151 



NEW ENGLAND FARMKR, 



NOV. 35, 1833. 



and Spain, where the liest vines grow airaost 

 apomaneously. Most of the farmers pf France 

 are more peasants, dwelling in dirty closely-built 

 lerW'iis, and they have no love for the fields which 

 3cie>M a ri,-h return for slight and occasional culti- 

 ^♦SKion. Hence the landscape, in general, is a 

 Wearisijnie extent of fields, destitute of the orna- 

 ment of trees and of the cheerful i)resence of hu- 

 man habitations. How different is this from 

 A/ii-erican scenery. How striking is the contrast 

 bet tveen the apathy of the French cultivator and 

 Ae feeliug which warms your hearts and gives 

 ze- al to your labors. The farmer of Worcester 

 CO juity has an affection airaost parental for the 

 ft ;)ds which his own skill and industry have made 

 ft uitful, for the beautiful landscape, which, at the 

 * Iggestion of taste as well as profit, he has adoru- 

 f i with graceful and wide spreading trees. He 

 I *ves every pace of the soil, for his unwearied foot 

 ' tns often pressed it in the laborious culture which 

 Ins changed reluctant or profitless vegetation to a 

 Kadiness to yield abundantly the harvest he desires. 

 Me treasures in his memory the dates of his trees 

 with a satisfaction similar, though inferior, to that 

 ■*ritli which he speaks of the age of his children. 

 He takes pleasure even in the huge stones which 

 se covered the face of his farm, in its original 

 state, that a stranger would have deemed them 

 not merely deformities, but a hopeless discourage- 

 anent to industiy, for he has made them to be 

 at monument of his perseverance and skill in 

 the form of neat, durable and well arranged fen- 

 ces. 



A survey of all the most fertile regions of the 

 earth will confirm the truth which I have attempt- 

 ed to illustrate ; and we need not go beyond the 

 limits of our own country, for evidence that an 

 increase of spontaneous fertility is attended with 

 an evident increase of indolence and of the physi- 

 cal and moral evils which spring from it; tliough 

 this injurious effect is controlled, and often to a 

 great degree neutralized by the habits and institu- 

 tions of our country. 



I will not occupy your time by the unnecessary 

 proof of the inoductiveness of our soil, but it 

 will not be amiss to remind you of the exemption 

 from famine, and even from general scarcity of 

 jjrovisions, which has been enjoyed, and may still 

 fee expected, by the people of our county and bv 

 our countrymen. This is a blessing which we 

 cannot realize without opening the records of his- 

 tory, which give |)ainful descriptions of the hor- 

 rers of famine in those parts of the earth which 

 are commonly considered most desirable for their 

 eauberaut fertility ; for it is there that famines 

 most frequently occur. The histories of Asia, 

 Egypt, Italy, and France, have many of the.se 

 nselancholy incidents. With a continuance of 

 the smiles of Providence, we may deem ourselves 

 secured against the danger of famine, by the vari- 

 ety of our crops and by the operations of com- 

 wsrce, and, above all, by the industry of our 

 Ijseple, and by their general disposition to lay up 

 aomething against the time of need. 



The people of our county are happily situated 

 for the enjoyment of health and vigor of body. 

 & is not denied that health is exposed to severe 

 injuries in the sudden and extreme variations of 

 our climate ; but no one will doubt that these 

 injuries are more rare and more easily avoideil, 

 and bodily strength is greater, and the average 

 tfhration of life is longer, here than in countries 



most distinguished for mildness of climate and 

 fruitfiilness of soil. 



In this view of our situation, I will call to mind 

 the fact that emigrations from New England to 

 more fertile parts of our country were so nume- 

 rous, a few years ago, that it was feared that our 

 good land would be deserted. This current has 

 subsided ; but yet there are not a few of our 

 active enterprising citizens who have great desire 

 to exchange the known advantages of their native 

 home for the prospect of a more abundant reward 

 of their labor which is offered by a more fruitful 

 soil. I would urge such persons to weigh well 

 the suggestions which I have offered, and to judge 

 for themselves, whether any productiveness or 

 profit will compensate for the probable injury of 

 the powers of their bodies and their minds. Let 

 them remember, 



' 111 fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, 

 Whate'er accumulates, where men decay. ' 



The numerous and, increasing manufsicturing 

 establishments, and the activity of trade in our 

 county, give peculiar advantages to our farmers, 

 not only by multiplying customers at their own 

 doors, but by the progressive increase of the abil- 

 ity of those customers to pay for valuable pro- 

 ducts not before demanded. Thus the amount of 

 crops will be enlarged, the quality improved, and 

 the profit of the farmer in. the same degree in- 

 creased, and the value of his land augmented. 

 The progress of agriculture in all parts of the 

 W'Orld, and in every age, has been dependent on 

 the advancement of commerce and manufactures. 

 Yet we often hear of the commercial interest, the 

 manufacturing interest, and the agricultural inter- 

 est, and of the conflict of one of these with the 

 others. They are no friends to the family of in- 

 dustry who thus seek to excite jealousy and oppo- 

 sition among the happy sisterhood. The most 

 luxurious and productive agriculture on the face 

 of the earth is seen in the vicinity of Lontlon, the 

 great centre about which the manufactm-es and 

 trade of the world revolve ; and this, too, on a 

 soil not naturally prolific, under a damp and 

 clouded sky. And I will add, that rare and val- 

 uable vegetables are sold in the Loudon market 

 so cheaply, that citizens of moderate property, 

 when they will, may have fruits and flowers for 

 their tables and for the decoration of tlieir rooms, 

 which the kings of other countries of Europe can 

 not obtain. I will also mention in this connection, 

 that it was computed, some years since, that one 

 hundred and twelve millions of poui.ds of Butter 

 were, consumed annually in London, and that this 

 vast quantity was made chiefly within forty miles 

 of that city. I have said that the quantity of the 

 agricultural produce of Great Britain is estimated 

 to be ten per cent, greater than that of France. 

 I will add, on the same authority, that the supe- 

 riority of the trade and manufactures of Great 

 Britain, gives to the agricultural product of that 

 country a value one-third greater than that of an 

 equal quantity of the same article produced on 

 the fertile fields of France. So much for the 

 opposition which agriculture may apprehend from 

 the other great branches of national industry. 

 Moreover, it is no trifling benefit to the farmer to 

 have ingenious mechanics in his neighborhood, 

 whose skill will provide the tools and machines 

 best adapted to his work. 



A central location, and the convenient arrange- 

 ment and comparative superiority of public roads 



leading to all parts of our country, have greatly 

 promoted the prosperity of Worcester county in 

 time jiast. The Blackstone canal, though it has 

 given no direct reward to the enterprise of the 

 stockholders, has undoubtedly increased the wealth 

 of the county, by giving new excitement to busi- 

 ness, and by creating and augmenting the value of 

 products, and of real estate, which it brings near 

 to a market. 



Highly favored as we have been in the ease and 

 expedition with which we could hold intercourse 

 with every part of the country, we may now ex- 

 pect a fuller tide of prosperity from many impor- 

 tant rail roads traversing the extent of our county 

 in different directions. The rail road to the me- 

 tropolis of our state is now working wonders be- 

 fore our astonished eyes. The Norwich rail 

 opening the most desirable avenue from, Boston 

 to New York, has all the certainty of being com- 

 pleted which can result from the facility with 

 which it maybe made, and an ample subscription 

 of funds by men who are able and resolved to 

 accomjilish the work. The Western rail road 

 promises to distribute through our State and con- 

 vey to our metropolis a share of the wealth of the 

 western part of the State of New York and the 

 rich country beyond. This great enterprise has 

 encountered a temporary delay, from several 

 causes ; one of which we must deem no discour- 

 agement, but a motive for zeal and perseverance; 

 for we cannot expect that our brethren of the city 

 of New York will give their aid to turn away to 

 Massachusetts a very important source of their 

 wealth. There are also projects for rail roads 

 from Springfield, Hartford, New Haven, Keene, 

 Brattleboro', and other important places, having 

 their termination here, which are urged toward 

 completion with the greatest spirit and persever- 

 ance. To speak of the mere saving of time to 

 those who dwell on the route of a rail road, for 

 instance, to say that this town is placed within 

 one half or one third of its former distance from 

 Boston, and that it will experience a similar 

 approximation to New York and other important 

 places, and that thereby the value of our land will 

 be increased, and worthless substances and pro- 

 ducts will be made profitable merchandise, does 

 not express half the good which rail roads confer. 

 They attract the travel and transportation, the 

 wealth and the trade of the territory which lays 

 off to a great distance, on either side, to the fortu- 

 nate district through which they pass, where the 

 good things of life are collected, and prices are 

 reduced and equalized, and every department of 

 industry is carried on with greater facility and 

 perfijctioujjand receives a more sure and abundant 

 reward. 



I might extend these remarks, by speaking of 

 the literary and the religious institutions of our 

 county, and of their effects, in the general intelli- 

 gence,, the love of order, and the correct moral 

 and religious feeling which has prevailed here. 

 But I do not aim to give a perfect enumeration of 

 our local advantages, and enough has been said to 

 show that we are blest above the common lot of 

 the dwellers on the earth. I beg that my unwil- 

 lingness to task your patience may claim your 

 indulgence for omitting much that belongs to iny 

 subject. 



I have intimated that the local circumstances, 

 of which I have spoken, have their operation on 

 the mind and morals as well as on the outward 

 prosperity of the farmers of our county. I can 



