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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



plough. Ill mouern times, the division of labour, 

 and the uses of machinery have rendered this qualifi- 

 cation unnecessary. But he should understand the 

 true principle upon which the plough, and every 

 other implement he uses, should be constructed, that 

 he may discover any defects in their workings, and 

 be al)le to suggest any improvements which they 

 need. He should be able to use tools in a work- 

 manlike manner, and thus save many a black- 

 smitlrs and tool-maker's bill, whicb he would other- 

 v/ise have to pay. He should make himself 

 familiar with all these, and many other branches of 

 scientific knowledge. The study of these subjects 

 will be to him an unfailing source of pleasure, and 

 cannot fail to improve and refine all his powers and 

 sensibilities. There is no branch of knowledge 

 that will not be serviceable to him. There is none 

 from which he cannot derive some hint or some 

 law that may be applicable to some one of his 

 varied pursuits ; and they will all tend to refine his 

 feelings, to enlarge his intellect, and to elevate him 

 in the scale of being ; and there is scarcely a branch 

 of physical science that may not be made to put 

 money into his pocket, if this is the leading object 

 which he is pursuing. 



When our young farmers shall all be well in- 

 structed in the general principles of scientific 

 knowledge, individuals among them will acquire 

 and develop a taste for special scientific pursuits. 

 One will become distinguished as a geologist, an- 

 other as an agricultural chemist; a third will ac- 

 quire fame as a botanist, and a fourth as an ento- 

 mologist; a fifth will be distinguished as an inven- 

 tor of agricultural implement; another will ob- 

 tain a fortune for himself, and confer inestimable 

 benefits upon his country, by the introduction of 

 new varieties of plants and fruits ; while another 

 will devote himself to the introduction of new 

 breeds of animals, or to the improvement of those 

 already existing. If our farmers would become 

 self-instructors, and study and think for themselves, 

 no profession would be more honourable, or have 

 more weight in society, or be more eagerly sought 

 after by the active and intelligent of all classes. 

 Farming would cease to be mere drudgery, and 

 those who pursue it, to be " of the earth, earthy." 

 All farm operations would be based upon scientific 

 knowledge. New principles, new processes, and 

 important and valuable results would be brought 

 out, that would confer fame and fortune on their 

 discoverers, and great benefits upon the human 

 race. We should have farmers who would be 

 known as the authors of valuable works, farmers 

 who would achieve a high rank in intellectual im- 

 provement, which would fit them for the most 

 honourable and dignified positions in society. R. 

 —-New England Farmer. 



AN EXTRAORDINARY RUTLAND RAM 

 OF THE LINCOLNSHIRE BREED. 



Sir, — As your great Airricultural Journal gives every kind 

 of sheep their due, I beg to inform you tluit a v^onderful 

 tliree-shcar rara was cxbiljited on Saturday last, in Peter- 

 borough Market, in front of the Corn Exchange. It 

 struck many farmers with admiration, to see a gigantic 

 sheep of the pure Bake well form or cast with a heavy coat 

 of Lincolnshire wool on his back— quite a model or example 

 sheep to every breeder who means profit. Many 

 jiulges of the first-magnitude declared him to be the best 

 sheep they had ever seen. This extraordinary animal was 

 bred by Mr. John Stokes, of Caldccoat, Rutland. The 

 paid ram has been shown at Uppingham, Rockingham 

 Fair, and at Kettering Fair. Mr. Stokes was offered £70 

 for him, which high price led him to send him to Peter- 

 borough for exhibition. Mr. Stokes lias bred from tlie far- 

 famed flocks of Mr. John Kirkham, of Hagnaby, and J\Irs. 

 Casswell, of Pointon ; and Mr. Stokes' ram does great 

 credit to both flocks, because the said ram might be made 

 half as fat again as he is, having laid half the summer with 

 ewes and lambs, an.l without shade all the hot weather. 

 He has never been pampered, house, or slall-fed. Mr. Stokes 

 uses him himself this year , last year he was let to a cele- 

 brated ram breeder, Mr. Painter, of Burleigh, near Oak- 

 ham. This ram clearly proves that a Bakewell frame may 

 be obtained with a Lincolnshire coat of wool on his back, 

 which is the most profitable kind of sheep bred. 

 Peterborough, Oct. 14. Samuel Arnsby. 



THE ADVANTAGES OF MECHANICS AND 

 SCIENCE TO AGRICULTURE.— J. B. Coulsou, Esq., 

 the chairman at the South Tyne Agricultural Society's meet- 

 ing, begged them not to accuse him of indulging in language 

 too poetical if he described the agricultural interest as the very 

 heart and fountain of life, as he would designate our manu- 

 factures and world-wide commerce to be the bones and sinews 

 of our great empire. And really, as when the body is ptrfect 

 auJ tlic heart is healthy and well, so will the siuew and muscle 

 be firm and elastic, even so when agriculture is profperous our 

 commerce and trade are flourishing. Vast as were the interests 

 involved in the two latter sources of the prosperity of this 

 country, he believed he was only stating what was the truth 

 wUtu he said that three-fifths of the entire popidation of these 

 realms were either directly or indirectly dependent upon agri- 

 culture. He thought he might very properly describe this as 

 the birtli-day of the South Tyne Agricultural Society; and 

 although the child « as in the first stage of its infancy, he might 

 venture to say that it had already given incontestable proofs of 

 its vitality and vigour, and doubtless under the fostering care 

 of the skilful nurses who had watched it into the world, it 

 vjculd ere long become — he would not say a giant, but at any 

 rate a man of robust h; alth, cf stalwart form and steadfast 

 purpose. But he must not indulge too long in this figurative 

 style of language, for he wished it to be clearly understood 

 that he considered those gentlemen who had originated the 

 society to be benefactors to the district, and deserving of the 

 greatest honour and credit, and with all his heart he trusted 

 that the goo-! work so well begun would go on and prosper. 

 He was well aware of the diflScult-es which must have attended 

 their labours, a^d they were of no ordinary character. la 

 many parts of the county similar societies were already estab- 

 lished, and each had its annual exhibition, which they would 

 not yield to auy other, and to which people flocked in numbers, 

 and, by the force of habit, as each anniversary came round, 

 again returned as they had been accustomed. Let them hope, 

 however, that each year would add to the influence of the South 

 Tyne Agricultural Society, for he was sure that in proportion 

 as it spread, its utility and importance would be iccreaaed. 

 A'l things must have a commeucemeul:, and none knew better 

 than they dii from what siuall beginnings mi^-lity things 

 arose. Who amongst them could have forsesu that from tlic 

 mere vapours of hot water that most stupendous power in the 

 hands of man would have arisen ? Who would have believe^), 

 a few years ago, that the siiuple and apparently feeble element 



