1846 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
247 
SBfflssaaswiara 
grown by Mr. Win. L. Thompson, within a few miles 
of this city the past season, would have entirely re¬ 
moved them. He had a 20 acre field of corn, which he 
had cut up and taken away. Finding the ground very 
mellow, he thought he would try the experiment of 
sowing his wheat on it, two bushels to the acre, without 
plowing, and merely harrow it in, which he did. His 
hands, and all his neighbors tried to dissuade him from 
it, saying it was a waste of so much seed and labor, but 
much to their astonishment, in the spring, there was no 
so luxuriant crop as this in the neighborhood; and I 
have Mr. Thompson's assurance, that he delivered to 
the mill, of good merchantable wheat, a little over 25 
bushels to the acre, being 5 bushels to the acre more 
than he had ever grown off his land before. So satis, 
fied is he with the result, that he is determined never 
to sow his wheat again until he has first harrowed and 
leveled his land, so as to preclude the possibility of too 
deeply burying any portion of the seed, which is inevi¬ 
table if sown on plowed and unharrowed land, or which 
is still worse, if sown and plowed in as is often the 
case. 
If these remarks will only draw the attention of wheat 
growers to this subject, I am satisfied that a little re¬ 
flection and observation will convince them, that by 
properly preparing their land to receive the seed, and 
depositing it at a proper depth in the soil, the wheat 
crop of the United States may be increased fully one- 
third, without any additional labor or expense. 
A Farmer. 
Louisville, Kentucky , 1846 
AGRICULTURE AS AN OCCUPATION. 
L. Tucker, Esq. —I have no apologies to offer for 
asking a place in your very valuable journal for a few 
thoughts upon several subjects connected with agri¬ 
culture. It is enough that you have requested me to do 
so, and that, after a delay which may have led you to 
conclude I had no intention of complying with your re¬ 
quest, I have found time to commence wffiat I design 
as a series of communications, which, should they prove 
interesting to a portion of your numerous readers, I 
shall be happy to forward, as time and circumstances 
may allow. I do not intend to write to please my own 
fancy; nor merely to amuse those who may read, but 
if possible to benefit. If I can aid the wavering in the 
choice of an honorable business, or encourage the la¬ 
borer in his toils, or give any valuable hints to the 
inexperienced, I shall feel richly remunerated for my 
efforts. The first subject w r hich I wish to present, is 
the choice of an employment. 
A sentiment has prevailed, and I fear yet prevails to 
an alarming extent, that the practical farmer occupies 
a place in society a grade lower than the professional 
man, the merchant, or than many other laborers. Many 
of our youth have imbibed this sentiment, and have 
been encouraged in it by the fond but injudicious pa¬ 
rent. Thus, not a few who might otherwise have been 
useful members of society, have been thrown upon the 
world, mere pests to the community. I have certainly 
no antipathies to the learned professions, the mercantile 
business, or mechanical employments. These are all 
necessary and important; but I insist that agriculture is 
neither less important, or less honorable, or less useful. 
The difficulty is not so much in the several kinds of 
business, a.s in the fact, that an undue proportion of our 
fellow citizens are engaged in the former, to the neg¬ 
lect of the latter; and more than all, that the sentiment 
which I have suggested, prevents multitudes from en¬ 
gaging in either. 
From my own observation, in a life of more than 45 
years, and looking back and following the history of 
my early associates, and from a somewhat extensive 
acquaintance with the world, I am fully of the opinion 
that that sentiment is one of the most fruitful sources of 
idleness and crime, of any that can be named. And yet, 
what multitudes of young men and guardians act, or 
seem to act, under its influence. 
I knew a man in my early boyhood, who has a pro¬ 
fession , but very little else, (except a numerous family) 
who was often heard to say, that his sons should never 
be farmers, let what would come. Those sons are now 
vagabonds, except one, who has already come to an 
untimely end. His daughters married gentlemen, an'd 
are both living in abject poverty. This is only one among 
the multitude of cases which might be mentioned. 
Still men will pursue the same path. 
I know a farmer with two sons—smart, active lads, 
enjoying good health, who, not long since, rented his 
farm; that he and his boys might live easier. I was 
inclined to say to that father, take care, sir, that you 
train not those fine young fellows to idleness, dissipa¬ 
tion, and vice. 
God made man an agriculturist, and while in a state 
of innocence, his first business was to till the ground. 
And in every age of the world, some of the greatest and 
the best of men have been farmers. Job and Abraham 
were farmers; Washington and Jackson were farmers 
—as also a multitude of worthy names and noble spirits, 
who, like them, have blessed the world with examples 
of greatness and honorable deeds. And I rejoice to 
know that many in our own time, of highly cultiva¬ 
ted intellect, and enlarged views, and worldly mpe- 
tence, are proud to be ranked among practical farmers. 
Far better had it. been for the world had the number 
been tenfold greater. Far better were it for the pre¬ 
sent generation, if in the choice of an employment, pa¬ 
rents and their sons would view the subject as these 
have done; and let those sons be directed in their 
choice to the same wise results. Thus, much of the 
idleness and crime which are exerting such a fearful 
influence upon us, would never have existed. Many 
of the temptations to vice would have been avoided. 
I know a father, engaged in a profession, who has an 
only son, for whose interest he has ever felt the deepest 
solicitude. When that son was 16, like many lads of 
his age, he manifested a strong desire to engage as a 
clerk in a store. The father felt that agriculture was 
an equally honorable business—much safer, and more 
free from temptation; yet he did not wish absolutely 
to compel to a course averse to his own choice. He 
therefore engaged a place for him with a merchant of his 
acquaintance to be occupied in a few months, on condition 
that the son should still persist in his determination. He 
then took the son alone, and informed him that he had 
procured such place; at the same time pointing out in a 
kind manner, the advantages and disadvantages of the 
mercantile business, and of agriculture. He told him 
that he was now of an age that he must choose for him¬ 
self. That whichever way he should now decide, he 
would be aided as much as practicable—that that de¬ 
cision must be final—that he might reflect upon the 
subject one week, and then Jet his decision be known. 
At the close of the week, he decided i( to be a far¬ 
mer,” to the joy of his father. From that day onward, 
he has pursued steadily his coui’se—is now pleasantly 
situated upon a comfortable farm, and is proud, at home 
and abroad, to be known as a farmer. 
Would it not be wise for many a father and son, to 
imitate this example? R. A. A. 
Galway , Saratoga Co., 1846. 
FOOT ROT IN SHEEP, 
Some interesting facts relative to this formidable and 
contagious disease have been communicated to us by 
Humphrey Howland, Esq., of Cayuga county, whose 
long and extensive experience in the management of 
sheep entitles his opinions to great weight. He has 
applied a remedy which, if not totally eradicating the 
disease, certainly promises to reduce it exceedingly. 
This remedy is now in use for the second season, during 
which time, the rot has diminished from thirty per cent, 
to one per cent., in a very extensive flock, or only one 
sheep is now lame where thirty were formerly. Other 
flocks in the neighborhood, to which the remedy has 
not been applied, are as badly affected as ever. 
The remedy consists in mixing flour sulphur with 
the salt given to the sheep, in a proportion just sufll- 
