Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-05-18
From the Cuhiyaior.
HE NEW HUSBANDRY.

, We have been asked, and have promised.
to r"N'aln, what we mean by the Ne,o Sys
lem Of i,'uShandry: and we now proceed to
/ redeem our ~ 'inIse.
The system is ',ew only comparatively,
and in con radls,inc;loG TO the old system,
which is generally adopted IN The first set
l'ement of country, IN some oegre' as
matter OF necessity; but wien, beng
once established, Is too often persisted IN,
with reckless indifference to uIterlor con
| sequences, long after the necessity for !,
has ceased. This particularly happens IN
countries like ours, where new and virgin
soils are conlrnualy inviting to emigration.
| What we dcEomlnate the new system, has
long been in operation in the valley Of the
Pc, IN Italy, indeed 1t seems to have been
pract'sed there by the Romans, in the
meridian Of their greatness-and IN Elan
ders, and for the last half century in
, Great Britain; and it has, besides, for
sometime had many faithful followers in
'he Uuned SAFES. BY the old system, we
| mean that which, generally speaking, has
Impoverished, and is still lmpoverIshing.
The soil on our Atlantic border, and which
is already causing indications Of premature
exhaustion and poverty in some portions OF
| the new wes. AS much vacant land as
ms district contains" (says late writer
of East Virginia -lhere is but little uDcu
lIvaled old feds] which. until enriched,
will yield any clear profit. Therefore.
Eas,c-n Virginia, in its present state, if
| fully populated, and no increase can be
expected, except from The improvement of
The soiL and the consequent increased means
oC subsistence" THIS remark will hold
good IN many portions of the older s,ates.
By .NeW Husbandry, we mean the art
and to many yet a mystery-of progress.
lively increasing the fertility and products
of our soils, and he intrinsic value of our
farms and of thereby providing The means
of subsistence for our increasing pppuIa-
ton.
There are no universal rules for doing
this. Much depends upon climate, soil,
and upon the distance and demands Of The
market. The products of the soil, as well
: as the demands for them. vary generally
with latitude. Grain, pulse, roots, and
grass, are the natural products of higher
attitudes; rice, cotton, ond tobacco, con
sl,,ule the staples Of more temperate
reglons whl!c The productions of the
lorr1 zone vary from both of those before
referred to. Though there are no definite
rules OF practice. that will apply to all, yet
there are essential requisites to success
that have general application. These
nre capital, industry and perseverance, ant
know ledge to apply them wisely vii effect
under The varied circumstances of climate
SOIL and market. Great success cannot bt
expected ia any laudabe Undertaking.
without persevrring industry and 10 re
: gard to knowledge, the laws which govern
g ma ter, upon which our labors are to b'
Il expended, are the same everywhere; AM
!, we ore endowed with capacities Tor lnves
u liga'Iug, compromising and applying man
y of them ~ aid of labor-the profits q
|, which are IN measure graduated by IN
. Intelligence which governs and directs It
Y The New System OF Husbaniry, or tn
;, ar, of increasing the fertility and product
. Of he soil, consists in
l. Manuring
9. Dralnlng.
1t 9. Good Tlllage.
n A. Alternating Crops.
o S. Root culture. And,
G. In substituting falIow crops Cor make
70 fallows.
r. Most Of all these are necessary to goo
;e farming, according TO soil, climate an
=, location. They are the distlnguishin
" traits of the new husbandry; and as the
d. are practised with more or less fidelity an
Id judg men,, in that proportion are they like
!, to advance The condition of our ngrlcultur,
and to benefit the commonwealth.
ID These objects have become SO hackneye
II from our repeated attempts to 'lustra
their bearing upon the prosperity of OF
country, that we almost despair OF int
:" esllng our readers by what we have
Is offer but as we labor in our vocation, al
tn deem the matters IN question OF deep !
tcrest to The farmer, we shall again thro
v" our seed abroad, trusting TO the lndugen
IN of our patrons, and in the hope, that,
he least portion of it may fall upon go
a Il ground, and yield a reasonable increase.
T We intend to discuss the several subje
oh we have named, and shall endeayor
he show the phy, and the hoO, each OF tn
l,ends TO benefit the farmer, and 10 adva'