1868. 



NEW ENGLAND FARIMER. 



375 



could have looked any thinner. And all this 

 the result of a single night''s distress and ag- 

 ony. 



Of all the animals that God has given to 

 man perhaps there is none more useful or 

 more noble than the horse. How oCten have 

 we seen him when in distress appeal to us for 

 relief in every way except that of a spoken 

 language. We, as his superiors, ought to 

 know his diseases, and their proper remedies. 

 It is a commonly received opinion that among 

 the ills his llesh is heir to, are bots. But if 

 after the lapse of so many ages, it is still a 

 disputed point whether they are ever injuri- 

 ous, it is surely time the question was settled. 

 I am but an ordinary individual, and gener- 

 ally allow the world to slip and slide as it will, 

 but when I see an idea advanced, contrary 

 to the teachings of experience and analogy, I 

 feel it my duty to protest against its accept- 

 ance, and call for more proof and better rea- 

 sons than appears to have been advanced in 

 this case. Joxa. Farxxui. 



So. Uxbridge, Mass., 6th mo. 15, 1868. 



For the Kew England Farmer, 

 ITOBTH EASTON PLANTING COMPANY. 



Dear Sir : — Your kindly notice of the North 

 Easton Planting Company was joyfully received 

 by us at this time. It gives us strength and 

 courage in this important movement. 



In April, we announced our intention to 

 form a planting company upon this most sim- 

 ple and equitable plan, the outlines of which 

 you gave in the Farmer for April 23. We 

 found any quantity of persons ready and wil- 

 ling to invest from one to twenty-five dollars 

 in the stock of this company, with its only two 

 self-constituted officers, Chief Manager and 

 Treastirer ; but seven persons (the requisite 

 number for a legal organization) could not be 

 found with courage to venture their reputation 

 in so humble an enterprise. 



Nevertheless a few of us are doing some- 

 thing. We have seven acres of land now 

 planting, and as the people are fast growing 

 into favor with this movement, we shall soon 

 have a permanent organization, and issue our 

 stock certificates for the sowing a good breadth 

 of land this coming fall to winter grain. So 

 that all lovers of good bread can, in the course 

 of the summer save up a few dollars to invest 

 in this and similar companies ; and evermore 

 tind that in "Our father's house there is bread 

 enough and to spare." 



Our outlays, thus far, in planting, have in 

 no instance exceeded our estimate. A strict 

 account is being kept and a full report will be 

 made at the maturity of the crop. 



As a testimony of our appreciation of your 

 kindly notice of us, we present you with one 

 of our certificates of stock. It will do to fill 

 up your museum of curiosities if nothing more. 

 By this you will know the value of one dollar 



invested in our corn plantation, as we shall 

 forward to you your share at maturity. 



L. Smith, Manager. 



Remarks. — We most gratefully acknowl- 

 edge the receipt of the certificate of stock al- 

 luded to above. We shall look with interest 

 for our share of the dividends of this new form 

 of co-operative industry, particularly as "Corn 

 with Beans intermixed" remind us of our fa- 

 vorite dish, good old Yankee succotash. The 

 industrial classes in Europe, as well as in this 

 country, are considering and experimenting 

 largely with the co-operative principle. In 

 fact, what more vital among all the principles 

 of free government than that of co-operation ? 

 We hope, therefore, our friends will pardon 

 us for copying our certificate, which may stiU 

 further illustrate the operation of this plant- 

 ing company : — 



• "Co-operative Plantation, No. 3, for 1868. 

 — For one dollar received, the bearer is entitled to f 

 one-liftieth part of the net income from one acre 

 of land, to be managed and operated l)y the North 

 Easton Planting Company, the principal crop to be 

 Corn, with Beans intermixed. Dividends will be 

 made principally in the productions, and delivered 

 free to the stockholders residing within a radius of 

 five miles from the plantation, and at a moderate 

 charge to those residing at a further distance. L. 

 Smith, Chief Manager. M. D. Schindle, Treasurer. 

 Location of plantation, Dikeman farm, North 

 Easton." 



"Explanation — Plantations, Nos. 1 and 2, Pota- 

 toes ; 3, Corn ; 4, Beans and Squashes ; 5, Cab- 

 bages ; 6, Turnips ; 7, Buckwheat. All moneys 

 not expended, either from the sale of crops or from 

 the capital not used, will also be divided." 



"Hon. Simon Brown." 



For the Kew England Farmer, 

 VALUE OF FORESTS. 



The preservation, growth and culture of the 

 woods or forests of New England are subjects 

 of interest to every citizen. The inclemency 

 of our winters draws heavily upon them for 

 the support of the family fire, while our net- 

 work of railroads require large quantities of 

 fuel to warm up the iron horse lor the work 

 that is required of him. 



It is to be regretted that our forests should 

 be destroyed by the wholesale, as they are, 

 and that so little effort is made to keep up the 

 supply. There is a large breadth of worn and 

 exhausted or rough land, unfit for cultivation, 

 that would pay a fair rate of interest, if al- 

 lowed to grow up to wood. Our forests per- 

 form at least a three-fold purpose : first as a 

 means of renovating the soil, and restoring it 

 to something like its primitive fertility ; sec- 

 ond, their value for timber and fuel ; and third, 

 their influence on our climate. From careful 

 observation there can be no doubt that the 



