]NEW ENGLAND FARM 



HjMXrn 



PUBLISHED r.y JOHN B. RUSSFXL. ROGERS' BUH.DIN'GS. CONGRESS S'l'REET. f.OSTOX.— THOMAS G. EES.>E,M)EN, ElJl'IOR. 



VOL. III. 



FRIDAY, DECEMBER :}l. 1!!24. 



No. 2.3. 



atarCcultwval anniiirrsari?. 



MR HODGES' ADDRF.SS 



BEFORE THE BRISTOL ACMCl'I.TVnAL hOlTIKTT. 

 Mr HoDUES not haviti"^ consented to publish his Ad- 

 rtrcss before the Bihlol County Ai:Ticultural Santti/, 

 in October, in a pamphlet, lias acceded to th* re- 

 quest of the CommilteP of the Socitty, who waii'd 

 upon him, that a portion of it might b« published 

 through the columns of a newspaper. — hutfjoin- 

 ed are some extracts from the Address : 



" That most ancient of all arts iinil the mother 

 ot'all olheis,can never be disregnrdeH by anv peo- 

 ple who have lanJs i'or oillivation, biinds to bi- 

 boiir, anil months to be tilled. And those nations 

 that place Affricullure high in the scale of hon- 

 ourable em[)lo)'ment, are themselves exaltedfin 

 weallh, popnlation, and refinement nf 7iian)itrs. 

 For it IS a. great mistake that I be latter qualifv 

 does not naturally comport with the adaptation 

 of human power and skill to the purposes and 

 business of production from the earth. What 

 gave Egypt pre-eniinence among- thf nations ol 

 her oarljj age? Surely not more her commerce 

 than her wide spread agriculture. The Asint- 

 ic nations emerging from the pastoral stale, rose 

 to power and some even to a proud grandeur, 

 bv the skillul use of the chmisy plough and 

 iio'e of their original husbandry. China, de- 

 tached by her most sacred laws from other peo- 

 ])le, embraces a wealth, population and power 

 that may defy comparison with any European 

 country; while each revolving vear vvilnes**-;' 

 the homage of the millions ofthst singular peo- 

 ple, in the person of their Emperour, before the 

 bountiful shrine of that art which Pagans may 

 be permitted to deify, and which Christians 

 ought to revere. 



"Within the last half century, Europe has 

 given more scientific and practical attention to 

 agriculture than formerly, and the stalisticks of 

 this eventful period shew how great have been 

 the Tesulting benefits. The commerce and ag- 

 riculture of the Flemish provinces rose and 

 fell together. In England, in the reitrn of 

 Cromwell, came forth the healthful spirit of 

 agriculture, cherished by Plattes, bv Harllib, 

 by the sublime Milton, and the people general- 

 ly of the Commonwealth, until its fruits are 

 witnessed by all the nations; inn commerce 

 unrivalled, manufactures for the supply of all 

 climes and tastes, a weallh that fills the" coffers 

 of the world in peace, and has afforded the 

 means of protection or destruction to many 

 nations in war. The incalculable weallh and 

 towering greatness of England owe their origin 

 to Agriculture and the arts it naturally produc- 

 ed. These arts and their attendant benefits 

 will ever be produced in all countries, where 

 agriculture has the honours of popular favour 

 and the benevolent regards of government. 



Our own country presents an interesting the- 

 atre over which the eye of sgricnltural science 

 and the hand ofskilfui labour may pass thronsh 

 almost all the varieties nf climate, soil — and 

 both natural and artific.al condilion. From tlie 

 climate of the bread ./'uit and oran^-f, to that 



whence may be brought forth the hardy escu-l 

 Icnts, and nutricious grasses, we take a range 

 that embraces such a capacity of diversitied : 

 culture as well as production, as should com- 

 mand all thai science can teach or physical en- 

 ergy can ap|.iv for its full developemeut. The 

 statesmHn, the political philosopher, looking 

 forward through the crowded vista of the fu- 

 ture, will see the importance, the incalculable 

 benefit of that wise direction of his power 

 \vhich shall aid the hotintiful efforts of nature 

 to sustain the rapidly forth-coming millions of 

 (Veemen who must draw subsistence from the 

 liosom of our teeming land. His example, like 

 that of Cincinnatus, should prove that all the 

 pomp of political life or the circumstance of 

 glorious war cannot overcome his affections for 

 the peaceful occujtalions and holy inflnftnces of 

 husbandry, as without it legislation has but an 

 '' airy haliilalion," and all the splendours of 

 the battle field beam but for a moment, and 

 then are lost ami<l the glooms of poverty and 

 wretchedness on the one hand, and the factitious 

 elare of sorilid opulence and oppressive power 

 on the other. 



This dreadful contrast mtist in the nature of 

 things take place in a country whoso lands are 

 negiectcd. whose citizens or dwellers are not 

 interested in the soil and its wealth. Such un- 

 happy Constituents of a Slate must surely, per- 

 haps gradually, as societies are originally cmi- 

 slituled, become, wherever, as in our happy 

 counlry, original appropriations of land have 

 not made them, the servile tenant*, the specu- 

 lating middle-men, or the lordly projirietors of 

 the soil. But with us, such gradations of a 

 wretched political system cannot take place 

 while all our citizens shall feel the necessity of 

 industry ami economy that they may realize the 

 advantages, both public and |;ersonal, of an irj- 

 dependent ownership and dominion of the soil. 

 Not, however, that all should be owners or all 

 cultivators, but all should encourage the diffu- 

 ?ion of those sound principles and the promo- 

 tion of those beneficial eiforls and results that 

 are particularly connected with the dignity and 

 prosperity of Agriculture. 



***** 



''Among the tonics naturally suggested by 

 the occasion, 1 intend to say a few words about 

 manvre. But before I come to that important 

 article, sutler me to make some remarks on the 

 distinctive excellencies of the Farmer. 



" It is not merely that he is the lord of the 

 soil, the principal contributor to the sujiport of 

 the government, which he undoubtedly is, and 

 has the greatest stake in it'S permanence, quiet, 

 and good administration, that he is to be re- 

 garded, but we should remember' and bless the 

 fact, that his |)rofession, more than any other, is 

 raised aloof from the turmoils of passion, and 

 carries with it the peace of virtue, the confi- 

 dence of strength, and the independence of na- 

 tive nobility. 



" Almost all other professions have some- 

 what of the spirit of gambling. Yes, except 

 Ihe farmer, almost all the professions in socie- 

 ty are attended with the hazards and often with 



the perils of thoughtless, avaricious adventuro 

 Conversant with the operations of nature anrl 

 devoutly lijoking to nature's God, the industry 

 of Ihe agriCulliirist is sure of reward. 



" Although Ihe seasons may he unpropitious 

 and his crojis come in light, he still, having 

 " miniled his own business," enjoys with a pure 

 heart, frugal disposition and good apjietile « 

 sufficiency for all the wants of a decent liveli- 

 hood. ITe still keeps up the habit of industry^ 

 with more or less energy, as circumstances re- 

 quire ; and is never idle but for hospjiality and 

 necessary relaxation. Living as a farmer — he 

 lives as much as possible by his farm, and is 

 content with the allolmonts of providence an<J 

 Ihe fruits of his own careful iiidustry. if this 

 year finds bis garner less t'ull than he hoped, he 

 lives abundantly in the next, even in anticipa- 

 tion, ever sure that the plough and Ihe harrow 

 .^hall revive his fortunes nod his joys the next. 

 But he is sensible his farm requires somethino 

 besides mere physical etlort — as he himself 

 wants infinitely more than corperedl satisfac 

 lions, knowledge, and the power of knowledge 

 in husbarwiiy. This is Ihe lever that moves 

 souls and bodies, that agitates the vis inertia of' 

 nature and ihe dormant intellect of man. With- 

 out it, nature fails lu fulfil her benevolent inten- 

 tions, and man sinks into a mete animal. ''• 



TO TJir. EDITOR OK THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Washington, Pa. 

 DsAB §f^— ? send yon by this day's mail, Mr 

 H:iC-''oey% CcniiDun;calion cii ihe l*e::ch Trpf . 

 I have tested his plan, and consider it a good 

 one. I have tried ashes,* tobacco,i lime, tar, 

 and Ian-bark, and believe either of' them will 

 answer, with careful management. I find a 

 large handful of tobacco stems, placed in the 

 crotch of my trees, guards them against all kinds 

 of depredators that work above ground. 1 have 

 not made sufficient experiments to know wheth- 

 er it will protect against that most destructive ' 



* About twelve years ago, 1 had ample evidence of 

 the offensive nature of tobacco to different kinds of in- 

 sects. I had a fine locnst growing: in a situation to pro- 

 tect my porch from the rays of the mid-day and after- 

 noon sun. To ray great mortiScation, 1 found this fav- 

 ourite tree, the shade which had added much to tlie 

 comfort of myself and family, attacked by an ugly dark 

 coloured bug, about half an inch long, and of an oval 

 form. This wa« not the only enemy. 'Ihe tree stood 

 near a stone vail fence ; and its trunk and limbs ap- 

 peared to be the race ground of Ihousauds of ants. — 

 About the first of June 1 noticed the leaves turning yel- 

 low ; and some of the limbs 2 inches in diameter, so 

 much perforated as to break off with their own weight. 

 Destrsclion seemed inevitable. However, I was deter- 

 mined to make every exertion to defend my tree. I 

 mcDlioned the case to several of my friends. I was ad- 

 vised to try tobacco, and found it answer beyond my 

 expcctRlions. I pursued the following method : I put 

 two pounds of tobacco into an earthen crock — On this I 

 poured about 3 gallons of boiling water, and let it stand 

 tor one night. I had every branch, and the trunk of 

 the tree well washed with this decoction. The insects 

 entirely disappeared. In one month the improvement 

 was quite visible. The tree continued perfectly heal- 

 thy, till I was obliged to cut it down, several years af- 

 terwards, as it stood in the way of a cew house 1 was 

 building. 



