NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



93 



fied that farming was the most profitable of all 

 employments. 



Mr. French, of Exeter, N. IT., one of the asso- 

 ciate editors of the New England Farmer, was in- 

 vited by the President to address the meeting. 

 He said he came to learn, rather than to teach, 

 and he thought his time thus far well spent. Al- 

 luding to the sentiment expressed in the late Gov- 

 ernor's message, that a community would always 

 succeed best winch has the most intelligent popu- 

 lation, he said that this intelligence, and knowl- 

 edge, and light, is what is wanted by the farming 

 community ; it is what is needed in the dark cor- 

 ners of New Hampshire. The great question is, 

 how shall they get this light ? One man in New 

 Hampshire produces a pair of oxen and sells them 

 for $150, while his neighbor has another pair of a 

 similar age and sells them for $60 or $70. Why 

 is this so 1 It is because some men are better ed- 

 ucated for their rank than others. How shall we 

 make the rest of the community understand this 

 knowledge and apply it? The farmers of New 

 Hampshire looked to Massachusetts to solve this 

 question — to take the lead in diffusing this intelli- 

 gence, but they had looked thus far in vain; — 

 and he would say that unless Massachusetts moves 

 nimbly, she will have to follow New Hampshire 

 rather than lead her. The sentiment in New Hamp- 

 shire is that teaching agriculture in the common 

 schools, or in academies, is not enough, nor is it 

 sufficient to give it a department in a college. It 

 must be something more — a separate, independent 

 system to promote agriculture. The farmer's son 

 might be carried along in the common school 

 through all the usual branches of study, until fif- 

 teen or sixteen years of age, and after that time a 

 specific education for his business might be given. 

 But this agricultural department in a college would 

 not do. It would not be deemed a respectable de- 

 partment and it would not be respected. There 

 must be an independent system — and with it a 

 model farm — where can be shown the best farm- 

 ing, with the best implements ; the best stock man- 

 aged in the best manner ; and in a way that will 

 pay ; where all agricultural knowledge can centre; 

 where facts can be collected, compared and pub- 

 lished. He was not in favor of an extravagant 

 outlay for this purpose. Twenty thousand dollars 

 would establish a model farm in each county. 

 Neither would he have it burdened with an over 

 supply of science. He would rather have it man- 

 aged by practical men, and rely upon the profes- 

 sors of our colleges for scientific lectures and ex- 

 periments when they were required. This kind of 

 science he would buy and pay well for it. When 

 soil was to be analyzed he would send it to the 

 State assayer, and learn from him what properties 

 it needed, and then the practical farmer could ap- 

 ply them. He hoped the work of extending this 

 knowledge by means of such institutions might be 



effected in Massachusetts, in order that the good 

 effects of it might extend to New Hampshire and 

 encourage the farmers of that State in securing 

 the same result. 



Mr. Jones, of Wayland coincided with the pre- 

 vious speakers in their views upon the importance 

 of extending the knowledge of the farmer. 



Mr. Walker spoke in favor of educating the 

 laborer — the man who actually does the work up- 

 on the land, and thought that anything short of 

 this would fail of accomplishing much good. It 

 would not suffice to educate a few rich farmers. 

 In this and every free country every farmer must 

 work. He must be qualified to carry on his own 

 business and to have his work done under his own 

 supervision to have it profitable. Fancy farmers, 

 of whom - there had been an increase of late years, 

 could not do this. He regarded farming as a prof- 

 itable business — it was not a great money-making 

 business, like trade, commerce and manufactures. 

 Still, if we take all things into consideration, it is 

 as profitable as any other branch of business. 



Mr. Putnam, of Roxbury, was the last speaker, 

 and dwelt upon the importance of educating the 

 sons of farmers to observe those laws of nature, up- 

 on which their calling is to so great a degree 

 dependent. His own idea was, that there are 

 few who are competent to teach all that is de- 

 sirable — and yet a great deal of knowledge exists 

 in the community. We want some spot where it 

 can be got together. Some 50 or 100 men to go 

 round to the various towns as teachers, might dis- 

 seminate much knowledge. We must have some 

 such place to prepare them. He did not wish a 

 class to be educated to be above work. It would 

 be dangerous to our liberties. The freedom of ev- 

 ery country might be measured by the condition 

 of the actual tillers of the soil. Let them be intel- 

 ligent but hard working. He closed with the rep- 

 etition of the thought with which he commenced — 

 that we want farmers to be educated so as to be 

 disposed and able to observe the laws of nature, in 

 conformity with which they must work, if they ex- 

 pect success. 



The subject for the next meeting was announced 

 as " Plowing and hindred operations ," and the meet- 

 ing then adjourned. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 BLUE FLAG. 

 Mr. Editor : — I wish to ascertain through you, 

 or some of your correspondents, whether there is 

 any way to kill out the blue flag, from our mea- 

 dows, other than digging it out by the roots. 



Yours, t. o. j. 



Plymouth, Dec., 1851. 



Thanks. — Our thanks are due to many of our 

 contemporaries, for generous and friendly notices 

 of the New England Farmer. These courtesies 

 will be remembered with gratitude, and reciproca- 

 ted when occasion offers. 



