366 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Reported for the New England Farmer. 

 CAMBRIDGE CATTLE MARKET. 



ANNUAL EEPOHT. 



There have been at this market durinf^ the year 

 ending Oct. 22, 1850, — 56,14 1 cattle, of which about 

 28,814 were beeves, and 27,330 stores, consisting of 

 working oxen, cows and calves, yearlings, two and 

 three years old. There have also been at market 

 168,204 sheep and lambs, 7,678 swine, 1,245 horses, 

 and a large number of fowls and veal calves, not nu- 

 merically calculated. 



E.xtra cattle, and sheep and lambs, have generally 

 been brisk, and sold readily at fair prices ; but the 

 market for the inferior qualities of cattle has been 

 variable. Some days it has been active, and good 

 prices were realized ; at other times it has been dull, 

 and sales slow. 



Since the first of last January (less than ten 

 months") 2,843 cars have come over the Fitchburg 

 railroad, and 1,447 over the Boston and Lowell rail- 

 road, loaded with cattle, sheep, horses, swine, and 

 fowls. 



No. from each State during the Year. 



Cattle. ^L^b,"'' Swine. Horses. 



Maine, 17,233 14,056 24 



New Hampshire, 13,411 48,371 15 69 



Vermont, 17,914 88,442 1,381 418 



Massachusetts, 5,749 14,657 431 237 



New York, 511 1,043 5,733 15 



Canada, 1,326 1,635 482 



Ohio, 118 



Total, 



56,144 168,204 7,678 1,245 



This market is within four miles of Boston. Oper- 

 ations were commenced about one year ago, since 

 which time it has increased in business and impor- 

 tance with unexampled rapidity. It contains one 

 hundred and eighty-eight yards, for the accommoda- 

 tion of cattle and sheep, one hundred and thirty- 

 seven of which have been built the present season, 

 with convenient lanes leading to all of them ; the 

 whole covering an area of twelve or fourteen acres. 

 The yards are all free, no charge ever having been 

 made for the use of any of them. The Fitchburg 

 railroad, which connects with the Vermont and Mas- 

 sachusetts, the Cheshire, the Rutland and Burlington, 

 the Sullivan, Central, Ogdonsburg, and the Connec- 

 ticut River and Passumpsic railroads, passes through 

 these yards. By means of these roads, cattle, &c., 

 are brought from Canada, New York, all parts of 

 Vermont, from New Hampshire and Massachusetts, 

 and landed from the cars direct into the yards. The 

 Fitchburg Railroad Corporation have now nearly 

 completed two side tracks for the accommodation of 

 the cattle trains, where they will be able to run off 

 of the main track about ninety cars, which can 

 remain there until wanted. 



The Boston and Lowell railroad, which connects 

 with the Northern, and several other railroads lead- 

 ing through the different sections of New Hamp- 

 shire, has a sjiacious cattle depot at Somerville, 

 within two hundred rods of the market, with an 

 extensive side track for running off the cattle trains 

 from the main track ; and all other requisite con- 

 veniences for landing and yarding the cattle, sheep, 

 &c. The eastern drovers, also, coming from Maine 

 and Now Hampshire, who drive their cattle on foot, 

 find in this market a desideratum long desired. 



From the foregoing statistics, it will readily be 

 seen that nature seems to have pointed to this spot, 

 with an index not to be mistaken, as the most suit- 

 able location for the great Cattle Fair of New Eng- 

 land. 



Wed7iesday, Oct. 23, 1850. 



For the Neio England Farmer. 



THE POTATO ROT. 



Mil. Editor : I have a fact to state, in regard to 

 this disease, and wish to know if you or your read- 

 ers have noticed similar facts this year. In the town 

 of Stonington, Ct., there is a very general complaint 

 of this disease, and I have yet heard of but two 

 pieces of land exempt. These are peat swamps, re- 

 deemed by ditching. One of these was planted late 

 on account of the water, and M'as manured only with 

 coarse sea- weed. The potatoes are of fair size, and 

 •without any appearance of rot. If too much mois- 

 ture be the cause of the disease, why is this piece of 

 land, in a season so wet, entirely free from it ? Has 

 the superabundance of carbon in the peat any thing 

 to do with it ? Is the gradual exhaustion of carbon 

 in the soil bj' successive cropping, one of the causes 

 of this disease ? It seems to me that facts, in a sea- 

 son so generally visited with this blight as the pres- 

 ent, are worthy of particular notice, and may help 

 us to some better knowledge of the cause and cure 

 of the disease. 



STONINGTON. 



Remarks. — The facts mentioned by our corre- 

 spondent have been noted in Ireland. Peat has a 

 wonderful preservative quality, so that it protects 

 the potato from disease, even under the serious dis- 

 advantage of a wet soil. We should be pleased to 

 have further information as to the effects of raising 

 potatoes in a peaty soil. — Ed. 



For the Neic England Farmer. 

 CALEF APPLE. 



Mil. Cole : I herewith send you a box of apples 

 which were grown on my farm, called by us the 

 Calif or Calf apple. The original name we do not 

 know, but tradition says that the tree which first 

 produced the fruit, in this section of the country, was 

 grafted by Governor Hancock, of Massachusetts, 

 who brought the scions, and grafted the tree himself, 

 while on a visit at Squire Calef 's. The tree is now 

 standing, of a verj' large size, and has the appear- 

 ance of one of the " old settlors ; " it yet produces 

 well, though it has suffered from neglect. The fruit 

 is of large size, excellent for cooking, and pretty 

 good for eating ; in use October and November. 

 The tree is hardy, a great grower, a great bearer, and 

 produces yearly a large amount of fair fruit, fully 

 equal, if not superior, to the Baldwin in productive- 

 ness. It blossoms some four or five days later than 

 other trees, so that it is often likely to escape blights 

 from cold, when other fruits fail. All things consid- 

 ered, I regard it as a very desirable variety to culti- 

 vate. Yours, &c., 



THOMAS HANNAFORD. 



Cape Elizabeth, Oct. 22, 1850. 



Remarks. — We have tested this apple, by baking 

 and stewing, and find that it is superior for cooking. 

 It is large, and very fair. — Ed. 



We do not oiiSERVE. — If the stars were to appear 

 but one night in a thousand years, how would men 

 believe, and preserve for many generations, the re- 

 membrance of God which had been shown ! But 

 every night come out these preachers of beauty, and 

 lisht the universe with their admonishing smile. 



