THE CULTIVATOR 
289 
value of from fifty to a hundred dollars an acre. Such 
are the marl beds in New-Jersey, and some other States. 
Now suppose that specimens of marl and all other fertili¬ 
sing substances were collected by those acquainted with 
them, and sent to different Exchange Lyceums, agricul¬ 
tural depositories, or other convenient places for ex¬ 
change, exhibition, &c., could they hardly fail to lead to 
the discovery of new deposits of-the same, or perhaps 
different substances, useful to farmers ? 
Agricultural implements might be much improved, and 
those already improved, more widely extended among 
nations, by scientific exchanges. In some of the oldest 
countries, the plow is to this day, little more than a 
crotched stick, sometimes improved by pointing it with 
iron. In Asia Minor, the Islands of the Mediterranean, 
and other regions which were the fields of the earliest 
and most interesting events recorded in history, agricul¬ 
tural implements are of the rudest kinds. They contain 
not only specimens of antiquity, as curiosities, but fertili¬ 
ty of soil, variety and richness of natural productions, 
which if rendered fully available, would not only aid in 
raising the inhabitants from a state of heathenism and se¬ 
mi-barbarity, but by reciprocating with those advanced in 
agriculture, in arts, intelligence and Christianity, might 
give knowledge to others, while they received it them¬ 
selves. Not long since, some bare-footed girls and boys, 
collected from the streets of New-York, for and by sci¬ 
entific lectures, given weekly, especially for them, were 
led to prepare and collect specimens, both of nature and 
art, which have been sent to different countries, especial¬ 
ly to Mexico, and in return, have brought, among other 
specimens, some Indian curiosities, which have interest¬ 
ed and instructed great numbers of our most intelligent 
citizens. Such exchanges, varied and extended, as easi¬ 
ly they might be, and will be, may introduce to Mexico, 
also to South America, many improvements in agricultu¬ 
ral implements, and procure for them some plant, mine¬ 
ral, or other specimen from those countries of mines and 
of inexhaustible natural resources, to enrich our own 
fields, both of agriculture and of general science. 
But how can such exchanges be commenced and carri¬ 
ed out by and for farmers? By means, as simple and di¬ 
rect, as the field is vast, and the enterprise grand and 
magnificent. If it can be instituted between the street 
boys and girls in New-York, and the young Mexican In¬ 
dians, the sons and daughters of our intelligent farmers, 
can surely find no obstacle in their way. One step they 
can take, is to pick up, and examine and preserve the 
first pebble they see, and seek for an opportunity to learn 
its name and properties. Not unlikely some person may 
think it a great bargain to give the owner the knowledge 
he desires, in exchange for a part of the specimen. The 
specimen, with its name and properties, may then be ta¬ 
ken to the school attended by the owner, where some fif¬ 
ty or a hundred others will also know it, and perhaps 
give for it something brought by them, each leaving a 
part for the school cabinet. Before they are aware of it, 
they will have specimens worthy of sending to New- 
York, Philadelphia, Boston, or some other seaport, 
whence it may go to Mexico, South America, France, 
England, Germany, or some other place, bringing in re¬ 
turn, other specimens, which may find their way to the 
school or family, or the hand which picked up the first 
pebble it met. 
This is not only describing what may be, but what has 
been, in instances too numerous to be mentioned here. 
Numerous facilities are now enjoyed for extending such 
exchanges widely and rapidly. Geological surveys are 
completed or commenced in nearly all the States. By 
them large collections are made, and much knowledge 
diffused. These specimens, and this knowledge, may, 
and ought, and will be used for extending them more 
widely; and no onw step, perhaps, will be as direct, or 
effective, and certainly no one is more capable of univer¬ 
sal application, than that just mentioned. A mineral will 
lead to a plant, and that to a drawing, and the drawing 
of a plant to one of an insect, bird, ox, horse, or some 
agricultural implement, which might be exchanged, 
greatly to the mutual advantage of Americans and Mexi¬ 
cans, Yankees and South Americans, &c., in addition to a 
highly beneficial, scientific and agricultural commerce, 
between the towns and States of our own Republic. Let 
the word Begin , and the thing Begin, be shown by boys 
and girls in schools and families through our country, 
and the work of Agricultural Exchanges, by the side of a 
general system of scientic commerce, will be more than 
half accomplished. 
Such, at least, judging from long and large experience, 
is the opinion of your friend, Josiah Holbrook. 
TO THE OWNERS OF THE SOIL. 
Messrs. Editors —Now, in the sultry season, is the 
time to make an impression upon the owners of the soil, 
in favor of planting shade trees on the sides of our public 
roads. No one is insensible to the refreshing coolness 
and enchanting luxury of a drive through a forest; and 
what man or beast is not delighted to reach a little skirt 
of wood, behind which to shelter himself from the blaze 
of a summer sun, even though his journey may be of but 
a few hours duration. How many there are who own 
good carriages and horses, that forego the pleasure of 
traveling with their own conveyance, and betake them 
selves to canals and rail-roads, because the prospect of 
traversing shadeless, dusty, or muddy roads, is so cheer¬ 
less. There would be less labor and more economy in 
the end, in having good roads the year round, than bad 
ones, the wear and tear of horses and vehicles over mud¬ 
dy and uneven roads, is one proof; the extra time thus 
consumed, is another. There has doubtless been labor 
enough assessed on the highway for the last twenty years 
to have Macadmized every rod of them had it been judi¬ 
ciously superintended. Why cannot the people feel aa 
engaged in meeting together for the purpose of devising 
ways and means for improving and beautifying the coun¬ 
try, as for a thousand minor purposes. The reason is, be¬ 
cause it is merely optional; it can be done or let alone; 
and letting it alone is the easiest. There is scarcely a 
man in the State who owns so mucJ . "1, that he could 
not in the ensuing fall and spring out good forest 
trees on every line of his farm bordering upon the road, 
without feeling that he had spent sixpence or lost a day’s 
work, at the end of the year. Instead of seeing farmers 
taking little jaunts across the country of forty or fifty 
miles, we see them riding post haste half a dozen miles 
to reach a rail-road, and are perhaps left in the same pre¬ 
dicament—that is, as many miles from their place of des¬ 
tination. It appears to me that farmers should resort to 
rail-roads only when business compels them to travel 
faster than horses can carry them, for this reason; while 
traveling either for business or pleasure, they can enjoy 
the privilege of viewing the farms of their distant neigh¬ 
bors, noting the prospect of the different crops, and get 
many useful hint3 with regard to buildings, fences, wa¬ 
ter fixtures, &c., and finally, they can take their wives 
with less expense, than to go alone by public convey¬ 
ance. One thing more respecting roads; as district 
schools are becoming so deservedly popular, parents and 
guardians should see that there is a good side-walk, that 
their children may get to and from school, with their feet 
clean and dry; it will save half the distance, and perhaps 
twice the expense in shape of doctor’s fees. 
Onondaga County. A Friend to Improvement. 
DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 
To the Committee for awarding premiums on in-door 
manufactures: —Is it policy to award premiums for paint¬ 
ings, worsted needle work, or work of any kind that is 
merely ornamental ? The object of giving premiums, (if 
I understand the matter) for the best specimens of do¬ 
mestic manufactures, is to promote industry in the useful 
arts, and encourage those to work who perhaps would not 
without this inducement. There always was, and prob¬ 
ably always will be, time enough expended in the man 
ufacture of useless articles, without offering premiums 
for them. Few ladies are so indolent that they will no* 
perform w r ork of this kind, as the means of passing time, 
even though there may be at the same time, a sad defi 
ciency in the quantity of bedding, linen, &c., in their hou 
ses. Besides, the poor are cut off from competition in 
