NEW ENOL.ANB 'FARMER. 



PUBLISHED BY GEO. C. BARRETT, NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STREET, (at the Agricultural Warehouse.)— T. G. FESSENDEN, EDITOR. 



VOL. XII. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 15, 1834. 



NO. 27. 



THE HOST. JUD(iE STRONG'S ADDRESS, 



BeHvcred In far, the Won ester Agr. Society, Oct. !i/A,ld33. 



[Pubtaheii in the N. E. Farmer ut the request of the Trustees.] 

 (CONTINUED I'Ki'M PAGE -' ■">■) 



Agriculture, tlieti, in its improved state, is to 

 cultivate the earth so as to obtain the greatest num- 

 ber and quantity of useful products. To do this 

 successfully, something more than mere labor is 

 necessary. There should be judgment; experi- 

 ence, science. The crops of the fanner are the 

 result of a process of nature called vegetation. A 

 vegetable derives its nourishment from the earth, 

 water, air, heat and light. It is only a portion of 

 the earth, however, which affords nourishment 

 to plants. It is supposed by geologists that the 

 greater part of what is called the crust of the earth, 

 that portion which is commonly called dirt or 

 earth, is produced entirely by the pulverization of 

 different kinds of rocks. This substance of itself, 

 and unmixed with any other substance, the result 

 of the decomposition of any one species of rock 

 alone, will not afford any nourishment to plants. 

 It is only by means of what is called vegetable 

 mould, the production of the continued decay of 

 vegetable matter, and the mixture of this vegeta- 

 ble mould with the different species of pulverized 

 rocks, or the different species of pulverized rocks 

 with each other, that any food for plants is ob- 

 tained. This vegetable mould, of so much im- 

 portance in agriculture, and so greatly increasing 

 the fertility of land in new countries covered with 



parative fertility of both portions will be greatly 

 increased. To do this uftderstandingly and suc- 

 cessfully, the fanner should know where these in- 

 equalities exist and what are the proper propor- 

 tions to afford the necessary corrective. Here, 

 then, will be the most abundant scope for the 

 judgment, experience and science, even, of the 

 farmer. Much, also, of the success of the farmer 

 will depend upon his knowledge of the adaptation 

 of the different portions of his premises to differ- 

 ent crops ; to what extent particular crops will 

 exhaust the vegetative powers of the soil, and a 

 judicious rotation of crops. J'.y proper knowledge 

 and skill in these particulars the farmer will be 

 enabled to keep up the vegetative powers of the 

 soil for a much longer period ; and derive gri ater 

 advantages from this power, while it lasts. 1 trust 

 1 have shewn enough to make it clearly appear 

 tiat it is not labor', merely, simple industry, which 

 ran make a good farmer. There must be a mind 

 ii active operation, judgment, skill, experience, 

 science. 



Having thus treated briefly of the importance 

 of agriculture, aria" stated some of the requisite 

 q ratifications of a good farmer, I will proceed to 

 consider the importance of agricultural societies. 

 Are agricultural societies useful ? Are sufficient 

 benefits derived from them to individuals and the 

 community, to compensate for all the trouble and 

 expense of their operations ? Might not the farmer, 

 ly staying at home without the aid of any society, 



forests, is of considerable depth. The leaves have My proper observation, reading and inquiry, make 

 been filling from the trees forages; am! lies , the same or greater improvement? In answer to 



with other vegetables which may grow upon the 

 surface, have been constantly decaying and annti- 



these interrogatories, I will endeavor to show that 

 agricultural societies are not only useful but high 



ally adding to the depth of that rich vegetable ly useful, by two different modes of proof. First, 

 mould which is the means of the future farmer's from their nature and tendency ; and secondly, by 

 abundant crops. This is the reason that the lands the effects actually produced by them. And first, 

 of new countries covered with dense forests, when as to their nature and tendency: The farmers, 

 first cleared are always fertile. After this vegeta- from necessity, are scattered over the country, at 

 hie mould is exhausted, as it is with respect to some distance from each other; and though they 

 most lands in this vicinity, the skill of the farmer have intercourse with those in the immediate vi- 

 consists principally in procuring a substitute, by cinity and in the same town, and sometimes to a 

 means of the various kinds of manure. The ma- greater distance; and by conversation with them, 

 nure which is procured from animals, will furnish and their own observation, may make some im- 

 but a small portion of what may he necessary to provements in the mode of managing their farms ; 

 the proper and skilful cultivation of a farm. This yet the field of observation and knowledge is ne- 

 inanure from animals should not be used in its raw cessarily narrow when compared with the whole 

 state, or in its full strength ; but should be thor- extent of a county. An improvement in raising 

 oughly mixed with other substances in the forma- some particular product may he known and prac- 

 tion of the various kinds of compost manure, so as tised in one section of the county for years, and 

 greatly to increase the quantity, and also improve the knowledge of it travel but a short distance 

 the quality. In making the most, then, of the from the place where it originated. But if there 

 manure from animals, and the various substances is a meeting of farmers for the special purpose of 

 within his reach, to increase to the greatest prac- improvement in agriculture, each year, from every 

 ticable extent this very important article of com- part of the county, this improvement will he the 

 post manure, the farmer will need judgment, ex- subject of conversation, and the knowledge of il 

 perience, and to a certain extent science. Great ad- will rapidly spread into every part of the county. 



vantages may also be gained by the judicious, skil- 

 ful and scientific farmer, by a mixture of the differ- 

 ent soils upon his farm ; and this to a certain extent 

 will answer the purpose of manure. Some joi- 

 tious of his farm are comparatively barren by rea- 

 son of an excess of one kind of soil and a deficien- 

 cy of another. In other portions, the compantive 

 quantities of the same soils are the reverse ; and, 

 by correcting these inequalities and restoring the 

 proper proportions, the productiveness and com- 



The great utility of these societies, however, and 

 of all associations of men to accomplish important 

 objects, is to excite a spirit of emulation ; of com- 

 mendable rivalry ; to excite in the farmer (which 

 is frequently necessary to be excited) ambition and 

 pride of character, as a farmer. This latter object 

 cannot fail to be effected by a society having an- 

 nual meetings. The mere circumstance of a great 

 number of men meeting together to promote an 

 important object, has this effect upon au ingenu- 



ous and well regulated mind. The esprit du corps, 

 the spirit of the association is produced ; and no 

 man whose mind is susceptible of pride and ambi- 

 tion, and who has any claims to the character of 

 a respectable farmer, can go home from such a 

 meeting of farmers .without forming resolutions of 

 improvement. He sees the subject in a new light. 

 It assumes an importance in his eyes which it 

 never did before. He has been accustomed to 

 consider hh self as a kind of isolated being upon 

 his farm, necessary to attend to it to be sure, to 

 furnish 'subsistence to himself and family, but of 

 no fa: 'i.er importance. He now sees himself to 

 be a m ember of a numerous and respectable asso- 

 ciation, all engaged heart and hand to promote 

 improvements in farming. These improvements 

 themselves appear of new and additional import- 

 ance in his eyes. He feels elevated in his own 

 opinion ; his relative importance is increased ; and 

 he has new views altogether, not only of farming, 

 but of the comparative respectability of the em- 

 ployment. Is all this nothing ? Is it no point gain- 

 ed to inspire the farmer with such views and feel- 

 ings as these ? Those who are acquainted with 

 human nature ; those who know the proper means 

 of directing the human character, and the secret 

 of developing the powers and faculties of men, in 

 such a manner as to operate with the greatest in- 

 tensity to the accomplishment of great results, 

 will answer these interrogatories in the negative. 

 Yes, it is almost every thing in the accomplish- 

 ment of jfteat objects 'of improvement to collect 

 men toeetl isr and bind them in an association for 

 that purposW. ; hey see and hear and know new 

 things ; and see and hear and learn them in such 

 a manner as not to forget them ; in such a man- 

 ner as to make an indelible impression ; and to 

 have a practical influence upon their conduct. 

 The farmer who, when at home on his own farm, 

 and when comparing it with his neighbor's thinks 

 he does pretty well, and enjoys that self-compla- 

 cency which is so pleasing to the mind, and which 

 is so readily indulged, without examining with too 

 nice a scrutiny his claims to participate in a feel- 

 ing which affords him so much pleasure, — when he 

 comes to see and hear and learn what others have 

 done, how much greater improvement they have 

 made, and how far short he falls of what may be 

 clone, his self complacency vanishes. He feels a 

 momentary sense of mortification ; and, then, with 

 that elasticity of mind which appropriately belongs 

 to an enterprising and ambitious man, in the next 

 moment he resolves, that for the future no one 

 shall go beyond him in any practical improve- 

 ments which industry and enterprise can accom- 

 plish. When at home he thinks he has good 

 horses, good cows, good oxen, good sheep and 

 good swine. When he comes here and sees the 

 animals of these various descriptions which you 

 show him, he finds that his home ideas of excel- 

 lence were quite limited, and goes back with the 

 determination that, as soon as it is practicable, the 

 stock upon his farm shall bear a closer resem- 

 blance to those which be sees here. A well regu- 

 lated agricultural society not only furnishes infor- 

 mation to its members at their annual meetings, 

 but is the means of collecting and distributing 

 knowledge upon the subject of agriculture through- 



