THE GENESEE FARMER. 



313 



to take lime to write. It would keep them in the 

 practice of expressing their thoughts upon paper — 

 which is an item of importance to every one — and 

 would be of vast benefit to their brother farmers. 

 Something new can be learned upon every farm, and 

 by studying the ways ^and means of every farmer, 

 however humble he may be. No farmer can write 

 his experience upon his farm for a month, without 

 adding to the knowledge of and benefitting others. 

 We would say, let it be put down as the indispensa- 

 ble duty of every farmer, that he must write; as 

 much as that he must read and labor. Let every 

 farmer fully appreciate its importance, and he ivitl 

 write for Aigriailtvral Papers. E. Hodges. 



Marion, Olmsted Co., J\lin. Ter. 



ON THE PROPRIETY OF AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES 



OFFERING PREMIUMS TO PRACTICAL 



FARMERS FOR THE BEST ESSAYS 



ON VARIOUS AGRICULTURAL 



SUBJECTS. 



It is not only proper, but in our humble opinion 

 it is the duty of Agricultural Societies to offer hbe- 

 ral premiums to practical farmers for Essays on Ag- 

 ricultural subjects. The object of all Agricultural 

 Societies should be to disseminate agricultural 

 knowledge among the masses, which we think would 

 be accomplished to a great extent by offering premi- 

 ums, which would have a tendency to create a spirit 

 of inquiry among farmers, inducing them to study 

 standard agricultural works. The effect of such of- 

 fers would undoubtedly be to call out a vast amount 

 of varied talent which now lies dormant, and be the 

 means of giving to the public a great mass of prac- 

 tical agricultural knowledge which is now confined to 

 individuals or localities. If our National, State, 

 County, and Town Societies could be induced to 

 offer liberal premiums to practical farmers for the 

 purposes above indicated, and publish the prize Es- 

 says in their Reports and Transactions, it would 

 doubtless do more to advance the science of practi- 

 cal Agriculture than all the premiums offered for the 

 finest horses, the best cattle, sheep and hogs, the 

 longest beet, largest pumpkin, and biggest squash, 

 with all the rest of the stereotyped list too numerous 

 to mention. Every farmer knows it to be his inter- 

 est to raise the best horses, cattle, hogs, crops of all 

 kinds, etc., but bow to do it in the best, cheapest, 

 and most economical manner is what every one wish- 

 es to learn. H. H. Taylor. 

 E. Rodman, JV. ¥. 



THE ADVANTAGES OF AGRICULTURAL SCHOOLS. 



In whatever business we engage, we feel it our 

 duty to be prepared to enter it. And if the respon- 

 sibility connected therewith be great, we are led to 

 doubly exert ourselves, in order that we may be fully 

 competent to undertake it. 



There are many things connected with farming that 

 require sound judgment. And the farmer ought to 

 possess a good knowledge of all that he is to be en- 

 gaged in; for he does not wish to be making experi- 

 ments, when he does not know that they will profit 

 him anything. It is true, good farmers can educate 

 their sons in all that pertains to agriculture. But 

 our future farmers will not be confined to farmer's 

 sons. There ai;e sons of mechanics and professional 



men who will not think it below their calling to be 

 addressed with the honorable title of " Farmer." 

 And these must be educated for this station. They 

 can no more enter it unprepared than though it were 

 a " learned profession." Who would think of giving 

 his son to such a profession without educating him? 

 And as we think the farmer's station fully as impor- 

 tant as a literary or scientific one, he must also be 

 prepared for it. 



Our " Common Schools," at the present day, would 

 come far short of giving the instruction needed in 

 the education of the farmer. Here is the advantage 

 of Agricultural Schools. Those who wish to be- 

 come farmers may be made thoroughly acquainted 

 with all that is necessary for them to understand. 

 It is hoped that such schools will flourish and spread 

 widely; that our land which yields so bountifully 

 under the blessing of the Great Giver, may never 

 cease to do so for a lack of knowledge to cultivate it 

 properly. Addie E. Fisk. 



Girard, Pa. 



" IS IT DESIRABLE TO PLANT FRUIT TREES IN THE 

 HIGHWAY ?" 



If the above question were put in a school room 

 of boys, there would be but little doubt respecting 

 the answer. But it is not so put, but to the farmer, 

 as a question of profit, or of ornament to the street 

 or highway. On this ground, then, I conceive it 

 should be answered. 



It is commonly reported, that in Europe fruit 

 trees are generally planted by the road-side, and the 

 fruit of some of the trees is left to the passers-by. 

 This may be exhibiting a good heart, if not good 

 husbandry. These trees are protected by law, and 

 there may be instances where men of small means 

 are enabled to plant a few more trees than they 

 otherwise would, and reap more benefit. An intelli- 

 gent German informed the writer, that in his country 

 the government plant cherry trees and English wal- 

 nuts by the road-side, and that they' are under the 

 eyes of a vigilant police. 



Perhaps the most ornamental and desirable fruit 

 tree for street planting opposite dwellings, is the 

 cherry, as mentioned above. By the common law 

 of this country, any fruit growing on trees set be- 

 tween the land of the owner and the travelled road, 

 belongs to the abuttor. Hence some farmers have 

 advised the planting of such trees as profitable; 

 while others have done so for the benevolent pur- 

 pose of giving cherries to the public. 



Now cherry trees require considerable care, though 

 not so much as other fruit trees; and for a farmer to 

 plant such trees by the road-side with the prospect 

 of their being mutulated and the fruit stolen, (as 

 would certainly be the case in a thickly settled 

 district) would seem to exhibit a slight redundancy 

 of humanity. Everybody knows of the charge 

 against farmers, that they do not properly attend to 

 the trees planted in their own enclosures. Would it 

 not, then, be requiring too much of them to plant 

 and care for trees by the road-side, where ihey must 

 lose the fruit, or wage war against pilferers? 



On Boston Neck, leading to Roxbury, there is 

 nearly a mile of stately Elms on each side of the 

 broad avenue. Had cherry trees been planted in- 

 stead of Elms, they would have been abused by the 

 boys, in spite of the extra police; and if, perchance 



