218 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



JANUAKV 2?, 



1834. 



Another source of encouragement and subject 

 of Congratulation to the tanner is the general spirit 

 of improvement which is abroad in. the earth. 

 This spirit of improvement extends itself to all thi 

 infinitely diversified affairs of men. Ii benefits the 

 farmer and affords him encouragement in a great 

 variety of ways. It is in constant activity to fur- 

 nish him with improvements in the t'ools and im- 

 plements of farming; in the invention of new ma- 

 chines, or improvement of old otoes, to facilitate 

 the various operations of agriculture'; to diminish 

 labor, or to give it an increased adaptation to the 

 object, to be accomplished. When the spirit of 

 improvement is' applied to manufactures, it is con- 

 stantly cheapening the various articles of clothing 

 for hi.mself and family, and the numerous articles 

 for domestic use, and at the same time furnishing 

 them of greater durability and value. When tin- 

 spirit of improvement is applied to commerce, ii 

 provides for the farmer bis former comforts and 

 luxuries from foreig'n countries at a cheaper rate 

 or of a better quality ; or furnishes new ones to 

 increase and extend the circle of bis enjoyments. 

 When the spirit of improvement is ap.plied to lite- 

 rature, it is daily increasing ami extending the 

 farmer's means of literary enjoyment. Useful lite- 

 rary labor is so abundant and cheap, the expenses 

 of printing so much reduced by the increased 

 cheapness of the materials, the invention of useful 

 machinery, and the application of horse and steam 

 power, that farmers even of moderate means can 

 easily procure a great variety of literary entertain- 

 ment and mental improvement. Useful and valu- 

 able bonks ami treatises are daily manufactured 



and offered at the farmers door, at little e than 



the expense of paper and ink. So far, then, as he 

 or his family have a taste for reading, or <! sire, for 

 the improvement of the mind, and so far as time 

 can be spared from the necessary labors of the 

 farm and family, the means are ample and abun- 

 dant. When the spirit of improvement, the spirit 

 of the age, is applied to the great objects of educa- 

 tion, and morals and religious instruction ; to the 

 great purposes of improvement in the social, moral 

 and religious state of the great body of the people"; 

 it confers benefits of incalculable value upon the 

 farmer. Other benefits and other advantage's sub- 

 serve the interests of the farmer as to his pecuniary 

 gains, or to the comfortable support of himself and 

 family, or to literary entertainment, or improve- 

 ment, and with reference principally to the inter- 

 -.- and happiness of the body; but these take an 

 higher aim. They relate to bis moral and social 

 perfection. They apply directly to the mind and 

 heart, to enlighten the one and regulate the other. 

 They attempt to govern his passions, to direct bis 

 affections to their proper objects; to direct hint to 

 the proper performance of all bis relative duties ; 

 to make him a good son, a good father, a good 

 Brother, a good husband, a good citizen; and, 

 finally, they consider him as an immortal being, 

 and endeavor to prepare him for the enjoyment of 

 future felicity. Where can the farmer be found, 

 in what country other than this, who enjoys ad- 

 vantages in this respect superior, or even equal to 

 yours ? Where, in what country, other than this, 

 can a fanner be found, who enjoys the means of 

 moral and religious instruction such as you enjoy? 

 Gentlemen, I have already, I fear, wearied your 

 patience. Time will not permit mc to enumerate 

 all the sources of encouragement and subjects of 

 congratulation to the New England farmer. Every 

 thing appertaining to your situation is calculated 



to encourage you ; and to whatever point you turn 

 your view, j ou find abundant subjects of congratu- 

 lation. Go oil then, cheerfully, persev cringly and 

 confidently, in your course of exertion and im- 

 :. Do not dniiht, for a moment, the 

 utility of this society, or its i xertions for the im- 

 prove menl of agriculture. What you have- already 

 one is not onlj certain evidence of its utility, but 

 i sin pi ''■■. ■ of future improvement. Go on, 

 then, until every swamp shall be drained ; until 

 averj barren place shall be made fruitful; until 



everj thing which offends tl ye or diminishes 



the products of j i hr Ian Is shall be removed ; until 

 every farm in th i lUt t; shall present upon every 

 part of its surface the rich products of your indus- 

 try^ ami until it can ho said with truth, there is no 

 waste or usi I' ss land within your limits. Go on, 

 and remove (Vein your farms all evidence and eve- 

 ry indication < f sloven Lid ■■■-, of sloth, of inatten- 

 tion, of negligence, of want of enterprise and 

 spirit. The time has gone by when a farmer can 

 with impunity permit to remain upon his farm in- 

 dications ef negligence, pregnant evidence of the 

 destitution of the true spirit of the farmer, and une- 

 quivocal proof that he lacks the true spirit of his 

 calling, and that he has never felt the generous 

 ardor which the institution of your society, and all 

 its exertions, -.;■ calculated and intended to infuse. 

 The farmer must have a fanner's ambition, he 

 riiusthave a farmer's pride, and then he will be sure 

 to obtain not only a farmer's success hut a farmer's 

 honor. And what is a farmer's honor ? Is it 



to go on in lie' s,- > dull way which his .ancestors 



did before him ; t > cultivate the same field in the 

 same manner, and raise the same moderate and 

 stinted crops, hardly sufficient to keep himself and 

 family from the poor-house, or himself from the 

 debtor's limits ? Is it to suffer one half of his farm 

 lo grow up to brush and weeds, and cultivate the 

 remainder in such a slovenly manner as to be of 

 little value to him? Is it to see the improvements 

 which are making around him, either without no- 

 ticing or without adopting tie in ? Is it to see the 

 superior cultivation, improvement and beauty of 

 his neighbor's fields without self condemnation 

 and a deep sense of mortification ? Is it in fine to 

 shut his eyes upon all improvements, to fold his 

 arms in the. isolated situation which he has assum- 

 ed, and refuse or neglect all the necessary means 

 of information ? 



No. The honor of a farmer is the reverse of 

 all this. The farmer who ought to be and is enti- 

 tled to honor, is industrious and enterprising. He 

 cultivates his land, to be sure, in the old way until a 

 better one is' discovered and no longer. He imme- 

 diately adopts any improvement, lie has extensive 

 intercoursewith farmers for the purpose of" obtaining 

 information, and learning the results of the many 

 experiments which are constantly made in agricul- 

 ture. He joins an Agricultural Society, if then' 

 is one within bis reach, and becomes an active, 

 zealous, and useful member. lie regularly takes 

 some approved periodical upon the subject of 

 agriculture. He sees with a discriminating eye 

 and judicious mind every different mode of culti- 

 vation which passes under his observation, and en- 

 deavors to derive useful information from it. 



He has no prejudice in favor of, or attachment 

 to the mode of cultivation practised by bis father 

 or grandfather. His sole object is to adopt the 

 best. If be sees upon bis neighbor's farm any 

 mode of cultivation superior to his own, or if he 

 sees a greater neatness even in the general appear- 



ance, or in the detail or management of particular 

 portions than c.ni be obtained on his own farm, he 

 resis net till his own is made equal or superior to 

 his neighbor's. He i.-. always on tie look out, 

 not only to ascertain an. I adopt till improvements! 

 made by others, hut to mi ke as man] as possible 

 himself. Such is the characterof the farmer who 

 is entitled to, and obtains honor ' ect in bis 



employment. Such is the character of the far- 

 mer by which the e'mployn I i leva ted in 

 respectability. Such is the character of the far- 

 mer ii, which agriculn re in proved, the fertility 

 of the lands increased, nee, modes of cultivation 

 adopted, new and valuable products introduced, 

 the breed of animals improved, and tie- who].; 

 lace of things changed. And such will be the 

 character of the members of this society, of all 

 those members who are practice! agrii itlrurists, if 

 they act up lo the spirit of this association ; and 

 with reference to tin; great obji et for the promo- 

 tion of which this society was formed. 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



For th ■■■' Farmer. 



BURKT TONGUE IB? HORSES. 



Ma. Fessende.n— I have seen several commu- 

 nications of late of a di i lied Burnt 

 7Wg»<. This disease occurred in the neighbor- 

 hood of Boston in the year 1820 : it had 'prevail- 

 ed much at the South. There appeared at that 

 time an article in the Baltimore American, and cop- 

 ied into the Boston Commercial Gazette, Jan. 7, 

 1S20, on the subject, of the following tenor. The 

 first symptoms. that some horses show, is pain in 

 the act or swallowing, this is when the disease com- 

 mences in the throat. In others it begins nearer 

 tie end of the tongue, and in these, the first symp- 

 tom is a willingness to eat, but unable ou account 

 ol the pain, with considerable slobbei tug and adhe- 

 sive saliva. On looking into the mouth, the tongue 

 will he blistered, or the blister maj hi ve conic ell'. 

 and the tongue appear extremely sere. In some 

 eases the lips and cheeks swell, but if no other 

 symptoms appear, the disease is not alarming, but 

 will ;i\e wa) to the mouth wash. 



Iii some subjects of its attacks, the system be- 

 comes more generally affected ; the horse is feeble, 

 his pulsation low, and instead of 40, not more than 

 3 1 pulsations in a minute. Ai\ obstruction in the 

 bowels, i. e. the horse may not have more than 

 one or two passages, or perhaps none through tliu 

 night; when these symptoms appear, give him a»- 

 cordiug to the size, a pint or three half pints of raw 

 llax-seed oil, or one bottle of castor oil ; if in 24 or 

 30 hours after it is given, it should not begin to op- 

 erate, it must be repeated ; let him drink as usual. 

 The best feed is chopped rye, shorts, or bran 

 made into a slop ; if he w ill not take this, scald oats 

 so that they be soft to bis mouth ; some will eat 

 hay, rather than any oilier food. 



" The wash I use is alum and saltpetre, each an 

 ounce, vinegar a pint, honey half a pint, the mouth 

 to be cleansed two or three times a day, with a 

 swab dipt in the mixture, introducing it as far up 

 the mouth as convenient ; in some cases I have ta- 

 ken blood, but could not perceive that it produced 

 any effect. 



•About the time stated as above, I had two horses 

 affected with the symptoms first staled in the above 

 extract. 1 used the wash as recommended, and 

 gave bran as above directed, and some bay ; by per- 



