292 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 4, 18-26. 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



An Address d. livered before the Hampshire, Frauklin, and 

 Hampden Agn. uUural Sociel^r ; at Northampton, Oct. 24, 

 1827. By Euwini) Hitchcock, Professor of Chemistry and 

 "Vatural History m Amherst College. 



[CmicLuded frmn page 285.] 



In order thiil such a journal should answer tho 

 purposes of agricultural experiment, it should em- 

 brace a great variety of particulars. It should 

 give a daily account of the tenaperaturc of the air, 

 according to the thermometer ; and of its weight, 

 according to the barometer. It should notice the 

 direction, force, and changes of the wind ; the 

 state of the sliy, whether clear or cloudy ; the 

 quantity of ram, hail, sleet and snow in each 

 mouth ; the number and relative severity of storms 

 ot lightning, and the moi • re of the atmosphere, 

 as measured by appropriate instruments. That 

 these circumstances have very great influence up- 

 on the growth of plants, the following paragraph 

 from the writings of an able observer will sliow. 

 " hi the same tree he observed thnt in a cold 

 cloudy tnorning, when no sap ascended, a sudden 

 change was produced by a gleam of sunshine of 

 half an hour ; and a vigorous motiou of the fluid. 

 The alteration of the wind from south to north, 

 immediately checked the eflect. On the coming 

 on of a cold ulernoon, after a hot d.iy, the sap 

 that had been rising, began to fall. A warm show- 

 er and a sleet storm produced opposite effects." 



Do these suggestions seem to any who hear me, 

 to partake too much of mere philosophical specu- 

 lation, and to be too refined, for the adopiion of 

 the practical farmer, even if he be an intelligent 

 one ? Far be it from me, gentlemen, to propose 

 as your guides, mere philosophical conjecture, or 

 abstract reasoninn. So far as thpse suggestions 

 are not based up.j.i experience, let them be disre- 

 garded. But I w<iuld have this Society aim high. 

 ■Agricultural e.Kperiments, impurfectly conducted, 

 and partially detailed, are not wanted. Enouah of 

 ihera have been already made : and they have 

 served only to fill up the records of husbandry 

 with contradictory and perplexing results. And 

 where can a Society be pointed out more favora- 

 bly situated than this, for setting a better exam- 

 ple ; for bringing to this work minds versed in 

 the principles, as well as hands skilled in the art, 

 of husbandry ? Think of the e.vtent of territory, 

 amount of population, embraced by this society. 

 Consider too, that here is almost every variety of 

 aoil and situation on whirh to operate. Neither 

 ibrgel how widely industry and intelligence are 

 diffused in this centre of New England. With 

 auch materials, ought this society to content itself 

 tvilh feeble and immethodir-al efforts ? How easy 

 for it to take a high stand amonjr kindred institu- 

 tions, and to make its light <ro out over the land, 

 ind descend upon unborn generations .' 



And permit me hero to say, gentlemen, that the 

 objects you have in view are worthy of all the 

 seal, and effort, and perseverance, you may em- 

 bark in the enterprise. These labours are not 

 calculated to build up the fortunes of a few, upon 

 the degradation and poverty of thr, many. They 

 are not undermining the foundations of our free 

 institutions, and paving the way for anarchy or 

 .iespotism. On the other hand, they tend direct- 

 •yto eJevate the character, and increase the hap- 

 piness, of the great mass of the citizens: If pur- 

 sued successfully, they will spread over these hills 

 and vallies, an air of comfort, and independence, 

 •3nd intelligeuco, far superior to that they now 



exhibit, with all tlieir loveliness. By the blessing 

 of Providence, this society has it in its power to 

 double and to treble the present population of 

 these counties without diminishing their enjoy- 

 ment ; so that the future traveller shall see our 

 roughest mountains and glens smiling with culti- 

 vation and fertility. By giving a spur to industry, 

 and fixing a stigma upon indolence, it will take a- 

 way one of the grand sources of vice, ignorance 

 and misery : so that an increase of numbers shall 

 not be an increase of corruption. And while that 

 increase will strengthen ihf arm of a virtuous ru- 

 ler against foreign enemies, it will band together 

 a firmer phalanx to resist the encroachments of 

 designing men upon our liberties and rights. 



The objects of this Society are likewise worthy 

 of vigorous pur.suit, on account of the personalen- 

 joyment their prosecution affords. Eartiily happi- 

 ness is not a phantom ; it has a positive existence, 

 confused and disordered as the world is. And we 

 all of us t.tste more or less of this happiness, as we 

 are hurried along through life. True, it is not 

 heavenly hap iness iu its kind ; nor is it unmixed. 

 The fountain has been poisoned and the streams 

 flow out contaminated. Still we all thirst for the 

 waters, and earnestly seek that region whe'e they 

 flow most pure and abundant. The ambitious mo- 

 narch believes he shall find them by desolating 

 the earth ; and that every cup of happiness he 

 dashes from the lips of others, will be poured into 

 his own. But he soon finds that he has filled his 

 cup with wormwood and gall. The warrior's 

 heart beats high in anticipation of the pleasure he 

 shall feel, when the battle and the wreath of glory 

 are won. But he finds that he has mistaken a sea 

 of blood for a sea of happiness. The youthful 

 Statesman, as he rises from one station to ano^her 

 in the councils of his country, but faintly realizes 

 how far away from the regions of happiness, the 

 surges and the storms of public life are driving 

 him. The man who strives for pre eminence in 

 the learned professions, knows not, till the desired 

 elevation has been reached, how high it stands a- 

 bove, not merely the follies, but the enjoymerts of 

 life. And so in many other pursuits ; whei the 

 charm of novelty has passed away, when tin?e has 

 cooled the passions, and possession has disrobed 

 the object of its false splendor, then it is found 

 that the streams of happiness, like the streims of 

 the desert, are almost dried up ; leaving only their 

 empty channels to mock desire. It is then that 

 men begin to sigh for pursuits more calm, and 

 peaceful, and retired. Hence it is, that so many, 

 from the highest stations io life, have spent the 

 evening of their days in the pursuits of agricul- 

 ture ; in the prosecution of experiments for in- 

 creasing the produce of the soil. Here they 

 found tliat contentment and satisfaction, which in 

 vain they had sought, in tho possession of power, 

 and wealth, and reputation, and learning. For 

 when all artificial pleasures have become insipid 

 and even disgusting, rural scenes and pursuts 

 j have still the power to make new chords of happi- 

 1 ness vibrate in the soul. We need not wonder 

 then, that so many, after faithfully serving their 

 j God and generation, till exhausted nature demand- 

 led repose, have sought these scenes as a resting 

 [ place from their toils ; have landed on this peace- 

 i ful shore, from the tempestuous voyage of public 

 'life. Says Washington, "I was summoned by 

 my country, whose voice I can never hear but 

 ! with veneration and love, from a retreat, which 1 

 ' had chosen with the fondest predilection, and, in 



ray flattering hopes, as the asylum of my declining 

 years." 



It is not therefore, a mere poetic dream, that in- 

 vests agricultural scenes and pursuits v.ith a pe- 

 culiar charm. Imagination may here resign her 

 pencil into the hands of experience, nor fear that 

 the picture will want in vividness and interest. 



f^'ool. — Mr. Mallary, of Vermont, [a wool-grow- 

 ing State] in his speech on the tariff bill, reported 

 by the committee on manufactures, opposed the 

 proposed additional duty on wool costing eight 

 cents per pound and under. He said such woo! 

 was not and would not be produced in this conn- 

 try. The farmers of Vermont would not grow 

 wool worth ten or twelve cents, when they could 

 as well produce that which may be worth forty or 

 fifty cents. This coarse imported wool is made 

 into negro cloths, and inferior baizes and flannels. 

 The manufacture of it is established, and ought 

 not to be driven from the country and given to 

 foreigners. The proposed duty would amount to 

 more than one hundred per cent, and would ruin 

 the manufacturer of coarse fabrics at a blow, with- 

 out benefitting the farmer. If the latter should 

 raise wool worth eight or twelve cents, he could 

 not find a market for it. He was also opposed to 

 the other provisions of the bill respecting woo! 

 and woollens. The charge on wool was too high, 

 or that on woollens was not high enough ; and 

 this disproportion would inevitably ruin the man- 

 ufacturer, and with him the *ool grower. If the 

 former could not purchase the wool of the latter, 

 it would be in vain to produce it. The markets 

 of Europe are full of wool, and prices are very 

 low. The English woo! growers are petitioning 

 parliament for a duty on foreign wool, but their 

 petitions will not be granted. The English wool- 

 len manufacturers will receive every encourage- 

 ment, and will be able to sell their goods at the 

 lowest rate possible, so long as there ia a prospect 

 that they can break down the American manufac- 

 turers. Should they succeed in accomplishing 

 that object, they will then raise their prices and 

 we must pay them. — Hampshire Gazette. 



Growth of .Silk. — It appears that the East India 

 Company tire likely to prove perfectly successful 

 in their attempt to form a profitable establishment 

 in the island of St. Helena, for the production of 

 raw silk. A specimen has recently arrived from 

 that island, and it is considered to be a very fine 

 quality. It is entirely free from any disagreeable 

 odour, which speaks much in its favor. The mul- 

 berry trees thrive remarkably well, and have a 

 luxuriant appearance. The slips, when planted, 

 are generally from one to two feet in length, and 

 in a single season they frequently attain a greater 

 height than ten feet. The climate and soil, how- 

 ever disagreeable and fruitless in other resp<'cts, 

 seem in this instance to be propitious ; no doubt 

 is entertained that sufficient food will be procured 

 to supply all the worms that can be hatclied. In 

 August last, the number of worms in progress, 

 was 218,000; which were in a very healthy con- 

 dition, and expected to spin in a few days. By 

 the common process of nature, the worms would 

 multiply u'itli great rapidity ; but it appears that 

 artificial moaus, to accelerate the quickening of 

 the insects may be advantageously had recourse 

 to. The experiment has been tried, and it is 

 proved that by steeping the eggs in water, heated 

 to a certain degree, they can be hatched at any 

 period — JVcw Monthly Magazine. 



