360 



NEW EXGLAND F.\R:MER. 



Aug. 



feet high, five and one-half feet in girth, color 

 black, horns large. This race is the most di- 

 minutive specimen of the genus Bos. Of two 

 nearly mature heifers that came of this black 

 stock, one is red, the other light red and white, 

 — an uncommon occurrence. 



The Alderneys are more numerous. The 

 oldest bull Duke, a fine large animal, is esti- 

 mated to weigh 1700 pounds. King Phillip is 

 younger and less in t>ize, but good in the Al- 

 derney points, and valued at $1000. Several 

 cows, valued at $500 or more each, and young 

 cattle. But these are only a part of the cat- 

 tle owned by ^Slr. M., as he has other farms in 

 other places. 



I did not learn the yield of butter from any 

 single cow. The Alderneys, however, sustain 

 their good reputation as dairj- cows. The 

 Bretons are smaller and smoother built than 

 the Alderneys, and are valued for their milk- 

 ing qualities. 



The stock of poultry here comprise Cochin 

 China, Golden Polands, Silver Pheasants, 

 Dorkings, turkeys, &c. And it may be worthy 

 of mention that on nearly all the farms on the 

 Island there are large flocks of poultry, which 

 number in some cases, one hundred and fifty 

 fowls ; several flocks that I saw included some 

 thirty turkeys, thirty geese, and twenty ducks. 

 I did not see a flock of pure blooded hens of 

 one kind ; a mixture is usually kept. By many 

 farmers, geese are considered very profitable. 

 The kinds kept are the White IBremen, the 

 Mountain or African and the real Wild Geese. 

 A flock of wild geese can be seen near the 

 South Portsmouth post-office. The head is 

 small, neck small and black, back dark, belly 

 light. The geese are not picked while they 

 are alive by most of the farmers, but are kept 

 for the profit of the goslings and the feathers 

 and bodies when killed. I did not learn that 

 the profit from eggs and goslings was larger 

 than the income from live geese feathers which 

 might be plucked three or four times during 

 the summer. I saw one flock of October gos- 

 lings, but it is unusual for geese to lay and 

 hatch in the fall, and if they do so it is in con- 

 sequence of good keeping, and not because 

 they were not picked. Ihe fowls generally 

 seem to be well cared for, and are expected to 

 yield a good profit, as the summer visitors at 

 Newport wish the best of everything and pay 

 prices in proportion. 



The best poultry house I saw was at the 

 farm of August Belmont, Esq. It cost one 

 thousand dollars. It has four rooms as well 

 finished as a dwelling house. The cupola on 

 the roof is a beautiful pigeon house. 



I have thus briefly referred to a few items 

 in Rhode Island farming. A farmer from any 

 section of the country would find pleasure and 

 profit in observing the management of these 

 farmers, whose success has given them the con- 

 fidence, self-esteem, and business habits that 

 usually accompany prosperity. But here, as 

 elsewhere in New England, one cannot but no- 



tice and regret the absence of the sons of far- 

 mers. They have gone to trades or traffic, 

 and left the old men to depend on hired help. 

 Irashurg, Vt., 1869. Z. E. Jamesox. 



For the Xeic England Farmer, 

 HALF A DOZEN FAHittERS. 



As parents love to speak of their children 

 and tell of their prosperity, so I want to speak 

 of a few individuals of my neighborhood fam- 

 ily, and tell the world how they pro.p^ r. As 

 I have been here only two years, I can of 

 course go but little back of that period in my 

 biographies. 



I will begin at the south part of the town, 

 and proceed northward. The first farm which 

 I will mention was some few years ago all 

 "run out," The man who now occupies it 

 is a wide-awake chap, and is reai;ing double 

 the produce, by leading the water from a pond 

 and emptying it on his mowing field, and by 

 looking well to his manure. He keeps his 

 yard filled with muck, minds his own business, 

 and is ready to do his neighbor a good turn, 

 and is never behind in any enterprise. 



A few rods north we find a neat little farm, 

 carried on by a real six-foot Vermonter. 

 His parents are growing old and somewhat 

 infirm, and the young man has his own way. 

 And well may he be trusted, you would think, 

 if you were to see his wheat and other crops, or 

 if you were to peep into his ash-house, filled as 

 it was last autumn with good ashes from the 

 lime pits at St, Albans, or near that town. 

 He has enlarged his bam once, and must do 

 it again immediately. 



(yoing north of this place, someone hundred 

 rods, I turn to the east a little, and find a 

 smallish farm. The occupants consist of an 

 aged mother, son, wife and two orphan chil- 

 dren. They look and act as though a cloud 

 had never passed over them, but had always 

 lived in the cheerful sunshine. Love and 

 good will beams in every countenance, with 

 hearts as large as their bodies. Invoking 

 God's blessing on this household, I bid them 

 good-bye, and proceed still northward some 

 fifty rods. 



Here is a small house occupied by an aged 

 couple, with the son and wife and two chil- 

 dren. This farm is now carried on by said 

 son, who has been in possession only two 

 yeais. From the timber and lu nber that has 

 lately made its appearance on the premises, I 

 am led to postpone further comments till I 

 learn what it all means. 



Moving on some twenty-five rods further, 

 we find an old settler and his wife, aged al- 

 most eighty years, both smart and still enjoy- 

 ing life. A son and wife, with four children, 

 make up the family. The young man, who 

 now manages the farm, enlarged his barns a 

 few years ago, and must soon build still larger. 

 As he is one of the Town Fathers, it may not 

 be expedient for me to enter into details, but 



