FOR PROMOTING AGRICULTURE. 81 



the soil, but gives preference to that of John Young, a writer ou ag- 

 riculture, which in brief is that lime in the soil acting either as a 

 carbonate or hyper carbonate, though chiefly as the latter, absorbs 

 carbonic acid, a most important article of vegetable food, which car- 

 bonic acid is copiously evolved in the putrefactive process of manures ; 

 and also, when there is a scarcity of aliment in the soil, the lime 

 absorbs carbonic acid from the air and disperses it according to the 

 calls of vegetation. Having thus elucidated the theory of lime as a 

 co-worker with manures under the soil and air above it, the speaker 

 cited experiences of farmers in Scotland, England, Pennsylvania, 

 Delaware, and, by implication, in Essex^ county, to show that lime of 

 the right kind has the effect which the theory calls for. Then he 

 proceeded to a discussion of barn-yard manure, and described how 

 the farmer by adopting a different from the prevalent practice could 

 double the available quantity of it by the method of composting. 

 Then taking up the topic of breeding he gave this interesting 

 passage: 



" In respect to live stock it is gratifying to see the spirit excited 

 within the last five or six years to attend to their melioration by pre- 

 serving some of the most promising for breeders instead of sending 

 them to the shambles, ana by introducing from other countries some 

 individuals, already highly improved. New England was originally 

 granted to merchants of Plymouth, in the country of Devon, in Eng- 

 land. It is natural to suppose that some of the early settlers sailed 

 from Plymouth and brought with them the Devon breed of cattle. 

 The uniform red color of various shades, some deep red approaching 

 to brown, now so commonly seen among us, are probably descendants 

 from the Devon race originally imported. Their uniform red color 

 corresponds with a distinguishing mark of the Devon breed, now so 

 highly improved and celebrated in England. Among our own, in- 

 dividuals of this stock might be selected, admitting, with equal care, 

 of equal improvement on the principles now so well understood by 

 English breeders, who are indebted for them to the celebrated Robert 

 Bakewell. On the same principles all our other domestic ani- 

 mals may be improved. And this course appears to me indispensable 

 for the speedy attainment of extensive improvements of our stock, of 

 neat cattle especially. More than one generation must pass away be- 

 fore highly improved races from the few imported animals can be 

 generally obtained. In this important work every substantial farmer 

 in the country ought to engage, and by their rival efforts in every 

 county the great object might be attained. Beauty of form is de- 

 sirable, and will merit attention ; but strength for labor and ample 

 supplies for the dairy are more important. A disposition to fatten at 

 an early age, a point of excellence zealously sought for in England, 

 where husbandry labors are chiefly performed by horses, is not of 

 material consequence to farmers in New England, where oxen for 

 draught and cows for the dairy constitute the most interesting 

 stock." 



On the topic of good butter the speaker expressed doubt that it 

 could be produced in summer without the aid of ice houses or spring 

 houses, and said that Philadelphia had the reputation of better sum- 

 mer butter than any other city in the United States. This he attrib- 

 uted to the spring houses of that region, which he described thus : 



"Over these springs small houses are erected, usually of stone. 



