1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



07 



for a body of men whose interests were the same 

 with those of every farmer in the commonwealth, 

 and- whose judgment and accuracy could not be 

 impeached by suspicion of improper bias or self- 

 interest. He could not but congratulate the peo- 

 ple of the commonwealth in the promised results 

 of this system. Nor could he, with less satisfac- 

 tion, congratulate them that thoy had been made 

 the honored instruments in carrying out so inter- 

 esting and important an experiment. He doubt- 

 ed not they would continue to pursue the objects 

 for which they had been appointed, and would 

 find their reward in a proper appreciation of 

 their services by a generous and confiding com- 

 munity. 



In taking leave of his associates at that Board, 

 over whose deliberations ho had been permitted to 

 preside for a brief period, he again assured them 

 of his sentiments of high personal respect, of his 

 best wishes for their success in every pursuit of 

 life, and for their long-continued happiness and 

 prosperity. 



He thereupon left the chair, which was re- 

 sumed by the senior member present, and took 

 leave of the Board." 



For the New England Fanner. 



FALL PLOWING--PLASTER. 



Mr. Brown : — There has been a number of 

 articles in the Farmer recently upon " Fall 

 Plowing ; ' ' my experience has led me to be in 

 favor of plowing at that season. I used to be 

 troubled by the worms eating my corn ; but for 

 the last three or four years, I have plowed the 

 ground late in the fall, where I was going to 

 plant corn the next year ; and since this has 

 been my practice, I have not been trou))led at all 

 by the worms. I think that by plowing late in 

 the fall, t!ie worms and eggs of insects are ex- 

 posed to the frost and are thus destroyed. 



PLASTER AS A FERTILIZER. 



A great deal has been said in regard to the ben- 

 efit derived from the use of plaster of Paris, and 

 I suppof^e justly said, too, for I know that it is a 

 great absorbent, and useful in many of its appli- 

 cations ; but my experience the past season has 

 led me to call in question the utility of this 

 sovereign combination of lime with sulphuric 

 acid as a fertilizer, as applied to crops. Last 

 spring I planted a patch of potatoes, and be- 

 tween the hills I planted peas ; both came up 

 well and grew nicely ; but about the time of the 

 first hoeing, I put a large table-spoonful of plas- 

 ter around eaeh hill of potatoes and peas, in six 

 rows, and left the rest of the piece without any 

 plaster. The result was, where I put plaster on 

 the peas, they were stone-dead within a week or 

 two ; but where I did not put plaster, I had a 

 fine crop. Wlien 1 dug tlie potatoes, those where 

 the plaster was applied fell short of tlioso where 

 there was none, at the rate of one bushel in 

 eight rods ; tlio land was a sandy loam. 



I had another piece of potatoes, on like ground, 

 where I applied plaster to the whole of it in the 



hill ; the potatoes on this piece were light, ex- 

 cepting two or three rows under the shade of a 

 fence. I had still another piece of land, a moist, 

 rich loam, on which I jjlanted potatoes ; to one- 

 half I applied plaster in the hill. Where I put 

 plaster, I got 21 lbs. of potatoes ; where I did 

 not, I got 23 lbs., or in that proportion. 



It is a question with me whetiier the plaster 

 that I used was good. I have no means of 

 analyzing. I did not know before that crops were 

 ever the poorer for the application of plaster. 

 The plaster came from Vermont. 



Yours, &c., E. P. Woods. 



Newport, N. H.,Dcc. 20, 1854. 



For the New England Farmer. 



OFFICIAL VISITS TO FARMERS. 



To the Hon. M.'P. Wilder: — Dear Sir, — In 

 view of your position, experience and influence, 

 from connection with Agricultural Societies and 

 with the State Board of Agriculture, you will 

 excuse me for making further demands upon your 

 attention by the following suggestions. It is not 

 uncommon for men who have given their prin- 

 cipal attention to one branch of bvsincss, for the 

 purpose of money-making, especially if they are 

 bright, thorough men, to be superior, able to 

 exhibit plainly — to demonstrate, as matters of 

 fact, the results of their experience — to give reli- 

 able instruction, directions and examples of their 

 skill and success in that one branch. This they 

 are free to do, it may be as philanthropists, to 

 benefit others, but surely as men. It is human 

 nature. Said a sailor, " you know we all love to 

 talk about that which lies nearest our heart." 

 He has done so to get more perfect knowledge of 

 his darling theme, or to get credit for his supe- 

 rior skill and work. I have found just such men 

 of concentrated genius and high standing in vari- 

 ous occupations. I have one in my eye, who 

 could tell you, and sliow the best constructed 

 stables and piggeries ; the process of making and 

 saving the most and best manure ; by confining 

 his attention to stock and swine growing, Avhat 

 feed and management would give the largest 

 return for the outlay of every dollar and dime, 

 and GO shoats growing finely, at a cost of one 

 and a half cents each jjer day ; his good breed- 

 ing sows, from three to five years old ; another 

 lot that will average 350 lbs., at eiglit months 

 old, at a cost of four and a half cents per pound ; 

 and 1200 loads of manure, with his method of 

 making and applying it. This is one man, and 

 his profits are large ))y pursuing one branch of 

 business, well understood. 



This article is written to express my conviction 

 of the justness of his views, viz., that " tlie best 

 interests of the State might be promoted by se- 

 lecting an individual in each county to visit the 

 farms reported to be good, and learn from the 

 farmers their modes of <niltivation, and present 

 the facts ascertained tlirough the press, under 

 the appointment and pay of the State." 



Some ten years since the writer was appointed, 

 by the " Hampden County Agricultural Society," 

 to prepare an article fijr their next anniversary 

 on the siibjiH-t of " /nflf;ii//TS," whicii he did, and 

 also recommended to the society tlie employment 

 of a discriminating man, for a year, to visit the 

 best farmers, and collect facts deemed most im- 



