NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



15 



itioii is gone, and it is to be l'< ared that he must go 

 ith it, either to a poor-house or the state of Ohio. 

 But we wouUl not advise farmers in middling cir- 

 unstances to make expensive experiments, nor adopt 

 ly novi Ity in husbandry on slight grounds, without 

 ing well convinced by testimony, observation or ex- 

 ■ritnce, of its beneficial etl'icts. We had better by 

 ilf follow the beaten track of our ancestors, if it be a 

 tie rugged :uid circuitous, than strike out at once iu- 

 a wilderness of whim-whams, and theories not sanc- 

 )ued by actual and repeated experiments. A farmer, 

 iless he be very rich indeed, cannot afford to be "/«// 

 ' nolio?u," but must leave merchandize of that sort to 

 lO good citizens of the Metropolis. He should exer- 

 se his own good sense on every proposed improve- 

 eut, and neither consider that it must be useful be- 

 lusc it is new, and has the sanction of some great 

 unes, nor let its novelty be an insupcTLible objection 

 its adoption. iMaiiy plants, animals, and theories re- 

 ting to agriculture, S:c. which some years since were 

 msidcred as wry useful and meritorious, are now de- 

 rvedly sunk in public estimation ; and those who 

 iopted or introduced them have suffered in conse- 

 lence of their anticipations not having been realized. 

 hus the theory of Tull, by which frequent ploughing 

 as to supercede the use of manure ; the Lombardy 

 Dplar, which was supposed to be more useful and or- 

 unental than any of the countless species of trees 

 hich adorn our forests — the Burnct-grass,.w1iich was 

 presented as the grass which must eventually root 

 it all other grasses, have had their day and their ad- 

 )cates, and some ardent theorists have undoubtedly 

 iffered in consequence of their carrying into practice 

 leir predilections in favor of this or that plant, or plan 

 cultivation. These things, however, should not 

 leck enterprise, but inspire caution, and teach us 

 lat every novelty may not be an improvement, altho' 

 •ery improvttntnt was oyict a novdty. 

 Some farmers tell us that they never knew any good 

 suit from what they call book-farming. That gtnlk- 

 en farm,ers, who know nothing about farming but 

 hat they get out of their libraries spend a great deal, 

 jt never make any profit by their agricultural pro- 

 :cts, and schemes of domestic economy. We will ex- 

 tnine these positions a little. 



It was truly said by Lord Bacon that ^'■Knowledge 

 pow7«r." This maxim applies with as much force to 

 grJculture as to any thing which can be the object of 

 uman agency. If we hitto nothing we could effect 

 othing beneficial to ourselves or others, but must bur- 

 jw in the ground and subsist upon beech nuts, and 

 ther spontaneous productions of the earth. This 

 nowledge, which gives man his supremacy '^ over 

 ae beasts of the field and the fowls of the air," and 

 jhich bestows on individuals among mankind a pre- 

 minence much more substantial and less invidious 

 ban birth, wealth, titles, or popular applause, can be 

 .cquired only by three modes, viz. observation^ conver- 

 ation and reading. Observation and conversation are 

 ery important inlets to ideas, and reading furnishes 

 )erhaps, as great a quantity of useful materials for the 

 nind to operate upon as either of them. Book-knnid- 

 dge then is power, and other things being equal, the 

 armer who obtains information from books, or other 

 )rinted works, and has strength of mind, and good 

 icnse sufficient to make a proper use of it, has the ad- 

 'antage over his unlettered neighbor, who despises 

 xiok finning, equal perhaps to one pair of hands and 

 .wo yokes of oxen. Besides, what is this book knowl- 

 dge, which some honest cultivators think is so much 

 .0 be dreaded ? It is nothing more than the result of 

 >bservation, or experience, which after having parsed 

 irough the channel of conversation, is at length re- 



duced to writing, sent to the press, and the moment it 

 is printed, becomes, according to the objectors to whom 

 we allude, bnok farming ; and therefore is to be con- 

 sidered as something very ruinous to the practical hus- 

 liandmun ! Thus, we will suppose that A. has found 

 out a safe and easy cure for botts in. horses, or an anti- 

 dote against the Hessian fly, or a metJiod by wliich he 

 can raise double the usual qimntity of hmian corn on 

 an acre ; A. communicates his discovery or improve- 

 ment to B. his near neighbor, who, although he has u 

 great aversion to book farming, makes use of and de- 

 rives great advantages from it on the strength of A's 

 oral testimony. 'But A. sends an account of his dis- 

 coveries and processes to the printer, and it is publish- 

 ed in some periodical paper, and perhaps finds its way 

 into some volume written on agricultural subjects. 

 The whole then becomes book farming., and not wor- 

 thy of the attention of real, genuine, practical farmers ! 

 But these absurdities arc fast yielding to reason and 

 the lights of science. The time has arrived in Europe, 

 and is fast approaching in America, in which books, 

 and the information which they contain, will be con- 

 sidered as necessary to make a man a complete farmer, 

 as a complete physician, lawyer or divine. 



THE SEASON. 

 ■We believe that the present season bids fair to be 

 quite as fruitful as usual. The early drought has been 

 succeeded by copious rains, and for some days past 

 cool and pleasant weather has afforded the farmer an 

 excellent opportunity to gather the products of the 

 fields. Grass-hoppers and other devoiu'ing insects are 

 not so common nor destructive as they have been for 

 several summers past, and there is every prospect that 

 the year will be crowned with the goodness of the 

 great Bestower of all benefits. 



A late arrival from Liverpool at New York furnishes 

 London dates to the 2-d June. By these we learn that 

 several bills, annihilating the long continued naviga- 

 tion system of England, have passed through Parlia- 

 ment, and of course a free trade will be allowed to 

 every part of the British dominions, including the West 

 India Islands. This will give fresh stimulus and ener- 

 gy to commerce and navigation, as well as to agricul- 

 ture and every other species of laudable industry. 



The war between Russia and Turkey seems to be 

 suspended for the present, and perhaps will be adjourn- 

 ed without day. Those, therefore, who long for some- 

 thing sanguinary and terrible, will probably have their 

 depraved appetites baulked, and must be satisfied with 

 such calamitous accidents by flood and field as these 

 " piping times of peace" can aflbrd us. 



The situation of the Greeks, it is to be feared, is 

 desperate. The Emperor of Rustia, it is said, refuses 

 to interfere in their behalf, and they suffer all that 

 those can inflict whose tender mercies are cruelty. 



There is some vaporing in foreign journals about 

 fighting between France and Spain, but we are inclin- 

 ed to think that the rumors of war were got up for pe- 

 cuniary purposes, either to accomplish some stock job- 

 bing mancEUVTe, or to give interest to the dull columns 

 of newspapers destitute of news. 



A Naval Court of Inquiry, at the request of Captain 

 Hull, will commence at the Navy Yard on Monday 

 next. The members are Captains Rodgers. Chauncy, 

 and Morris. The two former are Navy Commissioners. 



A highway robbery was committed Hfst Tuesday 

 night, between 1 1 and 12 o'clock, near the draw-bridge. 

 in Fore Street, on a young man, who was knocked 

 down by the highwayman, and rifled ofhis pocket-book, 

 containing one $10 bank note, and several others of a 

 smaller denomination.— .Er'/Jg Gazette. 



On Wednesday, Ticket No. V24o, wliJch drew the 

 Capital Prize of $8,000, in 3d class of Canal Lottery, 

 was presented, and paid by Benj. Huntington, No. 21, 

 Exchange st. 



Hill, who was wounded in the late insurrection at 

 the State Prison, died on Sunday last. 



.\t New Brunswick lately four persons were poisoned 

 by eating muscles — and two of the persons died. 



I'UODI'fJti or JlOniCLLlVRk. 



The amount of the product of the well cultivated 

 lands of the Eastern States, would astonish any but 

 those who have been accustomed to the river bottoms 

 on the western rivers, or to alluvial lands. We can 

 scarcely believe when we read them ; and should not 

 believe it, were not the facts too well vouched to be 

 <)u( stioned. We lately met with an account of the 

 premiums given at a .Massachusetts meeting sinne time 

 last autumn, and a few of the results are stati (i below, 

 for the gratification of the curious in such matters. 



Of Potatoes. — Five hundred and fifty-one and a half 

 bushels were raised on one acre of land, by Payson 

 Williams, Esq. of Fitchburgh, in the county of Wot- 

 cester, (from "24 bushels of seed.) 



Of Turnips. — Seven hundred and filty-onc bushels 

 of the common English sort, weighing ,54 lbs. to the 

 bushel, were raised by Messrs. T. i; H. Little, on one 

 acre of ground. 



Of Mangel Wurtzel. — Six hundred and forty-four 

 bushels were raised on one acre of ground, by John 

 Prince, Esq. of Uoxbury. 



Of Cabbages. — Forty-three tons nineteen hundred 

 and ten pounds weight, were raised by E. H. Derby, 

 Esq. of Salem, on one acre, one quarter of an acre, and 

 twenty-seven rods, being at the rate of thirty-one tons 

 to the acre. 



Mr. Derby received also the premium of $30 for hav- 

 ing raised the greatest quantity of vegetables, (grain, 

 peas and beans excepted) for winter consumption of 

 the stock oahi^ own farm. He raised the last season 

 on his farm 749 bushels of mangel wurtzel, 530 bushels 

 of carrots, 526 bushels Swedish turnips, 1288 bushels of 

 potatoes, 126 bushels of Russian radishes, 757 bushels 

 of common English turnips, 23 tons and 19 cwt. of cab- 

 bages, and 15 ox cart loads of pumpkins. 



Of Rut a Baga. — Mr. David Little raised six hundred 

 and eightv-eight bushels on one acre. 



Of iVk'ite i>'en?ii.— Thirty-two bushels and four qts. 

 were raised on one acre by William Mears, of Marble- 

 head. — Xational Intelligencer. 



THE DUELISTS— A trvf. stort. 

 We learn an affair of honor recently took place in 

 this vicinitj-, between the heroic wife of ensign W. and 

 oi>c of the veteran marines of the illustrious Preble. The 

 parties, instead of using swords and pistols, supplied 

 their hands with weapons more innocent and less hon- 

 orable, from the odoriferous contents of a pig stye ; — 

 and disdaining to stand Gumming and Macduffylike, 

 boldly faced each other. The contest was continued 

 with great spirit, and the utmost politeness, on both 

 sides, (ill the locks and garments of either party dripped 

 with liquid odour ; and till the fair antagonist fell un- 

 der the well directed fire other adversary, and was de- 

 clared unable to maintain the combat any longer. We 

 are happy to learn that she is " perfectly comfortable ;" 

 and that the uuquenched animosity of the parties re- 

 kindled by the officious intermeddling of the mischief- 

 making public, will probably afford us a renewed ex- 

 hibition of their martial spirit. Indeed, it is currently 

 reported that a second challenge has been sent and ac- 

 cepted — the official bulletin announcing the same is 

 hourly expected, the result of which we shall wait with 

 as much anxiety as of that which is to take place on the 

 10th inst. at the South ; and we doubt not the parties 

 will retire from the field of combat equally covered with 

 honor.''' — Salem Gatctte. 



DEATHS. 



In this city, Mrs. Hannah Farrar, wife of Mr. John 

 A. F. 38.— Miss Mary Waterman, 19.— Mr. William 

 Badger. 80.— .Mr. John Lloyd, 39.— Martha Esther, 

 daughter of Ebcnezer and Dolly Hill, 2 yrs. 6 mo. 



GREAT ADDITIONS TO THE 



NEW ENGLAND MUSEUM, 



76, COURT STREET. 



THE Proprietors of this extensive establishment have 

 the pleasure to announce to their patrons and the 

 public, that, besides their usual continual additions of 

 curiosities from all parts of the World, they have just 

 added another entire .Museum, making now one 

 .Granel Consolidation, nf A Museums united in one. 

 The late additions alone are supeiior in extent and 

 variety, to any other Museum in thii city. 

 0:5=Admittance 25 cents only. August 10 



