Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-17


she should expend continually without be- Y
ing replenished. There can be but little r
doubt that the earth can be made to fur /
nish from its own stores the means of 7
maintaining its own fertility BY the ap c
plication of all decayed substances vegeta- t
bic and animal, by an exchange and in {
termixture of soils. by the occasional use
of mineral substances, by the direct return
to the earth of It's own productions in the (
turning in Of green crops, divine Prov
dence has afforded the means of securing
forever the productiyeness of the earth
1t is mans province and duty to use and
apply these means; and 1t Is thus 10 his
power not only to secure but TO Increase
its productiveness. Under these reasona-
bic conditions man need not fear to tax the
earth to the fullest extent Of its powers,
and to keep them in constant requisition.
The limit of its capacities has perhaps in
no case as yet been reached; in most ca
ses it has not even been approached. The
object of int lligent agriculture should be
then to obtain from the earth all that it
can be made to yield without impoverish-
ment; to cultivate such crops and pro-
ducts as are mosl needed and consequent
ly most valuable; and to put it into an ad-
vancing and improving condition.
Ii we try now the agricultural state of
our farms by this standard Of what it |
should be, it will be found greatly inferi
or and deficient. In respect to Massa-
chusetts itself we have no hesitation in
saying that even with present prices of la
Dor, on the supposition that the prices of
agricultural produce should maintain the
same relation to the prices of labor, which
they now do, the agricultural products of
the state might be pro6tably quadrupled
and we think we might even double this
measure. We have no doubt that the
agricultural resources of Massachusetts,
if properly brought out, would be ample
to the support OF four times the popula-
Il ton, which now belong TO her. Where
she now produces one bushel of grain,
) and of esculent vegetables and one ton of
IS hay, she might be made to produce four
a times that amount. Her beef, pork, wool,
h butter, cheese, are very small compared
r with what they might be. Her broom
corn, teasles, and tobacco are crops,
which were never seen by large portion
: of her inhabitants. Her maple sugar
which is now in some parts of the State a
considerable product, amounting in one
town to several thousands of pounds year.
", might be vastly increased. Her APP
plies. which, to say nothing of the value of
the fruit for market or expectation, yet
for feeding neat cattle and swine, are be-
ginning to be appreciated at more than
half the value of potatoes, are neverthe
}. less comparatively very small product
Hemp and fax are articles scarcely cul
nd tlvated among US; yet in many cases
would furnish an ample remuneration tt
labor. The cultivation of madden has no
vet we believe been even tried among US
The cultivation of beets for sugar and o
}, silk give fair promise Of the most abun
dant returns but as yet can scarcely b.
said to be commenced. Now the ques
ton is not whether other countries car
produce these articles in much create
abundance and at much less cost than I'VE
can but whether Massachusetts can pro
lduce these articles in suficiency for TIT
supply of her own wants; and at sucl
cost as to afford full and profitable com
pensation Tor the labor necessary to thei
production. Without specializing on fu
ture contingencies we can only say tina
at present she could do it TO advantag
A. and an ample profit that an increase,
cen production would promote an increase G
ia population and consequently increase th
sld' demand; and that an increased produc
re- re- ton would be followed by an Increases
the use of products and that this likewis
; ;ns would stimulate the demand. The grea
ION, and otter vexed question whether Stat
!, So 70 for example should under all circumstar
Jug ces be advised to raise its own bread, whe
that the same labor applied to other product
I ,;ch or purposes would furnish the means {
WI purchasing this bread at less cost, we sha
ilty, reserve for discussion on another occa
nent sion. AT present we rest upon the gree
Ger position that agriculture in NIassachuset
lpa- may be made 10 afford an ample and lii
d. era compensation to well-directed labo
Sc OF which is available or can be brought
! not bear upon it; and therefore we feel at Ii
! the erty to urge the subject of agricultural in
s MS provement and the extension of our cult
frcm Walton. ...
read, In New England in the common u
sus or rather misuse of the term improve
lded, means simp v to use or to occupy. A ma
riend - eo;J >, :o = c., ri
ton 'N'o " 'OOo loi IA Va pleCo vi Idu
nent. when he merely uses or occupies it; al
his although under his management it shou
pc. be in course of mpoverishment. It
. very different sense in which we er
ploy the term. We understand a farm
- be improved only when under the cour
of husbandry pursued it is continually
coming more fertile and productive
With this understanding what is The CO