1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



227 



depth, while if sown broadcast, some of It will be 

 half an inch and some an inch below the surface, 

 producing an uneven and diminished growth, and 

 wasting much seed — equal to one third. Oats are 

 generally used in laying down land for grass, but 

 he thought barley was better, and still further, 

 that both were unnecessary. Plant corn on a flat 

 surface, instead of hilling it up, after the English 

 fashion. English farmers are obliged to hill their 

 corn on account of the moisture of their'climate, 

 which hilling is designed to obviate by causing the 

 moisture to settle away from the corn. Our cli- 

 mate is dry and hot, and therefore this system 

 should not bo pursued, but the corn planted on a 

 flat surfiice. To lay down such land to grass, sow 

 the seed after the last hoeing, and work it in with 

 a hand-rake. He had succeeded as well in laying 

 down land in this way as any other. 



Mr. Sanger sustained the views of Mr. Fiske of 

 Framingham in regard to deep plowing for corn. 

 He also reqncst<-d Mr. Copeland to explain the 

 best method of trimming trees. 



Mr. Copeland explained the causes of increased 

 moisture in deep plowing, which is owing to the 

 plowed land reflecting more heat than unplowed 

 land, and therefore contributing more for con- 

 densation and fall when the sun is declining of the 

 moisture which always exists in the atmosphere, 

 even in the hottest weather. The capillary attrac- 

 tion of the earth is also more efficient, and moist- 

 ure is circulated both from above and below with 

 greater facility. As to trimming trees ; he was 

 averse to much trimming, hut would cut from the 

 ends of the limbs rather than from inner branch- 

 es, unless limbs crossed. To cut away the dead 

 wood and crossed branches, he thought sufficient. 



Mr. Sfrague, of Duxbnry, expressed the convic- 

 tion that each farmer must raise crops according 

 to the circumstances in which he is placed, and 

 deci<le for himself which is more profitable. He 

 also contended that farming was comparatively a 

 very unprofitable calling, at least in Plymouth 

 county. 



Mr. Fiske, of Framingham, denied the unprofit 

 ableness of farming, and cited his town as proof 

 to the contrary. 



The CiiAiKMAN also argued the profits of farm- 

 ing, and went into an interesting comparative 

 etatement to show that New England can compete 

 with the West in raising corn. He advised farmers 

 to consume all their produce on their farms, and 

 secure their money returns on beef, butter, milk, 

 &e, — because every bushel of grain going from a, 

 farm takes with it the means of raising another. 



Mr. RussEL, of Pittsfield, controverted the \'Ci\ 

 of competing with the West in the article of corn, 

 alleging that they have much the advantage in the 

 matter of labor. 



After a few remarks appropriate to the closing 

 meetipg of the series, by Mr, Brown, the meeting 

 adjourned sine die. 



STATE FAUM AT WESTSOROtJGfl. 



In June or July last we gave a brief account of 

 the foundation of this Institution of charity, of 

 the location and capabilities of the farm, and that 

 it was then contemplated by the Board of Trus- 

 tees to place the farm under the care of the State 

 Board of Agriculture. This transfer was made 

 on the 24th of March, 1854. In the instrument 

 of transfer it is declared that "the purpose of this 

 arrangement is, to relieve the Trustees of the care 

 and management of the agricultural portion of 

 the establishment at Westborough, to provide an 

 experimental farm to the Board of Agriculture, 

 and to furnish greater facilities for the employ- 

 ment and instruction of the inmates of the Reform 

 School in Agriculture and Horticulture, in accord- 

 ance with what are believed to havel^een the views 

 and wishes of General Theodore Ltman, the found- 

 er of the Institution, while the products of the 

 farm shall continue to be applied for the use of 

 the school substantially as under the former man- 

 agement." 



The prime object of the founder was the refor- 

 mation and well-being of the boys, and that object 

 will still animate both Boards, under the new 

 arrangement. But the extent of the farm, and it» 

 adaptation to the various crops, with the great 

 advantage of a market without stepping off the 

 land, offer facilities for a more extended cultiva- 

 tion, and more exact experiments with stock, 

 manures, trees, plants, draining, irrigation, sub- 

 soiling and reclaiming, than the Trustees could 

 find opportunity to attend to, after discharging 

 their duties in relation to the'school itself. 



With the Institution, that is, the school for the 

 reformation of the boys, the Board of Agriculture 

 has nothing to do, more than to find employment 

 for as many boys as the Superintendent can spare, 

 and to place them under such influences and in- 

 struction as will increase their skill in agriculture 

 and horticulture, while it affords thorn healthful 

 occupation' in the open air. It is supposed that 

 the amount of labor thus supplied may amount, 

 in the course of the present year, to the sum of 

 four or five thousand dollars. 



Some portions of the farm are exceedingly rocky, 

 and will require an outlay of from fifty to two 

 hundred dollars an acre, to clear them out. This 

 is the case with some of the land directly in front 

 of the principal buildings, which must bo thorough- 

 ly reclaimed before any well defined plan of the estate 

 can 1)0 completed. The division fences remain much 

 as they were when the tract was purchased, and lit- 

 tle has yet been done in the way of draining, or 

 bringing the fields into a high state of cultivation. 

 With regard to landscape gardening and rural 

 architecture, nothing has been attempted ; and 

 so far are we from any disposition to find fault 

 with this, that we think the Trustws have shown 

 a wise forethought in declining to take up a work 



