226 



Aifricultural Address. 



Vol. XI 



of manure. For actual experiment has 

 proved, that each ton consumed or Jittered 

 in stables, produces much more than its ori- 

 ginal weight in manure. 



After all that has been said about com- 

 posting, candor obliges me to confess, that 

 lontr research, enquiry, and some practice, 

 incfine me to the opinion, that the most eco- 

 nomical method of applying manure, is di- 

 rect from the stable to the soil. I have thus 

 applied raw manure to corn ground and 

 ploughed it under, and as a top dressing for 

 grass sod at all seasons, except the depth of 

 winter and in mid-summer, with results that 

 were not only satisfactory, but surprising. 

 Shakspeare, from whom even farmers may 

 gather instruction, says: "Do not spread 

 the compost on the weeds to make them 

 ranker," which proves the practice of top- 

 dressing in his time. 



If we could conveniently get our manure 

 from the stable spread upon the field where 

 it was wanted, and ploughed under, the field 

 itself would be the great compost heap, or 

 laboratory, saving to the soil an^ immense 

 amount of gaseous evaporation. This prac- 

 tice has been introduced into England on a 

 large scale; and some of its advocates go 

 so far as to attribute to it a saving of one- 

 half the manure. The experiment is worth 

 trying, because it could not result in any 

 ]oss;^but as the question is important, and 

 our time too limited to go fully into it, I beg 

 leave to refer you to an admirable article on 

 the subject, in vol. 7, p. 585, of the " Quar- 

 terly Journal of Agriculture"— which can 

 be o'btained in the Philadelphia Library, and 

 perhaps in that of Norristown. 



In approaching the conclusion of this long, 

 and I fear tedious discourse, I am also ap- 

 proaching a branch of our subject, upon 

 which it is probable I shall have the misfor- 

 tune to diflfer from many, for whose judg- 

 ment I have great respect. 



In advocating the careful preservation of 

 old pastures, and even recommending a large 

 increase of permanent natural grasses, it 

 will be understood that I confine my views 

 to a marketable distance from Philadelphia. 

 This area is, however, constantly extending 

 with the annual increase of that great city; 

 and a consequently augmented consumption 

 of the products of the dairy. The fine taste 

 displayed in favour of ice cream, its recom- 

 mendation by the physicians in many cases 

 of illness, and above all the submission of 

 the patient in swallowing it, indicate a tre- 

 mendous increase in its consumption. To 

 supply this demand many milk and butter 

 farms are already appropriated; and the 

 production of butter will necessarily be from 

 a greater distance. When to this is added 



an acquaintance with the famous clotted 

 cream of Devonshire, which requires only 

 to be tasted to be perhaps more popular 

 than ice cream ; you will perceive the ne- 

 cessity of a vast addition to our pasture 

 lands, of fine natural grass, for which this 

 vicinity is so celebrated. 



The abundance and sweetness of our pas- 

 tures, and the peculiar variety of grasses of 

 which they are composed, seem to indicate 

 that nature intended to afford us every aid, 

 in the adoption of a system which has the 

 additional and indispensable merit, of being 

 also the most profitable. 



Many farmers may be deterred by the ap- 

 prehension, that there is not a field upon 

 their plantations that could be made to re- 

 tain grass. They imagine it would run out. 

 Let them try the experiment, at one-half 

 the labour and expense bestowed upon land 

 devoted to tillage, and in due season they 

 may find their pastures the most profitable 

 and least expensive parts of the estate. 



It is difficult to introduce new systems, 

 and when in pursuance of a conviction that 

 this was the true plan, I commenced top- 

 dressing old timothy sod, instead of plough- 

 ing it for corn, I was told that our land was 

 not natural to grass, and that top-dressing 

 would never answer. The result has been 

 however so encouraging in producing green 

 grass, that at this time we plough but one 

 field a year, and hope ere long to be able to 

 sustain a cow on every two acres of sod, 

 with pasture in summer and hay in winter. 



Isaac W. Roberts, Esq., of Lower Merion, 

 well known as an eminent farmer, has a 

 field in grass, which has not been ploughed 

 for nearly a quarter of a century, and which 

 he considers the most profitable on his place; 

 and there are examples in England, of pas- 

 tures being preserved for a century. 



It must be a source of high gratification 

 to the German population of Pennsylvania, 

 that in the career of experimental and sci- 

 entific agricult'ire, their father land is in 

 advance of the other nations of the world. 

 Ignorance and egotism have too long with- 

 held from Germany, the homage due to the 

 highest order of intellect, and a persevering 

 industry unparalleled by any other people; 

 and in addressing an audience, many of 

 whom claim that country for their father 

 land, it may be pardonable to advert to her 

 titles to respect. 



In Agriculture: Liebig, Thaer, and Bur- 

 ger. 



In Poetry: Goethe, Schiller, and Klop- 

 stock. 



In History and Antiquities: Niebuhr, 

 Heeren, Hurter, and the brothers Schlegel ; 

 and that model of travellers, Baron Hum- 



