392 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



*' The offer of a premium for the best Essay on the Diseases of Domestic Ani 

 mals was subsequently modified. The subject being discussed, it appeared thai 

 this department of medical science had been little regarded in this Common- 

 wealth ; that if an animal be sick, or was wounded, regular practitioners were 

 not usually summoned, and the farmer had to depend upon any one in his neigh- 

 borhood who had acquired a reputation by some little experience for skill in 

 cases of diseased animals. It was therefore voted that Doctor Warren, one of 

 the Board of Trustees, he authorized to offer pecuniary aid to any student of 

 medicine (whom he thought qualified for the purpose) to assist him in com- 

 pleting his education abroad, upon the condition that he should give a portion of 

 his time and particular attention to the veterinary establishmenls, for the relief 

 and recovery of ivounded or diseased animals, in Europe, and especially in 

 France ; that he should attend the Lectures of the most eminent surgeons on 

 these subjects, to qualify himself to deliver lectures as well as to practice in this 

 department of science on his return." And here again we cannot shut our eyes 

 to that want of knowledge, or sensibility to their own rights, or that tame, sub- 

 missive spirit on the part of agriculturists, which qualifies them to look on and 

 see, without a murmur, the provision that is made, out of their substance, for 

 enlightening all interests and classes but their own, without any attempt to 

 claim their share of the public patronage for agricultural science. How many 

 young men of the Army and the Navy have been sent abroad really to study, or 

 under pretence of examining the most modern warlike discoveries and systems 

 of managing light-houses, &:c. and tliis on the mere dictum or pleasure of tlie head 

 of a department ! But if the object be to enlighten or benefit Agriculture, as in 

 this instance, it can only be done by private subscription ! and this, too, under a 

 system of policy and administrations of public affairs established by the legisla- 

 tion of the representatives of the landed interest, the first to be taxed and the 

 last to be cared for ! 



Here we find the pen has run over a space which makes it necessary to draw 

 this essay to a close. The reader will please regard it as merely preliminary. 

 The next will be altogether practical, presenting a view of Massachusetts Agri- 

 culture in all the counties where there are incorporated societies, and serving, 

 for readers in other States, as the next best thing after a personal attendance at 

 their cattle-shows — we had hoped to accomplish that purpose in this sketch, but 

 we find we have only cleared the way, as the good husbandman picks off the 

 stone and grubs his ground before he begins to plow. 



GREAT IMPROVEMENT IN MAKING BRICKS.— Alfred Hall, Esq., late of Cox- 

 sackie, has invented a machine for making bricks. As to its properties and value, T. B. 

 Wakeman, Esq., Corresponding Secretary of tlie American lustitiite, has received the follow- 

 ing letter : 



" Tliis machine we have used for the last three years, ^o our entire satisfaction ; it is sim- 

 ple in its construction, easily kept in order, and can be worked by men of the most ordinary 

 capacity, moulding with ease from ten to twelve thousiuid per day, better bricks tliim can 

 be moulded by hand or any oilier macliine. Wo have had thirty of thorn in oju-ration for 

 the last two years, using fifteen of them altoniato days, making each year about 1.5,000,000 

 bricks, and during that lime the expense of repairing the thirty machines has not amounted 

 to $10. This is not an exaggerated statement, but the plain, simple ti-ulh, sucli as we are 

 willing U) give in person to any one who wishes more partitidar information upon the sub- 

 ject, and wil' favor us with a call. " 1'. Hubukll, 



eharUiiovm, Mass., Dec. 9, 184C. " Almon AbbcI t." 



(824) 



