1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



59 



Any advice or remarks in regard to the above, 

 would be very gratifying to me, and I doubt not 

 it would to many others. Yours, 



Painter, turned Farmer. 



Milford, Jan. 17, 1853. 



/Remarks. — See article in another column on 

 "Composting with Muck." 



{a.) If you must use "green muck," mix with 

 iime. In another heap, try unleached ashes. If 

 you can procure tanner's scrapings, try a heap 

 with those. But nest August throw out a heap 

 'of the mud that shall give you fifty cords in ad- 

 vance, and keep it good from year to year. 



Will some person who has had experience, an- 

 swer the question asked above, whether the thorn 

 is as good as the quince to graft the pear into ? 



IiEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL MEET- 

 INGS, 



First Meetings— Tuesdav Evening, Jan. 18, 1853. 



In accordance with the custom for several years 

 past, those members of our Legislature and others 

 interested in agricultural matters, assembled in 

 the Representatives' Hall, at the State House, on 

 Tuesday evening, for the purpose of forming them 

 selves into an Agricultural Society. 



The meeting was called to order by Amasa 

 Walker, of North Brookfield, and H. H. Cook, of 

 Berkshire, appointed temporary chairman, and W. 

 W. Hill, of Boston, Secretary ;)ro tern. 



Upon taking the chair, Mr. Cook announced the 

 meeting as open for business. 



At the suggestion of Mr. Brown, of the N. E. 

 Parmer, the full organization cf the society was 

 postponed until the next meeting, and the time 

 devoted to an informal discussion. This course 

 was adopted on account of the absence of the 

 Secretary of last year, with the records ; and many 

 gentlemen who have heretofore taken part in the 

 meetings, which rendered a permanent organization 

 inconvenient. 



Mr. Brown suggested as a topic for discussion, 

 a resolution setting forth the importance of the 

 agricultural interest in this Commonwealth, and 

 the need of a greater diflFusion of agricultural 

 knowledge among the people. 



He then went on to remark that in mechanical 

 and manufacturing pursuits we find those interest- 

 ed combining for the purpose of mutual benefit. 

 If their business becomes depressed, or meets with 

 new developments, they immediately come togeth- 

 er to consult on the causes of the fluctuation and 

 changes in their callings, and take such measures 

 as wisdom dictates. Not so with the farmer He 

 has overlooked the advantages of this combination 

 and has relied solely on his individual knowledge 

 and intelligence. 



_If a man is to follow the sea, the law, or the 

 ministry, he should and does prepare himself by af 



course of study for the profession in life which ho 

 has chosen. But is it so with the farmer? He 

 reads but few of the numerous agricultural books 

 which exist in our libraries, acquires little scientific 

 knowledge, and consequently makes but little pro- 

 gress in his calling,— falling into all the errors of 

 those who have preceded him, ^d striking out but 

 few new improvements. 



Mr. Walker concurred in the resolution offered 

 by Mr. Brown. Agriculture is a very important 

 interest in the Commonwealth, and much more so 

 than is often supposed. Not only the farmers 

 proper, but many mechanics own and cultivate 

 tracts of land, and derive much of their income 

 from this source. This fact calls for the dissem- 

 ination of agricultural knowledge, and this knowl- 

 edge must be carried to the people by means of 

 agricultural associations. 



It may be asked why we need more information 

 than our forefathers ? There are three stages in 

 agriculture. The first is when the land is first 

 cleared— then it is rich and fertile, and requires 

 no artificial manuring. The second stage is that 

 in which the soil becomes partially exhausted, and 

 the farmer has to put into his land the manure 

 which his own resources furnish him, and this suf- 

 fices for a time. The next and last stage is when 

 he is obliged to raise larger crops than his ordinary 

 manure will enable him to do. We have reached 

 this stage. Now, the question comes up, how is 

 the farmer to increase his amount of manure ? In' 

 order to answer this question, science must be con 

 suited. Science must inform us what ingredients 

 are necessary to replenish the soil, and enable us 

 to produce the desired crops. The speaker had 

 himself experienced this want of information, and 

 had sought the aid of scientific men with success. 

 He believed that nine-tenths of the farmers in 

 the State were devoid of this important informa- 

 tion. ■ What we want to know is, what we can do 

 to bring back to productiveness our worn out 

 lands. 



Mr. Weld, of Topsfield, believed that we must 

 call science to the aid of agriculture. He wanted 

 clearer knowledge as to the manner and extent of 

 applying artificial manures. What proportion 

 would be profitable? He had applied 100 bushels 

 of ashes to the acre in moist, upland soil, and 

 thought that amount necessary. He wanted sci- 

 entific men to conduct experiments, and then make 

 full, complete and honest statements in rcTjird to 

 the modus operandi. ' 



Mr. Smith, of Hampshire, related some facts in 

 support of the views of Mr. W. 



Mr. Walker, of Worcester, said that one great 

 obstacle to the attainment of the object set forth 

 this evening, was the diversity of circumstances 

 appertaining to evils. Experiments that prove en- 

 tirely successful in one part of the country, com^ 

 pletely fail in another. There is no certaiotv 



