Litchfield enquirer., 1837-06-01
From the Hampshire GGsette.
SCIENTIFIC FARMING.

| FARMING.
 Formerly there was great prejudice a. mong farmers to uniting knowledge acquir- ed from books, with experience, in their ag- rlcultural labors. This prejudice is fast dy- ing away. but probably still exists in some degree 1t was thought that any education, beyond common knowledge of reading, writing and cyphering, was entirely useless to the vocation ofthe farmer. But such ideas are very erroneous
 1t IS never deemed useless for the machin- lst to possess some knowledge ot the science of mechanics, or for the architect, of the science ot architecture they must have | such knowledge to be expert in their profess sion. Then why is it not important for the ! farmer to study the science ofagriculture
 But what is the science ofagriculture! It IS that science which treats of tho nature of plants, soils and manures. It makes known the composition ofsoils, and the kind of ma nure and particular plants that arc adapted to certain soils. Also, the effect which will result from particular treatment or culiva- f,on Most of this it is true eS alone, h does not give man that assurance of being right, which he possesses by uniting science with experience. If he trusts to the latter wholly, he is compelled to tread beaten path, or move with much uncertainty while on the other hand, the intelligent, scientific farmer may strike out new track, try some new experiment, or adopt some new mode of cul- ture, and be able to calculate before hand, nearly what will be the result He acts un- derstandingly. He knows in the first place, the nature the plant he wishes to cultivate suppose this to be the operation to be pur- sued-in the next place, the soil and manure adapted to it, and finally, the mode of culti- ioh ;fe MI fl,ic he knows without having gone through with the process of experiment.
 But the value of science in the labor of ag- riculture, may be made more clear by refer ence 10 facts. Who are the farmers that are most successful and prosperous! Are they not those who read and study agriM aNral works, and search out the best macated Man tivation! What farmers arc tbaght to be tain premiums for reclaimedap of children largest crops of corn! Areie country. In tiic farmers! those who eAently chargeabl as well as tho body in theiJes in breakings is so to the extent of our ober brittle materia
 One or two facts fell uiad unfortunate h, tion, during the short space, (which, at least { it was our lot to be 'tiller concerned, is ratl The farmer, with whom we aild and equab piece of moving land, whiehaas sport (pol membrance, had not been plougheen riea aust, his father said if it were ploughed, it never after would yield good crops of grass. The farmers son, however, did not place impli- cit confidence in tile wisdom of his grand father, and obtained permission, after much persuasion, to plough the land. It was plan ted with corn and produced a very large crop. The next year it yielded an excel lent crop of oats, and for three years suc- ceeding, more grass each year, than had been cut from it any two of the thirty pre- cedng years. Now had this farmer been intelligent, he would not have believed, for a moment. that ploughing would injure that piece of land.
 | Another fact. This same farmer had a swamp, covered with nothing but alder brush and dog g-wood, through which a brook run that was used for irrigating his moving land His father told him that if that swamp were cleared, the brook would dry up. But this grandson was faithless here. He took his axe and stub-scythe, levelled this swamp burnt it over and put it under process of re- claiming. But what became of the brook Why, it continued to run in its accustomed channel with the quantity of water, so far as perceptible, undiminished. Here again, had the farmer been we'll informed, he would have known that clearing the swamp could have but very little effect upon the brook.- It laid it more open to the suns direct heat which would subject the water to little more rapid evaporation, and that is all. But we have pursued the subject farther than we intended to, and will here close.