1826.] 



NEW ENGT.AND FARMER. 



277 



cle to see these portions of the farm, quali6ed 

 for its support and ornament, abandoned to neg- 

 lect. Too frequently, the willow and alder are 

 to be seen sweeping their luxuriant branches 

 over the rich mead of our vallies, whose fertil- 

 izing powers, with a litlle labor, might be made 

 (0 yield an exhaustless treasure. Even those 

 meadows or natural mowing lands as they are 

 sometimes called, which have been submitted 

 to the scythe, are frequently cropped year after 

 year, and their products expended to supply the 

 imperious demand of the plough-tield ; till, at 

 length, they become carpeted over with moss and 

 mouse-ear, and nothing like grass is to be seen, 

 except, here and there, a (ew bristly stalks of 

 the crow-foot, which rear their heads only to 

 conceal the deformity beneath them. 



The herds and the flocks of the farmer are 

 oot among the objects least deserving of his at- 

 tention in any situation. They are the source 

 from which a large proportion of the food of 

 man is derived; and they administer no less to 

 his pleasure than his accomodation. If our 

 ideas of the character of the soil of New-Eng- 

 land are correct, it is in I he skilful manage- 

 ment of this department, that our farmers in 

 particular must rest much of their hopes. They 

 are, in the emphatic language of Mr. Bake well, 

 the "machines," which convert the herbage ot 

 cur fields into articles, that may contribute to 

 our necessities or convenience. They are the 

 channels through which the wealth of our 

 firms is conveyed into our coffers. The neat 

 stock of New-England already rank deservedly 

 high in the estimation of the public ; and, it may 

 be said without arrogance, that no section of 

 equal extent can be found, whose cattle do more 

 credit to the stall, the yoke, and the dairy, 

 than those of the County of Worcester. Bui 

 improvement, perhaps, may stilt be made evfiii 

 in our neat stock ; and it is to be hoped, that its 

 progress may not be retarded by our conceits or 

 our |)rpji4dices. The efforts which have been 

 used toin)|irove it, by imporling the excellent 

 breeds of foreign growth, discover a laudable 

 and palriotic spirit; and a tribute of gratitude 

 is due from lliQ farming community, to those 

 gentlemen who have made them. Although 

 we may possess, in tne native race, the elements 

 of a tine stock, yet, we have no distinct breeds 

 or race of cattle, whose superiofity over every 

 other, is known or at least acknowledged ; and, 

 even if we had, the improved breeds from 

 abroad may have some qualities, which might 

 be made to augment the value of our own. 



Our llocks have certainly received a great 

 acquisition from abroad, in that valuable animal 

 the Merino Sheep. Their introduclion into 

 this county was the commencemeat of a new 

 era in the history of our agriculture. It !r,iJ 

 the foundation of sheep husbandrv iri i'his coun- 

 try ; a department in rural economy, to which 

 Great-Britain is grealiy indebted for her agri- 

 cultural and commercial power. It was an 

 event, that has already exerted a powerful in- 

 fluence upon the prosperity of the farmer, not 

 only advanced his personal interest, but made 

 a great accession to the political power and 

 im()ortance of New-England. — Wool will soon 

 become as great a staple of these northern 

 States, as cotton is of the south, and its produc- 

 tion, next to her manufactures, will be the great- 

 est source afNew-Engliiud's wealth ; and will 



do much in enabling her to preserve her just 

 weight in the scale of the Union. 



We cannot dismiss the subject of sheep hus- 

 bandry, without recurring to another department 

 of industry, which it is the design of this Socie- 

 ty to foster & encourage. The connexion, which 

 sheep husbandry has with the rising hopes and 

 promising growth of one branch of our infant 

 manufactures, is a most convincing example of 

 the truth, that our Manufactures and Agriculture 

 for the mutual benefit of each, are equally entit- 

 led to support, and that the interest of the one 

 is not averse to the [irosperily of the other. — 

 The time was, when our favorite merino had 

 few to advocate their cause. Strong prejudices 

 were entertained against them ; and the unfor- 

 tunate speculalions of some, and the improper 

 management of others, had nigh proved fatal to 

 their success. Not eight years since, so low 

 were they in the public estimation, that the 

 (hen Corresponding Secretary of the Massachu- 

 setts Society lor promoting Agriculture, a gen- 

 tleman no less distinguished for his intelligence, 

 than for his zeal in the cause of Agriculture, 

 thought it necessary to publish an article u[)on 

 the subject; and (not without a little self con- 

 gratulation, that he had escaped the desperate 

 contagion for merino sheep,) endeavored to en- 

 courage the farmer not to abandon them in des- 

 pair. But what finally redeemed their reputa- 

 tion ? What, but the success of the American 

 Woolen Manufacture ? This, and this alone, 

 has proved triumphant to their cause ; and has 

 unfolded to the farmer the intimate relalinn in 

 which he stands to this branch of domestic in- 

 dustry. 



But the enlightened cultivators of our soil 

 need no longer the aid of argument upon this 

 subject, to teach them their interest or to instuct 

 Ihem where it is to be found. It is ahajipy re- 

 flection, and fortunate for our counlry, that our 

 manufacturing system is no longer viewed as 

 " the baseless fabric of a vision ;" that Ihe pe- 

 riod is past, when he shall be arraifffed for po- 

 litical heresy, who dares to offer up an humble 

 orison for its success. It is believed, that the 

 prejudices, which so long held the senses of a 

 portion of our citizens, in almost an invincible 

 thraldrom are fast fading away. Nothing but 

 embarrassment has been realized from the prac- 

 tical operation of those sweeping maxims of po- 

 litical economy, that would " leave things to 

 regulate themselves;" and the monitory voice 

 of experience has quite overpowered the elo- 

 quence of those who advocated them. It is, 

 however, to be regretted, that it should have 

 been forgotten, even for a time, that we lived 

 in a world divided into separate communities, 

 which, like individuals, were each seeking their 

 OVvn particular welfare ; — that, amid the jeal- 

 ous policy and rival interests of foreign Slates, 

 it might sometimes be necessary to resort to 

 measures for our own protection more or less 

 exclusive in their operation. But it is unneces- 

 sary to recur to past times or past doctrines — 

 The cloud, that had gathered, and which hung 

 with portentous gloom, over the fortunes of the 

 manufacturer, has passed away. A mistaken 

 jealousy, like an evil genius, no longer presides 

 over the councils of the nation. Legislative aid 

 has at length been afforded to our manufactures 

 for their encouragement and protection : and 

 this great branch of natural industry is now in 

 the full tide of success, furnishing eraploymenf 



to thousands of our citizens, and increasing the 

 wealth and prosperity of the country. 



On an occasion like the present, we ought 

 not to pass over in silence the free institutions 

 of our civil Government, under which every 

 class in our wide spread community find protec- 

 tion and happiness. There is no country through 

 out Ihe world, where Ihe incitements to iiidustry 

 aie greater, or the prospect of reward more 

 certain, than in that of our own. No partial 

 laws are here, to chill Ihe animated hopes of 

 aspiring merit. Here, the properly, which eve- 

 ry man has in his own labour, is held sacred and 

 inviolable. No corporatina privileges are here 

 to damp the ardor of unrestrained enterprise ; 

 but man is left to choose or change his employ- 

 ment, without tear of incurring the penalties ot 

 law. -Vo feudal rights, like an impassable gull', 

 come between Ihe day laborer and his hopes of 

 one day becoming the lord of Ihe soil he culti- 

 vates, and Iransmitling it as an heritage to his 

 children. A^o favorite class is here, interposed 

 between him and sovereignty, to trample upon 

 his rights or dictate laws that may paralyze his 

 eff'irls, or shed a blight over his industry. No; 

 '' Independent man here knows no laws, save 

 those which choice and common good ordain ; 

 no master, save preserving Heaven." Lei us 

 nol, fellow-citizens, undervalue privileges like 

 these, or imigine them the common bleesingsof 

 the world. Few are the spots of earth thai joys 

 like these have visited. There are regions, 

 wide and extended regions, of this habitable 

 globe, where tyranny, cruel and oppressive, be- 

 reaves industry of all lis hard earned fruits. — 

 There are counlries, fanned by the most salu- 

 brious air, and warmed by the most genial sun, 

 where vegetation rich and luxuriant scarce 

 needs the cultivating art of man ; — Countries, 

 whose extensive vallies, like Eden, smile with 

 verdure and plenty, and whose hillsswarm with 

 lowing herds; yet thctc, clieerless is the abode 

 of the laborer. His miserable cottage never 

 welcomed ils guests with competence or com- 

 fort. Surrounded with plenty, the peasant is 

 there seen pining from hunger. The herds, that 

 cover the fruitful fields, afford no food for him. 

 Autumn, that sheds her bounteous store, and 

 brings ''a common feast to all that lives beside," 

 yields him no harvest. But, deprived of every 

 comfort, by the rajiacily of an unfeeling master, 

 he sinks down to despair, a victim of poverty, 

 famine, and disease. 



Although our political condition is thus hap- 

 py, nothing but the virtue and intelligence of 

 the people can sustain it for a moment. May it 

 not be our fate, in the midst of blessings enjoy- 

 ed, to forget that their value, as well as contin- 

 uance, depend upon ourselves. May the sun- 

 shine of prosperity, that cheers the scene and 

 animates our hopes. never warm into action any 

 moral plague to corrupt the fountains from which 

 our felicities flow. May the palladium of our 

 liberties remain undefiled from the touch of am- 

 bition, and our land undisturbed from the hoarse 

 trump of war ; and, while every citizen is reap- 

 ing a rich reward from his industry and skill, 

 may he uninterruptedly enjoy, what, (with Heav- 

 en's blessing,) frugality and temperance cannot 

 fail to bestow, peace, health and happiness. 



Remarkable Spinning. — A Mrs. Spinning, of 

 Calo, presented her husband lately with four 

 daughters at a birth, 3 of whom are doing well 



