174 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



UEC. r., 18 r. 



AND gardener's JOURNAL. 



Boston, Wednesday, Deo. 6, 1837. 



Suggestions RESPECTING the qoalifications of an 

 Editor— We feel much obliged to our correspoiideni 

 F. for the s^lg^e^tion^ below, whicli we have e.xtracted 

 rrom a letter to the |jiiblisliers. We are aware that we 

 are placeil in a responsible situation, and that we need 

 ibe advice of our experienced friends in a niatler so im- 

 portant as that of selecting one who shall meet the ex- 

 pectations of an enlightened commnnily, and, at the 

 same time, take by the hand and raise from ignorance, 

 and remove the prejudices of a numerous class who 

 are treading with obsiinate steps, in the ways of their 

 fathers and grandfathers. We wish to see converts 

 made to the new system of Agriculture, that our barren 

 plains may be converted into fruiilul fields, and our un- 

 productive swamps into profitable grass grounds. How 

 can this be effected better than by the press, conducted 

 by an able, experienced hand. As we have before ob 

 served, it is our inlenlion to secure, as soon as possible, 

 the services of some one to occupy the vacant chair, 

 and hope to obtain a person who |>06sesses ihe requisite 

 qualifications ; but before " we ordain a teacher for the 

 public," we shall take time to look about, and not be in 

 Uasle to make the election. Since ihe decease of the 

 lamented Fessenden, we have ordered from England 

 and France, their prominent Agricultural and Honicul- 

 tural periodicals, which we design for the use of the ed 

 iter, whoever he may be. We siiall spare no pains to 

 make the paper useful and interesting. We desire to 

 express our graiitude to F. and others, for the interest 

 they manifest in the agricultural prosperity of our coun- 

 try. 



Braintree, Nov. 27, 1837. 

 To the Publishers of the jV. E. Farmer : 



Gentle.me»,— I noticed the sudden death of your 

 much esteemed colleague, who has been engaged as the 

 Editor of the N. England Farmer, almost from its com- 

 mencement. In him tlie public has sustained a great 

 Joss; and it may not be saying too much, that, owing 

 to his constant, kind and patientattenlion to the promo- 

 tion of the cause of Agriculture and Hoiticulture, bear- 

 ing ill mirid that the New England Farmer, of which he 

 has been fhe principal Editor, has been the means of 

 bringino- forwaru' "►''"• '"ge establishment of Seeils and 

 AgncuUural imple.i>en's. which now, by far, takes the 

 lead of all other sinii '>"■ establishments in the United 

 States,— I say, it may i.<" be presuming too much, to 

 say, with all due defe 'eni. c, tl'»' "• ''•■•■'' '^""^ '"'""<' ''°' 

 the cause of agriculture ana horticulture, than all the 

 Agricultural Societies in Massa.'^huselts have done ; and 

 gjowto the end, that no impedir.ienl should be placed 

 in the way, as 1 observe, you suggest the expediency of 

 securin" to your aid an assistant edi.tor, that you be in 

 no hasu-.as the most deserving of that trust will be 

 slow in coming forward. The limes, the spirit of in- 

 quiry, the enterprise of the people, (in everything I 

 know of but agriculture, uhich in this spe. ulating age, 

 Jias made it only secondary,) requires an editor of rare 

 qualifications. You should pause, before you ordain-a 

 teacher for the people. If you would permit mo, wlio 

 was among the first of your subscribers, and who pos- 

 8„ssall your papers from the (irsl, bound, except the 

 present volume, which will probably be when comple- 

 ted which I hold as a treasure, lo suggest lo you the 

 requisites of your colleague, 1 should say, he should be 

 well read in foreign and domestic works on agriculture, 



should have a feeling for the cause, that should not be 

 second to a Sinclair, a Young, a Tull, a Knight,^a Fel- 

 lenbuig, Chaplall, Davy, Von Thaer, or our own Euel , 

 he should be, or have been, a practical farmer. He 

 should attend all agricultural exhibitions, should visit 

 and be intimate with all our discreet practical farmers, 

 should not from fear, favor, or hope of reward, recom- 

 mend the Short Hoin breed of Cattle, till he has prac- 

 tical evidence of their superiority, or of the IVlorus mul- 

 ticaulis Mulberry, until he has seen one an inch in di- 

 ameter. In fact, he should be careful of recommending 

 a new seed, implements, fruit, &c. &c., unless it has a 

 I>refeieiice over all others it is proposed as a substitute 

 lor. I really conceive that a few such indiscretions has 

 done great and lasting injury to tlie cause ; it has brought 

 what is called book farming into disrepute. The new- 

 beginner, when once misadvised in making an innova- 

 tion on old established rules, immediately relapses into 

 his old custom, and will be found lolh to try again.— 

 His room 01 study should be where, in business hours 

 of the day he could be found, for consultation and ad- 

 vice. His library should be ample, containing all the 

 important periodicals of the day. The paper should he 

 divided under different heads. Original matter on ag- 

 riculture, followed by extracts from other authors. The 

 same on horticulture, occasionally on floriculture. A 

 review, in the season, of the crops and prices ; a correct 

 price current ; accounts of well conducted farms and 

 gardens, given from actual observation ; descriptions of 

 plans of houses, barns, carriage houses, grain houses, 

 piggeries, barn yards, division of farms, plan of gardens, 

 description of pleasure grounds, management of grass 

 lands, roots and grain crops, with notices of 'he best 

 kindsi 



You will excuse, (if you please) from a friend, what 

 may appear like dictation, I mean no such thing; they 

 are mere suggestions, and if they afford a profitable hint, 

 I am paid. Youra, with respect, 



prevails throughout each village and neigliborhood ; no 

 note of melancholy is heaid ; no aspect of gloom i* 

 seen ; but simg and cheerlulness every where abound. . 

 Such is a iS'ew England TllA^KSGlVIKo. 



MASS.\UillSETTS UORTICUI-TIIRAI., SOCIETY. 



EXHIDITION OF FRUITS. 



Saluiday, Dec. 1, 1837. 

 From Thomas Brewer,— Apples, River and Tolman 

 Sweet. I'ears. Passe Colmar, Virg.mleuse. 



From Efijah Vose,— Apples, Dewitt or Doctor, spice 

 Gilliflower, Hawthorn Dean, Bellflower, Nonsuch, Ma- 

 rygold, Gardner Sweeting. Fears, Lewis. 

 From Jas. Balch, — Moody apple. * 

 For the Committee. 



L. P. GROSVENOR. 



F. 



Thanksgiving. — Since the date of our last, the an- 

 nual thanks{;iving has luken place, and the people have 

 publicly expiessed their gratitude to a kind and merciful 

 Providence, for the numerous blessings they have en- 

 joyed the past year. This is in accordance with the 

 cusiomof our fiirefathers, and the practice has been very 

 properly kept up year after year, from our earliest set- 



tlement, without interruption or omission. Our farmers, 

 we conceive, have abundant reason to give thanks, if 

 plentiful crops, and high prices for produce are consid- 

 ered a blessing. Their barns and their garners are lull, 

 and there is no lack of a ready market for whatever 

 may have been raised by them. 



No festival in New England is more cordially wel- 

 comed than this delightful anniversary. Sweet and 

 pleasant is the anticipation of the joyful coming day ! 

 when the proclamation of the Governor for its obter- 

 vanco IS read, " with solemn voice and slow," from the 

 sacred desk. With what cheerful emotions does it af- 

 fect the hearts of all ! Fathers aud mothers, sons and 

 daughters, age and infancy, alike are exhilirated ! And 

 when the joyous day arrives, all is alertness and vivac- 

 ity. We behold assembled around the old patriarchal 

 table, the venerable head and his numerous ofispring, 

 cheerfully partaking the bounties of Heaven, and ren- 

 dering thanks for continued blessings, and nneeasiiig 

 mercies. The scene is a most interesting and instruc- 

 tive one, and cannot but affect a truly feeling heart- 

 On this blight day, all controversies and contentions, 

 all familv feuds, subside ; the sour, peevish neighbor, 

 (if unfortunately any thero may hap,) puts on a look of 

 cordiality , and essays to be social. Rational amusement 



[For tile New England Farmer.] 

 Sir: — I raised the lasl summer, over 200 v:iluable 

 pumpkins, besides other vegetables, upon my little gar- 

 den spot, situated on Washington Street. These were, 

 almost every one, of good size, some very large, and all 

 ripe. The cultivated spot on wliich I raised them, con- 

 tained about the 16ih of an acre. Now, Sir, I think this 

 is doing pretty well fiir a Boston farmer, whose scene 

 of agricultural experiments lies in the very metropidis, 

 and north of the neck. One other thing is, that tlie la- 

 bor was mostly my own personal handy work. I take 

 pleasure in tbe " sweat of the brow," though it is not 

 my purpose to boast about it. The summer before last, 

 I also tried the experiment of actually working myself 

 in my garden. I found it pleasant and healthful. I 

 was not quite so prosperous, however, in the result, as 

 I have been since ; for the Vandals on one final night 

 destroyed all my hopes. This was most provoking. 1 

 could have Lynched the rascals, had they been in nij 

 power. But I did not, alter all, consider my labor lost 

 for it was good for my health and morals ti- be thus em 

 ployed. 1 would therefore work, Sir, even though "thi 

 labor of t|ie olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield ni 

 meat " Yours, N. R. 



Boston, Nov. 28, 1837- 



(0°We congratulate our Iriend N. R., on his succeatJ 

 and highly approve his resolution to be a " workimj 

 man " in fact and in truth. Too many wrong notiofll 

 prevail relative to personal labor, and there is a wa^ 

 of a proper estimation of the occupation of husbandr; 

 Where farming, or the cultivation of the soil is looki 

 upon with contempt, it most certainly will operate t 

 the discouragement of all success in the improvemea 

 of agriculture. How much can be eftected by a litt| 

 attention to this matter, the preseni instance shows.- 

 Two hundred pumpkins, the produce of a small gardS' 

 spot in the city ! Here is, indeed, cause for "renderin 

 acknowledginenls to the source of all good, for theabup 

 dance with which the earth has yielded its fruit," (t 

 use the language of His Excellency,) and we haven 

 doubt our friend ever feels the fervor of a grateful heal 

 not only for the "yielding" of the earth, but also fortl 

 further rewards of his labor, viz: health, vigor, activU 

 and cheerfulness. 



3 



The Onondaga Standard mentions a fine article 

 raw silk, producid by worms fed on the rMorus Mull 

 caulis, by Mr Thomas Yates of Skanealeles. It is t) 

 embryo production ol an article, that, at no distant it 

 will become one of the staple commodities of the coil 



"•y- 



3 J" rVIr Smith, of South Hadley, raised this year, 3 

 bushels of oais on 4 acres of ground. 



1< 



