SECRETARY'S REPORT. 12? 



neither can survive any length of time unless a change of treatment, more 

 favorable to the life and health of the patients, shall soon take place. 



Old mother, earth is generous ; but with all her generosity, she vyill not 

 always give vrithout receiving something in return. It is not her nature to 

 always give out, without being foddered occasionally, and I am thinking that 

 if she isn't ' stall fed ' pretty soon, we shall forfeit her good graces entirely. 



We have an inexhaustible resource in marine dressing, if the same result con- 

 tinues to follow their application to our soil that attends it now. But this is 

 supposed to be somewhat doubtful, and hence let us guard against every leak 

 and waste place on our premises that will deprive our soils of one pound, one 

 quart or one foot of substance that will, if given, enrich the soil in any degree. 

 We should guard well our ashes that they may not be wasted — there are more 

 peaj'ls in a bushel of ashes than some pearl hunters are aware of; then if we 

 wish to save the life of our manure heaps, we must put them under cover, or 

 they will surely be frozen or bleached to death. 



The ladies are frequently treated in our agricultural journals with a chapter 

 on 'house plants.' Now, brother farmers, the ladies never had, and never 

 will have, in my opinion, a plant that needs housing and in-door treatment 

 half so much as our manure heaps, and none will pay half so well for the 

 change of treatment, if it is but done as it should be. Again, there are riches 

 in our swamps and muck holes, and little will be our profits from them if they 

 are not disturbed ; they must be dug over and exposed to the air, and worked 

 into the hog-pen, &c. 



I see that I am straying away into forbidden paths, so I will ' haul up ' by 



wishing you every success in your labors in behalf of agriculture, the best 



interest of Maine." 



E. G. Buxton, Yarmouth. 



These replies suggest several particulars wliich have already been 

 considered at some length, and others, a simple allusion to which 

 may suffice to bring to mind the, necessary obviating means, and 

 this is all which is requisite, except to -put them into operation^ 

 •which each must do for himself. 



There is, however, one other very serious defect in our husbandry, 

 which must not escape notice and comment. It is not alluded to 

 above, probably by reason of its having been made the topic of a 

 special inquiry. The question was asked : What per cent, of saving 

 can be effected in the present cost of feeding animals, during winter, 

 by suitable shelter and protection from unnecessary exposure ? to 

 which a few reply ten per cent., some fifteen, some twenty ; but 

 from many, who have given the subject most careful consideration 

 and the test of actual experiment, the saving is stated at no less than 

 a quarter or a third, and a few make it as high as forty per cent. 



