1-64 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



bash '. While we have no disposition to condemn 

 the "bold and enterprising" who remove there, we 

 cannot admit the sequen.-e thai all who do not go 

 there are "timid and faint hearted." 1 he man who 

 refuses a challenge to a duel may be stigmatized as 

 timid, when it will require a greater degree of mor- 

 al courage to repress than to indulge the passion 

 for fin-ht": so tlie man who encounters and over- 

 Gome's all obstacles at home and advances to wealth 

 by his own exertions in a country so unpronllsln^r 

 as this, may claim credit for at least equal courage 

 and enterprise with hiin who makes a dash at the 

 far West, in the prospect that a rich and fertile soil 

 will at once give him competence without the ne- 

 cessity for further effort or enterprise. 



It five years industry and exertion are only ne- 

 cessary to make a man independent in the valley 

 of the Wabash,is thewriterqiiite sure that anequal 

 effort will not do as much in many parts oi New 

 Eno-Iaud.' The face of the whole country is so in- 

 viti°n<J- that like the discontented cow or ox turned 

 into a new and abundant field, the men who occu- 

 py the soil for its products bite a little here and 

 there, and roam from place to place, not satisfied 

 with the abundance before them, but looking for 

 a greater abundance at points not yet reached. In 

 almost all directions— in -New England itself when 

 the forest is first cut down— the ground teems with 

 production ; it yields abundantly for a few years. 

 This spontaneous abundance cannot always contin- 

 ue without compensation is made to mother earth 

 for the successive crops taken from her bosom. 

 The o-reat misfortune of our agriculture has been, 

 and is likely to be, that the richness of the primi- 

 tive soil leads to a course of cultivation which is 

 sure to end in sterility. Discouragement, if not a- 

 bandonment, follows this sterility : the occupant is 

 presented with a strong inducement to leave the 

 ground no longer productive to occupy other ground 

 which will yield more abundantly. 



Repeated e.xperiraent has proved, that to the in- 

 dustrious and enterprising the deteriorating method 

 of cultivation is not the true policy : those gam the 

 most who by the product and application of ina- 

 Qiurcs keep up the original richness of the soil. — 

 Even for present profit, more is gained in propor- 

 tion to the labor, from well prepared ground, kept 

 rich by fertilizing manures. There are various sub- 

 stances besides mere animal and vegetable manures 

 that may enrich the soil— there are calcareous sub- 

 stances, partaking of the nature of lime, which 

 merely acton the soil witJioul imparting any inter- 

 nal fertility— there are kinds of earth mixed with 

 other kinds of earth having a similar effect. The 

 discoveries of science, the development of tlie con- 

 stituents of different soils by analyzation, may here- 

 after enable every farmer to decide at once what is 

 the best ingredient for his particular location. 



A change in New England cultivation, begun 

 several years ago in some places near the sea-board, 

 18 rapidly extending to the interior. It is found 

 that our soil may be made to produce ten times as 

 much as it has produced; and the secret has gone 

 abroad ibal those farmers make the must monnjjrum 

 their lulmr who most ferlilhc the soiUehich theij eiil- 

 tivnte. The examplrs of Indian corn crops upon 

 the islands of Winnipisseogee lake in New Hamp- 

 shire clialle-ige competition with the crops even in 

 the fertile regions of the valley of the Wabash.— 

 There is no danger that the population of New Eng- 

 land will become too compact or too numerous. 

 The growth of commercial and manufacturing 

 towns will create a necessity for improved agricul- 

 ture every where within the reach of those towns. 

 Create a demand for the productions of the earth 

 beyond the present supply, and there will always be 

 found sufficient enterprise in the New England 

 population to profi-ress in the inarch ot improve- 

 ment. When the abundant tracks of land now 

 neo-lected shall be brought -into use by all the im- 

 provements of which they are susceptible, iio fan- 

 cied fertile elysium of a distant country can tempt 

 away from their homes the intelligent population, 

 who are already reaping the benefits of their own 

 perseverance and industry. 



The West is destined to flourish, as well by a nat- 

 ural and proper emigration from the eastern States 

 as from acquisitions of emigrants from Europe and 

 other foreign lands ; its more legitimate increase 

 will however be from the reproduction of its pres- 

 ent population. The Atlantic States, particularly 

 the States of New England, now stand at a point 

 presenting the strongest inducements and the great- 

 est encouragements to that bold enterprise which 

 deserves success because it always earns it. The 

 agriculture of New England, already in advance of 

 every other part of the country, is destined to shoot 

 atill further ahead; the march to her improvement 

 e»nnot be arrested. Our young men will find the 

 ■roBpect of snciesse qually auspicious here as in any 



us from discontent who wish to make money by 1 bottom of the pond is «ow never under water, ex- 



their wits, rather than by productive industry. 



We are under obligations to the writer of the fol- 

 lowing for this his first communication fur the Farm- 

 er's Monthly \'isitor: a pen which delineates with 

 so much graphic skill, which is beautifully accurate 

 in its style as it isanimaiingand minute in its man- 

 ner of constructing sentences, ought not to lay 

 idle. 



The Frog Fond chansed to a fruitful 



Field." 



For the F.nrnier'si .Monlhly Vi.^itor. 



Whoever travels through the western part of the 

 county of Merrimack, on the way from Concord 

 towards Hanover, and can carry back his recollec- 

 tion fifteen or twenty years, must be forcibly struck 

 with numerous alterations and improvements, which 

 present themselves on either side of the way. Bet- 

 ter roads, fences and buildings; ornamental trees ; 

 hedges cleared away ; unproductive lands made 

 fertile, and numerous rough places made smooth, 

 are objects which continually come to his view. 



But no improvement, in a small way, can surpass 

 the one made on the frog pond, in the village of 

 Hop'-.inton. This place contained more than two 

 acres. No constant stream of water ran into it, 

 and none could run out, without a deep cut, o^ [roa 

 twelve to fourteen feet, at the highest place. It 

 was covered with water most of the year, and a part 

 of it at all times, but not so deep as to prevent the 

 growth of weeds and water grasses, which gave it 

 a very unsightly appearance. It became the com- 

 mon receptacle of all cast-away things. Dead dogs 

 and drowned cats, with their numerous and unwel- 

 come progeny, without ceremony, were consigned 

 to the stagnant waters of the frog pond. Of course 

 it was a very ugly place in the centre of a village. 

 But this was not all : living creatures, which love 

 to sport in dirty water, dwelt there, and multiplied 

 wonderfully. 



"Part.-inrks and litflefrorr.^^ Irtnds ntid snakes, 



And tortoitses. wiUl spcckli'd backs, 



All a.ssenibled here tncetlier, 



And made swe^t nuisic for each other." 



cept for a few hours, sometimes after a great fall of 

 rain. The soil is ofthe best kind. Itdoesnotdry 

 up and become husky, like the mud of many low 

 lands when the water is drained off, but is a fine, 

 rich, friable substance, which has been washed 

 down from the cultivated grounds around it. Corn 

 and potatoes have been raised upon it in great per- 

 fection, as well as most of the plants, roots and 

 vines common to the field and the garden. The 

 greater part of it, however, is in grass and has been 

 mowed, yielding two crops of hay each season. He 

 that remembers what is was fifteen years ago, will 

 hardlv credit his own senses, when he looks upon 

 it now. Instead of a loathsome filthy sink, is now 

 seen an exceedingly rich and productive spot of 

 earth. He is at the same time reminded how easy 

 a supposed impossible purpose is accomplished, 

 when commenced in the right way. " 



H. 



Every note between the extremes of sound, from 

 the lowest guttural bass to the most piercing treble, 

 constantly assailed tlie ear during the musical sen- 

 son. But however grateful this music was to such 

 as were in the water, it was a most provoking an- 

 noyance to all without ; yet, no one could escape, 

 unless he ran away. 



When Hopkiiiton v.'ns a half shire town, and the 

 county Courts were held there, the spring term hap- 

 pened when these creatures were the most clamor- 

 ous, but they had no regard for the dignitaries of 

 the law. The usages ami artificial restraints to civ- 

 ilized society had not reached them. They were 

 the creatures of nature, and were determined tore- 

 main so, and to spurt and to sing, as their fathers 

 and their grandfathers had done before them, and 

 they did so till the patience ofthe .ludge was often 

 exhausted, and tlie authority of the fat round Sher- 

 iff and the Tip staff was set at open defiance. "And 

 here also the cunning lawyer, with his special and 

 double pleading, and his long labored argument, 

 found an equal match for himself — others could talk 

 as loud and as long as he, and, sometimes, a little 

 longer. This state of things was deemed unavoid- 

 able, and endured from year to year, without any 

 known advantage, although many did suppose it 

 had a salutary effect in quickening the harmoniz- 

 ing propensities of the Jurors, during the terms of 

 of the Court. In those days, it was a rare occur- 

 rence for a Jury to disagree. Whether they were 

 governed more by principle, and less by their own 

 private fijelings — more by the evidence before them 

 and less by tlie clamor in the streets, or whether 

 this harmony of opinion resulted from an aversion 

 to the music of the frogs, and a wish to be rid of 

 it, are questions undecided ; but one thing is cer- 

 tain, they were generally agreed in a verdict. 



Many attempts were made to remove this nui- 

 sa.ice, but none were effectual. The late Mr. Jo- 

 seph Towne, who was always ready for an experi- 

 ment, either for public or private purposes, but 

 whose schemes were not always conceived nor 

 prosecuted on the most correct or philosophical 

 principles, made several efforts, at much expense, 

 but all proved useless, and ended in disappointment 

 and vexation. A few years ago, Col. Long located 

 his family near this pond, and made propositions to 

 several individuals to drain it. These proposals 

 were immediately complied with, and a survey was 

 made for the purpose of commencing adrain'atthe 

 lower end. The object has been accomplished by 



For llie Fnrm.i'. .Monlhly Vlsil'T. 



The Farming Interest in New England. 



No one who is at all observant of the signs ofthe 

 times, can fail to notice the change which is now in 

 progress in the views and feelings ofthe cultivators 

 of the soil in New England. That apathy in re- 

 gard to their great interests which has prevailed 

 so extensively in former years, has already in a 

 measure passed away. The value of different kinds 

 of land, the nature and capability of our soil, im- 

 proved breeds of stock, the comparative value of 

 different crops, the cheapest modes of enriching the 

 soil, improvements in agricultural implements, the 

 effects of western emigration and western compe- 

 tition in our markets— these are .subjects which the 

 intelligent farmer does not noio hear discussed with 

 indifference. 



As an obvious consequence ofthe awakening in- 

 terest on these, and kindred topics, there must be a. 

 corresponding change in agricultural science. In- 

 deed, this change has already begun ; and our ag- 

 ricultural periodicals are the medium through which 

 it is manifesting itself That the farmers are their 

 own best judges as to the value of the agricultural 

 improvements of the day, is a position which will 

 not probablv be questioned ; and it is hardly less 

 certain that; if the press is to be their great auxifia- 

 ry, it must embody the experience of practical men 

 —men who are farmers by profession. A mutual 

 interchange of views among such Uicn, and a care- 

 ful statement of the result of experiments made by 

 them, must be attended with the most beneficial re- 

 sults. The Geologist and the Chemist possess 

 the key which is to unlock the golden treasures of 

 the ea'rth to our agricultural population. The 

 knowledire which they alone can furnish, is, we 



digging a ditch sufficiently wide to be stoned up at 

 the sides, and covered large enough for a person to 



•B .ctu ,^. —^ .. T J r ., make his way through, for the purpose of clearing 



Other part'oTtne world ; and those only will leave I ii out, wlien necesiary to do so. What was the 



may almost say, the sine qua non in the advance- 

 ment of agricultural knowledge ; and it is gratify- 

 ing to know that the community are already awake 

 toUie impor.ance of the subject. 



It requires but little acquaintance with the dif- 

 ferent sections ofthe union, to convince the unpre- 

 judiced mind that New Euffland can never rival the 

 south and west in the ]Moduction of some of the 

 principal staples of the country. To say nothing 

 of the difference of climate, our bleak hills mid 

 primitive soil can never compete with the rich 

 transition and secondary formations of the- new 

 States. But is it to be inferred from this that New 

 England is doomed to perpetual inferiority.' that 

 her%ons and daughters mustof necessity be gainers 

 by abandoning her soil .' These are questions which 

 every New Englander should ponder well. 



That community has little cause for disaffection, 

 which can supply'its own wants, and have a small 

 surplus left for e'xportation. Indeed, such a state 

 of thincrs is much more desirable than to have one 

 or two great articles of export, dependent on the 

 fluctuations of a foreign market, while most of the 

 necessaries of life are supplied from abroad. How 

 stands the case with New England in this respect..' 

 No one who knows he r capabilities can doubt but 

 that she has within herself the means of indepen- 

 dence. Perhaps the demand for western flour and 

 other commodities may seem to contradict this ; 

 but let it be considered what her soil now is, and 

 what it is destined to be. He who lives to see fifty 

 years, will see a change wrought upon our soil, 

 which the most sanguine hardly dare to hope for. 

 Does any one ask how this is to be effected i I ■in- 

 sv/er, by the enterprise of our Farmers. The spirit 

 is already awake which will not slumber until it is 

 accomplished. It can be demonstrated, that, with 

 very little additional labor, the produce of New 

 Encrland may be nearlv doubled. Our soil ismain- 

 Iv primitive; being mostly formed from decompos- 

 ed (rranite, and ottier primary rocks, in which silex 

 predominates. Although silex is unproductive ot 

 itself, yet, when mixed with suitable proportions ot 

 clay and lime, it forms the most fruitful and endur- 



