570 



NEW Ei\ GLAND FARMER. 



On Thursday a public address was delivered by 

 W. S. King, Esq., of Rhode Island; in which the 

 popular prejudices against "book farming" were 

 very successfully com batted. 



At the close of this address, Gen. Pierce was 

 introduced, and made a brief but very felicitous 

 speech to the farmers, closing with the hope that 

 "the smile of the Great Spirit" [the Indian name 

 for the beautiful lake on the borders of which this 

 meeting was held] might never rest on a popula- 

 tion less contented or less prosperous than that 

 which was now before him. The speech was re- 

 ceived with much applause. 



For the Neiv England Farmer. 



GOV. ENDIC30TT AN HORTICULTUR- 

 IST. 



BY S. P. FOWLER. 

 [Continued from page 449.] 



Mr. Higgii;son, in 1G29, wrote a pamphlet enti- 

 tled "New Englai id s Plantation. Or a Short and 

 True Description of the Commodities, and Dis- 

 commodities of that Country." In describing the 

 natural productions pf the soil, around Nahum- 

 keag, he says, "Excellent vines are here, up and 

 down iu the woods. Our Governor hath already 

 planted a vineyard, with great hope of increase." 

 Tradition says, that Gov. Endicott entered largely 

 into the cultivation of the native grape, for the 

 purpose of making wine, but with what success, 

 we are unable to s ty. These vines were planted at 

 his orchard farm, and extended from his mansion 

 house, in two lines, to the banks of the river. It 

 is a singular fact, that the early discoverers and 

 settlers of this country entertained sanguine hopes 

 of being able successfully to cultivate our native 

 grapes, and furnish wine for exportation. We find 

 in the records of the Massachusetts Company, a 

 memorandum of articles to be sent over from Eng- 

 land, for the use of the Plantation at Nahumkeag. 

 Amongst these were "Ministers, Men skilful in 

 making of pitch, and of salt, and Vine- Planters." 

 In the London Company's first general letter of in- 

 structions to Endicott, and his council, under date 

 of 17th of April, 1629, we find the following. "We 

 take notice that yon desire to have Frenchmen 

 sent you, that you might be experienced in mak- 

 ing of salt, and planting of vines. We have in- 

 quired diligently for such, but cannot meet with 

 any of that nation. Nevertheless, God has not 

 left us altogether unprovided of a man, able to 

 undertake that worke ; for that we have enter- 

 tained Mr. Thomas Graves, a man commended to 

 us, as well for his honesty, as skill in many things 

 very useful." In a letter, sent home from "New- 

 England, by Master Graves Engineer, now the res- 

 ident," we find in a glowing account of the fruit- 

 fulness of the country the following : — 



"Vines do grow here plentifully, laden with the 

 biggest grapes that I ever saw ; some I have seen 

 four inches about. So that I am bold to say of 

 this country, as it is commonly said in Germany, 

 of Hungaria, that for cattle, corn, and wine it ex- 

 celleth." These grapes were exceedingly large, 

 nearly the size of the imperial gage plum. Our 

 largest native grapes are about three inches in cir- 

 cumference. 



Rev. Mr. Hubbard, in his History of New Eng- 

 land, written about the year 1680, when describ- 

 ing the fertility of the soil, and its vegetable pro- 



ductions, says, "That great hopes of fruitfull vine- 

 yards was entertained in after time ; but as yet 

 either skill is wanting, to cultivate and order the 

 roots of those wild vines, and reduce them to a 

 pleasant sweetnesse, or time is not yet to bee 

 spared, to looke after the culture of such fruits, as 

 rather tend to the bene or melius esse, of a place, 

 then to the bare esse and substance thereof." Alas, 

 the climate of New-England forbids these fond an- 

 ticipations of the Puritans from ever being real- 

 ized by us. The subject in regard to the proprie- 

 ty of cultivating the Tobacco, early engaged the 

 attention of the planters at Nahumkeag, as well 

 as the Company in England. In their first and 

 second general letters of instruction to Endicott 

 and his council, they say, "The planting of tobac- 

 co is by this whole company generally disavowed, 

 and utterly disclaimed, by some of the greatest ad- 

 venturers amongst us, who absolutely declared 

 themselves unwilling to have any hand in this 

 plantation, if we cherish or permit the planting 

 thereof. And we especially desire that no tobac- 

 co be planted, by any of the new planters, under 

 your government, unless it be some small quanti- 

 ty for mere necessity, and for physic, and for the 

 preservation of their healths ; and that the same 

 be taken privately by ancient men, and none other." 

 In this manner, and with very great caution, wai 

 tobacco first introduced into Massachusetts. 



There was likewise a law in New-England, in 

 the year 1634, "That no person should be per- 

 mitted publicly to use tobacco, on fine of 2s. 6d., 

 or privately in his own dwelling, or dwelling of an- 

 other, before strangers ; and they also forbid two 

 or more, to use it, in any place together." In Wins- 

 low's Relation, we find that the Indians were ac- 

 customed to take much tobacco ; but for their boys 

 so to do, they account it odious. The idea that to- 

 bacco, like rum, should be used only by persons of 

 suitable age, and taken moderately, was not con- 

 fined to the Puritans. We well remember when 

 a lad, being present when rum was used, or tobac- 

 co taken, being told that we were not old enough 

 to use it, and must wait until we became men. — 

 And it was not uncommon in those days, for very 

 polite men, who chewed tobacco, to turn their 

 backs, or put one hand to their mouths, to con- 

 ceal the act of taking a quid. But we have no- 

 ticed, that such modest and polite men, at the pre- 

 sent day, are exceedingly rare, indeed we do not 

 recollect to have seen one for many years. They 

 must, we think, much to our regret, have all 

 passed away. The quiet, sober, and secret way, 

 tobacco was taken by the Pilgrims, is in strange 

 contrast with its use, at the present day. Many 

 amusing anecdotes are connected with its early use 

 and history. 



The Rev. Mr. Ersking, the author of the Gos- 

 pel Sonnets, wrote a religious doggerel, wherein 

 he supposed the smoking of tobacco a proper sub- 

 ject for religious meditation. It was addressed to 

 smokers, and called upon them to spiritualize 

 smoking. It was written in 1770. The first stan- 

 zas are as follows : — 



The Indian weed, now withered quite, 

 Though green at noon, cut down at night, 



Shows thy decay ; 



All flesh is hay, 

 Thus think, and smoke tobacco. 

 Doth juice medicinal proceed, 

 From such a naughty foreign weed ; 



Then what's the power 



Of Jessie's flower, 

 Thus think and smoke tobacco. 



