NO. 1 5. 



THE rARMEns' CABINET. 



235 



RECIPEOCAL INTEREST OF THE FARMER AND 

 MECHANIC. 



There are many things which a farmer 

 ought to raise, in order to prevent his land 

 from growing worse, which will not bear to 

 be carried to a foriegn market. The wjiole 

 attention of the farmer is turned to such 

 tilings as he can sell. It is, therefore, the 

 interest of the farmers that there should be a 

 great many people around them who are not 

 farmers, and who will buy and consume those 

 things for whicli there is no foreign demand. 

 The liome market, besides taking many things 

 the foreigner does not want, is also more 

 steady than any foreign market. It is then 

 very important to have the consumers among 

 us ; and it is for this reason we ask mechanics 

 and manufacturers to join us and show what 

 tiiey can do. Farmers already can buy from 

 tlieir neighbors, and pay in truck, many arti- 

 cles for wliich formerly they must have sent 

 to cities, and to foreign countries. Many 

 here recollect when a man was not thougfit 

 to be genteely dressed without an imported 

 hat on his head, and then it was said the im- 

 ported hat was the cheaper according to its 

 quality. Perhaps it might then have been so 

 in money, (though not now,) but we should 

 consider how many hats were paid for with 

 potatoes and cabbages. Never one. The 

 principle then is plain. The land will never 

 be cultivated in tiie best manner till it shall 

 be the interest of the farmer to raise all those 

 things which help to keep his land from 

 growmg worse. The farmer can never be 

 encouraged to do this so long as his products 

 must seek a distant market, for many of these 

 articles will not bear the expense of transpor- 

 tation. It is said that the improved farming 

 of England was encouraged by the introduc- 

 tion of the culture of turneps from the con- 

 tinent jnore than by any other one thing. — 

 The manufacturers bought the wool and the 

 meat of the animals that were fed on the 

 turneps. This is one of the hundred ways in 

 which this thing works in a circle. The 

 greater the variety of employments, the 

 cheaper each sells his products, and yet the 

 more profit each enjoys. 



NEWSPAPERS. 



But the number of experiments would not 

 need to be so numerous, if our farmers read 

 agricultural newspapers and other publica- 

 tions on the subject more generally; or what 

 would be better, if they would require our 

 own newspapers to give more of that informa- 

 tion, and less of violent party politics. Our 

 printers would do it if it was known to be 

 more pleasing to the taste of our farmers. — 

 Where is the man who in cool blood would 

 not rather have his children read papers that 

 give valuable practical information, than those 



libellous personal denunciations which every 

 election is so sure to produce .' It is, in fact, 

 wortli while to consider, whether the times 

 do not require temperance in iiew.spapers aa 

 well as in some other iiiHaiuinable and in- 

 flammatory articles. On this, as on other sub- 

 jects, the united opinion and action of our 

 agricultural societies might do nmcli. 



CONCLUSION. 



In conclusion, I Jiave only to say to you, 

 gentlemen of tlie society, persevere. Our 

 cause is a good one, and while it promises 

 many benefits, it docs not threaten one evil to 

 our country. Let every one try to improve. 

 In the moral world, nn'oody is so groat a vil- 

 lain that he does not think somebody worse. 

 So in agriculture — no fiirmer is so slovenly 

 and iniprovideni that he cannot point cut 

 others, in his opinion at least, worse than he. 

 This is not the kind of comparison we ought 

 to draw. He that would go high, must look 

 higher. Let every one see wherein his 

 neighbor excels him, and try to overtake 

 him ; and not rest contented when he has 

 found a lazier man than himself in the neigh- 

 borhood. Let us never forget, that after all 

 our strivings, there is One thatgivetli the rain 

 and the sunshine — the seed time and the 

 harvest ; and that we are bound to ask him 

 and to thank him for all his blessings. 



Garden Seeds. 



As success in gardening depends much on 

 good seeds, a few hints on raising, gathering 

 and preserving them may be of importance 

 to the young and inexperienced gardener. 

 Plants intended for seed should be carefully 

 cultivated during their whole existence, and 

 especially while their seeds are ripening. — 

 They should also be located in sr.ch a manner, 

 as that those of the same species cannot inter- 

 mix and produce deteriorated varieties. To 

 prevent mixing, they must be set at consid- 

 erable distances apart, as even Indian corn 

 has been known to mix at the distance of 

 three hundred yards. It is utterly impossi- 

 ble to preserve varieties of cucumbers, mel- 

 ons, squashes, pumpkins, &c. in their purity, 

 if they are permitted to flower and ripen 

 their seeds in the same garden — the seeds of 

 two varieties of the same species of plants, 

 should not therefore, be attempted to be raised 

 in the same garden at the same time. It is 

 this disposition to mix and degenerate that 

 renders it difficult for seedsmen to raise a 

 complete assortment of seeds on their own 

 grounds, unless they are very extensive. 



The most luxuriant and perfect plants, and 

 such as arrive at maturity the earliest in the 

 season should be selected for seed. They 

 should be permitted to remain in the garden 



