212 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



mers, catching the words of wisdom from his lips, 

 spoken, as it were, from the inspiration of the gen- 

 ius of sound philosophy. Wc recollect many in- 

 stances, when, upon questions incidentally arising, 

 he would go and talk "like a book," for fifteen or 

 twenty minutes, to the admiration of all around. 

 He had read most that was then valualde of Eng- 

 lish, Scotch and Flemish husbandry; his memory 

 was uncommonly retentive; and what was of most 

 value, he thought closely and carefully upon what 

 he saw and read. He was never satisfied to take 

 any man's say so, unless he could be made to un- 

 derstand the reason for saying it. 



It may be interesting to notice some of the topics 

 on which he was accustomed to dwell with special 

 emphasis, connected with the advancement of hus- 

 bandry in New England Among these, the im- 

 provement of our native breed of neat cattle is en- 

 titled to the first place. "I have long entertained," 

 said he, "and repeatedly expressed the opinion, that 

 a fine breed of cattle, peculiarly adapted to the com- 

 bined objects of the farmers of New England, might 

 be most readily and extensively obtained, by the 

 spirited exertions of substantial farmers to improve 

 our native breed." In support of this opinion, he 

 quoted the late Mr. Lowell, of Roxbury, one of the 

 most intelligent farmers in Massachusetts, who said, 

 "Possessing as we unquestionably do, the materials 

 among our own stock of improving our breeds, by 

 careful selection, we should follow the example of 

 Bakevvell and other British farmers, who in fifty 

 years have raised the stock of Great Britain to a 

 state of perfection little short of what it is supposed 

 they can ever reach." And again, "more is to 

 be expected from the excited attention to the im- 

 provement of our own stock, than from importa- 

 tion." Col. Pickering further remarks, with a 

 liberality of opinion characteristic of himself, "Such 

 improvements of our native cattle, so important to 

 our farmers in general, will also be interesting to 

 those wlio are possessed of fine imported cattle; for if 

 the latter on full trial shall be found to be really 

 of greatly superior excellence, improved individu- 

 als of our native breed will furnish better subjects 

 for coupling with them; and enable the owners of 

 the imported animals more expeditiously to im])rove 

 and increase a superior stock, — whether for their 

 own use, or for sale." 



A highly interesting discussion on this subject 

 was carried on between Col. Powell, of Philadel- 

 phia, and Col. Pickering, (see N. E. Farmer for 

 year 1825) in which Col. Powell admits, that the 

 short-horns, so called, are too large for the ordina- 

 ry purposes of our farms. To whom Col. Pick- 

 ering replies, "We now have, in what are denom- 

 inated our native cattle, a breed exactly adapted to 

 our service, and means of keeping them; and may 

 we not, with spirit and resolution, engage at once 

 in the laudable and profitable enterprise of im- 

 proving this breed, by a careful selection of the 

 best males and females, and thus, in a few gener- 

 ations, raise them, not to gigantic size, but to a 

 high pitch of perfection, for the primary objects of 

 our farmers, — labor, beef, and rich milk for butter 

 and cheese. ^^ 



The constituents of soils, and the manures ap- 

 plicable to their improvement, were also, with him, 

 favorite themes for discussion. His remarks were 

 practical, not theoretical. He would go on, with 

 great minuteness, stating all the facts and circum- 

 stances connected with any experiment, explaining 



as he went, but never was in haste to draw general 

 conclusions — fully impressed with the truth of the 

 proverb — "one swallow does not make it summer." 



The implements of husbandry, too, shared a por- 

 tion of his attention. From the noble plough, tiiat 

 is at the foundation of all culture, to the simple 

 brush for the destruction of the meanest insect — 

 none were too large to be above his comprehension; 

 none too small to be beneath his notice. Scarcely 

 a subject can be mentioned, connected with the 

 culture of the soil, that has not been noticed by 

 him. Without presuming to be a writer and ma- 

 ker of books, he was always thinking — always 

 communicating his thoughts in such a manner as 

 to be useful. In so doing he seemed to forget him- 

 self, and to be moved by a desire to do good. His 

 life was a practical illustration of disinterested be- 

 nevolence. We remember to have heard from 

 him addresses to the Essex Society in 1818, 1820 

 and 1828, and to the Massachusetts Society in 1823, 

 all of which were published among the transactions 

 of those years. 



There is scarcely a page of the publications of 

 the Essex Society, during his presidency, that is 

 not illuminated by his reflections. If this society 

 has gained any reputation, or been instrumental of 

 any good, it is mainly to be attributed to the im- 

 pulse he gave it, and to the spirit of inquiry 

 awakened by his advice and exertions. To attempt 

 to condense his remarks, would be but to mar their 

 symmetry, and impair their force. His discrim- 

 inating observation and comprehensive reflection, 

 left nothing to be added; his classic discipline and 

 fine taste, admit of no retrenchment. We cannot 

 so well express what is proper to be said of his 

 productions, as in the following condensed para- 

 tjraph of Mr. Fessenden, the learned editor of the 

 N. E. Farmer, wlien speaking of the address to 

 the Mass. Soc, vol. 1, p. 222. "Although the 

 subjects of the address are not only important, but 

 many of them abstruse, forming what may be 

 styled the metaphysics of chemistry and physiolo- 

 gy, still there appears to be nothing in Mr. Pick- 

 ering's observations which is hard to be under- 

 stood. Volumes after volumes have been written 

 on the food of plants; the elements, or chemical 

 constituents of vegetables; the mode of operation, 

 the manner of applying, and the benefits resulting 

 from the application of lime; the different kinds of 

 earth necessary to constitute fertile soils; the burn- 

 ing of clay for manure; the obstacles which preju- 

 dice, and a pertinacious adherence to old usages, 

 oppose to improvements in agriculture ; and the 

 best means of overcoming such obstacles; the best 

 methods of accumulating and applying manure, 

 &c., &c. — but we do not remember ever to have 

 seen so many and so important topics comprehend- 

 ed in even more than double the pages containing 

 Mr. Pickering's remarks on those subjects. We 

 never read a paper, which, in our opinion, exhib- 

 its so much useful matter in so short a compass/' 

 "We think it should be a subject of congratulation 

 with every friend to his country, that an eminent 

 statesman, and revolutionary patriot, should be in- 

 duced to exert his influence, and devote his talents 

 to promote the interests of agriculture, the most 

 noble of the sciences, as well as the most useful of 

 the arts." If further testimony is demanded, let 

 the pages themselves be consulted; and whoso shall 

 fail to be convinced, will thereby demonstrate his 

 inability to comprehend. 



