Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-03-17

Daniel W'cJster's Speech at an agricultural
Meeting in Bos.on.-Daniel Webster is far
mer as well as legislator He is at home in
talking of soils, and the different modes OF far
ming, as much as when expounding the con-
sttution in the Senate of the United States
While on his recent tour in Europe, he paid
attention not only to the political institutions
of the old world but he paid particular atten-
ton 10 the subject of husbandry partly no
doubt, from patriotic views, and also because
he has himself taste for agricultural iniorma-
ton. He occupies one Of the finest farms in
the state of Massachusetts, at Marsh6eld.-lt
contains nearly 1000 acres. lie has brought
over variety Of English improvements, inclu-
ding seeds, the different kinds of sheep, &c
At the first of series of Agricultural Meet
ings got up in Boston, by Mr. Colman, State
Commissioner for Agricultural Surveys, Mr.
Webster spoke more than an hour, and his re-
marks were listened to, with the deepest inter-
est. We have not seen full report of his
speech, but we collect few ideas advanced
on the occasion, from the newspaper sketches
ofhis speech, which we presume will be in
! teresting to our agricultural friends.
| He remarked at the commencement that the
primary elements, in the consideration of the
agriculture of country, were four; climate,
/ soil, price of land, and price Of labor.
! The climate OF England is essentially differ
ent from ours. They were on the western side
or the eastern continent, and we on the eastern
side of the western. Our winters are much
colder, and our summers much hotter than in
/ England. The climate of each country is
materially affected by their respective si,ua-
! lions in relation TO the ocean. II may be sup
/ posed that our climate must resemble that OF
4 China, in the same attitudes and this fact
may have an essential bearing on one branch
of agriculture, the production ofsilk.
/ The second point lies in the soil /; that of
I England is mainly argil,aceous soft and
unctuous loan on a substratum of clay. The
southern parts are OF light loan, resting on
deep beds of chalk. The rocks are ola differ
ent formation ours is granite soil. This
species Of soil prevails in Scotland, which
more resembles our own country. Our soils
are stony, which are not found in England.
The price of land is three times as high in
England, as in Massachusetts. The price Of
labor is much higher in this country than id
that.
Agriculture in England has strongly atirac-
ted the attention OF men ofscience. They have
studied particularly the soil, more than ~
years ago Davy treated the application OF
chemical analysis OF soils and manures The
same attention has been continued to the sub
ioc,, and has produced very beneficial results
IN agriculture.
Another m .terial feature in their agriculture
is the rotation OF crops. IL is 4 settled pm l.
nle that TWO rhite crops should no, come N
immediate succession. HhIfe crops, are gram
crops.-whear, barley, rye and oats. These
are succeeded by, or alternated with potatoes
ye,ches, tares, iurnips and cloyer,-which are
green crops.
The great improvements IN English hus
bandry are all traced TO the introduction, IRON
GO 10 SO wears ago, ofthe cultivation OF fHr
uiD, Before that Time when lands became
exhausted by the repetition oigrain crops, the,
were left failow, that is not cultivated al all
This occurred as often as every i'h year
Turnips are now substituted for these iaiio~s
and the land in iurnips isoossldered as ialio"
The exhaustion OF land takes place mani,
when the seeds OF plant are allowed TO per
feet themselves. The tuTnlp does not perisc
It's seeds belure i, is consumed. Tue leaves
expose a wide surface 70 the atmosphere, an
: consequently derive much OF their suhs.s'eno'
from il, hesiies preventing the Exhaustion uoH
,he SUI and ar