1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



217 



TALKS WITH THE FABMBRS. 



N Wednesday evening, 

 March 13th, we had the 

 pleasure of meeting the 

 farmers and others of the 

 town of Harvard in council, 

 \-F^ to consider and discuss the 

 best means of promoting 

 their general interests. — 

 Some years since they had 

 an active association which 

 was continued for a con- 

 siderable period, during 

 which they had several 

 town exhibitions which 

 were highly creditable to 

 their energy and skill. It is supposed that the 

 influences of this association did much towards 

 introducing some new modes of husbandry, im- 

 proved implements, better barns and stock, and 

 led many to give more attention to the cultiva 

 tion of fruit. This item of farm products is of 

 especial consequence to the people of this town, 

 as they have a soil admirably fitted to the apple, 

 pear, peach, grape, blackberry, raspberry, thim- 

 bleberry and currant, all of which may be pre- 

 pared just at night and delivered in Boston mar- 

 ket before ten o'clock the next morning ; or, by 

 an afternoon train, delivered at night, so that 

 they may be offered for sale as early as sunrise 

 the following morning. 



The surface of a considerable portion of the 

 town is hilly, and the soil of granite formation, 

 strong and retentive of manures. These hills 

 are not readily affected by drought, as they store 

 up a vast amount of solar heat in bright days, 

 keeping the soil warm while it is moist, and mak- 

 ing them very productive of most New England 

 crops when they are well tended. Thus they are 

 admirably adapted to fruit culture, and furnish 

 some of the best lands in the Commonwealth for 

 the cultivation of the peach. Recently the crop 

 of this delicious fruit has failed all about this re- 

 gion, and in a great measure, also, in the State 

 of New Jersey, and even farther South. We 

 have been informed that one or two persons in 

 this town have each sold from a small portion of 

 land, three to five hundred dollars worth of peach- 

 es in a single year ! Within two years, however, 

 "the Yellows" has made sad work with the trees, 

 and the crop has been greatly diminished. 



The discussion, during most of the evening, 

 was upon the advantages, to the farmer and his 

 family, to be derived from a systematic associa- 

 tion, for the purpose of considering, investigating 

 and discussing the varied departments of the busi- 

 ness in tchich they are engaged. A strong inter- 

 est was manifested to associate, gather strength, 

 and explore the wide field of labor before them. 



We trust that the nucleus for this is formed, and 

 that the lessened labor, inci-eased profits and do- 

 mestic comforts, which cannot fail to spring from 

 such action, will be equal to the social advance- 

 ment growing out of such an interchange of prac- 

 tices and opinions. 



The hill lands in this town, and of which we 

 have already spoken, are, most of them, stony, 

 being covered with boulders varying in weight 

 from fifty pounds to many tons, so that it is a 

 matter of consequence to the farmer to know 

 what disposition it is best to make of them. It 

 was quite natural, therefore, that, in the course 

 of the discussion, the following question was 

 asked, viz. : "7* it best to remove stones away 

 from the land vpon which they are found, or to 

 bury them so far beloio the surface as to be out of 

 the way of the plow ?" The principal speaker 

 replied, that no doubts upon this matter embar- 

 rassed his mind — it was best to sink them, and 

 for the following reasons : 



1. In removing large quantities of stones that 

 are partly imbedded in the soil, the whole surface 

 is sunk in proportion to the quantity removed. 



2. This leaves the surface lower, more com- 

 pact and in a sort of inert or lifeless condition, in 

 which cultivated plants will not flourish. 



3. That in removing the stones, a considerable 

 amount of fertilizing matter which they contain 

 is removed with them, such as potash, lime, &c., 

 which is gradually dissolved by atmospheric and 

 other agencies, and is indispensable to the healthy 

 growth of plants. 



4. That stones placed at a moderate distance 

 below the surf;\ce, become depositories of heat 

 which they give out as the surface is cooled, and 

 they attract the roots of plants by that warmth 

 as well as by the agents of growth which they 

 contain. 



5. That they attract moisture. In digging up 

 young trees where stones are found beneath the 

 surface, it is quite common to find these stones 

 surrounded by a net work of fibrous roots, all 

 seeming to embrace them with the certainty of 

 finding food, moisture and warmth. Trees in 

 such localities are usually thrifty and productive.. 



6. It is cheaper to sink them on the spot than 

 to remove them away from the field. 



7. Wherever stones are sunk, the soil and sub- 

 soil are thoroughly trenched, in performing the 

 work of sinking, an operation of great value to 

 the land, and one which will add materially to its 

 productive power for many years. 



Where the boulders are quite large, a good 

 process is to throw the earth out entirely around 

 them to a depth sufficient to receive the whole, 

 then blast, when the pieces will fall over into the 

 hole prepared for them, and are reidy to be cov- 

 ered up. If the substratum is very stony, the 



