anvthinp:, upon Asriculturo, bfforc the year 

 1797. His first publication was then made, and 

 contained a statement of facts and opinions iu 

 relation to the use of gjpsum. This pamphlet 

 circulated \videly, and produced such a change 

 in husbandry, by introducing tlie culture of clo- 

 ver and other artificial grasses, as gave, we all 

 know, a magical increase to the value of farms. 

 Estates which, until then, were unable to main- 

 tain stock, for want of winter fodder and sum- 

 mer pasture, were snddenlj- brought into cul- 

 ture and made productive. Formerly, on a fann 

 destitute of natural meadow, no stock could be 

 supported ; :md even where natural meado%v 

 existed, the ham-yard was exhausted to keep 

 up sufficient fertility (in the ab.sence of irriga- 

 tion) to feed a very few horses and black 

 cattle.* 



Such \vas the situation of our httsbandry for 

 some years after the Revolution. It is proper 

 to advert to it, that we may understand the full 

 extent of. our obligation to the Judge. Iu the 

 year 1770. he was shown the effects of gj-p.sum 

 on clover, iu a citj' lot, occupied by Mr. Jacob 

 Barge, on the commons of Philadelphia. 



The secret of its powerful agency came from 

 Germany, where it was accidentally discovered. 

 Mr. Peters obtained a .small quautitj-, which he 

 used successfully, and gradually promoted its 

 consumption, until, by his example and his pub- 

 lications, the importation from Nova-Scotia 

 alone, into the single port of Philadelphia, in- 

 creased to the enormous amoun?^of fourteen 

 thonsand tons annually. This was before the 

 di.scovery of that fossil in the United States. 



Inq'.iire in the counties of Chester, Lancaster, 



* Next afier the invention of the cotton-gin. by 

 Whitney, few things have done more to add to the 

 value of asriculturfil productions 'than the use of gyp- 

 sum, or jilaster of Paris ; and, above all other per- 

 sons, Judge Peters conb-ibuted mo-st to dissipate the 

 hesitation and doubts that generally stand in the way 

 of great innovations, such as that was. To believe 

 that a bushel of sulphate of lime, spread on an acre 

 of land, would have sudi etfects as were described, 

 .seemed to promise nothing but ridicule fOr those who 

 could entertain it ; but its application, at that rate, on 

 clover sowed on the poorest land, two successive 

 seasons, enabled the famier to raise from six to eight 

 barrels of corn, and raised the price of his land ac- 

 coriiingly. 



W'hat has most pei-plexed inquiring minds, even 

 to this day, has been the fact that, while it acts with 

 wonderful force on one farm, it is inert on another, 

 perhaps adjoining. If it improves land by drawing 

 nourishment for plants from the atmosphere, say 

 they, why should that not be attracted by any otlier 

 manure "; and wliy should gypsum not exert that in- 

 Huence in ojie locality, or on one farm, as well as on 

 anoUier? The liiuh is that Agricultural Chemistrj- 

 has not yet done its office on this jjoint, tliough we 

 doubt not it will ; and our anticipation is that it will 

 di.acover, in the land upon which it has no influence, 

 the presence of some chemical agency in the soil 

 which neuti-alizes and destroys the virtue of the 

 gypsum. 



In the South, it is ascertained, by practice, that its 

 action is equal on the various leguminous crops, and 

 as powerful and as generally used on the pea as on 

 tlie clover crop. f Ed. Farm. Lib. 



{in, 



and others around us, where clover is so benefi- 

 cially cultivated, liow much is due to that excel- 

 lent man for the great pains he took to extend 

 the use of gypsum ? On this subject. I very re- 

 cently transmitted to the Judge a testimonial of 

 gratitude from one of the most intelligent per- 

 sons of Lancaster, who uidie.sitatin;;ly ascribes 

 to Mr. Peters's book on plaster, and his other 

 agricultural essays, the merit of ha\nng produced 

 a good part of the rich cultivation for which that 

 country is so celebrated. But his rural labors 

 were not confined to the tilth of the grour.d — to 

 the mere variety of grasses, or alimental im- 

 provement of the soil vihicli produced them — 

 for v.'c find him zealously employed in mend- 

 ing, by crosses, the breed of sheep and other 

 animals. To him was confided the care of the 

 broad-tail Barbaiy rams, procured at Tunis, by 

 General Eaton. The Judge plticed them advan- 

 tageously, and pressed on the farmers, by re- 

 peated vs'ritteu exhortations, the propriety of 

 using them.* 



In order to appreciate properly the industry 

 of this gentleman, in treating on husbandly and 

 matters auxiliaiy to it, we must consult his vo- 

 luminous communications, published in the Me- 

 moirs of the Philadelphia Agricultural Society. 

 Take, for instance, the first volume. There w*e 

 find him discussing, with his accustomed anima- 

 tion, and clear and elegant style, the following 

 topics : 



On Hoven Cattle. 



On Peach Trees. 



On Yellow Water in Horses. 



On Gypsum. 



On the thickness, cement, and materials of 

 Walls. 



On Orchards. 



On Coarse Flour. 



On Brown Bread. 



On the Force of Habit, as it relates to Escu- 

 lents. 



On new Herbs and Shrubs appearing after 

 firing \Voods. 



On Trench Plowing. 



On Hemlock for Live Fences. 



Remarks on, and Plan of, a Stercorary. 



On Changes of Timber and Plants. 



On Races of Animals Extinct. 



These numerous articles, .so various in their 

 character, are, as I have said, contained in the 

 first volume, and are all copiously and ably treat- 

 ed by him. The succeeding volumes are no less 

 rich in original essays on the science and art of 

 Agriculture, from tlie same prolific pen. Per- 

 haps it is not estimating the qvantity of his la- 

 bor too high, if we place it at one-fourth of each 

 volume ; the qnaUty of these productions must 

 be valued according to their wide circulation 

 and great popularity. 



This distinguished citizen, always vigilant in 

 promoting objects of public utility, founded our 

 Societj-, and presided over it from the day of its 

 creation until his deadi. You, gentlemen, will, 

 one and all, I confidently assert, most readily 

 and most gratefidly bear witness to his constant 

 solicitude for the advancement of the objects of 



* For a history of these sheep, see letter from Judge 

 Peters to J. S. Skinner, then Editor of the American 

 Fai-mer, Baltimore — dated August 14th, 1822 — which 

 letter will be found next after this memoir. 



Beside the wi-itinga referred to by Judge Breck, 

 the volumes of the American Farmer contain others 

 of great interest. \Ed. Farm. Lib. 



