18o7. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



349 



alacrity as Scott ever showed in using his sword ; 

 pnd she would lay it about the ears of my friend 

 with SHch fury as fairly to make him roar. 



At the close of a warm day in summer my friend 

 seated himself upon his stool, to milk said cow. 

 But the moment he placed his hand upon her bag, 

 slap came her tail right in his eye. But this was 

 her last, for, the rye of my friend falling upon the 

 hair that grew so profusely at the extremity of her 

 tail- the thought instantly suggests itself that by 

 tying it around his leg, he should then have com- 

 mand of said tail. This he does, and is about to 

 commence operations again, when the cow, finding 

 that her tall was confined, instantly starts off, throw- 

 ing my poor friend upon his back, and taking him 

 with her, much against his inclination. It happened 

 that in the yard there was a large puddle of water, 

 occasioned by heavy rains. Towards this the cow 

 (with poor Gilpin behind,) made her way ; using, 

 I suppose, the philosophy of the tinner, who al- 

 ways gives the article he wishes to cover with tin, 

 a coating of acid, before applying the tin, to make 

 it adhere. Whether the cow used this philos- 

 ophy, or not, I cannot say, but she took my friend 

 through the centre of this pond, and then directed 

 her course to the manure heaps, over three of which 

 she passed, with my friend streaming behind, look- 

 ing like the tail of a comet, only not quite so bril- 

 liant. But at this point, a l)rother (who had been 

 apprized of my friend's situation, by his cries,) came 

 to the rescue, and he was soon released from his 

 unpleasant companion. 



Now, this cow-milker's assistant, Mr. Stearns in- 

 forms us, will prevent swearing, and I have no 

 doubt but it would have prevented this calamity 

 that I have just narrated, and although it was in- 

 vented in 1854, yet, I must say, (hat I was not 

 aware that there was such a machine until I saw 

 Mr, Stearns' account of it. I shall endeavor to 

 persuade my friend to purchase one as a preven- 

 tive against such accidents. li. A. H. 



Monson, 1857. 



home, when in the city ; but still, we do not feel 

 quite at ease there ,■ we are a little afraid of inter- 

 rupting his duties, when we see him only able to 

 answer our inquiries, in the briefest possible man- 

 ner that civility admits. Pardon these hasty sug- 

 gestions. You will understand that I mean no of- 

 fence to any one, but wish that my occupation 

 should have that position in the City of Notions 

 that its importance demands. Why not discuss 

 this topic at one of the farmers' meetings ? * 



FRUIT TREES. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL 

 CLUB. 



On page 136 of Vol. VIII. of the JVew England 

 Farmer, published in March, 1856, is a sensible and 

 practical proposition for the organization of this 

 club. Can you tell me, Messrs. Editors, whether 

 the hint then given has ever been taken, and wheth- 

 er any steps have ever been commenced for the or- 

 ganization of such a club ? If not, why not ? Is 

 there no one about the State House of sufficient 

 public spirit to leau oft' in the matter ? Even sup- 

 pose the highest officers of State to be so occupied 

 about the concerns of the State as to have no time 

 to spare for this collateral business, there are the 

 Secretary of State, the Teasurer of State, and the 

 Secretary of the Board of Agriculture, all furnished 

 with spacious and comfortable rooms, and as much 

 clerical assistance as they ask for. Why cannot one 

 or all of these see to it ? If they cannot, why can- 

 not you, .Mr. Editor, and your neighboring editors, 

 volunteer to look after it ? Mark my word, let it be 

 done, and it will prove one of the most useful and 

 creditable associations in the State. I know that 

 many of us farmers have taken the liberty to go in- 

 to Secretary Flint's room, and make ourselves at 



The importation of foreign fruit trees and seeds 

 this Spring, now nearly over, are estimated to have 

 been at least fifty per cent, in excess of those of 

 any former year ; and this branch of horticulture 

 is fast acquiring importance. The destn:ction of 

 trees by the severity of the two last winters, and 

 the rapid settlement of Western lands, — but more 

 than all, the encouragement to the culture of do- 

 mestic fruit aft'orded by the formation of numerous 

 Agriculturul societies throughout the country, have 

 given an impetus to this business which is quite un- 

 precedented. The demand for young trees has 

 much exceeded the supply. It may seem somewhat 

 singular that we are unable to produce trees and 

 fruits for ourselves, without resorting to other coun- 

 tries, but our changeable climate does not favor their 

 growth to the same perfection. Even between the 

 Eastern States and the Western, the difference in 

 climate and soil is such that fruit often undergoes 

 an entire metamorphosis, — the dwarfish specimens 

 of the East being scarcely recognizable in the ex- 

 uberant growth of the more genial West. 



Trees are imjiorted in bales and cases, chiefly 

 from France, England and Scotland ; and seeds are 

 invoiced by the ton. Their aggregate value for the 

 season it is difficult to calculate ; but as the nurse- 

 rymen chiefly import through a single agency in 

 this city, some approximation may be made. The 

 largest nurseries in the United States are in the 

 vicinity of Rochester, where there are something 

 like 2,000 acres of young trees in process of culture, 

 A single firm has as many as 400 acres. At Syra- 

 cuse there is a nursery of 300 acres, and very large 

 ones are to be found in nearly all the principal 

 Western cities — even in Desmoints and Dubuque, 

 which were recently in the heart of the wilderness. 

 Illinois is taking the lead among fruit-growing 

 States, being convenient of access from the newly 

 opened Territories, and possessing a soil and climate 

 peculiarly favoring a large production. Indiana, 

 too, is giving the subject much attention. 



It is very singular that agriculturists nearer home, 

 particularly in New Jersey, are not able to discover 

 the immense advantage that would result from a 

 more extended culture of fruits of the choicer vari- 

 eties, adapted to city consumption. Placed within 

 reach of the great markets of New York and Phila- 

 delphia, this description of produce would be read- 

 ily convertible into cash, and on such terms as to 

 secure a munificent return for the labor and capital 

 expended. The few cultivators already in the field 

 are profiting by their sagacity, but it will be long 

 before they can supply the demands made upon 

 them by our 'ruiterers and confectioners. As is 

 well known, choice pears often sell at half a dollar 

 apiece, or even twice that amount. The exportation 

 of trees, such as evergreens and forest trees, is in- 

 creasing quite fast. — Jour, of Com. 



