1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



485 



mac, but as the sun ascended the heavens, it disap- 

 peared, and at eight o'clock everything in nature 

 was as beautiful as could be wished for the conclu- 

 sion of the exhibition. At eight o'clock the trotting 

 horses occupied the track. Also a large sized bull, 

 \vith a rider u])on his back, which went round the 

 course in good time, but not very elegantly. Not- 

 withstanding the crowd was so dense yesterday, 

 there was a resj)ectable attendance, and a call for 

 tickets up to the hour of 1 P. M. 



During liie morning, we fell in company with G. 

 W. Ncsmilh, Esq., of Franklin, formerly President 

 of the Society, and obtained from him some infor- 

 mation in regard to the manufacture of hosiery in 

 that i)lace. The manuiactory was erected about a 

 year since, and two hundred and fifty hands are now 

 constantly employed in the mill, besides hidividuals 

 in some five hundred families in the surrounding 

 country. The machinery used is of American in- 

 vention, and it manufactures an article very difler- 

 ent from those jiroducod by foreign looms. Four 

 diff'erent colored threads are interwoven by a loom 

 now in operation, a thing not known in English 

 manufacture. Seventy thousand dozen pairs were 

 manufactured the past year. The company have a 

 contract with Government to sujjply the navy with 

 twelve thousand dozen pairs the coming year. One 

 hundred and seventy-five thousand j)ounds of wool, 

 per annum, are used, all American ; indeed, all the 

 material consumed is American, save some of the 

 dye stuffs. Most of the wool in the immediate \i- 

 cinity is used in the establishment. 



The looms do their work so easily that a lad of 

 fifteen will weave sixteen dozen pairs per day. The 

 two hundred and fifty operatives receive about five 

 thousand dollars per month for their labors, and 

 the individuals in the surrounding country who do 

 the "seaming," receive about fifteen hundred more, 

 making a total of seventy-five thousand dollars paid 

 out to the j)Coi)le within a radius of fifteen or twen- 

 ty miles. The articles produced are of excellent 

 texture, and find a ready market. It is a source of 

 pride to the inliabitants of the State to know that 

 after sleeping a Van Winkle sleep of years. New 

 Ham])shire is at last seeking with rapid strides her 

 true destiny. An old and matronly lady, while ex- 

 amining the s])lendid exhibition of hosiery jjresent- 

 ed, objected to the manufacture as being prejudicial 

 to the morals of the rising generation of girls — 

 "it would lead to idleness," slie said, "and the Lord 

 knows that they gad enough now." The remark of 

 the good dame raised many smiles upon the cheeks 

 of the young ladies within hearing. 



Plowing Match. 



At nine o'clock the Plowing Match wa.s held on 

 ground at tlie north end of the city, nearly up to 

 tlie i)lace where the brave revolutionary hero Stark 

 "slecjjs his last sleep." 



The ground was a sandy loam, well swarded, and 

 requiring a strong team to carry the plow steadily 

 to the depth of seven inches. Seven teams were 

 entered — four single ox, one double team of two- 

 year old steers, and two-horse teams. Each com- 

 petitor was allowed to "take his time" — a most ju- 

 dicious arrangement, as there was no hurrying, 

 shouting, or use of the whijj, but a steady drive as 

 if each was u])on his own field. The worlv in gen- 

 eral was well done, especially that j)erformed l)y the 

 steers, who acted like oxen, bracing their shoulders 

 to the work without the appliance of whip or goad. 



As we were under the necessity of leaving the 

 ground before the report of the committee was giv- 

 en, we have no means of knowing who were the suc- 

 cessful competitors. 



Close of tiie Fair. 



At twelve o'clock the reports of the judges were 

 given from the orator's stand. 



After the j)remiums had been awarded, an auc- 

 tion was held in the tents for the sale of articles. 

 The fast horses also appeared upon the course to 

 gratify the never-tired gaze of that jiortion of the 

 ■ community who delight to see how quickly a horse 

 [can travel a mile. In this connection, it may be 

 I remembered that many of the best men of the com- 

 j munity begin to doubt the utility of State Fairs. 

 The "fast" men and "fast" horses are in some de- 

 gree obtaining a jirominency which makes every- 

 thing else suljordinate. The tendencies are towards 

 horse-racing, and unless a change is made in this 

 respect, it is apj)rehended that in a few years this 

 will be the all-absorbing feature of such exhibi- 

 tions. 



A large number of the prominent men of the 

 State were present upon the occasion, besides some 

 from abroad. — Journal, ahi-idged. 



WATEE RAMS—CEMENT PIPES. 

 The following communication, which we find in 

 the Country Gentleman, is one of those practical 

 things, coming home to a majority of farmers, that 

 possesses a real value : 



As I very frequently receive queries from all 

 parts of the country, respecting cement pipe and 

 cement cisterns, and their durability, I would be 

 much obliged, if you will permit me, through your 

 journal, to answer several communications in regard 

 to hydraulics. 



1. Can hydraulic rams be put up and made to 

 raise the water 80 or 100 feet, and be made durable ? 

 My answer, from experience, is — Tliere is one run- 

 ning at this place, which has been in ojieration 

 seven years, and 1 see no good reason whv it should 

 not continue for 50 more. I find the great failure 

 in these machines is caused by Ixid setting, as I have 

 fitted over a large number which have given perfect 

 satisfaction. 



2. Can cisterns be made on sandy soil, without 

 stone or bricks, that will be lasting ? I have been 

 engaged in the business for twenty years, and have 

 put them in all kinds of soil, even quicksand, and 

 am yet ignorant of a failure. I consider stone or 

 bricks used a damage ; the natural earth is far bet- 

 ter to put the cement on, and with one tliird the 

 expense. 



3. Cement has got to be an article of commerce, 

 and can be found in almost all large villages. I 

 ])urchase a good article of tlic manufacturer for one 

 dollar ])er barrel by the quantity. 



4. ])oes it need slaking, like other lime? No. 



5. What proportions do you use, for jjipe ? One- 

 fourth of lime, as a general rule ; but it is necessary 

 to vary from tliat, as some jiortions of sand are more 

 porous than others, even in the same bed. 



(5. The color varies in different localities ; the 

 Onondaga cement is a yellowish cast ; tlie Rosen- 

 dale cement is of a light slate color, ihidington 

 and the Newark Comj)any at Kingston manufacture 

 a good article. Onondaga cement requires to be 



