1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



179 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE TREADWELL PAEM IN ESSEX. 



By the generosity of an eminent physician of 

 Salem, lately deceased, the Essex Agricultural 

 Society have recently come into the possession of 

 the Treadwell farm of one hundred and fifty 

 acres, centrally situated, in the town of Topsfield. 

 What to do with it is now the question ? 



We perceive that the Trustees have advertised 

 for some one to take charge of it ; but whether 

 %vith or without the means of support is not stated 

 in their notice. If they can find any smart man, 

 with a wife, who will take charge of it, for ten 

 years, and improve its condition, under their su- 

 pervision, taking the produce for his services, 

 this will relieve them of much anxiety, and pos- 

 sibly show that a toorn-out farm can be redeemed. 

 Here is one of the best enterprises for farmers, 

 within our knowledge. Smart young men, with 

 healthy wives, now is your chance. IBetter labor 

 here than on the prairies of the West. 



February 24, 1858. EssEX. 



Re^lvrks. — Eew, if any, doubt that the opera- 

 tions of the county agriciUtural societies of Mas- 

 sachusetts have been productive of much good ; 

 that they will continue to do as much good in the 

 future, as in the past, admits of a doubt. The 

 keen edge of their novelty is worn off, and the 

 people are inquiring whether some new field of 

 enterprise may not be entered, promising better 

 results? In the acquisition of the '■^Treadwell 

 Farm in Topsfield," by the Essex county society, 

 there is the initiatory movement precisely in the 

 right direction, which we have often suggested, 

 but which has not yet met with public favor. We 

 therefore respectfully beg leave to suggest to the 

 Trustees of the Essex society that the Treadwell 

 Farm shall in future become the scene and cen- 

 tre of all their operations, — and that it shall bear 

 testimony upon its face of the acknowledged skill 

 of these Trustees to make it blossom as a rose, at 

 a living profit. And, 



1. We suggest that an accurate survey of the 

 farm be made, and the actual value be ascertained 

 of what it maybe sold for, iox farming purposes. 



2. That photographic views of the buildings 

 and their surroundings be taken, and an accurate 

 description be made of them, both inside and out. 

 To which add a faithful account of all the fields, 

 pastures, forests and roads of the farm, showing 

 how much wood or timber there is standing up- 

 on it, how much hay is cut per acre, and where, 

 how much stock it was capable of pasturing last 

 summer, how much corn, grain, fruit and vegeta- 

 bles were raised, and in every way the precise 

 condition and increase of the farm. Let these 

 descriptions be criticised by a visiting committee, 

 corrected if necessary, and then filed in the ar- 

 chives of the society for future comparison. 



3. The farm is now ready to receive an impress 

 from the genius and skill of the Board of Trus- 



tees — how and what they shall direct, it is not 

 pertinent for us to suggest. 



4. As it M-ould become necessary that the Trus- 

 tees should occasionally see the farm, it is sug- 

 gested that all their meetings for the transaction 

 of Society business should take j^lace there, in 

 addition to the visits of any supervising com- 

 mittee. 



5. Prepare the farm for and hold all the annu- 

 al Exhibitions upon it, where all, having a com- 

 mon interest, can meet upon common ground. 

 If necessary to erect new buildings for farm pur- 

 poses, erect them as far as possible with movable 

 partitions, so as to accommodate the wants of the 

 exhibition, — and convert the barn floor into a 

 grand fruit room for the fruit show, if you can- 

 not do any better. Here let every thing centre, 

 and here, at home, on your own soil, under your 

 own roofs, will soon congregate such croAvds of 

 the substantial and intelligent people of your 

 county as will make your exhibitions more popu- 

 lar than your itinerary plan can ever do. 



6. Here, directed by the wisdom of your Board, 

 will grow up examples of great practical utility 

 to the farmers of the county in many things : 

 In the buildings you construct, in the fields you 

 lay out, in the stock you rear, the crops you har- 

 vest, the implements you use, the manner in 

 which you plow, make your hay, drain, subsoil, 

 or irrigate, and in the modes of feeding stock, in 

 the raising of fruit, roots, and Liany minor mat- 

 ters, but still matters of importance. 



In witnessing the productions of other parts of 

 the county, concentrated upon the farm, the visi- 

 tor may also behold the farm itself, learn what it 

 has yielded, and by the Trustees' records, how 

 the crops were produced, and at what profit. 



We had hoped Middlesex would take the lead 

 in this movement — but it is the good fortune of 

 Essex to possess the means of starting first. We 

 hope ishe will give her sister counties a noble ex- 

 ample. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 THE THINGS I BAISE— NO. 8. 

 JENNY LIND POTATO. 



This is a very productive sort, the potatoes 

 growing very large, shaped somewhat like the 

 Rohan, except longer ; the eyes are deep sunk, 

 color light red, almost pink. This variety sports 

 so that sometimes an entirely white potato will 

 be found among them. It is a profitable sort for 

 cattle and pigs ; not very good for table use, as it 

 is yellow meat and a little strong. This is iden- 

 tical with the Rhode Island Seedling. 



POGIES. 



This is the same potato that was cultivated 

 some years ago under the name of Cow Horn. It 

 is long, flat and smooth, the eyes are scarcely per- 

 ceptible, color dark purple, almost black ; meat 

 purple next the skin, inside nearly white ; mod- 



