66 



THE FARMKR'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



Passing along two niik's furllior, llie ni'.tt olijcct 

 of particnlar notice was the ice ol' the C'ontoocook 

 thrown up by the sudden atorjn and iVcsliet ol" Jan- 

 uary last, which storm of a if^w iiours was in rain 

 the substitute for the usual quantity of snow of the 

 last winler. The high ground of the vicinity was 

 dry ; but the cakes of ice higher than the travelled 

 road were still resting on the ground; and the bark 

 was riven by the force of the ice Iroin young and 

 thril'ty trees several feet more elevated than the 

 banks of the present running stream. 



About a mile this side of tlie village of Henni- 

 ker is a singular peninsula near the confluence witli 

 the Contoocook of a considerable streaju from tlu- 

 north. The bed of each of the streams is out deep 

 into a soil of entire alluvion from thirty to forty 

 feet, and on the side of one or butli at the eleva- 

 tion of the lowest bank is a strip of intervale. The 

 road passes the more elevated level on a ridge so 

 narrow as to leave little space on each side beside 

 the patli, from which we look down upon both 

 ■treams where t^ie waters of either seem to be near 

 enough to soak their way tluough the bank of sofl 

 Boil to the waters on the other side. Eelow and ex- 

 panding each way from haJf a mile to a mile is a 

 flat level of some hundred acres of very good land 

 forming the greater ponion of the peninsula. The 

 entire soil is but a formation washed from the hills 

 above — over the higher level afterwards the waters 

 must have flowed lor many generations ; and viit 

 more recently the waters have cut deeper the banks 

 leaving another plat on each side some thirty feet 

 more depressed t'lan the higher formation. 



On the Merrimack and it is believed most of the 

 other streams in New England do wc observe a 

 higher level of alluvial soil, indicating that these 

 streams once discharged water in much a renter vol- 

 ume and followed a track of much higher elevation. 

 Thirty and forty feet below this higher surface, 

 logs and pieces of wood in good preservation are 

 sometimes discovered : below the same surface 

 rocks evidently worn by the long attrition of wa- 

 ters are also found. 



An economical mode of constructing fences, 

 worthy the attention of all farmers in the vicinity 

 of granite quarries, is pursued by the enterprising 

 citizens of Henniker. The Henniker granite, af- 

 though not as perfect as that drawn from the bosom 

 of our own Rattlesnake, near the banks of the 

 Merrimack, being mixed with sicnnite, is rived even 

 more easily than the pure granite. I'osts from the 

 rock are split with ssarcely less facility tlian from 

 logs of wood. These are readily drilled for the re- 

 ception of a wooden plug, into which ordinary 

 boards are nailed. Three boards or slabs from ten 

 to twelve inches in width fastened transversely to 

 uprights of granite will make the best of fence. 

 The stone posts, once procured,will always remain,' 

 and fence thus constructed after continuing good 

 for years may be easily renewed at a trifling ex- 

 pense. So quick is the growth of the sapling pine 

 that a new wood will grow up while wood of the 

 old fence is consuming. The best of clear boards 

 are made from pines which have sprung up on 

 ground cleared long since the recollection of some 

 who are now liviuf. 



Another improvement evincing the generous en- 

 terprise of an interior town of iVew Hampshire, is 

 the beautiful granite bridge thrown over the Con- 

 toocook in two arches at Henniker village : this 

 bridge which in some situations would have cost 

 ten times as much, was constructed by the town of 

 Henniker about three years ago at an expense of 

 3,300 dollars. Like the stones of the temple of 

 Solomon, tlie stones of this bridge were all measur- 

 ed and numbered at the quarrie°s from which they 

 were taken, and every one suited to its place. 

 Near the bridge a village of great beauty and con- 

 siderable business, with three new meeting houses, 

 has grown up principally within four years. Tlie 

 value of real properly hero has been much increas- 

 ed by a fine road running in a transverse direction 

 also constructed at the expense of the town, over 

 which stages pass to and from Boston every day. 

 A mile and a half further on is another flourishinn- 

 Village in Henniker with several mills for clothin? 

 and other works. Here again has been construct"- 

 ed another bridge over tlie Contoocook, beino- one 

 erf Col. Long's patent bridges with a sino-k'span 

 thrown over a hundred feet. The n.ranitJ bridtre 

 was proof against the late violent fresliet, although 

 It had to encounter an immense weicrht of ice and 

 water, proving that undermining only can destroy 

 It : the wooden bridge, in a position of less dantrer, 

 was likewise sustained without injurv. ° 



There are many excellent farms in Henniker, 

 ■ome of which are perched among the stony hills' 

 and others on the alluvion of the°Contoocook and 

 Us tributaries. Judge Darling has for twenty year.-; 

 ««*«Q known as a good practical farmer and patron 



of agrieiilture ; and there are many others at least, 

 his equal. ^Ve recollect, while on the connnittee 

 of farms some twelve years ago, within the bounds 

 of Henniker, visiting a farm in an amphitheatre 

 between two hills, to gain which V\'a3 like mount- 

 ing up the steep roof of a house, where wc discov- 

 ered one of the very best farmers in the county, 

 v.'hose fields had almost literally been dug out of 

 strata of rocks and land which seemed to be nearly 

 impervious. South of the river all the way to Hills- 

 borough and Deering lines, v.'here a portion of the 

 Society of Friends are located, are said to be first 

 rate farms : among these were the late residences 

 of the Wallaces, Robert and William, known as 

 public men for man}' years in this State. Mr. 

 Alirl Conner raised and sold principally in this 

 Village the last season, about seven hundred bush- 

 els of superior grafted apples from his own little 

 farm in Henniker, at seventy-five cents the bushel. 



The fiirmers of Henniker have distinguished 

 themselves for raising fine cattle : we observed in 

 parsing along cattle of the improved breed with 

 long surloins and broad and stout backs. The towns 

 of Weare to the south and Deering on the south- 

 west are among- the best farming towns of the 

 St.ate. 



Six miles from the upper village in Henniker, 

 passing by and in view of good farms :]nd buildings 

 and improving cultivation, as well as various me- 

 chanics, we arrive at the neat village of Hillsbo- 

 rough Bridge. Here is a waterfall giving srieat 

 power for machinery, on wliich a cotton factory 

 and various other establishments have been con- 

 structed. The cascade of waters compressed with- 

 in the distance of a single span at the stone brido-e 

 makes a sublime appearance from below. The 

 buildings at the village, consisting of neatly built 

 dwellings painted white, seem to have increased 

 three fold in the last four years: a new ineetinfr 

 house connected with the Congregational church 

 of the town, has been erected just without the vil- 

 lage on the west. 



A short distance above the Bridge village near 

 the foot of a considerable mountain, the main body 

 of the Contoocook running from the southwest 

 unites with "the Branch" running in from the north 

 side of the same mountain. Over both tiiesc streams 

 as a main road from Amherst througli Frances- 

 town, &c. to Claremont, runs the Second New- 

 Hampshire Turnpike, completed in 1801. Two 

 miles and a half from the Bridge upon this turn- 

 pike is another village embracing the mansion and 

 farm of the late Gov. Pierce. Between the two vil- 

 lages on the Branch there is a factory we supposed 

 of potatoe starch, various cabinet manufactures, &,c. 

 Observing large piles of bush alder of the size of a 

 man's wrist and smaller, we inquired their use ; and 

 found them to be intended as hoops to powder 

 casks, the staves for which were sawed by water 

 power, and the casks furnished in quantities. To 

 the north of Gen. Pierce's on the turnpike road 

 is another meeting house erected for the use of the 

 Baptist society of the town. In full view of this 

 turnpike at the distance of three miles is the old 

 town meeting house at the centre of the town, and 

 a beautiful amphitheatre from three to five miles 

 over, presenting various farm houses and other 

 buildings, among which is the splendid farm which 

 belonged to the late Nathaniel Johnston, Esq. now 

 the property of Mr. Jones, an enterprising citizen 

 and native of Hillsborough. Rough as is much of 

 this land, the large isolated rocks spreadai >■ over 

 the ground down almost to the river, wo were grat- 

 ified to see the new stony ground carefully cleared 

 up for pasture or mowing, and enclosed with first 

 rate stone wall. 



Having attended to the duty of paying the la.^t 

 honors to the remains of the illustrious dead, we 

 returned on the evening of the same day of leaving 

 home over the very muddy road, a portion of the 

 time aided only by star light, to Henniker, ten 

 miles ; and the next morning, being the day ap- 

 pointed for the annual fast, proceeded to Concord in 

 season to attend public worship. It was indeed as 

 a Sabbath morning, and we felt during a greater 

 p.art of the day, although it seemed to be a work of 

 "necessity" to be on our way for the sixteen miles, 

 that our engagement might be of pernicious exam- 

 ple to those who knew us. But this journey is no- 

 ticed that we may draw the attention of the reader 

 to the perfect contrast of that morning with the 

 preceding. None of the farmers who were so busy 

 on the preceding day were abroad at their labors — 

 none of the children were engaged in their playful 

 gambols; even the dumb beasts, just released from 

 then- stalls and yards, seemed to observe the day 

 in seriousness. Approaching nearer home, we be- 

 gun to meet or to overtake well dressed men and 

 women on their way to the public religious servi- 

 ces. But mark the contrast between the country 



and the town — between the farmers and the vill.i- 

 gers ! No sooner did we approach the confines of 

 our own orderly village, the inhabitants of which 

 take the lead in temperance and other reforms on 

 paper, than the air resounded with the noise of full 

 grown and half grown men and boys engaged in 

 sports which would be uncommon upon the week 

 days, and which were as wide from follov.'ing the 

 annual example of keeping a proper fast as the play 

 going people who attend the theatre at New 

 Orleans on Sundays, are from cont'orming to our 

 ideas of keeping the Christian Sabbath. If such 

 be the dift'ercnce between the village and the coun- 

 try, how much better will be the future genera- 

 tions of farmers who bring up their children under 

 the influence of salutary example, than the future 

 generations of mechanics, merchants and others 

 who congregate in villages, and who condemn not 

 the violation of all the rules of our forefathers 

 which have made us a serious, a reflecting, and a 

 civilized people ? 



It 



THE FRTIGAL HOUSE WIFE. 

 Common Cooking, 



is necessary to be very careful of fresh 



meat in the summer season. The moment it is 

 broutr-ht into the house it should be carefully cov- 

 ered from the flies, and put in the coldest place in 

 the cellar. If it consist of pieces, they sliould be 

 spread out separate from each other, on a large 

 dish, and covered. If you are not to cook it soonj 

 it is well to sprinkle salt on it. The kidney, and 

 fat, flabby parts should be raised up above the lean, 

 by a skewer, or stick, and a little salt strev/n in. 

 If yo8 have to keep it overnight, it should be look- 

 ed to the last thing when you go to bed ; and if 

 there is danger, it should be scalded. 



Vcal. — Veal should boil about an hour, if a neck- 

 piece ; if the jneat comes from a thicker, more solid 

 part, it should boil longer. No directions about 

 these things will supply the place of judgment and 

 experience. Both mutton and veal are better for 

 being boiled with a small piece of salt pork. Veal 

 broth is very good. 



Veal soup should be slowly stewed for two hours. 

 Seasoned tlie same as above. Some people like a 

 little sifted summer savory. 



Six or seven pounds of veal will roast in an hour 

 and a half. 



Fried veal is better for being dipped in white of 

 ^g^, and rolled in nicely pounded crumbs of bread, 

 before it is cooked. One egg is enough for a com- 

 mon dinner. 



Calf's head. — Calfs head should be cleansed 

 with very great care ; particularly the lights. The 

 head, the heart, and the lights should boil t'uU two 

 hours ; the liver should be boiled only one hour. 

 It is better to leave the wind-pipe on, for if it hangs 

 out of the pot while the head is cooking, all the 

 froth will escape through it. The brains, after be- 

 ing thoroughly washed, should be put in a little 

 bag, with one pounded cracker, or as much crum- 

 bled bread, — seasoned witii sifted sage, and tied up 

 and boiled one hour. After the brains are boiled they 

 should be well broken up with a knife, and piepared, 

 salted, and buttered. They should be put upon the 

 table in a bowl by themselves. Boiling water, 

 thickened with flour and water, with butter melted 

 in it, is the proper sauce ; some people love vinegar 

 and pepper mixed with the melted butter; but all 

 are not fond of it ; and it is easy for each one to add 

 it for themselves. 



Beef. — Beef-soup should be stewed four hours 

 over a slow fire. Just water enougli to keep the 

 meat covered. If you have any bones left of roast 

 meat, &c. it is a good plan to boil them with the 

 meat, and take them out hall an hour before the 

 soup is done. A pint of flour and water, with 

 salt, pepper, twelve or sixteen onions, should be 

 put in twenty minutesbefore the soup is done. Be 

 careful and not throw in salt and pepper too plen- 

 tifully ; it is easy to add to it ; and not easy to di- 

 minish. A lemon cut up and put in half an hour be- 

 fore it is done, adds to the flavor. If you have tomato 

 catsnp in the house, a cup full will make soup rich. 

 Some people put in crackers; some thin slices of 

 crust, made nearly as short as common short cake ; 

 and some stir up two or three e^gs with milk and 

 flour, and drop it in with a spoon. 



A quarter of an hour to each pound of beef is 

 considered a good rule for roasting; but this is too 

 m-jch when tlie bono is large, and the meat thin. 

 Six pounds of the rump should roast six quarters 

 of an hour; but bony pieces less. It should bo 

 done before a quick lire. 



The quicker bcef-st-eak can be broiled the better. 



Seasoned after it is taken from the gridiron. , 



Jllntnof/c hecf. — Tie up a round of beef so as to 



keep it in shape, m.ike a stufling of grated bread. 



