]\EW E]^GL.A]\D FARMER. 



PUBLISHED BY J. B. RUSSELL, AT NO. 52 NORTH MARKET STREET, (at the.Agriculthbal Warehouse.)— T. G. FESSENDEA, EDITOR. 



VOL. IX. 



BOSTOIV, WEDNESDAY EVEIVING, FEBRUARY 9, 1831. 



NO. 30. 



(s^aisawsr^^j^'aacQSjs, 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



of tlieir lirow, or in other words, raise tljeinsolvcs 

 : entirely by tlieir own efforts, can adopt the same 

 I coiu'se, or effect that improvement in agriculture, 

 j wliicli is the case with that cla.ss of men who hy 

 their laudahlo enterprise and unremitting zeal, are 

 showing to tho world what vuhiahle results may 



F.VRMINO OPERATIONS. 



Mr EniToR — I am a Ineud to |)ractical, scienti- 



: farming, and regard the exertions of the pre 



nt day, to re.iso the tone of agrienltnral improve- ,yi,i(.|j ,i,g „o(,j 



ent in our country, as ominous of good ; and dantly bestowed upon them 



tOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMKR. 



SALT HAY. 

 Mr Editor — I have read with some interest 

 the inquiry of your Duxbnry correspondent, and the 

 reply of ' Vicinus,' on ' Salt Hay,' and must take 



cli men as Lowell, Wkllks, Dearrorn, Prince 

 d othei-s, who are disinieresiedly devoting their 

 ents and wealth to the promotion of an object 

 so much importiinee, deserve the respect and 

 atitudo of the whole community. But iiotwith- 

 mding the happy effect and s:iti.sfactory residts 

 the efforts and exanii>les of such men, it call 

 rdly be expected that all, or even a majority of 

 r country fiirmers, can adojH the same system 

 d coiiisi.' of procctlure. There are many who 

 ssess judgment, taste and inelination, sufficient 

 render them preeminent, in the profession, but 

 ing destitute of the necessary pecuniary resonrc- 

 they are obliged to pursue a course which will 

 /er enable them to distinguish themselves as 

 y would, were they placed in more favorable 

 :umsiances. They are obliged to labor all their 

 ■s, pursuing iheir business early and late, prae- 

 ig the best economy, in ordir to render them- 

 es anil their families comfortable, and main- 

 that state of independence in life, which al- 

 every one has a natural desiie and propensi 

 enjoy. They find it im])racticable under e.x 

 ; circumstances, to put tijeir farms under that 

 of cultivation, and make those improvement 

 eon, as woidd be desirable, and which ij 

 3''i[istaMCes, characterize those in more opulent 

 mstances. 



it not a fact, that in most cases where we 

 with a farm under extraordinary manage- 

 , being in all respects one of the first order as 

 condition, that its owner is a man of wealth, 

 isive of his farm, always havitig a surplus 

 oney at coimnand, which may be appropriat- 

 any time, to effect any purpose, or promote 

 object desirable, 

 a new fence or building of any description is 

 isary, it can be erected immediately, in the 

 finished and perfect maimer, without produc- 

 le least inconvenience. If an extraordinary 

 al is wanted at any time for the purpose of 

 jving the stock on the farm, it can be [Hirchas- 

 ast what it may. Shoidd any portion of the 

 be literally a barren waste, being proof 

 St all ordinary methods of cultivation, it is 

 red feasible and productive by the applica- 

 if extraordinary means, and perhaps in the 

 lecomes the most valuable part of the farm, 

 vurd, no labor or expense is spared which 

 )e necessary to put everything in the best 

 on imaginable. All this may be right and 

 endable, as it may and probable will he pro- 

 e of beneficial and wholesome effects. But 

 /er pleasing it is to see things manageil in 

 ay, however desirable it may be to have all 

 rnis brought into such a condition, and there- 

 ndered vastly more ])roductive than they 

 re, it is unwarrantable to expect that that 

 liBif farmers who earn their bread by the sweat 



■be produced by an application of those means ' ""^ .'"""'y '° ''''^'"'" '''"'" '""I'—'" the first place 

 : which the good hand of Providence has so ahun- ' tl""'< J""'- l>iixl>i"y correspondent underrates 



in the next place, I think 'Vicinus' quits 



Although many of our farmers may be unable 

 to attain to the degree of eminence in the pro- 

 fession, to which some others in more favored cir- 

 cumstances have arrived, it by no means pro\:es 

 that they have made the progress ivhich they might 

 have do7te, even in the less favored situation in 

 which they are placed. As the present is emphat- 

 ically an age of improvement, it becomes every 

 farmer, however unfavorable his situation and cir- 

 cumstances may be, to set his aims high, an 



It ; and 



overrates it, and is vastly mistaken in his opitnon, 

 notwithstanding his experimental theory ; I trust 

 on careful investigation he will acknowledge him- 

 self in an error. I will give him full credit for 

 his skilful management of his meadows in ditching, 

 &c, and for hh method of ci\r\ng his bay, and 

 will likewise admit that salt hay (well cured) and 

 put under cover, is good fodder, and that working 

 cattle, young stock and sheep maybe kept toler- 

 ably well on it through the winter ; but to milch 



ake every possible advance that maybe" within I •='"'^°'' ^"'^"^ it should be deah out sparinglyj; 



his power. 



It is undoubtedly the case that many of our 

 farms which are now considered to be under toler- 

 able good mar.agement, might be rendered much 

 more productive, without the ap|ilication of any 



(unless to heavy or broken wiiuled horses) it is a 

 fact well known, and universally acknowledged, 

 that to keep milch cows altogether on salt hay 

 will nearly ruin them for milk ; a handful given 

 occasionally is beneficial — but I give it as mv 



more labor or expense, were things managed in ^^y'^" \^'^lcowskeplvouslmn]y on the best of salt 

 different manner. |hay, wil not yield half as much milk as if kept 



Much depends on a judicious and proper ap- 1°" _ , ""''f'^- ^" (aet I should prefer good fresh 



plication of means, and although the less opulent 

 farmer may not be able to accomplish everything 

 at once, yet by pursuing a right course, together 

 with industry and perseverance, he may produce 

 effects, that will claim the notice and attention of 

 every beholder. A COUNTRYMAN. 



FOR THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



RECLAIMING LANDS. 



Mr Fesse.nden — In the New England Farmer, 

 vol. vii. page 234, is a communication signed R. 

 and dated at Southington, Conn. ; at the close of 

 which, the writer notices the subject of reclaimed 

 lauds. 



He observes that the ' plans he has been led to 

 adopt, he has never seen mentioned, or adverted 

 to, in the various articles on this subject v/liich 

 have appeared in your coluiTins, and that these 

 plans have uniforinly led to the most perfect and 

 gratifying results.' 



'At a moment of more leisure' he adds, 'I will 

 endeavor to enter into detail upon this subject.' 



Now, Sir, as I reside in a region where the soil 

 in general has been reduced by imskilful cultiva- 

 tion, any new ideas on the subject of restoring 

 ist fertility would to me, be particularly interest- 

 ing. 



If your correspondent will have the goodness 

 to communicate his ideas on this subject through 

 the medium of your |)aper, he will probably ren- 

 der an important service to the cause of Agricul- 

 tural improvement, and greatly oblige at least one 

 of your readers. H. 



Granby, Conn. Jan. 31, 1831. 



We hope our correspondent ' R.' will comply 

 with this request, and favor us with the details and 

 results of his experiments in 'Reclaiming Land.' 

 — Editor. 



meadow hay for them. 



'Vicinus' has a very accoinodating set of custo- 

 mers that give him as much for salt hay as for 

 English ; m this part of the country there is a 

 considerable staging, and although good salt hay 

 is sold at about half the price of English, yet the 

 jiroprietors of th^ stages very seldom purchase 

 any for their inrs..a ; and the large owners of 

 salt meadow are quite willing to exchange it 

 pound for pound for fresh meadow hay. 



If 'Vicinus' has been a resident "in the Okl 

 Colony so long, he should not have insinuated 

 the want of inethod in the farmers 'in his adopted 

 Colony. — I have resided about as long in the Old 

 Colony and have visited much of this s»,ite and 

 several of the states in the Union, and I cat bear 

 vvitUr^ss that there are some as good |)racti(al far- 

 mers in the Old Colony as in any other jjartl have 

 ever visited. 



I think there are many who have a gopi method 

 of farming, yet I trust but few who prejr Salt 

 Marsh to gooil English meadow. 



January, 31, 1831. SCHOOfETT. 



FLAX. 



There is no article which is the (reduce of our 

 farms, over which foreign interes'and ignorance 

 have held such undisputed swy, as in the culti- 

 vation and preparation of Fla. During the years 

 of 1821-2-3, there seemeda disposition on the 

 part of our government to ncourage the growtl 

 and manufacture of this i-ticle ; since that tiira 

 we hear very little abo', it, and at this time a 

 domestic manufactured 'nen shirt is as rare .-s a 

 white colt, and ihedistf and wheel will sooi be 

 reckoned by our youn lailies as instrument' be- 

 longing only to the a/; of chivalry. 



There are several ipiuions with regard o flax, 

 prevailing among u which are incorrect. 



First — That the chinate and soil of the !'"■- 



