Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1849-04-06
Communication.
Book Farming.


dice against science in agriculture. IL he have
said he was surprised to find so little science in |
relation to agriculture or a prejudice against
book farming, should not have questioned the |
correctness of his opinion.
believe science IN agriculture and book farm
ing are phrases Of very different import. We
ali know what is meant by book Turner, n book |
lawyer, a book divine or n book physician
There arc many who have read and remember
well what is contained in the books relating TO
their profession, but are at the same time very
deficient in the faculty Of discrimination or Of
judgment sufficient to make judiciou5 appca.
ton Of their knowledge In that sense ! used
the word hook farming" ! can discover no
expression in my article that contains the least
evidence Of prejudice against science in ag-
riculture.
There are no writings on agriculture, that
ever read with more interest or with more profit
than the writings of Professor Norton. They
contain evidence Of great science in agricul-
turc.
expressed my opinion that the study Of his
writings would promote the interests of agricul-
ture. also expressed my opinion that the Wis
IDLE improvement in the cultivation Of the farms
Of Vermont and of the State, originated and has
been promoted, by an agricultural paper
also expressed the wish that every farmer in
Vermont, should become a subscriber for the
Cultiyaior. These views do not SAVIOR Of prcia-
dice against science in agriculture.
II is true, ! did say, that to follow the rules
laid down in most Of our agricultural papers
would ruin nine-tenths of the farmers in Yer
mont should refer 10 many rules for feed
ing sheep, such as changing their diet, feeding
hemlock boughs, and a thousand other quack
recommendations which kill ten where they help
one. In looking over some numbers Of the
Cultivaior, ! find lime recommended rs ma
nure, one quantity so to $50 bushels to the acre.
In many sections Of this State, lime would pro-
duce no benefit, and the cost Of the lime would
be more than the value Of the land. | wish for
more particular description Of the soil ON which
the lime is put, the value Of the land per acre,
the cost Of lime, the cot of manure, whether
natural or artificial; whether near to or remote
from market. A course Of farming may be
profitable, near a village, that would not be far
from market So
To increase the agricultural product, Of Yer
mont on a large scale, there must be a change
in the mode Of farming-less plowing and more
moving. Most Of our lands arc naturally good,
but from too long aud continual blowing, will
not produce good crops Of grain. Put those
lands down to grass, and pasture them close,
try the operation Of natural causes alone, the
lands will recover their natural strength, and
produce good crops Of grain. Many Of our old
cannot be carried. Some OF these lands, that 20
years ago would not have produced 20 bushels
of grain per acre. have planted TO corn and
raised so bushels Of good corn per acrc, without
any manure, except a mixture OF leached ashes
and plaster put into the hill when planted. We
all know that by an application uf manure, the
lands may he made productive at once. large
farm has sufficient worn on, lands on which ma.
nnre can be carried, to consume all the manure
most farms will produce, and much more. Let
our worst soils, those that are not really good,
receive our frst attention For on n naturally
rich soil, 20 loads Of manure will increase the
product Of a crop Of corn twice as much as the
same quality on a less fertile soil From my
own experience, am convinced that much Of the
organic and inorganic matter that is necessary
to produce good crop Of grain, and which has
been exhausted by too long cropping, may in a
To-" ycera be rostared nRain by the operation al
nature herself j have an old worn out wheat
field Of acres-this field formerly produced
large crops Of wheat or corn. II was divided
into two lots Of acres each. One field was
four years pas,ured close by sheep, the other
was neither pastured nor moved, but all that
grew on it was suffered TO rot, or rather to dry
on the ground. The fifth year both lots were
plowed aud planted to corn, without any ma.
nure except plaster and leached ashes. The
one that WAS pastured produced good crop,
the other poor one, not better than it produced
before it was fenced off. There was thick
turf on the one pastOred aud none on the other
The grass on this field appeared As thick the last
year Us it did the first or second. / am inclined
to believe that the roots Of grass src so many
little workers, that are necessary to produce q
good crcp, as they are brought within lheif reach
by the action Of the water or atmosphere
When the grass is not cropped of, this matter
passes of through the stalk and is again lost in
the atmosphere; when the grass is cropped by
the sheep, the matter is confined TO Tia rsAis
and causes them to extend, and thus forms
thick turf. The droppings Of the sheep tend
to make the soil some, but eau that alone do more
to enrich the land than the grass they eat, IL
plowed in?
You see begin to be quite scientific. But il
is truly astonishing, to see how much lime may
be held in solution by water and invisible to the
eye. Those living in lime regions are familiar
with the fact, that some Of our best spring water
is so full Of lime that tea-keite used but twice
day, will in the course OF three months accu.
mulate on its sides, lime Of the thickness of
quarter of an inch, and finally gil up the nose
Of the kettle.
In boiling sap from the maple in large pot.
ash kettle, have found after i hours boiling,
from gill to pint of sand or lime at the bot
tom Of the kettle This will appear when the
Il
to account for this only upon the principle that
the matter was, in a state OF solution, taken up
by the roots Of the tree, and carried of through
the pores Of the tree in the sap. Upon this the
DRY, in limestone region, application of lime
to our lands would not benefit them, and expert
ment proves the truth Of the theory.
In all our farming operations we should follow
the operations Of nature, as far as we can clear
ly trace her works. Her labor may be greatly
facilitated by mans labor. We should follow
her steps-not 60 before. lean remember when
our fields were in harvest time covered with
heavy crops of excellent wheat. Grain grow.
ing was continued too long
Fields that produced good grain may be made
to produce good grass. The raising Of stock,
whether cattle or sheep, does not require half
the labor or cost of the raising of grain. BY
grain our lands are made poor; by cattle OF
sheep, rich. The statistics which furnished had
a tendency, thought, to show that stock, not
grain, must be the staple Of Vermont We are
not so far advanced in improvements as to jusii-
fy extensive outlay, in artificial manure, espec-
Tally for large farms, where labor Is to be hired
have not seen q statement of the expense Of
making 100 loads Of manure. This know must
depend upon the quality of manure and the dis
lance the muck is drawn, also the cost of ashes
or matter Of which it is composed. ] have
steep sidehil pasture, which for the last 20 years
as been pastured with sheen. Rv fencing off