124 
THE ^,uUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
terlained. that 1 delennined to take Hold of the 
old iariii once more, and endeavor to practice 
on the doctrines taught by that scientific Ger- 
man. I have done so toracoaple ol' years, and 
the result more than realizes my expectations. 
By economy in increasing the quantity and im- 
proving the quality ofmanuies, and by apply- 
ing more manure and better '-ultivation, our 
corn crop is more than doubled — aye, trebled; 
our potato crop is much improved in quality, 
and greatly in quantity; and our meadocvs pro- 
duce hay enough to leave a handsome surplus, 
wheie formerly the cattle we now keep would 
have found rather ‘ short commons.' But the 
greatest improvement in refe ence to the cattle 
and meadows, results from adopting the plan 
which I saw mentioned in the Cuiti'-ato'’, as 
pursued by Hon. Josiah Guincy, of Ma.ssachu- 
setts. The old stone fences running through 
our farm, were a nuisance in my sight, forming 
ready harbors for noxious vermin and v/eeds, 
besides occupying considerable ground. I de- 
termined to follow the Guincy fashion, '(and 
those Guincies have many good traits about 
them,) by soiling our cattle, and thus rendering 
division fences needle.ss. 1 thus keep the cattle 
in belter order on the products of much Iq^s 
land, and save additional quantities of manure 
that would alone pay me for all ihejrouble 1 
have in housing the animals. By under-drain- 
ing, 1 have reclaimed considerable marshy 
land, making it now productive; and the peat- 
bog of twelve acres, formerly a mere nuisance, 
is now one of the most valuable parts of our 
farm — furnishing us with abundant material to 
throw into our hog-pen and cow-yard, tor foim- 
ing compost, in connection with an occasional 
sprinkling of lime to promote decomposition. I 
should not forget that even the weeds with 
which the old farm was infested, are now made 
tributary to the improved mode of cultivation ; 
for, cut frequently, (as all weeds should be,. till 
they are exterminated,) they form material for 
additional manure, w’hen drawn into the hog-pen 
©r cow-house for litter. It is satisfactory to find 
that many in our neighborhood, who at first 
smiled incredulously at my notions ol book-farm- 
ing, (and also some well-meaningdoubters, who 
are always slow of faith,) arenow satisfied there 
is something in it less ridiculous than they for- 
merly supposed. So, with this brief account of 
myself, since you last met me on board theline- 
of-batfle ship, do you wonder that I have now 
returned with increased interest to the old farm, 
where 1 leai nt to plow in the same fields that 
were cultivated by my ancestors, from the ear- 
ly settlement of Connecticut I” 
As one of the mulliplyins evidences of the 
beneficial results of agricultural publications — 
as an example worthy of imitation by many of 
our farmers, young and old — the foregoing 
sketch is at your .service — in the hope that young 
men who are inclined to abandon farming in 
the hope of better fortune otherwise, will at 
least ^^read, rejizcl and judge f before they, 
abandon their farms, however “ worn out” or 
unprofitable those farms may have been. Far- 
mers who practice on such doctrines, have little 
need of crossing the Rocky Mountains in search 
of lands in Oregon. Riio. 
From the Boston Mercantile Journal. 
FATTENING TURKEYS. 
On looking over .■-ome old papers a few days 
ago, we came across the following curious 
mode of fattening turkeys : 
“In the winter of 1818-19, a gentleman in 
this city made the following experiment: — He 
placed a turkey in an enclosure about four feet 
long, two feet wide, and three or four feet high. 
He excluded as much light as he could without 
preventing a circulation of air, and led the tur- 
key with soft bricks broken into pieces, with 
charcoal also broken, and with six grains of 
corn per day. Fresh water was daily supplied. 
The box or .coop in which the turkey was pla- 
ced he always locked up with his own hands, 
and is perfectly confident tljat nobody interfered 
with the experiment. 
“ At the end of one months he ipyited a num- 
ber uf his neighbi.rs, among others, two physi- 
cians. The turkey, nov? very large and heavy, 
w'as killed and opened by tire physicians, and 
was found to be filled up with fat. The gizzard 
and entrails were dissected, and nothing was 
found but a residuum of charcoal and biicks. 
To conclude the examination satisfactorily, the 
turkey was eaten, and found to be very good. 
Last winter he again repeated the expeiiment 
with the same success. 
“The circumstance which induced him to 
make the experiment is a very curious one. 
One of his neighbors informed him, that being 
d’'iven from the city by the lever of 1793, his 
family recollected that some fowls that had lived 
in a kind of loft over his workshop, had been 
forgotten in thehurryoftheir removal, and would 
cerlainly be starved. They were absent six or 
eight weeks, and on the retiring of the pestilence 
returned. To their great astonishment, the 
lowds were not only alive, but very fat, although 
there was nothing but charcoal and shavings that 
they could have eaten, and some water that had 
been left in the trough of a grindstone had sup- 
plied them with drink.” 
It appears from the above that turketm are a 
species of biped that thrive best on a Graham 
diet. 
AGRICULTURE IN COMMON SCHOOLS. 
The following is the report of the committee 
on Agriculture, as adopted unanimously by the 
j New York State Convention ol school suj'erin- 
tendents recently held in the city of Rochester. 
Report on Agriculture . — The committee, to 
w’hom W'as referred the con.sideraiion of the sub- 
ject ot introducing the study of agriculture as a 
branch of education in our schools, respectfully 
report — 
That, as agriculture is the art on which all 
other arts depend, and the profession in w'hich 
the greater part of our population are engaged, 
its improvement and prosperity is a subject of 
the highest importance; and the committee are 
of the opinion that the time has arrive! when 
the elements and scientific principles of agricul- 
ture should be taught in all our schools, espe- 
cially to the older class of pupils. 
The rapid progress which has of late years 
been made in those parts where the di.scoveries 
of science have been brought to bear on the im- 
pioveinent ol agriculture, affords the strongest 
evidence of the importance of diffusing a know- 
ledge of the principles upon wdiich these im- 
provements are based, among those w'ho are 
soon to become the owners and cultivators of 
our naturally fertile, though much abused soil. 
There can be no doubt but that such knowledge, 
if properly imparted, would have a direct ten- 
denc}' to improve the practice of agriculture, 
and elevate the profession to that high rank in 
public estimation which it so justly deserves. 
Your committee have perceived, however, 
that there are numerous difficulties connected 
with the subject, and that it requires more de- 
liberate consideration than they have bestow'ed 
upon it, to devise the best means for accomplish- 
ing the object. Much can be dore by the intro- 
duction of books on agriculture into the district 
school libraries. This object has received con- 
siderable attention from the New York State 
Agricultural Society, and premiums are now of- 
fered for the best essays for the purpose. There 
is still w'anting a suitable text book on agricul- 
ture, for the use ot schools. , 
In view of this w'hole subject, therefore, the 
committee beg leave to recommend this subject 
to the earnest consideration of this convention, 
and to submit the following resolutions : 
Resolved, That this convention recommend to 
teachers, as far as is in their pow'er, to impart 
instruction on agriculture, by occasional dia- 
losrues or conversations, and the reading of agri- 
cultural books and periodicals, so as to explain 
the principles of this art, and show' its respecta- 
bility and importance to themselves and society. 
Resolved, That the convention deem it of the 
highest importance that our school libraries 
contain more works on the principles and prac- 
tice of agriculture, suitable tor the perusal of 
the young; and therefore we take pleasure in 
recommending to the trustees of school districts 
under our charge to purchase w'orks of il . : cha- 
racter. 
Resolved, That we will, as county su, • rir- 
tendenis, take the subject intoconsideraticn, and 
be prepared, at our next annual convention, to 
express our opinions respecting it, and to act de- 
cisively upon it, if deemed advisable. 
Resolved, That a committee of three be I 'ow 
appointed to take this matter under their special 
consideration, and report thereon at our next 
annual convention ; and that the State Agricul- 
tural Society be requested also to ap j oini a 
committee to confer with them. 
A committee was appointed, consisting of 
Dr. Alonzo Potter, of Schenectada, Ira Patch- 
en, ofLi/onia, Liv. co., and M. B. Baieham, 
Rochester. 
From the Boston Cultivator. 
CHANGE OF CROPS. 
Messrs. Editors — In Ruffin’s Survey of S. 
Carolina it is said, while advocating a change 
of crops, “Corn seems to need change of soil 
less than any of the great crops, and the many 
cases of success with whicn it has been raised 
lor many years in succe.ssion on the same fertile 
field, have been triumphantly advocated by the 
opposers of rotation, as a certain and manifest 
proof, that a change of crop is not necessary ; 
but even if this w'ere true, as to this particular 
plant, it w'ould not affect the general question. 
The hardiness and vigor of the corn plant on 
line soil, may enable it to withstand the depreda- 
tions of some of the several tribes of insects 
which it breeds and nourishes, and others, as the 
cut-worm, so fatal in other circumstances, may 
be destroyed by the continued tillage, and naked 
and open state of the soil.” 
Now', w'here the soil is fine, and ever)' way 
suitable to the grow'th of the plant, other crops 
beside corn, are sown several years in succes- 
sion with impunity. At Mr. Mark Cooper's 
farm, near the village of Enterprise, Lancaster 
Co., Pa., a second crop of wheat in succession 
is at present the finest in that wheat-growing 
countr}'; and I was informed by the owner, it 
was his intention to follow it with another crop 
of the same ! and on my remarking, I never be- 
fore witnessed such liberties taken w'ith the soil, 
he informed me of a crop of rye then growing in 
the neighborhood, the 27lh in succession, not 
having received a spade-full of dung for 27 
years! On visiting this field, I found a good 
crop, clear from rust and heavy in grain, and 
not a weed in ten acres ! and when asked by 
the owner why he might not continue his rota- 
tion, as he jeeringly termed it, I confess I felt 
somew’hat dum-lounded, and could only an- 
swer, I considered the present an exception to 
the general rule. I plucked a sample of the 
crop, and present it to you as a specimen of the 
27th crop of rye in succession, without any ma- 
nure. 
To the remark, that “cut-worms in corn 
may be destroyed by continued tillage and a 
naked and open soil,” I beg to say, the cut- worm 
would not be found in corn, were it not planted 
in sward or sod land: they are the progeny of a 
species of beetle or other insects, which could 
never propagate its kind without the aid of 
dung, which is found in grass fields that have 
been fed by horses or cattle, and in this they en- 
close their egg or eggs, and sink them a given 
distance below the surface ; hence, an autumnal 
or winter plowing of such land destroys them, 
by exposure to the rains and frosts of that in- 
clement season ; a doctrine w'hich has at last 
met with the concurrence ot every practical 
man amongst us. And a change in the com- 
mon rotation, corn, oats, wheat, clover, for 
w'heat, corn, oats, clover, will be quite effectual 
in putting a stop to its ra vages. The observa- 
tion, that corn or any other grain “breeds and 
nourishes insects,” I must say is quite in oppo- 
sition to my views on the subject. I believe 
that insects are destined to prey on the vitiated 
juices ol the plant, which, instead of circulat- 
