544 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



rNo.9 



field, and intimately incorporated with the soil by 

 repeated but not deep ploughings and harro wings. 

 At the suitable time for planting, the whole field 

 is again ploughed and furrowed, in rows four feet 

 asunder, and again cross-furrowed in rows at the 

 same distance, and the corn is immediately drop- 

 ped in the hollows, which are formed by the inter- 

 section of the cross- furrows, and covered to the 

 usual depth. 



At weeding time, the corn is earthed up a little, 

 and nearly to a level with the surrounding earth. 

 It is twice hoed afterwards at the suitable periods, 

 but never hilled. At the last hoeing the ground 

 is rendered perfectly clean and level in every part. 

 Winter rye, and clover, and other grass seeds, are 

 now sown over the whole field in suitable quanti- 

 ties, and covered by drawing a bush harrow be- 

 tween. 



In autumn a large crop of corn may be expect- 

 ed, and in winter when the ground is frozen, with 

 a well sharpened hoe, the stubs of corn are cut 

 close to the surface. Early in the next summer, 

 the rye is reaped, yielding a good crop, and at 

 midsummer, when the heads of the clover are 

 half turned to a brown color, the whole fields, 

 clover and rye stubble intermixed, are mown; the 

 whole together constituting a large crop. The 

 rye stubble absorbs the juices and the flavorof the 

 clover, which it retains, thus becoming highly pal- 

 atable and nutritious, and forming, when all 

 are well made, a large amount of food, of a qual- 

 ity superior for horses, and other domestic ani- 

 mals. 



Thus are three crops produced in two years, 

 and on the same ground, where, ordinarily, but two 

 crops are yielded, and all with a diminished amount 

 of labor and expense. 



The clover being a biennial plant, a large crop 

 of hay is produced in the third year from the 

 other superior kinds of grass which were sown. 



It is admitted that where large crops of Indian 

 corn are desired, hilling up should never be prac- 

 tised, but the ground in all the latter stages should 

 be preserved perfectly level, neither should the 

 ground be ploughed after the first hoeing, but 

 only harrowed lightly, or slightly stirred with 

 the cultivator, an admirable instrument, inter- 

 mediate between the harrow and plough; that the 

 roots which will be found extending at a little dis- 

 tance beneath the surface, in every direction, may 

 be suffered to remain, proceeding unmolested. 



The rye, and the clover, and other grass, serve 

 as a mutual protection to each other, during the 

 severe and open winters. 



Very respectfully, your friend, 



WILLIAM KE5RTCK. 



Nonantum Hill, Newton, JVov. 26th, 1835. 



THE FARMING AND GENERAL ECONOMY OF 

 THE SHAKERS. 



From the New York Farmer. 

 [We feel the more gratification in republishing the 

 following notice of the admirable habits of a remarka- 

 ble and singutar community, because the views agree 

 precisely with our own, founded upon a more hasty vi- 

 sit and inspection, a few years ago. The writer who 

 here speaks so much in the spirit of toleration and be- 

 nevolence of the Shakers, is the Rev. Henry Colman, 

 of Massachusetts, a distinguished agriculturist, from 



whose communications to other journals, extracts have 

 frequently been placed before our readers. 



In their government and domestic economy, the 

 Shakers furnish an admirable study for the scientific 

 agriculturist, and a striking illustration of some of the 

 important doctrines of the political economist. They ex- 

 hibit the most distinguished success in farming, and of 

 the power of accumulating capital, founded on scanty 

 means, and carried on in spite of various unfavora- 

 ble and adverse circumstances. The only secret of 

 their success is, that nothing is ■permitted to be wasted, 

 of time, labor, or capital — and they prove by the re- 

 sults, that where every little matter tends to the same 

 good and general end, that profit, comfort, and wealth 

 will surely be obtained. The Shakers are the best 

 farmers and economists of our country — and their sep- 

 aration of the sexes serves to cut off* entirely from 

 themselves, and also in a great degree, from the sur- 

 rounding population, the evils of pauperism. Howe- 

 ver foolish and unnatural their laws and customs may 

 be deemed, they work well, in several ways, for the 

 good of the country at large. Considering the society 

 merely in its relation to national economy, it would be 

 a blessing to our country if Shaker settlements could 

 be extended to every county. There would be no dan- 

 ger of the members becoming too numerous — and 

 their singularities might well be excused, and submitted 

 to, by society in general, in consideration of their being 

 truly the best working bees in this world of drones.] 



The nearest approach to what may properly be 

 denominated pattern farming, as far as my obser- 

 vation extends, is to be found among the Shakers. 

 With two of these establishments I have been 

 somewhat familiar; one at Canterbury, N. H., and 

 one at Hancock, in Massachusetts. To a mind 

 pleased with the most exemplary industry, sobriety, 

 good order, neatness, and exactness, nothing can 

 be more gratifying. Of their religion I shall say 

 nothing, farther than to remark that there must be 

 some good in a religion from which so many good 

 fruits arise. Every man's religion, except so far 

 as he may injure his neighbor's peace, or disturb 

 the public tranquility, is, in my humble opinion, 

 an affair entirely and exclusively his own; and on 

 the same grounds, on which I claim freedom for 

 myself, 1 am entirely satisfied, that these upright 

 and peaceable communities should enjoy their lib- 

 erty. But their industry, economy, neatness, and 

 good management are no where exceeded; and 

 above all praise. 



The farm, occupied by the community at. Can- 

 terbury, comprehends two thousand acres in one 

 body, and five hundred in out lands. It is situated 

 on a high and broad hill; and the buildings, which 

 are remarkably neat and commodious, are visible 

 at a considerable distance. The public road runs 

 through the centre of the farm; the lots are well 

 divided by good and substantial fences; the gates 

 are neatly painted, and the roads kept in the finest 

 condition. Their first object appears to be to raise 

 for themselves a comfortable, I had almost said, a 

 luxurious subsistence; and beyond that, the surplus 

 is sold either in a raw or manufactured form. 

 Their grass fields are perfectly clean; not a stone, 

 not a stump is left standing, not a weed is suffered 

 to grow by the wall side. The land here is of an 

 inferior character by nature; cold, gravelly, and 



