1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



511 



For the New England Farmer 



FITCHBURG AGRICULTURAL 

 EXHIBITION. 



^Ir. Editor : — This is the season of conventions. 

 All the world is attending conventions, agricultural, 

 political, women's rights, or some other. jNIoved by 

 the conventional impulse that is moving all the 

 world, I got into the cars about half-past eight, 

 "Wednesday morning, and soon after ten found my- 

 self at the beautiful and thrivhig town of Fltch- 

 burg. I found the President of the Middlesex Ag- 

 ricultural Society, and other gentlemen, going to 

 the North Worcester Cattle Show. On our way 

 up the road we })icked up several other gentlemen 

 bound to the same g.athering. On our arrival, Ave 

 were cordially received by Gen. Wood, the Presi- 

 dent of the Society, who took care that the Avants 

 of our outward man were Avell supplied, and by his po- 

 lite attentions contributed much to the pleasm'e Ave 

 enjoyed on the occasion. 



The Plowing Match had commenced Avhen I ar- 

 rived, and I did not Avitness this jiart of the exhibi- 

 tion. But I understand that it Avent off Avell, and 

 exhibited a good degree of skill and interest, and 

 that many fine teams were present on the occasion. 

 The drawing of oxen Avas the next thing in order. 

 Several Avell-trained teams Avere exhibited in this 

 part of the performance, and did credit to the skill 

 of theii' drivers. I next took a stroll among the 

 cattle pens. There were many fine native coavs and 

 young cattle on exhibition. There were but fcAV 

 of foreign or mixed blood — shoAAing less effoi't in 

 that direction for the improvement of stock than I 

 expected to see among the enterprising farmers 

 of North Worcester. There was a fine pair of Dur- 

 ham steers, 5 years old, of large size and fine pro- 

 portions, that attracted much attention, and a few 

 good animals of mixed blood. I would not say a 

 word in disparagement of our natiAC stock. The 

 selection and care of this, must after all, constitute 

 the basis of all improvement in stock. But Avhere 

 an earnest interest has been aAvakened on the subject 

 of stock, I should expect to see a greater number of 

 animals of foreign Ijlood, and more experiments in 

 adajjting them to our OAvn climate and Avants. The 

 show of sAvine Avas small, but embraced some fine 

 animals. Several fine horses and colts Avere on ex- 

 hibition, indicating an increase in interest in this de- 

 partment. 



I next visited the Hall, Avhich is a beautiful l)uild- 

 ing, and on the ])resent occasion, presented abun- 

 dant evidence of the taste and skill and success of 

 the members of the Society, in the cultiA'ation of 

 fruits and vegetal)les. The heaps of monster squash- 

 es and big golden ])umpkins afforded an intimation 

 that the good Avives among the hills of North 

 Worcester knoAv hoAV to ajipreciate good ])ies, and 

 that Thanksgiving day, wlien it comes, Avill not l)e 

 Avanting in this evidence, at least, of thankful hearts. 

 The exhibition of agricultural and mechanical imple- 

 ments and of needlework Avas highly credital)le. 

 But the exhil)ition of fruits in the upper hall struck 

 us as the great feature of the occasion. The shoAV 

 of apples, ])ears and jjlums culled for the unquali- 

 fied admiration of all s])octators. There were sca*- 

 eral dishes of fine ])eachcs, Avhich, for this season, 

 far exceeded our expectation. The number and va- 

 riety of ])ears afforded ])roof of an' increased inter- 

 est in tlie cultivation of this delicious fruit. A\y- 

 ples of fair proportions and of almost unlimited va- 



rieties Avere piled upon the long tables, and made a 

 most magnificent sIioav. What a contrast betA\'een 

 this shoAv of ajijjles, and those Avith Avhich you audi 

 Avere familiar, ]\Ir. Editor, Avhen we Avere boAS ! In 

 Avhat department of agriculture has there been a 

 greater advance than in the cultivation of fruit? 

 And yet the mai'ch of improvement has obAiously 

 but just begim. 



From the Exhibition Hall Ave went to the large 

 Unitarian Church, Avhere Ave listened to some fine 

 music from the choir, to a prayer by the Rev. El- 

 nathan DaA-is, and to an eloquent address from N. 

 P. Banks, Esq. I have not sjwce to give you an 

 epitome of the address. Suffice it to say, it Avas just 

 Avhat might have been expected from ^Ir. Banks. 



We next went to the Dining Hall of the Fitch- 

 burg Hotel, escorted by the band. The dinner was 

 fine, and everything passed off in good shape. Ad- 

 dresses were made by his Excellencv, Gov. Gard- 

 ner, Hon. N. P. Banks, Gen. ChamUer, Col. De 

 Witt, Col. BreAA-ster, Hon. G. Lyman and others, in 

 resj)onse to toasts wliich Avere hapjnly introduced 

 by G. DoAHis, Esq. The day Avas fine. The rain 

 of INIonday afternoon had laid the dust and Avashed 

 the foliage, and the clear bracing air contrasted glo- 

 riously AAith the sultry, dusty atmofejihere Avhich we 

 had been breatloing for a Aveek jjrevious, and added 

 greatly to the pleasure of the occasion. 



Yours truly, J. R. 



Concord, Sept. 21. 



CLEANING AND PLANTING APPLE 

 SEED. 



Messrs. Editors : — If you Avill inform me through 

 the Co. Gent, how to free apple seed from the 

 pomace you will confer a favor. 



Please state the proper method of applying 

 guano to seed-bed and nursery ground, and how 

 rich the soil will need to be, to obtain the greatest 

 growth in each case. The soil is a strong clayey 

 loam, AA'ith considerable sand and muck. It is nat- 

 urally quite wet. J. L. 



Mix the jjomace Avith Avater and stir it, and the 

 seed Avill fall to the bottom — rack oft" the jjomace 

 and Avater, and repeat the o])eration till clean seeds 

 are left. The best Avay is to have two large boxes, 

 one within the other, the inner one Avith the sieve 

 nailed on the bottom, coarse enough to let the 

 seeds drop through, and sUxnding above the bottom 

 of the other on blocks. Put the ])omace into the 

 inner box, and pour Avater into the outer; the Ava- 

 ter finds its way among the pomace, Avhich l)eing 

 stirred, alloAvs the seed to droj) through into the 

 clear Avater lielow. By this means, seed can be 

 cleansed much flister than by tlie first mentioned 

 process. 



Guano is liest applied by first making it into a 

 compost Avith many times its bulk of loam, turf, 

 peat, I'v-c., or either of them — and then applying, 

 like any other manure — maldng the soil (kcj), and 

 it must have a dry subsoil, Aj)])le seedlings, to 

 grow Aigoroush", sliould have a soil as rich as the 

 richest garden soil, such as we use for the most 

 luxuriantly groAving vegetables. — Country Gent. 



How TO Plow under Tall Weeds. — Where 

 Aveeds have not been kei)t doAvn by otlier crops, or 

 by close pastui'ing, they have, as might be expected, 



