178 



NEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



Aprix. 



cannot be poor if its pastures are rich. Give 

 the sheep grass and they will give j ou back 

 the money. 



Again, sheep will give us the best and 

 cheapest kind of food, and also in the greatest 

 amount, for the value of the food we feed to 

 them. 



This method of fencing and mowing and 

 cropping and manuring a pasture involves 

 labor, and so do all good things in this world. 

 We complain of the small returns from our 

 lands, but the wonder is that they produce as 

 much as they do, for we take from them and 

 give nothing in return. 



The discussion was continued by interesting 

 and profitable remarks from Dr. Huntington, 

 Mr. Harvey, Mr. Martin, Hon. W. W. Wil- 

 liams, General Cushman, Mr. Rodgers and 

 others, all making valuable and practicable 

 suggestions, for which I should not dare to 

 ask room in your columns, 



Hon. Mr. Williams then introduced the 

 subject of 



Wheat Culture. 



He remarked that Rochester and its imme- 

 diate vicinity pays annually $20,000 for Hour 

 made from western wheat. Rochester once 

 exported wheat to the surrounding towns. 

 He urged farmers to cultivate this crop. He 

 would prepare the soil well, and manure with 

 sheep manure, and sow as early in the spring 

 as possible. 



Mr. Harvey. — Rochester farmers at pres- 

 ent pay annual tribute to western farmers. 

 The West feeds us with bread, and we are at 

 the mercy of speculators and western wheat 

 growers. Our remedy is to raise more wheat 

 ourselves, in spite of the difficulties of weevil 

 and rust. He advises:. 1. To select good 

 seed, — good in variety and healthy in quality. 

 Diseased seed will produce diseased plants, 

 as in the animal kingdom, sickly germs will 

 produce enfeebled animals. 2. Feed the 

 wheat with such food (manure) as its nature 

 demands, on the same principle you would 

 feed animals. Wheat should not be cut too 

 soon. If the straw is sound and healthy, it 

 should stand till the berry is quite hard, else 

 it will not be plump. Would use ashes ; in- 

 ferred their value from experience ou new 

 land (burnt.) Lime and superphosphate 

 should be used on some lands. 



Mr. IMathews gave us much encouragement 

 by detailing his experience in wheat raising. 

 lie has always raised all his family consumed, 

 and so did his father on the same farm before 

 him. He gets about twenty bushels per acre. 



Mr. Wellington would put the wheat in as 

 early as possible in the spring, that it may 

 mature before the weevil attacks it. 



Gen. Cushmau thought we should raise 

 wheat for our own biead, and then as many 

 oats would be produced as we now raise, with 

 little or no wheat. More profitable to raise 

 wheat at twenty bushels pi;r acre than oats at 

 fifty bushels per acre. 



There was general regret that the afternoon 

 was too short to finish a discussion which all 

 felt had been no less interesting than profita- 

 ble, as it was believed that as a result of this 

 I meeting the production of wheat in Rochester 

 will be materially increased. 



Though the snow continued to fall during 

 the evening, the ball was filled with ladies and 

 gentlemen to listen to an address by Dr. 

 Henry Boynton of Woodstock, upon 



The Condition and Duties of Farzaers. 



The Doctor contrasted the effects of the 

 two elements of Conservatism and Progress in 

 human affairs, and stated that though there 

 may be no more men among farmers than 

 among men of other occupations who belong 

 to the class of ultra conservatives, yet it must 

 be confessed that we are not generally ready 

 to give a willing ear to the teachings of sci- 

 ence as applied to our calling. Men outside 

 of our ranks are in the habit of looking upon 

 the employment of farmers as having a ten- 

 dency to dwarf and belittle a man, and hence 

 farmers themselves have been regarded as not 

 quite on the same social level as men in other 

 branches of business. "Only a farmer'' is an 

 expression of marked significance, as indi- 

 cating the relative position of the farmer. 

 Though very largely in the majority, farmers 

 have but limited political influence, while their 

 practical knowledge of all matters touching 

 their interests is much needed in State and 

 National legislation. 



The first duty of the farmer is to himself. 

 He must respect himself and respect his call- 

 ing; thus making himself worthy the regard 

 of all other men. He should practice a more 

 intelligent economy in his business and ht)use- 

 hold arrangements. He must invest the profits 

 of his farm in his business and not in govern- 

 ment bonds. 



Farmers should avail themselves of the 

 power and advantages of associated actioa. 

 They are proverbially unsocial. When men 

 live in isolated conditions, they drift back to- 

 wards barbarism. They should form clubs in 

 every town and village. Every meeting, how- 

 ever small, would be attended with good re- 

 sults. Farmers should do all in thtir power 

 to lighten the burdens of their wives and 

 daughters. 



When they will rightfully discharge these 

 duties, farmers will assume their right fid po- 

 sition in community, and the expression "only 

 a farmer," will become obsolete. 



At the close of the address a Farmers' and 

 Mechanics' Club was formed, to liold its first 

 meeting iVIonday evening, Feb. 15. 



The exercises of the evening were enlivened 

 by some excellent music by the "Rochester 

 Glee Club," under the direction of IMr. G. 

 H. Cooper. The occasion was highly enjoyed 

 by all, and it is hoped it will be succeeded by 

 many similar meetings. Apollonius. 



liuchester. Ft'., Ftb. 4, 1860. 



