ted. The principle and policy of the improvement, as 

 indispensable to the general welfare, are duly appreciated 

 by our fellow-citizens. The abandonment of tlie practice 

 of occupying large portions of land for pasturage, and a- 

 dopting an active course of tillage, distinguishes the good 

 sense of our husbandmen, and gives assurance that plen- 

 ty will continue to bless this happy land. 



Tlie land devoted to meadow and mowing, justly mer- 

 its the solfcitude of the farmer. This department of hus- 

 bandry has become a subject of much consideration. 

 The decline in the productiveness of meadbws, is a theme 

 of common complaint. Several causes have contributed 

 to produce this deficiency. The grounds appropriated 

 to meadov/, are too extensi\c, and disproportioned to the 

 size of farms and the means of sustaining them. Hence 

 they are too generally tveated as pasture ground ; are not 

 manured or stocked with seed ; of course an annual de- 

 preciation ensues. Allow me to urge you to convert a 

 "due proportion of the meadow to arable land, and the n-s- 

 idue to improve, by care and good management, until it 

 produces the quantity which good husbandry requires. 

 This operation will, by its inmiense accession of profits, 

 demonstrate its utility. 



Gentlemen — That our tillage may be sustained, 

 ■without prejudicing its fertility, the expedients of a rota- 

 tion of crops, of vegetable manures, of composts, of 

 -plaister and marks, and of stocking with suitable grasses, 

 uill occur to you, and receive the consideration which 

 this most important part of rural management merits. 

 Our brother farmers, who occupy high lands, ex]:)0sed to 

 frosts and chilling atmospheres, during the vernal season, 

 are particularly interested in thisa(^vice. If they desire 

 to preserve their ilirms from decline ; if they desire to in- 

 crease their fruitfulness, and to realize plenty and pros- 



