1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMEE. 



425 



and fiowers, of rare shrubs and trees. Here stood 

 the beautiful magnolia (not the lofty grandiflora) . 

 and there the noble tulip tree, liriodendron, soraej 

 40 feet in height, and other half-hardy and foreign j 

 plants interspersed through the ample grounds, and, 

 taking us by sm-prise as we passed along. There 

 were retreats from the sun under clusters of creep- 

 ing plants, summer-houses in\'iting to repose, edges 

 of box or grass, or a curve some twenty feet long, 

 edged with the white bone of a whale that once 

 sported in Arctic seas. The bottom of the garden 

 is laved by an arm of the sea, where each afflux of 

 the tide brings sparkling Atlantic waters for the 

 daily ablutions of the family. If this was not the 

 original garden of Eden, fair Eves trim its paths and 

 pluck its flowers, and grace it with their presence 

 and care. 



Among other evidences of good taste, we had 

 the pleasure of examining a portfolio of drawings 

 of the nests and eggs of the birds of New England, 

 and some twenty of them accompanied by paintings 

 of the birds themselves. These were by Augustus 

 Fowler, Esq., a brother of S. P., and one of our 

 correspondents. These drawings and paintings are 

 executed with great fidelity and skill, and although 

 done at intervals of leisure from the cares of his 

 business, and Avithout any teaching from others, 

 they would reflect credit upon our best artists. 



In the afternoon we visited some of the ancient 

 trees in the neighborhood, and found an Elm at 

 The Plains, which, at eighty feet from the ground 

 measured twenty feet in circumference ; another at 

 the Kimball Place, fifteen feet in circumference, and 

 spreading 100 feet, and on the Eppes farm at South 

 Danvers, one that measured, six feet from the 

 ground, 18 feet in circumference. This was a no- 

 ble specimen. Between ten and fifteen feet from 

 the ground it throws out ten limbs, each of which 

 would make a good-sized tree, and containing in all, 

 it was judged, from six to eight cords of wood ! In 

 a grove near the residence of Mr. Aaron Put- 

 nam, we found a specimen of the Locust, eight feet 

 in circumference, the largest we had ever seen. 

 There were several other fine trees, but none so 

 large as these. The grove is extensive, and not a 

 sign of the borer discoverable in it. The branches 

 were covered with a luxurient foliage, and the 

 trunks clean and healthy. The bark stood in su- 

 tures of from four to six inches deep, with a grey- 

 ish silver appearance, and all indicating great age. 

 Other groves of locust which we saw were all more 

 or less aff'ected by the borer, and some of them 

 were rapidly dying out. 



On the Eppes farm we saw the precise locaHty 

 of the original Danvers Avinter sweet apple. There 

 is now a fine tree on the spot from a shoot which 

 sprang from the old stump. "We tasted the apple, 

 and found it sweet, and undoubtedly true to the 

 original. The old Endicott pear tree afforded also 



a deep interest. It was planted as is supposed by 

 the first Governor of Massachusetts in 1630. En- 

 dicott was the first Governor — but he was sent 

 over from England, to look after the affairs of the 

 New England Company. Winthrop was the first 

 Governor chosen by the people. We have already 

 given a portrait of this pear tree in these columns. 

 It is surrounded by a rude fence to keep off sacri- 

 legious hands, and although dilapidated and bowed 

 with age, it looks as if it might last, with good care 

 fifty years longer. 



A thousand recollections and associations crowd 

 the mind of the visitor as he stands on these 

 grounds. From a little eminence may be seen in 

 the distance many an object which would, and per- 

 haps has, engaged the attention of the poet, the an- 

 tiquarian, the historian and statesman, and arrest 

 the attention of the indifferent observer ; for it 

 seems that 



"Nature enthroned as queen of loveliest scenes, 

 Her outstretched sceptre o'er the valley gleams ; 

 Each verdant hill, each vale, each rare -seen flower, 

 Proclaims her presence, demonstrates her power." 



Retracing our steps as the afternoon waned, we 

 passed the house where Gen. Putnam was bora, 

 the wolf-hunter of Connecticut and hero a? the 

 Revolution. But light faded too fast — 



"Eve's mist now veiled the valley from the Sfght, 

 The hills were shrouded by approaching night ; 

 The laborer hastened from his daily care. 

 The cattle ceased with him in toil to share ; 

 The feathered songster left his leafy throne, — 

 All, all is silent, we are left alone." 



Man's activity has ceased — the city lies in repose 

 — but the restless sea still washes the trending 

 shore with its monotonons tones ; it tires the ear, 

 but never tires itself. Our pleasant visit is ended, 

 and has brought healthful fatigue. So 



"Out, brief candle," 



and let us seek that repose which to the laboring 

 man is sweet. 



VALUE OF HAY CAPS. 



On Friday, the first day of August, we had a 

 small field of oats cut which were wet by showers 

 before they were fairly wilted. It was two or three 

 days before they were sufficiently dry to be cocked, 

 owing to the frequent and sudden showers. When 

 cocked, they were covered with impainted cotton 

 cloth caps, and remained in that position five days. 

 One cock was left uncovered — that was soaked to 

 the bottom, and when dried, had lost that peculiar 

 aroma which all good fodder, when perfectly cured, 

 gives out. The covered cocks were wet on the 

 edges near the ground, but a large portion of eacii 

 was dry, and after being exposed to the sun a few 

 hours, were bright and sweet. Half the cost of the 

 caps was saved in this single crop. 



