76 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



there were 84 tubs of butter in it, each weighing 

 200 lbs., about half an inch of salt on the top, and 

 the heads laid loosely on ; the whole covered with 

 clean, white sheets. There were 500 milk-tubs, 

 made of oak, 20 inches in diameter and 6 deep, 

 hooped with willows ; they are waslied after being 

 used, by six servants, with warm and cold water, 

 ashes and coarse cloths, scrubbers and brushes, 

 and then put out to dry : and if in summer they 

 get the least sour, they are bo'iled, and a^ain un- 

 dergo the same process of scouring. This morn- 

 ing there were 969 tubs on the floor, the produce 

 of their milkings. 



A few steps on the right hand of the milk-ioom, 

 is the cheese-room, in which were deposited 800 

 cheeses of 22 lbs. each, all made of skimmed 

 milk, and of very inferior qualiiy. On the left of 

 the entrance door, stands the butter-churn, hold- 

 ing about 110 gallons, turned by a mill with a 

 horse, from the outside: all the refuse runs 

 through a wooden channel into a trough in the 

 pig-shed, where were 60 hogs fatting. Next, was 

 the dairy-barn, 60 feet long, 28 broad, and 30 feet 

 high, in which were English sheep, deer, and a 

 growing stock of young hogs. 



The mansion-house is not modern, but very 

 handsome and conmiodious, 104 feet long, 44 feet 

 deep, and 40 ft high, with excellent vaulted cellars 

 below ; spacious gardens, hot-houses, melon-beds, 

 &c. The poultry-yard is well stocked, 105 geese, 

 as many turkeys, and other poultry in proportion ; 

 the fowl-houses commodious and well planned. 

 lu a small room adjoining were the nests, a foot 

 in diameter and a foot above the ground, the last 

 egg being always left in the nest: this department 

 was in charge of an old woman and boy, and was 

 kept remarkably clean. There was an egg-table, 

 with three tiers of holes for different eggs and 

 their dates; and the housekeeper had that day 

 packed a cask with 14 dozen in tine ivood ashes, 

 for winter use ; these consisted of peacock, turkey 

 goose, duck, and hen eggs. 



The following is the process of the dairy work. 

 In the sunnner, one servant rises at 2 o'clock 

 the morning to make fires ; all the others, half 

 hour after : they skim the milk and run the cream 

 tlirough a sieve into the butter-churn ; they have 

 tlenhalf an hour to sort themselves, and then 

 proceed to the field to milk the cows, every female 

 having 20 cows to milk; the milk is then put into 

 the tubs and sent awa.y. Then conies the butter- 

 making ; and when it is churned " or come," it is 

 carried into the butter-cellar, and put into a trough 

 of wood with holes in the bottom, where it is 

 wrought a considerable time to work out the 

 whey ; after which it is salted, and lies several 

 hours: it is then sprinklrl again with salt, 

 wrought with the ha:!ds, and aftor lying 24 hours, 

 it is init into the casks, without water being al- 

 lowed to touch it during the whole process. But- 

 ter-making is finished about 8 o'clock, when the 

 servants go to breakfast ; after which they wash 

 and clean all up, and go fo ns.fist in the garden till 

 noon when they dine, and rest until 2 o'clock; 

 when they assume the same ojierations as in the 

 morning." A book is kept in which the name and 

 number of every cow is registered, with the quan- 

 tity of milk she yields,which is marked at different 

 periods during the summer ; the calves of the 

 hest being reserved for the increase of stock, 

 whiLh at present consists of 240 in milk, besides 

 those not giving milk ; 41 young heifers in sheds, 

 one and two years old; and two English bulls.— 

 Q?mi-(f r/i/ Journal of Jgricullvre. 



The Oldest Republic on Earth.— The Am 

 erioan Quarterly Review contains a letter from 

 G. W. Erving, Esq. giving a sketch of his visit to 

 San Marino, a small Ue]niblic in lialy between 

 the A]>penines, the I'o, and the Adriatic. The 

 territory of this State is only 10 miles in ciicum- 

 lerence, and its population about 7000. The Re- 

 public was founded more than 1400 years ago, on 

 moral principles, industry and pquidity, and has 

 preserved its liberty and independence amidst all 

 the wars and discords which have raged around 

 it Bonaparte respected it, and sent an embassy 

 to express his sentiments of fiiendship and frater- 

 nity. It is governed by a Captain Regent, chosen 

 every six months by tlip representatives of the 

 people, 66 in number, w ho are chosen every six 

 months by the people. The taxes are light, the 

 farm houses are neat, the fields well cultivated, 

 and on all sides are seen comfort and peace, the 

 h:i|>py effects of morality, simplicity, liberty and 



ice. Mr. Erving was received by some intel- 

 nt citizens in the most hospitable and aftec- 

 tionatc manner; tliey were delighted with him be- 

 cause he was an American. They professed a 

 profound attachment to our country, and look to 

 the preserver of their own pure principles ; 

 they were intimately acquainted with our institu- 

 tions and aftiiirs, and had a library well furnished 

 with books and pamphlets relating to America. 



' Cabinet. 



To tlie Editor ol* tlie Philadelphia Fa 

 Cooking. 



Sir— Li the Island of Jersey, England, they have 

 a mode of cooking which is peculiar to those Is- 

 landers whose governing principle is to make a 

 little go a great way. Independent of this, how- 

 ever, when the process is properly conducted, the 

 delicious flavor and richness which is communi- 



ted to the smallest quantity and inferior quality 

 of the animal food employe!, is a very strong re- 

 commendation for its adoption, which requires 

 neither extra trouble or expense. 



The meat to be operated upon, is first cut into 

 steaks and fried w ith shred onions in butter, over 

 a very quick fire, until it is well browned and 

 about half cooked ; it is then transferred altogeth- 

 er into a stew-pan, water being added sufiicient to 

 form a considerable quantity of gravy when the 

 process is completed ; and the whole is left to 

 simmer for the space of six or eight hours, when, 

 the proper seasoning being added, it is served up 

 hot — a dish fit for a President ! 1 well remember 

 meeting some friends in London, who on descri- 

 bing a <linner at which they were present the day 

 before, the tickets for which were a guinea each, 

 they all spoke in raptures of a dish of beef-steaks 

 and onions cooked after this manner, declaring it 

 to be superior to all the venison, game and poultry 

 at the table. Will your readers try the effect, 

 even with hard and tough meat of inferior qual- 

 ity ; not, however, to the exclusion of that which 

 is young, fat, and tender? lam, Mr. Editor, 

 lover of.good living, but 



No Epicure 



To the Farmers of Cheshire Comity : 



Fellow Citizens — The officers of the Chesli 

 County Agricultural Association would bespeak 

 your attention for a moment to the subject of im- 

 proving our agriculture. All will agree that this 



an important interest — the most so of lUiy one. 



more so than all others combined. 



LARGE PREMIUMS. 



The Trustees of the Massachusetts Society for 

 the promotion of Agriculture, ofl%r the following 

 liberal Premiums for the year 1841: 



For the best cultivated Farms. — For the best cul- 

 tivated farm, on which no premium has before 

 been given, of not less than 70 acres, exclusive 

 of wood land, regard being had to the quantity 

 of produce, the manner and expense of cultiva- 

 tion, and the general appearance of the farm $200 

 For the next best, 150 



For the next best, 100 



For the next best, 75 



For the next best, 50 



For the next best, 25 



To obviate the objections which some claim- 

 ants for premiums may have to making a written 

 statement of the condition, products and man- 

 agement of their respective farms, as heretofore 

 required, the Trustees propose to relieve them of 

 this trouble by an inspection, either personally or 

 by an agent, of the farms which may be ofl^ered 

 for premium. 



Claims to be addressed to Benjamin Guild, 

 Esq. in Boston, before the first day of October 

 next. 



Rotation of Crops. — For the best rotation of 

 crops on the same land not less than two acres, 

 for three or four years in succession, commen- 

 cing when it is in grass, $75 

 Premium to be claimed in December, 1841 or 

 1842. 



Experiments, Discoveries, and Inventions. — For 

 an effectual and satisfactoiy mode of extirpating 

 the worm that attacks the locust tree, $100 



For a new, effectual, and satisfactory mode of 

 extirpating the borer which attacks the apple 

 tree, «50 



For the experiment of turning in green crops 

 as a manure, on a tract not less than one acre, 

 and proving its utility, giving an account in writ- 

 ing, of the process and the result; and particu- 

 larly describing the condition of the ground be- 

 fore turning in the cro)) — the kind of crop — 

 when sov^tl and when ploughed in, $50 



jl/anures.— For the best dissertation on different 

 manures, and on their practical application to the 

 "s in this Commonwealth, $100 



It IS equally plain that it is susceptible of being 

 carried to a much higher degree of improvement 

 than it at present obtains among us. In the se- 

 lection and management of domestic animals, — 

 ill growing the various grains and grasses neces- 

 sary to the subsistence of man and beast,— in ap- 

 pro|)riating to each of these varieties the kind 

 of soil most congenial to it, and in adapting ma- 

 nures to the soil, as well as to the intended cro}>, 

 the generality of farmers fall far short of perfec- 

 tion. The art of doubling the profits at half the 

 expense, is still the desideratum. 



Among the promhient means of effecting this 

 improvement. Agricultural Fairs hold a conspic- 

 uous place. By bringing together the best spe- 

 cimens of animals, vegetables, and manufactures, 

 they are brought into direct contact with the pub- 

 lic mind ; attention is arrested, curiosity excited, 

 enquiry stimulated, information sought, and im- 

 provement is the necessary consequence. To 

 accomplish so desirable a result, a small amount 

 of money, judiciously expended in premiums, 

 will probably be repaid an hundred fold in the 

 advantages gained by the community at large. 



Influenced by these considerations, the officers 

 of the Association have oft'orcd premiums in ad- 

 vance to the ftinds, with a view lo make the ap- 

 proachhig Fair as interesting and profitable as 

 possible. Presuming upon tlie liberal feelings 

 and enlightened views of the farmers of the 

 county, they have ventured to appeal to them for 

 the necessary subscription, with something like 

 an assurance that it will not be in vain. Shall 

 they be sustained ? 



To you, Fellow Citizens, is cubmitled the de- 

 cision of this question. 



In behalf of the officers, 



JONA. K. SMITH, Secretary. 



May 13, 1841. 



If there be any " universal medicine" in nature, 

 it is water, for by its assistance all distempers are 

 alleviated or cured, and the body preserved sound 

 and free from corruptioi^—tUM enemy to lif«. 



Paragraphs from the Albany Cultivator. 



Potatoes. — Potatoes may be planted Irom the 

 time the ground becomes dry until June ; but the 

 late crops will not riiien as well as the earlier 

 ones, or produce as good table potatoes. A 

 moist soil, with abundance of vegetable mould, 

 is the best for potatoes. If the ground is inclin- 

 ing to be wet, they may be planted on ridges ; 

 if to be dry, this root will do the best in furrows. 

 For the table, the Pink Eye, Mercer and Foxite 

 are highly esteemed ; for field culture, or for an- 

 imals, the Sardinia, Long Red, Merino and the 

 Rohan, are most valued. The Rohan requires 

 the whole season to mature, but is very produc- 

 tive and easily gathered. 



Caterpillars.— Examine your fruit trees and 

 orchards careftilly, as you will be able to detect 

 the appearance of worms, or webs, more readily 

 now than at a later time, and when attacked early, 

 an orchard may be soon cleared of the caterpil- 

 lar. A long slender rod with a swab of tow or 

 cloth around the end, will at this titrie wind up 

 both web and worms, if applied in the morning 

 when the insects are in their nests, and no injuri- 

 ous applications to the trees, such as are some- 

 times recommended, will be necessary. 



Pruning. — It is the custom among farmers to 

 do the pruning of their orchards at such limes as 

 is most convenient, or as they have been taught 

 to do, without reference to vegetable physiology, 

 or the best methods pointed out by nature. Some 

 prune in the winter, many in this month, and 

 perhaps May is as good a time as any, the sum- 

 mer months exceiited. We think that July, or 

 rather the interval that takes place between the 

 formation of the flower and fruit shoots or buds, 

 and that of the terminal shoots or buds, a period 

 that lasts some three weeks, is the best time for 

 pruning, and we advise those of our friends who 

 have this work to do, to ascertain by experiment, 

 what time gives the most healthy and vigorous 

 wood for covering the wounds necessarily made 

 in pruning. 



Fruit Trees. — May is the time to examine 

 your fruit trees particularly. Look at your plums 



