170 [Senate 



roots and clods are cut to pieces, and the earth is beautifully pul- 

 verized, as if it had been done by spade husbandry. In case of 

 meeting with stones, or other impediments, the frame is lifted up, 

 and passes over without trouble. This machine appeared to me so 

 very well suited to this purpose, that 1 persuaded Mr. Clapp to have 

 a model made, which I forwarded three months since to Mr. Cole- 

 man, in England, as a specimen of Yankee ingenuity to exhibit. I 

 have not yet heard from him on the subject. 



I do not mention this machine for the purpose of puffing it into 

 notice, for it is of so simple a construction, that Mr. Clapp has no 

 idea of reaping any benefit from it j but since I began writing this 

 address, I have learned of its very satisfactory action at a meeting 

 near Worcester, and while listening to the account an idea struck 

 me, which, as I have not seen Mr. Clapp, I have not communicated 

 to him j it is, that it would be a most excellent machine for incorpo- 

 rating into the soil guano, lime, nitrate of soda, or any other of these 

 manures which are spread broadcast over the surface, and need some 

 implement to put them slightly under the soil until wanted by the 

 crop, that their virtues may not be wasted in the desert air. I am 

 very sure the points of agriculture which I have here introduced to 

 your notice have been very imperfectly dealt with, and many remain 

 of course altogether untouched, but time warns me. I will therefore 

 conclude by imploring every one engaged in this pursuit to take sci- 

 ence by the hand, to employ the leisure hours of winter in obtaining 

 a knowledge of some of its general principles, in attaining its habits 

 of discrimination, in schooling the mind to its system of order, and 

 to apply these steadily in experimenting on a "small scale ; for it 

 must be understood, that unless experiments are made with the note- 

 book in hand, with careful and constant examinations and observa- 

 tions made and noted, they are more likely to mislead than to be 

 useful. Such observations must include every circumstance at all 

 calculated to affect the result — as soil, situation, weather, &c., &c., 

 the same may be said respecting experiments with cattle, their food, 

 &c., &c. 



When the time arrives, and come it will soon, that the majority of 

 agriculturists shall have attained considerable theoretical as well as 

 practical knowledge on the subjects, then will :ome the time to 

 which I have before alluded. Agriculture will shine forth as the 

 most honorable and profitable occupation of mankind ; its professors 

 will be looked up to as a straight forward, sturdy, independent class 

 of men, constantly in the habit of exercising and maturing their pow- 

 ers of reasoning and judgment, men of v. high state of education and 

 of general information, from whom might be with confidence selected 

 those fit to rule this or any other country. I am far from meaning 

 even to insinuate that such is not in some degree the case now, but I 

 look forward to a time when men of college education will turn to 

 the plough as they now do to the learned professions, nay, and I may 

 as well state it here, to the lime when their will be either colleges 

 for agriculture in every Slate, or agricultural professorships in every 

 college in the Union. A few years, yes, my friends, a very fcv 



