106 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



tion, lor our soil, — its chesipnebs of support,— 

 the ease with which it is reared,— its certain 

 and regular increase in worth, and it^ intrinsic 

 value in case of accident, should be sufficient 

 inducement to its universal use, and preclude 

 the necessity of persuasion. 



But the fact is not to be disguised ! The 

 Horse is too often substituted for the Ox, and 

 when maintained beyond necessity, becomes a 

 source of consuming expenditure. The great 

 increase of this animal has, in several parts oi 

 Europe, been thought the mean of public in- 

 ■eonvenience and distress. 



Is it not then a dictate of sound consideration 

 with the Farmer, not to multiply the Horse (the 

 greatest consumer of all animals of the means ot 

 support to man) beyond his convenience and 

 necessity ; whose valoe depends on so many 

 casualties, and ceases with his breath, in pref- 

 erence to the Ox, whose utility has been tested 

 by long tried, and well founded experience ? 

 who when he ceases to improve is made to add 

 to our means of support, and to enlarge the in- 

 terests of the community ; every effort to ad- 

 rance which, should be zealously supported by 

 the Agriculturists of Massachusetts.— All which 

 is submitted by JOHN WELLES, 



SILAS GATES, 

 ELIJAH PERRY, 

 NATHL. TUCKER. 



REPORT No. VIH. 



BnwHToN, Oct. 1G, 1823. 



The C(ynmittee on Agricultural Experiments, 

 io whom whs also committed the inspection of 

 sundry articles of manufacture, for which pre- 

 miums were offered, reiort : 



That six parcels of Cheese, of more than a 

 year old ; and lifteen parcels of new Cheese, 

 were uCfeicd tor the Society's premiums ; much 

 of it, in the opinion of your committee, superi- 

 or to any hitherto exhibited; marking, most 

 evidently, improvement in the cpjality of this 

 article. All the Cheese exhibited was I'rom the 

 town of New Braintree, in the County of Wor 



Mr. Gideon Delano, of New Braintree, offer- 

 ed specimens of Butler, and Cheese, which are 

 of a good quality, made between the 16th day 

 of May and the first day of October, from ten 

 cowJ, fed exclusively upon grass — the entire 

 quantity of Cheese being 2741 lbs. and of But- 

 ter ni lbs. Your Committee recommend that 



the premium of twenty dollars be gi-anted to tion. 

 said Delano. ~ 



Mr. Samuel Hobbs, of Weston, is entitled to 

 the premium of ten dollars, for the best dress- 

 ed Calf Skins— and Mr. H. H. Hide, of Fram- 

 ingham, to the premium of five dollars, for the 

 next best. 



Five sides of Sole Leather were entered by 

 Messrs. Benjamin Myrlck &. Co. of Roxbury, 

 but your Committee did not consider them suf- 

 ficiently well manufactured to be entitled to 

 the Society's premium — the leather not being 

 of an uncommon good quality. 



Four specimens of Currant Wine were en- 

 tered for the Society's premium ; that offered 

 by John Prince, Esq. was considered to be the 

 best, and is entitled to the premium often dol- 

 lars — John Kenrick, Esq. of Newton, is entitled 

 to the premium of five dollars, fur the next 

 best. 



A specimen of Wine made from the Elder- 

 berry, by Thomas Spencer, of Beverly, was 

 exhibited; it appeared to be a pleasant, and is 

 said to be a wholesome liquor, but one on 

 which no premium was offered by the Society; 

 your Committee recommend that a gratuity of 

 three dollars be paid by the Treasurer to said 

 Spencer. 



Some canisters of Mustard, manufactured by 

 Messrs. Bickford &. Kellog, of Boston, were en- 

 tered for exhibition, and were found on trial Io 

 be equal, it not superior to any imported — no 

 premium was offered by the Society for this 

 article. 



By order of the Committee. 



THOMAS L. VVINTHROP, Chairman. 

 The further claitin for premiums on Agricul- 

 tural Experiments, will not be decided upon un 



ter of great importance that the be«t bre 

 should be generally introduced. Farmers, 

 others, therefore, who possess the best brei 

 would undoubtedly find it to their advantagi 

 exhibit them. The Cinvs wore commended 

 number and quality, and th?. long team of 

 yokes, mostly of red oxen, excited great ati 



S 



imfP 



;!'• 

 Dnincstic Manufactures. — The specimens ipt 



blue Broadcloths were good; some of them» 



respect to fineness of fabric, dressing and co 



ere highly creditable to the skill of the nc 



ulacturor. The Flannels were nearly dou 



in quinlily to what had been offered bef< 



and some pieces of superior quality. '' We 



t.ccd 111 particular, for its fine quality, a pi j„ 



filled With cotton, and offered by Mr. Ira M! y, 



ler, but on which no premium could be gi?' 



because it was not entirely of wool." 



Of Lmen Diapers there was a fine displ 



One piece in particular was said to exceed. „!( 



consisted of 20 yards of real Damask Ta .fl' 



Linen ; the figures, those of birds. It was* (Ij. 



fered hy Miss Mary L. Porter, oi Farmingtofl fr 



>n 



lOil 



cester; excepting one parcel of four Cheeses, til the Trustees' meeting in December next 



entered by Mr. Jacob Osgood, of Andover, in 

 the County of Essex, which was well made and 

 of good quality. Of the old Cheese, that from 

 the dairy of Mr. Job Rainger, was consider- 

 ed to he the richest and best made, and is enti- 

 tled to the premium of ten dollars — that from 

 the dairy of Mr. Elisha Mathews, the next best, 

 and is entitled to the premium of five dollars. 

 Of the new Cheese, that from the dairy of Mr. 

 Joseph Green, was adjudged to be the best, and 

 is entitled to the premium of ten dollars— that 

 from the dairy of iVlr. Alpheus Gilbert, the next 

 best, and is entitled to the premium of five 

 dollars. 



Ten specimens of Butter were entered for 

 premium, most of which is of an excellent 

 quality — that from the dairy of Mr. Jonathan 

 Upham, of Newton, was considered to be the 

 best, and is entitled to the premium of fifteen 

 dollars — that from the dairy of Stephen Hast- 

 ings, of Sterling, the next best, and is entitled 

 to the premium of ten dollars — that from the 

 dairy of Mr. Jepthah Parker, of Chelmsford, 

 the next best, and is entitled to the premium of 

 seven dollars — and that from the dairy of the 

 Rev. Lemuel Capen, of South Boston, being in 

 lumps, and made in June last, the next best, and 

 is entitled to the premium of five dollars. 



affording time for the competitors to exhibit the 

 evidence required ; soon thereafter the Com- 

 mittee will make and publish an additional Re- 

 port. 



HARTFORD CATTLE SHOW. 



On Wednesday the 8th of October, the Hart- 

 ford County Agricultural Society held their Gtli 

 anniversary Cattle Show and Fair, in the city 

 of Hartford. 



An official Report of this Exhibition was pre- 

 pared by Dr. Comstock, the Corresponding Sec- 

 retary of the Society, from which we have 

 made the following abstract and selections: 



The exhibition of the present y^ear, compar- 

 ed with those of former years, in some respects 

 by far exceeded any former Show. The ani- 

 mals were more than double in number, and 

 superior in quality; particularly the H'orkiiig 

 O.cen, Three years old Steers, and Bulls. The 

 Slieep were few in number, compared with 

 what might have been exhibited, did the far- 

 mers pay proper attention to this kind of slock. 

 The Swine were many of them of the first qua- 

 lity, but the number less than was expected. 

 Dr. Comstock remarks that " this being an ani- 

 mal which almost every house-keeper in the 

 countrv fats for his own use, it becomes a mat- 



Of Flannel Blankets there was a deficiei 

 which it is hoped the next Fair will remedj 



Of Coverlets and Counterpanes there v 

 handsome display. " On these two articlei 

 Society have heretofore offered no premi 

 it is however hoped they will be includei 

 next year." 



Carpets. — " A very beautiful piece offerei 

 Mr. Lemuel Howlet, of Hartford, could nol 

 ceive the premium because it was partly 

 of tow or cotton. We hope the next yearj 

 custom will be changed, lor there is cert; 

 more merit in making an equally good ca 

 of tow and wool than of wool alone." 



Siockinifs. — These were woollen, worij 

 linen, cotton and silk. "Some of the speci 

 were of the finest quality. The linen andj 

 ton pairs which took the premiums were " 

 tiful specimens of the art of knitting." 



" Bonnets. — In this article, it is believei 

 Shows have generally exceeded in beaut 

 fineness, any other in this country. This 

 we are sorry to see so little competition 

 article so costly, and so generally in use. 

 truth is our ladies ought to make their 

 Leghorns. Experiment has shown lhat_ 

 possess within the country, both materials,j| 

 ingenuity to fabricate as beautiful hats as' 

 be made any where. The saving of ca^ 

 the county would be rr.any thousand da 

 yearlv, if this was done. Among the bonK 

 we noticed one made of straw, which waspj 

 nounced by competent judges superior in bp 

 ly and fineness to any specimen ever seej 

 our shows." 



Hearth Ri'gs, Butter and Cheese are take! 

 lice of, but offer nothing remarkable 



Among the miscellaneous specimens ol 

 were a collection of Coins from the cahini 

 the Rev. Mr. llobbins, of East Windsor, tn 

 sisting of 342 pieces, viz. 210 of copper, 

 silver, and 20 alloy. The dates are cbii 

 within 200 years, and many of them rare 

 valuable. 



" As a specimen of Domestic Manufacluti 

 nothing ever exhibited at our shows can k 

 compared with a Cloak m.iuufacfured and offf 

 ed by Mi.ss Sarah H. Hubbard, of VViiitnnhui, 

 The colors, in imitation of the Scotch I'laiJ 

 were on the whole more beautifully and (aslt 



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