70 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



— forming what are called distinctive chemical com- 

 pounds. Before describing the nature and consti- 

 tution of these compounds, it will be proper to ex- 

 plain, 1" the constitution of the atmosphere in which 

 plants live, and, 2° the nature of chemical combina- 

 tion and the laws by which it is regulated." 



For the New England Farmer. 

 FARM WORK FOR THE CENTURY. 



BY n. F. FRENCn. 



My Dear Brown : — You probably are aware 

 that a bill is pending before the Legislature of New 

 Hampshire, providing for a Board of Agriculture 

 and a Commissioner. Its provisions are similar to 

 those of the Massachusetts Act, the Commissioner 

 being substantially the same as the Secretary of 

 your Board. 



Again and again, the question has been asked, 

 what is the use of such a Board, and what are to 

 be the duties of such a Secretary or Commission- 

 er ? Perhaps the views of others may differ from 

 mine, as to the reply to these questions. If they 

 do, there is so much the more reason that some 

 one should undertake to be definite, so that a full 

 discussion of the subject may be had, and that we 

 may enlighten the ignorant, and learn from the 

 wise. 



I propose briefly to suggest some among the 

 many things, that are availing to he done in New 

 England, under the direction of Boards of Agricul- 

 ture for its advancement ; and for the sake of per- 

 spicuity, I will arrange my ideas like an old fash- 

 ioned sermon, under distinct heads. The Secreta- 

 ry or Commissioner should give his early atten- 

 tion — 



I. To \hQ forrnation of farmer'' s clubs in every 

 town, holding out as an inducement to the mem- 

 bers of them, the idea that they would be especial- 

 ly remembered in the distribution of all publica- 

 tions, whether of the patent office or of transac- 

 tions of the State Board or county societies, and 

 of seeds and plants, which might come under his 

 control. The officers of these clubs would be his 

 reliable correspondents and assistants in all his 

 movements. 



II. He would deliver lectvres at meetings of the 

 town clubs, or county societies, of a familiar and 

 practical character, and engage others in discus- 

 sions, in the way best calculated to develop the 

 talent and knowledge of the farmers themselves. 

 His lectures would involve the mechanical treat- 

 ment of the soil, as by plowing, harrowing, sub- 

 soiling, under-draining and the like — the chemical 

 treatment of it by manures of various kinds, as 

 guano, the phosphates, lime, salt, and the various 

 composts, as well as l)arn manure — the adaptation 

 of the various kinds of soil to different crops, wheth- 

 er of gi-ain, grasses, roots or fruits. 



In short, such lectures miglit touch upon any 

 branch of knowledge, whether of a scientific, or 

 practical nature, which might be best adapted to 

 the occasion. 



HI. He would open a correspondence with all 

 the leading Agricultural and Horticultural socie- 

 ties of this and other countries, with the heads of 

 our Agricultural Department at Washington, 

 (when we get one?) and with distinguished agri- 

 culturists, so as to act in concert with the pro- 

 gressive minds of the world, and be kept constant- 

 ly informed of the attainments of others. 



IV. He would be prepared with accurate analyses 

 of the various products of the earth, as of wheat, 

 corn, the grasses and roots, as made by the most 

 relialjle chemists, at home and abroad, showing 

 how these products are affected in their constitu- 

 ent elements by the soil on which they grow. 



He should have, also, analyses of specimens of 

 the various classes of soil, as of the pine plain, the 

 peat and swamp mud — the granite soil of the hills, 

 the alluvial lands of the rivers, and the various 

 clays, so as to give as accurate information as tiie 

 nature of the case admits, of the peculiar adap- 

 tation or deficiencies of each for the growth of par- 

 ticular crops. 



The range of investigation in this direction is 

 literally boundless, for although nature is ready to 

 disclose her mysteries to the earnest student, new 

 depths are constantly revealed. 



V. He would institute systematic experiments, 

 upon an experimental farm, which some public 

 spirited man will present to the State, if not oth- 

 erwise provided. He will thus be able to settle 

 many disputed points, which ought to have been 

 settled years ago. 



VI. He would engage in an agricultural survey 

 of the State, taking, perhaps, one cotfnty each 

 year, in the manner, somewhat, of the surveys 

 made of Seneca and Madison counties, in New 

 York. 



Such a survey should show, among other things, 

 1st, The history, political, civil and religious, of 

 tlie county, very briefly. 2d, The geogra-pliy, as 

 the mountains, plains and valleys, with the rivers, 

 canals and water-powers. 3d, The nature and 

 resources of the forests, the value of the several 

 kinds of timber and for what uses. 4th, The cli- 

 mate. The mean and extremes of heat and cold, 

 at different periods, and at the same periods in 

 different years — the days when the injui'ious frosts 

 came latest in spring and earliest in autumn, with 

 a view to ascertaining the best times of planting 

 and sowing, and of gathering the harvest. 5th, 

 The geology of the county; in general its rock 

 formation, and in particular the value and uses of 

 its rocks for building and other purposes, — its min- 

 eral resources of all kinds, and especially its depo- 

 sits of mineral and vegetable manures, as lime, 

 marl, peat, swamp mud and tlie like. 



G. Statistics of agriculture, as the average product 

 per acre of each crop of corn, wheat, rye, oats, hay, 

 potatoes and roots, — the average cost per bushel 

 or ton of producing them, in the various localities, 

 under common, and under the best cultivation, — a 

 census of the population and how eu)ployed, — the 

 number of all the cattle, horses, sheep and other 

 live stock, in the county, — their value, and the 

 cost and profit or loss of raising and keeping them, 

 — the number of/«r/ns, with their extent ia acres, 

 how much is arable, pasture and wood ; how 

 much good pasturing will suffice for each animal, 

 and on how much worn-out pasture an animal may 

 starve ; the various breeds of stock, and their points 

 of difference and value; the amount of flour, corn, 

 and the like brought into, and soldi from, each 

 town, with a thousand other interesting statisti- 

 cal facts. 



7. The botany of the county, with a list of all 

 its valuable trees, shrubs and jdants ; a list of all 

 the noxious weeds, as the white-weed, thistle, 

 witch grass, and the best mode of exterminating 

 them. 



