No. 6. 



An English Emigrant. — Manure. 



187 



its pages and conversing about their contents : 

 I tell you, great interest is felt on the subject, 

 and I calculate that our Secretary will soon 

 be instructed to communicate to the Editor 

 of the Cabinet, portions of our transactions 

 from time to time, as it may fall out. 



By the bye, Mr. Editor, do you not think 

 that this plan of meeting at the store, for the 

 purpose of conversation and comparing ac- 

 counts, might prove of much importance to 

 the farming interests of a neighbourhood in 

 general, as well as not a little to the business 

 of the store in particular? I think it might, 

 especially in many places remote from towns 

 and villages, where the associating together 

 of friends and neighbours to talk over mat- 

 ters, would form a very rational and pleasing- 

 mode of passing an hour, to their mutual edi- 

 fication and improvement. I confess that I 

 am pleased with the idea, putting the store 

 for the present out of the question, and have, 

 therefore, commenced clearing out an adjoin- 

 ing closet, which may serve as a cabinet, for 

 the reception of specimens of fine crops, and 

 curiosities both natural and artificial — a sort 

 of museum, v.'hich might prove of much ser- 

 vice in our future progress, and add not a 

 little to the interest of the undertaking. I 

 have already many specimens with which to 

 commence furnishing it, particularly twelve 

 distinct varieties of fine wheat, some of each 

 in the ear; as many of corn, some of the ears 

 sixteen inches in length ; several varieties of 

 the oat and barley, and a sample of the sin- 

 gular grain, between wheat and barley, called 

 emur, of which we are proud ; with sugar- 

 beets and rutabaga of gigantic size : the ske- 

 leton of a rat, starved to death in a cupboard, 

 the bones polished like ivory by the ants and 

 roaches — a most perfect specimen, and e.xqui- 

 eitely preserved; a chick with three legs, 

 and a young rattlesnake, preserved in spirits ; 

 the broken horn of John Judkins's bull, which 

 was found embedded in the chest of Elias 

 Spragg's horse, causing the destruction of the 

 poor creature, and from whence it was taken 

 after his death: the skeleton of a fish, with 

 the bill of the hawk ; a model of a Scotch 

 cart, made by the son of one of our farmers, 

 a capital specimen of workmanship; a minia- 

 ture set of harrows, and a Welsh butter- 

 plump ; with curious stones, metals and mine- 

 rals, already quite a large collection. So 

 that you see I have something much better 

 than my double-barrelled gun with which to 

 employ me, and can now understand how it 

 is that those, whose first thought on emigra- 

 tion is their sport, contrive to make their re- 

 gular engagements serve all purposes. 



With the love of agriculture, however, 

 still "strong as death," I offer my services 

 for its support, and can think of no way more 

 likely to forward its interests, than to sub- 



scribe for the Cabinet, and chronicle for its 

 pages, and from time to time, " The proceed- 

 ings of the Agricultural Society, meeting at 

 the store of" Your humble servant, 



Joshua Shajbrold. 



P. S. The first article of our Rules is to 

 run thus — 



1st. No member of the Society to incur 

 one cent expense on its account. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 3Iaaure, 



now TO APPLY. 



Sir, — Allow me, through the medium of 

 your valuable paper, to make some inquiry in 

 relation to a subject intimately connected 

 with the farmer's interest, and touching the 

 very ground-work of his operations, and, as it 

 seems to me, particularly in the county of 

 Chester, where it is my good fortune to reside. 



It is universally admitted that manure is 

 the capital on which the farmers do business, 

 and he who teaches them how to obtain it at 

 a reasonable rate, and in sufficient quantity, 

 does the public more service than if he lec- 

 tured his life-time on copper and silver mines, 

 and amused his sleeping hours with golden 

 dreams. Thorough manuring is the founda- 

 tion of all good husbandry ; and when com- 

 bined with deep ploughing, insures a general 

 and uniform fertility ; assisted, no doubt, by 

 the essentials, thorough working, and a judi- 

 cious course of cropping. 



But the question naturally arises, at what 

 season of the year should manure be applied, 

 so as to exert its power most effectually to 

 the farmer's interest ! And in what manner, 

 so that its effects may be the most percepti- 

 ble? Should it be thrown upon the surface 

 of the ground, there to lie some weeks pre- 

 vious to its being turned down by the plough, 

 and thus be exposed to the scorching rays of 

 an August sun, to evaporate its pernicious 

 properties? or should it be ploughed under 

 immediately, in order that nothing may 

 escape ? My sole object in these inquiries is, 

 to elicit information upon these important 

 points, which invite the study and attention 

 of practical agriculturists, and to settle those 

 conflicting notions and discordant facts that 

 have been handed down to us by the pages 

 of history, and still continue to be agitated, 

 even at the present day ; so that they form 

 a heterofreneous mass, sufficient to confound 

 the mind of the plain, practical husband- 

 man. A reply would oblige 



A Subscriber. 



It has been v.isely ordered by a beneficent 

 Providence, that the necessities of man pro- 

 perly administered should become sources of 

 enjoyment. 



