214 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



JAW. 10, 18 <8 



AND gardener's JOURNAL. 



Boston, Wednesdav, Jan. 10, 1833. 



ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A meptin^oftl.e Trustees of the Essex Ag.ic.ltural 

 Society vvas°l,olden at Topsfield for business on Satur- 

 day 30tl. u:t. and was well attended. No Agricuhural 

 Society in the country with moans not more ample, has 

 managed its affairs with more spirit and intclli^rer.ce than , 

 this ^The spirit is kept up : and there is great activity 

 in seeking and d,tiusing information. The principal 

 objects of this meeting were to determine the question 

 .,f an Annual Cattle Show ; to inspect the financial af- 

 fairs of the Society ; and to decide on ., list of premiums 

 ,o be offered. The sura, which through the funds ol 

 the Society and the bounty of the Slate this Society is 

 enabled to distribute, is considerable; and has been pro- 

 ductive of great advantages. The sum received from 

 theSmteTieasury.we .hir.k, amomus to six hundred 



dollars. 



Our correspondent, who wrote to u,, recently on the 

 Bubieclof the State's offering a premium on the cultiva- 

 tion of Mulberry Trees for silk, is informed that this 

 Society has for many years offered four Premiums for 

 the raisin-r of White Mulberry of twenty-five, twenty, 

 twenty and fifteen, making eiglity dollars in all. These 

 premiums are to be continued with this alteration, that 

 instead of being limited to the White Mulberry they are 

 offered for plantations and nurseries of any Mulberry 

 that is proved, by ample experience, well adapted for 

 -the raisino- of silk. Other agricultural Societies in the 

 country will without doubt, if they'have not already done 

 it follow tbislencouraging example. 



'The Society has likewise determined to offer Premi- 

 ums on Experiments made with exactness and reported 

 in detail, in the use 8f marl, peat.lime, gypsum, and ashes 

 of wood, peat, and coal. 



They have likewise added lo their premium list a 

 prize often dollars for a well-conducted and exact ex- 

 periment in fattening Swine. 



To these are added premiums of ten dollars each, for 

 the introduction within the County of an improved breed 

 of sheep, not less than ten in number, best adapted lo 

 the two purposes of wool and mutton. 



For the best experiments in latlening wethers for the 

 market, not less tiian ten in number 



For the best experiment in raising early lambs tor the 

 market, not Ic^s than ten in number. 



These experiments to be well conducted and reported 



in detail. ..ra- 



in other respects tlie bill of premiums heretofore otter- 

 edwas continued, and presents a liberal and judicious 



have been heretofore almo^t the only ones deserving of 

 attention. 



Extensive tracts of salt meadow have likewise been 

 diked and redeemed. These experiments likewise, of 

 which in- another form we shall presently give a full 

 account, where managed with proper skill and judgment, 

 have been successful ; and greatly enhanced the value 

 of these lands 



The Society's annual pamphlet containing the Ueporls 

 oftheir committees and some instrneli^eco^lmunicatluns 



f.om practical and observing farmers, will be issm-d 

 from the press in the usual season under the supervision 

 of their intelligent Secretary, whose good judgment, 

 zeal, and assiduity in the improvement of the Agricul- 

 ture of Essex and in advancing the reputation and inter- 

 esis of this Society, are deserving of the highest praUe. 

 January. 1838. 



slei'liing convenient for transporting our pork anil poul 

 try for sale ; and on that account these broken winter; 

 as they are called, are always more or less expensive t 

 us in very many respects." Very true, brethren ; an 

 we are far from wishing ill .'uccess to the farmer, o 

 whom all the rest of the world so much depend. Sui 

 we are that " seed time and harvest" will come, allh f 

 all years will not he equally favorable for all. What I 

 for one's gain may be lor another's loss. What is f| 

 one's joy may be for another's grief Every one mii 

 have his turn in the course of providence ; and coi . 

 plaint is no argument. 



opp 



ipplication of their funds. At some future time we 

 jhall take an opportunity to lay this list before the public. 



A lar^e portion of the population of Essex are occupied 

 in Manufactures; a still larger numerical part in com- 

 merce and the fisheries, and in the trades and pursuits 

 intimately connected with navigation. 



Yet its agriculture is a most important interest and is 

 managed in most p.arls with singular intelligence and 

 success. In few partsof the State have there been more 

 efforts or efforts more successlul thai, have been made 

 in this county in redeeming large tracts of wet and here- 

 tofore unproductive peat meadow- These have been at 

 tended with the most encouraging results and lands of 

 this description, in which this county abounds, promise 

 to becom« as profitable as the best upland ; lands which 



THE WEATHER. 



It is said that Dr Johnson could never bear to hear a 

 word said about the"weather. The moment it was men- 

 tioned in his presence, the old fellow wcmld show his 

 dislike in his usual grumbling severity. If then this 

 liierary veteran Were now living in Boston, we are sure 

 that he would be kept constantly in a growl. The 

 weather has always been a peculiar and perpetual yan- 

 kee topic, and, for late years, it may well be so, there is 

 something so very strange about it. Time was when we 

 might depend on a steady course of business weather for 

 weeks; but how strangely altered! Last year from 

 November almost to April we were curling and shiver- 

 ing in blankets and buffaloes; now (Jan. 8th) we have the 

 clemency of early spring; and ladies are tripping the side- 

 walks from shop to shop, as gay, as in rosy summer; while 

 dandies are twirling their little canes and tapping their 

 jockey brims at every corner, as grimaceous as in dog- 

 days We cannot but rej..ice that the season is so fa- 

 vorable to the poor, needy and defenceless, who have 

 not wherewithal to keep tlirin clothed and warm gen- 

 erally, during the often rigid season of winter in this 

 climate. There are thousands in our cities who experi- 

 ence much suffering from old and from hunger; and 

 these, perhaps, are little thought of by many who enjoy 

 an abundance ; and yet thrse who have enough and to 

 spare, it may he, do only need a hint to awaken them 

 into active charily and a feeling recollection for those 

 who are truly deserving of assertance. 



Daily do we see the gleaners upon the common and 

 elsewhere intently raking and rummaging the little 

 heaps of ashes and embers there dep-sil-d by ihe cily 

 cart-T.en. Eacti one has his bag or his basket in which 

 he deposits the trifling scraps of unburnt waste and c^irt 

 away coal, yet not every one is fortunate enough to sup- 

 ply himself with so needy a pittance; many " go away 

 sorrowing-" " Many is the time and oft " that we have 

 witnessed similar scenes in the country at this severe 

 season. There the widow, in her forlorn and desolate 

 state, is often obliged to su|iport her Utile fire with f^ig- 

 gols,' brush and brambles g.ilhered, by her own hands, 

 from Ihe wasting woodlotsof the churlish and unfeeling. 

 How favorable then is a mi.ld winter to those so destitute 

 of the common comforls 1 



But, perhaps, the farmer will reply ; " of what benefit 

 are these mild winters tome? Ten lo one, that my 

 wheat and my rye will all be winter-killed; and then 

 your poor will be crying fiir bread, and no one to relieve 

 them. What becomes of my logging ? ai^d how am I to 

 heap up such a lot of wood, as you have sometimes rec- 

 ommended ? -And, you kn»w, w'o who live at a distance 

 [from the city and the market place, always find good 



The following is understood lobe a copy verbatim 

 a letter not long since addressed to a Tiustee of one 

 the Agricultural Societies, as he was making preparali 

 for the Cattle Show. 



S,R^_Pleasc to enter my name among the cattle fo 

 bull. Youis, &c. 



Xiita Bme — The writer of the above was not 

 Irishman; but a raal Yankee. 



SUMMARY OF NEWS. 

 •War.— The events of the wedi past have been . 

 highly interesling character. The disaffected parlj 

 Canada have established themselves on Navy Islan 

 Nia<Tara River, just below Gran.! lslaM<^, opposite C 

 pew", and about three miles above the Falls. The 1 

 ish Royal force are encamped at Chippewa. The 

 atleeted are represented lo have received consider 

 accessions from the United States, logelher « ith a 

 and the munitions of war. A steamboat purchase 

 Buffalo and employed for llie conveyance of passen 

 and arms from the American side to Navy Island 

 lying at Schlosser on the Amf rican side and was alla( 

 by the British in the night wlio came with a force of 

 or 150 men in boats. Ol the persons on board the ste 

 boat many were killed ; and some few escaped altel 

 ing severely wouiiued. The numbers on board the 

 are variously estimated from nine to twenty two. 

 boat was then conveyed into the stream, set on fire, 

 left lo pass down the Cataract, 'i'o those, who an 

 niiliar with the localities of the place, who have obs 

 cd these waters from the first quickening of the <ui 

 until they lash theniMdves up iiilo terrific surges bi 

 their dcsc nl iiim the ab_\.ss below the Cataract, upoi 

 piesumption that any persons were left alive altci 

 ooat was set on fiie liml drifted into the rapids, it » 

 i be difHcult lo coni-eive of a situ.Ttion more terrible. 

 ciiU- alleviation of its liorrors is in the fact that the 

 leri'ng must have been short. 



The CoMMOKTrr.Ai.Tii.-The State Legislature as 



bled in Boston on Wednesday last. The first we 



usiiallv occupied in thi: organization of the two lioi 



ai.d ihe appcieluieiit ol ilie regular Committees. 



short session is expected. The representation, allh 



under ihe new provision of the (Jonstilulion it is 8 



what reduced, is slill full. If there are disadvanti 



tiiere are also many advantages in a large house, 



brings gentlemen of character and intelligence frot 



parts ol the Commonwealth, makes ihem acquainted 



each other, cements the ties of brotherhood andfri 



ship; and leads lo the most useful interchange of v 



and schemes for the public benefit. The Senate an 



Executive department are understood to be unanii 



in their politietil views In the House there i--; a 



lar"e majority of opinions coincident with the 



bra'iiehes. There seems hardly leaven enough to 



duce even a gentle fermentation ; and if it were ni 



the inflammable characler of human feelings and pa! 



it would seem as though ihe sessiim would pass oft 



sort of dead calm. Who can say however what 



will blow to-morrow. A gentle ripple on the wall 



agreeable OS well as wholesome ; but Heaven pre 



us from any violent political storm The conditio 



IJie Banks and the Western Railroad will present i 



of great practical importance. The freedom of 8{ 



and of the press, the right of peiition, the rejectii 



Congress of the resolutions of a sovereign slate, o 



the glorious thirteen, so as even to deny tliem a ret 



