· A.

Statement of receipts for patents, caveats, disclaimers, improvements, and certified copies, in the year 1844.

Amount received for patents, caveats, &c.

Amount received for office fees

Deduct, repaid on withdrawals

B.

Statement of expenditures and payments made from the patent fund, by H. L. Ellsworth, Commissioner, from the 1st January to the 31st December, 1844, inclusive, under the act of March 3, 1837.

For salaries

$41,220 06

1,289 20

42,509 26

10,040 00

32,469 26

$15,975 00

Leaving a nett balance to the credit of the patent fund

6,164 73

C.

Statement of expenditures on the restoration of the Patent Office, under

the act of 3d March, 1837.

For restoring the records and drawings

For duplicates of models, &c.

$2,008 32

814 34

2,822 66

D. Tabular estimate of crops for 1844.

Present estimat- Number of bush- No. of bushels No. of bushels

State or Territory.

Population in
1840.

No. of bushels

ed population.

els of wheat.

of barley.

of oats.

of rye.

No. of bushels No. of bushels
of buckwheat. of Indian corn.

TABULAR ESTIMATE-Continued.

REMARKS ON THE TABULAR ESTIMATE.

The foregoing table embraces results which are founded on the same general elements of estimate as were described in the reports of the two preceding years, and which need not be here repeated with particularity. It cannot be expected that in every case we should be able to arrive at correct results. Many things enter into the judgment of those on whose information we must in no small degree depend, which will cause varia-tions of opinion respecting the same crop in any particular district of country. Even in the case of the census, taken by persons especially appointed and sworn to the faithful performance of their duties, we find that perfect reliable accuracy is not always to be obtained. It could therefore hardly be expected that, in holding a fair balance between conflicting opinions, and thus deciding upon even an approximate estimate of the different crops, great difficulty should not be experienced.

Subsequent information may sometimes enable us to correct former data, and thus give a nearer approach to truth in particular cases; and no pains have been spared to accomplish so desirable a result. Some success has crowned these efforts, and an advance, it is believed, has been made in this respect in the present report. An error has crept into the tabular estimate, and has been continued down from 1841, in dropping the millionth period in the crops of Indian corn and sugar of New Hampshire. This has been corrected in the present report. A great mass of information has been collected from a variety of sources. Public journals from every quarter of the country, including accounts from between 25 and 30 agricultural papers, have been carefully examined, and whatever related to the prospect or appearance of the crops, from the beginning to the end of the season, has been gleaned out and treasured up. These notices have been digested and imbodied with such other knowledge as could be obtained from personal conversation and observation, as well as from the circular sent from the office to numerous individuals who were presumed to be able to afford aid in effecting the object in view. On this account, and because not the exact language is sometimes employed, it is not easy at all times to give the credit to the sources of our information; and it is hoped that this will be remembered by the editors of the public journals, should they recognise the scraps which have been here and there cut from columns, and interwoven with others of various kinds.

The columns in the table, for greater convenience, have only been filled, in most cases, with round numbers, leaving off the fractional parts, which were retained heretofore because they were originally found in the census returns, which were made the basis in the outset of constructing the tabular estimate. In the case of the estimated increase of population, we have adopted the actual census, as mentioned in some of the public journals, with reference to the States of Alabama and Missouri, and Wisconsin and Iowa Territories.

Further: in forming the columns of the table, with regard to the crops, reference has likewise been made to a variety of causes, which must more or less influence the state of the markets, as well as also the fact of the attention being directed to particular crops. It is well known that now and then a favorite crop, for reasons either apparent or otherwise, loses its interest with cultivators, and the industry before devoted to it is directed to some other crop or pursuit. The quantities raised in a section of the country, or generally, should the cause prove more extensive, falls off, and thus

the aggregate amount is lessened. A familiar instance of this is the case of some of the grains which have been formerly used in the distillation of spirituous liquors; the comparative growth of which has been checked by the stricter regard for the habits of temperance which have happily become so much more prevalent.

It would be a great mistake, also, to disregard the continued advance of agriculture by the means of improvement which are so steadily cherished by an increasing body of our intelligent farmers. There is a beautiful connexion between the progress of the mechanic arts and the development of the natural productions of the soil. The genius which puts into the hands of the agriculturist the machine by which he may plough, mow, reap, thresh, or shell out, ten times the usual amount performed by the same number of individuals, of course is gifting him with increased power of turning his labor to advantage, provided the market keeps pace with such advance of product. The same may be said with respect to the great fertility secured by different compounds, which, by the aid of chemistry, have been applied to the soil. The farmer may thus often spare himself much hard toil, while he is at the same time enabled to reap the more surely the fruit of his labor. These changes are not so apparent from one year to another as by taking a survey of the state of things at an interval of perhaps some ten, fifteen, or twenty years, or more.

Thus, to go back and retrace the appearance of implements of agriculture, the modes of tillage, and the various relations of stock, breeds, seeds, and manures, to the farmer's domain, we are struck by the improvement which has been obtained. And if we go back still further, to the days of our Saxon ancestors, it would appear from the ancient manuscripts that the ploughs used then were as simple as those used in modern India; and at as late a period as 1634, we learn that, in Ireland, by the act of 11 and 12 Charles I, an act was passed to this effect: "An act against ploughing by the tayle, and pulling wool off living sheep."

Much of this improvement secured is due to the enterprise of individuals in various sections, who have set in motion agricultural societies and journals, imported seeds, animals, &c., from abroad, as well as to the inventive power of the industrious artisan, who in too many instances finds but a small return for his pains in contributing to the prosperity of the sons of the soil. The farmer should recollect, that for his plough, his harrow, rake, spade, and scythe, his reaping, threshing, and winnowing machines, &c., he is indebted to the mechanic; and just in the degree in which these instruments of his toil are improved, may he find additional ease and comfort in his method of conducting his business. No unfounded jealousy or prejudice, therefore, should prompt him to look with an evil eye on the advancement of the mechanic arts, but he should hail and encourage their progress, as auxiliary to his own increased means of adding to his ease of living and rational enjoyment. By the use of these various tools, which are such interesting exhibitions of inventive talent, too, his own mind may be expanded, as he learns to observe their operation, and so obtains knowledge of the practical laws of the forces in action, and, thus quickened to invent for himself, may be able, by suggestions of his own, to derive increased advantage from what he reads or hears.

Similar remarks may be made with reference to the practical operation of books and journals, when rightly appreciated. The prejudice against book farming is happily more and more passing away, though there is still too much of it remaining; but, compared with some twenty years back,