1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



31 



speed now and then. But the question with me is, 

 whether this "new thing" is going to operate favora- 

 bly or otherwise on our agricultural shows ? I am 

 well satisfied from what I have seen of its operation 

 thus far, that this part of the "performance" will 

 have a bad tendency and work ultimately to the in- 

 jury of our fairs. I shall be most happily disap- 

 pointed if they do not. There is a strong sympa- 

 thy and love existing between mankind and the 

 horse-kind. He must have a small soul and a hard 

 lieart, who does not love the horse ; and this attrac- 

 tion of "interest" will develop itself more and 

 more in this direction, just in ijroporlion as the so- 

 cieties give prominence to the "course," to the de- 

 triment of other and more important interests of 

 the farmer ; for whose special, not exclusive, bene- 

 fit, these "shows" are held. 



If the "course" is continued, I fear that we shall 

 find it absorbing nearly every other interest. Was 

 rot this the case at the United States Show in Bos- 

 ton ? Verily it was. Compared with these latter, 

 all others were but a speck of that vast congrega 

 tion — and so on from beginning to the end. The 

 reason of this, I have already stated. There is 

 scarcely another domestic animal to which man- 

 kind are so strongly attached as the horse, and well 

 he may be, for there is hardly another that admin- 

 isters more to man's health, comfort or enjoyment. 

 What would you do ? I answer — so far as our ag- 

 ricultural shows are concerned, I would have them 

 confined within the circle of the generality of far- 

 mers' productions and pleasures. Horse-racing and 

 trotting is not legitimately one of these. Perhaps 

 there are few who agree with me in this, but I think 

 not. If my "article" only produces a little thinking 

 on this important subject, its object will be accom- 

 plished. 



King Oak Hill, 1856. T. Q. Norton. 



Hubbardston Nonsuch 5 ; Thompson's Co. King 5 ; 

 Norton's Melon 5 ; Sopsavine 5 ; making 200- 

 1800; total, 2000. 



The Early Harvest and Prince Yellow Harvest 

 do not thrive well here. The Summer Harvey 

 does much better. What of the Early Bloomfield 

 and the Carter api)les ? 



I observed an article in your paper in relation to 

 winter pears ; that there is no such thing as a win- 

 ter pear. If this is so, the public should be unde- 

 ceived in regard to it. I recently purchased at 

 different times and places, 400 or 500 pear trees, 

 some of which were advertised to keep till June, as 

 the Episcopal and Easter Beurre, &c. 1 wish to 

 be advised in regard to the facts in the case. How 

 is it with the Concord grape ? Some denounce it 

 as a humbug. I never have seen a grape worth 

 cultivating in the open air in this latitude. I sub- 

 mit these questions at the present time, as winter 

 afibrds sufficient leisure for the investigation of the 

 subject. 



Speaking of winter, reminds one of the necessity 

 of having a good stove — if he must use a stove. 

 By the way, which is the best farmer stove ? And 

 speaking of stoves reminds one of the necessity of 

 [having plenty of fuel to make a fire therein. There 

 are instances where circumstances preclude the 

 possibility of having dry wood for the winter, as 

 when a man takes possession of premises late in 

 the spring, or in case of sickness. I this case it is 

 much better to go to the woods in the month of 

 June and select trees 6 or 8 inches in diameter 

 and slort them down, letting them lie for the next 

 winter's fuel — the leaves serve as evaporatives, and 

 the wood will be much better than when corded up 

 in the woods. HoNESius Stearxs. 



Windsor Co., Vt., 1856. 



For the JSew England Fanner. 



APPLE TEEES FOE A LARGE ORCHARD 



-STOVES AHD FUEL. 



Mr, Editor : — As your paper seems a medium 

 of conversation for farmers in particular, and every- 

 body in general, I wish to avail myself of the use 

 of its columns to ask a few questions, and make a 

 few remarks and suggestions on various subjects. I 

 am thinking of setting an orchard the present year 

 for the purpose, in part, to raise apples for stock — 

 and I desire to know what varieties to select for 

 this purpose, and also for market, in seasons when 

 apples are scarce, and will pay the expense of trans- 

 portation. Living as I do some ten miles from 

 the railroad, I have marked the following list of 

 2000 trees, and I wish to inquire of those more 

 acquainted with the business, if any important al- 

 terations should be made in this list ? !^Iy farm is 

 better adapted to fruit-growing than anything else. 

 Baldwins do the best, and keep two months longer 

 than those raised in Massachusetts. 



Lis/.— Baldwins 1200; R. L Greenings 300; 

 Northern Spy 200 ; Roxbury Russet 100 ; 1800. 



Miscellaneous. — Red Astracan 50 ; White June- 

 ting 20 ; Danvers Winter Sweet 10 ; Talman Sweet 

 10 ; Ladies' Sweet, 10 ; Early Sweet Bough 10 ; 

 Northern Sweet 10 ; Williams' Favorite 10 ; Por- 

 ters 10 ; American S. Pearmain 5 ; Nodhead 5 ; 

 Detroit Red 5 ; Red Canada 5 ; Fameuse 5 ; Hol- 

 land Pippin 5 ; Gravenstein 5 ; B. Gilliflower 5 ; 



Remarks. — Trees of the same variety do not 

 flourish equally well in different localities, end on 

 different soils. In one town, for instance, the R. 

 I. Greening will afford a fair profit, while in the 

 next it never yields well. The Northern Spy has 

 not yet been sufficiently tested in New England to 

 justify an assertion that it will be valuable. Having 

 seen and eaten the Concord grape for three or four 

 years, we feel safe in saying that we believe it a val- 

 uable acquisition to our list of fruits. 



For the ^'cio England Farmer, 



TRAVELLING COMFORTS. 



After all comforts are provided at home, it is 

 pleasant sometimes to go abroad and visit our 

 friends ; hence we should be provided with good 

 robes of fur, or other material, to keep us warm, — 

 and as buffalo robes are getting scarce and dear, 

 let us see if we cannot find a substitute. Suppose 

 we try good, strong India rubber cloth, and lining 

 it up well with nice printed hocking, stuffing it with 

 woolen flocks, or cotton batting. Well, how do 

 you like it ? Is it not nice, warm and comfortable, 

 and cheap withal, and perfectly impervious _ to 

 water on a wet day ? A buffalo robe, after being 

 exposed to a smart shower, becomes soaked and is 

 a nuisance, H. S. 



JFindsor Co., Vt., 1856. 



