FARMERS CLUBS. 



249 



willing to excuse. We will make but one more suggestion : these discussions 

 should be entered upon, not in an idle, ridiculous, slip-shod, frivolous manner, but 

 after due and suitable inquiry and reflection. "Whatsoever thy hand fiudelh to do, 

 do it with thy might ; ibr there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wis- 

 dom in the grave, whither thou goest," says the proverb. What is known or con- 

 jectured should be imparted in the plainest possible style, and in the briefest man- 

 ner, consistently with perspicuity. Some men cover up and obscure what is ob- 

 vious, by too much explanation ; some are so fond of hearing themselves talk, 

 and so apt to conceit that what they say is new and impressive, that they go on 

 talking, ad infinitum, about matters and things in general. No encouragement 

 should be given either to the overweening conceit of some or to empty garrulity 

 of others. The men among farmers who most need to be enticed to give in 

 their experience, are often those whose experience is most worth knowing. With 

 the careful — we were going to say conscientious — preparation for the subject, 

 such as we have suggested, in a spirit of decent respect for the grave and impor- 

 tant objects of such Associations, almost every question might be so far considered 

 and exhausted as to enable the Club to come, at the close of each session, to a 

 conclusion on the subject, and to the passage of a resolution which should em- 

 brace and express, as far as that question is involved, and as it involves the in- 

 terests of Agriculture, the opinion of a decided majority of the Club ; and these 

 resolutions should be invariably and widely published for information and criti- 

 cism. This would be less necessary if farmers could be sure of seeing the full 

 debates, because then they might judge for themselves. We will give, for ex- 

 ample, a few of the resolutions, such as may be called the denouement or prac- 

 tical result of such discussions, in Clubs whose proceedings are before us. It is 

 in this way that we would urge all our Farmers' Clubs to bring their debates to 

 what we would call a practical bearing, one that means something. For instance, 

 the ques'.ion discussed was, " The Yarioxjs Manures and their Application." 



The gentleman who inti'otluced this im- 

 portant (luestiou arranged the subject under 

 tliree heads, viz., organic raamires, or such 

 as are of animal and vegetable origin ; iuor- 

 gaiiic, as the earths, &.c. ; and saliue, or arti- 

 ficial manures. After explaining with great 

 clearness the nature and properties of each, 

 their adaptation to particular crops, aud 

 the fittest time for applyuig them, the speak- 

 er proceeded to mention the superiority of 

 farm-yard manure above all others as the 

 fitjiple commodity upon which the British 

 farmer nuist mainly depend; because, lirst, 

 the elements of such manure, when decom- 

 posed, become the natural food of plants ; 

 second, the variety of theK(! elements makes 

 it serviceable to all kmds of vegetables ; tliird, 

 that when seasons are not favorable to the 

 fuU development of the powers of f;irm-yard 

 manure, yet it is neither lost nor proves in- 

 jurious, as is frequently the case with saline 

 or artificial manures ; fourth, that common 

 practical experience enables a farmer to use 

 It safely and advantageously, which caimot 

 be said of some of the earths aud artificial 

 manures, which in many cases are positively 

 injurious ; aiid, lasdy, that it is the most 

 economical of all others, requiring little more 

 than labor for its due preparation. 

 (537) 



The observations of the speaker, which 

 CN-inced great intelligence, were listened to 

 vyith more than ordinary attention, and gave 

 rise to an animated and interesting discussion. 

 At a subsequent meeting the following reso- 

 lution, emljodying the views of the members 

 of the Club upon the question, was uuani- 

 mously agreed to, viz. : 



Resolution. — "The subject of the nature and prop- 

 erties of the difterent manures, <fcc. having received 

 the fullest consideration of the members present, 

 they are unanimously of opinion that among all the 

 various manures none can be so safely depended 

 upon as well prepared farmyard manure, both as re- 

 gards certainty in respect to the produce, on an av- 

 erage of crops, and on the score of economy as re- 

 gards expense. That this opinion, which has been 

 held by the best practical agriculturists in all ages, 

 is fully borne out in this district by the individual 

 experience of the members present. That the true 

 interest of the British fanner is to husband his home 

 resources ; and to that end his best attention should 

 be devoted to the due preparation of farm-yard ma- 

 nures, so as to produce the best quality and the 

 greatest quantity. Tha^ although the members are 

 fully sensible of the great value of many aitilicial ma- 

 nures, yet they consider such ought not to be de- 

 pended upon as principals, but only to be used aa 

 auxiliajnes whenever a deficiency of farm-yard ma- 

 nure exists, or local circumstances point out tha 

 propriety of their employment." 



