518 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



LETTER FROM MR. BROWN. 



Greenfidd, Mass., Sept. 24, 1857. 



The annual farmer.'*' festival tor Franklin county 

 commenced in this town yesterday morning, during 

 a brisk rain which undoubtedly kept a good many 

 bipeds, as well as quadrupeds, at home. The show 

 of cattle was much less on this account than it 

 otherwise would have been. Among those pre- 

 sented, some were unusually fine, and all were re- 

 markably good. Hon. Henry W. Cushman, of 

 Bernardslon, had a herd of Durham and native 

 with Devons which attracted much attention ; they 

 nave attained considerable celebrity for good milk- 

 ing properties, docility and rapid growtli. He had 

 on the ground seven generations, all raised on his 

 farm. Gov, C. stated that this stock had all been 

 reared, fed and trained by one man — Mr. Mar- 

 shall Slate. Among the bulls was a Durham, 

 the property of John S. Taylor, of Shelburne, a 

 grade bull, presented by Jonathan McLellan, of 

 Deerfield, a Hereford, by S. P. Chase, of Bernard- 

 ston, and a Northumberland, by R. and J. Ander- 

 son, of Shelburne, all very fine. Among the cat- 

 tle for the stall, F. W. Stebbins, of Deerfield, had 

 a grade Durham, weighing 4,300 lbs. ; John San- 

 derson, of Bernardston, one, 4000 lbs. ; and there 

 were excellent animals by Charles Jones, Deerfield, 

 and R. and J. Anderson, Shelburne. T. Stough- 

 ton, of Gill, had fine Alderney cows. Austin Rice, 

 Conway, 3 years old steers, and Mr. Long, of 

 Shelburne, a pair of 3 years old steers weighing 

 3,800 pounds. 



In the Exhibition Hall were specimens of do- 

 mestic manufacture ; butter, cheese, maple sugar, 

 and syrup from the Chinese sugar cane. A collec- 

 tion of immense squashes, farm implements, &c., 

 &c. The cheeses were very fine, and so was the 

 maple sugar. 



The address was delivered by Hon. Josiah Quin- 

 cy, Jr., of Boston. It was listened to with great 

 interest by the intelligent audience, and exhibited 

 not only high culture and extensive observation, 

 but deep sympathy with the feelings?, motives and 

 wants of human life. He began by speaking of 

 the preponderating influence of Agriculture in this 

 country ; said there were twenty-five thousand 

 lawyers, one hundred thousand merchants, and 

 about four millions engaged in Agricultural pur- 

 suits. Successful Agriculture is the foundation of 

 our National prosperity. It is the only pursuit 

 that is universally esteemed honorable among all 

 classes of men. 



He then spoke at some length, of what he saw 

 at the great Agricultural Fair at Paris. Princes 

 and nobles who would scorn to engage in trade or 

 banking, or even in the learned professions, would 

 4iindle into enthusiasm when discussing the points 

 of an ox, or the qualities of a manure. Duchesses 

 and noble ladies mingled freely among the cattle, 



and handled them with the zest of graziers and 

 butchers. The nobility both in England and on 

 the continent, consider nothing relating to agricul- 

 ture beneath their attention. Land in Europe is 

 much dearer, and labor much cheaper, than in this 

 country. This fact must never be lost sight of 

 when we are discussing the propriety of adopting 

 European modes of culture. 



In England, the farmers in general do not own 

 their land but hold it by leases, of longer or short- 

 er terms. When they have rented a farm for a 

 term of years, they do not hesitate to make large 

 investments in the improvement of the soil. They 

 engage in extensive works of drainage, and apply 

 large quantities of manure to the soil, and procure 

 the best implements and the best stock adapted to 

 the object they have in view. 



On the continent, especially in France, since 

 the Revolution of '98, the soil has been divided 

 among an immense number of small proprietors. 

 There are some large farms, but the majority of 

 them are very small, some consisting of only a few 

 square rods, or even yards. It is said that the av- 

 erage size of farms in France is not more than 

 eleven acres. 



In mo.st parts -of Europe, every inch of ground 

 is cultivated. In Switzerland, the peasants not on- 

 ly carry the manure up the declivities of the moun- 

 tains, but they actually carry the soil upon their 

 backs, of which they construct the terraces, to 

 which they apply the manure. In Holland, the 

 keels of the ships float higher than the tops of the 

 houses, and the fishes look down with tears in their 

 eyes, upon the birds that are carrolling among the 

 trees which grow upon the soil, from which the sea 

 is shut off by enormous dykes. Under such cir- 

 cumstances, it is obvious that land must be held at 

 extravagant prices. In this country land is cheap, 

 and labor is dear. Every man, with industry and 

 economy, can be the bona fide owner of the soil he 

 cultivates. He is not liable to be ejected from i 

 at the caprice of a landlord, or required to pay a 

 rent that absorbs all the profit. He can follow his 

 own taste or interest, and engage in such depart- 

 ment of agriculture as he chooses, and adopt such 

 methods of culture as he pleases. He can tap his 

 own barrel of cider without getting permission of 

 the excise officer. He is at liberty to believe what 

 he pleases upon the most important of all subjects, 

 without the permission of the priest. He can hold 

 what opinions he pleases upon matters of govern- 

 ment, without being liable to arrest. He can ex- 

 press hi^ approbation or disapprobation of those 

 who rule over him, at the ballot box. The only 

 political allegiance which he acknowledges is that 

 which he owes to the laws, which he has, more or 

 less directly, a voice in framing. These circum- 

 stances lead to independence, enterprise, activity of 

 life, intelligence, shrewdness, expansion of views 



