416 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



Por the Neic England Fanner. 



MEANS OF AGBICULTUBAIi KNOWL- 

 EDGE. 



Mu. Editor : — What are our principal means 

 of obtaining a knowledge of agriculture in New 

 England at the present time ? I make this inqui- 

 ry, because I wish to know whether or not we are 

 employing sufficient means for the education of 

 the vising generation who are to occupy the land 

 of their fathers, and to cultivate its rugged soil. 

 New England is comparatively a hard, rocky and 

 barren soil ; but, under skilful cultivation, it is 

 capable of producing all the necessaries and many 

 of the luxuries of life in great abundance. Still, 

 in order to compete successfully with other por- 

 tions of the country where but little knowledge 

 and effort are required in cultivating the earth, 

 the New England farmer must possess superior 

 knowledge of the business so as to be able to hus- 

 band all his resources to the best advantage. It 

 will not do for him to skim over the surface, to 

 scratch the soil and cast in his seed, and expect 

 an abundant harvest. No ; what he most needs, 

 is practical knowledge or science ; for it is this 

 alone which can enable him to render the rough 

 and rugged soil of New England productive. 



Let us briefly enumerate some of our principal 

 means of acquiring agricultural knowledge, and 

 endeavor to ascertain our real condition and pros- 

 pects. 



The first means of acquiring this knowledge is 

 in the family, on the farm. This is very different 

 on different farms, and in different towns and 

 neighborhoods. On some farms, it is good, very 

 good ; on others, it is tolerably or indifferently 

 good ; on others, again, it is useless, or worse 

 than nothing. It is no where uniform, methodi- 

 ical, systematic, or scientific. On one farm, the 

 operations are all performed in a very careless, 

 slovenly and unskilful manner ; on another, they 

 are all performed very differently, and are followed 

 with very different results. Still, whatever may 

 be the errors and defects of family instruction on 

 the farm, it ought not to be underrated or held in 

 disesteem, because in most families, and on most 

 farms, it is doing an immense amount of good, 

 and imparting a great amount of knowledge to the 

 young. 



The second means of knowledge consists of 

 newspapers, periodicals and books, professedly 

 treating of the science and practice of agriculture 

 in all its departments. And it is greatly to be re- 

 gretted, that these admirable means of knowledge 

 intended for the benefit of all, should be improved 

 by so few; that any unreasonable prejudice should 

 prevent any one from receiving that instruction 

 from books and newspapers which he would glad- 

 ly and thankfully receive from the lips of a friend. 



The tliird means of knowledge consists of the 

 example, conversation and advice of neighboring 

 farmers. A good example, accompanied by gen- 

 tle words and useful advice, will have a great ef- 

 fect on youthful practice. The influence of such 

 farmers is very great. The young are naturally 

 inclined to imitate their superiors and elders in 

 every kind of business. This is peculiarly the 

 case in farm operations, in which every improve- 

 ment is readily adopted and reduced to practice. 



The fourth means of knowledge consists of 

 farmers' clubs and town agricultural societies. In 



every town where there is a farmers' club estab- 

 lished for the discussion of agricultural subjects, 

 there is generally an excellent school for young 

 farmers. These farmers' clubs are generally made 

 up of the best and most skilful farmers in the 

 town ; of men who read and think and reason, 

 and, in all their discussions, aim to let their light 

 shine for the benefit of each other. Mutual in- 

 struction is what they aim at, and not to astonish 

 the world by an exhibition of some great montros- 

 ity of nature or art. They have no premiums or 

 State funds to bestow on unworthy objects. They 

 see clearly, that the State's money which is now 

 annually distributed among the several county so- 

 cieties so liberally, ought to be so managed as to 

 impart knowledge to the great mass of young 

 farmers, instead of being squandered away in 

 county towns upon trifling and doubtful objects. 



Such are some of our principal means of acquir- 

 ing agricultural knowledge. Are they adequate 

 to the purpose of imj)arting a thorough knowledge 

 of agriculture to the rising generation ? If they 

 are, we ought to be satisfied with them, and en- 

 deavor to use them to the best advantage. But 

 if these means are not sufficient, we should make 

 use of additional means, so as to secure a greater 

 amount of knowledge. It is obvious to every one, 

 that the strongest man is not necessarily the best 

 farmer. There is something which is better than 

 physical strength, and which can accomplish more. 

 It is knowledge which is able to overcome brute 

 force, and subdue the ferocity of the tiger. The 

 knowing farmer can always excel the ignorant 

 farmer whatever be his physical strength, laecause 

 his superior knowledge gives him additional skill 

 in his business. In New England, the head as 

 well as the hands must work. There cannot be 

 much success in farming, where there is a lack of 

 knowledge ; for it is knowledge which enables the 

 farmer to raise the largest crops, at the smallest 

 cost, and with the least effort. How to do this 

 successfully, the science of agriculture alone can 

 teach. At the present day, the farmer is placed 

 in such close proximity with almost every depart- 

 ment of science, that it is difficult to determine 

 what should be the extent of his knowledge. 



Warwick, Mass., 1862. John Goldsbury. 



HABITS OF GRASSHOPPEBS. 

 A Goliad correspondent of the Colorado (Texas) 

 Citizen gives some curious facts in relation to the 

 grasshoppers which have recently swarmed in that 

 region. He says : 



They have an especial fondness for wheat and 

 cotton, but don't take so kindly to corn. The only 

 vegetable they spare, is the pumpkin. The most 

 deadly poisons have had no effect upon them; 

 fumes of sulphur they rather like than otlierwisc ; 

 musquito nets they devour greedily ; clothes hung 

 out to dry they esteem a rarity ; blankets and 

 gunnybags they don't appear to fancy. They swim 

 the broadest creeks in safety, sun themselves a 

 while, and then go on. The whole mass ajipear 

 to start at the same time, travelling for an hour or 

 two, devouring everything in their way, and then 

 suddenly cease, and not move perhaps for a week, 

 duirug which time no feeding is noticed ; and 

 finally, they carefully avoid the sea-coast. 



