The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-10-07

will not be adapted to ours; while others
would flourish here that cannot profitably
be cultivated in Illinois, Hence the neces-
sity Of experiments in this new country,
to test the capabilities of the soil, to ascer-
tain the most profitable uses to which
your farms can be put, and the best means
of preventing the soil from becoming i'm
poyerIshed, or restoring it when it has
become SO. Western farmers will soon
have occasion to use al their information
in order to raise, after a few years cult
walton, the same amount per acre they do
now. 1t is idle to suppose that success
sion of splendid crops can be obtained
without decreasing the productive proper
ties of the soil Time vii show a dimu-
milton in your annual harycsts, unless by
means of manures and other appliances
your farms are kept up and preserved in
their present fruitful condition.. $500 f
l would suggest that under the auspices
Of this S ciety, a series OF experiments be
projected in various portions of these
counties, having for their objects the as
certaining more fully the capability ofthe
soil, the comparative profitableness of tho
different products and tie variety of each
which produces best; and that the result
of these. experiments be, published among
your annual proceedings. Ina few years
these statistics would beinyaluable. Fact
says Mr. Gradgrnd, is what we want in
this world. And tho only safe gener-
alization or sure rule of practice in agri-
cultural pursuits is one founl led on facts
and statistics of this kind.
There is one thing to which farmers
cannot pay too much attention. mean
the cultivation of fruit. Requiring but
little labor, affording the most ample re-
turns; there is no other product Of the
farm which can be put to such a variety
of uses. Unfortunately Western farmers
do not think of planting fruit trees till it
is too late. They go through life, depri-
wing themselves Of this cheapest OF all
luxurics, then late in years, plant trees,
which, without enjoying, they bequeath as
Bacon did his fame, to the next genera
ton. Now thisis all wrong.iq Fruit trees
do, not cost much: they require but little
attention, and the labor of watching and
training them is labor Of love. Why
will not cur farmers pay moro attention
to planting fruit trees. / am aware that
it is the common opinion that fruit trees
will not flourish here. But have they
been tried? In some cases where they
have been tried, they have failed for tho
very obvious reason that the trees were
brought from their nurseries in different
climate at an unfavorable season of the,
YEAR. in other cases the experiment
promises complete success. This is too
important amatter be given up without
a fair trial. / shall be slow to believe that
the harder fruits will not flourish here Us
well as in Vermont or Maine.
+ It is the common observation Of per-
sons travelling through tho West, that we
have no holnes-that the charm which
clusters around that word "home," with
Us is almost unknown. Such persons
forget the common adage that "home is
home however humble it may be-" But,
comparatively, these structures are just.
The criticism is W I'll Inerited, that we pay
too little attontion to our residences. L.
DO not mean this with reference to our
houses particularly, for am aware that
from the peculiar position Of pioneers,
other than the most unpretending houses
are not possible u But the farmers home
is kind of trinity, comprising the house,
the barn. and the garden. These three
are necessary to complete the full idea Of
that .term-a farm house. A fully deSe!-a
oped farm house in this sense is a thing
the eye loves to ,li1ger Ont is an orna-
ment to any scenery. The neat garden
with ITS rich soil; the walks, winding
away among the leaves; the luxurlant
vegetation; tho gold of ripenel melons
cleaning through the green leaves; the
trees bending with fruit; the grape vine
twining over the arbor, clasping the cool
ness with its tendrils and hiding its clus-
tiers beneath the foliage; the yari-colored
flowers edging the walks, or circling in
beds; the halo-like fragrance, the GOODNESS
of MONDAY, the quiet of evening, broken
only by that dim hum as if the sound of
growing things; the barn with its lofts
of hay; its stalls deserted in summer md
its law tenants in winter; the house set
amid the trees that seem part of it; the
vine laying along the roof and peering in
at the windows; tho brightly FURNISHED
dishes of the kitchen; the easy chair of
the sitting room; the solemn quiet Of the
parlor, sacred to visitors and Sunday; the
ANNALS; the library in the bookcase
such is the farmers hone-a green old
memory which ev,ry one carries with hlm
in his heart of hearts. 1t is true that IN
this new country this new ideal cannot be
attained. Such farmhouse IS the
growth of wears. But all can approxi-
mate to it. If. when you build, You place
your houses beneath some of the noble
oaks with which your country is adorned,
you will have your shade trees. If You
will but surround your house with cheap
but neat fence, nature herself will provide
that most beautiful of ornaments--a green
carpet of grass for your door ray. Ii
You will plant few trees, or even If moth
ing more than transplant some OF those
plum trees, that grow wild on your prair-
les, in few years tho fruit will repay
your labor manifold. If you would spend
an hour in transferring one of those wild
grape vines that hang themselves In folds
and festoons from your forest trees, it
would weav over your homes 2 covering
more beautiful tn an hand Of art can add,