■NW:W ETfCJIiANB FAMMER. 



PUBLISHED BY J. B. RUSSELL, AT N<J. 52 NORTH MARKET STREET, (at thk Acricultural Warhhousk.)— T. G. FESSENDEN EDITOR. 



VOT^. IX. 



BOSTOX, WEDXKSDAY KVEXIXG, JITIA" 6, 1831. 



NO. SI. 



ADDRESS 



IXjJivpred bt'forctlio Rlioile Island StMjioty fur tlio Eiicoura^cmciil 

 of l>oi«e»ttc Industry. 

 nv SOLOMON DltOU N, M. 1).— (October, 1830.) 

 Agficuluiro, altliougli an :irt ini.sl iiseriil ami 

 even necessniy ti) iiiuiikiiul, and wliioli hqg been 

 practised Cnini the earliest ages, — is yet fir from 

 being bnin^lit to a state of perfection. The oli- 

 joct of iliis art is ' to increase tiie i^iianiity and im- 

 prove the (piiilit}' of sucli ve^eialjle and animal 

 production-; of earili as are used l)y civilized man ; 

 and the olije<-t of the ajricnitiirist is to do tl\itf 

 with the least expenditure of means ; or, in otlier 

 words, with profit.' What art, then, could be more 

 worthtj of im provetneut, and yet how mnch is Ki* 

 pended for the improvement of almost eveiw 

 otlier art. Thisshamefid neglect in -retieralof wliirt 

 pertains to the furtherance of agricultural science, 

 is not a thing of modern date. Nothing, says 

 Columella, an excellent ancient writer on Agriciil- 

 ture ; — nothing equals my surprise, when I con- 

 sider, that those who would learn to speak well, 

 choose an orator whose eloquence may serve tliem 

 for a model : tlioso who d;sire to apply them- 

 cselves to dancing, to nnisic, and to all the frivolous 

 larts, search eagerly a master of melo ly, a master 

 of the graces, in a word, each chooses the best mas- 

 ;er in order to maUe rapid progress under his direc- 

 tion ; whereas the art the most necessary to life, 

 tand which is nearly allied to wisdom, l:as neither 

 disciples who learn it ; nor masters who teach it. 

 tt.nd a modern writer remarks that, the most useful, 

 one of t!ie most difficuli, and that which ought to< 

 lie esteemed tlie most liouorahle pursuit in litis, ha^ 

 een generally considered so easily understood, 

 Ihat schools, deemed necessary in 'almost every- 

 fiiing else, have been looked upon as of no con- 

 equence iu this. With respect to instructing a 

 hool, and course of Agricultural Lectures here, 

 Sir John Sinclair, speaking of an Agricultural 

 'rofessorship established at Edinburgh, observes: 

 The utility of such an institution is so evident, 

 at it ought to be extended to all the other uui- 

 rsities. The attention of young men, by such 

 itablishments, would be directed early to this 

 bst useful of all the branches of knowledge.' 

 he science of ajriculture is publicly taught in 

 e Swedish, Danish, and German universities, and 

 some of the German and Russian colleges there 

 e professors' chairs fir gardening, forest-culture. 

 The agricultural institution in Prussia, under 

 direction of Professor Von Thaer ; and the 

 tahlishineiit at llofwU, near Berr.e, conducted 

 the expense of AI. Felleuberg, a proprietor and 

 riculturist, are much celebrated. Even Spain, 

 ually inactive on these occasions, iu spite of all 

 e prejudices of a bigoted religion, invited Lin- 

 ens, with the offer of a large pension, to superin- 

 tid a^collegy, founded for the sake of making 

 quiries ijito the history of mature, and the art of 

 riciikure. To show further the need of shuly- 

 g' this as well as other arts, — we may adduce 

 )m the author of the, " Wealth of Nations," the 

 flowing curious and interesting comparison be- 

 oen the husbandman and the artisan or mechan- 

 He says, that not only the art of the farmer, 

 general direction of the ojierations of luis- 

 ndry, but many inferior branches of labor re- 



quire much more skill and experience than the 

 greater part of mechanic trades. The man who 

 work* upon brass and iron, works with instru- 

 ments, and upon nuiterials of which tho temper 

 is always the same, or' very nearly the same : but 

 the man who ploughs the griund with a team of 

 horses or oxen, works with instruments of which 

 the health, strength, and temper are very differ- 

 ent upon dilTerent occasions. The conditions of 

 the materials whiidi he worl<^ upon, too, are as 

 variable as that of the instruments he works with, 

 and both require to be managed with sreat judgment 

 and discretion. His undersiandini; being accnstom- 

 ed to consider a greater variety of objects, is gener- 

 ally much superior to that of the other, whose 

 whole attention, from mnrning to night, is com- 

 monly occupied in iierformiiig one or two simple 

 operations. — 1ji China and Hindoostan, accor- 

 dingly, both' the rank and the wages of country 

 laborers are said to be siifierior to those of the 

 greater part of artificers and manufacturers.' 



The illustrious Washington, in his message to 

 Congress, in 1796, observes: — 'It will not be 

 doubted, that with reference either to individual 

 or national welfire, agriculture is of primary im- 

 portance. In pro[iortion as nations ailvauce in 

 population, and other circumstances of maturity, 

 tliis truth becomes more apparent, and renders the. 

 cultivation of the soil, more and more an object 

 of public patrona'^e. Institutions for promoting 

 it, grow u(i, sup|iorled by the public purse: — and 

 to what object can it be dedicated with greater 

 pro[>riety ?' 



This is a very suitable place for such an institu- 

 tion, where lectures may be given, and a course 



the inhabitants to extend every sinecics of improvo- 

 inent of which it is susceptible." Italy, with her 

 boasted blue skies, and enchanting elimate, exliib- 

 ifs not a fairer, niore interesting region, nor bet- 

 ter adapted for useful subjects of eullivation, than 

 ibis cradle of genuine liberty, the little State of 

 Uhode Island and Providence Plantations. The 

 operations on the beautiful experimental ground 

 around this Hall, would be calculated to ascertain 

 the best modes of culture, and best implements; 

 the most profitable and beneficial rotations of crops, 

 the best manures, and whether old or new 

 manure is preferable for the generality of crops, 

 &c. No doubt, however, new is best. The 

 using fresh, i. c. unfermented manure, recommend- 

 ed by A. Young and others, has been considered 

 a modem improvement : but this was known to 

 Columella, who observes, Fimuni pratis quo 

 vetustins minus prosit, quia minus herbamm 

 progeneret : j. e. the older the dung the less pro- 

 fitable it is for meadows, because it would produce 

 less herbage. — Such fundamental maxims, enforc- 

 ed by actual experiment, would make stronger 

 and more durable impressions on the minds of 

 young agriculturists than the mere reading them. • 

 Virgil, iii^liis incomparable 'Georgics, declares, 



Pater ipse colendi 



Haud facilein esse viam voluit : 

 The Father of Nature himself would in no wise 

 Iiave the ways of tillage to be easy : — And Sir H. 

 Davy observes, >' the vegetable kingdom is not to 

 lie considered «; a secure and unalterable inheri- 

 tance, spontaneously providing for our wants; 

 but as a(loif.^fi> and insecure possession, to be 

 (ireserved only by labor, and extended and per- 



of instruction pursued, explanatory of the sciences fected by ingenuity.' — .\m\ Hesiod, an ancient 



connected with Agriculture, — vegetable Cheini 

 try, with analysis of soils, — the outlines of Botany, 

 a science so useful to the agriculturist, and horti- 

 culturist, — Meteorology, and other parts of Natu- 

 ral' Philosophy, &c. Here might be kept, as 

 models, the hand-threshing machine ; the machines I 

 for breaking flax and hemp without watering 

 or dew-rotting- ; tiie most apju-oved silk-roel, &c. | 

 Agriculture, says Sir John Sinclair, though in I 

 general capable of being reduced to simple prin-j 

 ciples, yet requin^s, on tha whole, a greater 

 variety of knowledge, than any other art. — It can i 

 never, he says, be brought to its highest degree j 

 of perfection, or established on rational and un- 

 erring principles, unless by means of experiments. 



Greek, the earliest writer on Agriculture, whose 

 works have descended to us, — says : 



The food of man in deep concealment lies : — 

 Else had one day bestow'd sutficient cheer, 

 And, Iboiii^h inactive, fed thee thiough the year. — 

 Love ev'ry seemly toil, that so the store 

 Of foodf'.il seasons heap thy garner's floor. 

 From lahnr men returns of wealth hehold ; 

 Flocks in their fields and in their coSTera gold : 

 From labor shalt thou with tiiR love be blest 

 Of men and i;ods ; the slothful they detest. 

 Not toil, but sloth shall isinoaiinious be; 

 Toil, and the slothful man shall envy thee ; 

 Shall view thy growing wealth with alter'd sense, 

 For ^"lory, virtue v/alk with opulence. 

 But shun extorted riches; oh, far best 

 The heaven sent wealth without repioach possest. 



accurately tried, and properly iicrsevered in ; Let me repeat it — if there ever should bean 



The ardent inquirer, has too long been obliged agricultural school or seminary established in this 

 to rely on vague opinions ami assertions which State, — this, undoubtedly would be the most suit- 

 have not been warranted by sufiicient authority. able place for it ;— and such establishments are 



The object of an experiinenta! farm should be, strongly advocated by some of the most eminent 

 to ascertain facts, and to ■publish them; and as agriculturists and practical farmers of our country, 

 much credit would be acquired, by an intelligent i The eslablisliment of agricultural schools iu the 

 conductor of an experimental farm", for his exer- | Uuited States, says an excellent farmer, would 

 tions in detecting errors, as in establishing facts | produce a new era in our husbandry. They would 

 likely to be useful. One happy result, says Sir H. ; expand the mind of the rural manager, polish his 

 Davy, which can generally improve the methods i manners, and tend to render him an ornament 

 of cultivation is w'orth the labor of a whole life ; | and a blessing to society. I conclude by observing, 

 and an unsuccessful experiment well observed, i that rural business— the operations of tho farmer 

 must establish some truth, or tend to remove some , and gardener, — are but the useful eflTorts of tlie 

 prejudice. gT/»inf(.s(j'c art. Health, acuteness of intellect and 



What part of America is comparable with ours 'contentment, — Heaven's choicest blessings, — 

 for -excellence of climate, and for a disposition in 'spring from such excellent exercise. 



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