284 BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



beyond all peradventure, and no matter if a little water-power is 

 available. For such a colonial experiment in Connecticut, you 

 would choose the most favorable spot you could find. 



Some of our utterly neglected and rocky hill-country needs to be 

 let alone to grow wood, or enclosed for sheep and goat-parks, in 

 large parcels, or be bush-whacked and turned into oak, chestnut, 

 and ash openings for cattle and hogs. 



Then supposing we could find three good fellows who could 

 work together and wait a little ; one of wbom could take the meas- 

 ure of a family for its buildmgs, another could cut out its land as 

 close to a homelike fit as any tailor could make a garment, while 

 the other (or all three) could furnisb a little capital for a cream- 

 ery, canning-house and preservatory, with honest counsel, besides 

 doing some practical work in the surveying line, and adding dig- 

 nity to the firm. A knowledge of soils and of men is of the 

 first importance. Possibly all these qualities might be combined 

 in one, but the triangle of fit men would be stiff er. 



And these partners must have some other business to live by, 

 and begin this new matter for a holiday pastime, so that they may 

 begin with leisure and love for it. I would not in the least object 

 if they had their first talk about it Sunday, after meeting, so holy 

 and beyond every ordinary and narrowly selfish purpose should 

 such an attempt be. 



The first family settled should be a picked one, with heads who 

 can wait a little, too, and living so near that they may see the plans 

 prepared for them and know what is going on. 



This is pure fancy, but is it an unreasonable fancy ? Might we 

 not, each one of us, be able to plant one capable and well-to do 

 family on five to twenty-five acres in suitable new buildings, not 

 too far from neighbors and a market, so they would thrive and 

 grow ? 



"With a good water supply and some wood; with plow-land, not 

 very subject to drouth, and meadow that would always be green 

 in summer; with orchard and garden laid out, and the comfortable 

 things fixed that must be planted a Httle while before hand, 

 such as the small fruits and vines, the asparagus, and flower beds, 

 the quince-bushes, and a few well-chosen shrubs and shade trees, 

 unless a coppice clearing forms the building site. Doing things 

 by a plan that shall be thought out in every particular, getting our 

 kerosene lamp, even, ready trimmed for the coming of the bride- 



