38 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



AOG. 5, 1840 



ANn HORTICULTURAL RKGISTER. 



Boston, Wedkesdav, Acgobt 5, ISIO. 



AGRICULTURF, IN MASSACHUSETTS. 

 We continue <iiir (lesult<ir\' ol).-prv:iiions nn this sub- 

 ject. To a person accuslomed lo the fiirining nf western 

 New York, or of ihe valley ofl^anrasler in Pennsvivn- 

 nia, or the extensive cnlllvation of a southern planter, 

 whose *^ force " consists of one or two hundred effec- 

 tives, in talk of the agriculture of MassacliuMlls seems 

 bordering on the ridiculous. We recollect a ri-niark of 

 the hue laujenled Jud^'C Buel, in some pulilislifd notes 

 ofiiis on a journey he made from Brrghtrm to .Albany, 

 that it was matter of perfect surprise lo hirn, where the 

 people gilt ilieir bread, and what indeed thc^y did pro. 

 duce. We must admit thai Massiicliuseils farming is 

 comparatively a small .iff'iir ; and yil, taken in the ag- 

 gregate, its product would be found very greatly to ex- 

 ceed the crude opinions formed of it. Imperfectly as it 

 is pursued, limited in extent, and in its actual amounts 

 of product not yielding perhaps on an average one third 

 what it may be made lo yield, its amount in actu^il pecu- 

 niary value would not sufft-r in comparison with the 

 products ofclimes esteemed much more favored in cli- 

 mate and the fertility of the soil. The returns of the 

 Assessors made this year to the valuation committee, 

 and the answers demanded on various subjects to the 

 questions required to be put by the United States mar- 

 shals engaged in the decenni;il work oftaking a census 

 of the Union, will, we believe, disclose results even in 

 regard lo the /joor New England Stales, which will both 

 surprise and gratify us. 



Many a farmer in Massachusells with his hun.lred 

 acies, produces all ihe great supplies fur his family of 

 milk, butior, cheese, bread, [loullry, eggs, honey, fruit, 

 vegetables, hay, wool, beef, mutton, and pork. . He 

 keeps his stock good. He has a yoke of fat cattk to 

 " turn off" every year and a fat ox to ■' put down ;" he 

 has a tun of pork for market ; he sells butter and cheese 

 and grain. If he performs the labor with his own hands 

 and the help o( his family, then this is all clear gain. If 

 he is obliged lo hire some labor, he will find a serious de- 

 duction from his profits ; but still he will be able to pav 

 ihis and have in ordinary cases, some little surplus hift 

 to add to his little stock. This, we admit, n quires skill, 

 diligence, and "stay at home " industry ; but by these 

 charactiristies many of our farmers are eminently dis- 

 tinguished. This sup|iiises likewise that Iherc is no ex- 



We know however many other farmers, who " when 

 times are good," are able from their farms to pay their 

 lab( r, to sustain their families, and to lay up their five 

 hundred, and some of them iheir thousand dollars per 

 year. This we say ought to satisfy the desires of any 

 reasonable man. We know that in iho new Stales, 

 where l.iiid is entered at the government price, the far- 

 mer finils the value of his farm increased twenty and 

 thirty fohl and upwards, by the improvements which he 

 puts upon it. This of course is a source of wealth, 

 with which hardly any thing else can come in competi- 

 tion. Cut the fact that some of the most feitile land on 

 which the rain ever descended or Ihe sun ever shone, 

 and indeed as mueh as one can desire, can be had as it 

 were for asking, Is an accidental circumstance, which 

 forbids any just comparison between the two cases. Yet 

 the same amount of acres brought into comparison, and 

 the pecuniary results balanced, the profit would often 

 be found on the side of the Massachusetts farmer. We 

 have not been very successful in our enquiries either in 

 Ohioorthe superltitively fertile prairies of Illinois, lo 

 find fiirmers ofeven extended possessions, who are able 

 to lay up their tlioirsand or their five hundred dollars 

 per year. 



Bui all our fanning is not of this description. We 

 have some farms of considerable extent; and though 

 it would be difficult to find many farms in the enmmon- 

 wealih where twentyfive acres are annually under the 

 plough, we know of many where at least fifty acres or 

 more might with advantage be annually brought under 

 cultivation; and under proper management of tlio pro- 

 duce, might furnish f;om its own resources lire means 

 of continual improvement. We have said already again 

 and again on so many occasions and in so many forms, 

 what our views are on this subject, that we shall forbear 

 to press the subject. But we are more and more con- 

 vinced every day, that Massachusetts is capable ofa pro- 

 ductive and firofitablfi agriculture; that the ambilion of 

 the farmers ought to be more and more stimulated; 

 and in proportion as it prompts to more diligence, more 

 labor, and more enterprise, it will meet in .Massachusetts 

 wilii an ample revvrrrd. 



We should regret to be thought boastful; anri there 

 is no occasion for nraking comparisrms, which in general 

 seldom fail to injure those in whose favor ihey are made, 

 and to beconre offi'ensive to those whom they throw in- 

 to the shade ; but we have no hesitation in saying ihat 

 Massachusetts has conferred upon herself lire highest 

 honor fi>r the patronage which she has bestowed upon 

 agriculture ; and it is equally to her honor lhat these 

 efforts have been seconded by many distingtrished ex 



not criminals or convicts — but unfortunate ; and thus 

 rescued from profligacy and ruin. Never was a more 

 benevolent institution. Here now any respectable far- 

 mer may always go to obtain as many children as he is 

 willing to take charge of and able to do justice to, who 

 will he bound to hirn until ihey are twentyone, upon 

 the most reasonable conditions 



The Female Asylums in Boston and Salem afford the 

 same favorable opporliinities in regard to girls. Good 

 frmilics may thus essentially servi^ their own interests 

 and the cause of humanity, by availing lliemselves of 

 these advantagenus offers The managers of these es- 

 tablishments are persons of the highest character. 



We know a farmer in the Slate who has now had fur 

 some time on bis farm, four lads from the house for ref- 

 ornration for juvenile olTenders in New York city, and 

 is perfectly satisfied with the experiment. They arc 

 under indentures until twentyone, and he is at liberty 

 to relurn them on commission of any crime. H. C. 



THE POLITICAL CRISIS. 



It is not for us in this place to enter the political are- 

 na; but we have no hesitation in sayirrg, that within 

 our recollection, a more important crisis in public af- 

 fairs has never presented itself than thai which is ap- 

 proaching in the ensuing national elections. The pub- 

 lic, Irom one end of the Union to the other, are actually 

 breathless; the pulse beats with a power which seems 

 to be felt through the whole fiame ; and Ihe country is 

 rocked as with the hcavings of an earthquake. In such 

 case let no man fail to perform his duty. Disdaining 

 all considerations of a mere parly character, let every 

 true man determine to discharge his conscience. It is 

 a case, which admits with an honest mind of no vsaciUa- 

 lion, hesitation, or distrust, and one in which " The 

 country expect" every man to do his duty." This only 

 can save the country. [f. c. 



waordinary drain in the house; so lhat when a frrmer amples of individual liberality, and by the ready and 



lays up some of his small earnings upon the shelf, ho 

 does not, upon going to look after them a second lirne 

 find lhat ihey regularly " lake to themselves wings and 

 fly away." It supposes that the hands in the house do 

 not require to put on kid gloves in order to sweep the 

 floor; and that they do not dread or disdain being soil- 

 ed by perfiirming any of the domestic labors of the 

 household. If there ever have been situations in life 

 which we have been disposed above all others to envy. 

 It has been family establishments {and thousands of 

 such are scattered all over our happy commonwealth,) 

 where all ihe household constitute but one family of 

 parents, sons, daughters, and perhaps grandchildren; — 

 where labor is made light, first by simplicity of livinjr, 

 and next by muturrl and unvarying kindness ; and where 

 throughout the whole there is to be found but one inter- 

 est and one heart. This now is one kind of Massachu- 

 setts farming, which does not indeed exhibit any grcal 



palrioiic co-operaiion of some of the most eminent men 

 and some of the most powerfitl minds in our commnni 

 ly, who have felt ihi: importance of the interest and 

 given to il the weight and influence of their talents and 

 character. H. C. 



LABOR PROCURABLE. 



We are reminded ofa duly, which we have a long time 

 unintentionally oinilted ; but the discharge of which 

 may irow be of great importance to the farmers, and at 

 the same time essentially serve -the cause of humanity. 



The Farm School on Thompson's Island, in BoJton 

 harbor, was established for the rescue of unfi>rluniite 

 children, neglected by their ()arents, or perhaps without 

 any parents to care fi)r them, who are taken, as far as 

 the funds will admit, anil placed on this island, where 



Klassachugettg Horticultural Society. 



EXHIBITION or FRUITS. 



Saturday, July 25(A, 1640 . 



By Gen. Sumner, Roxbuty — Nutmeg Peaches — very 

 delicate — out door culture. 



By Mr Miller, Portland — splendid specimens of 

 Peaches, raised under glass. 



By MrO. Johnson, Lynn — a very large cluster of 

 Zinfindal Grapes— also Klack Hainburgh. 



By Mr Grosvenor — handsome Apricots. 



By Mr Rundle, Warren Street, Boston — fine speci- 

 mens of very large Apricots. 



By MrB. V. French— Peach Apricots, Heath's Early 

 Nonsuch and Early Harvest Apples. 



By B. Guild, Esq , Brookline — July or Sugar Top 

 Pears — an early variety, but not first rate. 



By Mr J. Hovey, Roxbury — Early Harvest Apples — 

 quite large — also. White Currants. 



By E. M. Richards— Early Harve.it, White Junating, 

 and Red Astracan -Vpples. 



Veoetahles. — Mr .\. Bowdilch exhibited specimens of 

 ripe Tomatoes. 



For the Committee, 



E. M. RICHARDS. 



they receive a gooil and useful education ; their morals 

 amount of profit in nn arithmclicnl form ; but in a social I "''* carefully watched over, and they are brought up to 



and moral aspect prrrsents an eminent prosperily. 



habits of mechanical or agricultural lab >r. They are 



STRAWBERRIES. 



We would tall the attention of our readers to the ad- 

 vertise neni of Mr J. L. L. F. Warren, of Brighton, in 

 Ihis day's paper, who has as fine a collection of the 

 most approved varieties of Strawberry as can be lound 

 in the country. Mr Warren attends to the raising and 

 packing of his own plants, and sends out none but such 



