138 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



NOVEJIBF.ft 13, 1833 - . 



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knit during tlic past season by tlie female inmates 

 of that institution. They were designed for the 

 use of the inmates, and were in good keeping 

 with the neatness and comfort of any thing in ami 

 around that nohlo establishment. And while wit- 

 nessing these samples of the profitable and pleas- 

 ant employment of that unfortunate class of the 

 community, the Committee could not forbear re- 

 calling the happy change which has taken place in 

 their condition through the liberal bounty of the 

 State, and under the kind and paternal care of the 

 superintendent and subordinate officers and attend- 

 ants of that admirable institution. 



Among those articles of "skill and utility," to 

 the encouragement of which the Committee were 

 permitted to appropriate gratuities, they would 

 mention a Hearth Rug offered by Mrs. Hannah 

 Wheeler of Grafton ; two Hearth Rugs by Mrs. 

 Ahby C. Snow of Fitchburg ; three Stool or Chair 

 Coverings by the same lady ; and a braided List 

 Mat or Rug by Miss Eliza Earle of Leicester. 



We coidd not look upon these articles of house- 

 hold industry, without recalling the change that 

 lias taken place in the condition of man within a 

 little more than two centuries, when, if historians 

 tell us truly, even upon the floors of palaces in the 

 land of our ancestors, rushes were strewed ns their 

 only covering, and but half concealed what they 

 served only to disguise. Now every farm-house 

 has its carpeted parlor, and though we see not the 

 mailed warrior and his steed, or the shepherd and 

 his flock upon the storied tapestry that adorns the 

 walls, we see, as we have seen to-day, animals of 

 every kind and flowers of every hue, raposing in 

 needlework upon our hearth rugs and our chair 

 coverings. Economy, too, has kept nace with 

 comfort and neatness, and we were credibly as- 

 sured that all the articles offered by Mrs. Snow- 

 were wrought from materials which are usually 

 thrown away, thus showing how industry and 

 skill and genius can transform even worthless 

 shreds into articles of utility and show. 



The Committee recommend a gratuity of $2, 

 to Mrs. Snow, and of $1, to Mrs. Wheeler ; and 

 to Miss Earle they tender an assurance that her 

 Mat was not passed by from any want of disposi- 

 tion to reward it. 



Miss Mary Ann Wood of Upton, exhibited two 

 Crickets or Foot Stands, the coverings of which 

 were beautiful specimens of needlework from her 

 hands. They were fit for the foot of Royalty it- 

 self, or what is more, for the prettiest daughter of 

 the best farmer in the County of Worcester ; and 

 by the unanimous opinion of the Committee are 

 recommended to a gratuity of $1. They would 

 only add the hope, that articles that look so pretty 

 in pairs may not long remain the sole property of 

 the lady who presented them for exhibition. 



Two Lamp Mats and two smaller Mats were 

 offered by Miss Mary M. Stiles of Worcester, which 

 were wrought by her own needle, and were speci- 

 mens of exquisite workmanship. They would lend 

 beauty, if not lustre, to whatever they might be 

 applied, and the Committee cheerfully recommend 

 a gratuity of $1, to be paid as a testimony of their 

 opinion of these productions of female taste and skill. 

 Two other Lamp Mats were offered by Miss 

 Anne Janet Ware of Shrewsbury, aged 10 years, 

 and gave such evidence of skill in the use of the 

 needle, that the Committee, as a token of their ap- 

 probation, awarded to ber a gratuity of half a dol- 

 lar, not doubting that Miss W T are will hereafter 

 win nobler prizes in the competition of merit 



The Committee have thus gone through with 

 the performance of the duties of their appointment, 

 and were they to repeat the expressions of pleas- 

 ure with which they have performed this duty, 

 they would only reiterate the expressions of all 

 who have examined the same specimens of the 

 domestic arts. 



Others may seek for the beautiful productions 

 of art abroad in the decaying and impoverished 

 cities of the old world, and forget that we have 

 objects of interest at home ; for ourselvos, we 

 should seek in vain for objects more gratifying to 

 our feelings as citizens of New England, than the 

 samples of the productions of the domestic arts 

 which we have this day witnessed, which tell in 

 language not to be misunderstood, of the comforts, 

 the luxuries, and the independence which make a 

 New England man's home the best and the bright- 

 est spot on earth. 



By order, Emory Washburn, Chairman. 



For tlie New Englayid Farmer. 

 ABRIDGED REPORTS OF COMMITTEES, 



MADE AT WORCESTER CATTLE SHOW, OCT. 1833. 



Working Oxen. Nathaniel P.Denny of Leices- 

 ter, Chairman; Salem Towne of Charlton, Daniel 

 Tenny of Sutton, Amory Holman of Bolton, and 

 Lovett Peters of Westborough — Committee. 



There were 17 teams entered for premium. 

 The first premium was awarded to Isaac Hatha- 

 way of Sutton, for his four years old oxen. The 

 second of 810, to James Taylor of Sutton, for his 

 four years old oxen. The third of $8 to John 

 Spurr of Charlton, for his five years old oxen. 

 The fourth of $5, to Stephen Mark, jun. of Sut- 

 ton, for his four years old oxen. 



If the Committee could have disposed of any 

 more money in premiums, they observed that they 

 would have given it to Arnold L.Allen of Shrews- 

 bury, and Simon Carpenter of Charlton ; and re- 

 commended a gratuity of $3 to each of these gen- 

 tlemen. 



" The Committee noticed with great satisfac- 

 tion and approbation the skilful and humane man- 

 agement of most of the teams. While they were 

 striving for mastery, the kind treatment of their 

 masters seemed to urge them on to the task. 

 These noble animals willingly and patiently put 

 forth all their strength to gratify the curiosity of 

 an admiring multitude. 



" The anxious visages of the drivers, with their 

 quick and seemingly agitated step, dictated to 

 these discerning animals that something more than 

 common was required of them to perform. They 

 obeyed the dictate, and the work was done in si- 

 lence without a goad or lash of the whip. 



" This kind treatment to the docile and patient 

 Ox, should be lauded and imitated ; while the op- 

 posite treatment, which is too prevalent, should be 

 derided and condemned. 



" That man who will cruelly and wantonly 

 goad, lash and beat this patient and useful animal, 

 while bending his neck to the yoke, and freely 

 spending his strength for the service and comfort 

 of man, is the greatest brute of the two, and ought 

 to he excluded the society of a civilized communi- 

 ty. Public animadversion cannot be too severe 

 upon such offences against humanity, and the 

 feelings of a Christian people should prompt them 

 to bring such offenders to justice, and to let them 

 know that they are liable to punishment for such 

 outrages against the laws of God and men." 



The Committee on Heifers and Heifer Calves 

 consisted of Alexander Dustin, of Sterling, Chair- 

 man ; Jacob Conant of Sterling, Reuben Newhall 

 of Spencer, Ebenezer White of Charlton, and Si- 

 las Brooks of Worcester. They reported that 

 there were thirty five animals in the whole. They 

 awarded to Col. John Whitney of Princeton, the 

 first premium of $8 for a three years old Heifer. 

 To Dr. Oliver Fiske of Worcester, the first pre- 

 mium .$6 for his Heifer, half breed, two years 

 and rive months old. To Jacob W. Watson, 

 Princeton, the 2nd premium of $5. To Asa Rice 

 of West Boylston, $3. The twin Heifers of Maj. 

 Daniel Tenney of Sutton, were said to he very 

 fine. Heifers belonging to Mr. Simon Carpenter 

 of Charlton, Capt. Ephraim Mower of Worcester, 

 and His Excellency Levi Lincoln, the latter for 

 exhibition only, were also commended as fine ani- 

 mals. 



For yearling Heifers the first premium of $5 to 

 Mr. William Eager of Northborough. The second 

 premium of $4 to Mr. Asa Rice of West Boylston, 

 and the third premium to Mr. Franklin M. Far- 

 nam of Charlton. 



For Heifer Calves to Mr. Asa Rice of West 

 Boylston, the first premium of $5, To Mr. Sam- 

 uel Chamberlain of Westborough the second pre- 

 mium of £4. To Gen. Towne of Charlton, the 

 third premium. 



TEMPERANCE LAMP. 



The right use of Alcohol seems to have been 

 discovered at last. Hitherto its consumption has, 

 with some, led to deeds of darkness; hereafter it 

 is to be a means of universal light. The new 

 lamps, in which the flame is fed by a mixture of 

 alcohol and spirits of turpentine, gives a most 

 brilliant blaze. The fluid is white and transparent, 

 and has a beautiful appearance in glass vessels. 

 The combustible compound is sold at 80 cents a 

 gallon, and we understand that in the ratio of con- 

 sumption it is as cheap, or cheaper than oil. We 

 learn these new lamps are in considerable use in 

 Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New-York, and that 

 several hundreds of them are now nightly lit in 

 Boston. — Boston Patriot. 



POTATOES MANURED WITH PINE BOUGHS. 



A farmer in New-Jersey relates to us the follow- 

 ing experiment: Having a large number of young 

 pine trees growing near his potato grounds, he 

 gathered a sufficient quantity of the boughs to 

 form a considerable covering to a row of potatoes 

 which he was planting in drills. In the drill on 

 one side of this he used lime for manure, and in 

 the one on the other he put in marl. They were 

 all covered with earth in the same manner, and re- 

 ceived the same culture. On digging them, those 

 that were manured with the pine were twice as 

 large as the others, and double in quantity. 



Planters in the Southern States estimate pine 

 leaves, gathered early, asamong the best of ma- 

 nures. 



A MORSEL. FOR ANTIQUARIANS. 



In digging a cellar on the premises formerly oc- 

 cupied by Gov. Hutchinson, in North Square, in 

 this city, there was found a keg containing 17 

 bomb shells, the largest 13 inches in circumfer- 

 ence, and the smallest 9 inches. These articles 

 were no doubt intended to aid the cause of Great 

 Dritain in our Revolutionary war; hut by accident 

 or design were suffered to remain both passive and 

 neuter in the great contest for freedom. 



