126 



THE FARI^IER'S MONTH LY VISITOR. 



widely circulating, aud valuable paper, is the 

 hackneyed subject of manures, to which we have 



before alluded. „ . r j k„ 



It is a hypothesis pretty generally believed by 

 practical fanners, and geologists ot the present 

 day, that almost every soil, be it ever so poor, 

 with regard to its power of affording nutriment 

 to vegetable life, has, somewhere in its immediate 

 vicinity a natural manure, which will, by a cliem- 

 ical process, incorporate with it, when they are 

 placed in juxtaposition, and make it capalile ot 

 producing large crops. Hence we see that in 

 districts where the soil is very sandy, there are 

 found inexhaustible beds of marl, winch render a 

 soil which would otherwise be barren, very truit- 

 ful; as is the case with almost the whole State ol 

 New Jersey, and the eastern shore ol Maryland. 

 It is evidence again from the tact that lime is 

 seldom good as"a manure to ,aiy soil otlier than 

 that in the vicinity where the lime is louuil ; there 

 having been thousands of acres of land rindL^red 

 almost worthless by the tree use of liniu as a ma- 

 nure, the cliemical properties of v.hich were such 

 as would not unite with, but, on the contrary, 

 would nullifv the Ibrnier strength of the soil. And 

 I am astonished when I hear one particular kmd 

 of manure spoken of, as (.'ossessing pro])erties, 

 which will render every soil tructiterous. Not 

 unlike this is the empiricism which is abroad in 

 these days, with medicines, each one of which is 

 a panacea, curing every disease to which poor 

 human nature is subject. 



Undoubtedly compost, marl, plaster, lime, bone, 

 salt, aud saltpetre are all good upon cerUiin soils, 

 but I deny the assumed fact, that any one will 

 incorporate with even/ soil. Upon the last men- 

 tioned, as a manure, 1 will submit a few tacts 

 which have come under my observation the past 

 season. . 



The soil upon which this experiment was tried 

 was neither sandy, nor was it yet a soil whose 

 substratum was clay, but a soil similar to that seen 

 in districts where iron ore is found in abundance ; 

 being something like the soil which, in some 

 parts of the country is called " leachy," though 

 not so much so as to render this its characteris- 

 tic. By [lutting upon several acres of meadow 

 land, of this kind, a composition of saltpetre and 

 plaster, in the proportion of oue part of the for- 

 mer to three ol' the latter, and sowuig about oue 

 bushel and a half per acre, it was found, that 

 where last year there was cut, from one half to 

 one ton per acre, and that grass of a very ordina- 

 ry kind, that this year there has been cut from 

 two, to two and a" half tons per acre, and that a 

 mixture of clover and timothy, which constitutes 

 probably the best kind of hay : and, furthermore, 

 upon this same ground there is now (the 25th of 

 July) a crop of grass, ready ibr the scythe, of this 

 same mixture, which is so heavy that from the 

 effects of a recent raiu a great share of it has 

 fallen down. 



This great increase in the crop may have aris- 

 en partially from the fact that we have had more 

 rain this year than we had on the last ; but by 

 comparing this meadow with others which were 

 equally rich previously, we are led to conclude 

 that it is mainly attributable to the composition 

 placed upon it. 



From a knowledge of the properties of the 

 saltpetre a dry time was selected in which to sow 

 it. If any ofyour nun-.erous subscribers should 

 try a similar experiment, we should be glad to 

 hear, through vour paper, of its success. 



To carry out the idea which we commenced 

 above — if," in a word, American farmers would 

 be, not only such as they are, practical chemists, 

 but miderstand the principles of the science 

 enough to analyze different soils, and different 

 kinds of manures, they could then tell, at once, 

 what kind of manure would incorporate with one 

 soil, and what with another; and experiments 

 which might be made by them then, would not, so 

 often as at pregent, prove abortive. 

 Yours, &c. 



An Observer. 



From an Europpnn Publication. 

 Astricultural School at Hofwyl in Switzerland, 



" The pupils of tlie agricultural school are adnitttotl at 



an early age, there beintr, however, no fixed limits, and are 

 expected to remain until twenty-one, if supported <,rratui- 

 tfu>lv. By so doin^, they would be enabled, by their 

 manual labor, to repay the expense of their miintenince 

 and education, so as to leave the institutirm without pe- 

 cuniary oblujalion. They would, besides, be detained be- 



yond what may be considered the most critical age. In 

 practice, however, it is found ditlicult to induce this 

 lengthened stay, the actual expediency ol which must 

 depend so much on individual circumstances. In addition 

 to tlie gratuitous pupils, others are taken, who pay, in part, 

 or enti'relv, for tiieir education. Twenty is the usual 

 number of gratuitous pupils, and at the time ol my visit 

 there were ten pay pupils besides. This number is essen- 

 tially restricted by the plan of the school. 



i-'ormerly, the pupils were under the charge of a single 

 leaclier, lor manual labor, instruction and discipline. The 

 teacher lived with tiiem, and w.is expected to be their 

 c.nstant companion, adviser and friend, as well as instruc- 

 tor. Tlie first teacher of the agricultural school, V\ herli, 

 was specially trained for the purpose, by Mr. de * ellen- 

 herg, and executed the plr.ii of the school in a way to pro- 

 duce commendaUon from .all quarters. It is easily seen 

 Uiat sucli a place would be most dinicult to supply, and 

 u't t., at to preserve the ougiiial principle ol organization 

 reuuires absolutely that it should be supplied. 



At present, ti.e arrangement is essentially ditlerent. 

 riie pupils work and live witn Uie te.icher, but receive m- 

 sUuctioii m tlie middle school. In summer, the Ume oc- 

 cupieil in labor lo from eiglit lo twelve Hours per day, and 

 imust.uction from tv.o to lour hours. In winter, the 

 am uiit ol labor is less, and of study more. At particular 

 se.isoiis m tlie summer, as during the time ol harvest and 

 hay iniking,the instruction is omitted altogether. In the 

 winter, -ymiiastic exercises, in a degree, replace agricul- 

 tural labor. Thus the character of the instrucUun is en- 

 tirely changed from what the former records of the school 

 represent u to nave been. It was intermingled with work, 

 and much of it incidental, the oeculiar talant of Wlierll 

 appearing to have displayed itself in improving ei'ery op- 

 portunity for communicating instruction of this sort. At 

 present the mtelleetual -and moral instruction, andthe 

 field-work, both assume a more formal cliaracter. The 

 former plan appears to have been peculiarly well adapted 

 to the Swiss character, and certainly produced happy re- 

 sults upon the youth educated under it, and, if I under- 

 stood Mr. de I'ellenberg aright, he is anxious to return to 

 it when a suitable teacher shall have been obtained. In 

 addition to ordinary farming and labor, and gardening, the 

 pupils are employed in an extensive dairy and a shop lor 

 making agricultural machines. They have besides in the 

 agricultural institute, means of acquiring the theory as 

 well as the practice of farming. The farming operations 

 in which they assist, are carried on to great advantage up- 

 on the extensive domain of Hofwyl. ^ , ■ 

 They rise at live in summer, attend to tlie police of their 

 dwellino-house. .and unite in the prayers and lessons of the 

 middle school ;' breakfast at half past six ; are engaged in 

 labor or instruction, with an intermission of an hour at 

 noon for dinner, until six o'clock ; sup, and are engaged in 

 their lessons until near eight ; have prayers and retire to 

 bed at nine. Their meals are served from the same kitch- 

 en, and are of tlie same quality with those of the hands 

 upon the farm. On Sunday tliey rise at six in summer, 

 breakfast at seven, attend prayers, study, and join the 

 classes of vocal music with the pupils of the middle 

 school until eleven, meet the other classes at chapel, 

 where they have a sermon from a Protestant or Catholic 

 clergyman alternately ; dine at twelve, liave study and rec- 

 reation until five, when they sup and are free unUl seven, 

 have pr.ayers and retire at eight. 



The instruction received is in reading the German lan- 

 guage and exercises of induction four hours per week ; 

 arithmetic three hours ; elementary geometry, or knowl- 

 edge of forms, two hours ; geography and the history ol 

 Switzerland, three hours ; natural history and philosophy 

 two hours ; religion and morals two hours ; writing, draw- 

 ing and vocal music three hours. 



Three hours per week are devoted to military drdi, in 

 which the pupils of the several schools are united. An 

 admirable arrangement is made for bathing, by enclosing 

 a copious spring, so as to form a reservoir with an over- 

 flow, by which the water is constantly changed. The 

 depth is regulated so as to be adapted to the use both of 

 those who can and others who cannot swim. ,\ bathing- 

 house, steps to enter the water, and apparatus of various 

 kinds, for instruction in swimmiug, complete the arrange- 

 ments. 



The discipline of this school is of a mild character ; the 

 elder pupils have much influence over the younger, and 

 where the teacher is constantly with them, as in the for- 

 mer organization, his control is a substitute for reguha- 

 tions. 'In the beginning, the number of pupils .admitted 

 was so small that no one could escape the teacher's obser- 

 vation and kindly admonition ; and when the numbers were 

 increased, this spirit was propagated fn.m the older pupils 

 to the new comers, 



In connexion with this rural school should be mentioned 

 the establisliment kn. vva as the colony of Meykirk , placed 

 several miles from Hofwyl, u;>on an uncultivated spot. 

 The object of this est iblishment was lo demonstrate the 

 iMissibilitv of rendering rural schools self-supporting, and 

 that tliey' might even be used as the means of improving 

 the agricultural condition of the country. .Vspotoffil- 

 teen "acres w.is selected, and a log house built upon it. 

 The colony was opened with six pupils in 1827, and placed 

 under the charge of a pupil of VVelirlis. The number 

 was gr.idually increased. The instruction was made en- 

 tirely incidental — agricultural labor being the first neces- 

 siry for the colonists. Their me.le of life was of the most 

 frugal character, to an extent unpracticed in cur country. 

 In the earlier periods they were supplied from Hofwyl, but 

 were made to dencnd upon that snurce as little .as possi- 

 ble. The scliool was disconti ued a iVv/ years since, and 

 dl the accounts relating to it closed, when it .appeared that 

 durin<r its brief existence, tlie estimated improvements of 

 the soil had been rarely adequate to defray the expenses of 

 the school, over and above its receipts. This result, how- 

 ever, depended mon the peculiar Incatinn of the colony 

 since it IS by no means common to su'li sohools, even iii 

 Switzerland. 



The first officer ofthe Nation speaks true of Ag- 

 riculture. 



A correspondent at Felchville, Vt. under date 

 of July 'J8th, 1840, asks us— "Will you please to 

 give place in your welcome Visitor tor a short ex- 

 tract from President Van Bure.n's Message to 

 the special session of 1837. Emanating from a 

 high source, being iiuite applicable to the present 

 time, having relerence to, and giving encourage- 

 ment to that class of citizens which your paper 

 is intended to beueiit, I think it desei-ves a place 

 in its columns." 



On reading the message alluded to, the idea of 

 a republication struck iis. Until we looked a 

 second time and recollected the date of the mes- 

 sage, we had almost flattered ourselves that the 

 President had derived liis knowledge of the su- 

 perior condition of the "agricultural interest" 

 from perusing our Monthly Visitor. At all 

 events, his thoughts being our thoughts on this 

 subject, prove ipiite concusively to our minds 

 that all of us think right, aud that of all profess- 

 ions, callings and |iursuits, the farmer's occupa- 

 tion is the best aud most encouraging. 



EXTR.\CT. 



"The difliculties and distresses of the times, 

 though unquestionably great, are limited in their 

 extent, and camiot be regarded as affecting the 

 permanent prosperity of the nation. ^\rising, in 

 a great degree, irom" the transactions of foreign 

 and domestic commerce, it is upon them that they 

 have chiefly ialleu. 'I'he great agricultural inter- 

 est has, in many jiaits of the country, suffered 

 comparatively little ; and, as if Providence in- 

 tended to display the munificence of its good- 

 ness at the moment of our greatest need, and in 

 direct contrast to the evils occasioned by the way- 

 wardness of man, we have been blessed, through- 

 out our extended territoij, w ith a season of gen- 

 eral health and of uncommon fruitfulness. The 

 proceeds of our great staples will soon ftu-nish 

 tlie means of liquidating debts at home and 

 abroad, and contribute equally to the revival of 

 commercial activity, and a restoration of commer- 

 cial credit." 



Sugar.— We see it stated that the sugar im- 

 ported into Great Britain last year, compared with 

 the average import ofthe years from 16.30 to 1839 

 has fallen off to the extent of 40,000 tons; and as 

 compared with the ten years preceding, from 

 1820 to 1829,50,000 tons; in consequence of 

 which the wholesale and retail grocers, confec- 

 tioners, &c., have got up a petition to Parliament, 

 ]iraying for the admission of foreign sugars to 

 home consumption at a fair reduction of duty. 



England will have to commence the cultiva- 

 tion ol" the beet root. The quantity of sugar 

 manufactured from this root on the continent of 

 Europe, where it was first introduced by Napo- 

 leon, is astonishing, aud is constantly increasing. 

 In France, the quantity of beet root sugar manu- 

 factured from 800 manufactories, is about 60,000 

 tons. According to accounts in the Dutch pa- 

 pers lately, the manufacture of sugar from beet 

 root is extending there rapidly, and oneestoblish- 

 ment is cited at Vosterbick, in Gulderland, which 

 alone consumes in the process from 4,000.000 to 

 5,000,000 lbs. weight of beet root per annuin._ In 

 Prussia and Central Germany, the same eflbrts 

 are making to extend cultivation, the average 

 yearlv iiroduction from 18;W to 18:38, for which 

 alone" the returns are given in the papers, being 

 estimated at about 11,000,000 lbs. weight of su- 

 gar. But it is calciiUited that the quantity now 

 made is very considinibly more. Austria is not 

 behind in the same branch of industry and culti- 

 vation. At the close of 1838, the quantity of sti- 

 jror produced from the beet root exceeded 9,000 

 tons weight, or from 12 to 13 per cent, of the 

 whole annual consumption, calculated at about 

 115,000,000 lbs. Li Boliemla alone, the number 

 of beet root sugar establishments is stated for 

 October, 18:38, in the Commerce, French paper, at 

 87. lu Russia, the cultivation and manufacturo 

 of beet root sugar is equally on the increase, and 

 is pushed with great activity, and in numerous 

 instances the culture of hemp has been abandon- 

 ed lor that of beet root sugar, to which the peas- 

 antry are encouraged by iiremiums from the 

 land" proprietors. Li Moscow and the neighbor- 

 ing Governments, the beet root establishments 

 aie said to have increased in number since 1832, 

 at the average rate of 40 per annum. 



Sugar may now \x regarded as one of the 



