64 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



]Mr. Wm. S. Linxolx, of Worcester, advocated 

 the confining the request to tlie Legislature to the 

 aanctioning of a sealed can ; and that the members 

 themselves resolve that they will, after the first 

 of April, adopt the wine n>easLire in retailing. If 

 farmers cannot sell their milk at paying rates they 

 had hetter make hutter of it. 



A motion was made to amend the resolutions, 

 so as to make the new measure go into effect on 

 the first of April, instead of tlie 1st of February. 

 This was opposed by Mr. Barnes of the Business 

 Committee, as it would allow persons disposed to 

 make trpu')le., time to supply tliemselves else- 

 where. The motion was subsequently withdrawn. 



After a 1 mg discu.ssion, the resolutions of the 

 former Convention were taken up and adopted sep- 

 arately. The tliird was so amended as to make 

 the time of carrying the new measure into opera- 

 tion the first of February. The resoluti ns were 

 then adopted as a whole unanimously. 



The Convention then at half-past two, adjourned. 

 — Journal. 



For the Neiv England Fanner. 



FARMERS' LIBRARIES. 



BY WILLIAM F. liASSETT. 



Mr. Bkow.v : — With your permission, I vHll ven- 

 ture to suggest to your subscribers the propriety 

 of "Farmers" Libraries" in connection with "Far- 

 mers' Clubs.'' The advantage of the latter has 

 been frequently urged in your columns, and I think 

 the former should bo an inseparable accompani- 

 ment to every town club. I know not how many 

 such institutions have already sprung into exis- 

 tence within the extensive circle of your "reading 

 room ;" but I am certain that there are few such 

 in this section, and I think I may safely add, but 

 few permanent public libraries of any kind. I say 

 permanent, because lam aware that school libra- 

 ries have, by legislative aid, been formed in large 

 numbers in various places, but which as far as my 

 information extends, contain within themselves 

 the elements of destruction. 



They have no provision for the acquisition of 

 new books ; and embracing'a space quite too limit- 

 ed, the few books which they contain are soon 

 read and they then become "old stories ;" and 

 beyond this, which is an item of much importance 

 to the farmer, they rarely contain agricultural 

 works. 



Agricultural books having comparatively a lim 

 eted circulation, and consequently being more cost 

 ly, I was about to say, places them l>eyond the 

 reach of the small farmer's purse, but experience 

 whispers, "they fill the purse faster than they 

 drain it ;'' well, at any rate, their cost is such as 

 to deter manj^ from obtaining them, and tlius with 

 holding much valuable knowledge which every ag- 

 riculturist ought to possess. 



Now, every one knows tlie superiority of associ 

 sted over individual action in other matters per 

 taining to the interests of the community, but I 

 have good reason to I)elieve that few realize the 

 advantages to be derived froui it in connection with 

 the sulyect before us, or if they do, they are la- 

 mentably negligent of botli duty and interest. 



Now I do not wish any farmer to buy any less 

 amount of agricultural reading, either in books or 

 periodicals, but if in addition to your present lit- 

 erary expenditures you would each contribute 



something to a common fund for common benefit, 

 you juight, in my ojiinion, derive an almost incal- 

 culable benefit from it. 



Let us illustrate. Suppose forty individuals 

 wished to obtain each two books, which would 

 cost thecf three dollars to each person ; if tliey 

 went on to purchase them separately, they might, 

 perhaps, all buy the same works, and there would 

 be only two different works among the whole ; but 

 let those forty persons unite their funds and the 

 result would be eighty different books of equal 

 value, without making allowance for discount on 

 large purchases which would make the disparity 

 still greater. 



Perhaps some will say they cannot afford to 

 spare so much money ; that they require every 

 cent to support their families or pay their debts ; 

 but stop a moment, good friend ! are you aware 

 that your duty to your family requires you to sup- 

 ply fi)Otl for their minds as well as their bodies, 

 and is there not some little articles, tobacco or tea 

 for instance, that cost you more than double that 

 sum, and which you would be better without? — 

 Then it is only for one year, and a trifling annual 

 outlay of say fifty cents, afterwards, will swell 

 your librivry to hundreds, and perhaps thousands 

 of volumes comprising every agricultural work of 

 value and histories, biograpliies, and travels enough 

 to furnish a useful and agreeable occupation fbp 

 every leisure moment of yourself and family. 

 ■ Don't hesitate, then, but go immediately and 

 tell your neighbor yo» are determined to have a 

 town agricultural library, and request his assist- 

 ance, vr. F. B. 

 Ashfield, Jan. 17, 1853. 



Remarks. — Excellent suggestions. You cannot 

 do better, friends, than to act upon them at once. 

 By way of encouragement to the writer, we will 

 say that in some towns the work is already begun. 

 Where town liliraries are already established, the 

 farmers are requiring scientific books upon agri- 

 cultural suVijects ; some of the farmers' clubs are 

 also gathering libraries for their own use. 



Any town may by statute raise one dollar on 

 each poll the first year to form a library, and twen- 

 ty-five cents a year afterwards, to increase it. 



The Horticulturist. — This popular periodical 

 has been transferred from Albany to Rochester, 

 and is published by James Vick, Jr., P. Barry, 

 Editor. The price is to be $2 a year, instead of 

 $3, as heretofore, or $4 with colored plates. The 

 January number is illustrated with a beautiful en- 

 graving of the Sheldon pear, and half a dozen out- 

 lines of other pears, with a view of the residence 

 of the late A. J. Downing, and numerous points 

 of interest in the beautiful grounds about it. The 

 number is filled in evei-y respect with useful and 

 pleasing matter, and we heartily commend it to 

 every lady and gentleman of taste in the country. 

 Such a work, widely extended, must have an im- 

 portant iuQuence not only on the general aspect 

 and prosperity of the country, but on the moral 

 condition of the people. 



