362 
OLD AGRICULTURAL WRITERS. 
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
OLD AGRICULTURAL WRITERS. 
“ Samuel Hartlib, his Legacy of Husbandry, 
wherein are bequeathed to the Commonwealth of 
England, not only Braband and Flanders, but also 
many more Outlandish and Domestick Experi¬ 
ments and Secrets, (of Gabriel Plats and others,) 
never heretofore divulged, in reference to Universal 
Husbandry. Psal. 144, 5, ‘ That our garners may 
be full,’ &c. London, 1655.” 
We had the pleasure of introducing to the read¬ 
ers of the first volume of the American Agricultur¬ 
ist, one of the most approved and standard authors 
of the early times of English written husbandry, 
Barnabe Googe, published in black letter, in 1578. 
We here have, as the subject of our present 
quotation and brief remarks, a writer of nearly 
80 years later date, and it is curious to note the 
modernizing effect of this comparatively short 
time, in the more rational and practical ideas im- 
bodied in systematic husbandry. The former 
partakes of all the marvelousness and extrava¬ 
gance of the middle ages, while the last, with 
some few exceptions, has shaken off to a great 
extent, the wizard veil, that obscured and distort¬ 
ed the common operations of nature. Compara¬ 
tively little progress had been made in unlocking 
her mystic stores, and revealing to the gaze of 
mankind, what has been exhibited to such an un¬ 
looked-for and amazing extent within the last half 
century, by the almost inspired efforts of scientific 
explorers. Yet one great point had been gained, 
in the rejection of those hobgoblin and spectral 
hallucinations, that blurred and blotted to their 
mental vision, almost all the secret or misunder¬ 
stood laws that governed inorganic matter, and the 
vegetable and animal creation. Having taken this 
first step in the highway to wisdom, the unlearn¬ 
ing their errors, their progress was thereafter cer¬ 
tain, though slow, and the result we witness at 
the present day, is but the natural conclusion of 
what was to have been anticipated from this first 
indispensable movement. It is the accelerated 
momentum, the focal intensity of rays concentra¬ 
ted from every scientific luminary, that has pour¬ 
ed its benignant beams on a benighte’d world. 
The observations respecting soils, modes of til¬ 
lage, crops, implements, domestic animals, &c., 
&c., are generally correct and sound, as far as they 
go, and might with great propriety be introduced 
to modern farmers, as worthy their perusal and 
attention. As the limits of the American Agricul¬ 
turist will not permit extensive reference, or large 
quotations from the work, our notice of it will be 
necessarily brief. 
One of the first objects of our author’s attention, 
is the introduction into his own country, of valua¬ 
ble seeds, and modes of tillage, from abroad, as is 
purported in the title; he having travelled exten¬ 
sively, and noted accurately the husbandry of other 
countries. This is an object every way worthy of 
the attention of our own countrymen at the pres¬ 
ent time. His suggestions for the improvement 
of implements, we are happy to see our ingenious 
and enterprising mechanics of the present day are 
acting on with great success. He says in refer¬ 
ence to this subject: “ I wonder that so many ex¬ 
cellent mechanics who have beaten their brains 
about the perpetuall motion , [not quite done with 
in our generation,] and other curiosities, that 
they may find the best way to ease all motions, 
should never so much as honor the plough (which is 
the most necessary instrument in the world) by 
their labors and studies. It would be an extraor¬ 
dinary benefit to the country, if that 1 or 2 horses 
could plough and draw as much as 4 or 6, &c. 
Lately in Holland a waggon was framed which 
with ordinary sails, carried 30 people 60 English 
miles in 4 hours. I know some excellent scholars 
who promise much by the means of horizontal 
sails, viz., to have 3 or 4 ploughs together, which 
shall also both sowe and harrow without horses 
or oxen.” As this last feat has not been perform¬ 
ed, we may charitably conclude the scholars were 
mistaken in the modest estimate of their abilities. 
Yet the power of steam , then unconjectured, has 
done vastly more for labor, than the power of wind, 
at that time so largely relied on. 
Even at so early an age, sowing wheat, barley, 
&c., in drills, was strongly urged, and for the same 
reasons that induce its practice at the present 
time. As to “ the causes of smuttiness,” our au¬ 
thor says most rationally, “ I desire not to fetch 
causes afar off, and to tell you of the sad conjunc¬ 
tion of Mars and Saturn, (for I think quse^uprse nos 
belong not to us,) when as we have enough at 
home; which are various,” &c. Brine and lime 
were the remedies then adopted for it. Sowing 
early was recommended to avoid mildew. It is a 
good practice in the nineteenth century. 
The English were later in the general introduc¬ 
tion of gardening than is usually supposed. Our 
author says, “ About 50 years ago, about which 
time ingenuities first began to flourish in England, 
the art of gardening began to creep into England, 
into 'Sandwich, and Surrey, Fulham, and other 
places.” Much pains were taken to introduce 
the cultivation of the grape, and the manufac¬ 
ture of wine in England, ever since the con¬ 
quest of the island by the Romans, and it is in¬ 
sisted on strongly by Hartlib, and for proof of the 
capabilities of the soil and climate for its pro¬ 
duction, he cites several notable instances. But 
experience has taught the islanders, that although 
partial success has crowned extraordinary efforts 
for this object, they can produce their wine much 
more sucessfully, by their crops of wheat and tur- 
neps, and in their work-shops of Manchester and 
Sheffield, and their ocean husbandry. 
Plowing in manure is strongly urged, and very 
properly too, and frequent plowing insisted on. 
For the last rule, this reason is given, “ that the 
sun and dew engender a nitrous fatness, which is 
the cause of fertility. I have seen ordinary dung 
on dry lands in dry years to do hurt, and it oft 
causes weeds and trumpery to grow.” 
Nearly all the modem manures are recommend¬ 
ed, and New England is quoted for the good effects 
of fishing the ground. “ In April there cometh up 
a fish to the fresh rivers called an ale wife because 
of its big belly, and is a kind of shade full of bones; 
