4d 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 



H. COJLMAX'S AUI>B£SS, 



S£FOB£ THE AOniClLTlKAL AND 

 SOCIETY or MEW HAVEN CO. 



HORTICCLTDRAl 

 , CONN. 



We often feel a desire lo lay before our rcsdere 

 more of the able addressee and other excellent articles 

 which we find in our exchange papers; but were we to 

 do so, we should be compelled to omit many of the fa- 

 vors of our esteemed correspondents; and wc are a- 

 ware that most of our readers generally prefer that 

 which is written for their particular bene6l. We 

 should do ibem injustice, however, were we lo con- 

 fine our columns to or gnal articles; for many valua- 

 ble discoveries and improvements are made indifl'erent 

 places, and published in other journals; and it always 

 stimulates and pleases the mind to learn that other 

 people, in various places, are actuated by the same 

 spirit, and engaged in the same enterprise as ourselves. 

 No man at the present day, in the United States, 

 occupies a higher rank, as an advocate of improve- 

 ment, or a delineator of the pleasures and advantages 

 of a rural life, than Henry Col.mas; and no man is 

 doing more to elevate the noble profession of Agricul- 

 ture to its proper standard, than him. We ore led to 

 these remarks by reading the address above named. 

 We cannot afford room fur the whole of it; but we 

 are sure our readers will derive both pleasure and pro- 

 fit from the following portions — Eds. New Gen. Fab. 



THE FARMEn NEED NOT BE JEALOUS OF HIS NEIGHBOR. 



No occasion of the gathering of the people is less 

 liable to objection, or more congenial to benevolent and 

 pious sentiments, than that which has brought us to- 

 gether. 



Here, a spirit of good will reigns over the whole. 

 No discordant or hostile feeling can find place. No 

 strife and no emulation can find place, but an emula- 

 tion for excellence, which alike benefits all, and in im- 

 provements, which diffuse themselves over the com- 

 munity, and the sole aim of which is the common wel- 

 fare. To well disposed minds, this is a religious oc- 

 casion of the highest character. None is more suited 

 to lilt up the soul in adoring confidence and gratitude 

 to the great Author of nature. He it is, who " cau- 

 ses gras? to grow for cattle, and herbs for the service 

 of man." He clothes the flowers of the field with a 

 splendor, before which the gorgeousness of oriental 

 luxury is dimmed. His benevolent agency operntes 

 every where in the teeming earth, the swelling bud, 

 the golden and crimsoned fruit; in the vapor, the dew, 

 the air, the heat, the light, in all their mysterious in- 

 fluences. He is the source of all felicity, health and 

 beauty, 



THE ART OF LIFE IS THE ABILITY TO OBTAIN FOOD. 



Agriculture is the great art of life. In an economi- 

 cal view it constitutes the subsistence of man. Eat- 

 ir.g and drinking ore deemed vulgar employment; yet 

 who, even among the exquisite of the transcendant 



school, is not compelled to conform to the fashion. 



The body is often spoken of with disdain, as though 

 there were something degrading in its material ele- 

 ments. In such cases, a reflection is cast upon the 

 divine skill and beneficence in one o( their most won- 

 derful exhibitions. But is there not an electric chain 

 of sympathy between the body and mind ? What is 

 to become of our philosophy without bread and meat ? 

 How is genius to speed her flight, or the fires of the 

 imagination to be kept bright, unless this same body, 

 the dwelling place of the etherial guest, be maintain- 

 ed in its health, elasticity, and vigor. It is calciilotcd 

 that if the harvest of a single year should fail, the 

 whole of the huioan race must perish. In our lati- 

 tude the earth yields nothing unasked and unwooed. 

 Allof food and of clothing, all that sustains and pro- 

 tects the body, is the product of agricultural labor in 

 some of its various forms. 



THE PRODUCT OF LABOR THE ONLY REAL WEALTH. 



Agriculture is the foundation of wealth. The sea 

 renders her tribute; but theearth presents to skill and 

 industry richer and infinitely varied contributions.— 

 Money is not wealth. It is only the rcpresentativp of 

 wealth. Money is coveted because it can commond 

 labor; but of what use would it be, if labor would not 

 be commanded 7 Whot would it avail to possess all 

 the riches of Potoal, if thereby we cnild r,ot acquire 

 the pro.lucls of agriculture 7 What are the manufac- 

 mre? eijncoriied in hut these products 7 What freigbts 



the borks of commere in their liquid flight, threading 

 every channel and whitening every port, but the pro 

 ducts of agriculture 1 Whot constitutes the wealth 

 of the country but her cotton, hemp, sugar, rice, to- 

 bacco, wool, wheat, beef, and pork I Agriculture on- 

 ly can be considered as the creator of wealth. The 

 merchant, the manufacturer, the sailor, the various 

 artisans and tradesmen perform their part in making 

 the products of agriculture more valuable; in trans- 

 porting them so that the advantages of climate are e- 

 qualized, and in putting them in a condition for use! 

 LUt agriculture alone produces. Like theleader of Is- 

 rael, she btrikes the rock, the waters flow, and a fam- 

 ishing people are satisfied. She supplies, she feeds, 

 she quickens all. Agriculture is the commanding in- 

 terest of the country, with which no single interest, 

 nor indeed all other interests of a secular nature com- 

 bined, can be brought into competition. 



ACBICILTLKE A SCIENCE DISCLOSING A MINE OF WONDERS. 



Agriculture deserves the attention of liberal minds 

 08 a science. Like many other sciences, it is in its 

 infancy. We have broken only the outer crust; but 

 it comprehends the mysteries of jihilosophy. It in- 

 volves the whole science of life in the vegetable and 

 animal kingdoms; the miracles of actual production, 

 and the power which man may exercise in modifying 

 vegetable and animal existence. The rearing ofa tree 

 the maturing ofa vegetable, the production ofa flow- 

 er, the forming ofa race of animals, with shapes, and 

 dispositions, and quolilies, modified to a great extent 

 according to your wishes, are in themselves miracles 

 of a power delegated to man, which an intelligent 

 mind reco'gnizes as divine. 



Whoever, looking at a dried seed and kernel, con- 

 siders what it may become, when the plant shall yield 

 bread or the tree spread out its branches loaded with 

 fruit, whoever considers the nature of the life which 

 lies buried in this shell, and reflects upon the combi- 

 ned influences of earth, and air, and moisture, and 

 heat, and cultivation, in their inscrutable operations, 

 all requisite in precise times, quantities and modes of 

 application, to bring it to perfection, will perceive sub- 

 jects of inquiry suited to occupy the most gifted intel- 

 lect. As he approaches this mine of wonders, his bo- 

 som will print with an irrepressible curiosity lo gain 

 admission into the hiding place of the Divinity, and 

 to quench his burning thirst at the original fountains 

 of power, life, intelligence, and light. Geology, che- 

 mistry, b.tany, all the branches of natural phifosophy, 

 natural history, in its diversified departments, animal 

 and vegetable physiology, comparative anatomy, me- 

 chanics, meteorology, all are involved in an improved 

 agriculture. The nature of soils has been long a sub- 

 ject of philosophical investigation; and that, with the 

 application and operation of manures, seems now to be 

 holding in reserve for chemistry its most brilliant tri- 

 umphs. Do [ offend a fastidious ear by a reference to 

 a topic so humble 7 In looking at the master-piece of 

 human gefl^s in sculpture, the Venus de Medicis, the 

 vulgar mina brings away from the contemplation no 

 higher sentiment than that it is naked. The pure and 

 disciplined mind hardly conscious of this fact, and 

 feeling the responsive movementsof the divinity with- 

 in itself, admires with adoring wonder the triumphs of 

 genius in this sensible embodiment of the highest 

 beauties of form in the works of the Creator. So it is 

 with other objects in nature, so much depends upon 

 the eye with which we look at them. The vulgar 

 mind, iri the heap of manure by the road side, thinks 

 only of its offensiveness and corruption. The well 

 disciplined mind regards it as an element in one of the 

 most affecting miracles of the Divine power, and a- 

 dores that beneficent agency, which, in its mysterious 

 operations, converts this refuse into fruits and flowers. 

 To consider agriculture as mere servile drudgery, 

 is no more doing it justice, than to consider chemistry 

 as only the art of mingling acids and alkalies, and 



handling pots and retorts, and crucibles, and filters. 



Let the man of cultivated and philosophical mind ap- 

 proach the subject of agriculture, and he finds " ser- 

 mons in stones and books in the running streams." 



Let him ent;,nge in its humblest labors, and the same 

 funoiv, whith is to bear upon its inverted surface the 

 golden grain to nourish his animal life, will produce 

 bread to eat, which common minds know not of, to 

 nourieh his intellectual and moral being. There is 

 not one ol the natural, or what ore called the practical 

 sciences, which may not have a bearing upon agricul- 

 It is with agriculture as in other cofes, that 



stand at the helm. But to think that because we h 

 done these things, that therefore we understnnd 

 culture, is as wise as for the man, who should w 

 up to his ankle in some puddle left by the reced 

 tide upon the sea shore, to pretend that the ocean 

 not very deep. 



The nature and use of soils, the artificial combi 

 tion of them in different cases so as to eflect the larj 

 growth and productiveness, the nature of manui 

 their uses, application, operations, and infinite va 

 ties, their mechanical influences, and their cbem 

 effects, the vorieties of grasses, grains, plants, i 

 fruits, which are or may be cultivated, the habiti 

 vegetables and the propogation of new varieties 

 influenceeof light, and heat, and air, and dew, i 

 rain, and electricity upon vegetation, and how 

 they may be controlled by human ingenuity or sV 

 the history and habits of the domestic animals and 

 modes of rearing them lo the highest degree of perl 

 lion, the construction of farm implements so Oi 

 combine the greatest effects with the leost expensi 

 power, the history of agriculture, its condition and 

 provements at home and abroad, rural labor, rural 

 chileciure, agricultuial education, the intellectual i 

 moral improvement of the agricultural classes, thee, 

 nection of agriculture with national wealth, and w 

 its great sisters, manufactures and commerce, i 

 above all, its bearings upon domestic nnd public haj 

 ness, upon domestic morals — these topics, among i, 

 ere which might be named, show that agriculture, 

 not destitute, to a philosophic mind, ol matters off 

 found scientific inquirj-. 



s 



mere theory will make no mnii a farmer. The com- 

 mon procrssea onl the successful execution of the 

 common labors of husbandry con be learned only by 

 practice. He who would handle a plough well, must 

 have been accustomed to walk in the furrow; ae the 

 only safe pilot is the man who has been practised to 



TRUE POLITENESS IN THE COUNTRY AND THE CI 



Agriculture, as a pursuit, commends itself to f 

 sons of refined taste and sentiment. I know ho' J 

 shall startle the ear of city ("astidiousess by such an 

 sertion; bull rely upon your candor that I shall 

 offend by the expression of my honest convictions 

 There is much in the country that is vulgar, rude i 

 offensive. There is no occasion for this. This is ^ 

 the fault of the country. But is there more of ihi 

 the country than is to be found in cities ? Tb 

 things depend much upon ourselves. The artifi 

 forms of social intercourse do not prevail in the co 

 try as in the town— at least they are not the sai 

 hut it is often delightful to lay aside, at least 

 a while, the buckrum and the starch. I have b 

 through life familiar with all closste of people. I h (:: 

 been for many years a citizen among cities, and a 

 mer among the farmers. I have been a frequent 

 iter in city palaces, and many a time on indwelle 

 the humblest mansions in the secluded parts of 

 country; and I must say, without derogolingfrom 

 refinements of the most improved societies in the 

 lies, that the comparison in respect lo courtesy and 

 vility would not turn out lo the disadvantage of 

 country. True politeness is not matter of mere fo 

 or monner, but of sentiment and heart. There 

 rude and vulgar people every where, but will m 

 sober judgment pronounce it as great a rudeness lo 

 sent knowingly away from the door of one who ci 

 herself a friend by a servant witho lie put in his mou 

 OS lo be received by the kind woman who welcon 

 us heartily at her wash-tub, or her spinning-wh< 

 and sweepsa place for us without apology lo sit do 

 at her kitchen fire. You will pardon the homelin 

 of my illustrations. You may threod your beauti 

 valley from the ocean lo the mountains; you may, 

 I hove done, follow the silver stream, whose honni 

 name is borne by your Commonwealth, from the pli 

 where it deposits ile contributions in the mighty tr 

 sury of the seo, lo its gushing sources under the sn^ 

 clad summits of the north, and trovcrse every St 

 whose borders are laved by its gentle waters, and gc 

 manners on your part will generally be n:et witl 

 corresponding civility. E.xcepting among the vici( 

 and depraved, you will find no rudeness unless youi 

 so unfortunate oe to provoke it bv your own orrogani 



It is tolly to carry city manners and customs ii 

 the country. This destroys the simplicity which cc 

 stilutes the charm of rural life. If you have no ta: 

 for rural pleasuree, no interest in rural concern, 

 disposition for rurol labors; if you ore afraid of soili 

 your hands or browning your cheeks; if you c 

 make no friends with the flr.cks that whiten the fieli 

 nor the birds that make the hills and forests vocal w 

 melody; if you ore unwilling that the earliest rays 

 the dawn should distnib your repose, and your hei 

 kindles with no cnthusiaBm in golden sunset, th 

 flee the country as you would the Siberian desey. 

 would he lo you only a land of discomfort and so 

 tude. 



AGRICULTURE THE DELIGHT OP GIFTED INTELLECTS 



But it ie Otherwise with many minds. Agricultti 



