86 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



SEPT. 13, IS43 



ANn HORTICULTURAL RKG19TEB. 



BosTon, Wednesday, Skpt. i'i, 1843. 



NEW MODES OF COMPOUNIIING MANURES. 

 The " American Farmer," of Hallimnre, copiea our 

 article upon Dr. Valentine's method iS preparing ma- 

 nures. In that article we say that "The object propos- 

 ed by Bonimer and others, who iiave been acting upon 

 manures, is ni.iinly to rol down straw and olher vegeta- 

 ble substances. Bnt when rolled, such mailers cannot 

 be strong manures." In a note up<m Ibis, ihe editor of 

 the American Farmer says : "We think tliis conclu.si.m 

 as gratuilous as it is erroneous. Tile siibslances used 

 by the Bomnicr plan, add i^reatly to the value of the de- 

 conipo.sed body." " As graluitous as il is erioneous" — 

 we say so loo — but we do not admit that il is erroneous 

 at nil. That simple vegetable substances when roiled 

 down are Mo( itro7ig' manure, we shall reiterate. They 

 may help to make a good soil, but they are not strong 

 manures. This was our assertion, and we slill hold to 

 it. But, snys the American Farmer, the substances used 

 add to the value, &c. This may be. What those sub- 

 stances are, is not freely and fully told. As far as we 

 now remember, without referring back to our files, the 

 ■obje.;t of Bommer, as avowed at Albany, where he mode 

 a rather public trial, was to rot vegetable matters rapid- 

 ly. Such, we have inferred from all our reading upon 

 Ihe subject, is tics main objeet and effect. We were 

 once permitted to read his directions, but under promise 

 not 10 make them public; and our belief is, that a given 

 quantity of straw, rotted down by Bummer's process in 

 three weeks, will be only a little better than the same 

 quantity would be if rotted down by natural causes in a 

 few months. We have no failb that in either case we 

 should get a strong manure. 



With what light we have been able to get upon the 

 subject, we are not willing to allow that it is either 

 " gratuilous" or " erroneous" in us to say Ihat by Bom- 

 inor's pioceis, one would not make a strong manure. 



Possibly we are quite in the dark — if bo, it is not our 

 fault. We have asked lor light, but the conditions on 

 which it was offered were, that we should pay for it by 

 advertising forthwith in behalf of Bommer's agent. We 

 were willing to make trial of the process, and if il prov- 

 ed good, to advertise in payment for the light that might 

 bo given us. But the terms required us to advertise 

 without conditions. This we would not consent to do. 

 We hope we never shall be ready to pay for a peisonal 

 privilege by means which we in the meanlime fear 

 might lead some of our subscribers to expend their mo- 

 ney for what would be of little value to them. 



We do not proless to have an accuiate acquaintance 

 with Bummer's process, and should he unreasonable 

 were we to denounce it as worthless — but until the lime 

 comes when we can (get more light, we shall bold the 

 opinion that, even if meritorious, its merits are not very 

 high — and especially that it wilTnot produce very strong 

 manure. While vegetable matter makes almost the 

 whole, we shall think Iha manure not very strong — nor 

 fhall we evin dream that our thoughts will be called 

 either " graluitous" or " erroneous,'' by the practicnl 

 men who handle the manure-fork and cultivate the soil 

 I)r. Valentine — Sickness prevented our being present 

 at the opening of the cask which we saw him put down, 

 the contents and pieparation of which we described 

 in a former arliclp, to whieh we promised a sequel. But 

 as we were unable to be piesent at the proper time lor 

 eiaminalion, we can only say thai we aro informed that 

 the contents did not como out in so dry and well pow- 



dered a stale as was anticipated. The mixture must 

 make a good manure, because its component parts, ex- 

 cepting the meadow mud, were all good for the soil — 

 and the pmporlion of mud was nol large enough to 

 make the mixture other than highly fi'riilizing We 

 are not yet ready to say, however, whether Dr. V. has 

 given valuable advice or not. 



CATTLE SHOWS. 



The shows of stock, produce and manufactured arti- 

 cles, aru about to be held. The farmer's trial day and 

 holyday, is close at hand. The influence of cattle 

 shows and their attendant circumstances canni>t well be 

 measured and defined ; but we are well persuaded that 

 ihe tendencies are good. At these shows, the farmer's 

 zeal in his own projjer calling is iiicrcTsed — he there 

 sees and hears things that enlighten fiis mind and slimu- 

 Idle him to e,\ertion. There he sees good animals, and 

 has opportunity to learn something as to the points of 

 good animals. He sees what ikill can do at the plow — 

 what tact can do in training the team. Before him are 

 specimens of the largest, and sometimes of the best pro- 

 ductions of the soil. There the dairy shows its produc- 

 tiuns— generally good, but sometimes sickeningly pale 

 and streaked. But even then one has a fine opportuni- 

 ty to mark the difference between good and bad. 



A survey of the whole exhibition will either give in- 

 struction or enkindle the desire to be a better farmer — 

 or it will do boili. Such will be the eft'ocls upon many, 

 very many minds. The young, especially, will be ex- 

 cited and animated, and induced to form resolves to be- 

 come skilful in husbandry. The deeper general interest 

 in farming which llio present times witness, than was 

 felt a generation ago, owes its existence, in part, at least, 

 to these cattle shows. We deem them instruments of 

 good. 



But they, like all other means of good, may be accom- 

 panied by some evil. We have thought that allowing 

 men to compete on the plowing field, and requiring the 

 work to bo no more than five inches in depth, as has 

 often been done in the case of single teams, tended to 

 introduce or rather to perpetuate among us a habit of 

 more shallow plowing than good husbandry requires. 



We have thought loo that the premiums are often 

 awarded for animals tor their size rather than for excel- 

 lence of" form ; and that the over-grown vegetables and 

 fruits are more frequently exhibited ihan fair speci7nens 

 of the produce of a field or garden. Such faults, if faults 

 they be, are far from sufficient to outweigh the good ; 

 but yet if these and some other matters of do greater 

 impoitance, could be remedied, ice, at least, should like 

 the efl'ccts of cattle shows slill better than we now do. 



From Mr J. L. L F. Warren, a good show of Dahli 

 Admiral Slopford, Primrose, Famosa, &c. were ve 

 fine. For the Committee, 



H. W. DUTTON 



EXHIBITION OF FKCITS. 



From G. Merriam, West Newton, two dishes suptt 

 large Peaches. 



Fine Peaches from Mrs. Giles, Somerville. 



From Seih £. Hardy, Cambridgeport, fine Bartl 

 Pears. 



From J. H. Pierce, Seedling Plum--, resembling I 

 White Perdu; Sqiia-h Apple, and Bartlett Pears 



From H. Vandine, Early Black. Smith's Orlea 

 Prince's Imperial Gage, and Yellow Egg Plums. 



Pears fn.m S. Pond. 



From Jacob Dean, Mansfield, a very fine display 

 Apples, embracing seven varieties of Seedlings, ma 

 of them very fine; several varieties of Apples uiina 

 ed, and Superb Sweet, Tender Sweet, Spice Sweet, Si 

 of Wine, Wine Apjde, While, Hey Boy, and Boyc 

 Sweet. Peaches, large Early, a fine Clingstone, a 

 Seedling, all fine. 



From J. L. L. F. Warren, President, Royal Geor 

 and Lemon Clingstone Peaches, some of them ex^ 

 larje and fine, and an Apple and Pear for names 



From Dr. John C. Howard, Melons — Persian Gre« 

 Flesh, Green Smyrna, and Minorca. 



From Mr Josiali Lnvett, iid, fine Melon. 



The Melons from these gentlemen were found to 

 of exquisite flavor. 



For the Committee, JOSEPH BRECK 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, Sept. 9, ISiS. 



It was announced last week, that in consequence of 

 the necessary preparations lor ihe Annual Exhibition on 

 Wednesday next, no exhibition would be made tfus day ; 

 but this WHS not generally understood by our friends m 

 the cotintiy, and their usual conlributioiis were sent in, 

 though there was nothing from our city ainaleuis. 



Messrs. Hovey »!t Co. exhibited a number of neat 

 bouquets, composed of Roses, Heliotrope, Ac. 



From Dr. Howard, bouquets, Dahlias, Asters, and 

 other cut flowers. 



From A. C. Hall, Dahlias, Balsams, and PliUxes. 



From A. H. White, a good stand ot Dahlias. 



From Mr McLellan, jiardener to Mr Pratt, fine bou- 

 quets and a stand ol good Dalilias. 



From F. W. Macondray, a good display of Dahlias 

 and fine Aslers. 



From S. A. Walker, a fine show of Dahlias — among 

 Ihein good specimens of Girling's Prince of Wales, Es- 

 sex Triumph, &c. 



"Poor but Respectable." — The Ohio Slate Jo 

 nal, in noticing ilie sudden death of a citizen of Frai 

 lin county, says he was " poor but respectable." ^ 

 cannot, in our charity, charge the editor with meani 

 to say that respectability is an uncommon attendant 

 poverty, but his expression renders him liable to be 

 understood. The obnoxious " but'* is too often used 

 this connection. *■ Poor but respectable" — as if, foreoo 

 it was rare to find virtue linked with poverty ! and tl 

 respei'tability, as a matter of course, is conferred 

 wealth ! Such is the import of this common and del 

 table expression ; — and, while we are nol disposed 

 impute to those who use it, any unworthy aristocra 

 predilections, we could wish that this " poor but resp 

 table" phrase might be speedily consigned to the reci 

 lacle of things obsolete. We absolutely loathe it,- 

 " stinks in" our " nostrils." It is not only a» absurd 

 it is anti-republican, and of pernicious tendency in 

 influence on the minds of the young, but il implies 

 abominable falsehood. Wealth is merely a foriuiK 

 circumstance, and confers no merit of itself; — respec 

 bility may be joined with il, but does not follow from 

 and cannot, like wealth, be the foundation of an ariati 

 racy, since it is free to all, and attainable by all in co 

 inon ; — and we hazard nothing in assoriing, that, in 

 time past, virtue — the element of all true respectability 

 has been found as often, at least, in the lowly cotta 

 of ihe poor as in the gorgeous mansion of ihe rich, — a 

 it is a blessed consolation to the children of adversi 

 wherever within earth's borders they may dwell, th 

 however much they may be excluded from a parlici| 

 lion in the benefits enjoyed by monopolies of weal 

 and monopolies of power, they cannot be excluded — it 

 not in the power ufvtun to exclude them — from the i 

 joyment of that purest and chiefesl of all earthly hap 

 ness — " the soul's calm sunshine and the heartfelt joy" 

 which follows from a conscience void of offence lowt 

 God and man : — and this— this alone, is the element 

 true respectability. t t t 



Jj^Tho annual exhibition of Fruits and Flowers 

 the Mass. Horticultural Society, commenced this day, 

 their rooms, ^3 Tremont Row, and will be contiiiu 

 until Friday evening. No entertainment in the city pi 

 sents more attraction than this, and the rooms will, 

 doubt, as heretofore, be thronged with visitors. 



