246 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



you. It is owins; to our proximity to the sen, 

 that our wheat is oflfncr blasted than in more 

 inland countie? ? Ami why is one field, with us, 

 blighted like I'lnroah's corn, ivhile another, 

 but little removed, is rank aud t'lill .' Enqiiir- 

 ies into the cause are well worth (lie attention 

 of the pliil'isopliir. 



It is very desirable that our wet meadow-land, 

 much of which is now almost useless, mig-ht be 

 rendered productive. Those lands we possess 

 to a considerable extent. Is it impracticable to 

 introduce the lovvl-mcadow grass ? Has the 

 experiment been sutlicicntly tried ? Some 

 meadow land has been improved by draining 

 and carrying on earth. The late Col. Baldwin, 

 a gentleman ot a trulj' philosophic mind, gave 

 me the tbllowing l'act«. Having occasion to 

 build a barn, he t'ormcd the purpose of open- 

 ing a cellar under it, for the reception of ma- 

 nure. The plot on which the barn was to be 

 erected was a light s.mdy soil. In the vicinity 

 was a boggy meadow, through which he cut 

 wide ditches, with sides not perpendicular, but 

 on the principle of the inclined plane, to pre- 

 vent filling. In the winter, when frozen, the 

 ground «as covered with sand taken from the 

 cellar, this again with the earth taken from the 

 ditch. Clover and herds-grass seed were then 

 sowed, which grew luxuriantly, rising to the 

 height of three or four feet, giving him three 

 tons to the acre. It may bo questioned, however 

 whether this was the most proper seed to apply. 

 Clover and herds-grass are not natives of the 

 bog meadow, and after being introduced by ar- 

 tificial means, will degenerate. Had fowl- 

 meadow grass been substituted, his success 

 doubtless would have been greater. This val- 

 uable grass delights in being irrigated, yet will 

 not flourish amidst stagnant water. It may be 

 introduced by burning, or ditching and carrying 

 on earth. In soine parts of Worcester county, 

 it has been introduced with great .^dvantage in- 

 to wet meadows, which had been useless. 1 re- 

 gret it is not in my power, at this time, to make 

 some more particular communications in regard 

 to this excellent fodder. 



Change of crops is ever thought of impor- 

 tance by tiie intelligent farmer. In every soil 

 there are ingredients suited to the nourishment 

 of certain plants. Hence, we see dilVerent soils 

 spontaneously yielding dilforent trce«, roots and I 

 vegetables. In vain you attempt to raise par- ' 

 ticular vegetables on certain soils. The reason 

 they will not flourish is, the soil does not pos- 

 sess those particular qualities or ingredients 

 necessaiy for their support. Often it is impreg- 

 nated with (lualitics which are injurious. Use- 

 less the attempt to cultivate the willow on the 

 sandy desert, while some vegetables will flour- 

 ish no where else. Every plant has a particular 

 constitution (if I may be allowed the expres- 

 sion,) which requires a particular climate, soil 

 and nutriment, and, if denied either, becomes 

 feeble, sickly, and may die. Following land 

 with ii succession of crops of the same kind. 

 may eventually exhaust it of those particular 

 qualities in which they delight. A tield of po- 

 tatoes has been reared, of the most luxurianl 

 growth. In the following year the same crop 

 continued; and, though manure was abundnntly 

 supplied, it was feeble, and of scarce any value. 

 Did not the preceding planting exhaust the soil 

 of those particular qualities in which the root 

 delights? Succeeded by ditfereut seed, the in- 



crease was satisfactory. It being most evident, 

 there is something in every soil particularly 

 suited to nourish certain vegetables, may not 

 these qualities be exhausted, aud render a 

 change expedient and profitable ? 

 I A common error we observe in husbandry is, 

 continuing the cultivation of the same field, 

 ' while others, of a better soil, are permitted to 

 j lie neglected. Hoiv ot'ten we see the son plant- 

 ing and sowing year after year the same spot 

 of ground, for no better reason than that his fa- 

 ther did before him; while by the si<!e lie lands 

 of a far richer soil, devoted to grazing. Old 

 worn-out lands are followed with the plough 

 and the hoe, affording a very scanty increase ; 

 while a rich soil is neglected, because it would 

 require some labor to subdue it. The judicious 

 farmer will scarcely think of estimating the ex- 

 pense of subduing a soil naturally rich and fer- 

 tile, knowing he will be amply remunerated by 

 the increase. 



It is believed this is a too prevalent error 

 with our farmers : they have a certain set time, 

 in which their sowing aud planting must be 

 completed ; and do not pay due regard to the 

 season, and the state of their land. The hus- 

 bandman should be carefully observant of the 

 opening and advance ot the season, and have 

 particular respect to the state of his land in 

 putting in his seed. Is your land wet, you must 

 wait till it acquires sufficient warmth and dry- 

 ness for the seed to vegetate. Many crops have 

 been lost from an impatience to have done sow- 

 ing and planting. 



We cannot refrain from expressing our grat- 

 itude to those gentlemen who originated this 

 society, our satisfaction in the interest taken 

 by them in the improvement of our husbandrj-, 

 and the success which has attended their meas- 

 ures. Certainly, a new impulse has been giv- 

 en to agriculture, and a spirit of inquiry ei- 

 cited. 



You will permit me, in the name of my breth- 

 ren in the ministry, to express their thanks for ' 

 that act of civility, by which they have leen | 

 constituted members. This acceptable notice 

 is duly appreciated. IJeing most of us con-! 

 nected with farming parishes, bound to our 

 people by the cords of duty and love, we can- i 

 not but take a lively interest in their temporal 

 prosperity, as well as their moral and religious' 

 imjirovement. 



Industry is of the first importance to the far- 

 mer. Neglect your farm, and your farm will 

 neglect you. Solomon was a wise observer, 

 and a practical preacher. His observations on 

 men and things, and the lessons he has left us, 

 are of' inestimable value. The picture he has 

 drawn of the in<lolent man, is done with the pen- 

 cil of truth : "• I went by the field of the slothful 

 and by the vineyard of the man void of under- 

 standing; and, lo ! it was all grown over with 

 thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, 

 and the stone wall thereof was broken down. 

 Then I saw, and considered it well : 1 looked 

 upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little 

 sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the 

 hands to sleep; so shall thy poverty come as 

 one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed 

 man." With industry must economy be united. 

 Every experienced husbandman, who has only 

 his farm for his support, has learned that close 

 calculation is necessary. In past years, the en- 

 hanced price of produce could support ex- 



penses which now require retrenchment. W 

 have pleasure in knowing, our intelligent farn 

 ers are learning the lesson, and beginning t 

 live within compass. With our industry an 

 economy, let us combine a humble dependenc 

 on that Superintending Power, who has give 

 us a good land, is the great parent of the huma 

 family, and whose favor we have reason to ex 

 pect, in proportion to our faithful esertions 



fcHS 



jsl 

 ill 



From the Boston Patriot of February 13. 

 NORTHERN COTTON". 

 The bolls of Cotton forwarded to us with (bf 

 following communication, are large and wel 

 filled. They are even larger than severa 

 specimens of the plant produced in Louisiana 

 which have been heretofore shown to us. — 

 With our highly intelligent correspondent, how- 

 ever, we agree, that the culture of Cotton inf** 

 the Northern Stales cannot at present be pro- 

 ductive of profit. The high price of labor, 

 compared with that of slaves, isan obstacle. 



Brinsley Place, (Roxbury,) Feb. 14. 



.Messrs. Editors. — In your paper of yesterday', 

 1 noticed a communication from the New-York 

 Statesman, on the cultivation of Cotton in the 

 Northern States, in which tl.e result of experi- - 

 meats made in that State and Connecticut was 

 given. 



On the first of May last, I planted about 

 twenty hills of Cotton, three feet apart, the 

 ground having been previously manured : it 

 came up on the 18th; and on the oth of No- 

 vember, I picked a number of bolls perfectly 

 ripe. The first frost which affected the plants, 

 was on the 22d of October, but many of the 

 bolls had at that time attained their full size, 

 although there were still blossoms on the plants. 



I send jou some of the bolls, in which the 

 Cotton appears delicate and of a good quality. 



1 should have planted the Cotton early in 

 April, which would have given nearly thirty 

 days more for the plants to come to maturity, 

 but could not obtain the seed. 



Last summer. Com. Bainbridge procured and 

 sent me some seeds from South-Carolina; and 

 this year, I shall make a more extensive ex- 

 periment, but am not sanguine that this valu- 

 iible staple of the south, and one of our chief 

 articles of export, can be cultivated to advan- 

 tage so far north. Yours, &c. 



H. A. S. DEARBORN. 



From the American Fanner. 



RUTA BAG A — cuhivated as a second crop. 



Albany, N. York, 4lh January, 1823. ■, 

 Dear Sir — My improvements in the ruta 

 baga culture consists in growing them as a sec- 

 ond crop, upon a clover lay. The grass is cut 

 about the l.'jth or 20th of June. If I have 

 manure, and the scrapings of my yards will 

 always aflord me a few loads, I take about a 

 dozen carts full and spread it upon an acre. 

 The ground is then immediately ploughed well, 

 one pound of seed sown broadcast per acre, 

 and harrowed with a light harrow, lengthwise 

 of the furrow. A single thinning and cleaning 

 with the hoe, is all the further attention I give 

 them, until they arc drawn in November. Mj 

 first experiment gave me a product of six hun- 

 dred bushels. They should be thinned to a dis- 

 tance of eight or twelve inches; and for thi» 

 oueratioQ a sUm hoe of the required width has 



