NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



make a handsome, straight growth. The mode that 

 has been practised by many, is to cut off the large and 

 decaying trees, allowing the younger and more vigor- 

 ous to remain. By this course, a few trees will spread 

 their branches wide, and discourage any new growth. 

 We have seen some of the finest wood lots misman- 

 aged in this way ; and as the largest and oldest trees 

 were removed, the more thrifty increased and occu- 

 pied the whole land, and after a while the whole lot 

 contained but a light growth of scattering trees, with 

 no prospect of any thing new, and the land became, 

 in a measure, unproductive. 



On the contrary, we have cut off all, and a vigor- 

 ous growth succeeded, which became valuable for 

 both timber and fuel, and for making sugar, where 

 the rock maple prevailed, in the course of fifteen 

 or twentv vears. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. Eiutor : The progress of knowledge in those 

 sciences connected with the art of cultivation, has been 

 wonderful during the last half centuiy. Geology, 

 Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology, which barely had a 

 name as sciences in our highest literary institutions, 

 fifty years ago, much less any place as established 

 branches of study, now have a place in the appointed 

 course of study in the common school. The theories 

 erected on our supposed philosophic knowledge are 

 not always, perhaps not often, successfully applied 

 in practice. One reason why it is so may be found 

 in the imperfection of our knowledge ; another, in the 

 widely different results in the artificial laboratory, 

 and the operations of the same principles in the 

 field. 



The analysis of a plant scorns to shoAv the chemist 

 what food should be provided to nourish and mature 

 that plant ; but in the application he seldom realizes 

 all the influence expected, and not unfrcquently is 

 entirely disappointed. In the life and growth of 

 plants there is mystery which human knowledge 

 cannot solve. Approaches to the truth are the high- 

 est pretensions of the deepest researchers into the 

 laws of nature. Chemists of the highest attainments 

 have no perfect confidence in the successful applica- 

 tion of all their recommendations in agricultural 

 pursuits ; they advise farmers to proceed %vith cau- 

 tion, and never practise to great extent on any theory 

 till fact'i, in cai-efuUy conducted experiments, shall 

 have proved its correctness. 



The exact delineation of experiments and the 

 faithful record of the results are of great utility to 

 farmers, and inuch of the space in an agricultural 

 paper should be filled with details of them. Even 

 those experiments, which, at first view, seem of 

 little or no value, may assist some man in the dis- 

 covery of an error, or fix his attention on some sim- 

 ple, though important fact, which had before escaiiod 

 his notice. In the records of practical results, the 

 farmer discovers motives to excellence in his work 

 which would, in a great measure, be hidden from 

 him in the perusal of a literary essay. What won- 

 derful influences have been produced, what an im- 

 pulse has been given to the exertions of many 

 farmers, in the simple narration of the practices of 

 Klyogg, who began his career in careful observation, 

 and ended it in the possession of true philosophy ! 



In these views it seems very desirable that our 

 agricultural papers should be in a form easy of pres- 

 ervation and repcrusal. We want to compare 

 present views and practices with those of by-gone 

 years, and learn whether actual advancement is 

 proportionate to the changes we witness. It is some- 



times asserted, in somewhat boastful manner, that a 

 complete revolution has been effected in agriculture, 

 that labors are now governed by principles and 

 prosecuted with instruments unthought of in former 

 ages. It is not exactly so. In looking back as far 

 as the days of Jethro TuU, we find, in his quaint lan- 

 guage, intimations of nearly all the philosophical 

 principles on which farmers now act ; and in his cuts, 

 the drafts of various implements, in form, were very 

 similar to those now in use. Great improvements 

 on the theories and practices of other ages have been 

 made, and beyond this we have no ground of boast- 

 ing. The continued progress of improvements will 

 be most effectually promoted in critical comparisons 

 of our theories and practices with those both of re- 

 cent and more ancient experimenters. 



MOKRILL ALLEN. 

 Pembroke, Nov. 21, 1818. 



Editori.^l Remarks. 



The above communication, from a veteran and 

 successful farmer, on the advantages of science 

 applied to agriculture, is worthy the particular 

 attention of those farmers who think that science is 

 of but little importance to them. We arc aware 

 that some sciences that have an important bearing on 

 agriculture, are, in this respect, very imperfectly 

 understood, and that men of science differ on some 

 points of great interest to the cultivator ; yet this is 

 a day of improvement, and we are constantly receiv- 

 ing more light from experiments conducted in a 

 scientific manner. 



One great consideration should be always in view ; 

 that is, all the operations of nature are one vast 

 series of scientific principles, and all that can be done 

 by men of practice and science does not change them 

 one iota. The great object should be to learn what 

 they are, that we may aid Nature in her opera- 

 tions, and thus render our labors lighter and more 

 pleasant and productive. 



For the Neic Englarid Farmer. 

 DITCHING. 



Mr. Editor : I have been trying the eflccts of 

 ditcliing on my farm in Carver. I dug nearly two 

 miles this fall ;' and meadows that were always fuU 

 of water have been made perfectly dry. In all cases, 

 where practicable, I have dug six to ten inches in the 

 sand or clay, so as to perfectly drain the muddy part. 

 My ditches have usually been four feet -svide and 

 three feet deep. In sorne places I could not reach 

 the sand, but in most cases I was able to reach it, as 

 I usually ditched near the shore, so a-s to cut off the 

 springs, and then cut narrow ditches from one side 

 to the other. If the narroAV ditches did nothing 

 more, they drained off the sour cold water, which 

 will make the fodder sweet. Now it remains to see 

 what kind of grass w'Al take the place of the round 

 grass and other useless kinds. After one year, you 

 ■v^■ill hear from me again. The farmers say I have 

 ruined the meadow. The mud I have carted to the 

 barn-yard and hog-pen, intended for dry, sandy soil, 

 which I think is worth more than manme without 

 the mixture, especially on sandy land. 



Yours. S. A. SHITIITLEFF. 



Brookmne, Oct., 1818. 



Safe Seal. — A letter closed with the white of an 

 egg cannot be opened by the steam of boiling water, 

 like a common wafer, as the heat only adds to its 

 firmness. 



