The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-09-21
From the National Mietige-rer.
PROFESSOR NAPE'S EXPERIMENTAL.
FARM.
THE VALUE OF SCIENCE ~ AGRICULTURE.

l FARM.
| TnE VALUE OF SCIENCE ~ AGRICULTURE.
Science is gradually making its way TO
the farm house and lending its powerful
aud important aid 10 agricultural pursuits.
AS an incentive IL others To ego and do
likewise" will state very briefly what
practical chemist in now doing in this VI
cinity in experimental farming. Professor
Nnpcs, Cor some years pnst o resident in
this city, and well known rs good chem
is, and scientific man, concluded last inll
to turn his attention 10 agriculture. For
this purpose he purchased snnll farm oi
about forty acres in New Jersey, between
two and three miles northwest Of Newark.
lie 10 now in the midst Of his first season,
and yesterday ! went out 10 his place in
company with some Of the members Of tho
American Institute 10 SEQ what sort Of a
start he had made in bis new pursuit. The
result was highly gratifying, md LEI.
tho impression that this little experimental
farm will help to give valuable s,imulus
to the agriculture Of tho country. The ba-
sis Of his soil is principally disintcgratcd
sandstone with mixture Of clay. The
farm had been occupied for some years
past by mechanic, who Ind paid but little
attention 10 il, and il wns in low state Of
cultivation, thus making Il fair field to
test tho results Of chemical farming.
On our arrival we wcro seated awhile
in tho Professors snug parlor, where he
gave Us general account III tho farm. the
nature of the soil, the sources and the mode
of procuring. preparing, and applying ma
nurcs, tho effects oil various chemical ac-
ton in tho composition Of manurcs, and
their influence upon vegetation. In short,
il was an admirable chemical lecture up.
piled to agriculture. IIc then took us over
tho farm to sec what hc had done and what
he was preparing 10 do. At tho barn 10
found two yoke Of the hnndsomcst and most
powerful working oxen have ever seen.
"Whcrc did you find such cattlc?"
81 called man 10 my MD who was first
rate Judge oi animals, aud told him TO 20
ont and look for them, directing him To
bring inc two pairs Of tho best oxen no
could find between New York and Bangor,
regardless Of the expense"
The result was that he brought bsck
these cattle at about two hundred dollars
yoke, 'sand cheap enough At that, }" snid the
Professor. One pair weighed about $500
lpounds. We then went into the field TO
see them plough, and the case with which
they took tho plows through the soil SEEM
cd more like tho work Of powerful steam
engine than Of animal power. Tho first
yoke cut furrow sixteen inches in depth.
The next yoke followed with tho sub-soil
pillow in the Same fnrrow, cutting and loos-
enins the earth sixteen inches below the
first fnrrow. The Professor says deep
blowing is very important for largo crops.
Somo of his blowing is thirty-six inches
deep. Ills system Of preparing and apply
ing manurcs is scientific and important,
and, Judging from present appearances, he
will produce remarkable results. The SCI
encc Of a succession Of crops in the same
season, without inpovcrishing tho soil, is
Of vast importance. Tho Professor SAYS
that from single acre no shall take OF this
season eight hundred bushels Of potatoes,
three thousand Gvo hundred cabbagcs, and
six hundred bushels of iurnips; which must
he worth Gvo or six hundred dollars at tho
lowest market prices. His crop Of cabba-
gcs this season he calculates at eighty thou
sand heads. lie Inns new variety Of po-
tnto. which he calls the nutmeg potato, ii
which he expects To raise this season eigh-
teen hundred bushels, which will be dispos.
cd Of for seed at ono dollar q b,shol. lie
calculates that be will have hundred and
twenty thousand nutmeg melons for mar
kct this season, which certainly ought 10
average two cents piece, and, ut that
price, they would yield twenty -four hun
dred dollars. There is on tho farm great
variety of other vegetables and crops to
which make no reference.
Unlike most farmers, no does not leave
strip of waste land along tho side al his
fences, but GUILTY. tes every inch snug TO
tho fence. Against each post in the fence
no sets out fruit tree, aud midway be-
tween tho posts grapevine, which, % il
runs and spreads. will rest on tho fence.
In this way he will soon have threc milcs
Of grape vines and fruit trees on ground
which ordinary farmers would let run to
waste. lilo uses his farm like grcai nm
chine Of wonderful powers, If properly and
scientifically handled. lie employs upon
il about twenty hands, but says in high
state Of cultivation it would givo employ
mcnt TO eighty.
Goldsmith says, in that sweet poem, tho
"Dcsertcd village
"A timo there was, Gro England's gricfs hcgan.
When every rood Of ground maintained its man."
But think Professor Nnpcs il in fair way
of nrovinn TINT in ihis roainfrv = mod nf