NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



Jrl.T 11, 1S18. 



Another method to promote vegetation is to mix 

 coarse sand or gravel with a clay -soil, to render it 

 porous, and prevent its bakinfr hard like a brick in 

 the warm drvintf seasons. On such a soil, a cart 

 load of sand is worth as much as an equal quantity 

 of manure. And clay, marl, or black mud, con- 

 veyed on to sandy land, and mixed in, is equally 

 beneficial. The fact is well established, that the 

 mi.vture of different soils of all kinds, promotes the 

 vegetable growth. 



In connection with this subject, it was our in- 

 tention to make a few remarks going to show the 

 utility of deep, as well as frequent ploughing, in 

 order to derive the most advantage from manures, 

 and obtain the largest product.^. But our sugges- 

 tions are already extended beyond our prescribed 

 limits. It is hoped, hoivever, that in this enlight- 

 ened age, every intelligent farmer gives the pre- 

 ference to a 'deep, rich, and mellow soil, as being 

 most favorable to imbibe and retain moisture, and 

 as affording more space for the roots of plants, 

 often extending several feet from the stalk, and the 

 minute and invisible fibres, projecting from the ends 

 of the roots in quest of food. Some of the leading 

 ideas now advanced, have doubtless, often before 

 been communicated to the public. As our object 

 is agricultural improvement by enforcing correct 

 theories, no apology is offered for advocating old 

 doctrines, which are founded in truth. 



W. CLAGGETT. 



Portsmouth-, June 2.5. 



THE SALT MINES AT NORWICH. 

 These mines attracted a good deal of attention, 

 and a party of about eighty set off to visit them. 

 According to previous arrangement, the gentlemen 

 who were furnished by the President of the Geo- 

 logical Section witli the necessary tickets, assem- 

 bled at the railway station at a quarter before eight 

 o'clock, but owing to some mismanagement, the 

 train appropriated to the party did not start until 

 within a quarter of nine. A little after ten, the 

 train, after a run of thirty miles, came to a stop, 

 and tiie rest of the journey, a distance of about 

 four miles, was accomplished in vehicles which 

 were in waiting for the party. On their arrival at 

 the works, they were conveyed, in succession, to 

 the bottom of the mine in a basket lowered by 

 means of a windlass, four descending together, and 

 then conducted through the various parts of the 

 excavation. There are two beds of the rock-salt, 

 the lower one being exclusively worked, owing to 

 its superior quality. The floor of the mine is 3.30 

 feet below tlie surface, and tlie portion of the sa- 

 line mass removed is about 40 feet in height and 

 extends over an area of 30 statute acres. A great 

 number of successive strata of clay, more or less 

 indurated, occur between the upper stratum of salt 

 and the surface, and the two saline deposits are 

 separated by analogous formations, the portions of 

 those next the salt being intersected with little 

 veins of Sal gem, exhibiting a beautiful scarlet co- 

 lor, no doubt due to the presence of a small quan- 

 tity of sesqui-chloride of iron. After having tra- 

 versed the whole of the excavation, which was lit 

 up in a most magnificent manner — several thousand 

 candles having been employed for the piirpose — 

 the visitors were regaled within this subterranean 

 palace with a very (.'legant dejeune. We have 

 seldom seen a company sit down in higher spirits, 

 or to abetter entertainment; and it is scarcely ne- 

 cessary to say, tliat when the health of the propri- 

 etors — particularly of Mr. Worthington, who had 



conducted the party from Liverpool, and also 

 through the mine, was given, it was drunk with the 

 utmost enthusiasm. The entertainment being con- 

 cluded, some fireworks were exhibited, which light- 

 ing up the excavation with various sliades of colors, 

 produced effects which it is no exaggeration to de- 

 scribe as at once grand and terrific. " God save 

 the Queen," and, at the suggestion of Mr Porter, a 

 psalm, liaving been sung immediately beneath the 

 shaft, tlie whole party ascended, and returning by 

 the same method of conveyance, reached the rail- 

 road station in Lime street, at five o'clock. While 

 the party was below, Dr. Crook took occasion to 

 make some geological remarks applicable to sali- 

 ferous deposits, and drew attention to a peculiar, 

 appearance in several parts of the roof of the mine, 

 from which he concluded that the salt originally 

 solidified in globular masses, the crystallization 

 proceeding from a centre. The temperature of the 

 mine, which we sliould conjecture to be about 48'^, 

 was understood to be very equable throughout the 

 whole year, — and not a particle of moisture was 

 any where to be seen. — Proceedings of British As- 

 sociation for tlie Advancement of Science. 



NECESSITY OF EDUCATION. 



To every individual, education is important and 

 valuable. It was once tliought, and said, educa- 

 tion makes rogues — obsen-ation has shown directly 

 the contrary. We find in the State Prisons a large 

 number that caimot read — many read very imper- 

 fectly — some read and write badly; none of them 

 have ever employed the little they knew of letters 

 to any purpose. There are very few who have a 

 good education. 



It is known that education promotes industry in- 

 stead of idleness. Let the farmer be well edu- 

 cated, and his knowledge enables him to form the 

 judgment of soils, and the best modes of cultiva- 

 tion and improvement. He labors himself, and 

 enjoys the profits of his labors. He has, therefore, 

 the greatest inducement to plan machinery to facil- 

 itate his labors, and to give care and attention to 

 the means of making his farm productive. The 

 farmer on the Continent of Europe, has labored for 

 two thousand years, with the same ill-fonued and 

 inconvenient implements, always implying tlie 

 hardest labor. He has not knowledge to invent 

 machinery for himself. The learned regard not 

 his toil. He enjoys a very small portion of the 

 fruits of his labor, and therefore has not the sti- 

 mulus to exertion. The former begins to enjoy 

 the blessings of education. He cultivates his 

 own soil. He has, therefore, improved almost 

 every implement c.f husbandry. Labor to hun is 

 necessary — it is not degrading — it is honorable. 

 To perform labor by machines, is a skilful applica- 

 tion of knowledge to the practical purposes of life. 

 Wlioever has seen tlie shovel plough brought from 

 Germany by the first emigrants — sometimes now 

 found on Uie Mohawk River — and now in use in 

 many parts of Germany, must have been struck 

 with the inconvenient, ill-contrived machine, when 

 compared to tiie common patent plough. 



The simple invention of a horse-rake, saves 

 three-fourths of the labor of gathering. The same 

 may be said of the improved plough, scythe and 

 threshing machine. A chemical knowledge of soil, 

 manures, and stimulants, is of great importance to 

 every farmer. 



Knowledge awakens attention, and the reward 

 of attention is success. The mechanic arts are to 

 be improved in tlie same way. Knowledge instructs 



the mechanic to facilitate his labors, and apply ma- 

 chinery to what was formerly accornplislied only 

 by the unarmed hand. Every branch of the me- 

 chanic arts has been improving, aided by knowl- 

 edge. 



In every mechanic's shop we find a machine of 

 late invention. It even requires enlightened minds 

 to adopt improvements. 



Chancellor Livingston, when in France, observed 

 that all the inhabitants of the wine countries were 

 stooped forward, forming a very great curve of the 

 spine. He observed them hoeing the vines with a 

 hoe, the handle of which was about two feet long. 

 It accounted for the deformity. He sent to Ameri- 

 ca for a parcel of hoes with long handles. They 

 used them a few days, and then threw them away, 

 and returned to their short handled hoes, and thus 

 preserved their crooked backs, and entailed them 

 on their posterity. 



What a vast number of farmers absolutely re- 

 fused to use plaster of Paris, although the success 

 was seen in almost every field around them, cov- 

 ered witli rich crops, while their own were barren 

 wastes. 



Some one painted a pail, and a very well-inform- 

 ed woman got her pail painted ; but very great 

 numbers refused, and still scoured with soap and 

 sand, the wood and iron. 



It is knowledge that gives a man an acquaint- 

 ance with himself, his powers, his rights and inter- 

 est. He learns to judge for himself, to respect 

 himself. He is, therefore, unawed by the proud, 

 nor is he the victim of the cunning and selfish. 

 His knowledge and virtue are all the qualifications 

 he needs as a voter. His knowledge informs him 

 of his own interest and the public good. His vir- 

 tue secures his honesty and independence. The 

 evils of government no sooner reach him, than he 

 not only feels them, but looks about for a remedy, 

 consistent with the public peace. 



There never was a well educated mob — if so, 

 what expense, what effort is too great to obtain so 

 desirable a good. The subject commends itself to 

 eveiy private, and every public man in the country. 



The inmates of our prisons and poor-houses are 

 generally ignorant, and among the ignorant, in- 

 temperance prevails to the most fearful extent. 



The question may be asked, — will not a just, 

 parental feeling accomplish this important object ? 

 Experience has proved that the work cannot safely 

 be left to parents, and, therefore, government has 

 undertaken to aid in the work. Parents have been 

 found even to refuse the aid of the state. When 

 the law was first passed to aid the school districts, 

 many towns refused it. It required the power of 

 government to establish the present valuable sys- 

 tem. And we have reason to fear that the great 

 end will never be attained until government enters 

 heartily into the subject. 



Xenophon gives an interesting account of the 

 education of the Persian youth in his day. Much 

 of it was mistaken, but the great design of edu- 

 cating the youth was good. 



Sparta, one of the great republics, carried edu- 

 cation among the free inhabitants, farther than any 

 other people. It is true, the great principle on 

 which that republic was founded, was false — be- 

 cause it assumed war to be tlie natural state of 

 man, and educated her youth accordingly. But the 

 effect of it was to preserve the state and form of 

 gvernment five hundred years. 



The New England States, at an early period, 

 entered heartily into the subject, and they enjoy 



