314 AMERICAN HUSBANDRY. 



of man : without which, buildings and palaces ire 

 but gross handiworks." 



But I am forgetting myself. In my ardour to 

 commend horticulture for its useful, elevating, and 

 purifying influence upon the habits and inarm* 

 society, 1 did not recollect that 1 am addressing the 

 highly-polished inhabitants of a classic city, who 

 have long since demonstrated in practice the truth 

 of the lessons I would inculcate. I will therefore 

 dismiss this branch of my subject, and turn to the 

 less attractive, though more important topic of agri- 

 culture ; barely adding, 



That in all endeavours to improve the condition 

 of society, whether religious, moral, or industrial, in- 

 dividual efforts and example can affect but little ; 

 and hence, that in every great work of reform or 

 improvement, the concentrated strength of many 

 has been resorted to and brought to a focus by 

 means of associations ; and that the great objects of 

 society are not likely to be promoted in a more em- 

 inent degree by any, than by associations formed for 

 like purposes with those which I have now the hon- 

 our to address. 



Being a native of this state, and having spent my 

 early days within its borders, I can well remember 

 the farming practices that were wont to prevail. 

 The farm was, to use the commendatory language 

 of that day, " suitably divided into meadow, pasture, 

 and plough land ;" and each division was exclusively 

 devoted to its object, until most of the nutritious 

 grasses had " run out" in the meadow, and the plough- 

 land had become too much impoverished to bear a 

 remunerating crop. Many an acre was turned into 

 " old field" or commons, destitute alike of natural or 

 artificial herbage, affording scanty gleanings to half- 

 famished cattle. I beg not to be misunderstood. I 

 am describing what was a bad feature in Yankee 

 husbandry. Farming has no doubt recently under- 

 gone great improvements in Connecticut, as it kas 



