No. 1^ 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



181 



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F(;r Ike Aeio Genesee Farmer, 



To the Farmers of Wayne County. 



A etrangsr trovelling nmong us, would doubtless be 

 gratified with the many evidences of prosperity which 

 our county exhibits. He could not foil to remark the 

 comfortable and even elegnnt appearance of our farm 

 houBes, the rich and varied character of the soil, equal- 

 ly removed from the rugged and broken surface of the 

 eastern, and the flat and heavy loams of the western 

 eections of the State. But suppose that he should 

 proceed farther, and inquire into our modes of farm- 

 ing; the products per acre; the quality of the stock 

 we raise, and the accommodations we furnish them ; 

 the attention we bestow upon manures, with other 

 similar questions, — would not candor oblige us to ad- 

 mit that our wheat crop does not e.xceed fifteen bushels 

 the acre, when good husbandry would secure at least 

 thirty 1 that few farmers pay much attention to the 

 eize and shape of their animals, when it can be easily 

 proved that a good made beast, will generally afford 

 handsome profits, while the rearing of a bad one, is 

 attended with almost certain loss ? that many are 

 found ready to agree stoutly against stabling, as tend- 

 ing to the injury of their stock, when nothing is 

 more evident than that this is demanded by the most 

 rigid economy ? and that as to manures, our barn- 

 yards are seldom constructed with reference to their 

 reception or augmentation, when experience shows 

 that neglect of this will inevitably bring ultimate 

 ruin upon the cultivator ? 



If these be facts, and they cannot, I think be contro- 

 verted, ought we not,as men regardful of our own inter- 

 ests as well as those of the country at large, to take some 



decisive steps to improve our modes of farming 7 



True, our lands in their virgin state, brought forth by 

 handfuls, with but little labor bestowed; but that day 

 has in most cases passed, and for us to pursue the 

 same method on our deteriorated soil, would be little 

 less than absurd. 



Let us take warning by the example of the counties 

 on the Hudson, which, though formerly fertile, were 

 in many cases, by a course similar to our redu- 

 ced to complete sterility; and their farmers have been 

 obliged, by a laborious process, to renew that strength 

 which had been so wantonly destroyed, 



A small degree of effort on our part now, would be 

 of incalculable advantage; but how shall that effort 

 be directed ? Chiefly, in my opinion, towards two 

 objects. The first of these is the establishment of an 

 efficient Agricultural Society. 



The benefits of such a society can scarcely be over- 

 iBted. Look at Scotland, fifty years since almost a 

 waste; without fences, without buildings, without 

 roads, and of course her people, in the general, mise- 

 rably poor. Look at that country now — nowhere on 

 the wide earth is the standard of agriculture more el- 

 evated, — her wilderness has truly become a fruitful 

 field, and her deserts mode to blossom as the rose. 

 Her farmers, though subject to the most enormous 

 rents, are surrounded by comforts, and roads, good at 

 all seasons of the year, traverse every section of the 

 country. 



What has wrought this change 7 It is almost en- 

 tirely owing to the efforts of the Higland Agricultural 

 Society, aided somewhat by others. This Society, 

 from a small beginning in 1784, is now able to offer 

 to the community sarcntun thousand dollars in pre- 

 miums. 



As a matter of course, their annuol exhibitions 

 show the finest cattle in the world; and their reports 

 state that where little wheat was formerly grown, vast 

 quantities are annually raised — " three entire counties 

 averaging fifty-one bushels to the acre " Have we 

 not here, brother farmers, sufficient encouragement to 

 ctive cienion 1 



The second object to which we should direct our at- 

 tention, is the general diffusion of information by 

 means of agricultural papers. In the minds of many 

 persons a foolish prejudice exists against these, as be- 

 ing merely theoretical in their character. But the 

 truth is, a good paper is chiefly the vehicle by which 

 intelligent, practical, farmers communicate with each 

 other. It is perfect nonsense to suppose that a man's 

 ideas ore not as valuable when written, as when de- 

 livered orally. The amount of information capable o( 

 thus being calcidoted, would be worth millions to our 

 country. I do not exaggerate. Let me adduce a sin- 

 gle circumstance in proof. Western New York is sup- 

 posed to have paid considerable attention to the con- 

 struction of her ploughs. It was here the cast-iron 

 plough was invented; but it has rcceittly been found 

 that the best ploughs sent from Rochester, to compete 

 for the premium of the Massachusetts Agricultural So- 

 ciety, required double the force to draw them, as did 

 those made in Boston ! Let every farmer then in our 

 country possess himself of a Prouty & Mears, or a 

 Howard, plough, and what an amount of labor would 

 be saved, and how much better the work would be 

 performed. But a knowledge of this and other im- 

 provements will not readily become known, unless pa- 

 pers devoted to the subject are widely circulated. 

 All of these, within my acquaintance, are truly valua- 

 ble; but I should do injustice to my own convictions 

 if I did not particidar'y recommend the "New Gen- 

 esee Farmer;" which, from the number and ability 

 of its editors, and most of its correspondents, and the 

 happy union of scientific knowledge with practical 

 skill, which its columns exhibit, will bear honorable 

 comparison with the best conducted journal of its 

 kind. Not occupied with heavy and merely theoreti- 

 cal articles, suited perhaps to another climate, its se- 

 lections seem in general to be judiciously made, and 

 adapted to our wants. — Atid then its price — onbj fifty 

 calls ! — the price of two bushels of apples. Why, 

 the articles on fruit alone, from the pen of David 

 Thomas, are worth, to any farmer, the cost of a dozen 

 subscriptions. Let each subscriber then induce his 

 neighbor to take it. 



I hope that what I have written may not be attribu- 

 ted to a dictorial spirit; but rather to a sincere wish 

 for the promotion of our common benefit. 



WM. R. SMITH. 



Macedon, Nov. 27, 1840. 



A voice from " Niagara." 



The following letter deserves the particular atten- 

 tion of the friends of agriculture; and we hope many 

 of the readers ol the New Genesee Farmer will take 

 the advice of Mr. Parsons, whom we are happy to in- 

 troduce to them as one with whom most of them have 

 long felt ocquainted by the borrowed name of " Niag- 

 ara." — Eds. 

 Editors Neic Gcncscc Farmer : 



Gentlemen — I am very highly gratified that " it is 

 now fairly proved, that the New Genesee Farmer can 

 be sustained at a price w.uch places it within the reach 

 of all." And it is a fact which I most sincerely de- 

 plore, that BO small a proportion of our formers avail 

 themselves of tbe advantages to be derived from a pe- 

 rusal of its pages; and to devise waj's and means 

 whereby this evil may be removed, baa been a matter, 

 with me, (and I have no doubt with many others,) ol 

 serious inquiry, and very deep solicitude. 



If we set forth the great comparative value of &v<ch 

 a journal, — if we adduce ever so many reasojiawhy 

 such a periodical should be in the family of every far- 

 mer in our widely extended country, the great mnjoji- 

 ty of them never see or read such represeinolions, be- 

 cause they do not take the paper. Now, what shall 

 be done ! In suswer Vi this QuesUoUj I wottld bog 



leave to make ono suggestion; and that suggestion I 

 would make not to, or at, such as never sec or read 

 the New Genesee Farmer; but to its subscril/crs, its 

 friends, its jiatrons, and its readers. The plan, or 

 suggestion, is as follows; — Let every subscriber of the 

 first volume take one or two numbers to each of hia 

 neighbors, and request such neighbors to read them, 

 and then return them and get one or two more. By 

 this time they will become interested in their perusal, 

 and one-half will subscribe for the paper without solic- 

 itation. To those who are somewhat backward on 

 the subject, just say to them, " Pay mo fifty cents and 

 the paper shall be sent to you for one year; and if you 

 will sny, at the end of the yeor, that you have not re- 

 ceived a greater advantage than the amount of the 

 subscription, bring me the 12 numbers, in good order, 

 and I will refund you the money." 



I make this suggestion. Gentlemen, because I have 

 the most perfect confidence that it would succeed lo 

 the increase of your subscription list more than four 

 fold. I have partially tried this plan, and I am deter- 

 mined to make the experiment still further. And I 

 do assure you that I very highly appreciate your useful 

 journal; for I have received great advantages from it 

 and its predecessor. From the very commencement 

 of my farming operations, I have been in the habit of 

 reading agricultural journals, and they have, in innu- 

 merable instances, been a source of profit to me, aa 

 well as much rational enjoyment: and I hereby pledge 

 to you my co-operation in the acomplishment of the 

 most worthy object of your journal, so for as is consis. 

 tent with my other avocations, both with my tongue 

 and my pen. Yours truly, 



W. PARSONS. 



Thorn Hill, near Lockporl, Nov.1840. 



Wayne County Agricultural Society. 



By the following notice, copied from the TVaijne 

 Standard, we perceive that the friends of improve- 

 ment in that rich county are not disposed to relox their 

 efforts for the advancement of the great interests of 

 agrieidture. There are enough able and intelligent 

 farmers in that county to sustain a society with great 

 spirit and usefulness, if they would only give thet^ 

 minds to the subject, and unite their eflbrta. Thiei 

 we hope they will do, so that we may have a goocj 

 account of them next year. 



We believe there is now a more general disi>06itior> 

 to make vigorous and united efforts for the advance- 

 ment of agriculture in Western New York, than ever 

 before existed; and we expect to have the pleasure of 

 recording great things of Old Genesee next yea{, 



WAYNE CODNTV AC.RICDT.TURAL SOCIETV. 



A meeting of the Wayne County Agrieuhursl So- 

 ciety, was held, pursuant to public notice, at the house 

 of V. G. Barney, in Newark, on Wednesday, the 

 15th of November, when an election of officers of the 

 Society took place, which resulted in the selection of 

 the following gentlemen; — 



SAMUEL HECOX, President, 

 HAMILTON ROGERS, ist. V. President, 

 HARVY MALLORY, 2d. V. President, 

 DAVID M. KEELER, Secrctan/. 

 REUBEN H. FOSTER, Corr^ouding See-. 

 JOSEPH A MILLER, Treasum. 

 SAMUEL E. HUDSON, 

 A. L. BEAUMONT, 

 CULLEN FOSTER, ^ 

 EsBQN Blackmar and John M. Hollev were ap- 

 pointed delegates to the State Agricultural S<.>cicty, to 

 bo held at Albany, in January next. 



The Premiuma av.-arded at the Fair, were paid to 

 such as were present and entitled So receive the snraes 



Rtsolrcd, That the next annual election of off((;ei% 

 take place on the day of the next Annual Foir. 



Resolred, That the proceedings of this moelijig be 

 signed by the President and Secretary, and published 

 in the Wayne Sitandord, in the other c-.iuiiy papers, 

 and ill the Cul'ivalor nnd New Genec-ee Farmer.' 



ETiecvike Com~ 

 Viittee. 



Davi>. 



SAMUEL flECOX, Prus't. 

 !\I. KEti-EK. .S'cc'y. 



