76 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. as, 1S27 



jMgjfeM^U'JB BegP'KP M rjLq''^^ 



ADDRESS. 



Exli-atls fium an Address clelivere J before Ihe Hartford Comity 

 Agricultural Society, October 1-, 18^26. Cuncludedfromf.m. 



BY REV. CHARI.KS A. GOODRICH. 



A third point upon which I would insist, is the 

 importance of a still higher cultivntiun <if our 

 farms. It is nut an uncommon coniphiint among 

 fanners "that the times are hard." Is it wonder- 

 ful tliat with some they are so? Tiiey are "hard" 

 because their crops are small, and their crops are 

 small, because tliey fail to bestow the proper cul- 

 tivation upon them. Concentrated actio]) is effi- 

 cient action; and it this only which gives large 

 iigrioultural results. But to this an obstacle pre 

 ^ents itself nearly insurmountable. Our farms are 

 in general too extensive, and the labor oj'tho far- 

 mer is spread over too e.xtended a surface. And 

 yet, instead of selling a single acre, most of our 

 farmers covet many more. If farmers, however, 

 would thrive, they must change their policy; they 

 must concentrate their labour; they must give to 

 a few acres the care, now usually bestowed on 

 many; and if necessary to tiiis, they must dimin- 

 ish their farms. Many an acre of corn, and many 

 of rye now yield only 10 or 12 bushels, and even 

 less. Many an acre is mowed, whose burden — if 

 it may be called a burden — amounts to scarcely 

 half a ton. How much wiser — how much more 

 grateful, to give to these acres a proper cultiva- 

 tion and gather bushels for pecks, and nearer tons 

 for hundreds! This, 1 conceive, is, at-prescnt, 

 the great error of our farmers generally. They 

 adopt a diffusive, desultory mode of operatiou, 

 which keeps their lands poor, and themselves poor 

 also. The only method by which the benefits of 

 a thrifty, productive husbandry can be enjoyed, is 

 to change the present system for one more com- 

 pressed and more vigorous. It should bo written 

 on every farm house, and in the centre of every 

 lot, as a memento to its occupier — "Till but lit- 

 'le, and till tliorcvghly." 



To an efficient cultivation of a farm, two things 

 appear to be particularly important — a proper ro- 

 tation of crops, and a sufficient and proper appUca- 

 iion of manures. 



In respect to a rotation of crops, it may be ob- 

 served, that every soil is better adapted to some 

 kinds of plants than to others ; yet it possesses, it 

 IS apparent, bat in a limited degree, the ingredi- 

 ents, which render it most suitable to those plants. 

 Hence, if it be pursued with these plants but for a 

 few years in succession, the soil becomes o.vhaust- 

 ed, leaving the land incapable of bearing good 

 crops of a similar kind. Btit the same land pos- 

 sesses other ingredients adapted to produce plants 

 of a different kind. Now, what more philosophi- 

 cal than to stop short of the poiiit of e.vhaustion 

 in respect to the first crop, and to apply a second 

 of a different kind, to be followed by a third, a 

 finirth, a fifth, and even a sixth, if necessary, un- 

 til the partially exhausted powers of the soil in 

 respect to the first crop be restored, by acquiring 

 the ingredients essential to its production, by. the 

 decomposition of vegetable matter. In this way, 

 the productive energies of the land may be pre- 

 served to a great extent, without the application 

 of manures; and with them, may be raised to an 

 indefinite extent. 



Let the farmer learn the importance of greater 

 attention to the accumulation of inanures. Let 

 him learn, that when he takes a crop from his field, 

 he it grass, or be it grain, just so inuch virtue is 

 subducted from the soil, and just so much must, in 



some way, be returned to it, ere its productive 

 powers will be as before. And, let him be as so- 

 licitous too to restore, as to take, if he wi.sh not to 

 steal from himself, and thus lay the foundation for 

 the permanent injury of his farm. la older coun- 

 tries, where the population is more dense, and 

 consequently a greater quantity of food is neces- 

 sary, more economy in the accumulation of ma- 

 nure is observed. "Even house sweepings, the 

 dust or powder of bones, farrier's and clothier's 

 clippings, refuse of manufactured skins, shavings 

 and turnings of horn, hair, woollen rag;?, and ma- 

 ny other like substances, arc carefully saved, and 

 sold to farmers." In this country, necessity does 

 not yet compel us to resort to such means, nor 

 doss economy demand it. On every side, materi- 

 als of better quality abound. In the accumulation 

 of manures, ho.vever, thefarmer should have refer- 

 ence to the nature of the soil, for which his ap- 

 plication is intended. If the soil be sandy, let his 

 yard, or compost heap, receive "a due proportion 

 of clay, loam, marl or peat; if the soil be clayey, 

 let i)im cart into his yard sand, lime, and such 

 other substances as will render the soil more light 

 and loose." 



In respect to the application of manures, wheth- 

 er in a fermented or unferm^nUd, state, much dif- 

 ference of opinion has e.xisted. We have high 

 authority, now, however, for believing, that "rot- 

 ten manure," or that in which the fermentation is 

 ptist, is inferior in virtue, and less applicable, par- 

 ticularly to tillage crops. In the process of fer- 

 mentation, much of the volatile and most valuable 

 part escapes ; whereas, were the manure plough- 

 ed in, and the fermentation carried on beneath 

 the soil, this would be saved. Another disadvan- 

 tage in apjdying fermented, or rotten manure is, 

 the loss of heat, which, if produced in the soil, 

 would accelerate the germination of the seed, and 

 nourish the plant, in its incipient and most criti- 

 cal state. Sir Humphrey Davy who has treated 

 this subject witli much observation and science, is 

 of the opinion that in the process of fermentation, 

 inanures lose, from one half to two thirds their 

 weight. In this opinion, Mr. Young, who receiv- 

 ed the medal of the Bath Agricultural Society in 

 England, for his essay on manures, tind Mr. Coke, 

 a distinguished agriculturalist in that country, 

 concur. Hence, the importance to every farmer 

 of a storcorary, or shed, under which he may 

 house lii.^ manure, to prevent fermentation and 

 evaporation. Hence, also, manures, which are 

 carried into the field in autumn, should be laid in 

 large he'ips, and carefully covered with earth. 

 This will check fermentation, and prevent the es- 

 cape of the carbonic acid and atnmonia, two most 

 valuable sources of nourishment to the vegetable 

 world. To test the value of the volatile part of 

 manure. Sir H. Davy inserted the beak of a re- 

 tort, filled with unfermented manure, among the 

 roots of some grass, on the border of a garden. 

 In a few days, the anticipated effect was appar- 

 ent; this grass assumed a moiit lu.xuriant growth; 

 yet it will be observed that from this manure it 

 hi' received only the volatile part, no other being 

 able to pass over. If this principle be correct, the 

 practice of many of our farmers of getting out 

 thf-ir manures in the spring, a month or two be- 

 fore t ey plough it in, is incorrect. Here e.\- 

 poseii to the heat of the sun and to the wind it 

 lie.<. until it is scarcely susceptible of being spread. 

 As little time as practica'ile shnuld intervene, be- 

 tween carting it to the jleLd and burying it in the 

 soil. 



I Another subject worthy of more notice than can 

 be here given to it, is the importance of an in 

 I creased attention to the cultivation of some of ihi 

 ! choicer kinds of fruit. 



\ Fruit of various sorts, indeed, abounds; but 1 

 j need not say that most of it is of a very inferior 

 I kind — without iJeliciousness to the taste, and 

 ! greatly obnoxious to health. Few things add 

 [ more to the beauty of a farmer's residence, and 

 nothing, surely, of this nature more to the com- 

 fort and pleasure of a family circle, than an en- 

 closure of good fruit. Yet among farmers, and, 

 indeed, amongst most classes of society, this 

 source of honest joy has been culpably neglected. 

 The varieties of excellent fruit within our reach 

 are numerous, and at the reasonable prices at 

 which they are afforded at our nurseries, few arc 

 , so poor, that they cannot purchase suiRcient to 

 ' adorn and enrich their yards. To such as may 

 be desirous of making a small selection, I would 

 ; recommend as among the best — of Peaches, the 

 Aune, or Early Ann, the Noblesse, the Old New- 

 ington, the Y'ellow Rare Ripe, the Green Catha- 

 rine, the Red Cheek Melacaton, the Lemon Ciing- 

 ' stone and the York Rare Ripe; — oi nipples, 1 

 would mention the Early Harvest, Early Bough. 

 Nonpareil, Newtown Pippin, Spitzenberg, Ro.xbu- 

 I ry Russeting, Rhode-Island Greening, and the 

 I Baldwin Apple; — of Pears, the Jargonelle, St. 

 I Germain, Chauniontelle, Skinless, Vergaloo, Bon 

 j Cretien, or Good Christian, and the Seckle ; — 

 [and of Clitrn'es, the Black Tartarian, Ronald's 

 Black Heart, Mtiy Duke, White Heart, and Ye! 

 low Spanish. These are but a few of the many 

 excellent varieties which have been found to 

 flourish on our soil. But, were a farmer about 

 to advertise his place for sale, and could he only 

 add that these varieties of fruit would bo found 

 upon it, would he not e.vpect an addition to the 

 price for the farm, many times exceeding the cost 

 of the trees, and the value of the labour of rear- 

 ing them ? If our farmers then would add beautv 

 and value to their farms, let tiiem betake them- 

 selves to the cultivation of a good selection ot 

 fruit trees. 



With little more than an allusion to another 

 subject, I will relieve your patience — I mean the 

 want of attet'tion io neatness and order about ma 

 ny of our farm houses. 



New-England has many points of advantage; 

 but in respect to neatness and order about her vil- 

 lages and farms, she contrasts badly with other 

 countries. Englishmen who visit us are disgusted 

 with the appearance of our villages, for in their 

 own land, they are accustomed to see them adorn- 

 ed by the hand of system and taste.. 



Let us look to this point then. Neatness and 

 order are enjoined not only by economy, but by 

 comfort. Every slovenly fanner resigns one of 

 the choicest pleasures within his reach, that of 

 seeing his house and home surrounded by the 

 marks of neatness, industry, and taste. He brings 

 un his family amidst confusion, and presents to 

 hit! children an example of negligence the most 

 unp3rdon?bie Can he wonder if they follow this 



example ? They 'vill go further In their very 



partialities, they will have a vicious preference 

 for what ju.tt taste, good sense and sound econo- 

 my condemn. Thev will ' cijard with less respect 

 the decencies of life, and be more likely to aban- 

 don the paths of virtue and morality. There is 

 much meaning in the old adage, and the obser- 

 vance of which, let me urze a? " remedy for 



