1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



483 



and $9,600 was paid for a Black Hawk colt less 

 than two years old, to be taken to Baltimore. 



In the department of cattle, the exhibition did 

 not reflect credit upon the productive ability of 

 Vermont. The ivorking oxen were neither numer- 

 ous nor particularly excellent. A few bulls only, 

 of any blood, were remarkable ; and with the ex- 

 ception of a lot of cattle of mixed Durham blood, 

 the property of Mr. Ezra Meach, Jr., of Shelburn 

 Point, there was nothing of striking excellence, in 

 numbers. There were a few young milch cows of 

 fine appearance, and some yearlings of large size 

 and excellent points. 



Among the Fat Cattle, there were some very 

 fine. A pair by B. P. Munson, of Wallingford, and 

 others by G. W. Brownell, of Williston, were a 

 credit to the State. 



The show of Sheep did not come up to what we 

 have seen in Vermont before. 



What butter and cheese we saw appeared to be 

 of the highest excellence ; but both were meagre 

 in quantity. 



Where the women* were wholly concerned, in 

 the department of domestic manufactures, and all 

 in-door industry, there were many evidences of 

 taste and skill. 



There was little fruit of any kind, not as much 

 as any single good garden might show. 



Fine specimens of the Vermont marbles were 

 presented, and had been wrought with a praise- 

 worthy skill. There were also castings, in iron, of 

 various utensils. 



The department o/" macHne and agricultural im- 

 plements — but especially of large machinery, such 

 as hay-presses, stump-pullers, and sowing-machines, 

 was well represented. A seed sower presented by 

 Mr. Hazen fVillard, of Vergennes, attracted con- 

 siderable attention. It was claimed to possess the 

 ability to sow any seed, from the size of a kernel of 

 corn down to mustard seed, and sow it and cover 

 it regularly. The machine occupies a breadth of 

 some eight feet, has two revolving cylinders, with 

 adjusting slides so as to reduce the holes to any re- 

 quired size. The seed is covered by a round stick, 

 coming near the ground and filled up with spikes 

 or teeth, about 6 inches long. The cylinders, and 

 this revolving harrow, are moved by gearing con^ 

 nected with the wheels and moved by their motion 



A new Corn Sheller, patent of J. P. Smith, did 

 the work with great rapidity, and separated the 

 cobs from the corn. It is manufactured by Jason 

 Davenport, of Middlebury, Vt. 



In some respects, the Sixth Annual Agricultural 

 Show of Vermont was surpassingly attractive ; but 

 in many others we thought it greatly deficient. We 

 have little fault, however, to find with the officers 

 who conducted it — they rather command our admi- 

 ration for their zeal and the self-sacrificing spirit 

 they have manifested in this and former years. 



The first error, in our opinion, is, that che State 

 does nothing to promote the objects of the occa- 

 sion. It has neither given the enterprise the .ad- 

 vantages and dignity of an incorporated body, nor 

 contributed to its means of attracting the public 

 interest. There can be no doubt that an appropri- 

 ation of ten or fifteen hundred dollars, annually, 

 would soon replenish the State treasury to more 

 than double that amount. Then we would suggest 

 that there be provided on the grounds a rude build- 

 ing of sufficient capacity to accommodate officers, 

 reporters, judges, and such other persons as would 

 be glad to dine together each day. There ought 

 also to be, on one of the days, an address from some 

 person engaged in agricultural pursuits, and dur- 

 ing its delivery, the course should be kept clear of 

 horses, and efforts made to bring as many as possi- 

 ble within its influence. Then the show of horses 

 — although it will be the leading feature — should 

 not be allowed to overshadow all things else. Sys- 

 tematic effort should be made to draw to the Ex- 

 hibition the finest cattle, sheep and swine of the 

 State, and the cattle should be groomed and made 

 to appear to the best advantage. 



A bold policy will be the true one. The people 

 must make an effort to show their best and in its 

 best condition. Vermont is capable of making the 

 finest show — all thmgs considered — of any New 

 England State, — but unless she bestirs herself in 

 all the departments of the Exhibition, she will 

 surely lose her laurels in everything but the single 

 show of horses. 



We would express our obligations to the officers 

 of the society, and the Hon. Harry Bradley, for 

 their kind attentions, and to President Wheeler and 

 his interesting family, for the hospitalities of their 

 house during our stay at Burlington. Some other 

 matters connected with our visit will be spoken of 

 hereafter. 



SWALLOWS AGAINST FLIES. 



While on a late visit to a friend's residence in 

 the country, we were most agreeably surprised at 

 finding an unusual scarcity of flies, mosquitoes and 

 the whole tribe of winged nuisances which have 

 there in years past warred against peace and com- 

 fort of both bipeds and quadrupeds. The change 

 was readily accounted for upon learning the follow- 

 ing facts : — 



Last May, about one hundred and fifty swal- 

 lows one morning made their appearance and com- 

 menced building their nests under the eaves of a 

 long new bam. As soon as their operations were 

 discovered a cleat was nailed along the boards, 

 which was painted, and thus better facilities afford- 

 ed the swallows for attaching their nests. Thus 

 encouraged, the whole feathered company at once 

 set to nest building, and in three weeks' time, be- 

 tween seventy and eighty of these mud fabrics 

 were completed; and in about one month more, 

 each of these was occupied by from three to six 

 tenants. Your readers can easily conceive of the 



