1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



39 



none affords a better prospect of leading to useful and in the second place, in taking good care of what 

 and important results. Within the last few years, ' they had ; that is, gi\ing their trees wide, deep, and 

 numerous papers and periodicals have sprung up,' mellow cultivation, applying manure when necessa- 

 devoted wholly or in part to this subject, which ry, and specially the liquid manure from the cham- 

 have given new importance to the science of agri-jber and the wash-tub. Great pains, taken whether 

 culture, or rather, have presented its claims to pub-, with fruit trees or with cliildi-en, scarcely ever fail 

 lie attention in a new and interesting light. These to produce good results, 

 works have each their respective peculiarities and 

 excellences ; and are generally well calculated to 

 aid formers in acquiring a competent knowledge of 

 this science. Not every thing, however, stated in 

 these periodicals, is to be taken for granted, as true. 

 On the contrary, every statement should be exam- 

 ined, closely scrutinized, and brought to the test of 

 experiment. 



Agriculture is, in its very nature, a constantly pro- 

 gressive science. It is founded upon experiments ; 

 and these experiments must be repeated, in order 

 to arrive at the truth. For instance, because a per- 

 son has once been successful in raising a large crop, 

 on a certain kind of soil, by a peculiar kind of cul- 

 tivation, it is not absolutely certain, that he, or 

 another person, can do the same again ; because 

 other causes, which he knew nothing of, may have 

 contributed, in that particular instance, in producing 

 the result. In order to come at the truth, therefore 

 it will be necessary to repeat the experiment several 

 times. And, if the experiment, each time it is 

 repeated, be attended with lilve success, we then 

 have something that is tangible, — something that 

 can be relied upon. 



There are two methods of cultivating the earth, 

 which divide the agricultural community into two 

 classes, the imitators and the experimenters. The 

 imitators copy the example of others. They do 

 whatever they see others do, without once stopping 

 to inquire, whether there may not be a better, a 

 shorter, an easier, and a more expeditious way 

 of doing the same thing. They neither take counsel 

 of their reason, nor of their more scientific breth- 

 No matter how great the labor may be, the 



U. S. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The Fourth Annual Meeting of the United 

 States Agricultural Society will be held at 

 Washington, D. C, on Wednesday, January 9th, 

 1856. 



Business of importance will come before the 

 meeting. Reports from its officers will be submit- 

 ted, and a new election be made, in which it is de- 

 sirable that every State and Territory should be 

 represented. 



Lectures and interesting discussions are expected 

 on subjects pertaining to the objects of the Asso- 

 ciation, by distinguished scientific and practical Ag- 

 riculturists. The transactions of 1855, containing a 

 full account of the late Exhibition at Boston, will 

 be distributed to such members as are present. 



The various Agricultural Societies of the country 

 are respectfully requested to send delegates to this 

 meeting ; and all gentlemen who are interested in 

 the welfare of American Agriculture, who would 

 promote a more cordial spirit of intercourse be- 

 tween the different sections of our land, and Avho 

 would elevate this most important pursuit to a po- 

 sition of greater usefulness and honor, are also in- 

 vited to be present on this occasion. 



Marshall P. Wilder, President. 



W. S. King, Secretary. 



December, 1855. 



disadvantage under which they labor, or the ex- 

 pense of time and money, they still continue to 

 do, as they always have done, and as they probably 

 always will do, as long as they live. They imitate 

 others in everything except in the improvements 

 of the day. And some of these they acquire un- 

 consiously without knowing it, or intending it. 



The experimenters pursue a different course. They 

 "prove all things, and hold fast that which is good." 

 They seize with avidity upon every hint, and upon 

 every new idea, and endeavor to improve upon 

 them. Every new experiment is, to them, a lesson 

 of instruction. They inquire of themselves, why is 

 it thus and so ? What is the cause of this ? What 

 would be the effect, if the experiment were varied 

 a little? Cannot the same effect be produced by 

 simpler means ? In this way, they go on, from one 

 inquiry to another, and from one improvement to 

 another, till they arrive at important results. One 

 inquiry paves the way to many more, and introdu 

 ces them into a wider field of observation, in which 

 " they give the most unbounded scope to all their 

 powers. 



Luck with Trees. — We have noticed that cer- 

 tain men always have much finer peaches, and pears 

 and plums, than most of their neighbors, and are 

 called lucky. Their luck consisted, in the first place, 

 in doing every thing well — taldng what their neigh- 

 bors call foolish pains — leaving notliing unfinished ; 



0::3^ Gentlemen who are desirous to visit Wash- 

 ington will find the time fixed for this annual meet- 

 ing, as well as the occasion itself, one of great inter- 

 est. The Christmas and New Year holidays will 

 be over, the House probably organized, the ma- 

 chinery of the government in active motion, and 

 strangers from every portion of our widely extend- 

 ed country, and from nearly every portion of the 

 civilized world, will be there looking on. All this 

 may be seen during the same visit which shall en- 

 able them to do something for the cause of Agri- 

 culture, in attending the sessions of the United 

 States Society. 



ART OF MILKING. 



The art of milking well is not taught in a hurry. 

 It requires long practice to milk properly, and 

 therefore all the young people on a farm ought to 

 be shown how the labor should be done. It is 

 quite important that this branch of the dairy should 

 be particularly attended to, for a good milker ob- 

 tains at least a quart more from the same cow than 

 a poor milker. 



The first lesson to be taught to young people is 

 gentleness and kindness to the cows. They never 

 need be treated harshly, in case Ihe business is 

 properly commenced. Cows that have been ca- 

 ressed and uniformly well treated are fond of hav- 

 ing the milk drawn from the udder at the resrular 



