after speukiii- of oilier causes of the depression 

 of ugncultiire.aml siigffestiiic 'nei.ns for iniprove- 

 meiit, rpiniirkeil timt the previileiire ■)(' an hiv.-t- 

 erute haliit of carelessness a n<l iie-lif;tnce arnuMf; 

 larniers, In his (i|>inion eonslimtrd a very j^reaT 

 obstacle to improvement. Pa>s throii-li' the 

 country, and we too plainlv see the evidence ol 

 the existence ami conse.jneiices of this habit.— 

 VVe see this in the neglected fences, badly ar- 

 ranged larni-bmlilings and barn-yards— and in 

 lie trees and fruits of the gard,:n and orchard 

 destroyed by the cater|)iHar and cnrcniio. 



In ottering a remedy (i,r this, Mr. H, would 

 proceed as he slionid do in attempting all ntli.M- 

 great revolutions: that is, he would iiegin uith 

 the nsuuf o-eite,ri(ion. He would endeavor toen- 

 ist the leelingsof the boy, at an early age, in the 

 businesis ol hrs future vocation — would induce 

 him to bring the mind to aid the hands in the 

 proseculiou of his labors. 'J'eacli bim habits o( 

 observation and reflection. Especially induce in 

 Hun tlie observance of systematic rules in the 

 laying out and management of his business. In- 

 duce him to adopt as a motto, t!ie advice of 

 f RANKLiN to his young friend : '• Lay down a lit- 

 tle PLAN lor yourself, and all your operations will 

 become easy." Let him siiidv the principles of 

 his arl-trace effects to their causes, and from 

 we I established truths be able to draw correct 

 and uselul inferences. Permit him not to imbibe 

 the Idea, heretolbre too common, that the profes- 

 sion ol agriculture is a menial drudgerv. fit only 

 forthe igiioraiit and degraded; but show him 

 that It IS a noble calling, where the powers of the 

 mind inay find full scope, and in the study and 

 practice of which, the mysterious and most beau- 

 titii operations of nature are unfokk^d to view 

 Air. H. would particularly encourage boys in' 

 reading books and paper- on siibjetrts connected 

 with agnculiural pursuits. The school libraries 

 may furnish to all our youth an excellent medium 

 for obtaining nseful reading of this kind Excite 

 in ihem. It possible, a habit of reading hooks on 

 natural history. Provide suitable rudimentary 

 works on entomology and botany. As the boV 

 similes these, stnnnlate his interest by periniliincr 

 . hmi to combine the knowledge there obtained 

 with his every day business. When, in his fiel.i 

 abors, he meets with a worm, a moth, or a beetle 

 let hiin put It in a box carried with him for the 

 purpose. On returning home, he will find out 

 Its name and character, and give it its proper 

 place in his entomological cabinet. 



Mr H. thought the^establishn.ent of a Model 

 and ExpKR.MENTAL Farm, under judicious man- 

 ogement, would he a very effectual means of ad- 

 vancing the agricultural interest, fie ur^ed this 

 matter with niiicli earnestness, and advanced va- 

 rious arguments in fhvor of such an institution 

 r «'■•',"' ''f^'g.n and object should be the decision 

 of doubtlul points in husbandry and rural ecouo- 

 iny. 1 here the various breeds of animals might 

 be subjected to an impartial test, and their rela- 

 tive value for s,,ecific purposes, fkirly made 

 known Theories, deducible from experiments 

 n the laboralory, are being every day thrown be- 

 fore the public. These, wouhl ihce be subject- 

 ed to the test of field cuhuv, -mUure^s taborfdmi/ 

 -and without such tests, they could never be- 

 come safe guides to the farmer. These points 

 will never be decided by individuals actin.. in 

 their ordinary capacity. Some persons are inca- 

 pable of conducting experiments in such a man- 

 ner that correct inherences can be drawn from 

 hem. Others cannot aftorj to risk time and 

 money npon uncertain results ; and others are so 

 biassed in favor of some fiivoiite theory, as to 

 prechule the possibility of arriving at the true re 

 suit of an experiinent. An establishment con- 

 ducted entirely by com,,eteM persons, with a 

 single eye to the ctevetopement of trctk, would 

 be liable to none of these difficulties or obiec- 

 linns. *' 



... ______li^^l2rj^_IIMM»ii iiiMiMii..- - - ■■■■ ■ I, 



53 



or [i .,,?" I^T "',?' °'^-;"' agricultural mis^<,nar,j, 

 01 lecturer, Mr. If. saul, would, as he believed 

 be an important auxiliary, in connection with 

 other means, of advancing the cause of agricul- 

 Uiral improvement. VVe may find in other^cotm- 

 t esan exainple m point. Mr.filacker of Ireland, 

 and Prof. Johnston of Scotland, have rendered 

 very luifiortant services by their labors of this 

 kind. Jt was not lobe -ixpected, perhaps, that 

 an.ndividnal could be found for this business 

 whose opuiions were in all respects so perfectly 

 orthodox that no one could possibly mkkc any 



objections to them ; nor was it necessary that a 

 lecturer ot infallibility should be procureil. The 

 grea! benelit which would accrue from his mis- 

 -lou and exhortations would be the stiumlus i;iv- 

 eMio.v,„,|y„|,d ijivesiigaiion. Farmers would 

 ';■ ("■""'•'^^'l-they would devote their thoughts to 

 llieu- business- an examination would be com- 

 menced, to ascertain the truth of any new doc- 

 trines which might be promulgated ; and there- 

 suit could noi tail to be benerifial. 



Dr. I). f.ee, of the Assembly, observed, that 

 Sirllumphrey Davy had defined Science to be 

 lehned couimon sense." f)r. L. thought the use 

 ol this "science," or this Ibru, of "common 

 sense, wouhl greatly advance the agricultural 

 interesl. He thought the lUrmer should be bet- 

 ter edncated-especially that he should have more 

 ol that kind ol knowledge which would enable 

 him to reap a better return for his labor— would 

 enable him to keep more of what he earns. Ten 

 ■ ays work of llie fuuier. Dr. L. said, frenuenlly 

 (lid not bring him more than one day's work 

 brought the lawyer. Ife thought the diffusion of 

 knowledge, ol the ng-/,< kind, would teiul to equal- 

 ise the value of labor— would advance the in- 

 terest ot the larmer, as well as the whole com- 

 munity. 



'f'he meeting was further atfdressed by Mr 

 Belts, member of ibe Assembly from liensselaer 

 comity, Judge Lolaml, of Steuben county, Mr 

 MeVean and Mr. Young of the Assembly, and by 

 Judge Cheever. " ' 



Judge C. thought the benefits of agricultural 

 societies had not been undervalued. It was a 

 great misfortune to the agricultural interest, that 

 farmers did not act sufficiently in concert. The 

 people of other classes saw the benefits of asso- 

 ciation, and ihey so combined their forces that 

 then- action was felt. Their influence on the 

 policy ot government was obvious. Now be would 

 arouse farmers to the importance of proleclin" 

 their interests-he would have them united and 

 firm in claiming of government iheir rights— the 

 government should know that their voice is not 

 to to be unheeded. 



At the third meeting, Jan. 30th, the question 

 <liscussed was 



" fn,at Breed or Breeds of Cattle, are best adapted 



'°Jy_ Pl"'r'Oi'^ of Farmers in the Stale of Mw 



Mr Sothain said he was an advocate of the 

 Herefords. He believed they would make more 

 flesh with the same expense than any breed in 

 the counlry-that they would carry themselves 

 to market with fess loss ; and that their beef would 

 from Its superior quality, command the highest 

 price. In selecting these cattle, he had done so 

 from a conviction that they would prove more 

 generally useful here, than any other breed in 

 England. He had had frequent opportunities of 

 examining all the breeds there, and thought he 

 was acquainted with the peculiarities of each — 

 He had been perfijetly satisfied with tl>e Here- 

 lords fiere ; and he only asked a fair trial for them 

 to satisfy others. He however considered mere 

 opinions as of but little consequence in regard to 

 cattle;, he therefore proposed to have the Here- 

 fords tried on their own merits ; and for this pur- 

 pose was willing to put three steers and three 

 cows, to a trial with the same number owned at 

 this time by one man, of any other breed, under 

 such regulations as impartial individuals should 

 deem projier. He made this public offer for no 

 other purpose than to have a fair comparison 

 made with various breeds. 



Mr. Danforth, of Jeflferson county, member of 

 tlie Assembly, .said he began breeding with what 

 IS ca led the native stock. About sixteen years 

 ago, he purchased a Short-Horn bull of the late 

 Matthew Bullock, of Albany county. Th4 calves 

 produced from this animal and the old stock 

 were much improved for dairy purposes— they 

 were also belter for fattening. He kept them as 

 he bad formerly kept stock. They were more 

 tender m coflstitution— did not winter so well- 

 were not quite so good liar labor— their disposi- 

 tions were more sluggish ; but on the whole, they 

 vvere inore profitable by at least twenty per cenf. 

 than the old stock. Some years since, Mr. D. used 

 a Devon bull in his herd. The cross from him 

 on that of the Short-born bull, had proved excel- 

 lent. Ihey are more hardy, require less foo<l, 

 fatten easier are better for work,and are as good 

 lor milk. Their superiority for labor and tSitten- 



better at three, than the others are at four years 

 ol age. Both Durbamsaiid Uevonshad impS 

 his native stock; but he thought the Devon fmd 

 benehlted him the most. 



Mr. Benient said, within the last eighteen years 

 H. bad had more or less experience with the Dur- 

 liauis, Devous Herefords, Ayrshires, and natives 

 as hey are called, fie had found b^th goo Ind 

 had u.ilkeis among the Durhams-g.ner^Uv 

 «|.eaki,ig, the higher bre.l they were, the'less va^ 



t w, s i.iacticable to select liom certain fiitnilies 

 ol the Shor -horns, those from which a very su- 

 perior breed of milkers might be reared-a race 

 perhaps superior in this respect to all others.— 



i .'. h, ?. l"i ' '°7"'^'':' ^^''i'-'' ^as very sandy and 

 bghl, he hked the Ayrshires; and so tin-, was 

 very well .satisfied with them. He thought Dur- 

 hams were better workers than had g?enerally 

 been allowed. He had seen them tried and they 

 did exceedingly well. ■' 



ha.l tried several breeds in his section-the Short- 

 horns, Herefords, and Devous, had all been there 

 beveral years ago, Mordecai Hale, Esq., who was 



.. i.,.,..«.r,rK"C'4"rr.:^r.i; srariL'Sf. s;= t 



^ ' —...-CIV., i-jcuj,, WHO was 



n soirie way connected with the U. S? Navy, sent 

 some flerefords into tlKit county; and perhaps 

 he ought, in justice to ihe advocates of Herefortls, 

 to say that they proved the most generally useful 

 of any stock they had tried. They were very 

 hardy, were powerfol in the yoke, and a decided 

 Mnprovement on the native stock, for the dairy 

 Comparing those Herefords with those owned at 

 I us time by Messrs. Corning and Sotham, he 

 thought that the latter breed had been improved 

 in regard to a disposition to accumulate fat on 

 the most valuable parts-the -quality pieces," as 

 Mr. feothain had called them ; but while this had 

 been gained, it was a question in his mind, wheth- 

 er they had not lost something on the score of 

 muscular strength and eonaiitution. 



Judge L. remarked that his experience and ob- 

 servation had convinced him, that the native stock 

 of this section would be improved either by the 

 Durhams, Herefords, or Devotis— that is, a cross 

 Irom either ot these made more profitable stock 

 for general purposes. 



The discussion was continued by Messrs. Betts. 

 Howard, Stevens, ami others. 



The subject of discussion at the fourth meet- 

 ing was 



" The best rrwde of managing and applying Vege- 

 table and Ammal Manures:' 

 No report of this meeting was made, but (bis 

 was the less necessary, as the subject was con- 

 tinued tor the fifth and sixth meeting, Feb. 13th 

 and .^Oth. 

 At the fifth meeting 



^'; ^^'^ opened the discussion by remarking 

 that by the term manures, was understood any 

 siJbstauce thai might serve as food for plants.-- 

 Ifie food of plants was derived partly from the 

 SOI and partly fiom the atmosphere— from the 

 soilby means of the roots, from the atmosphere 

 by the leaves, f f it be an organized substance, it 

 must undergo decomposition. For instance, one 

 spire ol grass cannot enter into the composition 

 of another spire— it must be dissolved. It is most 

 miportant in the preparation of manures, that 

 wbile this decomposition should be thoroughly 

 performed, none of the manure should be lost 

 It IS for this piirp se that compost heaps are made 

 1 fiey promote ferroemation and decomposition 

 by which new affinities are formed. In the ordi- 

 nary preparation of manures, large portions are 

 dissolved and lost in the shape ofgases-in con- 

 sequence of exposure to the atmosphere. Other 

 portions are lost by leaching-from want of shel- 

 ter from rains and snows. This should not be 

 so. I hey should be carefully sheltered, and the 

 gases absorbed and retained by a covering of 

 charcoal, peat, or other absorbing substance. Li 

 regard to the preparation, there were a great va- 

 riety of opinions and practices. The first oiiject, 

 however, was to promote a decomposition. This 

 was sometimes done by putting water upon the 

 compost heap to induce fermentation; which 

 generates much heat— especially in the winter. 

 Coinpost heaps were also serviceable to absorb 

 the liquid excretions of animals, which are liable 

 to be washed away, 



Mr. J. B. Nott thought the farmer must rely 

 mainly for the present and probably for some 

 time to come, on the manures of the barn-yard 



