1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



159 



plan is this : — -to throw the soil into beds fifty or 

 sixty feet in width, so that the w-iter shall flow 

 from a large portion of it as fast as the river falls ; 

 then plow and sow with a light seeding of oats, 

 say from six to eight pecks to the acre, and cut 

 tliem at the proper season for fodder. The growth 

 of oats will keep the weeds down, and shade and 

 protect the young and tender grass, and will not 

 greatly exhaust the land if cut just as the seed is 

 fairly formed. Or, you may sow oats without 

 grass seed,— cut them for fodder, plow and ma- 

 nure the land immediately, early in August if you 

 'can, and then sow such grass seed as you like, 

 but we shall get a plentiful intermixture of clo- 

 ver for a year or two if we can. 



If the field is dressed with a fine, rich compost, 

 so that the young shoots of the grass seed may 

 readily find something nourishing to lay hold of, 

 and the seed is sown in August, the grass will 

 become so thoroughlyrooted and established be- 

 fore the autumnal overflows, as to resist the ac- 

 tion of the water, unless the current over it is 

 pretty strong. Fragments of ice may occasion- 

 ally kill out spots of the grass, but the old sward 

 is equally liable, and early attention must be 

 given in the spring to correct such jjlaces. 



U. S. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

 We have already given an outline of the pro- 

 ceedings of this society at its late session at 

 Washington. But in the National Intelligencer 

 we find a more minute account of the action of 

 the society upon the resignation of President 

 Wilder, Avhich will be read with interest by the 

 large number of friends of that gentleman 

 throughout New England. It is as follows : 



Mr, Wager, of New York, ofi'ered the resolu- 

 tions following, which were unanimously adopted: 



Whereas, the Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, of ]Mas- 

 sachusetts, who has for years so eminently dis- 

 tinguished himself by his exertions in promoting 

 the cause of terra-culture, has declined a further 

 re-election to the office of President of this soci- 

 ety, which he has filled since its creation with 

 ability, industry and outlay of his private means ; 

 therefore 



Be^solved, That his name be placed on the roll 

 of honorary members of the United States Agri- 

 O-dtural Society ; and that the Executive Com- 

 mittee are instructed to present him with a suita- 

 ble testimonial as a mark of appreciation of this 

 society for the energy, time and money which he 

 has expended in advancing its interests, and in 

 raising it to the position which it now occupies. 



Resolved, That while the members of this soci- 

 ety regret exceedingly that personal considera- 

 tions constrained him to decline a re-election, 

 they would express their kind regards and most 

 eai'nest desires for his future happiness. 



The President, in reply, said : 



Gentlemen, I thank you most sincerely for this 

 renewed testimonial of esteem and affection, as 



expressed in the words of the resolutions that 

 have just been adopted. 



Endowed from my youth with a love of rural 

 life and of rural taste, I have but obeyed the in- 

 stincts of my nature in devoting sucli time, al)ility 

 and means as I could command to the cultivation 

 of the earth. 



In taking the incipient measures towards the 

 formation of this society, in all my efforts for its 

 advancement, and in whatever I have been enabled 

 to do for the promotion of the general cause, I 

 have only been following the leadings of Provi- 

 dence and the inspirations of my own mind. 



The duties of your presiding officer, I need not 

 inform you, have frequently been perplexing and 

 arduous, and their faithful discharge attended 

 with difl[iculty and delicacy ; but your kindness 

 and co-operation has shared the burden with me, 

 and I shall ever regard my connection with you 

 and the many friendships I have here formed, as 

 among the most delightful circumstances in my 

 life. 



On retiring from the position which I have so 

 long occupied, I pray you, therefore, to accept the 

 assurances of my high consideration and regard, 

 and of my undiminished interest in each of you 

 personally, and in the future prosperity of the 

 United States Agricultural Society. Longmayit 

 live to be an honor and blessing to our country, 

 and may its last days be its best days ! 



At a meeting of the Executive Committee, held 

 the evening previous to the last day of the session, 

 they unanimously passed the following resolution, 

 which was offered by Mr. Wager, of New York : 



Besolved, That in obedience to instructions 

 from 1 he society, the Executive Committee request 

 the Hon. Henry Wager to inform the Hon. Mar- 

 shall P. Wilder that the sum of $250 is placed at 

 his disposal for the purchase of such a testimo- 

 nial as may be to him most acceptable. 



Mr. BuRGWYN, of North Carolina, addressed 

 the society in support of the resolution of the 

 Executive Committee, and commented in warm 

 terms on the united energy, intelligence, liberali- 

 ty and ])ublic spirit which had marked the official 

 connection of Mr. Wilder with the society. 



The Chair united in testifying to the eminent 

 services rendered by his predecessor in the pres- 

 idency. 



After which, on motion of ISIr. BuRGWYN, the 

 resolution of the Executive Committee was adopt- 

 ed unanimously and by acclamation. 



Ex-President Wilder replied to the vote thus 

 taken, and feelingly returned his acknowledg- 

 ments for the very kind treatment he hiul receiv- 

 ed at thehands of his fellow-members. He wished 

 to take the opportunity to give testimony to the 

 zealous co-operation he had experienced from 

 members and officers of the society, who had with 

 him borire the burden and heat of the day. He 

 spoke in the most flattering terms of the zeal and 

 ability of the Secretary, Maj. Ben : Perley 

 PooRE, whose "steady, minute and untiring at- 

 tention to duty, aided as it has been l)y bodily 

 powers and force not granted to many men, had 

 combined to make him a model Secretary." He 

 also paid merited compliments to "the fidelity 

 and industry of the Treasurer of the society, ^laj. 

 B. B. French. We are glad to record the clos- 



