G30 SS-Sov. AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY WESTBOROUGH AND VICINITY, AT WESTBOROUGH, OCTOBER THE 6th, 1841. BY JOHN S. SLEEPER, ESO. BOSTON : PUBLISHED BY GOULD, KENDALL AND LINCOLN, 59 Washington Street. 1841. Westborough, October 20th, 1841. Dear Sir: By a vote of the Agricultural Society of Westborough and vicinity, it is made our pleasant duty to express the thanks of the Society for your able and eloquent address, delivered before the Society on the 6th instant, and to request a copy for publication. Very respectfully, George Denny, 'l ’ i Otis Brigham, S- Committee. James Leach, J John S. Sleeper, Esq. Boston, October, 28th, 1841. Messrs. George Denny , Otis Brigham, and James Leach. Gentlemen : 1 have received your polite note, requesting in the name of the Agricultural Society of Westborough and vicinity, a copy for the press of the Address which I had the honor to deliver before that Society on the 6th of October. I contemplated a different disposal of this Address, but if it will in any way subserve the interests of the Society, it is at their service. I am, Gentlemen, respectfully, Your obedient Servant, John S. Sleeper. “ BV THE SWEAT OF THY BROW THOU SHALT EAT THY BREAD.” Such was the sentence pronounced upon man- kind. And this sentence has been regarded as a curse ; and labor, through a succession of ages, has been denounced as a mighty evil. But labor is not the enemy of man. It invigorates the frame, it im- proves the constitution, it chases away care, and it promotes health. Labor ushers in prosperity, and lays the foundation of happiness. The man who, rioting in affluence, looks down with contempt on his fellow-man who labors for his daily bread, should not be regarded with feelings of envy or indigna- tion. He should be viewed as an object of pity. His life is a dreary blank ; he does not fulfil the ob- ject of his creation ; his riches confer no real enjoyment, and unhappiness must be his portion through life. The busy, industrious bee, engaged in extracting honey from the fragrant flower, or in pursuing her ingenious architectural labors, is a 4 thousand times more happy than the indolent drone , which can hardly be said to live, only to exist. Labor is not a curse , it is a blessing. In all coun- tries, in all stages of society, it is necessary , in a greater or a less degree, for the subsistence of man- kind ; and therefore , free labor, voluntary labor, is honorable , while idleness is almost universally re- garded as infamous , and is mentioned in the Old Testament as one of the predisposing causes of the vices of the Cities of the Plain. If we look round the world, we shall find that in those countries where the climate is ungenial, or the soil is uneven and barren, requiring the utmost skill and constant labors of the inhabitants to bring forth sufficient to satisfy their wants, as in Norway, the Tyrol, or in Switzerland ; in those countries the people are healthy, virtuous and happy. On the other hand, among those nations where the climate is mild through the year ; where the earth brings forth, with but little aid from man, its richest products ; where a large portion of the population lead a life of indo- lence, and worship at the shrine of enervating lux- ury ; in those countries life has, comparatively, but few real charms, and there the Christian virtues can never flourish. I repeat it, labor, so far from being a curse, is a precious boon. It purifies the heart, expands the feelings, and gives a zest to the enjoyments of life ; and wretched indeed must those individuals or that people be, who, by a strange infatuation or neglect- ed education, are led to despise the invaluable gift, and follow in the demoralizing train of indolence. 5 Agriculture may be considered the foundation of labor. By agriculture is understood the art of tilling the ground, of making the earth bring forth rich fruits, and grains, and roots, which conduce to the subsistence and comfort of the human race, and to the support of the animals, which man has sub- jected to his dominion. The art of agriculture is the basis of all other arts. It is coeval with the dawn of civilization ; and as a nation improves in agriculture, the glorious light of civilization will be diffused through the land. When a people, emerg- ing from a state of barbarism, first turn their atten- tion to agriculture, they soon become aware of the necessity of proper tools to aid them in their labors. This prompts them to look into the subject of metal- lurgy. They examine the minerals of various kinds scattered abroad upon the surface of the earth, and select such as will subserve their purpose ; and here we find the origin of the mechanic arts. Man, fixed to one spot in consequence of agricul- tural pursuits, soon by his industry causes the soil to yield more than is necessary for his wants, or those of the mechanic and the manufacturer. A surplus is created, which is exchanged for other commodities among distant tribes, or distant nations — and com- merce thus springs into life, and furnishes additional comforts and luxuries. Were it not for agriculture, mankind would lead a wandering, savage life. Their principal resources would be in hunting and fishing ; and when those should fail, they would seek to prey on the industry 6 of others. Bound by no ties to any particular spot of earth, they would traverse the land in search of subsistence. It was this which induced the barba- rian Gauls to make irruptions into the southern parts of Europe. It was this which caused the final sub- version of the Roman empire by the Goths and Vandals, who forsook their native wildernesses, in the central and northern parts of Europe, for the mild climate and richly cultivated fields of Italy. Agriculture is not only the nurse, but the mother of patriotism. The man who cultivates the land, feels an interest in the soil. He feels that it is his own, and a thousand pleasing associations attach him to the spot. He loves the land in which he lives, and will gallantly stand forth to resist oppres- sion, or avenge an insult offered to his country. Who fought the battle of Bunker Hill? Who triumphed at Bennington, when commanded by the gallant Stark ? Who achieved American indepen- dence, and established on the western shores of the Atlantic a republic of free men ? They were the honest, industrious farmers of our country; men who knew nothing of the destructive science of war ; who loved not battles, but who were advocates of peace. They were attached to the land of their birth, and at the call of patriotism, they threw aside the implements of agriculture, and seized the musket and the sword ; they left their peaceful employments and their homes, willing to sacrifice their property and their lives, in an effort to break the rod of op- pression. 7 The Holy Scriptures teach us that agriculture formed a principal part of the business of the ante- diluvians. Abel was a shepherd, for we learn that he sacrificed 44 the firstlings of his flock ; ” and Cain was 44 a tiller of the ground.” After the flood, Noah and his sons cultivated the vine, and instructed their posterity in the arts of agriculture. The descen- dants of Shem appear to have been herdsmen ; they followed the breeding and feeding of cattle. And the sons of Ham, who took possession of Egypt, applied themselves to the cultivation of the soil, which was wonderfully fertile, owing to the inunda- tions of the Nile ; and their success was so great, that Egypt was enabled, in the time of Abraham, and more particularly in the time of Jacob, to sup- ply its neighbors with corn during periods of famine. The Jews, when they reached the land of Ca- naan, applied themselves to the cultivation of the soil. It would appear from certain passages in the Old Testament, that husbandry formed their princi- pal occupation. Many of the laws of Moses have for their object the regulation of flocks, and herds, and fields. David cultivated his own land, and had officers to take charge of his flocks, his herds, and his warehouses. Elisha was in the field with twelve yoke of oxen when he was found by Elijah. In different parts of the sacred writings, mention is made of the digging of wells, the planting of vine- yards, the harvesting, threshing, winnowing of corn, and things of a similar kind. And these labors were 8 looked upon as in the highest degree honorable* Both sacred and profane history bear witness that “ In ancient times the sacred plough, employed The kings and awful fathers of mankind.” The Chaldeans, the Chinese, the Japanese, and the Phoenicians, practiced the art of agriculture with great success in the early ages of society. In an imperial ordinance of China, issued within the last century, it was declared to be a maxim of their ancestors, that 44 whenever a man neglected to em- ploy himself in labor, or a woman in spinning, some person in the empire must suffer cold and hunger.” Homer, in his Odyssey, and other ancient writers, represent the cultivation of the earth as the most honorable employment of man. They also prove to us that industry in both sexes, as well as valor and virtue, were highly prized by the Greeks ; while idleness is every where rebuked as the herald of vice. The celebrated Ulysses, the warrior and the sage, on returning to Ithaca, his kingdom, after an absence of twenty years, found his aged father, king Laertes, busily at work in the fields ; for the poet tells us he was owner of a tract of land, which he cultivated with his own hands. The scene is thus described by Homer : 44 The king of Ithaca and his true and chosen band wended their way towards that part of the island where the good Laertes lived. The venerable man was owner of a tract of land, which he culti- 9 vated with his own hands, assisted by Dolius, an aged servant, and his two sons. As the chief drew near the rural dwelling, he bade his son Telemachus and his attendants approach the house, while he, di- vested of his armor, would seek in the fields for his father, being curious to know if the old man would recognize him, sadly changed as he was with years and sorrow. “ By paths which led beneath shady trees, and through well-cultivated fields, Ulysses passed without meeting Dolius or his sons. At length he saw at a dis- tance, an old man, laboring alone in the midst of a field. It was his father ! He was clad in coarse, but comfortable garments, suitable to his occupa- tion ; and although his frame was bent beneath the weight of years, he still looked vigorous and in health. “ Ulysses gazed upon him in silence, while standing beneath a tree hard by. He marked the features of his father, which were much changed since he last saw him, being deeply furrowed by the hand of time. But even in this humble dress, and while employed in the labors of the field, he retained a look of majesty, which proclaimed the king. “ The hero wept as he gazed upon the noble ruins ; but repressing his emotions, he advanced towards the venerable husbandman, who was busily employ- ed in removing the weeds from around a favorite plant, and loosening the earth, that it might receive moisture and nourishment. The old man, intent on his employment, did not relax his labors, or even 2 10 raise his head, as Ulysses approached and thus ad- dressed him : 44 4 Father, your skill and industry as a tiller of the earth, is deserving of all praise ; it is stamped in living characters on the soil. These well-tilled fields, these thriving vineyards, these rich and flour- ishing fruit-trees, teeming with figs, and pears, and citrons, and olives, all bear witness to your surpass- ing skill as a cultivator of the earth. No spot ap- pears to be neglected, but every plant and every tree seems cherished with equal care. You alone appear to be neglected, and I pray your forgiveness, father, if I censure you for this neglect. Surely, one so advanced in life may reasonably claim some indul- gence. Repose from toil, bright garments and social enjoyments are what old age demands, and should be yours.’ ” The fable of the contest between Minerva and Neptune, to ascertain who should possess the city of Athens, is well known. When the foundation of the city was laid, Neptune planted his trident in the rock ; an emblem of power. But Minerva produced the olive-tree, the symbol of plenty and of peace. The god of the ocean was declared vanquished. It is not difficult to perceive that in this fable, or tra- dition, is preserved a record of the rivalry that arose between two classes of the Attic population ; the one devoted to maritime pursuits, and aiming at commercial eminence, which in those remote ages was often attained by piracy, and the other con- tented with their own domestic resources, and pre- 11 ferring the tranquil operations of an agricultural and pastoral life, typified by the emblem of peace. The ancient Romans, too, venerated the plough. Numa, the second monarch of Rome, when he was called to preside over the destinies of the new king- dom, found himself at the head of a lawless multi- tude, accustomed to war and rapine, and more re- sembling a band of robbers than a peaceable com- munity, relying on their own labors for a subsistence. But Numa was renowned for wisdom, and in order to suppress the fierce passions of his subjects, he distributed amongst them the lands which his warlike predecessor, Romulus, had conquered. He turned their attention to agriculture, believing that no oc- cupation implanted so speedy and so effectual a love of peace, as a rural life ; which, without diminishing the courage and energy necessary to defend prop- erty, removes the temptations to injustice and ava- rice. At a later period the Romans became theoretical- ly, as well as practically, familiar with husbandry. Cincinnatus, when summoned by the Senate to exercise the high office of Dictator, and save the country from threatened ruin, was found in the field, busily employed in ploughing the soil. And the patriotic and noble-minded Regulus petitioned the senate for leave to return from the army for a short time to his farm, lest it should be ruined by neglect during his absence. Cato the censor, cele- brated as a general, an orator and a statesman, derived his highest and most enduring honors from having written a voluminous treatise on agriculture. 12 These were the golden days of Rome. The men were brave and industrious — the women were vir- tuous — and the empire was powerful and respected. But riches subsequently introduced luxury, and ar- tificial manners and habits, and the labors of agri- culture were no longer considered as honorable, but were performed by strangers or slaves. From this time the Roman character rapidly deteriorated, and Rome fell an easy prey to her more warlike invad- ers. And in the age of anarchy and barbarism, which succeeded the downfall of the Roman empire, agriculture was almost wholly abandoned, in conse- quence of the general insecurity of property, and the transient interest felt by cultivators, in lands which were not their own. We know but little of the implements of farming used by the Romans, excepting that they were of various kinds, and they are probably more worthy of notice from the curious antiquarian, than the practical cultivator. But we learn from their writers, and especially from Virgil, that they were well ac- quainted with the management of land ; were versed in the art of making and applying manure, one of the main-stays of husbandry; and were aware of the importance of irrigating their lands. Virgil ad- vises to bring down the water of a river upon the sown corn, and when the fields are parched, and the plants drying, convey it from the brow of a hill in channels. But we are told that the Romans, above all things, valued thorough tillage. “ Small farms and well 13 tilled , 5J was their motto, which doctrine was also well illustrated by the following apologue : A vine-dresser had two daughters, and a large vineyard. When his eldest daughter was married, he gave her a third of the vineyard for her portion, notwithstanding which, he continued to have the same quantity of fruit as before. When his young- est daughter was married, he gave her half of what remained, and still the produce of his vineyard was undiminished ! This extraordinary result was the consequence of his bestowing as much labor on the third part , left after his daughters had received their portions, as he had been accustomed to bestow on the whole vineyard. A good moral may be drawn from this apologue, even by the farmers of New England in this enlight- ened age. Cultivate a little land well, and it will be more profitable in proportion to the labor expended, than the cultivation of much land in a careless and unfaithful manner. This self-evident truth has been repeatedly urged upon the attention of the agricul- tural community, and it cannot be too often repeat- ed, until small farms become the order of the day, and the land of New England is cultivated as it should be, and trebled ; nay, quadrupled in popula- tion and value. The limits of a single lecture will hardly allow me to allude to the state of agriculture in modern Europe. It is perhaps sufficient to say that it began to be studied methodically in the principal European 14 countries, about the middle of the sixteenth century, and has greatly improved since the commencement of the present century. Labor-saving machines of various kinds have been introduced, and great at- tention has been paid by liberal-minded men to im- proving the character of vegetables and grain, as well as the breed of cattle, and sheep, and hogs, and other domestic animals. The subjects of soils, ma- nure, drainage, &x., have also attracted attention ; agricultural societies have been formed, and many valuable experiments have been made by men of wealth, eager to promote the interests of agricul- ture. There is one branch of agriculture, if I may so call it, which is brought to considerable perfection in Europe, particularly in some parts of Germany, and which is yet hardly known in this country ; but which must soon be introduced, and even now, in many places would prove a source of great conven- ience if not of wealth. I mean the cultivation of forest trees, for fuel and for timber. Forests of great extent are planted in Germany, and the trees, in uniform rows, are nurtured with a care, which is bestowed by the farmers of New England on no other than choice fruit trees. The traveller in the interior of Europe, often meets with these beautiful forests, planted but comparatively a few years be- fore, by the hand of man ; and trees, with their straight and tall trunks, and umbrageous foliage, cover tracts of land, where formerly fields of golden grain were ripened. 15 In the Lowlands of Scotland the art of agricul- ture has attained great perfection within the last quarter of a century. Many valuable improvements have been introduced into that country, which can now boast of some of the best tilled and most profit- able farms in the world. And this has been effected by the establishment of societies, and social agricul- tural clubs, and the general diffusion of information on agricultural subjects. It is not many years since, that in some parts of Scotland, the ploughs used to be drawn by four horses abreast, and required the attendance of three men. The business of one man was to drive. For that purpose he placed himself between the middle horses, with his face towards the plough to guide it straight, and in this position he stepped backwards with the reins in his hand. Another walked be- hind the horses with a cleeked staff, which he fasten- ed in the front of the beam, and by this means regulated the depth of the furrow, by raising or lowering the plough, as occasion required. The ploughman followed after, with a hold of the stilts, and in this formidable and ludicrous manner, they repeated their attacks on the soil ! In England, agriculture received a new impulse about sixty years ago, by the establishment on a liberal scale, of a Board of Agriculture. This was effected chiefly through the exertions of Sir John Sinclair, an indefatigable friend to agricultural pur- suits. It received from the government the gener- ous sum of £25,000 ! and an annual grant of a large 16 sum. Establishments of a similar character soon spread throughout the kingdom. The ablest men in the country lent their aid to these institutions, and the state of agriculture improved in a ratio, surpassing all calculations. These Boards and So- cieties, made farmers residing in different parts of the country acquainted with one another, and caused a rapid dissemination of knowledge among the whole profession. Numerous agricultural surveys, also, were exe- cuted under the authority of the Board, and proved of singular advantage, because they brought to light the practice of every county, and pointed out the modes of improvement. By these and other public- spirited operations, farmers were induced to investi- gate the principles of the art, and thus agriculture was brought into fashion ; old practices were amended ; new ones introduced ; and a degree of exertion called forth, previously unexampled among agriculturists of the island. In New England, the condition of the farmer is immeasurably superior to that of the men who cul- tivate the earth in other parts of the world. He owns the land on which he labors ; unlike the im- poverished tenants of farms in Great Britain, or the ignorant and oppressed serfs and vassals on the con- tinent of Europe. In New England, the children are not dandled in the lap of sloth, and served by slaves : they are taught betimes to serve and help themselves. Here the habit of industry is formed 17 in early life. The farmer here, is emphatically and truly, the lord of the soil. Nor is his heart wither- ed, or his hand unnerved by the corroding consider- ation that he holds his farm merely by the feeble tenure of a life-lease : and that when he dies, his widow and his fatherless children must abandon their home, and be cast houseless and pennyless on the world. It is true, that within the past year, the doctrine has been boldly advanced, that a man has no right , during his life, to direct the disposition of his property after his death I But it was received with such a frown of indignation from one end of the Union to the other, that I hazard little in predict- ing, it will never be revived. In New England, the farmer is respected, and generally respects himself. He has the means of education ; of improving his own mind ; of enlarg- ing his sphere of knowledge ; and of educating his children. He is accustomed to social and domestic comforts, and participates in the enjoyments of life. He is the peer of every man, and every class of men ; and has abundant reason to congratulate himself on being born in a country of equal laws ; where the odious systems of primogeniture and en- tail have never yet secured a foothold ; and thus, an equal division of property is secured among our citizens, to an extent which can never be experienced under monarchical or aristocratical governments. History teaches us by innumerable facts, that the over- grown wealth of a small number of individuals al- ways impoverishes the large body of the population, 3 18 and introduces among the inhabitants, want, and its concomitants, ignorance and crime. It is this, which is rapidly plunging England, where the race of small landed proprietors is nearly extinct, into a frightful abyss. Agriculture being the most important of arts, has far more votaries than any other art, which is cal- culated to benefit mankind. Hence, in New Eng- land, the farmers compose a large portion of the population. In the selection of rulers or legislators, every man has the privilege of participating in an equal degree. And that class of our citizens, whose occupation it is to till the ground, therefore have it in their power to frame the laws, or to mould and modify them according to their pleasure. It follows, that if our laws encourage the labor of other classes of the population, and make no provision, or but a stinted one, to improve agriculture, the farmers sure- ly have no right to complain. There has hardly a kingdom or state existed, that has not drawn its wealth directly or indirectly from agriculture, and that policy is obviously unwise, that does not make this the chief object of encourage- ment. Notwithstanding this, I may be allowed to ask, have we seen the same pains taken by the na- tional or state governments, to promote agriculture, as to improve and encourage arts, of far less conse- quence to the public good! Chartered corporations, exclusive patents, liberal rewards, and large promises, we often hear of, to stimulate individuals in trade, manufactures, and the 19 fine arts. But has not agriculture been all this time too much neglected, to shift for itself, to im- prove by chance, or its own unassisted strength ? There have not been institutions enough for the purpose of promoting this art, to merit attention, when compared with what has been done for other purposes. And the few agricultural institutions of which we can boast in New England, seem to have met with but little favor or countenance from the government. A celebrated writer, Mai thus, has said that “ other circumstances being the same, it may be affirmed that countries are populous according to the quan- tity of human food which they produce or acquire, and happy according to the liberality with which this food is divided .’ 5 It is also a maxim in political economy that when industry and frugality keep pace with population, or rather when population is only the consequence of these, the strength and riches of a nation will bear proportion to the number of its citizens ; but when the increase of the people is un- natural and forced, when it arises only from a com- munity of goods, it tends to poverty and weakness. It seems therefore to be both the interest and the duty of those who have the power , to use every means of improving and perfecting the cultivation of the soil, and thereby increase the strength and security of the country, and the wealth and happiness of the inhab- itants. It is a lamentable fact, that agriculture in this country, although vastly improved during the pres- 20 ent century, chiefly by the exertions of men of lib- eral views and extensive theoretical and practical knowledge, some of whom have spent fortunes in thus striving to benefit others, has, nevertheless, not improved so rapidly as other kinds of employment, in a general point of view, not half so beneficial to mankind. This is doubtless owing to various causes, besides the neglect of the government; and one principal cause may be found in the feelings of dislike, cher- ished by many otherwise worthy and sensible men, to the introduction of changes in the mode of tillage practiced by their fathers and their grandfathers. Such men seem to have an unconquerable antipathy to innovation on good old established customs, and are too apt to regard books, and periodicals, and societies, as a poor means of communicating accu- rate knowledge on agricultural subjects. They reason in a peculiar way. Their fathers undertook to till with but little manure, a great number of acres of exhausted and sterile land, and they can see no earthly reason why they should not pursue the same praise-worthy course ! Their conduct in this and other particulars, where they evince a dogged determination to cling to an- cient and absurd usages, and resist the adoption of simple and more effectual methods to accomplish their purposes, reminds me of an old anecdote, which I will relate. Once upon a time there was a certain ancient vender of fish, who was in the habit of tramping from 21 place to place, carrying his merchandise on an old horse, with a couple of baskets, into one of which the old man used to pack his fish, while in the other, by way of counterpoise, he would stow an equal weight of stones. One day a neighbor who had some brains in his head, remonstrated with our itinerant hawker of marine merchandise, on the absurdity of his conduct, and endeavored to prove to him that it would be much better to put fish into both baskets, and altogether dispense with the stones, as the horse then would be able to carry double the quantity of fish, or the same quantity with twice the ease. The fishmonger, who, by the way, was a great stickler for good old customs, and had a profound veneration for the wisdom of our ancestors, either would not, or could not, comprehend the logic of his reforming neighbor ; and gruffly told him that his plan might do, for any thing he knew, but that his father and grandfather used to carry fish in one basket, and stones in the other, and he was deter- mined to do the same as long as he lived, as he hated all new-fangled notions from the bottom of his heart ! Now we are, all of us, ready to condemn the con- duct of this man, and to wonder at the stupidity and force of prejudice which are so strongly exhibited in his conduct. But there are few, very few, among us, who are not, unconsciously perhaps, pursuing a similar course ; that is, contemning the light of ex- perience and intelligence, and following the track of our ancestors, who may have erred through a want of practical knowledge. 22 It is common to cry out against innovation ; but it has been well said, “ there can be no improvement without innovation.” And there is probably no busi- ness in life, which is more susceptible of improve- ment, which will derive more advantages from expe- rience, from facts, and from experimental science, than Agriculture. Associations like the one I have the honor to address, where intelligent husbandmen meet and compare notes, and state facts, or ex- press opinions, all tending to enlighten or inform, must therefore be highly beneficial. And every man, however humble in his own opinion, however uneducated, is capable of acquiring valuable knowl- edge by observation, which it is his duty to add to the general stock. It is, nevertheless, a fact, that there are many farmers in New England, apparently sensible and in- telligent, who look with an eye of disapprobation on agricultural newspapers and periodicals, and speak with contempt of what they call book farming . This feeling is to be regretted ; for it presents a formidable bar to the extension of agricultural knowledge. The origin of this feeling is believed by many to be prejudice or obstinacy, and to indicate a contracted mind. This is doubtless the case in some instances, but it often has a source of a higher character. It is well known that the nature of soils differs es- sentially in different districts ; also that climate ex- ercises an important influence on the growth of vegetables ; and these facts, so obvious after a mo- ment’s reflection, are nevertheless the source of much 23 misapprehension. Until a farmer learns the char- acter of different climes, and is familiar with the pe- culiar properties of different soils, he is constantly in danger of being led into error, if he attempt to profit by the experience of others, even when that experience has been faithfully recorded ; for that which succeed- ed with the one, might totally fail with the other, under circumstances when he would be unable to perceive any difference. The practical farmer, therefore, who has neither time nor money to expend in experiments, when he is advised to practice what he is assured has succeed- ed in another district, should receive such advice with caution, and be prepared for such results as may correspond with the difference in the character of the soils and climates. On reading books, periodicals and newspapers devoted to agriculture, and edited by good agricul- turists, he often finds modes of culture recommended, which he knows would not be successful with him. It is, therefore, not very surprising that he some- times imbibes an unfortunate prejudice against all publications, and all societies, which endeavor to in- troduce improvements that are not known in the dis- trict where he resides. And he has so often seen the awkward consequences that attend the rash en- terprises of sanguine innovators, who, having no idea of discriminating between soils and climates, rush with a headlong career to their own undoing, that he is more and more confirmed, the longer he lives, in his determination to listen to no extraneous 24 information whatever ; but to jog along in the crooked but beaten path, which his fathers trod before him. He thus voluntarily deprives himself of the sources of that information which alone can give support to ag- riculture as a science. This is unfortunate ; and it cannot be expected that this kind of prejudice can be at once overcome. But we have good foundation to believe that the sunlight of reason is every day dis- persing the clouds of error among our New England farmers. There are people who, even now, contend that talent and knowledge are not necessary for a far- mer ; that all he has to do is to put the seeds into the earth at a proper time, and let them grow. But this is not all that is required. In agriculture, as well as in political economy, knowledge is power. And this knowledge must be acquired by experience, and generally diffused by means of the press. A farmer, in order to reap all the advantages which are proffered by his situation, should understand the art, so well known by the ancients, of watering his cultivated lands in times of drought, by artificial ir- rigation ; and he would then seldom be subjected to the mortification of seeing his crops perishing in a dry season, without the power of providing a remedy. We are told that in many parts of India, the inhab- itants are often entirely dependent upon artificial ir- rigation for their crops ; and to such an extent have they carried it, that many of their villages are sur- rounded with extensive fields of corn and fruit trees, flourishing with the most luxuriant foliage, while the land at a short distance is parched and barren as a 25 desert. This difference is wholly owing to artificial irrioation. Some of the towns which have become © deserted, owing to the ravages of war, are now sur- rounded with barren and parched deserts, although they were formerly situated in the midst of flourish- ing and verdant corn-fields, and luxuriant groves of fruit trees. This change is owing to the neglect of the artificial irrigation, to which they owed their support. History also informs us that during the eight cen- turies, when Spain was occupied by the Moors and the Arabs, it was the best cultivated and most fertile country in Europe. The fields were watered by means of canals, and covered with all the known productions. But since the expulsion of the Moors, Spain has continually declined. The agricultural prosperity of Spain under the Arabs, was the conse- quence of their knowledge of the principles of agri- culture, and particularly of the value of irrigation. The art of draining is also an important and com- plicated art, to understand which would be of vast use to the proprietors of a large portion of the farms of New England. By this means, immense tracts of boggy land, in its natural state useless even for pasture ; or fields which are always saturated with water, cold and springy and unproductive ; and meadow lands which produce only a species of coarse grass, deficient in nutriment, may be reclaimed and transformed to fertile soil. Then again, there is the subject of the choice and improvement of seeds ; a subject which, I fear, is too 4 26 much neglected, even among intelligent farmers in New England. But it is a subject of great interest and value, to understand which requires much dis- crimination, and knowledge of the principles of veg- etable vitality. The soils , too, are often of various kinds on a sin- gle estate ; and bv mixing one with another in a scientific manner, the effect is found to be exceed- ingly beneficial. And a farm which is regarded as of little value in consequence of the native barren- ness of its soil, may in this manner, by a little com- parative labor, become rich and fertile. And here the farmer will derive essential benefit from the study of Geology . Manures , also, are of great importance to a far- mer, and here some knowledge of Chemistry will prove of great value. r i he man who understands the art of making the greatest quantity of manure, of which his farm is capable, and of preserving it until it is used, and who thus always returns to the soil, in another shape, the riches that he takes from it, will have an immense advantage over the man who does not act from scientific principles, but who, it may be, looks upon such knowledge with con- tempt. An acquaintance with the neglected study of Me- teorology will also frequently prove useful in aiding the farmer to fix upon the proper time to commence an important operation ; for in this unstable climate, much depends on the weather and the season. And in raising, and improving, and feeding his stock, the 27 farmer will find many important suggestions in the study of Natural History. It will thus be seen, that to excel as an agricultu- rist, to be a good and thorough farmer, requires an intellect of no ordinary character, and an amount of useful and varied knowledge, equal, at least, to that which any other occupation requires. Whether agriculture can ever become a science in the strict sense of that word, may be a question. But there can be no question that from observation and experiment many valuable laws may be deduc- ed ; and it is a fact, that the diffusion of the requi- site knowledge among a people of one section of a country, will give them a great superiority over the people of other sections. If one individual can afford to let one half the productive energies of his farm lie waste, the country cannot ; and the coun- try has a deep interest in the question ; for the farm- ing interest is the source of wealth. Look at Great Britain, which nation stands at the head of manufacturing and commercial nations ; an island with commodious sea-ports on every side ; and possessed of every facility for exporting her manufactures to every part of the globe ; and the in- habitants avail themselves of this opportunity, and export every year, articles to the amount of five hun- dred millions of dollars, which consist almost entire- ly of manufactures. Yet out of thirteen millions of her population engaged in various pursuits, nine mil- lions are employed in agriculture ! And the soil of Great Britain is by no means naturally fertile, but 28 requires the continued application of art and labor to keep it in a highly productive state. Yes, in Great Britain land represents more than seven times the value of manufacturing capital, four fifths of which capital is employed in furnishing the requisite supplies to agriculturists. And the average nett profit arising from the immense landed capital is estimated at seventeen and a half per cent. It is therefore generally admitted in Great Britain, that agriculture is the basis of British prosperity, and the chief pillar of the government; and the broader and firmer the foundation, the more profitable and durable will be its concomitant allies, manufactures and commerce. This fact is well illustrated by an allegorical sign for a country inn, called the “ Five Alls.” It repre- sents five human figures, beneath each of which is a motto. The first figure is a king with his regalia ; his motto, “ I govern all.” The second, a bishop in his pontificals ; motto, “ I pray for all.” The third, a lawyer with his gown ; motto, “ I plead for all.” Fourth, a soldier in his regimentals ; motto, “ I fight for all.” And the fifth, a farmer , in appropriate cos- tume, with his sythe and rake ; motto, “ I pay for all.” In the United States, the actual produce of our soil, unless in seasons of great scarcity, after sup- plying the demand for home consumption, furnishes three fourths of our exports to foreign countries. And our agricultural riches thus give an impulse to commerce and manufactures, and enable us to im- 29 port comforts and luxuries from abroad, by which a revenue is derived for the support of the govern- ment. According to the Report of the former Secretary of the Treasury, giving the value and quantity of the agricultural productions in the year 1839, it ap- pears that in that year the article of greatest value produced was hay . The number of tons computed to have been raised, being 9,830,415, which at 80 cts. a hundred weight, the average price in the New York market, amounted to the enormous sum of $157,286,840 ! The article next in value was Indian corn , viz., 308,164,445 bushels, which, at fifty cents a bushel, amounted to $154,080,223. After this comes cotton , about one billion three millions of pounds, which at eleven cents, gives $1 14,909,577. Then we have wheat next, amount- ing to 75,983,449 bushels, at one dollar a bushel : potatoes , one hundred and two millions of bushels ; which at 42 cts., gives 42,882,000 dollars. Products of the dairy , equal to 34,189,000 dollars. Oats, at 33 cts. a bushel, amounting to 33 millions of dollars : then sugar , 19 millions of dollars, and tobacco at 10 cts. a pound, amounting to $14,800,000. In these returns the product of North Carolina, Kentucky, Florida and Wisconsin are not included ; and it is believed that the production, as published, is fully ten per cent, below the actual product. Enough however is known to satisfy the world that we pos- sess immense wealth. For the annual value of agri- cultural productions alone, as officially given in this 30 Report, is nearly seven hundred millions of dollars ! This was the product in 1 839 : that of 1 840 was certainly ten per cent, greater ; and there is good reason to believe that the product of 1841 is larger still. On reflecting on these facts, every patriot must wish that agriculture may experience the fostering care of government ; that our legislatures may do more for the former, instead of undoing what has already been done ; that agricultural societies may multiply in our land , where facts may be gathered and knowledge diffused ; that well-conducted agri- cultural publications may be well sustained by the agricultural community, and circulate extensively on every side ; that agriculture may be made a branch of study in our schools ; and that a professor- ship may be established in our colleges. The legislature of New York, with a liberality deserving imitation, not long since, passed a resolu- tion, appropriating eight thousand dollars annually for five years, for the promotion of agriculture in that State ; the money to be distributed among the dif- ferent county societies ; with the condition annexed, that each society claiming a share, must show that it has raised by private subscription, a sum equal to that which it claims. This augurs well for the prosperity of agriculture. It must also give satisfaction to the friends of agri- culture, to know that steps have been taken to form a great National Agricultural Society, the head- quarters of which will be at Washington ; where 31 already there is a vast collection of materials to form a great Agricultural Museum. It is well known that a wealthy English gentle- man, Mr. Smithson, who died several years ago, made a bequest to this government of about half a million of dollars, to be appropriated to the establish- ment of some useful literary institution at Wash- ington. The President subsequently invited some of our distinguished citizens to offer plans for the pro- posed institution. One proposed a National Uni- versity ; another, an Astronomical Observatory ; another, courses of scientific lectures. But one gen- tleman advocated the establishment of a grand National Agricultural Institute, on the ground that agriculture is the great interest of the nation, and yet a subject on which we are grossly ignorant. He proposed to have a farm large enough to test all experiments, and to exhibit all systems, including six hundred and forty acres in cultivation ; meadow, pasture, vine-yard, mulberry grounds, orchards, gar- dens, nurseries, woodland, and whatever else might be necessary. Here every thing subservient to a com- plete agricultural education, he would teach by free lectures, models, and actual observation and prac- tice, including, of course, an extensive list of the sciences, together with the employment of mills, cabinet, libraries, apparatus of various kinds, and ana- tomical and other collections ; also laboratories, workshops, stables, beet-root sugar establishment, shepherd’s department, implements of husbandry, and divers other things. o 32 This is truly a magnificent plan ; and it cannot be doubted, that the adoption of it would redound to the benefit of the whole country. This money is not yet appropriated to the purpose, for which it was designed by the generous donor. This ex- traordinary neglect on the part of Congress, reflects dishonor on the country ; and should be signally rebuked by the people. In travelling through Massachusetts and other parts of New England, the eye of the stranger often rests with satisfaction on well-cultivated lands, ex- hibiting evidence of agricultural knowledge ; correct taste ; praiseworthy method ; and of persevering industry on the part of the owners ; for from the appearance of the farm, a practiced eye may always be enabled to judge of the character of the farmer. If the farm-house is neat, and apparently sur- rounded with an atmosphere of comfort ; if the barns are large , well situated, and in good order ; if the kitchen-garden is well supplied with vegeta- bles and free from weeds ; if there are flourishing forest trees, planted with proper intervals, around the dwelling-house and by the road-side ; if the fences are upright and well-conditioned, serving a more important purpose, than to mark the boun- daries between pasturage and tillage ; if there are no noxious weeds and bushes around the premises, and no pools of stagnant water, filling the atmos- phere with impurities during the heats of summer ; if the cattle are in good condition, and grazing quietly and contentedly in the pastures ; if the land is well tilled, and apparently productive, the traveller, with- 33 out hesitation, as at a glance he satisfies himself with regard to the state of things, pronounces the master spirit of that farm, a man, who understands his business thoroughly, and is able and willing to execute it faithfully. He sees at once, that he is willing to receive instruction from any source, and is constantly adding to his stock of knowledge ; that he has not undertaken to till more land than he can till as it should be tilled ; and the traveller sets him down without hesitation as an accomplished and prosperous farmer, and a good and exemplary citizen. I say that we have such farms in New England. In certain counties or tracts of country, they are neither few nor far between ; and would that we had more of them. But I regret to say, it is also true that the traveller is often distressed, and sometimes disgusted to wit- ness by the road-side, and perhaps in a pleasant tract of country favorable for tillage, lands and build- ings, which speak as plainly as lands and buildings can speak, a mournful tale of ignorance, or idleness, or folly, on the part of the proprietor. The signs cannot be mistaken. Unshingled roofs, dilapidated fences, un grafted fruit trees, unseemly patches of briars and bushes in the midst of fields ; corn choked with weeds ; and grain struggling for life in an ex- hausted soil. And if he meets the unfortunate owner of this estate, he finds him looking care-worn and discontented, as if he was habitually unhappy. And this is not surprising. This man is pursuing a 5 34 business, for which his faculties are not adapted. He is either unacquainted with the rudiments of agriculture, and is unable or unwilling to learn ; he is indolent or intemperate, and neglects to perform faithfully his duties, as a husband, a father, and a citi- zen ; or, as is not unfrequently the case, urged by a vain ambition to become a great landholder, he has added many acres to a farm, perhaps already too large, and has voluntarily taken upon his shoulders, a weight, which he is by no means able to carry. This man forgets that the intrinsic value of a farm does not consist in its number of acres of barren land , but in its productiveness, in the excellence of the acres of which it is composed. And this reminds me of an anecdote, with which many of my audience are doubtless familiar. A good practical farmer, one day, travelling through a part of New England, came to a spot, where two large farms, of a character, similar to the one I have just attempted to describe, were situated. He gazed upon the half-tilled soil with a feeling akin to sad- ness. At length, seeing a man with a physiognomy betokening a broken spirit, busily employed in the hopeless task of destroying the weeds which over- topped an immense field of yellow-looking corn, and believing, of course, that he must be the owner of this extensive but barren tract of land, he said to him, in accents of commiseration, “ My friend, I pity you from the bottom of my heart.” “ Oh, sir,” said the other, while a smile of pride and exultation played around his mouth, and for 35 a moment illumined his wo-begone countenance, “ I am not so much to be pitied as you imagine ; for neighbor Jenkins, who lives just over the hill, owns one-half of this land!” Provided there was a disposition among our farmers to improve small farms, cultivate all the soil, and cultivate it well, the population and riches of New England would increase to a surprising extent. Notwithstanding the multiplication of States in the West, our own New England would still exercise an important influence on the councils of this Re- public. We should then no longer see our enter- prising young men quit the land of their fathers, and with nothing more than a stout heart, a mus- cular frame, and industrious habits, wend their way to the new lands of the far West ; there , on the out- skirts of civilization, to establish a home, and build up their fortunes. No ; were it not for the mis- taken policy of the day, they would cling to New England, and exclaim in the words of the poet : “ Rough is her soil : yet blessed in fruitful stores : Strong are her sons, though rocky are her shores : And none, ah ! none , so lovely to my sight, Of all the lands that Heaven o’erspreads with light.” There is probably no occupation in civilized life, which may not, in a greater or less degree, be re- garded as a task. Care and anxiety are insepara- bly connected with business of every description. But every kind of employment has its bright , as well as its dark side ; and that man is fortunate, and must be successful, who derives pleasure from the performance of his daily routine of duties. 36 A considerable portion of my boyhood was spent upon a farm. Since then I have visited many dif- ferent countries, and have pursued different kinds of employment. I have mingled with men in almost every state of society, in many distant parts of the globe ; and have long since been convinced that rio class of men, in this, or any other country, are so thoroughly independent, are surrounded by so many comforts, and have so little cause for anxiety or dis- content, connected with their vocations, as the farmers of New England. But in this money-making age, when men are looking around, in hopes to espy a railroad to wealth ; when they cannot be contented with plod- ding along through life, enjoying merely a com- petence ; the question most likely to be asked, is not whether the life of a farmer is a happy one, but whether it is also a profitable one. I answer em- phatically, that it is. It may be true that the number of farmers, who, by practicing economy and industry, and sound judg- ment in the management of their farms, acquire great riches , is quite limited ; although such cases have occurred. But on the other hand, who ever heard of a good farmer, who was able and willing to work, and to husband his earnings, who became poor or bankrupt ? The man who has invested his capital in a farm, and manages it himself, has made a safe investment. If his title is a good one, his money is safe. If the merchant becomes bankrupt, he owes the prudent farmer nothing ; and if the Bank is 37 unable to redeem its issues, or loses half its capital by the dishonesty of its officers, or the bold but adroit villany of an accomplished robber — and such things occur not unfrequently in these days — the farmer listens to the tale with indifference, so far as he is concerned ; for his property is in the soil, it is the soil itself, and cannot be stolen. His capital is in- vested where, of course, the returns cannot be so great as is sometimes the case, where there is more risk to encounter ; but his farm, if well managed, will yield him an income of from four to six per cent, annually, besides furnishing him and his family with most of the necessaries, and some of the luxu- ries of life. Or, if in keeping his accounts, he gives credit to his dairy, his barn-yard, his pasture, his orchards, his fields and his forests, for all the pro- ductions, both animal and vegetable, with which they have supplied him, for his own use, as well as for the market, he will find, in balancing his accounts at the end of the year, that the money which he has invested in that best of all banks, a bank of earth, has yielded him the handsome profit of from fifteen to twenty per cent ! It is not just, then, to say that farming in New England is an unprofitable employment. And how is it with the mechanic ? Unless un- commonly shrewd or fortunate, he finds it difficult to accumulate property. He enjoys a competence it is true ; but he seldom acquires riches, although he may possess ingenuity, skill, industry, and temperate habits. How is it with the trader , who pursues a 38 business which promises to fill his coffers with gold, without delay ? Is he always successful ? By no means. It is ascertained by actual investigation that of the vast number of persons, engaged in the different kinds of trade, wholesale and retail, in the city of Boston — and our other large cities will tell a similar story — more than ninety out of one hundred are unsuccessful, and fail in business ! Yes, and in many cases, have involved their country friends, too, who have incautiously placed their names on certain little slips of paper. How is it with speculators ? men who, perhaps, voluntarily re- linquished a certain mode of acquiring a comfort- able livelihood, by the exercise of industry and fru- gality ; and were resolved to amass boundless wealth without delay ? Let the wild lands in the Eastern and Western sections of our country, worthless India-rubber and other fancy stock, and the huge piles of unpaid notes, which are even yet to be found in many of our banks, tell the melancholy tale. When I speak of the profits of a farm, I wish to be understood as meaning a farm well conducted, where the soil is properly tilled, and is not suffered to deteriorate. I am willing to admit that lands half ploughed, and half cultivated, exhausted of their natural fertility, and managed throughout in a slov- enly and indolent manner, are far from being profit- able, and the sooner the owners of such farms quit the life of a husbandman, the better. Let the mer- chant send his ships to sea, only half manned and miserably found ; let the manufacturer employ idle 39 workmen, and provide few and poor materials ; let the mechanic labor without the proper tools, and the shopkeeper be deficient in stock, and inattentive to his business, and the consequences must be ruinous indeed. And why should a lazy or unskilful farmer be exempted from a similar mortifying result ? The husbandman, in his profession, has no ene- mies to contend with ; on the contrary, he enjoys the general protection of the world. Every individu- al, high and low, is interested in the fruits of the earth : men, women, and children will turn out to assist the farmer, rather than a harvest should not be got in, and they will do this by no other property. Agriculture is the only employment for which the common prayer of mankind is put up. No other interest in a nation stands on the same united sup- port. When the valleys laugh and sing, it is not the farmer only, but all creation , which rejoices. The prosperity of a husbandman excludes all envy, and this can hardly be said of any other employment. If there is any class of persons who are disposed to undervalue the labors, or bring discredit on the occupation of the farmer, it is the farmers themselves . This may seem strange to many, but, nevertheless, I believe it to be true. And I am willing to appeal to the husbandmen, who honor me with their presence on this occasion, if all of them are in the habit of regarding their profession as of a highly honorable character ; if they are wont to educate their sons to be farmers , and teach them to look upon the occu- pation of tilling the ground, as one of the most re- 40 spectable and desirable employments of life, honored in all ages, above all other employments ; if they are in the habit of teaching their daughters to congratu- late themselves that they are children of the cultiva- tors of the earth, and to look forward with pleasure to the happy day when they shall become farmers ’ wives ? Are not farmers rather too much in the habit of instructing their children differently on these points, insomuch that their sons are early accustomed to regard with a dislike, in some cases amounting to disgust, the dull routine and constant labors of a farmer’s life ; and long to quit the plough, the hoe, or the sythe, to figure as gentlemen , forsooth ; per- haps, as petty shopkeeper’s clerks, where they can wear a clean collar every day, and garments of a fashionable color and cut, and turn their education to account, by pursuing the manly and profitable occupation of standing behind a counter, and mea- suring a cent’s worth of tape, or selling a paper of pins ; and thus deprive destitute, yet worthy women, perhaps widows, or orphans, of a suitable means of livelihood ? Are not their daughters early led to think that the wife of a farmer holds not a sufficiently genteel station in society, and that their appearance and accomplishments entitle them to a better match ; perhaps with a professional man ; perhaps, with an honest or a dishonest trader; perhaps with an insinuating horse-jockey, or swindling speculator, where they may be recognized and treated as ladies , forsooth ? 41 But my hearers may rest assured, that that coun- try, that district, or that village, is rapidly sinking to ruin, and its inhabitants are objects of pity, where rural labor is held in contempt, as mean or de- grading; where the unscrupulous pettifogger, the college-taught spendthrift, the keeper of a tippling house, the retailer of sugar, tea, or molasses, the travelling pedler, or the itinerant dispenser of popular knowledge, are looked upon as far more important personages than the worthy farmer, who cultivates his own lands ! where the husbandmen themselves, who find it necessary to work, set about it with reluctance, and, perhaps, with a mortifying sense of shame, and blush to be caught at the plough by their genteeler acquaintance, as if surprised in the commission of a crime ! Where the labors of the farm are as much objects of aversion to the young men, as the labors of the dairy are to the young women ; where the daughters of a farmer would scorn to be seen milking a cow, and where the sons, instead of being ambitious to excel in ploughing, planting, hoeing, mowing, chopping wood, and similar honorable occupations, seek to become coun- try schoolmasters, or crowd to the capital, to become clerks and shopboys ! Perhaps it may be said, that such a feeling as I have described, exists only in imagination. But it is not so. I have good reason to believe that this feeling does exist, in a greater or less degree, in many towns in New England, and also that it origi- nates with the farmers themselves. It is time that 6 42 it was rebuked, for it is an unjust feeling, and, if in- dulged, must become injurious to the interests of agriculture, an art in which our most valuable men and women should be engaged. For it has been well said, that all the energy of the hero, and all the science of the philosopher, may find scope in the cultivation of a single farm. In concluding this address, I would say to all farmers, cherish your occupation, and maintain its respectability on all occasions, and at all hazards. Be faithful to yourselves, and you will find no one to dispute with you the antiquity, the utility, or the ele- vated character of your occupation. Be industrious ; for industry is the handmaid of health, and the key to unlock golden treasures. However great the beneficence of nature, she gives nothing gratuitously to man. Study and practice economy, for it should ever be remembered, that although labor creates wealth, economy accumulates it. By economy I do not mean a sordid, grasping, avaricious spirit ; for true economy is as far removed from that on the one hand, as from heedless extravagance on the other. Study the comfort and happiness of your family, but avoid luxury as an evil of magnitude. Remem- ber that the introduction of luxury into kingdoms, states, or empires, has precipitated them from the summit of power, and from the most flourishing pitch of glory and renown. Be temperate in your habits. On this much de- pends. The pure water which gushes from the hill- 43 side, and meanders through the fields and meadows, is the drink which the bounteous Giver of all good designed for man. Intemperance is a rock on which many a gallant barque has been wrecked. Indeed, industry and economy cannot be practiced except in connexion with temperance, as the hapless fate of many otherwise able and worthy husbandmen have proved. It should ever be borne in mind, that in this country, industry, frugality, and temperance will always conduct a man triumphantly through the paths of life. Cultivate your minds. This may be done by reading, by study, or by conversation. A good farmer, who manages his concerns as they should be managed, will always find time to cultivate his intellectual faculties, as well as to exercise his physi- cal powers ; otherwise, he were indeed to be pitied. There are times when the mind should be exercised as well as the body ; when information on various subjects of general interest should be obtained, of a character more solid and enduring than can be found in the newspapers of the day. Books and periodicals may be had in these 16 go ahead ” times, on almost every subject, in forms exceedingly cheap, and well-selected social libraries should be establish- ed in every town or village in New England. See that your children are well educated. Let your sons be instructed in the various branches of useful learning, that they may become active and worthy members of an enlightened community. In- culcate on their minds elevated sentiments and liberal 44 principles. Teach them that they should not live for themselves only ; that in this republic, every man is a pillar of the state, and exerts an influence in soci- ety, and has indispensable duties to perform, to his family, his country, and his God. Let not the education of your daughters be neg- lected, for on the character of our women depends the future fate of our country. Teach them early to look upon the labors and the profession of a hus- bandman, with smiles and sympathy, for we all well know, that in civilized communities, where the influ- ence of the gentler sex is all powerful, as it should be, no enterprise can succeed, or become popular, without being cheered by the smiles and sympathy of woman, the “ flower of the human species. 5 ’ Educate your daughters so that they will make good farmers 5 wives , and, if thus educated, they will reflect honor on any station, however exalted, and be wor- thy to become the mothers of freemen. Next to your Bible, study well the Constitution of the Republic, and be familiar with the Constitu- tion, and most important laws of your own State. Make yourselves acquainted with the great principles of political action, and inform yourselves thoroughly on the great political questions of the day. But avoid the virulence of party spirit; let patriotism prompt you to watch the conduct of your rulers ; and on days of annual elections, go to the town meetings, and do your duty there, by endeavoring to put into office, men of good understanding, and sound moral principles , and strive to discourage the 45 ambition of aspiring demagogues, who seek to de- ceive the people, and, without intrinsic merit, rise to office on the ladder of popular favor. We expect to find in you the advocates and supporters of a good and wise government ; a government of equal laws, whose operations are influenced by a wish to promote the welfare of the whole people. We ex- pect to find in you the true defenders of the Consti- tution from the effect of aristocratical doctrines which invariably attend wealth, luxury, and pride, on the one hand; and from those radical doctrines, which have their origin in ignorance and prejudice, or a destructive spirit of misrule, on the other. For the cultivators of the soil are neither the lees nor the scum of the political or the social cauldron. Corruption will reach other classes of society; we expect it ; but we look to that numerous class of citizens engaged in agricultural pursuits, to cor- rect the evil, and to preserve, unpolluted, the purity of our government, and the morals of society. Look back into the early history of this country, and study well the character of our ancestors , the Pilgrim Fathers. Look there for a model of excel- lence. The simplicity, the candor, the piety, the conscientiousness of the Puritans, all deserve our respect and admiration, and far out-balance any force of prejudice, or leaning to fanaticism, which were the characteristics of the age in which they lived. They were chiefly cultivators of the earth ; pio- neers in a howling wilderness, occupied by savages 46 and beasts of prey ; but in industry, economy, and temperance ; in generosity, courage, and purity of character, they set a glorious example for their de- scendants. Let their few weaknesses sink into oblivion, but let their virtues be deeply engraven on a tablet of adamant . And for centuries to come, may the farmers of New England emulate the sim- ple, industrious habits, and excellence of the Pilgrim Fathers. The Agricultural Society of Westboro’ and vicinity, held their Second Exhibition, October 6th, 1841. Agricultural pub- lications were awarded as premiums and gratuities to the fol- lowing persons : Ploughing, Double Teams. WM. F. EAGER, Northboro’, ANSON WARREN, Westboro’. Single Teams. BEN. HARRINGTON, Westboro,’ JAMES LONG, do. Working Oxen. ELIJAH CASE, Grafton, NAHUM EAGER, Northboro’. Steers. SILAS BAILEY, Berlin, NAHUM EAGER, Northboro’, ORRIN DAVIS, Shrewsbury. Heifers. JOSIAH FAY, Westboro’, ABIJAH WOOD, do. NAHUM FISHER, do. Bulls and Bull Calves. JOHN DODGE, Sutton, D. O. MILLER, Westboro,’ LOVETT PETERS, do. Milch Cows. GEO. S. BANNISTER, Westboro,’ ABIJAH WOOD, do. Swine. HENRY LEACH, Westboro’, C. O. LONGLEY, do. CYRUS MENTZER, Northboro’. B. D. WHITNEY, do. OTIS BRIGHAM, Westboro’. i Butter. S. CHAMBERLAIN, Westboro’, DAVID WARREN, do. Fruits and Vegetables. MRS. SUSAN G. HOLBROOK, ABIJAH STONE, WM. WHITE, Jr. CYRUS MENTZER. Manufactures. L. REED BRIGHAM, B. B. NOURSE, LAWSON HARRINGTON, JOHN KIMBALL, J. P. KETTELL, H. BAKER, B. H. & L. N. LELAND, FRANKLIN BULLARD, RUFUS W. REED, SAMUEL BRIGHAM, S. A WHEELER, RUGGLES, NOURSE &MASON, WM. ADAMS, J. B. KIMBALL & Co. NAHUM FtSHER, Jr. HORATIO WARREN.