PRELIMINARY OPERATIONS. ' 55 



the atmosphere. Burning the vegetable matter upon the 

 surface of new lands, tends to accelerate then* fitness for 

 producing good crops. It converts much woody or in- 

 soluble, into soluble matter ; corrects the natural acidity 

 of the soil, and imparts to it much of the benefit which 

 results from ploughing and longer exposure. A good 

 burn is a pretty certain indication that a good crop will 

 follow ; and a bad burn is almost as certain a precursor 

 of a bad crop. Hence, in clearing up new lands, the 

 timber is generally felled, when the fohage is most abun- 

 dant, in June or July ; the fallow is burnt when the fire 

 is likely to operate most efficiently, both in destroying the 

 vegetable matter upon the surface, and in ameliorating 

 the soil, say in August or early in September, and the 

 first crop is put in with the harrow or drag soon after. 



We cannot but remark here, that in our zeal to clear 

 up, we generally carry the matter to an unwarrantable 

 extreme ; every thing is cut away — the whole surface is 

 denuded — stripped of its natural growth. We know that 

 old forest-trees will not long bear an open exposure — that 

 the winds will prostrate them when deprived of the pro- 

 tection of surrounding forests ; yet the young growth, if 

 left in clumps and behs upon the bleak borders, the divis- 

 ion lines, about the farm-buildings, or upon portions of 

 the farm not adapted to ploughland or to meadow, would 

 tend ultimately to enhance its value, by the beauty which 

 they would impart to the landscape, the shelter and pro- 

 tection which they would give to crops and cattle, and 

 by the resources which they would give for fuel, fencing, 

 and timber. The settler upon new lands may preserve, 

 without labor or expense, that which it would cost much 

 time and money to produce — that which imparts to old- 

 settled districts the highest rural charms, and gives to 

 them much of their intrinsic value. To destroy, in this 

 case, is but the labor of a day ; to restore, is the work 

 of an age. 



After the timber has been removed from forest lands, 

 and the first crop put in, the stumps will remain for some 

 years, to obstruct, partially, the further operations of 

 improvement. The plough cannot yet do its office 



