1854. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



521 



we think Tve never heard the old Harvest Hymn 

 performed in better style. 



A little before 2 o'clock we came around the 

 tables in the Town Hall, which were abundantly 

 supplied in Smith's best style. As the President 

 was unable to speak from a severe cold, Judge 

 Mellen presided at the table. Mr. Staples of Lex- 

 ington, acted as Chaplain on the occasion. G. 

 M. Brooks, Esq., was Toast-Master. After a suc- 

 cessful attack on the provisions,speeches were made 

 by Judge Mellen, Mr. Ellis, Mr. Staples, Chas. 

 L. Flint, Secretary of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture, and the venerable Mr. Buckjiinster of Fra- 

 mingham. Then followed the report on Bulls. 

 Next a speech from Hon. Linus Cuild, of Lowell, 

 who was followed by Mr. White, of the same 

 city. Next we had an entertaining report from 

 the Committee on bread by Nathan Brooks, of 

 Concord. This was followed by a speech from Mr. 

 Angier of CoBCord. The remaining reports of the 

 awarding committee followed. Other short and 

 pertinent speeches were made, and the exhibition 

 ^closed to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. 



Although several specimens of fine stock and 

 fruit were diverted from this exhibition by the 

 south Middlesex organization, yet we think we have 

 never had a better exhibition in old Concord.' The 

 arrangements were well made and promptly exe- 

 cuted. There was "a place for everything, and 

 everything in its place," and the machinery all 

 moved steadily on with the least possible friction. 

 The promptness with which all the arrangements 

 were carried out, was a very agreeable feature, 

 from the lics-innins to the end of the exhibition. 



For the New England Farmer. 



STATE ALMS-HOUSE AT TEWKSBURY. 



Mr. Editor : — I thank your venerable corres- 

 pondent from Wilmington for his advice ; -ho-^Q 

 he has made no charge of it in his books ; but beg 

 leave to ask him wliat tlie land in the " western 

 part of Tewksbury " has to do with the soil of 

 the "State Farms" about the Alms-House? 

 Whoever questioned the fertility of the soil along 

 the ]janks of the Merrimack ? I have seen as fine 

 acres there as anywhere else ; and three miles 

 south of this, I have seen as poor acres as I ever 

 saw any whereelse ; and, if I do not mistake, such 

 is the general character of the alms;house farm. 

 The gentleman says he did not intimate " a word 

 about wells to be dug, but simply remarked about 

 improving the wells." Perhaps I was wrong in 

 understanding what he said. I frankly admit 

 that I was green enough to suppose that wells 

 which did not readily yield a sulfieicncy of water, 

 could be best improved by Ijcing dug aiiciv. Tiiat 

 there has been a marked deficiency of water at 

 this institution, I cannot for a moment doubt. 

 The Doctor has a great repugnance to " Mr. 

 Anonymous." In tJiis matter I cannot consent 

 to relieve his sensitiveness. 



Faithfully yours, #*^ 



Oct. Ith, 1854. 



For the New England Farmer. 



MIDDLESEX SOUTH AND HAMPDEN 

 COUNTY FAIES. 



Mr. Brown : — I have just returned from a 

 three days' absence, in which time I have had the 

 pleasure of attending the Cattle Shows at Fra- 

 mingham and Springfield. 



The Middlesex South Agricultural Society held 

 its first Show at Framingham, on Tuesday and 

 Wednesday, Sept. 26 and 27. From my observa- 

 tions on the second day, I judge the Society to be 

 very successful in its first exhibition. The cattle 

 in the pens (ninety, erectod at a cost of .$1,000) 

 were mostly superior animals. I noticed a fine 

 imported Devon cow, owned by Joseph Burnett, 

 Southboro'. The Hungarian Cow, imported by 

 A. S. Lewis, was a beautiful animal. Henry 

 Rice, of Marlboro', exhibited several superior an- 

 imals. The President of the Soi:iety, Mr. Buck- 

 minster, had 8 cows in the pens, and a large num- 

 ber of calves, of the Devon breed. One great ad- 

 vantage in raising Devons is that your animals 

 will be all alike — one shape and color. No white 

 legs or yellow ears. One ox of a Devon pair will 

 not have horns standing bolt upright, and his 

 mate with horns carried level with his back. Mr. 

 Buckminster had some yoked cattle in the pens 

 which showed this to all. The pens were well 

 filled. A few breeding mares with handsome colts 

 attracted much attention. The colt exhibited by 

 Charles Howe, of Marlboro', was a well developed 

 animal, and very large for his age. Mr. Howe 

 knows very well the importance of li'ieral treat-- 

 meift of his young, growing animals. Great colts 

 naturally become great horses, and bring a great 

 price. 



The town teams made a large display. Great 

 lusty beeves, by the twenty or thirty yokes, were 

 standing or lying about the exhibition lot. At 

 this point in my observations I saw tlie teams re- 

 turning from the plowing-match. One team had 

 been plowing Spanish. The man with the long 

 pole for a whip was a negro. (A bystander sug- 

 gested that he was " home-made.") The oxen 

 were tackled Cuba fashion, with a straight bar 

 attached to their horns. The plow was a sort of 

 hog's nose, with one handle to steer. It was 

 drawn by a pole with a wooden pin at the ex- 

 tremity which held on to the yoke. Some little 

 difference between this rig and an ouljit from 

 Quincy Hall ! 



The show of fruits, vegetables and manufac- 

 tured iir tides was under a part of tlie mammoth 

 tent, where the dinner was provided. 



There was anothcrncv»\y invented liaycutter — a 

 sort of trough, with a revolving horizontal shaft 

 ariued Avith hooking flanges, wliieh press the hay 

 against a number of fixed knives. Near this was 

 a new kind of a corn-sheller, upon which Mr. 

 Isaac II. Cobb, the agent, sat and turned. The 

 carriage and harness by Ilollis Hastings were well 

 finished. A lot of shoe knives appeai'ed to be 

 made of tlio right stuff by a ^Ir. Jertnings, of Na- 

 tic. A fine dish of large, rich native grapes bore 

 the name of Jacob Pratt. Isal)e]la grapes by 

 Joseph Phipps were- very fine. 01>ed Winter's 

 peaches were very hard to go by. Peter Fay, of 

 Southboro', had many tempting specimens. (The 

 frequency of the cards, " Visitors are requested 

 not to touch,^'' Sec, along this tabic, showed a lit- 



