1849. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
81 
tion and practice, acquired more of this knowledge, 
and have done more to bring about the high state of civi¬ 
lisation which we now enjoy, than they have credit for. 
Farming commenced at an early age. Those who first 
abandoned the shepherd state, cleared, fenced and cul¬ 
tivated their fields,* built houses, established permanent 
residences, and owned and possessed their property in¬ 
dividually, were the first who were fully entitled to the 
name of farmers. And as civilization cannot exist in a 
wilderness country, this may justly be considered, the 
first step towards civilization, with all its attendant be¬ 
nefits. And just so fast as agriculture has progressed* 
just so fast have arts, sciences and refinement progress¬ 
ed, and -no faster*. All have been dependent on the far¬ 
mer for their food, and most of the raw materials with 
which they are clothed. 
During this long process, the farmer must have ac¬ 
quired a great amount of information, founded on natu¬ 
ral principles as well as practical experience. Still 
•they have been contented with less scholastic education 
than those engaged in most other pursuits; and have 
not, like them, profited by keeping a journal or record 
of their operations. The merchant and manufacturer 
know from their books, the exact profits or loss, of all 
their operations; they know exactly, the advantage of 
every improvement, over the former practice; while 
the farmer, for the want of proper records, has to guess 
at all this. While one thinks he has made an improve¬ 
ment. another doubts it, and no one can determine with 
certainty. Important facts, it is true, have been ob¬ 
tained by scientific men; individuals too, have deter¬ 
mined important facts by actual experiment; all which 
have been, and are continually published, and are do¬ 
ing much good. But from some cause, the great mass 
of common farmers are not profiting by these publica¬ 
tions, as we pould wish. It is believed, if they would 
form societies, keep a journal, and try the experiments 
for themselves, noting profit and loss, they would rea- 
dily adopt the most useful improvements. 
The formation of Farmers’ Clubs, seems to be the 
most natural way, to cause the improvement made and 
published to be generally adopted; and to make im¬ 
provements themselves. They could, by a small con¬ 
tribution from each member, purchase the latest works; 
also the journals as they are published, the reading of 
which would naturally beget a spirit of inquiry. Eaeh 
would be anxious to possess as much information as his 
fellow. Thus a degree of useful competition would 
spring up, botbi as to the acquisition of knowledge and 
its practical application. 
It is well known that farmers generally, are unwil¬ 
ling to put their ideas on paper. Many of us who 
learned to write a tolerable hand while at school, have 
paid so little attention to it since, as not to have ac¬ 
quired an easy business hand; or the ability to put our 
thoughts on paper intelligibly. This cannot be well 
done without some experience and practice. They. 
should at least, be able to write intelligibly on matters 
relating to their occupation. To do this, the mind, as , 
well as the hand, needs some training and practice. 
Whenever we make a tool or implement with our hand, 
we have the thing as it is, to look at; if it does not 
suit, we can try a second or third time, until we get it 
to answer the purpose. The same rule will apply to the 
putting our thoughts on paper; we cannot tell how they 
will read until we make the trial; and we should keep 
trying until. we succeed tolerably well. This will do 
much towards training the mind to correct and sj T stema- 
tic* habits of thinking. 
Let each member of the club, procure a good sized 
blank book; commence, say in the spring; write down 
all matters which relate to the operations of the farm, 
viz: Number of acres, the soil, manner of tillage, quan¬ 
tity and kind r- r manure ; the time of seeding of all 
kinds of grain and vegetables, quantity of seed per 
acre; the situation of the land, as to wet or dry; ma¬ 
king suitable entries during the season, as to the wea¬ 
ther, the growth of crops, whether doing well or not, 
and the probable cause; the time of harvesting, yield 
per acre; if good or poor, the probable cause; the time 
of selling, the price, if high or 'low. A memorandum 
somewhat similar, as to the stock; the diseases with 
which they are attacked, if any, the remedy used; and 
the effect. Let an exact account be kept of the out¬ 
goes and incomes, and a balance be struck at the end 
of each year; taking special pains through the year to 
ascertain causes and their effects; and be not afraid of 
writing too much. this course they would soon ac¬ 
quire the habit of putting their thoughts on paper in a 
systematic way. At the end of each year, these papers 
could be presented to the club, and examined by a com¬ 
mittee; and all matters worth remembering, put into a 
condensed report, and recorded. By this course, a 
comparison could be made between the different systems 
praeticed7 and the best could be adopted. By this it 
is believed every important improvement would soon 
become general; errors would be detected and aban¬ 
doned. Committees could be appointed to make tests 
and examinations on all important matters, and report. 
The presiding officer should make an annual address; 
the secretary could correspond with other societies; re¬ 
ports could be made to the bounty agricultural socie¬ 
ties, and all matters of sufficient importance, published. 
All this being done by the farmers in their own way, 
would create a spirit of inquiry, and give them confi¬ 
dence in themselves, and tend much to the improve¬ 
ment of their mind as well as their farms. 
Wherever such a society is formed and well sustain¬ 
ed, we may expect to see in a very few years visible 
signs of improvement, in the cultivation of fields and 
gardens, the improvement of stock, in the planting and 
cultivating fruit and shade trees; in buildings, and in 
the general taste and neatness in all farming operations 
as well as an increase of profits. These may be look¬ 
ed upon as the natural consequence. The members 
would stimulate each other, an honorable and profita¬ 
ble competition would spring up; natural causes would 
be looked into, and their effects ascertained. Thus the 
fanner and the farm would go on improving together. 
Farmer. Columbia , N. Y ., Jan., 1849. 
Agricultural Implements. 
Extirpators or Scarifiers. 
Perhaps there is not a more serious defect in our hus¬ 
bandry, generally, than that which permits the growth 
and increase of noxious plants. In many instances a 
singular negligence is manifested in this respect; the 
soil becoming filled with weeds, thistles, and grasses, 
which greatly detract from the yield of cultivated crops. 
On common arable lands, the most injurious of these 
foul plants, is couch grass —Triticum repens. From 
its innumerable lateral roots, which extend in every di¬ 
rection, it completely overruns the soil, matting itself 
so firmly over the surface, that little chance is left for 
the growth of anything else. The implements com¬ 
monly used, effect but little towards the eradication of 
this pernicious grass. If the ground is plowed, the 
sward is merely reversed; the roots, sprouting at every 
point, instantly send up new blades, and in a short 
time, the surface is as green as ever. The common 
harrow takes but little hold of it, and unless used in 
dry weather and in connexion with frequent plowings, 
only makes it grow faster. Such, also, is the effect of 
chopping it with the hoe, unless the operation is repeat¬ 
ed so often as to prevent the top from acquiring any 
