292 



NEW ENGLAND FARxMEU. 



ADDRCSS 



OF THK HON. S. HALE, DELIVERED BKFORG THE 

 CHESHIRE (k. h) AOUIC'-LTURAL SOCIETY, OCTO- 

 BER, 1822. 



Concluded from our /«»/, p. 2C J. 

 I have said that our good soils !i:ive been 1 

 exhausted of those properties which rendered j 

 them fertile. Reason, therefore, teaclios, thatj 

 the art and industry of man should, in the first 

 place, be directed towards repleni-hing them 

 with similar properties. This is done by means 

 of manure, and to acquire a knowltJge of the 

 best modes of making, preserving, and using it, 

 should be the principal study of tlie i'armcr. 

 The degree of attention applied to this branch 

 of husbandry distinguislies the judicious from 

 the ignorant and unskilful agriculturist; and In 

 this, care and skill are more requisite, and are 

 more certainly and bountifully rewarded than 

 ID any other. No farmer should be satisfied 

 with the quantity of manure necessarily made 

 by bis slock of "cattle. It is in his power to 

 obtain double that quantity ; and he may rest as- 

 sured that, for the trouble of obtaining it, he 

 will be amply remunerated. If he have ordi- 

 nary advantages, he may obtain that which will 

 be fully worth one dollar per load, at an ex- 

 pense, which, every thing calculated, shall not 

 exceed half that sum. 



If the farmers of this country would but pe- 

 ruse the Agricultural pubiicatious of Great Bri- 

 tain, they would be astonished at the amount of 

 time and expense which is there devoted to 

 this branch of husbandry. They would see 

 long and minute directions for preparing barn 

 yards in the manner best fitted to make and 

 preserve manure. They would see instructions 

 given for making compost heaps in the fields and 

 by the side of swamps, many of which cost one, 

 and some even two thousand dollars each. They 

 would learn in what manner che hog pen and 

 poultry yard are made subi»;rvient to the same 

 purpose. They would learn to their astonish- 

 ment that after the usual supply is obtained 

 from all these sources, it is not unusual for the 

 farmer who cultivates (hree hundred acres, to 

 expend three or four thousand dollars in pro- 

 curing and purchasing marie, ashes, lime, &,c. 

 to be applied upon his farm. In that country, 

 no land is cultivated without manure bountiful- 

 ly applied — and with manure almost any land is 

 made fertile and profitable. 



I do not refer to the customs of the English 

 farmer for the purpose of recommending them 

 to your strict imitation. In many points of 

 view, his situation is dilTercnt from yours. 

 The United States contain too little surplus cap- 

 ital, and the demand for the productions of the 

 soil is not sufficient, to authorise such extraor- 

 dinary expenditures. I refer to them to shew 

 you in how high estimation is held the article 

 of naanure among farmers distinguished for their 

 sagacity. When your attention is once fixed, 

 and your curiosity stimulated, you will, I have 

 no doubt, select and adopt such of the modes of 

 making it as are best adapted to your circum- 

 stances. Servile imitation is ever to be avoid- 

 ed. It is perhaps more injurious in Agricultu- 

 ral than in any other pursuit ; for no two farms 

 nor two seasons can be precisely alike. Every 

 farmer ought to rely mainly upon bis own 

 judgment, but to render his judgment worthy to 

 be relied upon, it should be improved hy read- 

 ing, inquiry, and observation. 



The cheapest and most sini[dc mode of in- 

 creasing the quantity of manure ordinarily made 

 in the barn yard is," perhaps, to carry into it 

 mud from the swamps, ponds, and ditche?, and 

 turf from the side of old fences, and from the 

 road side. In this manner excellent manure 

 may be obtained at little expense. The mud 

 from swamps and ponds consists principally of 

 decomposed vegetables. It is entirely inert and 

 insufficient until it has been made to ferment 

 by exposing it to a certain degree of heat, or 

 by mixing it with the putrescent substances 

 which abound in the yard. It is then nearly as 

 valuable as that which is thrown from the sta- 

 ble, and especially if so placed as to absorb the 

 liquid manure which would otherwise be lost. 



The best mode of preserving the strength of 

 manure is an object worthy of more attention 

 than it has usually received in this country. It 

 cannot be doubted that much of it descends 

 with the rain into the earth, and that much 

 evaporates into the atmosphere. To prevent 

 both, the utmost care should be taken. To 

 guard against the former, the fiirmers of Flan- 

 ders, who surpass even the English in attention 

 to this branch of husbandry, pave their yards, 

 which are made hollow in the centre, with a 

 composition of clay and gravel. To guard 

 against the loss of strength by evaporation, they 

 sometimes, placing their manure in heaps, cov- 

 er it carefully with a coat of loam, which be- 

 comes itself manure ; and sometimes erect 

 sheds over it to protect it from the rays of the 

 sun. These modes are suggested for your con- 

 sideration. But I cannot forbear to remark, 

 that the practice of permitting small heaps to 

 remain for a long time in the field, is an obvi- 

 ous proof ef careless and unskilful husbandry. 



The state in which barn yard manure should 

 be applied to the land is a question which has 

 lately been considerably agitated. It is the 

 opinion of some that it should be kept over one 

 season, and not be used until it has arrived at 

 an advanced stage of decomposition. It is the 

 opinion of others, that it ought to be applied 

 in its green state ; or in other words, that the 

 whole of it, every spring, should be removed 

 from the yard and used on the land. It appears 

 to me that the latter opinion has the strongest 

 reasons in its favor. The quantify would then 

 be much greater. The fumes that escape in 

 the process of putrefaction and decomposition, 

 which are highly efficacious in promoting veg- 

 etation, would not then be lost. It would suf- 

 fer no injury from drenching rains nor from a 

 burning sun. The crops, soon or late, would 

 feel all its influence. The effects the first year 

 might not be so perceptible, but they would 

 continue longer. This opinion is supported by 

 the authority of late eminent writers on the 

 subject of Agriculture. Whether it has the 

 sanction of long and extensive experience I am 

 not able to say. It certainly deserves the atten- 

 tion of those ivho are not opposed to all inno- 

 vations and improvements in Agriculture. 



The swamps which abound in many parts of 

 our country, are generally considered of but lit- 

 tle value. Many of them, however, are capa- 

 ble of being made the most productive land. 

 For many centuries, the rains have carried into 

 them the soil from the uplands. The winds 

 have borne thither the leaves of trees. Nu- 

 merous plants, luxuriantly growing, and yearly 

 decaying, have added to the depth and richness 



of the soil. To those swamps I wish to direct 

 the attention of farmers. Whenever it is found '■ 

 possible to drain them, the natural outlet should 

 be deepened, or a ditch should be dug throufrh ' 

 the bank where the descent is greater. U 

 is e.-scntial that the bottom of this ditch should i 

 be at least three feet lower than the surface of 

 the swamp. Its v/idlh, especially if the swamn • 

 contain many acres, should not be less at i 

 than 1 or 5 feet. One season or more shou.^ 

 then elapse before any thing further is done, i 

 In the mean time the swamp will have become^ 

 sensibly drier and firmer. Let the ditch tlienH 

 be extended into the centre or lowest part ; and* 

 should it appear necessary, let small ditches bei 

 dug, leading to other low parts from the main* 

 ditch. If the land be covered with timber or* 

 bushes, the usual mode of chopping and burn-l 

 ing may then be adopted. Should the swamp! 

 continue too wet, let it be encircled by a ditcn 

 near its outer border and deep enough to cut oil 

 the springs which run into it ; but this should! 

 not be done unless obviously necessary, as iti 

 will prevent the swamp from receiving anni 

 accessions to its fertility from the hills around , 

 Those who have never witnessed the effect os- 

 draining will be astonished at the differencf* 

 which in two or three years will be produced!- 

 Cattle will find a firm footing where before ;f 

 man could not walk. All the operations of hn- 

 bandry can be conveniently and safely carrit 

 on. With manure, crops of corn, and withou'i- 

 it crops of grass can be obtained larger tha ' 

 uplands generally yield. Every year w; 

 render the land more valuable. Tillage, by es 

 posing the soil to the warmth of the sun, an«: 

 manure by producing some degree of ferment) 

 tation, will hasten its improvement. |fc 



It is admitted that the process of reclaimin •' 

 such swamps is generally tedious and somi " 

 times expensive ; but it is believed that in iP- 

 cases a full remuneration is certain. And bi •■' 

 sides the individual advantage produced, the aj""! 

 pearance of the country will be highly impro'^" 

 ed, for nothing presents a more delightful pr^ 

 pect than smooth and gently descending hoik 

 covered with luxuriant vegetation. And tt'; 

 public interest will be promoted by what wi"- 

 amount in effect to an extensive and valuab 

 addition to our territory. 



Low and wet lands, to which the epith' 

 swampy could not well be applied, will also r 

 ceive great benefit from draining. Too mu( 

 water is quite as injurious as too little, to ailoi 

 valuable crops. And often a ditch may be ma< 

 to answer the double purpose of draining ai 

 enclosing land. Whether draining is resorti]''" 

 to in allcases where it would be useful, is a que''" 

 tion well worthy the consideration of the fa 

 mers of this country. 



The suggestions to 'which you have listene 

 my fellow citizens, have been offered with ti 

 greatest diffidence. I am well aware that id( 

 of you are much better acquainted than I c 

 be, with the subjects to which your attentii 

 has been invited ; and that little has been coi 

 municated which was not before known to yi 

 all. If, however, 1 have impressed one impi 

 tant truth more strongly upon your minds, 

 shall not have spoken in vain. Truly gratifi 

 shall I feel, if what 1 have said shall rend 

 your arduous labors more profitable to you 

 selves, or more useful to your country. 



