464 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



and it was decided to silence them ; Gen. Lafayette 

 was appointed to the command of a party to storm 

 one of the redoubts, and was left to picli his own 

 men to do the work. I was one of the picked men 

 to face the cannon ; we marched up without firing 

 a shot, and stormed the redoubt and took all pris- 

 oners by the point of the bayonet that were not 

 killed." The old soldier spoke in the most favor- 

 able terms of Gen. Lafayette, whom he esteemed 

 beyond measure. 



In the summer of 1824, Gen. Lafayette arrived 

 at Boston to visit his old friends ; there was a great 

 concourse of people there, and many old soldiers 

 among others went to see the "Marquis." Man- 

 ning said he went up toward him, and the general 

 knew him instantly, and shook hands with him, af- 

 ter an absence of more than forty years. 



Mr. Editor, there is not much agricultural lore 

 in the old soldier's narrative, but it may amuse 

 some of your readers to see his story, and likewise, 

 it reminds us of the miseries and "abominations of 

 desolation," as well as the sufferings which are in- 

 cident to all wars. SlLAS Brown. 



JV*. Wilmington, July, 1857. 



For the New England Farmer. 



SHOW YOUR NEW TOOLS ! 



Mr. Editor : — Should not the dealers and us- 

 ers of any improved farming implements take more 

 pains to exhibit the same in public, and thereby in- 

 struct "the rest of mankind" in the best ways of 

 doing things ? In this vicinity half our farmers 

 never saw a subsoil plow or a mowing-machine, 

 and but few are familiar with the horse-hoe ; so, too, 

 with corn-huskers, hand-corn-planters, the "Ged- 

 des harrow," and many other valuable implements. 

 These things are, to be sure, at our cattle shows, 

 piled up in some corner, but the careful attention 

 of visitors is seldom given to them. Is it not, there- 

 fore, very desirable that every owner of anything 

 of the kind, not universally known, should improve 

 every opportunity for placing it before the eyes of 

 the public? 



A fine occasion for setting any new invention be- 

 fore this community is about to be given. On Sep- 

 tember 10th, the Middlesex Mechanics' Association 

 will open in this city its second great exhibition. 

 The first, which was held in 1851, had articles 

 from 1500 contributors, and during the 29 days it 

 continued, was visited by above 35,000 people from 

 all parts of New England. 



The new fair is intended to excel the former. 

 Four fine halls are to be connected by bridges over 

 the streets, and to these will be added three large 

 rooms, with/ree'steam power for operating the ma- 

 chinery on exhibition ; two-thirds of an acre of floor- 

 ing is thus provided, and it will be needed. Every 

 kind of invention and production, mechanical, sci- 

 entific, agricultural, artistic and domestic, will have 

 an appropriate place : and liberal premiums in the 

 form of gold, silver or bronze medals and beautiful 

 diplomas will be given to the most meritorious. 

 The Superintendent, (John W. Smith, Esq.,) is 

 taking great pains to make the exhibition complete 

 in all its ])arts, and superior to anything ever seen 

 in New England out of Boston. 



This will give a grand chance for exhibiting eith- 

 er agricultural tools or productions, more' especial- 

 ly as the Middlesex North Agricultural Show will 



be held here on the 16lh, and its visitors will '•" 

 sure to give the fair a careful examination. 

 1851 the agricultural department contained sever 

 excellent things, but was lamentably meagre ; fo*- 

 the credit of old Middlesex, the co * g occasion 

 should be better improved. 



The agricultural warehouses will also find it for 

 their interest to lend their aid to the farmers of the 

 country towns. Especially would anything really 

 valuable for ditching and draining, be worth intro- 

 ducing to notice here. Let's see all the new things! 



howdl, Mass., Aug. 17, 1857. J. A. G. 



Fur the New England Farmer. 



HAIR SNAKES-THE SEASON. 



Messrs. Editors : — Since I have been a sub- 

 scriber and reader of the N'eio England Farmer, — 

 which, by the way, I consider the most valuable of 

 all my secular papers — I have observed several ar- 

 ticles on hair snakes. One is in the number for 

 June 20th. The writers all seem to suppose that 

 they are as really organized and living "varmints" 

 as any other snakes. I do not say they are not. 

 I have not seen one for several years, and never 

 had an opportunity to subject one to a microscopic 

 examination. I would like to have it done, and to 

 be informed of the result. I have been told by 

 credible persons who say they have made the ex 

 periment, that if you take one and draw it between 

 your thumb and finger, you will find it to be noth- 

 ing but a hair, as destitute of life and motion as it 

 ever was. What gives it life and a snake-like 

 movement is supposed to be caused by animalculas 

 imperceptible to the naked eye, adhering to it, 

 (whether by the aid of "crickets" I know not) which 

 the thumb and finger take off. 



Will not some of your readers who have a good 

 miscroscope examine the next they find, or if a mi- 

 croscope is not at hand, draw it between the thumb 

 and finger, (I guess it won't bite nor brandish its 

 tongue,) and give us the result in the Farmer. It 

 may solve doubts and settle controversies. 



The season hereabouts till within a few days, has 

 been unusually wet, cold and backward, but grass 

 looks finely, and everything that can grow now ap- 

 pears thrifty and flourishing. I have never seen 

 it more so, and I think that our farmers need not 

 "hang their harps on the willows" yet.* J. w. 



Fitzwilliam, JV. H., June 29th, 1857. 



The Popi-t. — A letter received at the Patent 

 Office from Germany, says the poppy is cultivated 

 in Southern Germany to a large extent as a substi- 

 tute for sweet oil. It has supplanted the use of 

 the imported olive oil wholly in that country. It 

 is further stated that the soil and climate of the 

 New England States is highly suited for the culture 

 of this article, and they might provide the whole 

 Union with sweet oil, and therefore save a large 

 sum of money, which goes to France and Italy. 



To Correspondents. — We have no recollection 

 of rejecting the article spoken of by our esteemed 

 correspondent at Fitzwilliam. The subject to which 

 he refers is one exciting some curiosity, though, per- 

 haps, not one of much practical interest. 



