NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



373 



band of music. When a spirit like tliis is awak- 

 ened, it is not difficult to make a show. Many 

 other towns sent in large numbers of working 

 cattle, so that we should estimate not li.'ss than 

 200 pair present. Of other animals the display 

 was good. Among them fat cattle from Deer- 

 field, one pair of which weigiied 4500 lbs., about 

 30 pair of steers, 8 bulls, 7 milch cows, swine, 

 5 calves, sheep many, and a iivin family, of which 

 a story was told at table, that particularly arrested 

 the attention of the ladies present; what may be 

 the effect upon their imaginalions, can only be de- 

 termined hereafter. Some 70 or 80 horses were 

 displayed, in vehicles of every form; many of 

 these appeared to he superior animals. The plow- 

 ing match was well contested with about 20 teams. 

 Two plows of peculiar structure were seen in the 

 fields — one the plow that cuts two furrows at the 

 same lime, leaving the earth in a highly favorable 

 condition for cultivation; the other moving on a 

 large iron roller on the land side, which was said 

 to lessen the power required to move it, and to 

 flicilitate the operations in stony lands. These 

 facts are noticed, because any improvement that 

 leaves the land in better condition, or relieves the 

 team in plowing, is worthy of particular attention. 

 In the halls there was a very handsome exhibition 

 of fruits and flowers, considering the lateness of 

 the season. Rarely have we seen abetter show of 

 apples. The bread and butter, too, spoke well for 

 the ladies who made it; and what was still better, 

 the ladies themselves were there with neatly ar- 

 ranged locks and smiling faces. When it shall be 

 fully understood, that these agricultural fairs are 

 to be arenas for ladies to display themselves, and 

 the works of their hands, we cannot doubt there 

 will always be spectators enough present. It was 

 particularly gratifying to find learned professors 

 and reverend divines, and gentlemen of other pro- 

 fessions, lending a helping hand. In fact, all 

 were ready to contribute. The hospitality of the 

 citizens was without limitation. When such a 

 spirit prevails, the show cannot be otherwise than 

 good. 



The address was by that distinguished cultivator 

 and friend of the farmer, Hon. M. P. Wilder, of 

 Dorchester. It is enough to say, that it was wor 

 thy of his well-earned reputation. Born in this 

 mountain region, the impressions of his youth have 

 been constantly vivid in his mind, and now favored 

 with a prosperous career in the city, he is happy 

 in contributing to make the laborers on his own 

 hills in easy condition, and to teach them how 

 their sons may, by their own well-directed indus- 

 try, become independent. 



The dinner hall was entirely filled, and so were 

 all that entered it. Here the intelligent President 

 of the society acquitted himself with much mf)des- 

 ty and propriety. Among the guests were several 

 gentlemen of distinction from the vicinity and oth- 

 er societies; — aL of whom appeared highly grat- 

 ified with what they had seen and heard. If their 

 first exhibition by this newly incorporated society 

 is to be taken as a sample, of what the farmers of 

 Hampshire intend to do, other societies will have 

 to be looking about, or they will soon be in the 

 back-ground. 



We have heretofore had some query in our mind 

 about the expediency of multiplying societies of 

 this kind; but so long as we can be well assured 

 of such exhibitions, as have been the present year 



at Barre, at Fitchburg and at x'Vmherst — we say to 

 them go-ahead, and God bless the farmers in their 

 efforts to improve. May our Legislators be wise 

 enough to understand that it siiould i)e no less 

 their pleasure than their duly, to provide for the 

 well-being of the fanners. If they do not volvnla- 

 rify Vdke this lesson — they will find others duly au- 

 thorized to take their places. p. 

 October 2\, 18,5L 



A GOOD GARDEtT. 



No branch of husbandry is inore neglected than 

 the garden. Those farnrers who live too far from 

 market to indulge often in the luxury of fresh meat, 

 are still content to dine on salt pork or beef, with 

 the addition of potatoes only, rather than devote a 

 few hours to a kitchen garden. Both health and 

 good taste demand that a farmer's table should con- 

 tain a full variety of vegetables. Radishes, let- 

 tuce, cauliflowers, beans, peas, tomatoes, beets, 

 turnips, and indeed many others, should be fi)und 

 there in the proper seasons, while inelons and the 

 small fruit will furnish the evening's board with 

 healthful luxuries. 



Raspberries, strawberries and blackberries, may 

 be grown almost wiliiout labor, and with due at- 

 tention, their improvement in quality will fully 

 compensate for tlie pains taken. 



If farmers wish their children to be fond of home, 

 they shiHild at least furnish them with such luxu- 

 ries as every journeyman mechanic would purchase 

 in the large cities fur the use of his family, partic- 

 ularly W'hen he can do so at comparatively little 

 cost. 



5^" We copy the above from the Journal of Ac^ri- 

 culture, and commend its teachings to all who like 

 a good garden — and who should not? Asa general 

 thing, farmers underrate the value of a garden, 

 supposing that their time may be devoted to the 

 heavier crops with more profit. But a plentiful 

 supply of vegetables, such as early potatoes, peas, 

 beans, beets, &c., together with an abundance of 

 small fruits, will re(iuire but little time and labor, 

 will keep conveniently low the butcher's bill, and 

 add greatly to the health and comfi)rt of the family. 



AGRICULTURIST'S ALMANAC. 



Beside telling us how fast Time and the Tide 

 flies, and the timely admonition to "look out for 

 thunder and lightning about this time," with sun- 

 dry other sage advices, there is no predicting how 

 much good an Alm-^^nac may do. It is caught up 

 a thousand times in the year, while wailing for 

 dinner, resting during a raii.y hour, or for consult- 

 ing its wise pages for the moon's injlvence upon 

 fresh pork, and thus being consulted so iriuch, it 

 ought to enforce its precepts as with a forty horse 

 dower ! An Almanac is a good thing — that's cer- 

 tain — one of them makes us laugh, another teaches 

 us how to reckon our interest money ! while others 

 are full of comforting prognostications of wind and 

 weather, and the operations of the elements in the 

 skies. But this, that we speak of now, has more 

 to do with the lower world, and discourses wisely 



