^66 



N E \V ENGLAND FAR M E R, 



FEB. ^8. IS «. 



foiii- liditiL'S abreiisi, pri'<:i;ilc(! I)y a mmi, lii^ ^-'i'^ 

 toward the teairi, thus rlnijipiri;:, liv a rope, tliii 

 liorsrs aftiM- him. Tlio iiniiUMiioats of hnshaiidry, 

 in ronseqiieni-i! of th^- iiili'rc.-'t which has Wen 

 awak'.'iicd in agriculiuio hy as'sociations lilio yonrs 

 ere much more conveiiiKnt and i-(Tiriir.t ihaii lor- 



iiierly. 



'jiie powers of nature have been matin innrh 

 more prodnelivp, by the npplication of hmiian iii- 

 pcmiity, and tlu^ proliahilify now- is, liy the ileep 

 insight wliicli has been effected in natural science, 

 that those powers may be devehiped almost l)e- 

 yond calculatinn. 



'i'ravellers still speak with admiration of the 

 remains of those works constructed by BL'yplian 

 kiufTs lor the distribntior, of the waters of the Nile. 

 Sindlar works were also conslrncted for the dis- 

 tribution of the waters of the Gaiijrcs atid otiier 

 rivers in India ; and both cciiiitrics liavc been 

 celebrated for their fertility. 



Covered as they were with the densest popula- 

 -<lon, stiil in seasons of ordinary crops, they were 

 able to export great quantities of grain. The 

 ^reiit fertility of Loudiardy is ascribed to the prac 

 tice of irrigation. In the richest p:irts of the Mi- 

 lanese, the grass, chiefly clover, is cut three or four 

 times a year. Your attention, 1 [lerpeive, frotn 

 your publications, has been turned to tfiis mode 

 of fertilizing the soil ; and when the population 

 shall be more dense amongst us, may we not be- 

 lieve, that the capabilities allbrded, by our many 

 streams, of enriching the land, will be fully im- 

 jiroved ? Says a distinguished cliemig'. and [irac- 

 tieal agriculturist,* — "of all the agents which may 

 he employed as amendments of the soil, there is 

 none of which the action is more jjowerful than 

 that of water. Not only lioes it contribute to the 

 nourishment of the jilant, by its decbt:,[>osition, 

 vvliieh deposits in tlie vessels its elementary prin- 

 ciples; but it acts still further, by promoting the 

 fermentation of nianiMe.s, and by conveying into 

 the vegetable organs, tlie juices and salts. Inile- 

 |)endeutly of these properties, u ater dilutes the 

 sap which has become thickened in the boily of 

 the plant, and facilitates its olrcnlaiioii ; the soil 

 is also softened by water, and thus rendereil more 

 permeable by the roots and liy atniosplieric nir, 

 which sui)p!ies them with the moisture it con- 

 tains," Frequent irrigations are abundantly use- 

 ful to poor, light or sandy soils. 



The improvement of the soil will ever l)e a 

 prominent object with intelligent farmers. The 

 best earths will be, cotnparativcdy, iinprodnotive, 

 "unless thoroughly divided anil softened by the 

 plough, spade and lioi; ; thus manures which have 

 hecir sunk by the rains, will lie brought ncir to 

 the siu'face ; roots liave u bett;^'r opportunity to 

 epread ; weeds be destroyed and convened into 

 manure. An eminent writer on agricidture tells 

 us, that on i-ertain lots, cultivated entirely by the 

 Sjiade, in France, the products were double those 

 in its immeiliato neighborhood, on lots cultivtitrd 

 in a difl'erent mimrier. Such a mode of cuhiva- 

 lion is applicable only where labor is abuniiant. 



In some countries, fire is used to improve the 

 soil. The process suitable to nvt.'ry cohesive, 

 clayey soil, is thus describ(>il : " A layer of from 

 two to foin- iindies in thickness, is riimoved frotn 

 llie soil in clods; little heaps <d' conibiistibles are 

 formed, — thistles fern, and shrubs, that grow tip- 

 on tlie spot. These are covered with tlie clods, 



• Chaptal. 



and in a few days, are set on fire. Wlieti the 

 whole has become coo!, the hea[is cf ashes are 

 spread over the surface, and tints mixed with the 

 soil. liy- this operiititm, the [larts of the soil are 

 made less cotn| act atnl cohesive ; the inactive 

 vegetable mtitter is convertetl into m.initrc ; in- 

 sects and till.' seeds of weeds are dcstioyed." The 

 burning of slnbble on the field — praclis(?dby some 

 farmers — is recommended by an eminent chemist, 

 for two reasons: it purifies the soil from insects, 

 and from iho seerls of noxious plants ; and it lortns 

 a thin layer of carbon, which, by its extreme di- 

 visicm, is capable of being absorbed by the plants. 



We are told, that notwiihstanditig the examples 

 and the writings of enlightened theoretical far- 

 mers, in France, agriculture has not aiiseti above 

 tnedioerity, tntiinly because the farmers have been 

 aiidrtlious of having too large a portion of laud 

 under cultivtition. Kxjn rience has [iroved, abun- 

 dantly, that th(! farmer can best consult his own 

 interest, by devoting his whole attentions to such 

 [tortionsas he can manure and cultivate thorough- 

 ly. His own labors will then be most ably secon- 

 ded by the powers cf nature. 



The introduction of a rotation of crops is eon- 

 siilered as tn)P of the greatest steps ever taken in 

 the ndvanceinent of agriculture. _ To follow this 

 system with advantage, a few principles have been 

 laid down by (Chaptal, which I take the liberty of 

 offering to your attention, as far more valuable 

 than any thing in my power to suggest. 



" !. All plants exiintist the soil. They are par- 

 tially supported by the earth, the juices from 

 wfiich constitute an important part of their nour- 

 ishment. 



IL All pbints do not exhaust the soil equally. 

 Air and water help nourish them; difrerent kinds 

 of pliurs require the same nouri.-hmen! In difler- 

 ent degrees. 



in. Plants of difTerent kinds do not exlintist 

 the soil in the .'-amc ma-iner. Plants with spin- 

 dled or tap roots, draw nourishment from layers 

 of soil in contact witfi the lower part of the root : 

 Avhiie those whose roots are spread near tli« stir- 

 face, exhaust only that |)art of the soil. 



IV. .All plants do not restore to the soil either 

 tbc same quantity or the same fpiality of mimnre. 

 The giiiins exhaust ii soil the most, and repair the 

 injury the least. While sonic l-guminous p'ants 

 restore to the soil a great portion of the juices they 

 receive from it. 



V. All [)lants df. not /out the soil equally. — 

 •Plants are said to foul the soil when tiny promote 

 or permit the growth of weeds. Pl.niits which 

 have not large leaves fitted to cover the ground, 

 foul the s.Til." 



From the above principles the following con- 

 cluBions have been <Irawfi. 



1. Tlui! hov.'ever well (irepnred a soil may be, 

 it cannot nom-isli a lon^ snccessien of crops with- 

 out becoming exhausted. 



2. F.aidi harvest impoverishes the .soil to h cer- 

 tain extent, depending upon the degree of nour- 

 ishment which it restores to the earth. 



3. The cultivation of spindle, or tap roots, 

 ought to succeed tluit of running and superficial 

 roots. 



4. It is necessary to avoid returning too soon, 

 to the cnllivation of the same, or analogous kinds 

 of vegetables, in the same soil. 



6. It is unwise to allow two kinds of pl.ints, 

 which admit of the ready growth of weeds among 

 them, to be raised in Biiccession, 



6. Those plants that derive their principal sup- 

 finrt from the soil, should not be sown excepting 

 when the soil is snfliciently provided with ma- 

 nure. 



7. Wiirn the .soil exhibits symptoms of exliaus- 

 tioii, from successive litirvesis, the cultivation of 

 those plants whi;!i restore most to ihe soil,shoLild 

 be resorted to. 



These, principles form the bivsi.-? of a system of 

 agriculture, rich in its juoducts, but richer in its 

 economy. 



To procure a good supply of manures will ever 

 be an imporltint object with the skilful farmer. — 

 And so much has already been written upon this 

 subject, so many materials, vegetable, animil, and 

 mineral, may be converted to this use, that tin 

 fanner who does not enrich his lands, is wiihou; 

 excuse. In the use of this fertilizing stdisiance 

 its preparation, its adaptation to soils, there is 

 much room for the apiilictilion of sciemi!iir prin 

 i;i|des; tind the farmer would find his account, ii 

 this ndalion, in reading failbfully scientific work; 

 on agriculture, if such reading gave him no othei 

 valuable iiislrnction. 



Astonishing effects have been produced ii 

 England and Scotland, by the use of bone ma 

 nnre. 



The most efficient tiianner in which dignin 

 an<l popularity can be given to agriculture, is ti 

 have the gentler sex interested in the duties np 

 pro[iriate to the farmer's domestic arrangements 

 The names of lailies eminent fiu' their strong do 

 mestic ta.^te, have been embalmed in the menuir 

 of generations. And tiie nnmerons specimens 

 Uitli useful and ornamental, of female skill am 

 workmanship, which have been exhibited, giv 

 ntiiple and gratifying proof tha.t your wives am 

 daughters in your efforts for i iijirovement ; am 

 while you ^ire enriching aiul adorningyour fjirnis 

 lliey are an.xious to make your homes hajipy, h' . 

 the exercise of their taste and ingenuity, as wel 

 as by their smiles of aflectioii and contentment, 



A prominent ililfii ulty, in advancing a genera 

 improvement in the husbtindry of the great liod' 

 of f-irmers, arises from an attachment to exisii/iji 

 usages, aiid a dread of iimovations. A disjiosi. 

 tion to atlhere to established usages, thon!.'h tint 

 swering some good purpDses.yet iuduiged too fiii) 

 Itecomes an effei-ttial barrier to progress. Did 

 fanners reflect, that established usages, thtit al 

 well proved improviMneiits, in all »!cj:artments,— , 

 jilonghing inoculation, printing, the use of steaiiiii 

 canals, railroads, courts, juries, schools, &c. — 

 were 111! once innovations, they wcnilii, at least 

 listen iitsenlively to the explantitioiis of any allegei 

 improvement, before utterly condemning it as ni 

 innovation. Such \3, however, the power, whicl 

 a regard to their interest exercises over men, ihs 

 when convinceil thiit changes will promote tint 

 interest, they will adopt them. Without putliri 

 them to the hazard of nmiied expensive opcri 

 ments, you are pilacing withisi their re.icb, we 

 attested results. 



Ytmr experiments, under the direction id' scl 

 cntifn; principles, based on the foundation of ili 

 soundi.'st philosophy, facts, leads to piincipb 

 which the farmer, wliilelie hazards nothing, gain 

 much, by adopting. 'ihe spirit of einulatio 

 awakened by your prciniunis ; the impulse give 

 by your exhibitions ; the dissemination of usefi 

 knowdedge by your publications, cannot ti;il t 

 reach and act upon tbc minds and usages of man 

 fanners, who are not members of your associi 



