216 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



then, if the originator of the theory can be found, 

 let him receive the reward. Patent medicines gen- 

 erally yield a good profit to the inventor, but I do 

 not believe any remedy yet proposed for the cure 

 of this "vegetable cholera" will greatly replenish 

 the pockets of him who offers it in market. 



Prof. Hoyt, in his able essay upon the "Potato 

 Rot," recommends mowing the tops as soon as the 

 disease appears. In 1848 we had a piece of po- 

 tatoes in which the blight began to appear. I took 

 a scythe and mowed the tops on a part of the lot, 

 hearing that mowing would arrest the progress of 

 the disease. The result was, that every potato , I 

 think, in the hills from which the tops were cut, 

 was entirely rotten, while on the rest of the piece 

 a considerable portion were sound. Hence it ap- 

 pears that similar experiments produce different 

 results in different locations, — positive evidence 

 that the true remedy is not yet found. 



Sandwich, N. H., 1st mo., 1852. l. v. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 OTTER BREED SHEEP. 



BY RUFUS Jl'lNTIRE. 



The facts in relation to the Otter breed of sheep, 

 contained in Col. Humphrey's letter published in 

 the New England Farmer, of the 28th of February, 

 are new to ine, though there was a breed so des- 

 ignated I knew as early as about the date of that 

 letter, 1811. I had seen sheep partaking of that 

 blood, but never saw a full-blood Ancon (a very 

 appropriate name) till three years ago. I was 

 driving my sheep to pasture in Hiram, Maine, and 

 found in the road a lot of some half a dozen or 

 more old and young. They perfectly answer the 

 description of Col. Humphrey's. It was painful 

 to look at them, clearly cripples from defective 

 organization. They were small though in fair con- 

 dition. Their bodies appeared round, long and 

 tapering, small in front, as though their fore-quar- 

 ters were light. One of them, I think it was the 

 ram, beside his deformed elbow legs, had a de- 

 pressed or saddle back just behind his shoulders. 

 When I first saw them, as the road was narrow, I 

 anticipated some trouble in passing them, but 

 when I drove to them they took the side of the 

 road and manifested no more disposition to mingle 

 ■with my flock, than if they had been swine. I saw 

 them two or three times afterwards that summer, 

 three years last summer I think, but not taking 

 much fancy to them, I made no inquiry about 

 them. AVhether they are now alive or in that vi- 

 cinity I do not know. 



The first I ever heard or knew about the breed, 

 was soon after the introduction of the Merinos. 

 My brother, at York, obtained a buck from Major 

 Rice, of Kittery, from his flock of common sheep 

 crossed with a Merino or part blood Merino buck. 

 He was a small, well wooled and good bodied ani- 

 mal with short legs. But little was then known 

 about Merinos in that region. The next May or 

 June, I was at my brother's., when he had his 

 sheep driven up from the pasture lor shelter on the 

 appearance or commencement of a storm. The 

 sheep were driven from a quarter to half a mile 

 perhaps in some haste. Some of the lambs two 

 months old, more or less, were unable to keep up, 

 a,nd one died from exhaustion. My brother, in ex- 

 planation, remarked that I e understood toe buck 

 ■vas partly of ' ■ breed that wei : 



travel with common sheep. I think he did not long 

 breed from that ram, as he was desirous of infus- 

 ing more of the Merino blood into his flock. My 

 impression was then, that Major Rice obtained his 

 ram from a brother or other relative of Col. Hum- 

 phrey's in Portsmouth, N. H., and that the breed 

 was from his flock. If I was correct, it may be 

 there was some of the Ancon blood in the stock. 

 I do not recollect to have noticed any sheep of that 

 race, or the appearance of it, since say 1815, or 

 a few years later, till about five or six years ago, 

 I saw some in Newfield, Maine, at Mr. Oliver 

 Moul ton's, very strongly marked by length of body 

 and legs, and other respects, except their deform- 

 ity, and I think he has some now. I know not 

 where he obtained them. They probably have not 

 much of the Otter blood in them, and their limbs, 

 though small and short, may not have much de- 

 formity. I have not, however, examined them 

 critically, and in fact, did not know till I saw 

 them in Hiram, how deformed the full bloods are. 



No doubt some of your correspondents can give 

 a more satisfactory account of this singular race of 

 animals. R. M. 



Tar sons field, March 1, 1852. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE OLD TREE'S LAMENT. 



BY D. VV. L. 



O ! trim me up, or cut me down • 



The old tree sadly said; 

 When young I h»d a handsomer form. 



And reared a prouder head. 

 Full sivty years the wintry blast 



And Autumn's scorching sun 

 Have beat upon my spreading brow, 



But now my days are run. 



Beside this road I've lived and grown, 



And dropped my fruit for all; 

 To weary souls my shade I've lent 



From branches thick and tall. 



But ruder hands my boughs have seized, 



And tore them fierce apart; 

 A whip-stick or my flowers they craved, 



Nor saw my bleeding heart. 



To many a bird I've given a nest, 



And reared their tender young; 

 But sadly have my limbs been bruised, 



When stones were at them flung ! 



Old age, I know, would fain complain 



And boast its pristine power; 

 Bui cease, my voice, my heart is weak, 



My day is but an hour. 



Behold my limbs, the hoary moss 



Is thick upon them now; 

 I'm but a cumberer of the earth — 



My bed invites the plough. 



My fragment branches yet point up, 



But weak and barren are; 

 O ! trim me up, or cut me down — 



I've needed better care ! 



Apples. — Looking in at the establishment of 

 the Messrs. Curtis, this morning, at 104 Faneuil 

 Hall Market, where they now and then sell a few 

 thousand barrels of apples, they had the kindness 

 to unhead several barrels for examination. Those 

 we looked at were principally the Northern Spy, 

 v •- ; ; > ne condition and selline; by the single bar- 



