1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



449 



so as easily to be read, a copy of "An act for the 

 better protection of orchards, gardens &c.," mtend- 

 ed to be placed in some cons])icuous position on a 

 post or tree in the grounds. The manufticturer has 

 placed them for sale at the various horticultural and 

 agricultural warehouses in the city. Every town 

 throughout the Commonwealth should instruct their 

 Selectmen to purchase some of them, to be fastened 

 on guide-boards, as a protection for fruits, flowers 

 and cranberries. 



Fur Vie Kew England Fanner, 



LABOR-SAVING MACHINERY. 



^Ir. Editor : — It was my pri^•ilege, a few days 

 since, to witness some of the ojierations on the form 

 of Mr. Fay, of Lynn, which have contributed to the 

 formation of fertile fields, where very little grew 

 before ; and which now continue them in successful 

 culture, at an cxjjenditure of labor greatly abridged, 

 compared with the j^roducts grown thereon. Among 

 these is a machine for planting, thinning and iveed- 

 ing, moved l)y horse-])ower, which, judging from 

 the products now growing, does its work to perfec- 

 tion. This machine was introduced from England, 

 at an expense of $140, but is so much more com- 

 plete than anything of the kind I have seen else- 

 where, that I would commend it to the notice of all 

 curious observers. No person can look upon the 

 extended field of turnips, beets and parsnips there 

 gromng, as also Lidian corn, to all of which no 

 hand labor has been applied, and not be struck ^\'ith 

 the operation of the machine, and the benefit ac- 

 cruing from its use. 



I also saw in ojieration a Rock-Lifter, exceeding- 

 ly well calculated to relieve our New England farms 

 of many troul)lesome incumbrances — esj^ecially in 

 the way of the })low and of the mower. By the 

 help of this imjjlement, I believe that two men, 

 with one pixir of cattle, had taken out from their 

 original position more than one hundred stones in 

 one day, averaging three tons each, and transferred 

 them to the foiuidation of a wall, where they were 

 made useful for a fence, thus doubhng the value of 

 an acre of land, for purposes of cultivation. Who- 

 ever would know more of these operations, can easi- 

 ly learn, by calling on Mr. D. Wetherbee, the far- 

 mer on the premises, who will take pleasure in 

 communicating instruction to all who msh to learn. 

 Mr. Fay is one of those theoretic farmers, who 

 preaches well, and practices better. 



September 1, 1855. *. 



For the New Hngland Farmer. 



WORK OF MOWING MACHINES. 



I have recently seen a statement of the work 

 done by one oi Mannifs machines, the present sea- 

 son — 54i acres yielding 80 tons of hay, cut in 43?j 

 hours' labor, with a pair of horses. The person who 

 used this machine, thinks the sa\'ing made in grass, 

 as compared with the ordinary mode of cutting, 

 would be fully equal to a f lir price for cutting, 

 say one dollar per ton. One cog and one tooth 

 gave way during the o])eration, for want of j)roper 

 care in management. He thinlcs he could cut fif- 

 teen acres in a day without unreasonable fatigue of 

 the team. 'I'hese facts are stilted, not because they 

 are extraordinary, but as showing what can be ac- 

 complished by a good farmer on his own farm. 



Sept. 6, 1855. *. 



[ For the New England Farmer. 



OURS AN AGE OF IMPROVEMENT. 



BY JOnX GOLDSHURT. 



The age in which we live has been denominated 

 the age of improvements. In some respects, this is 

 true, but not in every respect. It is true with re- 

 gard to the inventions and discoveries which have 

 I been made in science and the mechanic arts ; for, 

 never, since the world began, has there been a time 

 in which so many, so great, and so remarkable ira- 

 ])rovemcnts have burst upon the world, in a like 

 period of time, as during the past fifty years. These 

 have taken place, one after another, in such rapid 

 succession, that the public mind has hardly had 

 time to subside from the excitement produced by 

 the discovery of one improvement, before it has 

 been again excited by the discovery of another, the 

 magnitude and importance of which have astonished 

 the world. These inventions and discoveries have 

 produced new and important changes in our modes 

 of living, and in the business transactions of the 

 whole world. All the oceans, lakes and rivers are 

 navigated by steam, and the diflerent jiarts of the 

 world are brought nearer to each other. The 

 "steam-horse" is heard puffing round our hills and 

 through our valleys, transporting the surplus pro- 

 ductions of one part of tlie country to another. 

 And steam power has been ap])lied to propelling al- 

 most all the machinery in the world. Besides, the 

 improvements which have been made in machinery 

 itself are truly astonishing. And when we take 

 into consideration the transmission of intelligence, 

 from one part of the country to another, mth the 

 speed of lightning, by the electric telegrajjh, we are 

 ready to admit, not only that we have lived in an 

 age of improvements, but in a wonderful age. All 

 these inventions and discoveries have tiiken place 

 within the last fifty years. Mechanical science has 

 advanced with strides so rapid and long, that many 

 are anticipating the period, when, by the discovery 

 of some new agency, or by some new application of 

 an old one, we shall be able to travel through the 

 upper regions of the atmosphere. 



But the question we wish to consider, is, whether 

 the science of agriculture has kei)t j)ace with these 

 noble and truly valuable improvements ? Truth 

 and justice require a negative answer to this ques- 

 tion. For, ever since the occu])ation of this conti- 

 nent by the Europeans, and until within a few 

 years past, the cultivation of the soil, in any true 

 sense of the word, has l)een almost entirely neglect- 

 ed. The system of cultivation, if it may be so called, 

 was a retrograde system, a system of deterioration 

 and destruction. The forests fell before the wood- 

 man's axe ; the trees were burned on the ground ; 

 the fields were rapidly cleared, and sowed >\'ith 

 grain ; the earth yielded bountifully ; man took the 

 crop, but he made no returns by cultivating and en- 

 riching the soil. The consequence has been a regu- 

 lar and constant diminution of the jiroducts of the 

 soil, till the farmers began to tliink that their lands 

 were worn out, or had become entirely exhausted 

 and worthless. 



Within tlie last twenty years, however, a new im- 

 pulse has been given to agricultural education, by 

 cUrecting attention to the nature and jjrojierties of 

 different kinds of soils, and to the nature, character 

 and elements of manures and other fertilizing pro- 

 j)erties. It was soon discovered that the old soils 

 were neither worn out nor exliausted, but required 



