550 



FARMERS' REGISTER— DR. BARTON'S ADDRESS. 



sical energies would be brought into action and 

 improved, whilst two-thirds of tlieir time would 

 be devoted to the improvement of the mind alone. 

 But mucii of tlie theory taught at sucli estabUsh- 

 ments, might, during the hours of labor, be re- 

 duced to practice, and tlius one made subservient 

 to the otlier. This plan, it appears to me, pos- 

 sesses decided advantages over that of the Gym- 

 nasia, of some of the German schools. It may 

 be asked how are such institutions to be sup- 

 ported? And I would reply, as our present schools 

 and colleges. And if in no other way, by legis- 

 lative aid. JNIany of these, however, would de- 

 rive considerable aid from the labor of their pupils, 

 if judiciously directed; and those, whose parents 

 were too indigent to assist, ^vould expect to devote 

 a larger proportion of their time to manual labor. 

 And tor this they would be amply rewarded, by 

 the acquirement of their prolessions in a ("ew years; 

 and thus be enabled to take their stations at once 

 in society, as scientific and jiraclical farmers. 



When we reflect that about nine-tenths of the 

 whole community are engaged in agricultvu'al pur- 

 suits, we will at once see the great moral mfluence 

 we are capable of exerting. And it is our own 

 faults if we are the "hewers of wood and drawers 

 of water' lor every other class. If not prepared 

 by education, we do not deserve to share the loaves 

 and fishes. I am anxious, then, to convince you, 

 that by preparing your sons as they should be for 

 an agricultural lile, you at the same time qualify 

 them to fill all and every station, with honor to 

 themselves and their country. It" they are am- 

 bitious ot" preferment, and their inclinations should 

 tempt them to leave the peaceful and happy walks 

 of agriculture, to embark on the polluted and 

 stormy sea of politics, they have an equal, if not 

 better chance, of attaining office, and this bubble 

 distinction, than the youth of euher the other pro- 

 fessions. Of this, historjr affords many examples; 

 and if the acquisition of wealth is desirable, they 

 still have an equal chance: and numerous in- 

 stances might be cited in our own country, as well 

 as abroad, ot men engaged in agriculture, and 

 cojnmencing, too, with little or no capital, acquiring 

 large estates. 



The time consumed with these rem.arks, has 

 not been misspent, gentlemen, if I have convinced 

 you, or your sons, that our profession is the hap- 

 piest, and offers equal prospects lor wealth, honor, 

 and distinction. For myself, I am ambitious of 

 no office, not even that which I now have the 

 honor to hold; and my sole object is to aid in 

 placing our profession along-side the learned ones, 

 if not to occupy the foremost rank. 



AVhen I belbre addressed this society, I called 

 their attention to lime as one of our most valuable 

 manures; and its importance will justify a lew 

 more remarks. No soil can be deemed valuable 

 that does not contain a portion of this earth, either 

 in a state of nature, or combined by art. This is 

 usually in the shape of carbonate, throughout our 

 lime stone districts. But even here, Mr. Ruffin in 

 his work on calcareous manures, has shown there 

 is a deficiency of calcareous matter or carbonate 

 of lime. And I would beg leave to refer you to 

 his analysis on this subject. An error too fre- 

 quently prevails amongst us, that stable manure 

 will supply the wants of any soil, and correct its 

 barrenness. This arises from a want of chemical 

 knowledge — for whatever be the quantity of this 



kind of manure applied to a soil containing the sul- 

 phate of iron, its sterility will not be removed. 

 Yet a small quantity of lime will soon render it 

 fertile tuid productive. This, then, as an impor- 

 tant fertilizer, should not be neglected; and much 

 of our spare time in the winter season should be 

 devoted to preparing it. 



I would again call your attention, too, to a most 

 important subject; that, of the best rotation to be 

 pursued. The four-shift system has been recom- 

 mended on high authority — and ev^en the three- 

 shift has been advised: but either is too exhaust- 

 ing. Davvson, an able English agriculturist, 

 remarks in Loudon's Encycloptediaof Agriculture, 

 "that the four- shift husbandry is only proper tor 

 very rich land, or in situations where there is a full 

 command of manure. That by liir the greatest 

 part of the land in England, requires to be con- 

 tinued in grass two, three, four, or more years, 

 according to its natural poverty; that the objection 

 made to this, viz. that the coarse grasses in a Cew 

 years usurp possession of the soil, must be owing 

 to the surface soil* not being sufficiently mixed 

 with lime; the lime having been covered too deep 

 with the plough." Here, too, we may derive a 

 useful hint in the use of lime, on our soils infested 

 with v/eeds and the coarser grasses. It seems 

 then this system is objectionable, unless the land 

 is very rich, or there is a full command of manure; 

 and if we have to depend on artificial means, it 

 will be necessary to manure one-fourth our farms 

 annually. This not only requires a vast expendi- 

 ture of labor, but none of us have such a com- 

 mand of manure; unless indeed, we had a con- 

 siderable capital to expend in burning and hauling 

 out lime. But to the farmer, time is money, and 

 so is labor — and whilst labor is so high, and capital 

 so scarce amongst us, we must seek the improve- 

 ment of our lands, and the consequent increase of 

 our products, by a less costly and operose system, 

 than the four-shift. It is true, many of us might 

 by this rotation greatly increase our annual pro- 

 ducts for a i'ew years; but eventually, our lands 

 would be exhausted, and our posterity would only 

 inherit worn-out and steril farms. A few ot us 

 perhaps, might say, we will leave posterity to take 

 care of themselves — but I hope this number is 

 but few. If there are any such, let us pity them, 

 whilst they fold their arms in their own selfishness 

 — they belong not to the great mass of the ag- 

 ricultural community, who I am proud to say, are 

 excelled by none in i)atriotism, and a proper re- 

 o-ard to the" comfort and wants of their posterity. 



From the Baltimore Patriot. 

 THE PORK BUSIKESS AT CIIVCIIVKATI. 



Cincinnati is the greatest pork market, in 

 the known world. Tlie number of hogs slaugh- 

 tered annuall}^, and the perfection and science to 

 which the art of " hog-killing" has been brought, 

 is indeed astonishing. The business of butcher- 

 ing, is carried on distinct from that of packing, 

 and by diflerent persons. The most extensive es- 

 tablishment of the kind, is the one on Deer Creek, 

 owned and conducted by Mr. John W. Coleman. 

 At this place, last year, 100,864 hogs were slaugh- 

 tered. There are four houses situated at diflerent 

 points on the ground occupied, which is a lot of 

 eight acres — the ground is divided into pens some 



