NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



3G9 



THH ENGLISH DRAFT HORSE. 



The enrrraving of this noble animal has been 

 procured by us at considerable expense, express- 

 ly for the columns of the Farnaer. This is a per- 

 fect portrait of the animal to which was awarded 

 the first prize of the Royal Agricultural Society at 

 Derby, in England. He is considered by Colman 

 as the horse best suited to agricultural purposes; 

 of middling size, a compact form, short, strong and 

 muscular limbs, full-breasted, and with round but- 

 tocks, of which the above plate -jftbrds a favorable 

 representation. At the time the prize was award- 

 ed, it was said, by some person present, that he 

 claimed to have some knovv ledge of the animal, 

 having long been in the habit of witnessing his 

 performances on occasions when strength of limbs 

 and compactness of form were alone to be depend- 

 ed upon for heavy drafts; often having seen five 

 such in a team, striving at a stalled load, so that 

 the driver has stepped over their backs, as they lay 

 almost extended on the ground; when, if the load 

 would not come, it was only necessary for him to 

 say " try again," which they would do ten times 

 in succession. 



There is yet much room for improvement in our 

 breeds of horses, and it is hoped that more atten- 

 tion will be given to the subject. The expense of 

 keeping an indifferent animal is as great as that of 

 keeping a good one, while his services are only ofi 

 half the value. 



APPLES — MARKETS. 



Of all fruits produced in New England, the ap- 

 ple is the most easily raised, the cheapest, the 

 most durable, is capable of being used in more 

 ways as an article of food, and is, probably, the 

 most wholesome and nutritious. There is no fam- 

 ily where they are not used to a greater or less ex- 

 tent, and very few families, where three or four 

 times the present quantity would be consumed, if 

 they could be purchased throughout their season 

 for about fifty cents a bushel. 



Sweet apples, where they can readily be obtained, 

 and at low piices, have become as common an ar- 

 ticle of food upon the table, as the potato; and 

 since the high prices of potatoes have prevailed, 

 have been more extensively used in some districts 

 than the potato itself. In one of tiie small towns 

 iif this State, but one which produces much more 

 than the average quantity of fruit, a gentleman 

 states that the amount of apples produced is 'about 

 ten thousand barrels, and that this product is not 

 more than the inhabitants of the town would con- 

 veniently use themsnlvcs. The farmer, however, 

 must turri some of his produce into cash, and 

 finding the apple in demand, sells a largo piopor- 

 lion of what might profitably be consumed in his 

 own fimily at home. 



Th(> population of the State of Massachusetts is 

 •)!)4 ,000 persons; allowing five persons to each fam- 

 ily, that being the usual allowance by statisticians, 



