520 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Not. 



swer this jjurpose. It A\ill need to be ■worn for two 

 or three months. This remedy is easy, and I have 

 found it quite efl'ectual. — A Subscriber. 



Far the New England Farmer. 



ESSEX AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



REPORTED BY J. F. C. IITDE. 



The annual Fair of this Society was held at 

 Haverhill on Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 26th 

 and 27 th, and though there was quite a shower on 

 the morning of the second day which threatened to 

 mar the pleasures of the occasion, yet it did not at 

 all interfere with the successful carrying out of the 

 admirable arrangements that had been made. On 

 the first day, among other things was the drawing 

 match, which took place a little north of the village. 

 The loads were for one yoke of oxen, two tons, and 

 then four tons, which were drawn up hill by several 

 teams in fine style. Loads for single horse teams, 

 a cord of hard wood ; the ease Avith Avhich the work 

 was done showed that the animals had been well 

 trained for work. 



SPADING MATCH. 



There were nine — all Irishmen — entered for 

 spading, but only seven took part ; the lot to be 

 spaded by each person was six feet by ten, and the 

 time occupied in doing the work was seven minutes. 

 The work was not as well done as it might have 

 been, had there been less excitement and confusion 

 on the ground. 



The show in the Town Hall, which we looked in 

 upon the first day, was very good, and in some re- 

 spects better than is usually seen at these fliirs. That 

 of manuflictured goods was fiiir ; boots and shoes, 

 for wliich this county is noted, taking the lead. 

 There were fine specimens of Avorsted work, which 

 do credit to the good ladies of Essex. The show of 

 fruit and vegetables was exceedingly fine, especially 

 of apples, of which we think we have never seen bet- 

 ter. Pears were also shown in abundance ; among 

 others we noticed a most splendid box of the Beurre 

 Clairgeau, a new variety of great promise, which 

 were contributed by J. Fowler, of Salisbury ; noble 

 Flemish Beauties, Duchesse d'Angouleme, and many 

 others. Among the apples, J. B. Barker, of 

 Methuen, took the lead ; he receiving very justly the 

 first premium. We noticed on the tables a new 

 grape from the Rev. W. C. Richards, of Lynn, called 

 the " Millard Seedling," Avhich is said to be the 

 product of a raisin seed ; the Committee awarded 

 it a premium for the best seedling. Of Flowers 

 there was no lack, — Dahlias were contributed in 

 gi'eat variety by that prince of Dahlia growers. Gen. 

 Oliver, of Lawrence. Bouquets in great profusion 

 adonied the hall. Of Vegetables there was a great 

 abundance, especially of mammoth squashes, some 

 weighing over 150 pounds each ; potatoes very large 

 and handsome, and in short, the vegetables as well 

 as fruit, did great credit to the f^xrmers of that 

 county. 



DAIRY PRODUCTS, 

 were not very plenty, though there were a few 

 specimens of good butter shown, but no cheese. 



EXHIBITION OF STOCK. 



There were a few superb horses that attracted 

 considerable attention. The stock was well ar- 

 ranged in suitable pens, which were nearly all full 

 of good cattle and swine. Some improvement has 



been made in this department, but there is room 

 for a good deal more. We noticed among others, 

 fine Jerseys and Devons, &c. The working oxen 

 were good. 



PLOWING MATCH. 



This was the first thing to come off on the second 

 day ; it took place in an old pasture a mile or more 

 from the village. Of those who plowed, five used 

 double ox teams, single plows ; four, double ox 

 teams, double Eagle plows ; three, double horse 

 teams, double plows ; five, double horse teams, sin- 

 gle plows ; and eight, ox teams, single plows. The 

 land was stony and with a tender sward, and was 

 well calculated to test the skill of the plowman 

 and the good qualities of the plows. The work, 

 taken together, was well done, though Ave think 

 there is room for improvement in this direction. 



The Trotting Match did not come off as expected, 

 much to the disappointment of the great croAvd 

 that had assembled to witness it. 



THE ADDRESS. 



The next thing on the programme were the ser- 

 vices at the Centre church, Avhich consisted of Prayer, 

 singing of an Anthem, and Original Hymn, and an 

 Address, by Dr. Nichols, of Haverhill. 



His subject Avas, "What Chemistry has done and 

 is capable of doing for the Farmer." He spoke of 

 those farmers Avho availed themselves of the light 

 that chemistry had thrown on the subject of agri- 

 culture, as being the most thrifty, and the first to 

 find out and make use of improved tools, &c., for 

 the farmer's use. While the other class believe in 

 physical abilities, and trust to the predictions of the 

 Old Farmer's Almanac, and Avould not, on any ac- 

 count, kill their hogs unless the moon Avas right. A 

 knowledge of Chemisti-y taught all the secrets of 

 vegetable groAvth, and is alone capable of teaching 

 us all that Ave can know, of those foi-ces that pro- 

 duce soils and the plants that groAV upon the soil. 

 Guided by its light there is no uncertainty ; Avithout 

 it, all is doubt and uncertainty. The advantages of 

 deep ploAving and the thorough, pulverization of the 

 soil Avas ably treated. Also, the compost heaps 

 Avhich might be made up to adA^antage with lime, 

 pond mud, loam from beside the AA'alls, &c. The 

 liquid excrements of the animal he considered equal 

 in value to the solid, and should be carefully saved 

 by a reservoir Avhich might easily be built by dig- 

 gmg out and cementing around so as to make it wa- 

 ter tight, answering the purpose and being cheaply 

 built. In closing, he said the car of knoAvledge is 

 rapidly passing, and if you do not jump upon the 

 platform you are lost. Sluggards, slumber no long- 

 er, if you intend to succeed in the business of farm- 

 ing. The address is one that may Avith profit be ta- 

 ken to the homes of the farmers, and read and pon- 

 dered. 



THE DINNER. 

 After the address, a large company repaired to 

 the ncAV tent on the Common, where a good dinner 

 had been prepared by Mr, Steele, of Haverhill, Avho 

 did himself credit on this occasion. After a bless- 

 ing had been asked by the Rev. Mr. Perry, the 

 company partook freely of the Aiands that loaded 

 the tables ; and after the pliAsIcal wants had been 

 supplied, the President introduced to the company 

 his Honor Simon Brown, who made some verj" ap- 

 l)ropriate remarks, and Avas folloAved by 'Mr. Tenny, 

 of Vermont, Mr. LcAvis, of Framingham, Mr. Dun- 

 can, of Essex, Mr. Coffin, of Boston, and others. 



