520 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



Nov. 



pairs of working oxen, several fine horses, and a 

 fine display of sheep and fowls. The exhibition 

 of fruits comprised upwards of one thousand 

 plates. Address by Rev. William Spaulding, 

 of Newburyport. Ode, by John G. Whittier, 

 ■which we shall publish. They dined together 

 and had speeches at the dinner-table, llie Presi- 

 dent is Dr. J. B. Gajle. In New Hampshire, 



THB CIIEsnrRE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 



held a show at Keene, Sept. 28th and 29th, — 

 with fine weather, field entries larger than usual, 

 working oxen of a higher grade, horses numerous, 

 and the display in the Hall of the artistic skill of 

 the citizens and the products of the gardens and 

 fields, all of a high order. The Sentinel says : — 



"The address of Judge French, on Tuesday 

 evening, was superlatively good, M-ell received 

 by all classes, and all the criticism we have heard 

 is that "it was too short — he ought to have 

 spoken three hours." But the Judge considered 

 himself limited as to time, as there was a concert 

 at the Town Hall to commence at eight o'clock. 

 But short as was the address, the Judge has 

 made himself conspicuous in the estimation of 

 the farmers of Cheshire county, many of whom 

 were surprised to learn that a lawyer and Judge 

 tx)uld be a first class farmer." 



ALL WEATHER GOOD. 

 The following happy allusion to the weather 

 was made by Edward Everett, in his recent 

 speech at Binghampton, N. Y., which was deliv- 

 ered in a rain storm : 



Sir, to speak more seriously, I should be 

 ashamed of myself if it required any premedita- 

 tion, any forethought, to pour out the simple 

 and honest efl'usions of the heart on an occasion 

 so interesting as this. A good occasion, sir ; a 

 good day, sir, notwithstanding its commence- 

 ment. I have heard from one friend and anoth- 

 er this morning — kind enough to pay his respects 

 to me, knowing on what errand I had come — I 

 have heard from one and another the remark 

 that he was sorry that we hadn't a good day. It 

 was, it is true, raining in the morning. But it 

 is a good day, notwithstanding the rain. The 

 weather is good ; all weather is good ; sunshine 

 is good; rain is good. Not good weather, sir? 

 Ask the farmer into whose grains and roots there 

 yet remains some of its moisture, to be driven 

 by to-morrow's sun. Ask the boatman, who is 

 waiting for his raft to go over the rapids. Ask 

 the dairyman and grazier if the rain, even at this 

 season, is not good. Ask the lover of nature if 

 it is not good weather when it rains. Sir, one 

 may see in Europe artificial water works, cas- 

 cades constructed by the skill of man at enor- 

 mous expense — at Chatsworth, at Hesse Cassel, 

 and the remains of magnificent water-works at 

 Marly, where Louis XIV. lavished uncounted 

 millions of gold, and thus, according to some 

 writers, laid the foundation of those depletions 

 of the treasury which brought on the French 

 Revolution. The traveller thinks it a creat thiPLT 



to see these artificial water works, where a little 

 water is pumped up by creaking machinery, or a 

 panting steam engine, to be scattered in frothy 

 spray ; and do we talk of its not being a good 

 day when God's great engine is exhibited to us, 

 His imperial water works sending up the mists 

 and vapors to the clouds, to be rained dowr 

 again in comfort and beauty and plenty upoi^ 

 grateful and thirsty man ? Sir, as a mere grati- 

 fication of the taste, I know nothing in nature 

 more sublime, more beautiful than these, descend- 

 ing in abundance and salubrity from the skies. 

 (Applause.) 



For the A'ew England Farmer. 

 RAMBLES AMOJSTG BOCKS. 



For the first time in my life I have found what 

 a rocky region there is in the little State of Rhode 

 Island. I have often seen the rough rocks on 

 the shores of Narraganset Bay piled up at Mount 

 Hope, and "all along shore," and heard many a 

 hint that clam-chowders were common even at 

 this long date after the downfall of King Philip ; 

 but never until a few days gone by have I ram- 

 bled over the rough roads of this little mem- 

 ber of our Federal family. 



On this beautiful morning, September 27, when 

 the Sabbath was altogether past, and just as the 

 frost and dew were being sipped up and stolen 

 away by the stealthy king of day, I went out 

 among the meadows, and through the woody 

 wilds, and on to the highest hills, to spy out the 

 shamming or the successful, among the eflbrts of 

 the farmers. 



Rockland Village has its name from, (I know 

 not what,) its rocks, I suppose. There are "a few 

 more left," after a host of them have been fash- 

 ioned into factory walls, and other buildings. 

 Here and there I found a piece of pretty good 

 corn, standing where the floods would not be 

 likely to wash it away, if corn and Christians 

 alike by digging deep and laying a foundation 

 upon a rock shall securely stand. 



The soil of this neighborhood, when you can 

 find it outside of a rocky prison-house, is of an 

 excellent quality to raise good potatoes. 



It seems a matter of astonishment to me that 

 so little attention should have been given to the 

 culture of various kinds of fruit. The soil is 

 suited to the rapid growth of wood, and the ap- 

 ple, pear, peach, &c., would be quite sure to make 

 a good report of themselves. Grapes might be 

 grown in almost any quantity, if properly attend- 

 ed to. 



Great mischiefs must ever follow so great ne- 

 glect of agricultural interests as is apparent near 

 many of our manufacturing villages. If the peo- 

 ple become dependent, in families, upon "the 

 mills," and have no retreat for themselves, their 

 condition must be that of vassalage. Moral and 

 social degradation Avill be quite sure to follow 

 upon those families which become a mere appen- 

 dage of some factory. When the homes of the 

 people cease to be surrounded by well tilled 

 grounds, then those families will sink into serf- 

 dom. But while the factories of New England 

 can be chiefly supplied with laborers from the 

 families of farmers, who know the pleasures of 

 rural life, and the joy of life that is where the 

 bri?litkf!owcr,s bloom in summer and the songs of 



