130 



®l)e larmcr's ilXonti)li3 bigitor. 



to grass slowly, hikI yield but little tlio first year. 

 I^iiiuls inleiiileLl (or itiowiii}; must havo a dressing 

 of luunore iil ilic linic ol set-diug, unless lliey 

 li:,ve pievioiisl) lieen iiii.di: rich. 



FiMiiiers ill l\liissiicliiisells wlio live near good 

 markeis, and tliink it no oljtct to raise niiK-li 

 firain, tiiid lliut lliey can j;o over their laliils, an<l 

 give them a dressing.' mice as tilien hy seeding 

 on the greensward liirrow as they can in the old 

 mode of planting a lot a year or two, aiul then 

 laying itdo«ii to grass wiih spring grain ; he- 

 canse it requires hut halt as mucli manure, the 

 grass turned under aiding ilie process, and no 

 exhausting grain crop hemg al'sirHCIed Imm it. 



Rough groiiniis cannot wnW lie treated iii this 

 wav ; they must lie ploughed and cross ploughed, 

 stiiiimer "tilled or plumed, till all the swaid is 

 made fine. But grounds hee tioiii rocks and 

 stninps may he turned over so flat willi a good 

 pluiigh that there is no difiiuidly in seeding down 

 as even as you can any old tmrows. 



Alter the groimd is ploughed, it should he 

 v\ell rolled, then manured, then liai lowed length- 

 wise of the liinow to pieveni tearing up ; then 

 diagonally, each v\ay, to mix well the compost 

 manure with the earth, as well as to till the cre- 

 vices ill the liirrovNs. The gra?s seed, herds 

 grass and top, must next be sown and covered 

 hy means ot a hriish harrow. Alter this the 

 groniid may he rollnl, hut not heitire, for the 

 naked grass seeds would adhere to the roller and 

 he dropped in heaps. 



Jie find one |'eck of good herds grass and 

 three pecks of red lop aliundaiilly suflicient lor 

 one acre. Some sow two or three pecks, hut 

 they lose hy it ; the ground is hound out the very 

 first year, aiid the first crop is short. It is lieiler 

 to sow two or three quarts on the surliice alter 

 one year and a half have elapsed, say in April, 

 aii<l let the rains hury it. 



Cattle ought not to he kept on this land thi* 

 Fall. 'J'liey injure such materially. Some (iir;n- 

 ers sow rye and grass seed together. Next year 

 they have ten or filtetii hushels ol rye instead ol 

 two tons of hay per acre. One question arises — 

 Which is worth most? " he second question, is 

 — Which exhausts most? Two tuns of hay are 

 worth more than lilieen hushels ol rye, siravv and 

 all, in any part of this state. And hay is less 

 exhatistmg than rye. — Ploughman. 



ADDRESS OF THE LATE SILAS WRIOHT 

 Read by Gen. Dix, at the Ivxhibition of the 



New York Stale Agricultural Society, Sept. 



16, 1847. 



Mr. President and GerJlemcn ' 



of the State .flgricidl\iral Sociely : 



Had it het-n my purpose to eulerlaiii you with 

 a euloj'iuin upon the great iulerest confiiled to 

 your caie, the Agricullure of the State, 1 sliquld 

 find myself foiHslallrd hy the exliihition which 

 surrounds us, and which has proiionnced that eu- 

 logy to the eye, much more furcilily, impressive- 

 ly, eloquently, than I could coinmaiid hiuguage to 

 pKuiouuce it to thy ear o( this a'^sernhly. 



■ hid 1 mistakenly proposed io address to you 

 a discourse upon agricuhural production, this ex- 

 hibition would have drivini me lioiii my purpose, 

 by ilie conviction that 1 am a hackv\aril and 

 scarcely initialed scholar, standiiii' in the pres- 

 ence of iiiasieis, u ith the lea-l inslrncled and ex- 

 ])«rienc<'d olwlioni it would he my duty to I'liaiige 

 places. The agrii'iiltnre of our Slate, iiir as it y<;l 

 is from maturity and perfeiMion, lias alreidy l)e- 

 come an art, a science, a profession, in which he 

 w ho wiiiild inslriici, must he first himself instruct 

 ed, liir beyond the advaiicenieni of him who now 

 uddie.-ses y on. 



'I'he pel VHiliiig character of this great ami vital 

 interest, howivcr, — its intiuiate coiineciion wiih 

 the wants, comfuris and iuLcrests of every man 

 ill every einpli yiiient and culling in lili; ; and its 

 controlling relaiimis to the; coiiimerce, maiiulitc- 

 tiires, siilislanlial indcpemli'iice, and general 

 health and prosperily of our whole people, pre- 

 Bcnt ahundant subjects I'or conteiiiplatioii upon 

 occasions like this, without altempiing to explore 

 the depths, or to defiiio the principles of a sci- 

 ence so profound, and, to the uninitiated, so dif- 

 ficult as that of agricullure. 



Agriciiltmal prodnctiou is lliii snhsiratuni of 

 llie whole >upeislniciiire : the great element 

 which spreadrt the sail and impels the car of com- 



merce, and moves the hands and turns the. ina- 

 cliinery of manufactures. The can h is the com- 

 mon n'loiher ol all, in whatever employ lueiit en- 

 gaged, and ihe fruits gntliered from its ho.soin 

 arealike the indispensable nutriment atid sup- 

 port of all. The productions of its surliice, and 

 the treasure of its mines are the material upon 

 whicnthe labor of the agriculturist, the merchant 

 and the manufacturer are alike bestowed, and 

 are the prize for which all alike toil. 



The active slimulns which urges all forward, 

 excites industry, awakens ingenuity and brings 

 out invenlion, is the prospect or the hope of a 

 market for the pioiluclioiis of their labor. The 

 farmer produces to sell : the merchaiii purchases 

 to sell : and the nianiifactiirer fiibricatcs to sell : 

 Self- coiisuiiiption of their respective goods, al- 

 tl.n" an indispensable necessity of life, is a mere 

 incident in the mind inipelied In acquisition. 'I'o 

 gain that which is not produced, or acquired by 

 the Sale of that which is possessed, is the great 

 struggle ol laboring iiiaii. 



Agricnllural pioduction is rhe first in order, 

 the strongest in necessity and the highest in use- 

 fulness, in this uliole system of ac(|iiisitioii. The 

 other hiaiiclits stand upon it, are susiaiiied hy it, 

 and wiihont it could not exist. Siill it has been 

 almost imiliirnily, asthe whole history rd'oiir Slate 

 and connlrv w ill shou, the most neglected. Ap- 

 prenticeship, education, a specific course of sys- 

 tematic iiiBtriiction, has been, time out of mind, 

 considered an indispensable pre-requisite to a 

 creditable or successful engagement in commer- 

 cial or mechanical pursuits; while to know how- 

 to wield the axe, to h<ild the plouiih,and to suing 

 the scythe, has been deemed suflicient to eiitiile 

 the possessor of that knowledge lolhe first place, 

 and the highest wages, in agricultural employ- 

 ment. 



A simple principle of production and of trade, 

 alv\ays practically applied lo manufacttires and 

 commerce — that the cheapest and best article will 

 command the niiirketand prove the most profita- 

 ble to the producer and the seller, because most 

 beneficial to the buyer and consuiner — is but be- 

 ginning to receive its application to agriculture. 

 The merchant, who from a»more extensive ac- 

 quaintance with his occupation, a more attentive 

 observation ol ihemaikeis, hetteradapted means 

 and a more careful ap[ilicalion ofsound judgment, 

 untiring energy anil psudent indusliy, can buy 

 the best and sell the cheapest, has always been 

 seen to he the earliest and surest to accomplish 

 the great object of his class, an independence for 

 hiiiiself So the mechanic, who, from a more 

 thoioiigh instruction in the |iriiiciplesand hand- 

 icraft of his trade, or a more inlense application 

 of mind and judgment with labor, can improve 

 ihe articles he fabricates, or the iTiacliiiiery and 

 modes of their niaiinfiictiire, and call thus pro- 

 dui'e ihe best and sell the cheapest, has always 

 been seen to reach the same advantage ov"r his 

 competitors, with equal readiness ami certainty ; 

 and that these results shoiild follow these iiieans 

 and efli.rts has been considered natural and un- 

 avoidable. 



Siill the agriculturist has been content to fol- 

 low in the beaten track ; to pursue the course his 

 liithers have ever pursued, and to dejiend upon 

 the earth, the siwisons, good forlune and Provi- 

 d(Mice, for a crop, imiulgiug the hope that liiiih 

 prices might com[ieiisale for diminished quantity 

 or inferior quality. It lias scarcely occurred to 

 liiiii that llie study of the p'riiiciples of his pro- 

 fession had anything to do with his success as a 

 farmer, or that what ho hail d(;inandeil from his 

 soils should be considereil in connection with 

 what he is lo do for them, and what he is about 

 to ask them to perform. He has almosl over- 

 looked the vital liict that his lands, like his patient 

 teams, require to be led to enable llieni to per- 

 form vvell; and especi.illy has he m.-glected to 

 consider llial there is alike connexion between 

 the (|iiaiitily and qiialijy of the fiiod they are lo 

 r. ceive, and the service to he required frcun them. 

 K< ady, almost always, lo tint extent of their abil- 

 iiV, to make advances for the piiichase of more 

 lands, how few of our farmers, in the compari- 

 son, are Hilling lo make the necessary oiitliiys 

 for the profitablij iiiiprovemeut of the lands they 

 have. 



These and kindred snbjecia are heginiimg to 

 occupy the iiiiiids of our liirmers, and the debi 

 Ihey owe lo this society for its efforts lo awaken 

 their nttenlion to these important facts, and to 



supply usefiil and practical information in regard 

 lo them, is gradually receiving a just apprecia- 

 tion, as ihe assemblage which surrounds us, and 

 the exhibitions upon this ground, most gralily- 

 ingly prove. 



Alaiiy of our agrieiilliirists are now vigorously 

 commencing the study of their soils, the adapta- 

 tion of their manures to the soil iiiid the crop, 

 the natures of the plants they cultivate, Ihe food 

 they require, and the best methods of ailmiuis- 

 lering that lood to produce health and vigor and 

 fniil ; and lliey are lieconiing convinced thai to 

 understand how to plow, and sow and r« aji, is not 

 the whole tdiication of a farmer; bin that it is 

 <|iiile as iiiiporiani lo know what hmd is prepared 

 tor the plow, and what seed it will liriiig lo a 

 harvest worliiy of the lal ors of the sickle. Ex- 

 perience is steadily proving that, by a due atten- 

 tion lo these cousideiaiiuns, a belter article, dou- 

 bled ill qnantiiy, may be proihiceil from Ihe same 

 acie of grouiiil with a snail proportionate in- 

 crease of labor and expense ; and that the (iirnier 

 who pursues this improved system ol agriculture, 

 can, like the merchanl and mechanic relerred to, 

 enter the market with a better production, at a 

 cheaper price, ihati his less enterprising com- 

 petitor. 



'I'his change in the agriculture of our State 

 and country, opens lo the mind refleclions of the 

 most cheering character. \i' carried out to its 

 legitimate results, ii prmnises a competition 

 among our farmer.s, not to obtain the highest 

 prices for infei iur productions, but to produce the 

 most, the best, and the cheapest ol the necessa- 

 ries of htiniaii life. It promises agricultural 

 prosperily, with cheap and good bread, furnished 

 in abuiidaiice to all who will eat wiihin the rule 

 prescribed to fallen man, in the sacred volume 

 of the Divine law. 



Steady resolution anil persevering energy are 

 requisite lo carry li.rwurd these improvemenls to 

 that degree of perfection dictated alike by inter- 

 est aiid by duty ; and the stimulus of a steady 

 and remimerarmg market will rouse that resolu- 

 tion and nerve that energy. Wilhoiit this encour- 

 agement in piospecl, few will persevere in mak- 

 ing impiovemems v\hicli require close and cou- 

 staiil mental a]iplicatioii, iis »ell as severe physi- 

 cal labor. Agriculture will never be healihlully, 

 or profilably prosecuted, by him whose comrol- 

 liiig object is his own consumption. The hope 

 of gain is the motive power to human industry, 

 and is as necessary to llie farmer as to the mer- 

 chant, or inaiitilactiiier. All "ho labor are equal- 

 ly stimnlaled by ihe prospect of a market uliich 

 is lo remuneraie them for their toil ; and without 

 this hope neither mental activity, nor physical 

 energy, w ill characterize their eNertions. 'J'rue 

 it is, that the liiriners of our cotlnII^,^ as a class, 

 calculate less closely the profits of their labor 

 and capital than iiieirengaged in most other pur- 

 suits, and are content with lower rates of gain. 

 The most of them own their farms, their stocks, 

 and fanning implenienls, nniucumbercd by debt. 

 Their bii-iness gives hut an aiinnal rt:tiirn. 

 They live fiugallj^ labor patiently and fiiithfully, 

 and at Iheclo.-e of the year, its expenses are paid 

 from its proceeds, the balance rcniaiiiing being 

 accounted the profits ol the year. Ahhough a 

 inoderiite sum, it produces conlenltneni, without 

 a ciim|iiitation of the rale per cent, upon the cap- 

 ital invested, or the wages it will -pay lo the pro- 

 prietor and Ihe members of his family. The re- 

 sult is an advance in the great object of liiiman 

 labor, and, if not rapid, il is safe and certain. It 

 is a surplus beyond the expenses of living, lo he 

 added lo the I'state, and maybe repeated in each 

 revolving vear. 



U; however, this surplus is left upon the hands 

 of the farmer, in his ow n products, for which 

 there is no miirUet, his energies are paralized, 

 his spirits sink, and he scarcely feels that the 

 year has aihled to his gains. He sees little en- 

 i-oiirageinent in toiling on, lo cultivate, heyouil 

 his wants, productions which will not sell ; and 

 the chances are that his fnriii is neglected, his 

 hiisbaudry becomes bad, and his gains in fact 

 cease. . 



To conliniie a progressive stale of improve- 

 ineiil in agriculture, then, and to give energy and 

 prosperity lo this gri-iit and vital branch ol' liu- 

 iiiaii indusirv, u iiealthliil and stable market be- 

 comes iii.lf ipeiisablCj and no object should more 

 carefully occu|iy Ihe ultenlion of the fanners of 

 the United States. 



I 



