The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1826-03-01

require greater extent and variety OF knowl-
edge, than might, at first view, be judged
| requisite.''
Upon subject so various and extensive in
Us character, neither the occasion or time will
permit me to express any particular views, or
togIVe, even brief sketch, Of any favorite
system of my own, | may be permitted TO
remark, however, that in New-England,
whose stubborn and iron-bound soil yields
with reluctance to the dear-bought labor of
the plough, generation for tillage may be
| CARED too far. The yellow harvest, which
waves so richly over our plough-felds, may
bethe fruit of TOO much labor and expense.
Although there are portions of New-England,
Where the culture of grain and almost every
kihd of vegetable may be rendered profitable /;
yet, its most distinguishing features mark it
Tor country better adapted, in general, TO
grazing than tillage. We can never expect
to rival the more western and southern States
in the production of grain. But we have no
| reason TO fepine at our lot with judicious
management our profits may equal theirs.
$40 eed well, (it was said by old Cato the
Roman is the first and most profitable thing
In the management of a private estate; to
feed olFably well the second to feed ill,
the third" TO plough, he ranked only in
the fourth place of profit and advantage
The cultivation of grass is truly one of the
most essential parts of almost every system of
good husbandry; and, when the soil is favor
able, no branch of the art yields a greater
bounty to the industry of the farmer, or so
veil repays the labor bestowed. lnattention,
however, to those moist or humid soils, which
need not the continued application of the
plough, IS no uncommon error among New
England farmers. 1t is no unusual spectacle
to see these portions of the farm, qualified tor
Its support and ornament, abandoned to neg
lect. Too frequently, the willow and alder
are TO be seen sweeping their luXuriant
branches over The rich mead of our vallies,
whose fertilizng powers; with little labor,
might be made to yield an exhaustless treas
ure. Even those meadows or natural moving
lands, as they are sometimes called, which
have been submitted to the scythe, are fire.
quently cropped year after year, and their
products expended to supply the imperious
demand of the plough-feld; till, at length,
| they become carpeted over with moss and
naouse-ear, and nothing like grass is to be
seen, except, here and there, few brstly
stalks of the crow-foot, which rear their
: hesds only to conceal the deformity beneath
them.
: The herds and the flocks of the farmer are
no among the objects least deserving of hi:
e attention in any situation. They are the
e soirce from which large proportion of the
: fc d OF man is derived; and they administer
D nc less to bis pleasure than his accommoda
tin. If our ideas of the character of the sol
Of New England are correct, it is in the skill
+ itl management of this department, that oui
tanners narficOlar Of boi
hopes. They are, in the emphatic language
a of Mr.. Blackwell, the machines,'' which
q convert the heritage of our fields into articles
D taat may contribute to our necessities or con
) vepience. They are the channels throug!
which the wealth Of our farms is conveyed id
to or Golfers. The neat stock of New-En
S slani already rank deservedly high in the es
timstion of the public; and, it may be salt
| without arrogance, that no section of equa
r extent can be found, whose cattle do NOR
credit to the stall, the yoke, and the dairy
: han those of the County of Worcester. Blu
2 improvement, perhaps, may still be made
2 even IN our neat stock and it is to be hoped
5 that It's progress may not be retarded by GU
! concefs or our prejudices. The efforts whic
: have been used to improve it, by importing
, the excellent breeds oil foreign growth, discov
} er iaudable and patriotic spirit and trib
ute OF gratitude is due from the farming com
munItv, to those gentlemen who have mad
them. Although we may possess, in the ma
: tive race, the elements of fine stock, YET
we have no distinct breeds or race of cattle
5 whose superiority over every other, is know
or at least acknowledged and, even if we had
, the improved breeds from abroad may hav
J some qualities, which might be made to aug
ment the value of our own.
Our fiocks have certainly received grea
acquisition from abroad. in that valuable ami
: NAL the Merno Sheep. Their introduction
into this county was the commencement of
new era in the history of our agriculture.
laid the foundation of sheep husbandry in thi
country; a department in rural economy. t
which, Great-Britain is greatly indebted 70
her agricultural and commercial power. |
was an event. that has already exerted pow
erfpl influence upon the prosperity Of the far
mer, not only advanced his personal interest
but made great accession to the politica
power and importance of New-EngIand.-
| wool will soon become as great staple o
these northern States, as cotton is of the south
| and its production, next to her manufactures
will be the greatest source of New-England'
wealth and will do much in enabling her {,
preserve her just weight in the scale of tn,
Union.
We cannot dismiss the subject of sheep hus
bandry, without recurring to another depart.
tnent of industry, which it is the design of thi
Society TO foster and encourage. The con
nexion, which sheep husbandry has with The
rising hopes and promising growth of one
branch of our infant manufactures, is a mos
convincing example of the truth, that ou
Manufactures and Agriculture, for the mutual
benefit OF each, are equally entitled TO sup
port and that the interest of the one is moi
averSe to the prosperity of the other. The
time was, when our favorite merino had few
to advocate their cause. Strong prejudice.
were entertained against them; and the un.
fortunate speculatons of some, and the i'm
proper management Of others, had nigh prov.
ed fatal to their success. Not eight years
I nukNR L..