246 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



JAN. »Z, 1840. 



Vetches or tares, likewise, a sort of pea, was very 

 much cultivated : it was customarily sowed in the 

 fall for sheep, and was eaten by them in the fall 

 and winter.* 



The sheep husbandry in England- is an immense 

 interest. They will this year cut from sixty to 

 seventy millions of fleeces; and sheep under one 

 year old are not shorn. The average yield may 

 be six to seven pounds to a fleece. There are two 

 principal classes of sheep in England, the long and 

 the short wooled sheep — tlie Leicestershire and the 

 South-Down. The long-wooled, or Leice.ster sheep 

 give a fleece of about eight pounds ; the short- 

 wooled or South-Down, a fleece of from three to 

 four pounds. Wool is of groat importance to them. 



any mi\nnre to his white beans. The result is exactly 

 what, under sucii circumstances, is to be expected. We 

 have no doubt that under proper cultivation, beans may 

 be made a highly productive and valuable crop. For 

 feeding sheep, especially fatting-wethers, we have tried 

 and know their value. Intermixed and ground or al- 

 ternated with Indian corn, they are exceedingly favo.-'a- 

 ble to the thrift of sheep, and may be to a decree profita- 

 bly used, notwithstanding the customary difference in 

 price. We'can hardly expect, however, that they should 

 take the place of Indian corn ; a crop which c:mnot be 

 grown in England, which is not more exhausting than 

 any other grain crop allowed to perfect its seeds, which 

 when consumed on the farm under good tnanageinent, 

 returns a large amount to the land ; and the rougli fod- 

 der of which, when well cured, is almost an equivalent 

 for the cost of cultivation. — H. C. 



"The Tare OR Vetch (ticia saliva,) Is a plant which 

 wo have sometimes seen growing, but rarely cultivated 

 among us. There is no hindrance in our climate to its 

 cultivation ; and perhaps the greatreason why the culti- 

 vation of the tare or the field bean has been neglected 

 or not introduced, has arisen from our capacity to pro- 

 duce Indian corn ; and our high estimation, wiiich can 

 hardly be extravagant, of its value as food for the bruto 

 and the human animal. As green feed especially, and 

 for the purposes of soiling, undoubtedly the tares might 

 be introduceil to great advantage. 



" The Tare," says Low, " is one of the most esteem- 

 ed of the leguminous plants of this country, (England.) 

 When used as green forage, they ire cut after the pods 

 are fornjed, but long before the seeds are ripe. Being 

 in the class of crops not allowed to mature their seeds, 

 they are not exhausting to the soil. They are consider- 

 ed as restorative crops, from the quantity of manure 

 which the consumption of them affords. Tliey are ex- 

 ceedingly nutritious, and f upply a larger quantity of food 

 for a limited period, than almost any other forage crop. 

 All the animals of the farm are fond of this legume, and 

 all thrive upon it in an eminent degree. Hogs may be 

 fattened entirely upon it. It causes milch cows to give 

 more butter than any other species of food, and it is em- 

 ployed extensively in the feeding of horses. All the 

 English agriculturists are impressed with a high opinion 

 of the value of tares." 



Young observes, '* tare crops are of such use and im- 

 portance that not one-tenth of the stock could be sus- 

 tained without them ; horses, cows, sheep and hogs are 

 all fattened upon them ; hogs are soiled upon them 

 without any other food. This plant maintains more 

 «tock than any other plant whatever. Upon one acre 

 Davis maintained four horses in much better condition 

 than upon live acres of grass. Upon eight acres he has 

 kept twelve horses and five cows for three months with- 

 out any other food. No artificial food whatever is equal 

 to this excellent plant." 



"Tares cut green," Professor Thaer observes, " draw 

 no nourishment from the soil whatever ; while made in- 

 to hay they afford a fodder preferred by cattle to pea 

 straw, and more nutritious than hay or any other her- 

 bage." 



These high encomiums on this plant will, we hope, 

 invite the atieniion of our farmers strongly to the sub- 

 ject, that experiments may be made among ourselves of 

 their adaptation to our climate and soil ; and of the ex- 

 pediency of introducing them among a rotation of crops 

 in our system of husbandry, if we are so fortunate pre- 

 sently as to have a system. 



We shall hereafter resume this subject, and give the 

 best information we can obtain in relation to the wholo 

 matter.— H.C. 



and mutton in their markets commands high prices. 

 Sheep are to be considered at the head of their 

 agricultural products. The great importance of 

 providing for them, therefore, must be obvious. 



Our climate, as has been observed, difibrs from 

 theirs ; but the great inquiry applicable in equal 

 force to both countries i.-!, how can we manage our 

 land in order to produce the largest crops, while at 

 the same time we keep up the condition of the land, 

 and place it if possible in a course of gradual im- 

 provement? The success of farming must depend 

 in a considerable degree upon tlie animals produced 

 and supported on the farm. The farmer may cal- 

 culate in respect to animals upon two grounds of 

 profit, the natural growth of the animal, and the 

 weight obtained by fattening. The skilful farmer, 

 therefore, e.xpects where he gains one pound in the 

 fattening of his animal to gain an equal amount in 

 the growth. The early maturity of stock is conse- 

 quently a point of mucli importance. 



Oxen are rarely reared in England for the yoke. 

 In Devonshire and Cornwall, ox teams are employ- 

 ed ; but in travelling one thousand miles in Eng- 

 land, Mr Webster saw only one o.x team, and here 

 they were driven one before the other, and in har- 

 nesses similar to the harnesses of horses. Bullocks 

 are raised for the market. It is highly desirable, 

 therefore, both in respect to neat cattle and sheep, 

 that tlieir growth should be rapid and their fatten- 

 ing properties favorable, that they may be early 

 disposed of, and consequently the expense of pro- 

 duction lessejied. 



Is it practicable on the soil and in the climate of 

 Massachusetts to pursue a succession of crops ? 

 He could not question it; and he had entire confi- 

 dence in the improvements to our husbandry and 

 the great advantages which would accrue from a 

 judicious rotation of products. The capacities of 

 the soil of Massachusetts were undoubted. One 

 hundred bushelsof corn to an acre had been repeat- 

 edly produced, and otlier crops in like abundance. 

 But this would not effect the proper ends of a judi- 

 cious and profitable agriculture, unless we could so 

 manage our husbandry that by a judicious and prop- 

 er succession of crops, the land would not only he 

 restored after an exhausting crop, but gradually 

 enriched by the cultivation. It is of the highest 

 importance that our farmers should increase their 

 power of sustaining live stock, that they may there- 

 from obtain the means of improving their farms. 



He had already remarked that in some things, we 

 had the advantage of them, particularly in agricul- 

 tural implements. He had seen often the plough 

 with wheels, but he deemed it an awkward and 

 cumbrous instrument. 



The live stock of England Kvas 'jna high state of 

 improvement. He.had seen the fine .herds of Lord 

 Spencer, Mr Bates and others, with high -satisfac- 

 tion. The specimens of the improved Short Horns 

 brought to this country have been a capital stock ; 

 bat the character of the stock raised among us 

 should have reference to the nature of our climate. 

 Our present breed of oxen are beyond doubt best 

 suited to the plough. He was inclined to believe 

 that no stock for the dairy among us and upon our 

 short pastures, could be found superior to the .Ayr- 

 shire breed of cows. Every effort should be made 

 to improve our own breeds. The Devonshire stock 

 brought here at an early period and now generally 

 diffused over New England, would probably prove 

 the best stock upon the whole for us. It undoubt- 

 edly admitted of great improvement. 



He urged attention strongly to the seeds of 



grains which we sowed. Great improvements hi 

 been made in these matters by a careful selectic 

 and culture. He considered that the introductit 

 of the Leicester and South Down sheep among i 

 would prove aiji eminent advantage. The Leice 

 ter require extraordinary feeding, and must alwa' 

 be kept fat. The South-Down were an exceedin, 

 ly profitable animal both for wool and mutton ; ai 

 would subsist well in short pastures and an expo 

 ed climate. It is not advisable to cross the L( 

 cester with the Merino, or indeed the long-wooL 

 with the short-wooled races. 



It was easy to see the immense importance of a su 

 cessful agriculture to England ; and that even t 

 amount of one per cent, added to their agricultui 

 products would materially affect the subsisten 

 and comfort of millions. 



It was often said that England was a garde 

 This was a strong metaphor. There was mu 

 poor land and some poor cultivation in England.- 

 But he had looked at their improvements with t 

 highest pleasure and admiration. In aasociatio 

 for the improvement of agriculture, in agricultui 

 societies, we had gone before them. He would t 

 say that they were following our example, but th 

 were now doing what we had done. He had had t 

 pleasure of attending the first meeting of the Br 

 ish National Agricultural Association ; and gentl 

 rnen of the highest distinction in rank, talents a 

 wealth, were apprized of the great importance 

 this vast national interest, and were lending th 

 hearty co-operation in the cause. They had ma 

 in England immense advances in agriculture, .a 

 nearer approaches to the perfection of the art th 

 in any other country. 



He concluded by adding that he had on the w 

 some few individuals of the Leicester and Sot 

 Down breeds of sheep, which, not as the finest, 1 

 as fair examples of these valuable breeds, he wot 

 be happy to exhibit to the farmers of Massachusel 

 They would on their arrival remain in Boston soi 

 time for this purpose. He had likewise brout 

 over a few bushels of the best kinds of wheat gro' 

 in England for seed, which would be left at t 

 Agricultural Warehouse of Messrs Breck and C 

 that the farmers, if they chose, might avail the 

 selves of it. 



After Mr Webster closed his remarks, the Co 

 missioner announced to the Chair, that the meeti 

 was honored, as he was most happy to see, by I 

 presence of a distinguished gentleman froin a neij 

 boring State, familiar with researches into natu 

 science ; and as allusion had been made to the i 

 plication of science to agriculture, he hoped tl 

 gentleman would favor the meeting with his vie 

 on this subject. Professor S;li,iman, being tli 

 called upon by the President of the meeting, kini 

 responded to the call. We can give only very i 

 perfect recollections of a short speech, which higl 

 interested and gratified the assembly. 



He began by remarking that he was taken wh 

 ly by surprise, nothing having been farther from 

 thoughts than to say any thing on this occasion. , 

 deed, after the remarks from the honorable gent 

 man who has just spoken, to which he had had 

 common with others the pleasure of listening, th( 

 was little that need be said by any one. On 

 occasion so gratifying as the present, and offeri 

 objects of inquiry and discussion so highly imp 

 tant and interesting, he could not, however, wi 

 hold the expression of his own personal ini;ere8t 

 the case, and what little aid to the cause might 

 derived from his concurrence. 



