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We find the following extract in a public journal published in New York: "One hundred bales of North river hay have been purchased in New York for shipment to Great Britain. This (says the shipping list) is, we believe, the first shipment of hay ever made to Great Britain from this country. To France parcels have been sent occasionally, for a year or two past."

Some new varieties of grass are gradually becoming introduced into our agriculture, of which a portion are peculiarly adapted to the southern and warm climates. These may yet be of advantage in the vicinity which is thus furnished for the different seasons, and the weather which may occur. Among these may be mentioned the Bermuda grass, specimens of which (as we see by a late number of an agricultural paper) have been sent to this country, from the West Indies, for comparison and decision whether it is indeed the same which bears that name in some of our Southern States, and which is deemed valuable for some purposes of feeding, as it loses not more than 50 per cent. in curing, and, being thick, large crops are cut from it two or three times in a season.

As it is important that the hay be cured in the best manner, we have subjoined here an extract taken from a description in an agricultural paper in New York, of the mode of making hay in Orange county, in that State:

"As to the time of cutting hay, I find a diversity of opinions among farmers. Some prefer mowing when the grass is fairly in blossom; others between the blossoming stage and the hardening of the seed; and still others when quite ripe. I am inclined to the belief that grass contains more of the nutritive properties in the middle stage than the others, and, when practicable, ought to be cut at that time.

"But that which I deem of the most importance in the hay-making process is the amount of moisture it should contain when placed in the mow or stack. On this subject there is but one opinion with our most efficient and successful graziers. I think it may be laid down as a general rule, that the more moisture the hay contains, without danger of combustion, the better. But the moisture must be the arterial juice of the grass, not of dew or water, nor absorbed from the wet soil. I am constrained to believe that water alone, in some form or other, causes dusty or mouldy hay, and that the juice of the grass never does. I had two stacks of hay put up during my absence, in so green a state that they were perfectly charred at the centre for two or three feet around, without dust or mould in any part of them, and the remainder of the stacks as profitable and good hay as I ever fed out.

"In the early stages of haying, greater care is necessary than the latter, as the grass then contains more juice; but in the latter part of July and August, we cut our grass in the morning, and mow it away in the afternoon, and often put it in cock carly in the day, to prevent it from becoming dry and brittle. At this season of haying, little more is necessary than for

the grass to be wilted.

"We use about four quarts of salt to a load of half a ton of hay, sprinkling it on twice while unloading; and my plan is (although not generally doue) to increase the quantity of salt when the hay is too dry, and diminish it when too green, as the salt increases the moisture.

"It is not uncommon for our stacks of hay to smoke three or four weeks after put up, and the top of the mows to be thoroughly saturated with the steam. That hay which we think best preserved, has, on being opened, a light mahogany or foxy appearance; lies very compact in the stack or mow;

so much so, that it requires a vigorous arm to thrust an ordinary pitchfork one inch into it.

"The advantages of making hay on the plan i have named are great. I think we save at least one-fourth of the weight, and as much of the nutritive property of the grass; all which is obvious to those who have had an opportunity of seeing cattle fed upon hay made upon the two different plans. I will offer as a proof of this, that a farmer, on visiting me some winters since, supposed that our cows were well fed upon grain. He also remarked, that he found it difficult to bring his stock of cattle through the winter in as good condition as they were when the winter commenced. Our graziersbuy their cattle from the West and North in the fall, calculating that they will gradually improve throughout the winter on hay; and this, too, without the advantages of stabling, which is so generally practised.

"Permit me to note another advantage that occurs to me. Hay is made on our plan more speedily, and with less risk of weather, and a greater quantity secured in the same space. I have heard but one objection made to hay of this description; it is, that cattle do not eat a sufficient quantity of it, Such persons judge from the bulk, and not from the weight, and make no account of the nutritive properties of the grass retained by a short, instead of a long exposure to the sun and air. I apprehend that the reason that cattle eat less of the one kind than they do of the other, is much the same that a man eats less in bulk of pork or animal food than he does of vegetable."

HEMP, FLAX, &c.

So much difficulty has been experienced in arranging and harmonizing the estimates of hemp and flax in one column, that we have in this report concluded to abandon the estimates of flax altogether. The original difficulty lay, as mentioned in an earlier report, in comprising the two together in the census returns. At the same time, after having finished our remarks on hemp, we shall also give such accounts of the flax crop, and such other particulars relating to the article, as may be useful.

Hemp is mainly confined to two or three States, of which Kentucky has for years stood foremost. Notwithstanding the early promise respecting this crop, it is believed the whole expectation has not been realized. Thus the Louisville Journal, of the 22d of August, says that the hemp crop will be "fully an average one." Again, the same journal states that "there is some complaint among those who sowed early in the season, that their seed vegetated badly, or the crop bloomed before attaining its proper height. On the whole, the crop is good. In the early-sowing district, it is now harvest, and under favorable circumstances for a good staple. Rains have been frequent, but have ceased," &c. Compared with the crop of 1843, that for 1844 has largely increased; but as compared with that of 1842, it is less. Such is the estimate in the different sections where this crop is said to be "at least double the crop of 1843, but less than that of 1842;" and elsewhere, "quantity greater than any former crop;" "product uncommonly large;" and, again, "increase of three-fourths." We are enabled to give what we believe to be an accurate estimate of the hemp crop of Kentucky, furnished us by the Hon. Adam Beatty, a gentleman to whom the agricultural community are greatly indebted for many valuable observations on various agricultural subjects, (and among others hemp,) imbodied in a published volume, and who has taken pains to acquaint him

self with the progress of this crop in his own State for two or three years past. The subjoined extract from his letter gives such a statement of particulars as will doubtless contribute to an accurate appreciation both of the amount and the importance of this crop :

"I have obtained complete and accurate returns of all the hemp received by manufacturers and hemp dealers in the city of Maysville during the present year, up to the 27th instant; and the amount is as follows:

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"Of which quantity there was manufactured at Maysville, or to be manufactured, 856 tons 15 cwt. 2 qrs. 10 lbs.; and the residue was for shipment to manufacturing establishments at other points, and for the Eastern market. "In consequence of the low price which hemp has borne during the present year, a considerable quantity of hemp still remains in the hands of farmers. If this had been brought in, the quantity received at Maysville for the year would have been fully three thousand tons. My own opinion concurs with that of a very intelligent commission merchant at Maysville, that about one-fourth of the entire hemp crop of Kentucky is delivered at Maysville. I incline to think, from all the information that I have on the subject, that the above is rather an under than an over estimate. According to this estimate, the whole quantity of Kentucky hemp would be twelve thousand tons.

"It is proper to remark, that the year 1843 was an extremely unfavorable year for the hemp crop, whilst that of 1842 was the most favorable year for that crop which we have ever experienced. With a view of ascertaining the relative product of the two years, I procured, during the last summer, accurate returns from 144 hemp growers of Mason county, of the quantity of hemp produced by them in each of those years.

gate result was as follows:

"Product of 144 crops in 1842
"Product from same farms in 1843

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"The product of 1843, it will be seen, was more than half that of the preceding year. But this was owing to an increased quantity of ground having been sown, as will be apparent from the following statement:

"I obtained from 80 hemp growers a particular statement of the number of acres sowed by them each year, together with the product, separately, for each year. These 80 hemp growers, in the aggregate, sowed, in 1842, 2,832 acres; which yielded 1,081 tons 8 cwt.-making an average of 7 cwt. 2 qrs. 15 lbs. (equal to 855 lbs.) per acre. These same 80 hemp growers in the year 1843 sowed 2,927 acres; which yielded 518 tons 10 cwt.-making an average per acre of 3 cwt. 2 qrs. 5 lbs., (equal to 397 lbs.)

"From this statement, it will be seen that the yield per acre in 1843 was less than half of that of the preceding year. The average of these two years-one very favorable, and the other very unfavorable-from the above data, would be 626 lbs. per acre, (equal to 5 cwt. 2 qrs. 10 lbs.) This would be about a fair average of the product of the entire hemp crop of Kentucky for ten years in succession.

"It is proper to remark, that the quantity of hemp received at Maysville

In conse

during the present year was not diminished in a corresponding degree with the falling off of the crop of 1843, compared with that of 1842. quence of the uncommon yield of the crop of 1842, and the deficiency of the market, much of it remained on hand. Such a portion of the old crop, which remained over, has been brought into market during the present year, as would probably make the entire delivery equal to an average crop.

"Upon the whole, I am of opinion that the product of the entire hempgrowing region of Kentucky, for the last two years, upon an average, would be about twelve thousand tons per annum.'

The season has not been so favorable for the hemp crop of Missouri, Thus, we find scattered notices to this effect:

Peltis county, Missouri, July 9, 1844.-"The wet weather, which has set in, has not only prevented any shipping, but has ruined the growing crop. I have heard but one opinion expressed-that the hemp crop of Missouri is a total failure."

Again: the St. Louis Gazette says: "This important staple [hemp] of this section of the country, in consequence of the wet weather in the fore part of the season, will yield only about half a crop; the same cause produced a similar result last year, when the quantity was about 12,000 tons. This season there will be probably about 15,000 tons, which will be doubled next year if the season proves favorable."

The estimate above given, of 15,000 tons, is unquestionably an error: we suspect it is meant for 5,000 tons. A correspondent from this State says of the hemp crop, "that in some parts it was not one-fourth of a crop, owing to the wet weather;" and again, not "more than one-fourth; including flax, it is probable there may have been 10,000 or 12,000 tons." The returns of the hemp and flax being mingled, and the amount of flax raised in Illinois. being very considerable, it is difficult to form any suitable estimate as to the hemp crop of this State. In the northern central counties we are told, "the hemp crop was very indifferent"-"not more than one-third of a crop, owing to the bad season. There was a very great increase in the number of acres sown in hemp in Illinois during the past season. The attention of farmers is much turned to this branch of production, and there is a great prospect of a large increase in the article of hemp in Illinois hereafter."

From a correspondent in Kentucky we have the following statement respecting the hemp crop generally. It will be seen that it sets the hemp crop of that State higher than Judge Beatty has done, and we believe probably puts the crop of Illinois too low. His means of information, however, entitle his opinion to consideration. He says:

"There are probably not 100 tons of hemp produced in Virginia. It is grown to a limited extent in the counties of Virginia bordering on the Ohio river. The product in Kentucky is about 15,000 tons; of Missouri, 6,000 to 8,000 tons; Indiana and Illinois, 500 tons; Ohio, 500 to 1,000 tons. Little or none in any other State. A great deal of flax in Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, chiefly for seed and home-made linen."

By the following extract from a public journal, we see that attention is turning to this crop somewhat in Mississippi :

"The Vicksburg Whig notices the fact that General John H. Robb had produced at the rate of 1,200 pounds of hemp per acre at Shirt-tail bend, on the Mississippi; and also the fact that Messrs. Warfield had raised and manufactured in Mississippi, in one year, enough hemp to bale one hundred and fifty bales of cotton."

A correspondent in Orange county, New York, says: "A portion of our county is admirably adapted to this crop, and it was formerly extensively cultivated; but, for some years past, its growth has been discontinued, for want of remunerating prices." In connexion with this crop, we have gathered some particulars which may deserve mention here.

The following statement of hemp received at New Orleans may help to show the rapid increase of the cultivation of this important article: "In 1841-'42, the entire receipts at New Orleans were only 1,211 bales; in 1842-43, they rose to 15,000 bales; and in 1843-'44, they reached 38,000 bales, or about 5,000 tons-the increase being almost exclusively from Illinois and Missouri."

Again: "We notice 7 tons of water-rotted hemp, bought by Messrs. James Anderson & Co., of John Steele, Esq., of Fayette county, Kentucky, near Lexington, at $130 per ton. We have closely examined whole warehouses of Riga hemp in Boston, and we think we can say, with truth, that we never saw hemp superior to this lot in any respect. It is very heavy, of beautiful color, free from tow, and perfectly clean. It is fully equal to hemp for which our paternal Government pays Russia $235 a ton."-Louisville Journal.

It is also stated, in one of the public journals, that 800 bales of dew-rotted sold in New York (designed for the English market) at $100 per ton.

The better qualities are stated to have advanced $10 per ton, and the inferior $5. The Farmers' Visiter for July also says that "nearly 5,000 bales (or 123,500 pounds) of American hemp were received at Boston from New Orleans, during the six months ending on the 1st instant." A writer in the Dollar Farmer, published at Louisville, Kentucky, speaking of the encouragement respecting this crop, says: "From our own personal observation, and from the oft-tried experiment of a few pioneers in water-rotting hemp, we can safely say that the farmer will be able to realize, at the present low rate of hemp, from $6 50 to $7 per hundred weight, for fair, wellcleaned water hemp, without hackling from the hand beater; and for a very superior article, he may expect $8 or more. Fair dew-rotted rates something below these prices."

The great difficulty still experienced is a process of water-rotting and a brake-such as would enable the farmer properly to prepare for the market much of the hemp which is now converted into bagging, or wasted. Several notices have been published in the Western journals, announcing from time to time that the latter desideratum has been attained; but we have not seen any account of complete success having been reached. A writer on this subject says:

The custom of dew-rotting hemp would, so soon as these experiments are brought to a successful issue, and this machine is put in operation, be abandoned; because a more valuable article could be prepared at a less expense. But, forsooth, some of our practical farmers may ask, what is to be done with so much hemp when it is raised? Let us see. Kentucky has raised, for the past two or three years, an average crop of 15,000 tons annually; the great bulk of which has been dew-rotted; and, with the exception of a few hundred tons for twine, bed cords, &c., all of this, owing to the mode of preparation, is fit only for bagging and rope.

"In the manufacture of these articles, there are about 10,000 tons ann ally consumed, leaving an over-production of 5,000 tons a year, which have to lie in the farmers' hemp houses until the bagging manufact are ready to buy it. There is, however, a' greater increase in the

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