298 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



cl made mellow, tlien I in wet weather than in time of drought. A 

 hollow iron in-^trument is sometimes employed; 

 but a hard wooden scraper, shaped like an ivo- 

 ry folder answers very well. The trunk and 

 branches are afterwards hard swept with a birch- 

 en broom. It is found very useful, after rub- 

 bing, to wash with soap suds, or to apply a 

 coating of the consistence of paint, of a mix- 

 purpose" of sot'ting'a'pos't) and"the earth taken I ture of equal parts of quick lime, cow drop- 

 out is returned again, it will, in a few years, pings and clay. L.mmg and dungmg the ground 



has been once ploughed an 



laid down to grass, and mowed or pastured, 

 4fithout manure, will in a few years become 

 more hard and compact than if it had never 

 been visited with a plough. It has been ob- 

 served to us, by a friend, who is well acquaint- 

 ed with the theory and the practice of farming, 

 that if a hole is dug in the ground, (<ay for the 



settle so that its surface will be somewhat low- 

 er than it was before the excavation. 



The following arc the advantage^* of perma- 

 nent pastures a.s enumerated by a Uritish wri- 

 ter : " Old pastures feed cattle to a greater 

 weight ; they arc not so easily scorched by the 

 summer's drought; the grasses are more nutri- 

 tive both for sheep and cattle ; milch cows fed 

 upon them give richer and more butter; the 

 hoofs of all animals feeding on them are better 

 preserved ; they produce a greater variety of 

 grasses; when properly laid down, they yield a 

 succession of pasture through the season; the 

 herbage upon them is not only sweeter, but 

 more easily digested. On all these accounts old 

 tnrf is said to be superior to pasture on land 

 more recently lai<l down to grass. .\cr,ordiDgly, 

 permanent pasture is held in the highest esti- 

 mation, and proprietors, by rigid stipulations, 

 and tho exaction of severe penalties, restrain 

 tenants from ploughing them up."* The same 

 author, however, allows that when grass lands 

 are pmpcrhi treated, after being broken up, if 

 again laid down to grass, they are not found to 

 be deteriorated in the smallest degree, but the 

 veverse. By '^ properly treated'' it appears is 

 meant thoroughly ploughed, and made mellow, 

 well manured, and fitted with a proper rotation 

 of crops. 



The following rules are laid down by the 

 same writer. "1. To enclose those pastures 

 where practicable, as the same quantity of land, 

 when sheltered, will feed a greater quantity of 

 stock, and to better purpose, than when in an 

 open and exposed slate. 2. Never to over- 

 slock ponr pastures ; for when this is done, not 



about the trees is found to be a good preventive 

 of moss."* Soft soap is said to be a good ap- 

 plication to the trunks or bodies of fruit trees. 



inON NAII.S IN.IURE FRi;iT TRF.K.S. 



It often happens that some of the limbs of 

 fruit trees, trained against a wall, are blighted 

 and die. while others remain in a healthy and 

 flourishnig state. This has been erroneously 

 attributed to the effects of lightning ; but from 

 closer observation it has been found to arise 

 from the corroding effects of the rust of the 

 nails and cramps, with which trees in this situa- 

 tion are fastened. To avoid this inconvenience, 

 therefore, it requires only to be careful in pre- 

 venting the iron from coming in contact with 

 the bark of trees. 



** Gen. Report of Agriculture in Scotland. 



From the Albany Argus. 

 Mr. Janes'' Speech in the House of Assembly, on 



the Bill to repeal the Law for the Improve- 



Dtent of Agriculture. 



Mr. Chairman — As my feelings, habits, and 

 interests, are altogether agricultural, I (jannot 

 consent «o give a silent vote on this occasion 

 1 shall not however, attempt to go much into 

 detail on the subject, but merely throw out a 

 (cw desultory observations. 



1 confess sir, that I am not a little surprised 

 to see gentlemen, and farmers too, so zealous 

 in endeavoring to vote down a law, which h<s 

 been one of the principal means of elevatin:; 

 their profession from a secondary, to the fir-t 

 rank in society ; let us for a moment look bacv 



,r«r;.;;e',,.;;r™^.Je,;™,i;;f-"'i't!s.T!-7^?.=;i2r!^es: 



100(1 diminished, but the soil is impoverished 

 3. When the pasture ground is inclosed and 

 subdivided, the stock ought to be shifted from 

 one enclosure to another at proper intervals. 

 This practice tends to increase the quantity of 

 grass, which has thus time to get up, and the 

 ground, being fresh and clean when the stock 

 return to it, they will feed more greedily and 

 with greater relish. 4. The dung dropt by the 

 stock while feeding, should be spread about, in- 

 stead of remaining in the place where it was 

 left. 5. Where the larger and the smaller 

 kinds of stock are to be fed on the same pas- 

 tures, the larger species should go first. G. It 

 is not advisable to depasture with a mixed col- 

 lection of ditVerent species of live stock, unless 

 the field is extensive, and also, perhaps unless 

 the herbage be of a quality somewhat different, 

 in different parts of the lield." 



MOSS ON FRUIT TREES. 



^' Tlie trees in old orchards, especially where 

 the bottom is moist, often get overrun with 

 moss. These are sometimes merely rubbed 

 off; and this is more easily and effectually done 



culture "at that day, and in what grade of societ 

 the farmer was then ranked. I well recoiled 

 when the farmer was considered a subaltern, ii 

 almost every point of view. Within my reco'- 

 lection, the interests of agriculture in Berkship 

 county, was at its lowest ebb, and such was tlv 

 state of the public mind as to occasion such ex 

 tensive emigrations, as seemed to threaten a de 

 population of a fair portion of the county. 



I have since seen the same county flourishing 

 and happy, its citizens engaged in the grea 



riculturist. This consideration, if it had 

 weight to sustain it, is not entitled to imp? 

 this committee unfavorably to agricultural 

 cielies, for it ought to be recollected, that i 

 of our poor lands were also once equally 

 ductive, and that now, under the old system 

 husbandry, without the aid of some scienc 

 would become a barren waste. We have s • 

 cirties and schools for promoting a knowledi 

 of tlie healing art, of philosophy, letters, nati 

 al history, military science and many other ii 

 portant objects: man is a social animal, and' 

 we look through the whole of his moral cons 

 tution, we find that no objects of great impo: 

 ance are accomplished, except by the joint c 

 operation of many to the same end ; no ni 

 can embrace perfect knowledge ; if he cou 

 it would die with him unless communicated 

 others; hence the benefit of all these instil 

 tions, by whicii the discovery of one is imp; 

 ted to many, and perpetuated to future ag' 

 New improvements are made upon the old ; 

 accidental discovery leads to a new and imprc 

 ed system : and mutual instruction carries us 

 to the highest state of improvement, of whi 

 human society is capable. Is it then to be ; 

 mitted that agriculture is so low, and so degi 

 ded an employment, that nottiing more is to 

 learned on that subject ? This at least seems 

 be the opinion of some gentlemen. Are \ 

 ready to say, that the farmer is a mere bri 

 animal like his os, who has only to exert 1 

 strength ; that his occupation neither needs n 

 admi's of the application of good sense, scienc 

 invention or improvement ? For myself, sir. 

 think far otherwise ; I believe there is no pi 

 suit u life, in which there is more empb 

 mcnf for the best faculties of an enlighteu 

 understanding. 



The farmer shotild have a thorough knoi 

 edge of soils, and the best and most improv 

 methods of cultivation ; he should be ready 

 adopt the improvements that tend to the savi 

 of labor nnd expense, and the increasing of pi 

 ducts. If there is a way to make two blades 

 grass grow, (and there are many such way; 

 where but one grew before, he should know 

 and give himself and his country the benefit 

 it. If a breed of stock is found, more kind f 

 milk or fat, than he had before, his attenti' 

 should be alive to the subject. Sir, I think 

 will not be denied, that great impovemer 

 have been introduced, in these respects, and I 

 is no wise lik»ly, that we have yet attains 

 perfection. 



I beg leave to cite one example of great e 

 tent and importance, of an improvement, whi( 

 has been brought about by the efforts of ing 



business of agriculture and domestic manufac- [ji(,„g farmers. We all know what was the o 

 tures, the cultivator of the soil as respectable gygtem of letting wheat land lie fallow from oi 

 and honorable as the judge upon the bench, or (^ fgy,. yg^rs ; it was the -custom in this countr 



■•Gen. Report of the Agricultural State of Scotland, 

 pages 24, 25. 



the dealer in silks.* The question now arises 

 how happens this reverse of times? Sir, it is 

 produced by the liberal spirit which is contained 

 in the principles of the law, which we are now 

 attempting to repeal; it is brought about by 

 our agricultural societies. As it respects this 

 state, the fact is that the soil is generally so 

 productive, that it may be said that nothing 

 more seems necessary to be done, than to plough 

 and sow ; that the meanest capacity is as likely 

 to realize a good crop, as the most skilful ag- 



• Mr. Janes was formerly a resident ia Berkshi-e, 

 at»d was an early patron of the Agricultural Society. 



ind perhaps in many parts, prevails even yet. 

 It is only in our own day in this country, th; 

 he alternate system of grass crops, and grai 

 las come into use. It is now found much be 

 br for the lands to bear a crop of clover or tu 

 nps, or some such article, by which more m; 

 mre is made, and the land improved, while tb 

 vdue of the crop is gained. This single in 

 povement, when followed up, and universall 

 alopted, will perhaps double the means of sul 

 SBtence. If we confine our views to this siogl 

 fst, which cannot be controverted, and in suf 

 p<sition that the practice shall become genera 



