886 



NEW ENGLAND FARJ^IER. 



Aug. 



as lawful interest ; they do not here, nor do 

 they in any of the older farming sections in 

 which I am acquainted. On the Wadsworth 

 farms the rent is calculated to average about 

 live p'jr cent. In England, in many cases, it 

 is not over two per cent. Here, then, Mr. 

 H. makes another impracticable condition. 

 He asks more than his land can reasonably be 

 expected to rent for. If oifered for a fair 

 price, he would doubtless soon find a tenant. 

 At least, that is always the case here, where, al- 

 though there are a good many farms let, either, 

 for a money rent or a share of the crops, the 

 demand for farms is always greater than the 

 supply. 



But ]\Ir. Hubbard seems to have in view a 

 still stronger test of the fiiith of anonymous 

 contributors ; as he intimates that such con- 

 tributors should come and take his farm. To 

 this I answer, for myself only, by saying, no 

 sir, I thank you ; I have a good farm of my 

 own. But I may take the liberty to make a 

 brief statement here of my own personal experi- 

 ence in respect to the ''theory" of renting 

 farms, which I have presumed to "air in the 

 public journals.'" Beginning life with nothing 

 but my hands, I first worked out. then took 

 land, both for money rent and on shares, until, 

 having got some money ahead, I bought a 

 small place. This, in time, I was able to sell 

 and buy my present farm, which answers my 

 purpose very well. Having thus managed 

 to get a get a good farm, I have a good deal of 

 sympathy for those that, under similar circum- 

 stances, are trymg to get one, also. Not be- 

 ing able to do much hard work myself, I have 

 been obliged to take some coui'se to get my 

 farm worked, and I have therefore given some 

 thought, reading and observation, to this sub- 

 ject. 



The article criticised by Mr. Hubbard aimed 

 to give impartial directions and suggestions for 

 the benefit of both landlord and tenant. That 

 my remarks might be improved, I have no 

 doubt. I could not expect to point out the 

 very best way, or that applicable imder all 

 circumstances, but only to add my mite to the 

 fund of knowledge that is intended to improve 

 tenant farming, as well as other branches of 

 agriculture. 



But enough is written to show that my re- 

 marks are not open to the charge of being 

 theoretical and not practical, because I do not 

 accept or comply with Mr. IIubl)ard's "test," 

 or because I do not furnish him with a tenant, 

 on the hard conditions ollered. Were it even 

 true that he could not let it on any terms, it 

 would not prove that such is the case with all 

 farms. Or if tenant farming does not prove 

 satisfactory in "Derry, N. II.," it may, by 

 better management, or on better land, do bet- 

 ter in other places. 



I hav(! fre(iuently heard men strenuously 

 contend tliat some particular course cannot be 

 followed, or some operation performed, when 

 I knew that the same things were in success- ' 



ful practice in other places. Bdt not coming 

 within the sphere of their experience or ob- 

 servation, and not fully undei-.-.tanding the 

 process or course of proceeding, such men find 

 it easier to doubt and dispute, than to read and 

 investigate. Now I hope this is not the case 

 with friend II., but that instead of insisting on 

 impracticable tests he will investigate and find 

 out the reason wliy tenant farming is not as 

 practicable there as in other places. Then sure- 

 ly Yankee ingenuity will for once be unac- 

 countably at fault, if a remedy is not applied. 

 Western N. Y., 1867. f. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE BAROMETER FOR FARMERS. 



Having had some experience with this instru- 

 ment as a weather indicator, I desire to urge 

 its more general adoption, as an agricultural im- 

 plement. J\Iany of our larger larmer.i use it 

 already, and consider the money thus expend- 

 ed, a good investment ; indeed, I never knew 

 an instance where an intelligent observer 

 would be willing to part Avith his, at several 

 times its cost, if another could not be obtained. 

 There has been many inferior things vended 

 about the country as barometers, which are 

 not properly barometers at all. For instance, 

 a hygrometer was extensively sold, a year or 

 two ago, as a genuine barometer ; then there 

 liave been cheap, improperly made instruments 

 put into the market. Of course, when such 

 "traps" are sold the buyer is "sold" also. 

 Many minds have been prejudiced by these 

 means ; others from an utter aversion to every 

 thing scientific. 



Nevertheless, it is an established fact, — 

 established by the millions of recorded obser- 

 vations both in this country and in Europe — 

 that weather changes are preceded by in- 

 creased, or diminished atmospheric pressure. 

 This the barometer faithfully indicates, giving 

 warning ii-ora two to twenty-four hours in ad- 

 vance. It is vain at this late day, to argue 

 that no dependence can be put on its indica- 

 tions. It is well known that it is considered 

 indispensable on the seas, and that there it 

 is most implicitly relied on. A sea captain 

 would as soon think of sailing without his chart 

 or compass, almost, as without his barometer. 

 But for it, many a "gallant ship" would go 

 down, which now outrides the storm, because- 

 "forewarned is Ibrearmed" — a maxim as appli- 

 cable on the land, as on the water. 



On the fiirm, its principal value is in the • 

 saving of crops. Dr. Henry, of the Smithso- 

 nian Institute, estimates that five per cent, on 

 all crops might be saved by the universal use 

 of this ay)pllance liy fanners, amounting to 

 elgty millions of dollars annually. Much val- 

 uable time is often wasted, as every farmer 

 knows, especially in the haying season, from a 

 lack of some means of foretelling whether the 

 day will prove favorable or not ; at .such times 

 a good barometer affords great aid, often sav- 



