THE CULTIVATOR. 
49 
Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia, and %ve believe Tennessee. The 
Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland have directed their attention 
to like surveys, and some luminous reports have already been render¬ 
ed. From one of these, Mr. Miln’s, on the geology of Berwickshire, 
we make the following extract, showing some of the benefits to agrv 
culture, which are likely to result from geological surveys. 
"The connexion between agriculture and geology being thus so close 
and apparent, the only remaining question is, in what way can a 
knowledge of geology be rendered practically useful to the farmer? 
A few observations may now be added on this head. 
“1. The farmer, knowing, from experiments or observation, the 
soils which are best fitted for agricultural purposes, should ascertain 
what the rocks are, in any particular district, and whether they are 
such as are likely to produce, by their disintegration, rich and abun¬ 
dant crops. If the rocks are entirely silicious, he ought to add alu- 
mine and carbonate of lime in certain proportions to the soil, in order 
to effect a proper admixture. If, in like manner, there is too much 
argillaceous matter supplied by the subjacent strata, in consequence of 
which the soil is wet and otherwise unfavorable, then he should cor¬ 
rect the evil by the addition of sand. 
“But how little are these things attended to by farmers? The 
only mineral substance which they ever think of adding to their land is 
lime, and that without any attempt or desire previously to find out, 
whether there may not be already more than enough of calcareous mat¬ 
ter in the soil, and whether it would not be less expensively and more ef¬ 
fectually improved by the mixture of some other substance. 
“2. The agriculturist, if he knows the formations in different parts 
of the country, with the character of which he is not otherwise ac¬ 
quainted, is thus enabled to select that part which is most likely to 
yield a fertile soil; and the same remark which applies to a person 
who is about to commence farming operations in an unknown district, 
applies also to the case of a person purchasing an estate. If he is 
desirous of having land capable of yielding luxuriant crops, he will 
prefer the new red sandstone district, and avoid the coal-measures. 
If he is in search of rich sheep pastures, he will select the trap hills 
and not the greywacke, far less the granitic chains. Such information 
may, no doubt, be of less use in a country like Great Britain, where 
every facility exists for the examination of the soil itself; but it is easy 
to see how a knowledge of the rock formations may, both to farmers 
and intending purchasers, be of the greatest use in unknown regions of 
the earth, such as Canada, America, and New South Wales, where no 
other means exist of discovering previously the productiveness of the 
land. 
“3. Nothing to the farmer is so important as a knowledge of the 
causes of wetness and dryness in the soil, and of the means which he 
should adopt to correct any excess of either. Some of his crops may 
bear or require a drier soil than others; and if he knows the nature of 
the rocks which occur in different parts of his farm, he will also know 
those parts of it where the water will easily escape of itself through 
the subjacent strata, and those where he must himself supply those 
means of drainage which nature has denied. At the same time he is 
enable to select those parts of the soil which, by their natural dryness 
or moisture, are the best adapted for particular crops. 
“ 4. A knowledge of the position of the strata also enables the farm¬ 
er to obtain a supply of water when he requires it, and thereby to save 
him much trouble and expense in searching for it. For if he makes 
himself acquainted with the nature, direction, and dip of the rocks, he 
can tell in what direction the water which filters through the soil will 
run, and whereabouts it will probably burst out in the form of a spring. 
“It is known to Berwickshire farmers, that drains which run in a 
north and south direction, do not carry off from the land one-half the 
quantity of water, which drains running east and west carry off. One 
reason probably is, that as in the former case the drains cross the crop¬ 
pings of the strata, the water escapes between their edges; whereas 
the drains that run east and west are parallel with the edges of the 
strata. Another reason may be found in the fact, that the greater part 
of Berwickshire consists of undulating ridges, which run east to west; 
—so that the drains that are cut in that direction are necessarily long¬ 
er, and collect more water than the drains which cross these ridges. 
“ 5. To an agriculturist, and especially to landlords who are anxious 
to improve their estates, by building offices and walls, a knowledge of 
the places where good building materials may be found and quarried, 
is of the greatest consequence. But without some acquaintance with 
the nature and relative position of the rocks in a district, it is quite im¬ 
possible to discover the particular spot where stone can be found, and 
to what depth it must be bored for. 
“These are a few of the most obvious advantages which would re¬ 
sult to agriculturists, if their art were aided by a knowledge of geology. 
Into this subject, however, the author forbears to enter at greater 
length; for he finds that his paper has already exceeded all reasonable 
limits. But enough has been said, it is hoped, in the brief though im¬ 
perfect sketch which has been given, to show the great expediency of 
Vol. III. 7* 
promoting that union between the sciences of Geology and Agriculture, 
which it is the patriotic object of the Highland and Agricultural Socie¬ 
ty of Scotland to effect.” 
ESSEX (Mass.) AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
We love to refer our readers to this society, because it is an old one, 
has done and is doing much good, and its organization and means pro¬ 
mise to perpetuate its usefulness. It has been eighteen years in ope¬ 
ration. Its permanent Vested funds exceed $6,000, the income of which 
is about $600; and other $600 are annually drawn from the state trea¬ 
sury, thus afiording the society about $1,200 per annum, to be award¬ 
ed in premiums, and to defray expenses. Their proceedings are an¬ 
nually published in a handsome 8vo. pamphlet, of about 100 pages, 
the last of which has been kindly sent to us by the secretary, J. W. 
Proctor, Esq. The address affords a happy illustration of the advan- 
tages which have resulted from agricultural societies down east. “ I 
suppose,” (we quote the words of a reverend clergyman)—“that ten 
bushels of rye to the acre, twenty of Indian corn, one ton of English 
hay, and 200 bushels of potatoes, were formerly considered as ave¬ 
rage crops. Since premiums have been offered, we have claims for 
from forty to fifty bushels of rye, from one hundred to one hundred 
and twenty-two of corn, from three to four tons of hay, and from four 
to five hundred bushels of potatoes. Our improvements have not been 
confined to single acres; in several instances the products of entire 
farms have been more than quadrupled.” 
We extract from the pamphlet of 1835, some facts from which oth¬ 
ers may profit. D. Putnam drilled in half an acre of corn, one-third 
early in May, one-third late in that month, and the other third 10th 
June, to furnish a succession of green food for his cows. The produce 
amounted to eight tons. Mr. Putnam has an acre of irrigated mea¬ 
dow, the product of which was one and a half tons of hay ! 
Elias Phinney, of Lexington, raises three good crops with one plough¬ 
ing, viz : corn, rye and grass. His practice is, to manure well a piece 
of greensward, plough and plant it with corn in drills; cultivate su¬ 
perficially, so as not to break the sod, but never to make hills; gather 
his corn crop, then run a shallow furrow through the rows, sow rye 
and timothy, and smooth oil'with a bush harrow—the second year cut 
his rye, and the third year his grass. Two acres thus managed, pro¬ 
duced 140 bushels corn, 69i bushels rye and five tons of hay in three 
seasons. 
The pamphlet contains an interesting paper, drawn up by the Rev. H. 
Colman, on cutting and preparing food for cattle and horses, in which 
many facts are adduced to show the saving of fodder effected by the 
practice. We quote two of the many cases in the statement: 
1. In 1816, Mr. Hale, proprietor of a line of stages running from 
Newburyport to Boston, purchased for his stable, from April 1 to Oc¬ 
tober 1, six months, and fed uncut, 32 tons, 4 cwt. 10 lbs. hay, at $25 
per ton,...$800 00 
From October 1 to April 1, 1817, he purchased for 
the same teams, and cut, 
- $510 23 
Deduct on hand April 1, by estimation, four tons more 
than there was Oct. 1, at $25 per ton,. 100 00 
-- 410 23 
Saving, by the use of the straw cutter, in six months,.$390 77 
Consumed by 25 horses belonging to the Salem stage, from April 1 
to Oct. 1, 1816, and fed uncut, 22 tons at $30.$660 00 
Consumed by the same horses from Oct. 1 to April 1, 1817, cut, 
Straw 15 tons 13 cwt.... $187 80 
Hay 2 “ 15 “ . 81 00 
- 268 80 
Saving in using chopped fodder,. 391 20 
Total saving in using straw cutter nine months, 
At Newburyport,. $389 77 
At Salem,.... 39120 
- $780 97 
The horses had the same allowance of grain during both periods. 
2. Mr. Shelden, of Beverly, took accurate account of the feed re¬ 
quired for his stock of fifty-one head of horses and neat cattle, when 
fed uncut and when cut; the result was, he saved $2.86per day by 
cutting his fodder, besides “an increase of six gallons of milk per 
day from his thirty-five cows,” and “ likewise something for the im¬ 
provement of the condition of his whole stock.” 
The trustees seem wisely determined to make provision for the next 
generation, in articles in the first necessity, wood and timber, by en¬ 
couraging the planting of forest trees. They offer premiums amount¬ 
ing to $240, for the greatest number of oak, locust, larch, white ash 
and chesnut trees, raised from seed on an acre, the number in each 
case not to be less than a thousand. They also offer premiums amount- 
