26 



NEW ENGLAND F A R xM E R , 



Iiimsclf aiifl distributes hush-money liberally ; at 

 length his peccadillos are discovered, and he for 

 ever after becomes unfit for a farm steward to any 

 other proprietor or farmer. 



When landlords have no knowledge of farming, 

 their taste for the country usually declines. The 

 sports of the field may detain them on their estates 

 for the season, but are too rough and fatiguing to 

 entice them to remain throughout the year. With- 

 out the excitement of field sports, their life is noth- 

 ing but a monotonous scene, and the same society 

 at length becomes irksome to them. They leave 

 their demesnes with partial disgust, and wander 

 about in foreign lands, or settle down somewjiere 

 far removed from tlieir patrimonial inheritance. 

 This we consider an evil ; for we do not agree 

 with Mr M'Culloch, that it is of no importance to 

 a country where the income derived from its land 

 is spent. We are quite sure the small tradesmen 

 of every class derive sensible benefits from the ex- 

 penditure of the contiguous proprietors, and when 

 the latter are absent, they soon feel that source of 

 profit dried up. But, on the other hand, we do not 

 bewail the absence of proprietors so lamentably 

 as our Irish neighbors. Good farming proceeds, 

 and laborers are employed, by the enterprisin;; ten- 

 antry in their absence ; and, in as far as regards 

 the substantial improvement of the country, the 

 claims of the landowners in the participation of tlie 

 honor is little, compared with those of tiie ten- 

 antry. 



Now the effects of all these evils, we venture to 

 assert, may be most effectually remedied by the 

 sons of landed proprietors, who will themselves 

 become landowners, acquiring a thorouo-h knowl- 

 edge of firming in their youl}!, as a necessary 

 branch of practical education, ant? the management 

 of their estates will then be felt a' desirable gratifi- 

 cation, not a task. Proprietors would then be qual- 

 ified to select and appoint competent factors, — to 

 judge of the fulfilment of the factor's duty of im- 

 partial superintendence, — and to ' convince them- 

 selves, by personal observation, th&t their tenantry 

 receive substantial justice and protection. They 

 would then be competent to select farm-stewards 

 to manage the liome farm under their own direc- 

 tions, and to keep them in check by commandins; 

 them to render an account of their intromissions at 

 tiie moment, and not at the protracted periods of 

 terms. They would tlien discover there is not a 

 more rational, pleasing, or interesting study than 

 the science of agriculture, and its practical appli- 

 cation, nor one wliich can be so well combined 

 with those manly sports and amusements in which 

 it is the pride of our country gentlemen to excel. 

 They would then have no temptation to reside 

 abroad, but would discover that a knowledge of 

 the minutifE of farming creates a daily increasing 

 interest in field operations, and the cultivation of 

 stock. A personal acquaintance with their tenants 

 would then open a wide field of human nature for 

 their observation ; and this ample field to glean 

 from, in connexion with the facts acquired in their 

 own practice, would supply them with cogent argu- 

 ments and illustrations on all subjects connected 

 with agriculture, whereby their sentiments would 

 command respect in every public assembly. 



Where is all this important knowledge to be ac- 

 quired ? It is to be acquired like every other spe- 

 cies of knowledge, by observation ; in the opera- 

 tions of nature, as displayed in the field of art. Is 

 this question asked in a country, whose proud boast 

 is to possess more enterprising, educated, and well 



ArcrsT 1. is:?8. 



informed farmers, than perhaps any other country I geology, that the substrata or subsoils, on which 

 in the world ? In all the best managed districts, j soils rest, may obtain due regard. Meteorolo^ry 

 where we mean the mixed husbandry is practised, should be studied, in order to be able to anticipate 

 or the culture of stock and crop are combined, | the changes of the weather. The anatomy and 



physiology of animals are also requisite for him to 



there are farmers well qualified to impart instruc 

 tion in their profession, as well as possessing such 

 cultivated minds as to render them valuable com- 

 panions. A two years' residence with an agreea- 

 ble and intelligent farmer, who practises the rais- 

 ing of corn with the breeding and management of 

 cattle and sheep, and putting the hand to every 

 kind of work, could not fail to impart to young men 

 of ordinary capacity, a competent knowledge of 

 farming. Such a tuition we consider absolutely 

 necessary for the eldest sons of our lancled propri- 

 etors, who mean to reside in their own country, and 

 enact the part of landowners ; but it may be also 

 profitably extended to those younger sons, who may 

 turn their thoughts to the New World, as the sur- 

 est means of success in any undertaking connected 

 with the culture of the soil, or the rearing of the 

 domesticated animals, in which they may embark. 

 Their interests will be promoted by studying agri- 

 culture effectually, before the^' embark in their 

 migratory undertakings. No proprietors' sons need 

 be ashamed to receive instruction from, or sit down 

 at the tables of, Such men. 



We are entitled to speakconfidently on this sub- 

 ject ; for the foundation of our practical knowledge 

 of agriculture was laid by an intelligent farmer, 

 and most agreeable companion, in perhaps the best 

 county for farming in (Scotland ; and never since 

 have we had cause to consider the time misspent. 

 The facilities are evidently greater in Scotland 

 than in any country we know, for young gentlemen 

 acquiring a practical knowledge of agriculture, al- 

 most under the eye of their friends antl relations. 



Should these remarks attract the attention of 

 those country gentlemen who may feel inclined to 

 profit by them, we can furnish them with the names 

 of «ome of the most eminent farmers who have been 

 in the habit of taking pupils ; and leave it to 

 their own discretion to choose the most eligible sit- 

 uation. 



But we think the system of tuition might be ben- 

 eficially extended. Most farmers, we apprehend, j 

 are not quite competent to teach the science of 

 agriculture in connexion with its practice. Sup- 

 pose, then, an extensive farmer has a large house, 

 capable of containing a number of pupils, not ex- 

 ceeding twenty. That number, we conceive, to be 

 enough for successful and comfortable tuition. Let 

 tliis house be subdivided into comfortable sleeping 

 apartments, a large dining-room, a large drawing- 

 room, and a large class-room, fitted up pa*ly as a 

 library, and useful, also, as a reading and writing 

 apartment. Let a tutor of competent acquirements 

 be appointed to take the immediate charge of the 

 pupils, both within and without doors. He should 

 be competent to teach the application of chemistry, 

 although we arc not so sanguine as most people of 

 the utility of this science to agriculture. He should 

 teach the application of the principles of mechan- 

 ics, in order that the principle on which any im- 

 plement operates may be comprehended — the ap- 

 plication of the principles of hydraulics, that the 

 principles of draining, embanking, and constructing 

 reservoirs for water, may be easily understood. 

 He should teach botany, to enable young farmers 

 to distinguish soils by their natural vegetation ; 

 and particularly the physiology of plants, that the 

 culture of plants of whatever kind may be in con- 

 formity with appropriate soil and situation. Also 



teach, that the good points of live stock may be 

 duly appreciated. .\nd, above all, he ought to be 

 acquainted with the practice of agriculture: for, 

 although the farmer himself will no doubt under- 

 take to teach this department of the system, yet 

 unless tlie tutor also understands it, he cannot so 

 successfully demonstrate tlie application of science 

 to the operations of practice. It may, at first, be 

 difficult to find a tutor so amply qualified for the 

 task; but as tlie practice of agriculture would 

 most likely be the only department in wliich he 

 would be deficient, he could, in the course of two 

 years, acquire that knowledge as easily as any of 

 tlie pupils. 



Witli colloquial prelections and discussions in 

 the house, at stated hours, so as not to interfere 

 with the hours of labor in the fields, and with dem- 

 onstrations in the fields, whilst the labor was in pro- 

 gress, a vast mass of useful information would, in 

 a short time, be conveyed to, and acquired by, the 

 pupils. It is presumed the pupils had already ac- 

 quired, at school, or college, the elementary princi- 

 ples of all these sciences, besides mathematics. 

 Such a house should be situate on a large farm of 

 not less than six hundred acres, on which the mixed 

 husbandry is practised ; that is, the growing corn 

 with the breeding and rearing of cattle and sheep. 

 The system might be extended still farther. It 

 will scarcely be possible to find a sufficient number 

 of large farms on which such establishments could 

 be founded, or of intelligent farmers to conduct 

 them ; as the mixed system of husbandry cannot 

 be successfully carried on, on a very small farm, 

 or by small farmers. This difficulty might be ob- 

 viated by the erection of a large house in a con- 

 venient village, in the neigliborhood of which, in- 

 telligent farmers held farms. The tutor himself 

 could engage the house, and draw the emoluments, 

 and give premiums to the farmers, for permission 

 to the pupils to inspect and witness all the opera- 

 tions. 



We think such establishments would be con- 

 ducted much more satisfactorily on private specula- 

 tion, than under the guidance of any society, or pub- 

 lic commission. Both the farmer and tutor would 

 be stimulated by their own interests for their suc- 

 cess, and competition would in time sharpen the 

 stimulus still more keenly. Let any farmer, who 

 has the requiste accommodation and qualification, 

 begin the experiment with adequate appliances, 

 and he will soon find customers. Like a coach or 

 a steamboat starting on a new line of communica- 

 tion, his establishment will attract pupils ; whereas, 

 if he wait until the demand for such establishments 

 rouse him into action, he may have to wait as long 

 as tlie wagoner had for the assistance of Her- 

 cules. 



CULTURE OF THE MULBERRY TREE AND 

 THE TREATMENT OF SILKWORMS. 

 Not very many years have elapsed since the 

 project of introducing the silkworm into this coun- 

 try was seriously taken up by several scientific 

 persons ; and the probability of its becoming even- 

 tually a source of wealth was warmly discussed, j 

 Gradually, however, the ardor of these projectors - i 

 was found to cool, and the matter fell to tlie 



