1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



187 



than they did here. He also showed from na- 

 tional statistics that the corn crop of New Eng- 

 land was more profitable to the farmer than that 

 of Illinois to the producer there, as was also the 

 raising of pork. 



Wm. J. BucKMlNSTER, of the Ploughman, v^a.s 

 the next speaker. He made a defence of the 

 farmers against the charge of ignorance of prices, 

 and was interrupted by Mr. Davis, of Plymouth, 

 who explained that the ignorance he had alluded 

 to was that arising from the misrepresentations 

 of forestallers. Mr. Buckminster proceeded to 

 say that, while railroads, telegraphs and news- 

 papers Avere so common, and so generally distrib- 

 uted, the explanation could not have its full bear- 

 ing. Farmers were wide awake concerning prices, 

 there could be no doubt ; and if they did now 

 and then make a mistake, it was no more than the 

 dealers did. As further proof of farmers know- 

 ing what prices were, he found that he could not 

 purchase some things at home — thirty miles hence 

 — so cheap as he could do in Faneuil Hall mar- 

 ket. Mr. B. spoke somewhat doubtfully about 

 the proposal before the meeting ; although he 

 hoped it would be found otherwise. 



Dr. LoRiNG, of Salem, came here with some 

 idea of opposing the scheme of market fairs ; 

 but, after hearing the arguments pro et con, he 

 was constrained to believe that it was inevitably 

 necessary that farmers should have some system 

 in operation for their better protection and stim- 

 ulation, and that the best means to adopt was 

 the proposed fairs. Our farmers wanted a stim- 

 ulus. They generally contented themselves with 

 providing for a twelve months' existence, but 

 give them market fairs and it would soon be oth- 

 erwise, and there would be no longer depression, 

 increasing waste lands, and general prostration 

 of the agricultural interest. If fairs would not 

 suit, what would ? for stimulation was essential. 

 It belonged to the opponents of the proposal to 

 say what would substitute that scheme. Essex 

 county was determined to try it until a better 

 was suggested, although her farmers were aware 

 of obstacles being in the way of their ultimate 

 advantage. Every improvement in agriculture 

 had had its opposition, and this one could hard- 

 ly escape the same risk. For himself, he had no 

 fear of its ultimate success, any more than he 

 had doubts of its benefits, or of their universality 

 over the Commonwealth. 



Remarks were further made, touching on ab 

 stract details of the discussion, by Mr. Buckmin- 

 ster, Dodge, Davis, and others. The latter gen- 

 tleman incidentally showed, practically, in what 

 respects market fairs would prove beneficial — for 

 that purpose taking a familiar view of matters 

 as they now stood, as compared with what they 

 might become were such fairs established. 



It was suggested that the subject should be 

 continued, and discussed next week ; but arrange- 

 ments having been made for that meeting, the 

 suggestion was withdrawn. Next Monday, the 

 matter discussed will be "Drainage." Dr. G. 

 B. LoRiNG, of Salem, is expected to preside. 



Por the New England Farmer. 



WOBK IN THE LUNENBUHG PABMEK'S 

 CLUB. 



Mr. Editor : — The following statements and 

 experiments from the Lunenburg Farmer's Club 

 are at your service. As there is much to learn 

 about the measuring of corn, shrinkage, &c., it 

 maybe well for every Club to contribute something 

 in regard to the different varieties raised, and 

 the same may be said of the cereals, that a man 

 may see in black and white the best kinds to use, 

 and where they can be found. 



It takes a long time to determine what kinds 

 of apples will be the most profitable. After a 

 man has tried many varieties, he will finally set- 

 tle down on some that will pay the best. The 

 diff'erent breeds of cattle, too, are being tried, 

 and it is expected that some discoveries will be 

 made in that branch of husbandry. 



We think our Town Club has made some dis- 

 coveries during the eleven years it has been or- 

 ganized, and we trust that the time has not been 

 spent in vain. County societies may cut a wider 

 swath on exhibition days, but the influence ex- 

 erted is like the old adage, "Variety tends more 

 to please than to instruct." 



We ti'ust the town clubs will receive something 

 from the public crib in the shape of a few hun- 

 dred a year ; that, with what can be raised by 

 the ladies, the county societies will look kind o' 

 lank in a few years. Farmer's clubs are getting 

 to be institutions which cannot be rubbed out 

 any more than the common school, and it is be- 

 lieved they indicate the true mode of disseminat- 

 ing agricultural knowledge. 



W. H. Jones, Secretary. 



CYRUS KILBURN'S CORN CROP. 

 Mr, Kilburn said, the acre of land on whi. h 

 my corn was planted was in pasture in 1857 and 

 covered to a great extent with rocks and stones, 

 and produced mullen, hardback, buttercup, moss 

 and other weeds; the grass very short and scant, 

 producing not half enough to pasture one cow. 

 Last spring the rocks were l)lasted and hauled 

 off' the land ; carted on about nineteen loads of 

 green manure, spread and plowed it under with 

 a side hill plow, harrowed and picked off the 

 stones, furrowed the rows about four feet the 

 same way it was plowed, applied four loads ])er 

 acre of manure scraped from the barn cellar, in- 

 cluding the droppings from the turkey roost, put- 

 ting in about a pint in each hill. Planted about 

 the 20th of May, with King Phillip corn, using 

 the single corn-planter. Hoed twice, and let four 

 plants grow in the hill ; used a plow the first hoe- 

 ing, and a plow cultivator the second. Cut up 

 and stooked the same on the last of September ; 

 husked about the middle of October, and had 

 125 baskets sound corn, weight 50 lbs. each, 

 exclusive of the basket. 100 lbs. of the ears, 



