362 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



This recommenflation proceeds nn the faith 

 of their utility in generntinff <^nd diffusing a spi- 

 rit of enterprize — in begetting an emulation to 

 excel in the. operations of husbandry — in clier- 

 ishing careful and industrious habits in the ma- 

 nagement of the farm— and in enlarging and 

 correcting the views of cullivators, as lo the va- 

 lue of manures, the benefits of improved ma- 

 chinery, and the advantages of drilling, fallow- 

 ing, draining and composting. Some of the 

 official letters in answer to the Circular of the 

 Bonrd speak largely on these heads. They tell 

 us, that these consequences are visible within 

 the ranye of their influence, and that too on the 

 very lands of the men who refuse to join the 

 societies, and are even a little noisy in vilifying 

 and abusing them. So strange are the caprices 

 of the human heart, that such a statement ought 

 not to be discredited, and should reconcile us to 

 that contradiction at which all are too apt to be 

 peevish. Let us give free indulgence to those 

 ■who take pleasure in running down the usetul- 

 ness of their local society, provided they copy 

 the example of its more active and intelligent 

 cultivators. Every association in the Province, 

 which is animated with a suitable spirit, be- 

 comes a nucleus of improvement ; and from it 

 radiate those gleams of light which are illumi- 

 nating the practices of the more ignorant. Its 

 benefits are not confined to its own members ; 

 for if they carry into the fields the more ap- 

 proved methods of culture, the captious and the 

 incredulous cannot look on without instruction, 

 and so great is the superiority of truth, that it 

 will eventually gain either a willing or reluc- 

 tant obedience. 



2d. Our independence may be much accele- 

 rated by a more general erection of oatmills. 



Wheat, I believe, in every country under Hea- 

 ven which lies within the northern temperate 

 zone, either in the old or in the new world, and 

 where this grain has always constituted the sta- 

 ple article of bread, finds the readiest sale of all 

 other agricultural produce. It is the prince of 

 the cereal gramina, and forms, when ground, a 

 loaf that is eminently nutritious, very invigorat- 

 ing, and palatable to all tastes. The cultivators 

 of the soil in Ihe different European kingdoms, 

 as in France, Germany, Prussia, Poland, as well 

 as Great Britain, lay their account with the dis- 

 posing of this grain, either to pay rent or to 

 purchase necessary supplies for their families. 

 It is considered as the ready money of the far- 

 mer, and with it he goes to market. It is obvi- 

 ous that, before he can avail himself of the uni- 

 versal demand lor wheat, he must provide some 

 other substitutes for his own domestic consump- 

 tion. These vary in different countries, and 

 are regulated by the capabilities of the climate. 

 The Swede mixes a particular kind of ground 

 bark with his coarse meal — the Frenchman lives 

 on soups formed partly of bread, but with a li- 

 beral allowance of vegetables — the Italian sub- 

 sists on fruit and millet, joined to his macaroni 

 — the German eats a large proportion of rye 

 bread — the Irish farmer deals much in milk and 

 potatoes — the English has recourse, as helps, to 

 barley and oatmeal — the Scotch uses peas, bar- 

 ley and oats — and the American throws his chief 

 consumption on Indian corn. The agricultural 

 classes in all these places satisfy the common de- 

 mands of nature with something else than wheat, 

 and save this latter for the home or foreign 



market. Such examples are not unworthy of 

 our imitation. It would be among the last 

 thoughts of my heart, and among the last words 

 I would utter, either to desire or say that every 

 farmerinNova Scotia should not have a wheat- 

 en loaf for his use whenever inclination prompt- 

 ed ; but 1 do not hesitate to recommend a more 

 general substitution of coarser food. Barley, 

 peas and oats are found to be both excellent and 

 wholesome; and when the taste is once formed 

 on them, our peasantry, by adopting these, 

 would be equally happy, equally vigorous, and 

 unquestionably would become much more opu- 

 lent. Oatmeal at first is never highly relished ; 

 but it soon becomes agreeable and is acknow- 

 ledged to be favorable to muscular strength, 

 health and longevity. It has been falsely sup- 

 posed to be the exclusive and national food of 

 Scotland, but so far is this from being true, that 

 it is extensively used through many counties of 

 Ireland, and through all the north of England 



We have now three flour mills in the vicinitj 

 of the capital, which must tend to open a verj 

 extensive market, with all the benefit of com 

 pelition, for whatever wheat may be brough 

 hillier for sale. In a few years there is reasoi 

 to hope from present appearances, that ou 

 farmers will be relieved of the trouble o 

 manufacturing their own produce' — that mon 

 capital will come to be vested in such eslaldisfi 

 ments — that all sorts of grain will be purchasei 

 by corn dealers and factors, ,ind afterwards groum 

 at their expense according to the demands eilhe 

 of Ihe home or foreign market. — Nothing wil 

 facilitate ibis so much as the erection of improv 

 ed mills, in all quarters of the Province. 



Lastly, our independence will be hastened b 

 the dissemination of industrious habits. 



The life of a farmer has a direct tendency I 

 gender close and careful attention to minul 

 objects. The abundance and safety of his cro 

 depend upon so many circumstances over whic 

 he has a command, and to the operation i 



It is common in France, not only on the coasts 

 opposite to Britain, but it was met with between j which he must ever be alive, that his mind 

 Toulouse and the Pyrenees by Arthur Young, | kept in a slate of perpetual excitement; 



who was so much struck with the universality 

 of this food, that he quotes on the occasion a 

 passage of Sir James Stuart's to the following 

 effect : — "Oatmeal, says he, is found in Catalonia, 

 Auvergne, and Swabia, as well as in Lochaber." 

 The strange prejudices, therefore, which ap- 

 peared on its first introduction here about four 

 years ago, were without any just foundation ; 

 and it is not surprising that they should have 

 so quickly evanished in all those parts, which 

 have since had the advantage of experience 

 Many who disliked it at first, have become 

 warm in its praise, and are assisting, with a 

 laudable zeal, in spreading its character and 

 usefulness among Ihe farmers 



3d. Every encouragement should be given to 

 the growth of wheat, and the utmost atten- 

 tion be paid to the improvement of flour 

 mills. 



The county and general prizes for the culture 

 of wheat, which were first offered last year, 

 have been productive of good effects, and they 

 ought still to be continued, in order to propa- 

 gate that spirit which they seem lo have awak- 

 ened. In the oflicial letter from Maubou a 

 very important notice is given, which is strong- 

 ly indicative of the excitement diffusing itself 

 throughout the country. A member of that 

 Society, stationed in an obscure part of Cape 

 Breton, is making preparation to have next 

 season no less than from "0 to 25 acres under 

 wheat ; and it distinctly states, that the motive 

 for this uncommon effort is to obtain one of 

 the county prizes. The returns loo already 

 made, of the last crop display a compass and 

 boldness of design in raising wheat, which could 

 hardly have been anticipated from any thing yet 

 tried in that line. From King's County claims 

 have been given in, setting forth that 

 One farmer has grown 950 bush. weighing G2 lbs. 

 A second „ 710 „ „ 60 „ 



A third „ 495 „ „ 60 „ 



A fourth „ 406 „ „ 60 „ 



and from several counties the certificates very 

 commonly attest from four to five hundred 

 bushels. These are quantities to which we 

 have not been accustomed, and which demon- 

 strate with infallible certainty the good result- 

 ing from the past system. 



that morbid kind of it which is caused by th 

 turbulence and wreck of the passions — but thi 

 which is connecte<l wilh a healthy and cheerfi 

 mood of mind, and connected loo with 111 

 exercise of patience, discretion and industr 

 The cleanliness and comfort of his cattle — tb 

 condition of his implements — Ihe correctness i 

 his ploughing — the choice of his seed grain- 

 thn time of semination — Ihe course aud changi 

 of the weather are constantly stimulating him 

 activity, and are incompatible with all langui 

 and indifference. An arable farm is one oft! 

 best schools for plodding laborious diligenc* 

 and no man can manage it to advantage, wl 

 ever suffers his attention to relax, or to I 

 dissipated in trivial avocations. The loss of 

 day may affect the issue of a whole year's 1 

 hour, and negligence in small mailers is oft 

 followed with great and mischievous conseque- 

 ces. These observations however, are mo 

 applicable to a cultivator than to n grazii 

 The general introduction of the plough intc 

 country never fails to propagate those indust 

 ous habits, which are the certain harbingers 

 national wealth. — Such habits merit the highf 

 encouragement on Iheir own account, and thei 

 fore Ihe universal cry that has been raised 

 behalf of flax mills should be listened to with' 

 gracious ear. The industry, which is calliji, 

 forth in the fields, should not be permitted 

 evaporate during winter in idleness and inactit 

 These mills should be erected, the male pt 

 of Ihe population may find profitable emplfi< 

 ment in carrying their flax thither — in breakili 

 and scutching it, and afterwards in bringing 

 home for heckling, at which point Iheir labot 

 should stop, and tl^e spinning should be taki 

 up by Ihe females. All these preparatory pi 

 cesses, which have been now enumerated, I 

 quire more skill than we at present posse* 

 and are divided in the old country into distil 

 trades and professions. That of the hecklx 

 for instance, is one of the nicest and most dil 

 cult of manual operations, and perfectness in 

 s known and measured by the greatness oft 

 quantity of dressed flax which is taken out o 

 given weight of the rough. From a stone of 1 

 in Scotland, which weighs 22 lbs. English, uso 

 ly come from 12 to 14 lbs. of dressed flax fit lIL 

 domestic linen, 1 lb. of shorts called vulgaiik, 



ire 



