The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1858-11-30
ADDRESS
Delivered at the Hilisdaie County Fair, held
J0nesviile. Oct. 2, 1858.
BY d. L. PhARr, ESQ.
mr.. President, Ladies' and Gentleman !.

Mr.. President, Ladies' and Gentleman:
shall not on this occasion 90 back TO
the carly history Of our race, and trace the
improve nent. made in agriculture to the
present time, however amusing or profita-
bic the task might he. Mother shall I
travel into foreign countries after expensive
or for fetched fcriilzors 10 enrich our lands.
shall deal with subjects at our own doors.
and make this practical discourse to prac-
tical Hillsdae County farmers. In doing
this I shall forcgo MI attempts at oratory,
and shnl not address you in the language
Of fattery, however mnch may sec to
praise and admire. Your exhibitions hero
to day speak moro eloquent eulogy than
any could hope to deliver, and tcach les
sons far moro profitable than any theories
of mine
In this address shall speak Of n few Of
tho wants and hindranccs connected with
farming operations in Hillsdale Counnty:
and suggest such remedies and improve.
menis Ms may deem desirable.
And first with regard to tho roads-much
has been done TO improve the roads in
Hillsdalc County. but still many Of them
are sadly deficient. hardly know Of n
highway upon which farmer can drive n
team five miles at fast trot without dam
ger of breaking his vehicle to say nothing
of his neck. Pray what is tho usc Of train.
ing fast trottcrs without good roads to drive
them on? On how manv of our roads can
you draw fifty hushcl Of wheat TO market?
| You farmers living on farms remote from
market, have You ever computed The ex-
pcnse Of taking vour produce to market and
how much might lie saved by good reads
have done something rs agent in sell-
ing real estate in this County. and have
always found that lands Of the same quail
ity sold more readily and for better prices,
on good roads. than on poor. From my
experience and observation am ju'tfied
in saying that lands and farms situated on
good roads are worth and will sell for one
q ,arter moro than those situated on poor
roads.
Those Of you who live on poor roads loose
more than yov are aware in tho sale Of your
productions. When there is demand for
your vegetables. fruit, cattle, sheeo, hay,
oats, corr &c.. those who deal in such art.
clcs will 90 first ont on tho best roads to
hunt them up.
The mistake j., in disposition TO shirk
the highway tax, TO work as few hours each
day rs possible-to make our oxen, carts,
ploughs, scrapers &c. each count day. The
remedy is, to make no charge for our utcn-
sis, to work as many hours faithfully as we
do on our farms, and then if the roads are
not good make bees and do extra work
enough to make them goo . Tho saving
in time and wear and tear of teams and
wagons will more than repay Us for tne
extra work
Second, Oj'oT swompS and marshes
The swamps and marshes in this county
are considered hy many as tho most worth
less portions of our land. These swamps
are unsightly objects and have long been
avoided as ungeuial territory. In the sum.
mer he miasma that arises from them pro-
| due, tie bilious fevcrs which afflct our
inhabitants cvory year moro or less.
Al present they rctard the settlement of
the county very much, and arc one Of tho
greatest hind,ances we have to contend
With. Most of our farmers, in clearing
their farms, shuu them as they would the
pest house, and clear round item, leaving
ihcm to breed frogs, snakes, and fever and
aguc. and to pollute our atmosphere. Ly-
inr IN the midst Of our farms with their
ragged edges projecting into our cleared
fields, and covered with decayiug timber,
they are repulsivc to the sight, and make
the county look drcary and unproducti' o.
Some cntcrprising farmers lave drained
these swamps aud marshes and brought
them under cultivation; aud have found
them tie most productive portions Of their
farms.
| will mention the experience of Thomas
! Burt scientific AMI successful English far
mer, who has improved large farm in
Ransom, and who has probably made more
drains, and brought under cultivation moro
acres of swamp land, than any other far
mer within the county. He informs mo
that he can .ubdue and bring under cult
walton one acre Of shaky boggy cranberry
marsh with less expense than he can clear
one acre of heavy timbered land; and that
when subdued they are worth -four times rs
much for grass or corn. He says he con-
| slupfS Ills WILLOW dutl Hthlhhto W.
the most valuable portions of his farm; and
that he would not choosa farm destitute
of swamps and marshes He says there
was knob in one Of his fields containing
about an acre ofycllow clayey and gravelly
soil, SO worn out that it would hardly yield
the seed sowed upon it; that he gave it n
dressing Of barn manure, and muck from
the cranberry marsh, and harvested thirty
ono bushels Of wheat to the acre-that he
seeded it down and annually moved heavy
grass from it for 6ve years. Tamaracs
swamps have been cleared and drained and
converted into good corn ground. In fact
there is no difficulty in changing them alI
into the most productive meadows, pastures
and corn fields we nave where there is suf
fcient fall to drain them.
Again: Swamp muck has been found
to be one Of our most valuable fertilizers
As the Inhabitants Of this county arc more
interested in the draining and cultivation
Of these swamps and marshes than in a,N
thing else connected with farming and the
improvement Of the county, | cannot moro
proftably occupy portion OF my time