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266 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



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republic has ever appropriated a dollar to foster the study of Insects ? A distinguished 

 and ingenious artist not long since explained to us a contrivance of his own invention 

 for the wholesale destruction of those destructive pests which damage our gardens, 

 orchards, and field crops so often, and so ruinously. With a little assistance from an 

 agricultural or horticultural society, he might render the country an invaluable service. 



No provision is made in these associations to meet the pressing wants of men of deep 

 study and small funds — who labor to benefit the jjrofessional cultiv^ition of the earth. 



Who can tell how much of the substance of the soil is consumed in the ordinary 

 production of a bushel of wheat, or a bushel of corn ? This important information 

 may be obtained by any agricultural society that really desires to enlarge the bounda- 

 ries of our knowledge of the elements of fertility in cultivated land. In the growth of 

 a plant on an arated surface, the earth parts with some of its mold and minerals. 

 What per cent, of these is lost, which never enters cultivated plants at all ? Would 

 it not be a wise use of the funds of an agricultural society to investigate the facts as to 

 what the soil loses by tillage when cultivated as for a crop of wheat or corn, by the 

 decomposition of its mold and the washing of its salts ? How much of the mold is 

 dissipated in the atmosphere as is the substance of a compost heap by frequent turning ? 

 If no effort is to be made to increase our knowledge of the philosophy of agriculture, 

 why expend time and money in attending shows and supporting agricultural societies ? 

 Idle hands and addled heads may seek trifling amusements ; enlightened, thoughtful 

 nSen, ask /or more of solid instruction, and less of humbug and personal favoritism. 

 They may readily obtain a reform in the management of State and county societies, 

 where reform is needed, by calling attention to existing abuses, and insisting that 

 the association shall do as much to increase as to diffuse knowledge. Our societies 

 now diffuse very little information among the masses, for the simple reason that 

 they really have nothing new and useful to communicate. Men must learn before 

 they can teach ; and we beg to learn when agricultural learning is to be kindly 

 taken by the hand and helped forward by the associated farmers of the United 

 States? From 1817 to 1853 we have been in the way of attending agricultural 

 meetings and shows, and we can not see that a fat ox, sheep, or hog, is any better now 

 than those exhibited in our boyhood. Thirty-six years ago young farmers desired to 

 know how much grass was necessarily consumed to form a pound of good cheese, or 

 one of butter. This information is as desirable now as it was then. Agricultural 

 societies have done nothing to elucidate the relation that vegetable food bears to animal 

 products. Are the ruHng spirits in all agricultural bodies fully resolved to make no 

 progress, and to set their faces as flint against the critical study of wool-growing, stock- 

 breeding, and dairy-husbandry ? A good cow separates from her blood a pound, or 

 pint, of milk every thirty minutes, for days and weeks together. This rapid conversion 

 of grass into blood, and blood into milk, has never attracted the attention of an agri- 

 cultural society in this nation, which probably contains more cows than any other. 

 Why not ofter premiums for cows that will produce the most butter and cheese from a 

 given quantity of food ? Researches of this kind might show that our native dairy 

 stock surpasses any recently imported high priced animals for the economical production 

 of milk. Give all an equal chance, and let truth and demonstrated superiority prevail. 

 Nearly all experiments are sadly defective, and lead to no conclusive results. Our pro- 

 verbial impatience jumps at conclusions, which, being erroneous, mislead just as far as 

 they are trusted. Ignorant men deceive not only themselves, but hundreds of others. 

 The exact relation that grass, hay, roots, and grain, bear to milk, butter, and cheese, 

 to beef, pork, wool, and mutton, might be ascertained and known to every one of the 

 five millions of farmers in the United States, if agricultural societies would take the 

 matter in hand. Experiments alone are needed. 



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