524 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



bulls, and one imported cow, and among his one 

 hundred and forty head of cattle, a considerable 

 number of half bloods. It is dangerous to ex- 

 press opinions about these matters, because the 

 breeders are very sensitive, and ready to do bat- 

 tle for their favorite stock. 



One point, however, is settled, if anything is, 

 that the cows of this breed give richer milk than 

 any others. Mr. Aldrinh showed us the milk of 

 his cow, and its color was as different from that 

 of his other cows, as gold from silver. It is well 

 understood in England, that the cream of one 

 Jersey cow will manifestly improve the butter of 

 a dairy of half a dozen others. The breed is 

 peculiarly adapted to the wants of families in 

 the country who know the difference between 

 cream and skim milk. For milkmen about cit- 

 ies, a larger kind of cows, that will give a greater 

 quantity of milk that does not require so much 

 watering, is perhaps preferable. 



A couple of Oldenburg calves, recently import- 

 ed by Dr. Hatch, of Keene, from Germany, at- 

 tracted a good deal of attention. 



SHEEP. 



Spanish merinos seem to be the leading breed 

 in the county. Some pens were marked "Irish 

 Smut," and some were o''fS»arious grades. 



Why cannot we introduce more fully some of 

 the large English breeds of sheep for mutton ? 

 The improved Lincolns, which grow to the size 

 of yearling colts, almost, and seem to be hardyj 

 and yield about nine pounds of wool at a clip, 

 could not fail to be profitable in New England. 

 The farmers all agree that sheep are more profit- 

 able now than cattle, and that a sure source of 

 income is in the sale of lambs for the shambles. 



Not being a sheep man, I will not be too sure 

 on this point, for I may have had the wool pulled 

 over my eyes, but my belief is, that the best hus- 

 bandry for the Granite hills, just now, is in sheep 

 raising, for the meat in the first place, and the 

 wool as an incident. 



Of the Horses and Swine and Poultry, I have 

 not room to say much. The horses shown were 

 principally trotting horses for carriages, a kind 

 of horse of which the Morgans are perhaps the 

 best in the world. For this breed, the Connect- 

 icut River Valley Society, whose Exhibition I at- 

 tended last year at Bradford, Vt., probably beats 

 all New England. We shall soon want a heavy 

 breed of draft horses, to take the place of oxen, 

 as our farms become smoother, and the Suffolk 

 Punch, from Suffolk county, in England, seems 

 to me to be the model horse for the plow and the 

 cart. Their usual weight is more than fifteen 

 hundred pounds, and they are proverbial for their 

 docility. 



FEUIT. 



The show of apples, pears, grapes and peaches 



was good. The hill farms in this county produce 

 very fair and high colored apples. The Fameuse 

 and the Canada Red, which are not much known 

 in the east part of our State, thrive to perfection 

 here. The Northern Spy is beginning to bear, 

 and the fruit is very large and perfect, and the 

 tree hardy, though not yet fully tested. 



The culture of apples, on tbe hills of New 

 Hampshire, is a sure and profitable business, in 

 the neighborhood of railroads. In the valleys 

 and on plains, we have many difficulties to con- 

 tend with in the cultivation of fruit, of which 

 our more elevated brethren know nothing. 



The crops this year in this county are good. 

 An early frost injured them in low places, but 

 not elsewhere, and the corn crop generally is 

 good. Potatoes are not rotting, and yield the 

 largest crop known for years. Wheat is grown 

 in fair crops and of good quality here. The sea- 

 son has been much dryer here than on the east- 

 ern side of the State, where we have reckoned it 

 one of the wettest of seasons. 



It ought, perhaps, to be named that on Tuesday 

 evening, an agricultural address was delivered by 

 a judge who was holding a court here, to a very 

 full audience, at Dr. Barstow's church. It was 

 said to be as good as could be expected of a gen- 

 tleman of the profession of the law. Having 

 used up my paper, I remain your friend, 



H. F. Fkench, 



Fur the New England Farmer 

 THE BEAUTY OP A PABM IS A GOOD 

 ORCHARD. 



Mr. Editor : — Here in old Cheshire county, 

 N. H., we have some fine orchards, which shows 

 that we have some good farmers, for every good 

 farmer will devote a portion of his tirae to the 

 cultivation of fruit. In my orchard, there was a 

 full bloom, and the apples set well, but nearly al] 

 have been destroyed by the sting of some insect. 

 Even those that remain on the trees are very im- 

 perfect ; there will be a very little fruit in this 

 section. Yet the failure of fruit this season 

 should not discourage us ; but let us hope on 

 and hope ever. Every farmer should strive to 

 study the cause of the blight, and if possible; 

 guard against it in future. There is no doiibt 

 but that health, comfort, sociability, temperance.- 

 and good morals, generally, would be promoted, 

 by making a choice fruit garden near our dwell- 

 ing. But look around here in New England, 

 How much more might be done by raising friiit, 

 the apple especially. Some will say the crop is 

 precarious, trees bear only once in two years I 

 In a good collection, however, there is always a 

 supply of some fruit or other, even in the most 

 adverse seasons ; meanwhile the non-bearing trees 

 are gathering strength. 



How often we hear people say, It is not worth 

 while, for I may move away or rent, and in either 

 case I should not get paid for my trouble ! Now 

 this is all wrong ; supposing our fathers had 

 acted on thi% selfish principle ? 



