478 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct, 



STUDY OF AGHICUITURE. 



We have inserted in the appropriate department 

 of this paper, and shall transfer it to the columns of 

 the monthly Farmer, the advertisement of Prof. 

 Nash, in relation to a more thorough pursuit of 

 agriculture in Amherst College, than has yet been 

 aflbrded in New England. It is encouraging to no- 

 tice this movement on the part of the Professor 

 and the College, as a way will now be opened to 

 pursue the subject with success. 



The particular attention of our young friend, 

 "B. T. R.," of Newburg, Orange Co., N. Y., is 

 called to this advertisement, and the remarks which 

 follow. Prof. Nash says : 



"The young men will have access to the college 

 library and cabinets, the latter of which will be of 

 great value to them, as also to several able and 

 most valuable courses of lectures. It is our pur- 

 pose to attend these lectures with them, to bring to 

 the recitation room the scientific facts there demon- 

 strated, to dwell upon them in a way calculated to 

 aid the memory in retaining them, and to point out, 

 more carefully than a rapid lecturer would l)e likely 

 to do, their useful applications. With such aids as 

 the college offers, we think that, without boasting, 

 we may jn'omise as rich privileges as can be en- 

 joyed anywhere. 



Lest there should be a lingering doubt of the 

 readiness of the college to extend its privileges as 

 above stated, we will here say, what we know to be 

 true, that all the gentlemen connected with its In- 

 struction — the President, Ex-President Hitchcock, 

 and the entire Faculty — are moved by the most lib- 

 eral A-iews in this matter. With no relaxation in 

 the field of Classical and General Literature, they 

 deem that the focilities of the Institution for dif- 

 fusing useful science may be extended to young 

 men, who wish to attend for a less time than foui- 

 years, perhaps but a few months ; and they are sin- 

 cerely desirous of so extending them ; and accord- 

 ingly have made such arrangements that the stu- 

 dent of twelve, six, or even three months' attend- 

 ance, may enjoy as rich privileges for the time, as 

 those who prosecute a four years' course." 



For tlie New England Farmer. 



"STATE OF MAINE POTATO." 



Mr. Editor : — I am happy to find an endorser 

 for the State of Maine potato, so experienced, as 

 your correspondent from "Newton Centre" profess- 

 es to be, having cultivated the present season, as he 

 says, "not less than seventy-five varieties." This is 

 indeed a large experience, demanding much discrim- 

 ination in the different sorts. He expresses a doubt 

 whether I have ever seen "the true State of Maine 

 potato." It may be that I have not. My remark 

 was not made so much on my own observation, — as 

 on that of "the liest observers" — such as the Presi- 

 dent of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 

 who is not only a discriminating observer, but a 

 most reliable man, in all respects — ^none more so 

 among us. 



If my recollection is right, a few years since, I 

 saw remarks from the same correspondent, speak- 

 ing disparagingly of the "Eppes Sweeting," or 

 "Danvers Winter Sweet," as unworthy of cultiva- 



tion. I know that what lie then said about this ap- 

 ple is a mistake. I therefore have less confidence 

 in his high-wrought encomiums of this variety of 

 poti to. I admit, that I have heard it highly ex- 

 tolled by others, who had bought a few for seed, at 

 extravagant ])rices, and were cultivating them with 

 a view to get their money bjck again. How far 

 your Newton correspondent may be swayed by any 

 such consideration, I have not the means of deter- 

 mining. South Dan\'ers. 

 Sept. 15, 1855. 



Fur t/ie New England Fanner. 



HIGH PRICES OF FLOUR AND GRAIN. 



Mr. Editor : — In some of the jrapers I have no- 

 ticed of late movements by the citizens for supply- 

 ing themselves with the necessaries of life, by com- 

 binations in purchasing. This movement appears 

 tome as one worthy of all commendation, and easily 

 ado])ted by mechanics very generally, as well as by 

 others. If there is any truth in the different news- 

 paper statements for the past two months, there is 

 no good reason — not one — why the article of flour 

 should command ten or thirteen dollars per barrel. 

 There cannot be any other reason, than that the ar- 

 ticle is in the hands, and managed by speculators ; 

 and it is easy for the community to see how this is 

 done. It is a most shameful ])iece of imposition 

 upon the public — more particularly the lal)oring part 

 — to call it by no milder name. AVith the whole 

 country — accoi'ding to public accounts — overflowing 

 with the staff of life, and to be obliged to pay 10 or 

 13 dollars a barrel for flour, is an anomaly and an 

 outrageous imposition. I would say to the mechan- 

 ics and laboring class of the people, combine, let 

 combination meet combination — if this shameful 

 business of speculation in the veiy essentials of life 

 cannot be stopped in any other way. You have the 

 means of relief partially, if not wholly, in your own 

 hands, and do not fear no use it, even if you gain 

 but little thereby to your jjurses. Provided this spe- 

 cies of crime can be broken up, a great good will be 

 accomplished, not only to yourselves and famihes, 

 but to the community at large. The Union Stores 

 which have been established throughout the differ- 

 ent towns in New England, within the past three 

 years, have been a great benefit to the laboring 

 classes, there cannot be any questi' 'U about it ; thou- 

 sands and tens of thousands of dollars have been 

 saved to your pockets within the above time, by 

 this class of stores. Why not a community, or a 

 town, supply themselves, on the same princi])le, with 

 flour and grain ? You can do it, and if judiciously 

 managed, it is easily accomjjlished, and with little 

 trouble or expense to yourselves, except for the first 

 cost of the articles. In this movement, you would 

 have the sympathy and good wishes of the larger 

 part of the people. This alone is a great deal. Let 

 ten, twenty, fifty or a hundred families in a town 

 unite and put into a general fund for the purchase 

 of flour and grain. You can easily find a person to do 

 the rest of the work for you, and who will do it well, 

 too, for a very small commission. To say the least, 

 this subject is worthy of more attention than it has 

 received from this class of our people ; if they know 

 their power, they have not used it. "But I say unto 

 you fear not," try it, and note results. Even if you 

 fail in the attempt, it will not be the first time peo- 

 ple have failed in a good cause, and perhaps some 

 wise and valuable lessons will be learned thereby. 



