be a prevailing impression that this institution is defunct. A few days ago we heard an officer connected with one of our colleges say so, in so many words. We believe, however, that the truth is that the institution was never before in so A hectare of land treated by the complete prosperous a condition. A recent writer, who manure produced has carefully examined its condition, and the results it produces as manifested in its students, arrives at the following conclusion: "Our own observation would lead us to recommend any youth resolving on agriculture as his occupation in life, to place himself with a tenant farmer for a year, to acquire what may be called the grammar of agriculture. With this preparation, he would be in a position to derive greater advantage from a two years' course of instruction at the college; after this, two years' residence with a skillful farmer, with daily observation, and the study of the most approved agricultural literature, would form a reasonably safe foundation to work upon." |