IQ2 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The late Daniel Webster, who, as a New England farmer, has 

 never been excelled in breadth and comprehensiveness of views, 

 and insight into rural economy, was once inquired of by a 

 neighbor whose farm was " pretty much run out," how he might 

 best renovate it. The laconic reply was, " grow turnips." The 

 neighbor, not immediately perceiving any necessary connection 

 between turnips and a renovated farm, inquired his reasons for 

 such a recommendation. Mr. Webster replied that he could 

 not then explain, as it would involve the whole economy of 

 agriculture ; but would only say, that to grow turnips he must 

 plow deeply, manure well, and keep free from weeds ; thus 

 would his land be best prepared for the crops which would 

 come after it: that the crop would be large upon any or all of 

 his lands ; that it would be best disposed of by feeding to his 

 cattle in winter; so he must keep more stock, and being well 

 fed, his animals would come earlier to maturity, and bring good 

 prices. By this course, too, his manure would be greatly in- 

 creased, and his farm consequently enriched. 



In these remarks, Mr. Webster intended, doubtless, to enforce 

 the value of root crops generally, rather than to extol the tur- 

 nip to the disparagement of other roots. In some instances, 

 the turnip, (Swedish,) in others, the carrot or beet, may best 

 serve the purpose of our farmers, or prove best adapted to the 

 soil of different localities, and of this we can only judge by the 

 results of experiment. 



The Swedish turnip is the root crop of England. It was 

 originally cultivated, not so much for its intrinsic value, as for 

 being the best follow crop before wheat; but its cultivation lias 

 so increased as to work an entire revolution in their husbandry, 

 and now enables the land to support several times the amount 

 of stock which could be supported under the old system of 

 winter feeding on hay. Where successfully grown, (and the 

 English farmers spare no amount of manure, or pains with weed- 

 ing or otherwise, needful to insure success,) fertility and profit 

 are sure to follow, as it perfectly cleanses the land, furnishes a 

 large amount of milk, meat, wool, &c., for the market, and of 

 manure to feed subsequent crops. At the present time, proba- 

 bly not less than three millions of acres are devoted to this 

 crop in England alone, and it is alleged that its failure would 



