530 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



For the New England Farmer. 



FESTIVAL AT NEWBURYPORT. 



The wheels of iime have again brought round the 

 Farmer's holiday, with all its joys and greetings. 

 Each year leaves the impression that never before 

 have we seen so large a multitude of interested he- 

 holders. This speaks well for the community. 

 When they consent to travel ten or twenty miles to 

 greet each other, and to see who can produce su- 

 perior products — this shows a healthy feeling. 



Of the cattle exhibited the number was quite 

 equal to any former year. Of their peculiarities 

 of character, we can only be informed by the dis- 

 criminating observations of the particular commit- 

 tees, all of whom are selected for their fitness to 

 judge. I saw Durhams, Devons, Ayrshires, Jer- 

 seys and Natives, and crosses of ajlwith the Natives 

 — from which is our best ex-pectation, I saw one cow 

 from the splendid farm of Dr. Robinson, of West 

 Newbury, said to yield 26 quarts of milk per day. 

 I think it will not be easy to find a better product. 

 28 teams v/ere on the plowing field, with every va- 

 riety of best-formed plow. There is no community 

 more watchful of this essential implement of cul- 

 ture than the farmers of Essex. Ever since the 

 days of the renowned Perley Tapley, there have 

 been those emulous of his fame as a skilled plow- 

 man. I like to see boys of sixteen trying their 

 hands at the plow. No one can do better than 

 these, if they would but try. The address by Dr. 

 Kelley was wise and witty. When published it will 

 be creditable to the society and its author. The 

 speeches at the table were first-rate, just long 

 enough, and not too many of them. Our friend, 

 the Secretary, though a little overdone with much 

 service, is still courteous and attentive to all his du- 

 ties. No society has been better served in this ca- 

 pacity than has Essex. 



I am not advised of the locality of their next ex- 

 hibition, — probably at Lynn or Danvers, unless the 

 society shall come into possession of the Treadwell 

 farm situate in the centre of Topsfield ; which will 

 afford ample space for all the experiments and im- 

 provements ingenuity can suggest. Long life to 

 the good lady who keeps them out of possession, 

 and a blissful rest in heaven when she leaves this 

 terrestrial abode. Observer. 



October 3, 1857. 



For the New England Farmer. 



"A LITTLE MORE CRAIJBERRY." 



Our friend Needham was on hand, on Saturday 

 last, with his bushel of well assorted cranberries, at 

 the reasonable charge of $4. Instead of one hun- 

 dred bushels, as he gathered on his patch the last 

 year, he has only forty the present year, by rea- 

 son of the extreme cold of the winter, and the 

 breaking in upon and disturbance of his beds. But 

 forty bushels on half an acre, producing $150,isno 

 mean crop, when we consider that no expense of 

 fertilization is required for the growing of it. Mr. 

 N. has demonstrated, by more than half a dozen 

 years' successful culture, that cranberries can be 

 grown on upland ; and that there is profit in grow- 

 ing them. To be sure, as you remarked, Mr. Edi- 

 tor, it is necessary to keep down the grass and 

 weeds among the cranberry plants, but no more 

 necessary than in any other successful culture. 

 AVhat is there that will grow as well with grass and 



weeds intermixed, as it will without these intru- 

 ders ? Trees, themselves, will not grow with such 

 incumherances around. Whatever is worth having, 

 is worth cultivating with care. No one who has 

 enjoyed the luxury of fine flavored cranberry sauce 

 wiih his dinner, will be sparing of his change when 

 such a luxury is tendered. I know of no sauce that 

 will compare with that of cranberry, when made of 

 those plump, hard, and spirited — such as are Need- 

 ham's uplands. * 

 October 5, 1857. 



For the New England Fanner. 



DRAINING OF LAND. 



BY HENRY F. FREXCH. 



My observations in other countries during the 

 past season have deepened the impression which I 

 have long had, that thorough drainage is the great 

 improvement to which farmers in New England 

 should now give attention. 



There is much land that requires no drainage, 

 but there is hardly to be found a hundred or even 

 a fifty acre farm, that has not many acres that 

 would well repay the cost of this operation. And 

 the mode of draining must be mainly with tiles, laid 

 where practicable, at a depth of four feet or more, 

 and in drains from one to four rods apart, accord- 

 ing to the nature and condition of the soil. 



Agreeably to my threat of last spring, tile works 

 have been established in Exeter, where some thou- 

 sands of tiles are made weekly, and sold at Albany 

 prices, twelve dollars per thousand for two-inch 

 tiles. Our neighbors are, however, so, wide awake 

 on the subject that the manufacturers have not yet 

 been able to supply the home market, and do not 

 dare to advertise their wares. Let it be understood, 

 by the way, that the writer has no interest in these 

 works, except that which all farmers have. It is 

 expected that next season's operations will be more 

 extensive. My land drained last fall, which last 

 year was too wet to work on the 5th of June, was 

 plowed on the 16th of April last, and was in good 

 order then to plant. It was planted with corn 

 about the 20th of May, and has now upon it a good 

 crop of corn, a fair sprinkling of pumpkins, and, 

 from seed sown at the last hoeing in the corn, a 

 good crop of turnips, and has suflered neither from 

 water nor drought. 



The tiles used last year were from Albany, and 

 cost here $25 per thousand. I am now laying three 

 thousand more, from the Exeter works, of similar 

 quality, which cost me $12 per thousand, and we 

 Rockingham people wish to suggest, with great hu- 

 mility, that we have just now "got the start of this 

 majestic world," at least this corner of it, in this 

 matter of drainage with tiles. If there is enter- 

 prise enough in Massachusetts or the other small 

 States to start some tile- works, we shall feel proud 

 to see our example followed. The Whately tile 

 works are not forgotten, but they are so far from 



