No. 4. 



Choice of a Profession. 



123 



annually sent to those seats of contamination, 

 cities and large towns, to learn tiie arts, mys- 

 teries, and cares of mercantile life — while 

 hundreds of otliei's sought to be professional 

 gentlemen. Hence the ranks of the physi- 

 cian and the lawyer, were not only filled, but 

 presented an immense corpse in reserve. — 

 The natural consequence is, that they lead 

 out a life of sickly professional existence. — 

 The truth of the matter is, we have ten times 

 too many professional gentlemen. They can- 

 not all have full employment; and I would 

 most affectionately recommend to them, to 

 return to tlieir proper employment, that of 

 tilling the soil. Old mother earth will re- 

 ceive her wandering and erring sons most 

 kindly, and abundantly repay them for every 

 Dilbrt they make to draw from her bosom all 

 ;hat is necessary to supply their wants, pro- 

 )idcd they in their turn are kind, replenish- 

 ng the soil by the timely and judicious appli- 

 cation of fertilizing manures; keeping it well 

 nilverized, well attended to, free from weeds, 

 md in good heart. 



" A spot of ground," the Romans said, 

 ,vould afford sustenance to a family. This is 

 rue. The great fault with us, brother far- 

 ners, is, that we cultivate too much land. — 

 t is a mistaken notion that a large farm is 

 lecessary. It is a prevailing error, and de- 

 ers many a man from entering upon the cul- 

 ivation of a small farm. So far from being 

 lecessary, a large farm, except under pecu- 

 iar circumstances, is not even desirable. 



Too little attention has been paid by the 

 armers of this state to the improvement of 

 )ur agriculture. Here and there, it is true, 

 ire a few noble exceptions. We need more 

 ight and knowledge on the subject — our 

 prosperity requires a systematic course ; a 

 Vee interchange of opinions, and practice of 

 armers. I was therefore rejoiced to see the 

 jlfbrt of our Princeton friends to form an Agri- 

 uiltural Society. This is right. It is an 

 jxiunple worthy the immediate imitation of 

 r)kl ilunterdon. The benefits resulting from 

 societies of this nature, when organized on 

 Correct principles, and properly managed, are 

 iliiiost incalculable. I hope to see my bro- 

 h 'r farmers moving in this matter. Shall 

 3kl Hunterdon, ever kind to her industrious 

 md persevering children, have an Agricultu- 

 ral Society \ What say you, brother farmers 1 

 iVVho will respond — who will take the lead — 

 "when and where shall we meetl 



I am aware that many are opposed to inno- 

 vjations ; they set their faces against agricul- 

 (!,ural newspapers, repudiate book firming, 

 jind utterly discard all improved implements 

 h'i culture. This is not right. Those who 

 ii'iitertain tiiese sentiments fight strongly 

 jigainst their own interest. I am free to 

 j confess that I was once set against theory, 



and against book farming ; but since I became 

 a subscriber and reader to the Philadelpiiia 

 Farmers' Cabinet, my views have not only 

 ciianged, but the aspect of my spot of ground 

 has also changed, and that greatly for the 

 better. Though I do not approve of all con- 

 tained in that publication, I must, in candor to 

 the editor and his able correspondents, say, 

 that I have derived great benefit from it, and 

 it affords me much pleasure to bear this pub- 

 lic testimonial to its favor, as I find it is the 

 sentiment entertained by very many practical 

 and intelligent farmers. 



I have adopted the new system of plough- 

 ing, as it is called, as the best ploughing is 

 that, in my opinion, which completely sub- 

 verts the soil, and buries beneath it the entire 

 vegetable growth. The advantages of this 

 are many and great, and if you see fit, Mr. 

 Editor, to print what I have already written, 

 I may trouble you more on this point, and 

 perhaps say something on " Agricultural Im- 

 plements" in general. In conversation with 

 a farmer from Pennsylvania, a few days since, 

 he informed me that they have introduced in 

 that State, a new implement for planting 

 Corn, Sugar Beet, Ruta Baga, Mangle Wurt- 

 zel, Turneps, Peas, Beans, &,c. I had seen 

 this machine figured in the Farmers' Cabi- 

 net, and read the account. I thought it so 

 extravagant that I would not touch it. But 

 the gentleman to whom I refer, and in whose 

 veracity I have implicit confidence, states, 

 that after the ground was prepared, he took 

 this machine and planted eight acres of corn, 

 and one acre of sugar beet and ruta baga, in 

 ten hours. The machine lays out the furrow, 

 drops, the seed in the fresh earth; it is imme- 

 diately covered and sufficiently rolled, all by 

 one operation. My friend states that his corn 

 and beets have come up finely, regularly, and 

 from two to three days earlier tlian those 

 sown by hand. This he thinks is owing to 

 the seed being dropped in the fresh, earth, 

 and immediately covered. Price $1-5, 1 think 

 he stated. He made his purchase in Phila- 

 delphia. Agricola. 



Hunterdon, July 1^, 1830. 



Choice of a Profession* 



It has frequently occurred to us that our 

 young men, on completing their studies in 

 our colleges, mistake the road to usefulness 

 and comfort in preferring the study of some 

 fashionable profession to the pursuits and oc- 

 cupations of rural life. As soon as a young 

 gentleman is admitted to the degree of Bach- 

 elor of Arts, his thoughts are turned on the 

 future, and pe'-haps the first resting place they 

 find is upon the acquirempnt of professional 

 knowledge of some kind, which to him seems 

 the only road to wealth or distinction. Thua 



