THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



average more tlian twenty-five buslieln lo tlie 

 acre, and they regard their wljeat crop ordinarily 

 as successful as any which they raise. I believe 

 the secret of success in the cultivation of wheat 

 in our soil has been disclosed — that it niaiuly 

 consists in the selection of a pure seed, in clean- 

 ness of cultivation, and especially in fiu-nishing 

 a new and well prepared soil for the plant. I 

 do not regard the soil or climate of New Eng- 

 land as paiticularly favorable for wheat ; but the 

 crop, with due pains, may be grown on most ol 

 our farms to advantage, and ought to have its 

 place in a judicious rotation. I will not go more 

 into detail. These statements show that agricul- 

 ture, when pursued with the light of the best im- 

 provements of the age, is not, even in New Eng- 

 land, to be disdained, Init may yield an ample re- 

 turn for enlightened, frugal, and judiciously ap- 

 plied labor. If agriculture, therefore, in New 

 England, will give us a fair compensation for la- 

 bor, and if to this we may add health, peace of 

 mind, and humble competence, what more can a 

 reasonable mind ask.' 



COMFORTS OF A NEW ENBLASD WINTER. 



The long winters of New England are often 

 complained of. But let us look at this. The 

 season of cultivation is long enough for the ma- 

 turing and perfection of all the vegetable pro- 

 ducts which the climate and soil are cn])able Of 

 producing ; and these embrace an abundance and 

 profusion of the most valuable grains, grasses, 

 vegetables, and fruits, for the whole year. The 

 temperature is favorable to labor. The long win- 

 ters bring with them opportunities of soi^ial in- 

 tercourse of the most delightful character. 

 While the bracing air of winter gives elasticity to 

 the muscles and vigor to the mind, it afToi-ds, in 

 its leisure from out-door labor, the most favora- 

 ble opportunities for intellectual improvement. 

 The farmer, in this respect, has advantages 

 which fall to the lot of few other conditions of 

 life. Happy is it for him, when an enlarged edu- 

 cation and a taste for books and scientific inqui- 

 ries enables him to im{>rove them to the greatest 

 advantage, louder these ciicumstances, no con- 

 dition in life, to a man of reasonalrfe desires, 

 whose heart is not poisoned by avarice or ambi- 

 tion, seems more privileged or more enviable. 



I have said that agrieidtur<" as an art, is as yet 

 imperfectly understood. But it is encouraging to 

 contemplate the improvements which have been 

 made in it within the last half or even quarter of 

 a century, and the rapidity which it is still ad- 

 vancing. 



GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN STOCK AND AGRICUL- 

 TURAL IMPLEMENTS. 



In the introduction of improved stock, and 

 particularly of sheep and swine, millions have 

 been added to the wealth of the country. In the 

 introduction of improved implements an im- 

 mense gain to labor has been accomplished. 

 Take the great instrument of husbandry, and 

 compare an improved modern cast-iron plough 

 with the best instrument of thirty years ago, in 

 the lightness of its form and the jjliilosophy of 

 its construction, in the perfection of its work, tlie 

 facilities of its repairs, and the easiness of its 

 draught, and you may date from its introduction 

 almost a new era in husbandry. Compare the. 

 cradle with the sickle, and the elastic pitchfork 

 with the stiff and clumsy instiument Ibrmerly in 

 use, and you will perceive with how much more 

 ease than formerly some of the hardest labors 

 of husbandry are now performed. One of the 

 greatest improvements in modern husbandry has 

 yet to be introduced into this country, and that 

 is the subsoil plough, and especially in its con- 

 nection with an iitiproved system of draining. 

 This is already effecting a great revolution in 

 British husbandi-y, and may be in many cases 

 auapted to our cultivation. It will be said that 

 expensive improvements are not suited to our 

 countiy. This objecllon is best answered by 

 experiment. This is the only mode by which 

 the question can be settled. Let these" experi- 

 ments be tried upon a small scale, and if tliey 

 actually become profitable, this will determine 

 the expediency of their introduction. I should 

 be among the last persons to recounnend tlie in- 

 discriminate adoption of all that are called im- 

 provements, and es|)ecially m countries whose 

 circumstances essentially differ trom the circum- 

 stances of our own country; but it would be a 

 greater folly to reject all well attested experi- 



ments without inquiry or trial. This improve- 

 ment in England has actually doubled the pro- 

 ducts. Other improvements are liist going on in 

 our country ; and under the liberal jiatronajie of 

 several of "the States, geology and cheniistry are 

 rendering the most valuable aids to agricuiture. 

 I shall be pardoned lor saying, 1 know not where 

 their services can be more projierly bestowed ; 

 and lean but hope the pid)lic spirite'd example ol 

 several of the States , will be lollowed with an 

 equal liberality by other States. The time, 1 hoi;e, 

 is not distant, when lo these means of improve- 

 nieuf will he added the establishment of profes- 

 sorships of agricultiu-e in all our colleges ; that 

 this most imjiortant art may have its proper 

 place in every system of lihend education. 'J he 

 omen of our times, perhaps, most sus|>icious to 

 agricultural improvement, is in thespiiit of in- 

 quiry every where awake, and fostered by the 

 publications which the press iioms out in pro- 

 fusion. It requires, indeed, no small |)ractical 

 skill to separate the chaff iiom the wheat; but 

 inquiry cannot be otherwise than useful, and ex- 

 periments which fail, if liiithfully detailed, are 

 often as instructive as those which succeed. 



[ We take Mr. Colman's reconunendalion of 

 the silk culture with some grains of allowance. 

 New England cannot, at present, be a silk pro- 

 dticing country. We would rather -see our "mat- 

 rons and maids" stand by the household maim- 

 iacture of wool, flax and "cotton, than attemi)t to 

 raise silk worms. — Ed. Vis.] 



The introduction of new articles of culture 

 promises to be of great importance. Silk is isot 

 a new article of culture in your State, but a fresh 

 impetus has been given to it by the introduction 

 of new and valuable jdaiits (br'tlie sustenance of 

 the worms. I have encouraged none ol' the ex- 

 travagant calculations of visionary minds in re- 

 gard to this ]>roduct ; but the most disinterested 

 inquiries made in various parts of the country 

 satisfy me that the cultivation of silk must suc- 

 ceed among us, and will prove n source of rea- 

 sonable profit, when pursued by New England 

 care and skill, as a rc.llaterul branch of husband- 

 ry and of household industry. 



In the intniduction of manufacttircs of cotton 

 and wool by water and steam, long accustomed 

 objects of household industry have been abolish- 

 ed. The cidtnre of silk promises a desired sub- 

 stitute, likely to furnish employment with ample 

 compensation ; and ospecailly enabling our 

 daughters to supjjly their own personal wants, 

 and to enjoy the advantages and securities of the 

 lateral roof 



There is with some jiersons, a fastidiousness 

 which shrinks from the touch of a re|)tile, odious 

 and oflensive, as many, through a false education, 

 are disposed to regard all rep'tiles. This is lucre 

 prejudice and folly. A little good sense and la- 

 miliarity will soon overcome all such feelings, in 

 the case of an insect so interesting in all his" hab- 

 its and so wonderful in his translbrmalious as 

 the silk worm. Strange, it seems, that those 

 who are ambitious to adorn themselves with his 

 cast-off garments should be disdninfiil of his ac- 

 quaintance. No animal is more harniless; and 

 the reflecting mind cannot liiil to recognize in 

 him the miracles of Divine Province. 



A BEAUTIFUL COMPARISON. 



At his enti-ance into life, we see him among 

 the smallest living existences, within the cogni- 

 zance of our senses. In six wi.ek.s, at farthest, 

 he completes jiis work; and by his humble and 

 unobstrusive labors, contributes largely to the 

 clothing of mankind, and creates, yearly, mill- 

 ions and millions of wealth. It wo"nld he ci ri- 

 ous to calculate the hands he emjiloys, the 

 mouths, he leeds, the wheels he sets in "motion, 

 the ships he loads, and the vast riches to which 

 his annual labors amount. This reads a .striking 

 lesson to the reflecting mind, on the immense re- 

 sults which spring Horn regular and combined, 

 though minute and often disdained laboi'. Nor 

 ai-e his changes the less striking to the thoughtful 

 mind. Nature is IhlJ of mysterious transforma- 

 tions which show that tlie power of death has its 

 limits, and indicate the wonderfid progrrss of 

 animated exi^stence. Having acconiplislied his 

 appointed task he wraps hi/nself in his silken 

 shroud ; hut with him death is only a transient 

 sleep. If left to himself he soon einerges from 

 his tomb no longer arep.tile but a witii;cd chrys- 

 alis, to enjoy another existence. In tho cuiious 



trausibinuitioiis of this hundile insect, man may 

 see an insiruclive indication and lesliiiKuiy of th<s 

 progress of being, and a proof tb.-it death" is not 

 annihilanon. May we exult in the hopes gather- 

 ed Irom such beauliful examples in nature, and 

 confirmed by divme revelation, that with man 

 also death is only a translation into life ; and that 

 for him to burst these cerements of the grave is 

 not, like the silk worm, to jiass rapidly through 

 another form of being, hut to enter upon an im- 

 mortality. 



Ho'rtsCULTURE AND FLORICULTURE. 



Among the inleresiing exhibitions of this oc- 

 casion. Horticulture and Floriculture have i.re- 

 sented tin ir liberal contributions. In the variety 

 and perleciion of Indian corn, esculent vceta- 

 bles, i.nd many of the liuits, the exhihiiion'can- 

 not he surpassed in the country ; within my ob- 

 servation it has never been eciualled. In such a 

 proiusioii of the most nutritious vegetables, and 

 the most valuable liuits, we see every reason to 

 be satisfied with our local condition. If pecul- 

 iar obstacles to their cultivation |)resent them- 

 selves in the soil or climate of New England, we 

 may uilhan honest pride congratulate oiirselvea 

 upon that industry and skill, which in defiance of 

 such obstacles successfully produces them in 

 ahundanee and pericction. " 



Flora, likewise, on this charming occasion, 

 holds her court among you, adorned with more 

 than oriental splendor. In the two great floral 

 kingdoms of nature, the botanical and the human, 

 if we ninsl yield the palm to that w hich is alike 

 transceiKlant in the beauty of Ibrni and motion, 

 and ill the highei attributes of iiittlligeiice, inno- 

 cence, and moral jierfectiou, yet it can be no der- 

 ogation to admire, with a rapture bordering upon 

 enthusiasm, the s|.l(i,<li,l products of the garden ; 

 and especially « htii their beauties are combined 

 and arrangcil.as on this occasion, with an exqui- 

 site and refined taste. What is the heart made of 

 which can find no sentiment in flowers? In 

 some of the most striking disiilays of this occa- 

 sion, in the dahlias loi- e.vimple, "hc see what can 

 be done by human ^kill aiid art in cha-atimj and 

 train a simjilc and (!es|ii>ed plant, si-arcejy 

 thought worthy of ciiliivatioii, to the hii'hcst rank 

 in gaiety and glory and ever varying iierfeclion in 

 the aristocracy of flowers. We may learu (ioni 

 such success a lesson of encduragemcuit in ihe 

 edtication and training of flowers of an infinili ly 

 higher value and perfection. 



The vast creation of God, the centre and 

 source of good, is every where radiant with beau- 

 ty. From the shell that lies buried at the depths 

 of the ocean to the twinkling star that floats in 

 the still more profound ilepths of the finnamout, 

 ihrouiih all the forms of material and animated 

 p.\i-renre, lieauty beauty, beauty prevails. In the 

 fii)r,:l KiMMlnin it iippcars in an infinite variety, iu 

 an uii-iiiiK <l ;,i;(l even a richcT profusion than in 

 oth( r <lepiiitmnits of nature. While these cou- 

 tiihutions arc tlu;own out so lavishly at our feet, 

 and a taste for flowers seems almost an instiuci of 

 nature, and is one of the most innocent and re- 

 fined sentiments which we can cultivate, let us 

 indulge and gratily it to the utmost extent, where- 

 ever leisure, oppojtunity, and fortune give us tho 

 means. There is no danger of an exce.s.s, under 

 those reasonable restrictions, which all our senti- 

 ments demand. " But," says some cynical object- 

 or, "flowers are only to jilease the eye." And 

 why should not the eye be pleased .' What sense 

 may be more innocently gratified.- They are 

 among the most simple, and at the same time 

 among the cheapest luxuries in which we can 

 indulge. 



The taste for flowers, every where increasing a- 

 mongus, isan omen fbrgood. Let us adorn our 

 parlors, doorways.yards, and roadsides, with trees, 

 and shrubs, and fl.iweis. ^Vhat a delisht do they 

 give to the passer bj- ? What favorable impres- 

 sions do they at once excite towards those who 

 cultivate their own gratification, and find, after 

 all, their chief pleasiu-e in the gratification which 

 they aflbrd to others. What an affecting charm, 

 associated as it is with come of the best senti- 

 ments of our nature, do they give to the sad 

 dwelling places of the departed and beloved. 



The moral influences of such embellishments 

 de.?erves our consideration. I do not mean sim- 

 ply the substitution of such refined tastes and 

 pursuits, iu place of the gratification of the lower 

 appetites. This is no sin: II ni;;Iter. 

 hifitieuce should not be overlooked. 



But another 



