1858. 



KEW ENGLAND EARMER. 



517 



some gentlemen (?) look a little askance Avhen a 

 lady turns to the pig pen, the os stall or the 

 sheep cote, and one said, not to us, "A fair is no 

 place for women." 



One lot of noble merino sheep attracted our 

 attention, and even our unpractised eyes could 

 discern their merits. A gentleman who appeared 

 by his conversation to be the owner stood near. 

 He welcomed us cordially, and was happy to know 

 that three ladies felt interest enough in his no- 

 ble pets to examine them. One by one he brought 

 them to us, showed us the breadth of chest and 

 back, thickness and fineness of the wool. He had 

 in all fifty-one Spanish merino sheep, and among 

 them some of which Vermont may well be proud. 

 We were pleased to see his interest and love to 

 the animals. He gave us his name as Mr. Wheat, 

 of Putney, Vt., and "Ladies," said he, "allow me 

 to introduce to you some fine thorough-bred cat- 

 tle from our village," and he had taken from their 

 stalls and ranged before us five fine specimens 

 of Durhams, large, fat, sleek, and that looked as 

 if their owner had an eye to nice roasts and fat 

 steaks. There were some of the mixed breeds 

 that were fine animals, and not far from here in 

 tlie stalls, some pretty Devons, also some Cots- 

 wold long wool, mutton sheep. To this gentle- 

 man we were indebted also for an introduction 

 to the "Flying Morgan," a pleasure well worth 

 the day's time. I never realized before the beauty 

 of this noble creature, in shape, color and mo- 

 tion. Graceful and swift as a liird, but gentle 

 as a fawn, we patted his glossy coat, we stood by 

 his side and gazed at those sightless eyes, till we 

 felt a sympathy for his misfortune, strong as if 

 he were human, like ourselves. He lost his eye- 

 sight, we were told, through the carelessness of 

 a groom and the unskilfulness with which an op- 

 eration was performed. There he stood, strong 

 and supple in every limb, grace in every curve, 

 but stone blind. Nevertheless he was gentle and 

 patient ; his great affliction had not soured his 

 temper or lessened his activity. We turned 

 away with a tear in our eye and a gentler feeling 

 in our heart towards all God's creatures. This 

 noble animal had taught us a lesson of patience 

 and gentleness which we will be long in forget- 

 ting. 



Mr. Wheat was a stranger to us, but we wish 

 his example might be imitated at our Fairs, and 

 perhaps ladies will feel more interest in farming 

 pursuits, if they could have a few such pleasant 

 lessons yearly. 



I was exceedingly disappointed in not hearing 

 Mr. Gushing, and his absence was a great disap- 

 pointment to thousands. No substitute was ap- 

 pointed, and horse trotting occupied the time. 

 This formed altogether too prominent a feature 

 of the exhibition, and I regretted that thousands 

 of people should come together without one hour 

 for the whole three days given to moral o'r men- 

 tal improvement. Ought this so to be ? 



Yours truly, A. E. P. 



Sprincifield, Vt. 



Who is a Farmer ? — Some persons seem to 

 think that to become a practical farmer, one must 

 necessarily possess a rough, filthy exterior. That 

 some excellent farmers are rough, unpolished, 



d occasionally filthy in their persons, is true. 



but it is not the want of good breeding, nor the 

 appearance of filth, that constitutes the ability 

 to become a good farmer. Is it not rather the 

 possession of an intimate knowledge of the facts 

 and principles involved in the art of agriculture, 

 and a sound judgment to exercise them to a good 

 end ? — Worldng Farmer. 



For Vie New England Farmer. 

 CHOPS IN ■WINDSOR COUNTY, VBE- 

 MONT. 



The farmer in the south part of Windsor 

 county, Vermont, has good reason to rejoice in 

 an abundant harvest for what he has sown and 

 cultivated this season. The hay crop is full an 

 average in quantity, of good quality, and well 

 secured. Corn is now, the 20th of Sept., un- 

 touched by frost, and, in my judgment, a better 

 crop than we have had for some years past, save 

 one. The late planted pieces here have matured 

 very fast for the last ten days — a part of mine is 

 now standing in the stook, and the remainder 

 has been topped. The potato crop now promises 

 to surpass former crops in yield and soundness. 

 Rye and oats are good. 



Wheat is but little sown in this vicinity, 

 not more than one farmer in ten who makes the 

 attempt but pays out his money for the labor of 

 his brother farmer in the West. This year I 

 sowed five pecks of wheat, from which I raised 

 twelve bushels of nice wheat, full and plump 

 berry. The ground selected was the spring 

 previous broke from the sward, manured in the 

 rough furrow, harrowed in and planted with corn ; 

 at the time of first hoeing. I applied Avood 

 ashes to each hill, say about a gill. I received a 

 good crop of corn. This spring I drew on to the 

 poorest places some of my finest manure, spread 

 and turned under with a furrow about eight 

 inches deep, then harrowed smoothly, breaking 

 and pulverizing the soil so that the grain will be 

 covered more readily and evenly than when sown 

 on the furrow, as some farmers do. I then sowed 

 my wheat as I took it from the granary, dry — 

 harrowed it in thoroughly, covering the seed 

 deeper than my neighbors do theirs ; light cover- 

 ing is a mistake, as I think the grain should be 

 deep covered enough to prevent the drought from 

 affecting its roots during June and the forepart 

 of July, and will draw more nourishment from 

 the ground than when the kernel is left near the 

 surface of the ground. When the wheat was 

 well up, 1 sowed (in a moist day) broadcast, wood 

 ashes, about twelve bushels to the acre. I am of 

 the opinion that winter sown would be prefer- 

 able, sow as soon as the first of September in 

 this locality, xlpples, in this immediate vicinity, 

 are a failure. The curculio did its work thoroughly 

 last spring, and is fast increasing its ravages in 

 our orchards and so likewise the army worm. 



Fall feed is very good — but the decline of one- 

 fourth in the prices of our horses, and one-third 

 in neat stock, makes us feel that it is hard times. 

 Yet farming is the business to be sought after, to 

 make us healthy, honorable and happy. It 

 furnishes the most inviting employment for our 

 children, it brings with its seasons its change of 

 work and golden harvests, which is not the case 

 with the mechanic and manufacturer. F. 



Chester, Vt., Sept. 20, 1858. 



