Ellsworth American., 1864-01-22
VOL. X::: NO. |.

may have led him astray on other sub
jects cannot but rebound in this to his
own reputation, and to the benefit of his
country. 1t is far from certain, however.
that all his theories will answer even for
Massachusetts, and it is still more doubt
ful whether in their full extent they would
be applicable to Maine. He is very earn
est for not suffering cattle to run at large
but to keep them winter and summer in
the stable The most enthusiastic parti-
san Of soiling would hardly contc'~i fot
the introduction Of this system among US
when there is so much land unfit for the
plough, but admirably calculated for pas.
ture. And yet it might be suggested
whether in the drowth of summer; when
our cows sympathize with our lessening
fountains, it would not be good Rusbandry
to have field of millet or Virginia corn,
to cut for green fodder, aud by giving
them feed morning and evening, to pre-
vent their feeling the drying influence Of
our scorched pastures. Another favorite
theory of this gentleman is to have no in:
terror fences. Good road fences, says he,
good division fences between ncighbor and
neghbor, but no partition fences in your
moving and arabic land. Now may it
not reasonably be questioned in this re-
gion, where the winds Of heaven visit tho
face of our common mother too roughly;
whether it is not expedicnt by multiply
ing enclosures to give shelter and protect:
ion to our felds,and do we not find whSfs
substantial stone walls, prevent our bleak
northwesters from sweeping with furious
and unimpeded career over the surface of
our fields, that there the verdure is earlii
er in the spring, and later in the autumn.
crops both of grass and grain are moro
luxuriant? Mr.. Quincy urges the farmers
of Massachusetts, very strongly TO have u
receptacle for manure, water tight at bot
tom and covered at top. Let no man says
he, call himself farmer who wants such
a receptacle, so that below nothing may
be lost by drainage, and above nothing
may be carried away by evaporation. If
you do not have it well clayed and paved
the wealth of the receptacle soc. of in
the under strata, to enrich possibly the
antipodes-the Chinese may be the better
for it, but it is lost forever to these up.
per regions" This was written by Mr..
Quincy before Captain Symnies advanced
his thcory-he would now probably stop
half way and only enrich the farmers OF
the inner crust, ut our expense. But is
it true that the riches Of the manure 6lter
through the soil A fact familiar to
every farmer would prompt an answer IN
the negative, 1t is that when we scrsps
our barnyards, We find the top very rich.
but we gradually come to earth which
bears no signs of having been visited BY
manure 1t is also well kr own that Ire
best mode of filterins water to make it
pure is to pass it through sand. | de-
termined in consequence to test Mr..
Quincy's theory by experiment. | filed
a small flower pot five inches deep with
sand, covering the hole in the bottom of
it With gauze straner, | then poured in
some water, which had been previously
saturated with manure. In few min.
utes the water began to run through in.
oIorous, insipid and colorless, and upon
examining the sand, the lower part did
not appear in the smallest degree changed.
II it be asked why then docs manure pro.
duce so little effect on sandy soil, tho
answer has already been given BY that
venerable and sagacous farmer, Timothy
Pickering. The riches Of the manure are
carried off by exhalation. 1t would
therefore seem only essential to have tho
stercorary covered so as to protect it
from the inaucuce of the wind, and to
have it made dishing that the rain may not
wash its contents away.
Complaints arc made among Us that no
man can get living by farming, and this
has been so often repeated that it has be-
come fixed article of belief with many.
Ny own observation, however, will war.
rant the, assertion that if man does not
thrive by farming, the fault is not in our
soil, nor in our climate, but must be laid
at his own door. Industry will create
thrift-not the industry of the farmer
alone for if he be not seconded by his
wife, success will rarely attend his exer.
tions. The spinning wheel and shuttle.
and good management within doors, will
even do more than the plow and spade.
and good calculation without. If the
man be L good husbandman, and the
woman good housewife. if they believe
that to be out Of debt, is to be out Of
d ,adly sin, and therefore to be avoided.
by living according to their means. il tho
children be taught bctimes the way in
which they should go-thc sons TO aid
their father in the labors Of the field, tho
daughters to assist their mother in the
cares of the household, that family Will
assuredly thrive. Wherever these are,
there will independence be found. Tho
farmer will behold the forest gradually
receding. and its place supplied by fields
OF his own creation--his temporary log
ercctions will be succeeded by substantial
frame buildings. He will survey his
crowded barns, his overfowing g.rnef,his
well stocked farm yards. and will be able
to say all this is the work of my hands
for these under kind providence am l
indebted to my own industry What
prouder reflection for man than this -
How much more cnviable than any that
the vicssitudcs of city life can afford ,
Farmers of Hancock. while bidding 70
welcome to this our yearly festival oft
husbandman greet you with the cor II,
wish that such reflections may be y nr,