86 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



A warning to thoughtless Jesters. — There is 

 now in the New Bedlam, London, a man who 

 was driven mad by being suddenly startled : " As 

 he was one morning crossing his father's fields, 

 on his way to his usual labors, cheerful and 

 guardless, an intimate rustic acquaintance saw 

 him coming, knew his simplicity, stepped aside, 

 and concealed himself behind a bush until the 

 other came up, when he suddenly rushed upon 

 him with a loud shout. He was so astonished 

 by the shock, that he was struck almost sense- 

 less ; he staggered, fell, and fainted away. The 

 current of his blond seemed for some time ar- 

 rested, and his pulsation ceased. He was taken 

 up and conveyed home ; delirium ensued and 

 madness followed, which has ever since contin- 

 ued without abatement, to a degree not only 

 pitiable, but dangerous to all who approach 

 him." 



Floating Grist Mills. — This kind of mills is 

 used in abundance on the river Ohio. The 

 mill is supported by two boats, and tlio wheel, 

 which is the principal part of the machinery, 

 moves between them. The boats move in ev- 

 ery direction on the river, and when employ- 

 ment can be obtained, they are generally placed 

 near the edge of it, in the strongest current, and 

 the mill is then set in motion. These mills will 

 grind a bushel of corn nearly as quick as those 

 propelled by water. It is by this means that 

 many neighborhoods, and even (owns are suppli- 

 ed with their corn meal. 



O^rfen's Letters from the Jf^est. 



Wine. — A Danish chemist has demonstrated 

 that apple juice mixed with a great quantity of 

 sugar produces a drink which more resembles 

 wine than any other substitute. Cherries and 

 currants, he says, arc not so proper for wine as 

 the apple. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



.SATUUU.W, OCTOBER 11, 1823. 



produce not only the Flowers of Friendship, but the 

 Fruits of Useful Knowledge ; and that every minute of 

 time spent at the Cattle Show, will leave behind it the 

 stamp of improvement. We hope that at the close of 

 the exhibition every individual will be able to say, " I 

 have not only been amused but benefited by the Far- 

 mer's Festival and Artist's Anniversary." In order to 

 induce this very desirable consummation, let every av- 

 enue of useful knowledge be opened by its possessor. 

 In other words, let every person tell what he knows, 

 and learn what he can, respecting the great objects of 

 the association. Let us drink deeper at the fountains 

 of knowledge than at the bar of the landlord. The 

 pleasures of the anniversary will then leave no sting, 

 but survive in agreeable reminiscences. Anticipation 

 will not only be crowned by fruition, but consecrated 

 by recollection ; and we shall all be able to say, that « 

 rfay spent at l/it Brighton Cattle Show is better than 

 many spent elsewhere. 



BRIGHTON CATTLE i~HOW. 



So far as we have been able to observe, appearance 

 indicate that the exhibition at Brighton of the 15th 

 and 16th inst. will command not merely a renovated, 

 but an increased interest. Expectation is broad awake, 

 and Attention all alive to the anticipated proceedings 

 and displays of the Husbandman's Holiday. The com- 

 petitors for the Premiums, the Champions of the 

 Ploughing Match seem eager for the friendly contest 

 — emulous to engage in that amicable strife, in which 

 the Cherub of Peace will twine the laurel of the Con- 

 queror, and the shouts of the victor will not be mingled 

 with the groans of the vanquished. The pleasures of 

 such a day are as pure as they are exquisite ; the 

 means are amusement, the end utility ; and the mind is 

 improved by the same objects which gratify the senses. 



We hope that none amongst the multitude, which i: 

 is wislied and expected may assemble on this occasion, 

 will consider themselves as lookers-on nurelt/., who con- 

 vene for no other purpose than to while away an idl' 

 hour, and feast on the fat of the land. We hope that 

 those who view themselves as spectators, and have nn 

 parts assigned, will not be contented with merely swell- 

 ing the procession, or tilling chairs at the festive board. 

 All have something to communicate or something to 

 learn, or both, which may help to supply the necessi- 

 ties, add to the comforts, or enhance the innocent en- 

 joyments of the great /ami li) of man. We hope that 

 social intercourse will be so correctly cultivated as to 



The following article was marked for insertion in 

 our last paper, but omitted by mistake. This lircum- 

 stance we regret, as we consider the Plodghuvg 

 Match as the Cap Sheaf of a Cattle Show : and as 

 necessary to give a. finish to the customary preceedings 

 on .'such occasions as a dessert to a feast, or a glass of 

 cider to a farmer's dinner. Sir John Sinclair, the first 

 agriculturist in Europe, has expressed some opinions on 

 this subject, with which we believe every considerate 

 cultivator will fully coincide. The passage we allude 

 to was doubtless dictated by experience, and is so much 

 to the purpose of the contemplated match at Brighton, 

 that we are certain we cannot do better than to give it 

 at full length. 



" Ploughing Matches. — From the great importance 

 of good ploughing, every means should be thought of 

 to extend a practical knowledge of the art ; and no 

 plan has been found more elfectual for that purpose, 

 than that of fj/afj/ii/iing a competition among plough- 

 men^ and rewarding those who excel. At such meetings, 

 farmers have been instructed, when they only came to 

 be amused; their prejudices have worn away; and 

 they have been induced to try new instruments of hus- 

 bandry, and new modes of culture. Were it possible 

 to impress upon the minds of our farmers in general, 

 the great importance of good ploughing, more sspecial- 

 ly the advantage of using ploughs with two liorses [or 

 oxen] without a driver, and to make them sensible of 

 the benefits of deep ploii^hiug ; several millions per 

 annum would be added to the valueof the united king- 

 dom." 



Among other motives for improvement in the struc- 

 ture and management of the plough, we would suggest 

 one, which perhaps is not generally adverted to. " The 

 merciful man is merciful to his beast." Our oxen and 

 our horses should have good tools to labor with, as well 

 as their masters. By facilitating the labors of the poor 

 quadrupeds, who afford their all important aid to the 

 husbandman, we obey as well the dictates of humani- 

 ty as of self interest. Even the cattle of our pastures 

 and stalls, " had they our reason," and powers of 

 speech, would therefore manifest their approbation of 

 I'l.ouGHi.NG Matches. 



PLOUGHING MATCH AT BRIGHTON. 



The Committee of Arrangements for the 

 Cattle Show in Brighton, have been furnished 

 ;^as on several former occasions) with a suitable 

 |)iece of ground for the Ploughing Match, by 

 Mr. Francis Winship — it is north of his house, 

 on the road loading from Cambridge to Brigh- 

 ton Meeting-honse, a few rods from the ground 

 used for the same purpose last year; is laid out 

 m lots by a carelul surveyor, viz : — eleven lots 

 of oue eighth of an acre each, to be ploughed 



with one yoke of oxen, and nine lots of o 

 quarter of an acre each, to be ploughed wi 

 two yoke of oxen. The soil in quality is 

 near alike as can be expected in a level plat 

 the reqasite size, with a margin for the acco 

 modation of spectators. The following extr; 

 is from the jiremium list published in Janua 

 last, and distributed through the Stale — " ( 

 t' e second day of the Cattle Show, viz. the 16 

 day of October, premium-: will be awarded 

 the owners and ploughmen of the three ploug 

 drawn by one yoke of oxen which shall be a 

 judged by the Committee to have perfornn 

 the best work with the least expense of tin 

 and labor, not exceeding an eighth of an ac; 

 to each plough, and to the three ploughs whii 

 shall have ploughed one quarter of an ac; 

 with two yoke of oxen that shall be adjudgi 

 to have performed the best work nith the lea 

 expense of labor. There will be two Ci mmi 

 tees of three persons each, the one to be judji 

 es of the ploughing by one yoke of cattle, til 

 other of the ploughing by two yoke of cnttll ^ 

 Notice to be given, at least, fourteen days b 

 fore the aforesaid 16th of October, that ll 

 ground is prepared and may be examined | 

 those disposed to compete for the premiunj 

 which are as lollows (being the same for dd 

 ble as single teams); — 



First Plough, $\b 

 Ploughman, 8 

 Driver, 4 



Second Plough, gU) 

 Ploughman 5 



Driver, ,'5 



Third Plough, p 

 Ploughman, 3 



Driver, 2 



$\\ 



The sum assigned for driver to be award^ 

 ploughman in each case of no driver. T| 

 person intending to compete lor these priz 

 must give notice to Gorliam Parsons, or 

 Francis Winship, of Brighton, by letter, pj 

 paid, or by personal application, on or before 

 15th of October, the day previous to the Ploud 

 ing Match. The competitors will be considi 

 ed as agreeing to follow such ! ules and regit 

 lions as may be adopted by the Committee. Tf 

 satisfaction expressed by the agriculturists wll 

 have attended the Ploughing Matches for sevft 

 al years past, will induce the Society to continif 

 their premiums annually in connexion with th 

 Cattle Show, believing it an efficacious iiiean 

 of exciting emulation and improvement m tb 

 use and construction of the most important ip. 

 strument of agriculture. I 



GOKHAM PARSONS, Per OrderJl 



Brighton^ Hcpt. '27, 1823. * 



N. B. It must be understood by the cofti 



petitors that the turrows must not exceed l(t 



inches in width. -j 



( 



The Middlesex Cattle i/«;i<> of which we have giv- 

 en an oflicial account, in the preceding pages, is spok 

 en of in terms of higli approbation by well qualifieii 

 judges who were present. V\ e have only to regret thil 

 indispensable avocations (caused in part, by the ab- 

 sence, on a journey of the Proprietor of tliis papw) 

 kept the Editor, as it were, tethered in Boston. Not- 

 withstanding our wish to greet our Concord friends, ffl- 

 joy their society, witness and applaud their improW- 

 ments, partake of thiir festivity, and see and heu 

 the fat, fair, fine, facetious, ingenious, useful, seati- 



