AND GARDE NER'SJOURNAL. 



FUBLISllEO BV JOSEPH BRECK & CO., NO. 52, NORTH MARKET STREET, (Agricultural Warehouse.)— T. G. TESSfiNUEN, EDITOR. 



VOL. .\VI. 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 8, ISS?. 



Ni;. 18. 



A^S3liIK^Wl£,irWIIi^I£,a 



PLYMOUTH CO. CATTLE SHOW. 



In consequence, we presume, of some mistake, 

 misdirection, or misciirriuge, we have received no 

 |)aper from Plymouth County, containing an ac- 

 :ount of the above mentioned Cattle Sliovv, held 

 It Bridgewater, on the 11th ult., and are indebted 

 :o the Boston Courier for the following: 



We abridge frotn the Old Colony Memorial the 

 following account of the Cattle Show, which was 

 leld at Bridgnwater, on the 11th ult. We regret 

 hat we cannot, in our notices of these occurren- 

 :es, insert the entire lists of premiums, awarded 

 jy the various Committees. The names of suc- 

 lessful farmers, mechanics, and manufacturers, 

 }Ught to be made known, but the annunciation 

 nust, in general, be left to the papers entirely de- 

 i'oted to Agriculture. 



'J'lie exhibitions at Bridgewater, of almost every 

 lescription, were more numerous and of better 

 ]ual:ty than they liave heretofore been, and the 

 lumber of competitors was much increased. The 

 idventurers in the plough-field were greater in 

 nmiber than common, and the Match was con- 

 lucted with great readiness and despatch. The 

 ;d.lress, by the Hon. Solomon Lincoln, was high- 

 y appropriate and interesting, and delivered in 

 m eloquent and impressive manner. The dinner 

 vas such as a Farmers' ought to be, the growth 



nd produce of our native soil, jjlenteous, agreea- 

 ile and wholesome. Several toasts were announ- 



ed from the chair, which were highly appropri- 

 ite, and others, of much pith, were proposed by 

 ndividiials at the table. The officers of the last 



ear were generally re-elected. 



We are happy that the spirit of Agriculture and 

 he arts, so iin|)ortant to the welfare and prosper- 

 ty of the country, sufters no diminution in this 



ection of the Commonwealth, where the pilgrims 



rst felled the forest, and, by cultivation, brought 

 he earth to yield its fruits for the benefit of its 



ivilized iidiabitaiits. 

 The following song was written for the occa- 



ion by B. Brown, Esq. of Boston. — See JV. E. 



'^anner, p. 128, of the current volume. ' 

 We subjoin, entire, the Report of the Commit- 

 I on "Improvements," written, we presume, by 



lie venerable and reverend President of the Ply- 



louth Agriculturiil Society : 



The circumstances in which we now stand here, 

 re so widely difl'erent from those under which 

 ur last annual report was made, as to merit dis- 

 net remark. We then came to this house amid 

 le peltings of so severe a northeast storm, that 

 omparatively few of our farmers hail zeal enough 

 > the good cause, to induce them to face it. The 

 ouse was thinly peopled. We resembled a wor- 

 lipping assembly under a dull preacher, more 

 lan n collection on an interesting anniversary. — 

 •a the countenances of the few farmers who did 



ap|>ear, there was sonictliing more of gloom than 

 the northeast wind alone would have occasioned. 

 They came in the contemplation of much unsuc- 

 cessful labor, of nearly euipty granaiies. There 

 had been almost an entire failure of some of our 

 principal (Tops. We cannot speak of the past 

 season as very fruitful; yet it has been enough 

 better than the preceding, to clieer us with the 

 hope that the sun, in future, will visit us in his 

 strength ; that seasons of vegetation will return, 

 of sufficient length to mature the various products 

 of the earth. We are now animated with many 

 cheerful countenances, and encouraged in our 

 course by a respectable assemblage of our female 

 friends, who are not always pleased with the dust 

 that occasionally adheres to the ftirmer's hands and 

 garmenls, but think well of the firmness of his 

 habit."', and the soundness of his principles, We 

 are presented on this occasion, with more than 

 ordinary motives to study the theory and iir.prove 

 in the practice of agriculture. The posture of 

 public affairs has ilarUly eclipsed, if not wholly 

 destroyed the hopes and prospects of many other 

 pursuits. The pockets of at the least many of us, 

 are making an approach to emptiness, near enough 

 to show us the importance of seeking sustenance 

 through the kindness of our mother earth. Should 

 the singular po; ition of our ciintvy, !ond lO ex- 

 tended improvements in the soil, should it induce 

 n new set of laborers to take the field, should more 

 than the f)oor of the land become permanently en 

 gaged in the business of husbandry ; then may 

 our sons look back to the evils of this period, as 

 overruled by a gracious Providence, to the pro. 

 duction of some good. The competitors for pre- 

 miums, in the department of this committee, are 

 this year few in number, but they have manifes- 

 ted a laudable spiiit of emulation, and extended 

 their labors beyond the common measure of other 

 year.i. 



Benjamin Hobart, Esq., of Ahingion, the only 

 claimant for the best cultivated farm, exhibited 

 numerous buildings, all of which are in good con- 

 dition ; and those that were constructed for the 

 particular use of the farm, well arranged in loca- 

 tions and internal division for convenience and 

 economy. The mansion, a venerable edifice, is 

 environed with fruit and ornamental trees, and 

 some very handsome specimens of horticulture 

 and florculture. In the rear of the house there 

 is a long, serpentine walk, oversliadovved with 

 numerous forest trees, affording a delightful sum- 

 mer resort for rest or pastime. The garden and 

 walk forcibly remind a spectator of descriptions 

 he has read of English combinations of artificial 

 with natural scenery. Improvements of this sort 

 have no essential connection with agriculture, but 

 give lustre to more useful improvements and de- 

 serve much commendation, wherever knowledge, 

 ability and taste for them are united. 



Mr Ilobart's farm, originally very rough and 



rocky, is reduced to a state of good cultivation 



The fields are judiciously and tastefully laid out. 

 The statement which accompanies this report. 



will give more particular information of the op- 

 erations on the farm and the estimates of expen- 

 ses and income : its several other branches of 

 business have been can led on in connexion with 

 the farm, it may be that blended interests have 

 occasioned some mistake in Mr Hobart's calcula- 

 tions ; if not, there is a clear profit from his farm 

 beyond what the most ardent friends of agricul- 

 ture had sui)posed is yet obtained in this country. 

 Whether or not the statement be mathematically 

 true, Mr Hobart has set an exairiplc which ought 

 to be imitated ; his success gives foumlalion of 

 hope it will be. His neighbors must perceive the 

 advantages and beauty of smooth, productive 

 fields. They will not, we hope, long be conten- 

 ted to bother their tools and bruise their feet 

 against rocks, which strong faith and a portiim of 

 sulphur would quickly remove. There has been 

 too much dread of rock bound soils, and the 

 means employed to avoid them have, in many in- 

 stances, been very like "straining at gnats and 

 swallowing camels." In this county there cer- 

 tainly should be no dread of rocks, nor any waste 

 of them; here there is scarcity rather than redun- 

 dancY ; let the farms be cleared by splitting and 

 piling such as are not yeC wanted ; the time may 

 not be far distant, when they will bring more 

 for every square foot, than live oak timber now 

 does. 



The award of the first premium, $30, to Mr Ho- 

 bart, and the addition of two volumes of the N. 

 E. Farmer, is rL'cominended. 



To Mr Philip Brewster, of Hanson, the premi- 

 um of $15, offered for the renovatiim of swampy 

 land. He had reclaimed, since 1833, from a very 

 rough and almost useless state, to good English 

 meadow, three acres of twenty-five rods. 131 

 rods more have been subdued and seeded the 

 present year. 



To Col. Abram Washburn, 2d, of Bridgewater, 

 the first premium for stone wall, $30, and one 

 volume Complete Farmer. He has laid two hun- 

 dred and thirteen rods of good wall, and managed 

 his farm in a satisfactory maimer in otiier res- 

 pects. 



Tiie following persons are considered entitled 

 to |)reiniums for their skill and praiseworthy ex- 

 ertions in composing manure. Captain Solomon 

 Howard, of West Bridgewater, $30, and one vol- 

 ume N. E. Farmer ; he has made eleven hundred 

 and fifty-five loads. 



Maj. Horace Collamore, of Pembroke, $25, and 

 one volume (complete Farmer; he has made 785 

 loads. 



Paul Hatheway, E^q., Middleboro', $20, and 1 

 volume New England Farmer ; he has made 701 

 loads. 



Mr Philip Brewster, of Hanson, $15, and one 

 volume New England Farmer; lie has made 605 

 loads. 



These gentlemen have done well ; they have 

 honored themselves in their abounding useful la- 

 bors. We are sorry the fifth premium offered 

 for so important an object is no: claimed. — 



