NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



529 



teams entered into the contest, — twelve horse 

 teams and eight single ox teams, — all viewed by 

 the same committee, of which Judge Bishop, ( Gov. 

 some called him,) was chairman. The contest was 

 animated and interesting. The plowmen were re- 

 quired to cut their furrow slice six inches deep, 

 and not more than twelve inches wide, and to 

 complete the plowing of one-quarter of an acre in 

 fifty minutes, all of which was done by each of the 

 teams. The furrows made by the horse teams 

 were to lie laid fiat ; those by the ox teams to be 

 lapped; the regulations showed a discriminating 

 judgment in those who made them. I examined 

 all the lands with as much care as I could com- 

 mand, and could readily assort them into first and 

 second classes ; further than this I did not presume 

 to go. Nor was I able to say which class of teams, 

 the horses or the oxen, should have the preference. 

 Ins uiie matches that I have witnessed of late, I 

 thought the work was best done by horse teams ; 

 but I am not prepared to say this at Berkshire. — 

 The swards of the land had not sufficient tenacity 

 to try the teams or show the work to best advan- 

 tage. When there are so many acres around, 

 needing to be plowed, it is strange indeed that a 

 field exactly fitted to the purpose cannot be com- 

 manded. Why do not those having charge of these 

 matters, take care, in season, to procure such a 

 field as they want? Especially when the Show is 

 continued, year after year, in the same town. 



After the labors of the field were over, the so- 

 ciety met at the church, to hear an address, and 

 to award their premiums. Here occurred a scene 

 of interest such as I have never before seen. In 

 front of the pulpit was displayed the full contents 

 of a jeweller's shop, consisting of several hundred 

 pie • !3 of silver, varying in value from $1 to $10 

 each, to meet the awards. These were distributed 

 to the successful competitors, by the marshals, un- 

 der the direction of the President and Secretary. 

 This occupied about two hours, and had it not 

 have taken so much time, (when all were impa- 

 tient for their dinner,) would have been a most 

 interesting performance. 



I forgot to mention that the society were disap- 

 pointed in the scientific report that they had ex- 

 pected from Dr. Lee, of Washington, by his fail- 

 ure to appear. Here let me say, that those socie- 

 ties which are content with the first cut only, from 

 abroad, make a great mistake. The Address should 

 be a part of the County Show, as much as any 

 other part of the exhibition, and those societies 

 act wisely, who limit their appointments to citi- 

 zens of their own county. In so doing they en- 

 courage their own citizens to qualify themselves 

 to make good addresses. I have heard as good 

 agricultural addresses from veteran hard-handed 

 farmers, as I ever heard from any college-learned 

 gentleman. I have more confidence in their in- 

 struction. I would not undervalue gentlemen far- 

 mers, but I confidently say, no man can thorough- 

 ly understand and teach the business of cultivating 

 the s iil, who does not engage practically in it 

 with his own hands. * 



Oct. 9, 1852. 



fgf 5 " It is better to sow a young heart with gen- 

 erous thoughts and deeds than a field with corn, 

 since the heart's harvest is perpetual. 



ggp" A bushel of wheat, weighing sixty-two 

 pounds, contains 550,000 kernels. 



FITCHEURG CATTLE SHOW. 

 It is our intention to speak of all the shows held 

 in the State as we can find space. We have read 

 the report on vegetables and ilowers, made at the 

 late show at Fitchhurg, by John J. Piper, Esq., 

 with pleasure. Mr. Piper is evidently a lover and 

 observer of Nature, ami lias seen the fields before 

 the morning dew had gone. The report is spiced 

 with pleasant touches of quiet humor, which adds a 

 merit to those of the subjects which he discusses. 

 He says "a volume might be written in behalf of 

 that honest and sturdy vegetable, the cabbage. — 

 The glowing pumpkin, and the radiant squash — who 

 does not love them, associated as they are in their 

 yellow glory and goodly size with the glad harvest- 

 time, the happy, home Thanksgiving re-unions, and 

 merry faces around the old festive board 1 To love 

 squashes and pumpkin pies is as decided a charac- 

 teristic of the true son of New England, as sing- 

 ing "Hail Columbia," or whistling "Yankee Doo- 

 dle," and long may it be, ere the lines of their 

 golden beauty, and the pleasant memories that 

 cluster around them, fade from our hearts. — 

 There, — "that's the talk" for a committeeman; 

 the "facts" are indispensable, and the "fun" with 

 them is a capital relisher. 



ROSE-BREASTED GROSSBEAK. 



[Extract from a private letter.] 

 Sir : — In the August number of the New Eng- 

 land Farmer, page 351, I observe that a corres- 

 pondent states that the Rose-Breasted Grossbeak 

 "inhabits the Rocky Mountains, Canada, New- 

 foundland, &c." It may be interesting to him to 

 know that, it is one of our commonest summer 

 birds here ; and I believe generally throughout 

 Michigan. I live 15 miles south of Detroit, the 

 latitude of which, according to the Army Meteor- 

 ological Register, is 42° 19' 18", while West Point 

 is 41° 23' 30", so that it cannot by any means be 

 called a Northern bird, and for several years we 

 have ceased calling Michigan a Western State. — 

 The Grossbeak frequents generally the deepest 

 woods, but in a walk of an hour through such, or on 

 the edge, a dozen specimens may be seen ; and 

 later in summer the young are very numerous. It 

 is comparatively a tame bird, and allows of near 

 approach. However, I must acknowledge that 

 though an ardent naturalist, I have never met 

 with the nest, which I suppose to be built high up 

 on the top of tall trees, out of reach and sight. — 

 ,The bird itself generally perches near the top of a 

 |tree. It has the character here of killing and eat- 

 ing small or young birds, but I have never detect- 

 ed it in this. Very obediently yours, 



Charles Fox. 



Grosse Isle, Wayne Co., Michigan, \ 



Oct. 4, 1852. 



Remarks. — We are happy in finding so much at- 

 tention given to the interesting subject of birds. 

 A brief record of such observations as wo have 

 recently received from several correspondents, will 

 gradually lead to a much better knowledge of their 

 habits, and consequently show us whether they 

 are beneficial or detrimental to the farmer. 



