10 MR. newiiall's address. 



On our dry, gravelly and sandy soils the locust thrives well ; and 

 as they absorb the dew that falls upon them, they do not decrease^ 

 but rather increase the moisture of the soil, and the dropping of the 

 foliage, especially the blossoms, which are very rich, greatly increases 

 the fertility of the land. A plantation of these trees upon any of 

 our dry pasture lands of twelve or fifteen years growth, will more 

 than double the feed, and in the course of thirty years the timber 

 and wood will be worth at least one hundred dollars per acre. In 

 making this assertion I speak advisedly, and am ready to prove the 

 facts by a grove I have raised from the seed, and planted out within 

 that time. The grass that grows under the locust is very sweet, and 

 readily eaten by cows or horses. 



The expense of raising a nursery of these trees is trifling ; the 

 seed germinates well, if the earth is properly prepared ; but as ours 

 is colder than their native climate, it is necessary to use some artifi- 

 cial heat. Soaking the seed in warm water will answer the pur- 

 pose, but a better method is to warm the soil by a fire on the surface 

 either before or after sowing. 



The willow on low marshy lands will rather improve the grass than 

 otherwise, and afibrd a large quantity of wood, it being of rapid 

 growth. 



Very little has been done in this County about planting forest 

 trees until recently , and I am happy to know that enterprising gen- 

 tlemen are now making experiments by planting groves of many 

 kinds of our native as well as foreign varieties. On most of the 

 farms in our County there are patches of waste land that might be 

 profitably appropriated to the growing of wood, and by planting trees 

 on the sides of our highways, much valuable wood might be raised, 

 our thoroughfares ornamented and the public benefitted. 



Very much has been done in aid of the cultivation of our farms, 

 by the great improvement made in the working tools of our pro- 

 fession. 



The plough has been brought to a very great degree of perfection 

 and our farming implements generally, at the present day, are so 

 much better adapted for the cultivation and harvesting our crops, 

 that a much greater amount of labor can be performed, with less 

 expense of muscular strength, than formerly. 



Our crops of corn, grain, and vegetables have been greatly in- 

 creased by the improved mode of cultivation, which has in a great 



