1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



89 



Here too, is the favorite play-ground of childhood, 

 and better here, l>y far, than amongist the la- 

 boring men or by the road-side with the idle loaf- 

 ers of the village. And -when the uiotlier needs 

 change and pleasure, after she has laid aside 

 broom and duster, where better may she turn lier 

 steps than down paths fringed with roses and lilacs; 

 noAv stopping to train a broken or sti-aggling Ijraneh 

 or plnek a flower ; or revel in the warm sunsliining 

 and summer breeze, 



Thus far the garden has been treated, as though 

 there were but one kind. Such is not the case, and 

 it were best to divide it under difTurent lieads. 

 First, "Flower and Kitchen Garden,"' tlien Flow- 

 er Garden, into the artificial and natural, in eith- 

 er of which we may have flower borders, l)eds, in 

 parterres, 6hru))bery,vines or trellises, &c., and in 

 close connection with which may be hot-houses, 

 conservatories, or mere house and lawn, or yet 

 simpler still, farm-house and front fence. 



For the present we will leave the subject, to be 

 recommenced at tiie consideration of the true flow- 

 er g-arden, as it best accommodates particular lo- 

 calities. R. M. COPELAND. 



Jan., 1854. 



For the New Ens'/and farmer. 



PROMOTION 05" AGRICULTUEAL IM- 

 PROVEMENT. 



Whoever takes a retrospective view of the ag- 

 liculture of Massiichusetts during the last quarter 

 of a century, must be convinced, that greater pro- 

 gress has Ijeen made in this fundamental liranch 

 of human industry, during that period, than in 

 all previous time. 



AViiile heretofore, agriculture has, in some mea- 

 sure, been looked upon as a pursuit that might 

 well be left to the least informed, it is now assum- 

 ing tliat rank among the professions of men, which 

 it must in tlio future, always hold. Underlay- 

 ing, and upholding all other pursuits, it should 

 receive that encouragement and support, which its 

 intrinsic merit demands. Among the prominent; 

 causes, which has given an impetus to this pursuit 

 is the publishing of able papers devoted to the 

 subject, and the establislunent of agricultural 

 societies. 



Altjiough the county societies have done much 

 to efi"ect an improved husbandry, and all that 

 their limited means will permit, still, there is 

 very much more desirable to be done. The time 

 seems to liave arriv(;d when each county society 

 should have a faiTu upon wliieh stock shall be 

 reared from the most valualde domestic animals, 

 which this, or any other country affords. Upon 

 whirh reliable exjieriments shall be made in the 

 cultivation ol"cro|)S, and the most profita])le man- 

 ner of feeding animals. Where the most desira- 

 ble varie-ties of fruit trees shall be })lanted^ and 

 their adaptedness to the locality tested. \Vliere 

 the most valua!>le grains and vegetables shall be 

 produced. Where exact experiments shall be 

 made in the application of the various fertilizing 

 mati'rials in tlie production of j^lauts. In short, 

 from whence the whole agricultural connnunity, 

 shall see, by example, the best mode of culture, 

 and be able to obtiiin the best animals (or tlie im- 

 provement of stfjck. While the county societiesi 

 are doing what tliey may for the ja-omotion of ag-i 

 riculture, it is lK)ped and believed, that there ure| 



in the community men of opulence, and of a 

 generous puldic spirit, who, when they see what 

 some of these societies are most desirous to do, 

 will, sooner or later, make such a donation as 

 shall enal)le them to carry into effect so im{)ort- 

 ant an object. Such a gift for such a purjiose 

 would give new energy to agriculture, and be a 

 monument to the memory of the donor, more en- 

 during than pillars of granite, or inscriptions in 

 "eternal brass." Fortunate would be the society 

 so favored, and happy the individual whose name 

 would be i-emembered, while ages roll away. 

 Lynnfield, Jan. 9, 18-54. Essex. 



A MODEL FARM— WHO WILL ESTAB- 

 LISH IT ? 



Massachusetts stands conspicuously among the 

 States for her enterprise, wealth, and benevolence. 

 Her industrious children have conquered and en- 

 riched her hard and rocky soil, built up beautiful 

 villages and pleasant homesteads all over her land, 

 busy with the hum of wheels, the blows of ham- 

 mers and the earnest activity of thousands of in- 

 genious heads and hands. She has erected cities, 

 from whose ports she sends out ships unsurpassed 

 in their fleetness and in the comforts they aflbrd 

 their occupants, and which enrich the world by 

 the articles of warmth and industry which they 

 convey from the hands of her artizans to the remot- 

 est shores. Her merchant princes and good men have 

 aided in the establishment of noble institutions to 

 ameliorate the condition of the unfortunate, to 

 preserve the morals of the young and tempted, to 

 elevate the arts and sciences by establishing schools 

 for the encouragement of their devotees, and in 

 providing the means for the education of all. The 

 world will always be the better for the munificence 

 of her Perkinses, Appletoxs, Lowells, Lawren- 

 ces, LixcoLNS, Shaws.Peaijodys, Bates, and many 

 others of enlarged and liberal views. They have 

 done well, and their memories are embalmed in 

 the hearts of a grateful people, a monument more 

 enduring, and of a thousand fold more value, than 

 rocks or metals piled together for the elements to 

 beat upon and crumble into dust. 



Wherever Ave go we are reminded of their be- 

 nevolence by the libraries, asylums and institu- 

 tions of learning which they have originated or 

 sustained. But in the midst of all these, the in- 

 terests of agriculture — the great interest underly- 

 ing and sust^iining all the rest — have been over- 

 looked. 



It is a universal feeling all over our State, in the 

 minds of our young men and women, thatthe pur- 

 suit of agriculture is not as profitable, genteel, or 

 honorable, as most other kinds of })UMiness. This 

 springs from a want of knowledge of its true char- 

 acter. This impression must be ei*adicated, and 

 how to accomplish it is the probl<>m to be soh ed. 



We believe this may be done in a great measure 

 l)y establishing one or more Modrl Farms in each 

 county in t!io State, where all may see what re- 



