1849 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
141 
tive mowing for an indefinite period of time. Twenty 
acres of upland mowing, adjoining this field, have giv¬ 
en an equally lar<£e amount of hay,* and the crop, the 
past season, on both fields, is estimated at 90 tons. 
The process of underdraiuing and bringing into suc¬ 
cessful cultivation, 20 acres of bog meadow, I have 
spoken of before. This meadow is now very product¬ 
ive in grass j and judging from the luxuriant appear¬ 
ance of the aftermath-, the quality of the hay is good. 
As the cultivation progresses in age, the meadow be¬ 
comes more firm and easily passable with loaded teams, 
and the quality of the produce more valuable. Mr. 
JPhinney has raised on this land, 75 bushels of corn, 500 
<busheis of potatoes, or from 4 to 5 tons of hay , at a first 
and second cutting, to the acre j and this, in contrast with 
the fact that-, twenty years ago, it was a perfect quag¬ 
mire, would seem to show the merits and value of this 
kind of farming-. 
As the orchards now occupy so large a portion of 
the farm, and being kept in constant tillage, afford 
about all the proportion of hoed crops that is desirable 
or necessary to raise, Mr. Piiinney wishes to keep as 
much as possible of his remaining tillage-land in pro¬ 
ductive mowing, in order to furnish hay sufficient for 
the wintering of his numerous stock of -cattle. Conse¬ 
quently, the above-named grass-fields will be perma¬ 
nently kept so, by frequent top-dressings of well-rotted 
manure; and should the land at any time cease to yield 
at least *2 tons of hay to the acre., or should the quality of 
the produce become inferior, it will be turned smoothly 
over, manured and re-seeded to grass, without other 
cultivation. 
In addition to the large amount of hay which the 
farm cuts, it also supports 70 head of cattle, through the 
summer, with green feed, or by soiling them in the barns. 
All the corn necessary for home consumption is produced 
on the farm, as well as any quantity of carrots and ruta 
bagas for the winter-feed of the slock, and a great va¬ 
riety of green vegetables for Boston market. 
Manure. —These results have been realised in twen¬ 
ty-five years, by agricultural skill, and a diligent and 
strict husbandry of every available means, for making 
manure. The peat from the bog meadow has been 
analysed by Dr. Jackson, and found to contain 95 parts 
in 100 of vegetable matter. But this, in its cold and 
raw state, is unavailable, because its valuable proper¬ 
ties are locked up in acids, hurtful to vegetation. It 
has therefore been placed behind the cattle, in their 
stalls, and in the hog-pens and cellars, as an absorbent 
of the liquid and gaseous portions of the manure, which 
in turn, expel the acidity from the mud,—thus render¬ 
ing it a principal and valuable resource in the improve¬ 
ment of the farm. As much as two parts of peat, are 
incorporated with one part of manure; and Mr. Phinnney 
does not hesitate to pronounce it fully equal in its effects 
upon all the crops in the rotation, to an equal amount 
of ordinary farm-yard manure. 
Every animal has an opportunity of contributing its 
full share in the formation of a circulating medium for 
the farm, by depositing its manure-treasures in a Farm 
Bank , well guarded from leakages, or the stealthy pil- 
ferings of the atmosphere,-—often so dexterously mana¬ 
ged, as to rob the unsuspicious and unguarded farmer 
of un-told treasures, even in broad day-light. It has 
never been thought advisable to extend, or sprinkle the 
business of this bank over a large territory, exposing it 
to the risk of heavy losses, both of principal and inte¬ 
rest, but large and responsible loans have been made, 
nearer home. Its redemptions have, therefore, been 
easily met, by the proceeds of its bills receivable,—the 
produce sold. The dividends have been large and re¬ 
gular, with “ a wide margin” left, for expenses and 
contingencies. 
The Stock. —The imported stock of the Mass. State 
Society, which is kept on this farm, was looking finely 
at the time of my visit. All the stock of the farm'ap¬ 
peared to be in high health, under the soiling system of 
feeding* the cows were giving a fine quantity of milk. 
They have twenty acres of pasture to range upon for 
exercise and water, a few hours each day. The young 
animals of the Ayrshire and Devonshire breeds, had 
made a rapid and vigorous growth in the interval of my 
visits. These breeds of cattle are liighlv esteemed by 
the farmers of Massachusetts, for their hardiness and 
adaptation to the climate and soil of that State. The 
introduction and dissemination of this stock, by the 
State Society, is a wise and praiseworthy movement; 
and it will be productive of more real wealth, to the 
farming interest of the common wealth, than any other 
appropriation of money the Society has yet made. 
The task of redeeming this farm from its worn-out 
condition, and of removing the stones and other obstacles 
to good cultivation would have looked too formidable 
for ordinary farmers to attempt. Not so with Mr. 
Piiinney. He was satisfied that its close vicinity to a 
large market, and the payments which a naturally wil¬ 
ling, soil would be encouraged to make on behalf of a 
generous cultivation, after the obstructions were remo¬ 
ved, warranted him in the undertaking. At the end of 
twenty-five years, he can survey his labors, and the re 
•suits produced by them, with much pride and pleasure. 
His grateful soil now gives a large and sure reward for 
the enterprise, patient industry, and liberal investment, 
heretofore bestowed. 
I apprehend that the contrast between the results of 
a judicious system of high farming and the ordinary 
scrub and skin system which too commonly prevails, 
will always be in favor of the former, in a run of years. 
Too many of our farmers are opposed to any and all 
changes of cultivation which look toward the improve¬ 
ment of a worn-out soil, on the ground that it costs too 
much. Trained up in old customs of husbandry,— 
which mi"ht possibly do for a time, while the land was 
new, and the population thin, they still adhere to those 
customs, under circumstances entirely different from 
those which gave them origin. When the undeniable su¬ 
periority of the different modes of culture, better adapt¬ 
ed to pres-ent circumstances, is held up to view, even 
in the light of dollars and cents , their adoption is still 
regarded with much suspicion and contempt. Control¬ 
led by this blind prejudice, how often do we see them 
toil on through life, in the old routine, their farms be¬ 
coming still poorer, each year. 
But happily, a spirit of improvement is abroad. 
Among quite a large class of the old stock farmers, a 
desire for information in different and better modes of 
culture, is rapidly obtaining. A large, intelligent and 
enterprising class have gone to farming, within a few 
years, from other business., who,—dissatisfied with old 
and improvident methods,—at once inquire into the prin¬ 
ciples of an enlightened husbandly, with minds free 
from traditional prejudices. These two classes are 
scattered along in every community, and w r e see that 
their example is exerting a salutary influence upon our 
agriculture. 
The improvements in farming we now observe, may 
be principally ascribed to a wide diffusion of the desired 
information, through the medium of Agricultural Jour¬ 
nals. The talented Liebig justly remarks that—“There 
is no other profession which can be compared in import¬ 
ance with agriculture, for to it belongs the production 
of food for man and animals; on it depends the welfare 
and development of the whole human species, the riches 
of states and all commerce. There is no other profes¬ 
sion in which the application of correct principle is pro¬ 
ductive of more beneficial effects, or is of greater and 
more decided influence.” Great and good influences 
have already been largely imparted, in combatting and 
