SECRETARY'S REPORT. 193 



get off a tirade against calomel and the faculty. He who trusts 

 book-farming altogether, and is guided only by the written rule, 

 without variation on account of circumstances, resembles another 

 class of physicians, who never deviate from the written directions on 

 account of different constitutions, or different stages of the disease, 

 but administer the regular doses, at the exact mark of the clock, 

 kill or cure. 



The farmer, to be successful, should understand the nature and 

 properties of his soil, the constituents and requirements of the plants, 

 the chemical combination and application of such elements as are 

 suited to the growth and maturity of the same. An^ in order to 

 attain to this, it is, in my opinion, highly necessary to place the pro- 

 fession of agriculture on a level, at least, with the other professions ; 

 and the farmers have only to will this, and it must and will succeed. 

 They have the control of these matters, and have contributed liber- 

 ally to other professions, and ought now to elevate their own stand- 

 ard to that respectable position attained by others. A geological 

 and agricultural survey of the State, an agricultural college, or 

 school of some kind, that would interest and secure to the profession 

 the highest intellectual capacities, is indispensible to success. 



I cannot but hope that the farmers of Maine will give this subject 

 of agricultural education a candid consideration. 



Clearing New Land. 



By Alfred Cusliman, Golden Ridge. 



As soon as the leaves attain their full size, which is generally the 

 first week in June, the operation should commence. First, cut every 

 green thing, up to an inch in diameter, with a bush scythe, and 

 everything up to six inches in diameter, with the axe. Then fell 

 the trees as much side the hill as convenient, to ease the rolling of 

 the logs. I think much the best way is, to fell the tops together in 

 winrows about one hundred feet wide. That saves about one-half 

 the labor in limbing, insures a much better burn, burns up much 

 more timber, often a large part of the bodies of the large trees in 

 the middle of the winrows. If they are intended for burning the 

 season they are felled, the limbs and tops should be cut off immedi- 

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