244 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



May 



engage in its associate details at the earliest pos- 

 sible age ; and that every encouragement should 

 be given to the improvement of agricultural ma- 

 chinf ry. 



Mr. Wetherell, in consideration that the 

 lands in the State did not furnish half the quan- 

 tity of the produce they might be made to do, 

 thought that one of the best things to go about, 

 would be to elicit by what means this could be 

 cured. Lands under cultivation were fast wear- 

 ing out ; and how they could be renovated was 

 the question paramount in interest to all others. 

 Farmers ought not to be content with 10 to 15 

 bushels of grain, when they could, by improved 

 culture, produce, with no more labor, 40 to 60 

 bushels. Education was the best means to pro- 

 duce this improvement ; and that improvement 

 which was so desirable, would never be found 

 effectual until some means were extant among us 

 for learning the art of approved modern farm- 

 ing — some means which would, in their dispen- 

 sation, have some sympathy with the objects they 

 sought to attain, and which would thoroughly 

 combine theory with practice. Mr. Wetherell 

 concluded by highly recommending the establish- 

 ment of Farmers' Clubs in every town in the 

 State, and cited examples of their exceeding use- 

 fulness, as it showed itself to his experience. He 

 was thoroughly confirmed in the necessity and 

 importance of carrying out this. 



Gov. Banks simply said that it was his opin- 

 ion that the primary requisite was to show young 

 men that it was good for them to become farm- 

 ers, and that the vocation of a farmer was a high- 

 ly honorable one, and equal or superior in status 

 to any other profession. The great present ob- 

 jection to the business was the necessity for se- 

 vere labor, and the absence of social amusements. 

 As a question of profit it was not equal to other 

 professions, nor was the political status of farm- 

 ers what it ought to be ; but change these disad- 

 vantages — and they could be changed — and both 

 would be enhanced to a covetable degree, and the 

 farmer's craft would be preferred to any other. 



Mr. Sheldon, of Wilmington, said that farm- 

 ing had been very profitable to all who had tried 

 it in earnest. He had some idea that more at- 

 tention should be paid to hay, in curing, as it was 

 the most important crop, and therefore an ele- 

 ment in the general list of matters which had a 

 serious bearing in the agricultural prosperity of 

 the commonwealth. Whatever tended to pro- 

 duce certain knowledge of a better system in cur- 

 ing hay in foul weather would be found to be of 

 the utmost consequence. Men might laugh at the 

 idea ; but if a similar system to that followed in 

 drying hops was introduced, it could be done 

 with profit. It would not be a great cost to try 

 it; and its importance could be in some measure 



prized, when it was known that weeks of bad 

 weather followed each other in haying time. So 

 far as Mr. S. could estimate, $2 per ton would 

 cover the expense of drying in this way. 



The President held that the sum and sub- 

 stance of the discussion was, that farming, to be 

 popular, ought to be shown to be profitable. 



Before the discussion commenced, a very val- 

 uable conversational debate took place on the 

 suljjects of draining, irrigation, soiling of cattle, 

 &c., &c., among the gentlemen present. 



This meeting, of which the above furnishes a 

 sketch of the proceedings, was the last during 

 the present legislative session. 



It is probable that a series of meetings will be 

 held during the summer, &t which the principa. 

 agricultural questions will be lectured on and 

 discussed by competent parties, designated for 

 the duly. An idea prevails that May will be the 

 best time, and that the State House the best 

 place, for holding the proposed meeting or con- 

 vention. 



Reviewing the past series of meetings, they 

 have proved themselves unusually interesting, 

 and in some respects, very profitable. Doubt- 

 less some rather strange theories have been ad- 

 vanced, and some rather loose facts have been 

 stated ; but these were merely incidental, and in 

 no material measure have militated against the 

 stamina which the general information given at 

 the meetings emphatically had. 



For the New England FaTmer. 

 THE ONION MAGGOT. 



Mr. Editor : — I am truly gratified that your 

 intelligent correspondent from Hollis, N. H., has 

 found a specific remedy against the ravages of 

 the onion maggot. This is what has been sought 

 by cultivators here but as yet they had no sus- 

 picions it would so readily be found, and least of 

 all in the fertilizer itself, many tons of which have 

 been used on these onion fields. 



If I rightly understand Mr. Emerson, this cu- 

 rative against the ravages of the maggot, is to be 

 found in the free application of pulverized guano, 

 to the young plant, just after it starts into being. 

 Now according to my observation, this maggot 

 comes into being, and operates in this wise. The 

 little light colored fly which springs from the 

 maggot, hovers about the plant, and lays its 

 eggs near the bulb, just where the top starts from 

 the ground, and when these eggs warm into life, 

 the insects busy themselves in the bulb, and 

 make it their abode. I have seen a spoonful of 

 maggots squeezed from a single onion. Had not 

 Mr. E. asserted the contrary, I should have had 

 no doubt, that the maggot itself might have been 

 preserved in guano, as well as in pulverized 

 earth or plastei-. I have no belief, that its sensi- 

 bilities are so acute, as to be overpowered by the 

 guano. But if it is a specific remedy, I am glad 

 to know it. 



There are many cultivators in this town, who 



