Conducted by ISAAC HILL. 



Published by WM. 



rOSTEIt. 



' Those tc/to labor in the earth are the chosen people of God, ichu^e breasts he has made his peculiar dcposite far substantial and genidne virluc."-}trriLis.aoi> 



VOLUME I. 



CONCORD. N. H., JANUARY 15, 1839. 



NUMBER I. 



PROSPECTUS 



cr. 





It is proposed to publish nt Concord, ?tr. H, a 

 l>eriodicul Journals to toe entitled 



The Farmer's Monthly Visitor. 



This work will be devoted to the exclusive ben- 

 efit of the fanning Jnd producing interests, and 

 will contain^ 



i. Original essays and communications, em- 

 bodying such suggestions of improvements in cul- 

 tivation, in agricultural implements, and in gener- 

 al domestic economy, as may by the conductor be 

 considered worthy of insertion. O' I" t'li" d'-'- 

 partment, every practical man may have an oppor- 

 tunity to contribute his mite. For every original 

 communication, ichich shall be deemed leorUnj of in- 

 sertion, the writer and author shall be entitled to 

 receice, after publication, at the rate of one dollar 

 for every thousand tcords, on application at the of- 

 fee of publication. 



2. All such information contained in other ag- 

 ricultural publications and scientific works in Eu- 

 rope and the Unitt-d States, as may be useful to 

 cultivators of the soil. Under this head will lie 

 embraced suggestions of improvements in agricul- 

 tural implements, in the construction of farm- 

 buildings, in the application of chemistry to the 

 general purposes of agriculture, in the destruction 

 of insects injurious to vegetable life, in the eradi- 

 cation of weeds ; the discovery of new varieties 

 of grain, and other vegctaldes useful to man, or 

 for the food of domestic animals ; useful informa- 

 tion in regard to the management of woods for fu- 

 el and timber ; information relative to the best 

 breeds of live stock, and the various methods of 

 preventincT and curing the diseases of cattle, sheep, 

 piors and poultry ; and such articles as are adapted 

 to encourage and recommend all measures calcu- 

 lated to improve the education of those who de- 

 pend upon the cultivation of the soil for their sup- 

 port. 



3. A monthly table of the prices of agricultural 

 productions at the various principal markets of the 

 United States, together with such other statistical 

 tables of foreign, and domestic production and 

 wealth, as may be interesting for future reference. 



4. Each number to contain at least four engrav- 

 ings illustrative of some implement of agriculture, 

 some method of building or constructing farm- 

 yards, enclosutcs, or other improvements, or some 

 animal deemed to be useful for its superior breed 

 and qualities. ICJ" The number of engravings, 

 which will be expensive, will bo increased, if the 

 patronage will warrant it. 



The value of a well conducted, cheap agricul- 

 tural publication, such as it is designed to make 

 the F.\rmer's Monthly Visitor, may be made to 

 be many times greater than its cost. It is not in- 

 tended that this publication shall interfere with 

 any of the useful religions, political, or literary 

 periodical publicai.ioni;, which are, or may be be- 

 fore the public, nor with any other kindred agri- 

 cultural journal published in this or any other 

 State. With the present patronage extended to 

 them, there^will be ample room for ours. If every 

 farmer in the country should become a subscriber 

 to a work like ours, we feel bound to say, that not 

 one, at the end of the year, will have reason to re- 

 gret the expense. For less than one dollar, includ- 

 ing postage to any part of the country, he ^dUI ob- 

 tain an amount of informatioii, that may be irorth 

 many dollars. And hy preserving and binding the 

 numbers into a handsom? volume, at the end of 

 the year, he will have oa hand what is of much 

 more value than the original cost. It is not un- 

 frequently the case, that a s niple, single sugges- 

 tion, contained in a work of this kind, will be 

 worth much more th^in the price of subscription. 



The Visitor will be published, once a month, 

 on a sheet of superior paper, measuring "27 by 37 

 inches, consisting of si.xtoen pages, containing 

 each three columns, and will be printed with a 

 power press, on a new and beautiful brevier and 

 minion type, procured for the purpose. A single 

 number, the price of which is only 6 l-'t cents, 

 will contain, of fair and legible print, very nearly 

 an equal amount of matter with a number of the 

 ordinary monthly Magazines, whose price is fifty 



cents, and five and six dollars for a year of twelve 

 numbers. On a calculation by counting, it is 

 found that a number of the Visitor will contain 

 about ffly-ihrce thousand words, and the twelve 

 numbers six hundred and thirty-siz thousand words- 

 Wallet Scott's novel of "The Antiquary," in two 

 volumes, contains less than one hundred and eighty 

 thousand words : so that seven volumes of Scott's 

 Wavcrly novels, which are no where procured at 

 less than fifty cents, and from that to two dollars 

 tbr volume, will not contain more reading matter, 

 and much less valuable in.'"ormaticin, than the 

 Mo.NTHLY Visitor will contain, at an expense of 

 only seventy-five cents ! The Visitor will be one 

 of the cheapest publications, for tlie amount of 

 matter it will contain, ever published ; it will even 

 cost less than the condensed inibrniation of the 

 common newspaper, and will be presented in a 

 form which will not be less convenient for preser- 

 vation than a bound book. 



The price to subscribers will be Seventy-five cents 

 a year, or for twelve numbers, payable in advance. 

 No subscription will be taken tor less than a year, 

 and payments will, in all cashes, be made at the 

 time of subscribing: no subscriber will be furnish- 

 ed beyond the time of his subscription and pay- 

 ment ; and every person who fails to procure all 

 the numbers, which shall he directed to him 

 through any post-orfice, shall be entitled to receive 

 the number or numbers missing, or be refunded 

 the money which he has paid. Single numbers 

 may be had for twelve and a half cents each. 



The Monthly Visitor will be under the direct 

 personal management of ISAAC HILL; and all 

 conimunications through the post-office Cpostnge 

 paid) may be directed to Wu.Lmi P. Foster, 

 Concord, N. H., at the publication office, whose 

 receipts will be evidence of payment, and who will 

 receive all remittances, and make all disburse- 

 ments, connected with the publication. The post- 

 age will be one cent a number, to subscribers with- 

 in tlie State ; and one and a half cent, to those re- 

 siding more than one hundred miles from the place 

 of publication. . •.. 



The Visitor will be published hereaftcr%n the 

 fifteenth of each month. [CJ' Subscribers in any 

 month of the year may receive the hack numliers, 

 an extra number of which will be printed. 



January 15, 1839. 



IVarner, K. U. Kov. 26, 1838. 



De.ih Sir : — It is with much satisfaction I learn 

 that you are about commencing the publication of 

 an agricultural paper. It is the very thing needed 

 in this section of the country ; and I have no doubt 

 but it will be popular under your management, and 

 that it will obtain a large subscription. It ought to 

 have a subscription of ten thousand. Certainly 

 one fifth of the voters ofthis State ought to patron- 

 ize it. Reading is nearly as necessary to the farm- 

 er for the successful prosecution of iiis business, as 

 to the jirofessional man. 



Professors of religion must have "line upon line, 

 precept upon precept" to keep them in the path of 

 duty, or they are apt to go astray. The politician 

 must have his weekly nevv'spaper filled with all 

 kindsof inflammatory matter, to keep up his zeal, or 

 his patriotism will flag. And the same causes gen- 

 erally, produce the same effects. If our farmers 

 can be induced to take and read an agricultural pa- 

 per, it will stimulate them to greater exertion in 

 Iheir Labors; it will make them more amljitious to 

 improve their farms, more contented with their sit- 

 uation in life, and finally, better Iiusbands, fitthers 

 and neighbors. 



I have been a constant reader of the New Eng- 

 land Fanner for over sixteen years, and think I can 

 speak from experience. I think I know in some 

 measure wliat is needed to effect ^ radical cham-'e 

 in our agricultural department. Some of the first 

 steps to be taken to effect an improvement must be 

 to inculcate the importance of increasing the ma- 

 nure heap, by every possible means. The more ex- 

 tensive and general cultivation of roots for the 

 feeding of cattle and swine, and perhaps the intro- 

 duction of new kinds of grasses (new to this sec- 

 tion) viz : Lucerne, orchard grass, and the tall 

 meadow oat grass, all of which I have tried upon 

 a small scale, and intend to enlarrre upon. 



.Although you and I do not sec "eye to eye" in 

 political matters — in this thing you shall have my 

 hearty cooperation. 



In pioughraan's phrase, " God send you speed." 

 'yours with much respect, 



LEVI BARTLETT. 

 Hon. I.JAAC Hill, Concord, N. H. 



Salisbury, .V. 11. .Xov. 30, 1S38. 

 Sir : — Your Prospectus for the Farmer's Monthly 

 Visitor is raoeived. I accept tlia agency with pleas- 

 ure. A publication of the kind has been wanted 

 in this State for many years. I have no doubt it 

 will receive very cstens.ve patronage, and become 

 the most influential periodica! ever published in 

 this State. Please send me two or three more sub- 

 scription papers for diffm-ent parts of this town. 

 Very respectfully, 



'i'our obedient servant, 

 . ■. . MOSES EASTMAN. 

 Isaac Hill, Esq. 



Extract of a letter from an tminent Scholar and 

 Divine, dated ,Dcc. 10, 1833. 



" I shall hope to afford you some papers, ccca- 

 sionaUy, hereafter. The object is excellent. 1 cm 

 think of nothing almost mere promising of good to 

 the people of Nevi' Ilampshire. I rejoice that you 

 have taken it in hand. 'Vour facilities, your tastes, 

 you'" « » s » gjyg yg,j advantagBS 



which no other man enjoys to e.tcile and direct the 

 yeomanry of the State in a matter of great impor- 

 tance to all their interests. Nothing could be wis- 

 er, or mope dignified, or useful. * '* ' *■ 



" I ani for all interests : — the learned professions, 

 agriculture, commerce, manufactures, &c. &c. and 

 am for keeping them all in fair proportion to one 

 another. Agriculture has not had its chance and 

 place in the past history of the cotfntry. But it ia 

 cominrr up, and when it shall attain to its proper re- 

 lation it will keep all other departments in due con- 

 sistency and order. 



" Please to put mv name on y-iur subscription 



list 



Lowell, Mass. Dec. 7, 183S. 



De.ir Sir ; — I received, a few days since, the 

 Prospectus of "The Farmer's Monthly Visitor," ac- 

 companied with your letter, requesting me to act as 

 agent for Middlesex Co., &c. There is no doubt 

 that agricultural knowledge is deemed of infinitely 

 too little importance in New England, and finally 

 every where else on this insignificant planet of 

 ours. It is the nature of man to neglect the culti- 

 vation of the earth to engasre in the "chase, in fish- 

 ing, in lumbering, in the professions, in trading, 

 and speculating, in every thing in heaven, earth, 

 an<i ■ I spent the last thanksgiving in Kings- 

 ton, N. H. and could not but notice the fact that 

 most of the enterprising young men of that and the 

 neighboring towns, instead of cultiv.iting their 

 farms, have betaken them.selves to the precarious 

 "shoe business" tor !i living. My brotiier in law, 

 who is a physician, and resides "there, owns four 

 hundred acres of land, three hundred of which is 



under cultivation ; and the rest of it very good, 



some of it excellent, and j-et he does not more than 

 pay his expenses for all he raises 1 I could not but 

 earnestly remonstrate with him for neglecting his 

 farm to follov/ his profession. Why, he said,''if I 

 would come there, he would give me the use of it, 

 as long as I would take a lease, if I would only 

 board him and his mother, which would not be 

 worth more tlian two liiindred dollnrs per annum, 

 or four dollars per week. Nov.- I don't know what 

 others might think of it, but I am half disposed to 

 resign my ofiiee, and take up with his offer. It is 

 indeed strange how little we loi-e the earth, which 

 IS our first, our last, our only steadfast and only un- 

 changing, and disinterested ir\end~ouT mother und 

 cradle, and our final restiiig place. I was bred a farm- 

 er, and still honor our hardy and honest yeomanry a- 

 bove all other men. But this talk is most likely idle 

 as all the feelings that give rise to it, for I am p'roba- 

 bly doomed to drag out my days amid the cockney- 

 ism, intrigues, and folly of some one of our large 

 towns — perhaps Lowell. 



I will .act, according to your request, as agent for 



