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of farming so general in this Society, might not well give place, in 

 many instances, to some specialty, some one or two branches of 

 farm labor, to which chief or entire attention should be devoted. 

 Such a change would seem to be commended and sustained by 

 facts in the experience of others. The culture of tobacco and 

 broom-corn, in the valley of the Connecticut ; the dairy products 

 in Worcester County ; the sheep-husbandry in various parts of 

 New England ; the cheese-factories, and milk-condensing estab- 

 lishments in New York, and elsewhere ; and the remarkable ex- 

 amples of fruit-culture — of the pear, the grape, the cranberry — 

 within our own territory, afford abundant proof of the advantage 

 to be gained by specific, in distinction from general or mixed 

 farming, where attention is divided between many different ob- 

 jects, and the farmer's labor is scattered over a wide surface. 



Let each farmer ascertain to what sort of produce his soil is 

 best adapted, and resolve to devote himself mainly to that one 

 thing. Let it be some variety of fruit, vegetable, or grain ; the 

 sheep-husbandry, or the dairy. Would he not be likely to arrive 

 at a more intelligent and successful mode of obtaining that pro- 

 duct, giving it a higher value, and to him.self a wider reputation 

 and better returns for his capital and labor ? Suppose that any 

 considerable number of the members of this Society were to pur- 

 sue this course, would not the probable result be to enlarge their 

 own income, and to win increased attendance at our Annual Ex- 

 hibitions, where the superiority of their products might be seen? 



It is a very common remark, that our farmers attempt the cul- 

 tivation of too many acres, and, therefore, cultivate the whole but 

 imperfectl3^ Do they not attempt the cultivation of too many 

 things at once ; and, therefore, reap smaller and less valuable 

 crops of each ? Let the farmer's range of information be as ex- 

 tensive as possible, but let his practical thought and labor be con- 

 centrated upon a few, specific objects. Nor is the danger great 

 that these objects will be the same in too many cases. The differ- 

 ent varieties of soil ; the advantage of proximity to a good market ; 

 the facility of obtaining proper manures ; the habits and tastes of 

 cultivators, and other circumstances, would practically obviate 

 this danger. A. might find his soil adapted to the growth of a 

 certain sort of vegetables — it may be the potato. Let him, then, 

 cultivate the potato ; of which there is little likelihood of any 

 growth, of superior excellence, beyond the demand. He might 

 procure certain varieties of it, and, by experiment, arrive at such 

 a method of culture as to enhance the value of the product, and 

 enlarge the crop to an extent beyond his highest expectations. 

 B., though he occupy premises in near proximity, might find his 

 soil best adapted to fruit growing, to grain, or to grass. Or, if he 

 have a similar soil, may be led, by his own taste and habits, or by 



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