44 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Jan. 



was prevalent. For the yoke, we have never seen 

 any cattle excel the Devons on the farm of Mr. 

 French, at Braintree. 



TO THE FRIENDS OF AGRICULTURE 

 IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



The undersigned, a committee appointed for the 

 ' purpose by the Massachusetts State Board of 

 Agriculture, beg leave respectfully to call your at- 

 tention to Public Lectures as a means by which 

 much information may be diffused and interest ex- 

 cited in the community on the subject of agricul- 

 ture. Such lectures are, at the present time, one 

 of the most powerful instrumentalities for the ad- 

 vancement of any branch of knowledge, or any 

 measure of reform. 



Numerous voluntary organizations existing in 

 all parts of the Commonwealth under the name of 

 Lyceums and similar associations, afford easy and 

 available opportunities for presenting the subject 

 of agriculture to the people under the form of pop- 

 ular lectures. 



It is felt by those to whom the interests of ag- 

 riculture in this State .are now more particularly 

 entrusted, that these opportunities ought to be 

 improved, and that measures should be taken by 

 those friendly to the object, to bring the subject 

 before their respective Lyceums, and other like 

 clubs or institutions, and thus secure lectures on 

 Agriculture, Horticulture, Pomology, and kindred 

 topics. 



A majority of the people in nearly all the towns 

 in this Commonwealth are directly interested in 

 these subjects, and it is believed feel desirous of 

 information in relation to them. It would seem, 

 therefore, that some of the lectures annually given 

 before these various popular societies should be on 

 agriculture, in some of its various departments. 



The Committee are aware that it is now late in 

 the year, and that arrangements for lectures for 

 the season have already been generally made, yet 

 they do not on that account feel it less their duty 

 to call attention to the subject, in the hope, that 

 although but few lecturers should be secured for 

 the present winter, early and effective arrange- 

 ments will be made for the next. 



Should lectures of a practical character be 

 wanted, applications may be addressed to the 

 " Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, 

 Boston," with whom, at the request of the com- 

 mittee, the names of several gentlemen have been 

 left, who will perform the service. 



Amasa Walker, ^ 



John W. Proctor, > Commillee. 



Edward Hitchcock, ) 



Office of the Slate Board of Ai^ricuUure, 

 Boston, Dec.S, 185i2. 



MYSTERIOUS CONDUCT OF A DOG. 



The editor of the Green Mountain Freeman, 

 published at Montpelier, Vt., gives the following 

 item of personal experience : 



To the many remarkable anecdotes related of 

 the dog, we have one to add from our own person- 

 al experience. When just starting in our profes- 

 sion, we slept for a short time alone in our office, 

 much disliking to do so, because we were occa- 

 sionally subject to severe fits of the incul>us, or 

 night-mare, from which we used to depend on oth- 

 ers to arouse us. One day, our door was beset 

 by a small, red, stranger dog, that seemed singu- 

 larly intent on entering. We drove him away 

 twice ; but lie as often returned and manifested 

 the same earnest desire to come in. Being some- 

 what surprised at this, and knowing that no one 

 who could be his master had been there that day, 

 we at length opened the door, and by words and 

 gestures invited him to come in. Joyfully avail- 

 ing himselfof the liberty, he entered ; and, with- 

 out seeming to look round for any one, quietly 

 lay down under the table, where he remained un- 

 til bed-time ; when we tried to make him go out. 

 But he absolutely refused, and, being struck with 

 the singularity of the animal's conduct through- 

 out, we concluded to let him remain for the night, 

 and after procuring some food for him, retired to 

 our bed, which was in a small adjoining room, the 

 entrance to which from the office, we always for 

 the sake of better air, left open. 



Some time during that night, we were, visited 

 by a frightful fit of the nightmare, from which, 

 though perfectly conscious, we probably should 

 never have come out without assistance. At our 

 first groan, the dog bounded to our bedside, an(t 

 commenced barking. Finding this did no good, 

 he mounted the bed, and barked in our face. 

 Failing in this, also, he stript down the bed 

 clothes, and fell to pawing our chest, more and 

 more furiously, till he tore the skin, which in- 

 stantly broke the horrid spell ; and we arose with 

 a feeling of gratitude for the interposition, as we 

 could never help viewing it, more intense than 

 any we remember to have ever experienced. We 

 would have gladly always kept the dog, but the 

 next morning, when we opened the door, he passed 

 out, and, as if his mission was ended, trotted 

 away, never to be seen by us again. 



1^ Editors favorable to the above 

 requested to copy. 



object 



SOPS IN WINE. 



This is the name of a delicate little apple which 

 should be found in every garden ; ripens gradually 

 from the first of August to October. The skin is 

 smooth, crimson in the shade, stained and striped 

 with purplish crimson in the sun, and covered with 

 a delicate bloom. Flesh white, with stains of a 

 pinkish hue, firm, crisp, juicy, and of a pleasant 

 sub-acid flavor. It is known under several names. 

 Sapsavine, Shropshire-vine; by Knoop, Rode Wyn 

 Apple ; by Kenrick, Sapson, and by Ray in 1688^ 

 Sops in ^A^ne. 



In ancient times it appears to have been a cus- 

 tom for those who were betrothed to wear some 

 flower as an external and conspicuous mark of 

 their mutual engagement. Spenser, in his 

 " Shepherd's Calendar," 



