276 



NEW ENGLAJST) FARINIER. 



JtrxE 



horse ploughs, according to the nature of the 

 soil, which it easily acconipli.shes. In hauling 

 the gravel or stones it will pull from twenty- 

 five tons over soft ploughed fields to fifty tons 

 over a level highway, drawing a train of the 

 same kind of cars or trucks, but without the 

 engine on them. It runs eight miles per hour 

 easily on level ground with twenty pounds 

 pressure of stt-ani, and could easily attain fif- 

 teen miles at full pressure. 



Although the truck, with boiler, engine, and 

 all included, weighs about seven tons, it runs 

 so easily that two men can push it over an or- 

 dinary road. The engine, which seems to be 

 a most important part of the car, as it is the 

 only one that Mr. Lake has ever been able to 

 find adapted to such work, is known as the 

 Hicks engine, made by the Salem Machine 

 Co., of Salem, JNIass. Being a double engine 

 (and of cour^e without dead points) and en- 

 tirely enclosed in a steam-tight box, it can 

 meet the incessant strain without any ponder- 

 ous tly-wh(;el, and is fully protected from the 

 great exposure to the dust and weather. 



Here, then, seem to be found both the prin- 

 ciple and the power, of which the agricultural 

 interest of the world stands so much in need, 

 and but slight modifications are needed i o 

 adapt them so that in a short time steam 

 ploughs may be seen on all our prairies, and 

 freight engines on all pur highways. With 

 this combination the farmer can build his 

 roads, plough his lands, haul his manure, 

 stones, liiel and produce, thresh his grain, 

 saw his lumber and wood, and draw his crops 

 to market. Similar engines are coming largely 

 into use in France as auxiliaries to railroads, 

 collecting and delivering freight at one's very 

 door, miles away from the stations. 



One of Mr. Lake's self-track laying cars is 

 now at work in Atlantic County, N. J., and 

 astonishes the natives. A few days since, 

 while drawing three heavily loaded cars up a 

 moderate hill, some thirty-five men made a 

 simultaneous rush and mounted the train for 

 the purpose of stopping it, and were quite con- 

 founded at the little giant continuing its up- 

 hill course with its increased load without the 

 slightest hesitation or abatement. 



Progress. 



Salem, Mass., April, 1868. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE FOUNDLING APPIiE. 



Accompanying this communication, I send 

 you an apple which in some respects far ex- 

 cels any variety known in this region. It is a 

 fair sample of the "Foundling," grown on a 

 tree whieii I obtained in a lot from the nursery 

 of the late S. C. Wheeler of Groton, Mass., 

 in 1800. Out of twenty-four trees bought of 

 him at that time not a single tree has shown 

 the least degree of disease of any kind, or 

 suffered in the least from our severe winters. 



Set on some half dozen different farms, every 

 one of them is thrifty, has made a large, 

 bushy top near the ground, and in every respect 

 seems to be as hardy as a beech or maple. 



Had I set 100 of them at that time my farm 

 would now be worth at least $1000 more in 

 consequence. 



There is one peculiarity in this apple not 

 possessed by any other known to this region. 

 While it ripens about Aug. 20, to Sept. 1, in 

 Massachusetts, here it is beginning to l)e eat- 

 able early in September, and not fully in 

 prime till near October, or about a month be- 

 hind its ripening in Massachusetts. There it 

 is called a fall apple, while here the same tree 

 will furnish one with dessert from Sejitember 

 till March and even April, with no extra care. 

 In this respect I think it has no rival. 



The specimen I send you has probably past 

 its prime, but is taken from a barrel that were 

 sound and fresh as Greenings, March 1st, and 

 with no care save hand picking and barreling. 



From an extensive knowledge of the vari- 

 ous localities in Northern Vermont, gained 

 while canvassing for the Farmer from 1853 

 to 1862 inclusive, I am convinced that this ap- 

 ple is the best to be found for this region, and 

 if I were to confer a favor on my old patrons 

 and friends, in the line of fruit, I would un- 

 hesitatingly recommend to them the cultiva- 

 tion of this apple. 



It originated, a seedling, on the farm of Ru- 

 fus Moors in the southerly part of (iroton, 

 Mass., or was so claimed by Mr. Moors. 



There seems to be difficulty in getting a 

 supply of the trees at the nursery or nurse- 

 ries in Massachusetts, for the reason they grow 

 too scraggy, (or at least this is my experience 

 in trying to get supplies for my farm), and 

 take up too much room. 



This same "scraggy" or low-topped propen- 

 sity is the very thing that recomm(inds it for 

 this latitude, and nurserymen will do well to 

 bear it in mind. 



Now, Mr. Editor, allow me to add that I 

 have no ax to grind, no trees for sale of any 

 kind, but have four bearing t^-ees that have 

 borne every year for the last eight years, and 

 will give to any one scions from those trees. 

 I have scattered many in years pa>t and shall 

 be happy to do so still, as a lasting legacy to 

 my old friends of the New Engl.vnu F.ui- 

 MER. Geo. L. Nutting. 



Bandolph, Vt., April 10, 1868. 



Rem.vhks. — The apple was duly received, 

 and tested the 22d of April. Something of 

 the sprightllness of its prime was undoubtedly 

 wantmg; still it was quite juicy and good-fla- 

 vored, and in connection with friend Nutting's 

 reccommendation we think the fmil, particu- 

 larly in the northern part of New Eli-^land, is 

 worthy of a fair trial Mr. Cole, in his Fruit 



