1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



141 



then by turning the fan right hard, the flicat 

 benig hghter, witli the aid of a strong wind, 

 will be drawn out at the second run of the 

 grain. Wheat, run two or three times through 

 the mill in this manner, will be oleaner of 

 cheat, than if cleaned a half dozen times on 

 the plan of scrcjening out the cheat with the 

 screen in the usual wav. 



I'm' the Mio England Farmer. 



THE NEW Volume. 



The simple announcement of a new volume 

 of the New Exgland Farmer is suggestive ; 

 it leads to thought upon the influence of the 

 press, and the value and character of the agri- 

 cultural branch of it. 



The various ways of disseminating knowl- 

 edge may be classified under three heads, — 

 the School, the Club or Lyceum and the Press. 



The first is for imparting the elements of 

 science or laying the foundation of an educa- 

 tion for futui'e usefulness, and is designed 

 for youth. The club is for more mature 

 minds. Whether it is called debating society, 

 lyceum or lectiu-e, it means the same, — the 

 gathering together of men for instruction. 

 Before the art of printing was invented it was, 

 next to the school, the chief means for the ac- 

 (juisition of knowledge, but it has lost its for- 

 mer influence, being superseded by the press. 



The press has become the all-powerf id en- 

 gine for diffusing knowledge. In its daily, 

 weekly, and monthly form it goes out to the 

 people, reaching to those who cannot attend the 

 school or club. It finds the farmer in the re- 

 tired part of the most secluded town of his 

 State ; and it reaches with certainty the back- 

 woods-man and pioneer in their lonely cabins ; 

 it accompanies the traveller as he journeys 

 from coimtry to country, and the mariner upon 

 his long voyages ; it enters every dwelling ; it 

 reaches the masses, and it does the work the 

 school and club cannot do. It is difficult to 

 realize all a free press is doing for Americans. 



Every profession, every occupation of im- 

 portance, has its journal or journals devoted 

 to its interests. There are one hundred or 

 more in the United States laboring for the ad- 

 vancement of its agriculture. They come to 

 farmers to advise, to entreat, to warn and to 

 encourage ; they are companions, friends and 

 counsellors. We find in them all that is said 

 and done in the school, the club-room or ly- 

 ceum ; the thoughts and experience of the best 

 minds of the country and age are collected 

 and given upon their pages. All this, which 

 we could not possibly otherwise obtain, comes 

 with a regtdai'ity and certainty, that but half 

 a century ago would have been truly aston- 

 ishing, and all for an insignificant price. 



At this time of the year, we are called upon 

 to decide how many and which of these helps 

 to good farming we will take. Among others, 

 the New England Farmer presents its claims 

 for patronage ; and here, Messrs. Editors, 



pardon me, if I am somewhat personal, while 

 1 give a few reasons for sujiporting the New 

 England Farmer. 



There are nmny small journals of limited 

 circulation which introduce an agrictiltural de- 

 partment to insure the support of farmers, 

 and which possessing considerable local in- 

 terest are patronized by them. There is an- 

 other class conducted by and in the interest 

 of some agricultural warehouse, seed store or 

 stock breeder. These being somewhat showy 

 and pretentious, and published at low rates, 

 obtain a handsome support. However many 

 papers of this description may be taken, it is 

 assumed that every thoroughly interested and 

 progressive farmer desires at least one purely 

 agricultural journal. 



1. Now, a first class paper nuist be located 

 at the centre of a large population, mai-kets 

 and news. There must also be a breadth of 

 territory from which to derive a stipport ; not 

 every county, nor the valley of a small river, 

 nor even a whole State will give the desired 

 patronage. The expense of a first class jour- 

 nal are of a necessity very heavy, and they 

 seem to increase yearly, so much being re- 

 quired of a journal that intends to hold a high 

 rank. The Farmer certainly has the advan- 

 tage of location ; the interests of the New 

 England States are identical. Thej^aper need 

 not be half filled with matter to please one 

 section, that will not be attractive and useful 

 to readers in other parts. 



2. A pleasing, ready writer, a mere theo- 

 rizer, or one of a profound scholastic turn of 

 mind, is not the man to conduct our agricul- 

 tural paper. lie should be a man of broad 

 views, ])ossess a large share of common sense, 

 and have had an extensive experience in the 

 subjects whereof he writes. 



3. Editors frequently, in pointing oitt the 

 excellencies of their paper, lay great stress 

 upon the amount of original matter it contains, 

 and some papers appear to be made up almost 

 entirely of editorials and correspondence. 

 These are original in what sense ? In lan- 

 guage, not ideas ; the latter are borrowed or 

 gleaned from books and other journals, — they 

 are articles re-written. Readers of such pa- 

 pers will notice a marked sameness, and a 

 want of variety. Every idea being cast in one 

 mould, comes to the reader in one and the 

 same th-ess. A greater variety in style and 

 ideas is secured where a fair share of selec- 

 tions are given, with the editorials and corres- 

 pondence. When editors make a few judicious 

 selections, giving the cream of some other 

 journal, t^ey greatly enrich their own, and if 

 correspondents write readable articles, why 

 should they not ajipear in the author's own 

 words ? 



Not the least uninteresting part of a paper 

 is the department to collect all items and facts 

 sent in by correspondents, and answer their 

 numerous questions. Few readers .are aware 

 of the labor necessary to put into a readable 



