286 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



March 23, 1831. 



Fiom the Boston Courier. 



COL. JAQUES' STOCK FARM. 



There are no branches of rural economy so 

 important to New England, as those which relate 

 to the rearing of Horses, Neat Cattle, Sheep, and 

 Swine. They have ever been the great staples of 

 our agriculture and, probably, will long continue 

 to claim the chief attention of a very large major- 

 ity of the farmers in the northern, and a consider- 

 able portion of those in tlie middle States. They 

 not only afford the principal subsistence and rai- 

 ment of the inhabitants, — furnish the materials 

 for a vast number of the most valuable manufac- 

 tures, — sustain the crews, and enter into the equip- 

 ment of the fleets of commerce and of war, — 

 constitute a large amount of the national exports, 

 facilitate the intercourse of the inhabitants, and 

 the labor of transportation, on all the lines of 

 intercommunication, throughout the Union; — but 

 they are the alternate cause and effect of agricul- 

 tural improvement, and of individual and public 

 prosperity. 



The climate and soil of this region are advferse 

 •to those valuable cultures, which enrich the plant- 

 ers of the more favored states of the South. We 

 have no rich products of the soil, to which the 

 iindivided attention of the farmer can be directed, 

 with the confident expectation of realizing a for- 

 tune, or a very cheering profit. Sugar, Cotton, 

 Rice, Tobacco and Indigo, are excluded from our 

 tillage ; and even Wheat cannot be so generally 

 grown, as to furnish bread for the inhabitants, and 

 we are, to a considerable extent, dependent upon 

 other sections of the Republic, for the staff of 

 life. 



Under these circumstances, the laborious and 

 hardy husbandmen of New England must direct 

 their chief attention to the rearing of flocks and 

 herds ; beef, mutton, pork, lard, butter, cheese, 

 skins, hides, and wool, are the most valuable 

 products of their industry ; and if woollen 

 manufactories continue to flourish, with the in- 

 crease of population, in the same rapid manner, 

 which has been experienced during the last ten 

 years, the period is not distant, when the fleeces 

 of the North, may rival in consequence the cotton 

 crops of the South ; while the demand for all the 

 other enumerated articles will be augmented, 

 with the extension of foreign commerce, the fish- 

 eries, the coasting trade, and the multiplication of 

 manufactories. How important is it, then, that the 

 best breeds of cattle, sheep, and swine, should be 

 introduced, and managed in the most perfect and 

 economical manner. 



Although the various agricultural societies have 

 done much to encourage inquiry, and induce at- 

 tention to this subject, and many intelligent, and 

 patriotic individuals have made commendable ef- 

 forts to introduce the most celebrated foreign 

 stocks, and to improve the existing varieties of 

 native animals, by judicious selection, and crossings, 

 still much remains to be accomplished. But few, 

 comparatively, of the proprietors of land, can af- 

 ford to make the requisite experiments, for ascer- 

 taining the most perfect and profitable breeds, and 

 the best mode of rearing them. Eminently su- 

 perior species, and varieties, are costly, and must 

 be either imported, or obtained from a distant 

 part of the country, which cannot be done, with- 

 out much trouble, hazard, labor and expense. 

 This has been made manifest in relation to Merino 

 Sheep, Durham Cattle, and the Arabian, Cleve- 

 land, Hunter and other remarkable races of horses. 



Fortunately, a plan has been matured, and is 

 about being carried into effect, by which these 

 difficulties will be, in a great measure, surmount- 

 ed. 



Col. Jaques, who has long been distinguislied 

 for his superior intelligence and skill, in the man- 

 agement of the most valuable kinds of domestic ani- 

 mals, has been induced to undertake the establish- 

 ment of a Stock Farm, in the vicinity of Boston. 

 It is to be 'Devoted to the important objects of 

 breeding and rearing the best breed of horses, neat 

 cattle, sheep and swine; the receiving and selling 

 on commission, all kinds of live stock ; and com- 

 bining also with these the business of Agriculture 

 and Horticulture, upon the most approved and 

 economical system. The business also of disci- 

 plining young and refractory horses, and render- 

 ing thi'm safe, for all useful purposes, will be at- 

 tended to ; and if found necessary, and sufficient 

 encouragement should be given, a well educated 

 Veterinary Surgeon may be attached to the estab- 

 lishment.' 



Col. Jaques has been encouraged to proceed 

 in this excellent plan of an Experimental farm, 

 by the Massachusetts Agricultural Society, and 

 the patronage of a great number of his liberal fel- 

 low citizens ; and such are his cheering prospects, 

 that there can be no doubt of ultunate success. 



The ' Ten Hills Farm,' Charlestown, within fif- 

 teen minutes' ride of the city of Boston, has been 

 selected, as extremely well suited to the above 

 purposes. It combines, perhaps, tnore advantages 

 for such an establishment, than any other place 

 in New England. The location is mo.st favora- 

 ble, being completely retired, yet easy of access. 

 The farm, containing 222 acres, is made up of a 

 variety of soils, and is capable of affording appro- 

 priate compartments, for all the branches of in- 

 tended experiment. 



Besides the advantages which will result from 

 such an establishment, so far as respects the breed- 

 ing and nurture of useful animals, every depart- 

 ment of rural economy will be practically illustra- 

 ted, in a manner which cannot fail of being high- 

 ly beneficial to the citizens of the Commonwealth. 

 England and France have offered glorious exam- 

 ples of the salutary influence of similar institu- 

 tions. Societies have been founded for diffusing 

 intelligence among all classes of the cultivators 

 of the soil, while Experimental Farms and Gardens 

 have been formed, either by associations, the gov- 

 ernment, or the affluent and enterprizing proprie- 

 tors of landed estates. 



Tlie Experimental Gardens of the London and 

 Caledonian Horticultural Societies, at Chiswick 

 and Inverleith — the Jardin des Plants in Paris — 

 the Institut Royal d' Horticole at Fromont — the 

 Veterinary School for teaching of Rural Economy 

 at Alfort, and the National Farm of Rambouillet 

 — have been deservedly celebrated, and are con- 

 sidered among the most useful institutions of mo- 

 dern times. 



Letters, Natural History, and the exact sciences 

 had been tnore completely developed, by the aid 

 of an infinite variety of public and private associa- 

 tions, in all the civilized nations of the eastern 

 hemisphere ; but agriculture and gardening still 

 lingered in the rear, imtil like means were em- 

 ployed for fostering their advancement. If Great 

 Britain took the lead in husbandry and gave the 

 first impulse to improvement in each department 

 of tillage, her continental rival, in the arts of civil- 

 ization and in national glory, has not neglected to 



profit by the precedent : and when the citizens 

 the United Stales, have so ardently entered t 

 same honorable career, they must not be defici< i 

 in any of the means which have elsewhere h' 

 employed, and ave so indisi)ensable to insure si 

 cess. 



To great practical knowledge, Col. Jaques uni 

 a natural taste for the various objects which 

 has undertaken to promote ; and he is urged 

 by that intelligence and generous enthusias 

 which ever insures satisfactory results. With t| 

 public good for a motive of action, there cann- 

 be a doubt that he will receive all that assistai; 

 fi-om public and private munificence, which m 

 be required, to enable him to present such an e 

 perimental and stock Farm as shall do honor 

 himself, and the Commonwealth. 



COLUMELLA. 



TURNIPS FOR SEED BEDS. 



In the 270th page of the current volume of t 

 New England Farmer, we adverted to a mode I 

 obtaining early cucumbers by sowing the see 

 in turnips scooped out for that ])urpose, a 

 hastening their germination and early growth 

 hot beds. Since that article was sent to the pre 

 we have been assured by a horticultural frlei 

 who has often tried the experiment with success! 

 results, that the cucumber plants flourish bf 

 when the turnips are pared previous to their beii 

 placed in a hot bed. When this is omitted t 

 outside of the hollowed turnip is apt to becoi 

 tough and hard, and thus prevents in some nif 

 sure, the inclosed roots of the young cucunil 

 plant from penetrating the shell of the turnip, a 

 finding nourishment in the adjacent soil. 



CUTTING TIMBER. 



February is undoubtedly the best month in i 

 year for cutting such timber as we wish to ha ■ 

 durable. We would therefore recommend it [}, 

 farmers, to cut their timber for rails and otl J 

 purposes, before the frost is out of it, or the s 

 begins to circulate. The less sap timber has in 

 when cut, the longer it will last, other circurnsta 

 ces being equal. When trees are felled, it is i: 

 doubtedly better to let them remain until sprin 

 at full length, that the bark may be the ino '!■ 

 easily peeled off, which is a vei-y impoi'tant thin, l, 

 when the timber is to be used for rails, whit ^ 

 should be split as soon as the bark will come o 

 that they may have the benefit of seasoning d 

 ring the summer. If farmers will attend to tl 

 they will find their rails will be worth fifty y 

 cent moi-e than when cut after the sap begins - 

 rise..^ Genesee Farmer. If", 



REMEDY FOR LICE IN CATTLE. 

 We liave been informed by a gentleman wii 

 has for many years kept a large stock of cattt 

 that fine dry sand scattered on the back, neck m 

 sides of the animals is an effectual remedy agaii 

 these vermin. He collects dry sand, and put- 

 in a box or tub in the barn, and occasionally a| 

 plies it din-ing the winter by sifting or strewing 

 over the body of each creature with complete sii 

 cess in ridding it of its troublesome guests. 



New York agents are engaged in making lar. 

 purchases of Beef cattle in the vicinity of Nor: 

 ampton at prices in advance of those paid at BriffI 

 on. 



In our last, on first page, in the article on ' Salt Hay,' I"' 19 

 line from tim end. insert omv after not. jl 



