NORFOLK SOCIETY. 303 



and by high cultivation, he is enabled to obtain two crops an- 

 nually, from a large portion of his land, and to realize a hand- 

 some income on the amount invested, equal to that received 

 by a majority of our merchants. Nor is there any mystery in 

 this. The like result may be obtained by any good farmer 

 who will be content to cultivate no more acres than he has the 

 means of cultivating in the inost thorough manner, and who 

 will keep in mind that the farm is the place of his vocation, — 

 the theatre on which he is to display his knowledge and good 

 management. 



Your committee are convinced that farmers, as a class, labor 

 under great difficulties, — much greater than are experienced by 

 men of any other occupation. They are not, as a class, prop- 

 erly educated. They do not study like professional men, nor 

 have they the advantages of mechanics and merchants, who 

 necessarily meet and converse with each other daily. Their sit- 

 uation is generally an isolated one, and they cannot often avail 

 themselves of the information to be gained by intercourse with 

 other farmers. It is, therefore, of the greatest importance, that 

 they should read books and treatises upon agriculture, and its 

 kindred sciences, — more of which have been published within 

 the last ten years, than for centuries previously. Otherwise, 

 they must be content with what may be gained by their own 

 practical experience, — a process of learning which is slow and 

 tedious. 



Your committee believe that too much cannot be said in 

 favor of seaso7iahle and thorough cultivation. The land should 

 be cleared of stones, and completely drained. It should be 

 ploughed and subsoiled frequently, to a depth of at least fifteen 

 inches, until the whole mass is finely pulverized and mellow. 

 A plenty of good stable manure should be incorporated with it, 

 at the rate of not less than ten cords to the acre ; or other ma- 

 nure, equally fertilizing, and in due proportion. The seed 

 should be put into the ground as soon as possible, after a fine 

 tilth is obtained. The surface should never be permitted to 

 become baked or to form a crust, and it should be kept entirely 

 free from weeds. In this way, the farmer may obtain more 

 clear profit from a single acre, than he can from ten acres un- 



