272 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



June 



mer who has got twenty-five or thirty tons of hay 

 to get. In all smooth meadows, and those with 

 but few stone, we prefer the "revolving rake," as 

 it rakes easier, and rakes the hay cleaner from 

 dirt and leaves than the spring- tooth rake. An- 

 other good implement is the large gleaning rake, 

 with thirty teeth. This rake is made on purpose 

 to rake after the cart ; as it is made liglit and 

 stiff, one hand can do more work and easier than 

 two or even three hands in a windy time, with 

 only the common hand rake. 



In this manner I might go on, naming the dif- 

 ferent varieties of improved farming implements 

 which are in use by many farmers. But it is not 

 necessary to name them separately, as all thor- 

 ough farmers will be ready to adopt them when 

 wanted. I might name the "corn-sheller" as a 

 great saving of labor ; all farmers raise more or 

 less corn, and to shell out a bushel in four or five 

 minutes, is a saving of time. The one I have 

 used for six or seven years is "Burall'slron Shell- 

 er;" this machine separates the corn from the 

 cobs, letting the corn into the half-bushel, while 

 the cobs are pushed out of a hole in the side. How 

 any farmer, after using one of these shellers for 

 an hour or two, can go back and set down on a 

 shovel, or astride of an old frying-pan handle, to 

 shell corn, is more than I can imagine. And yet 

 there are many farmers to our knowledge who go 

 on in this way now, and probably will for a long 

 time to come. That they have not much idea of 

 improvement is true ; what they may come to 

 hereafter, I cannot say. But one tiling is certain, 

 that if they can make any improvements at all, 

 they must begin at some periods in their lives. — 

 When farmers learn to make use of all the means 

 in their reach for farm improvements, we then 

 shall see sometliing worthy of their name and sta- 

 tion. Yours, &c., L. DuRAND. 



Derby, Conn., April 19, 1853. 



For the New England Farmer. 



THE STATE FARM. 



Mr. Editor : — At the last and concluding Leg- 

 islative Agricultural Meeting, among other sug- 

 gestions for the advancement of Agricultural Sci- 

 ence, that of establishing a model farm or farms 

 was adverted to by some of the speakers. That 

 a model farm, under the patronage of the State, 

 might be made to greatly aid the interests of Ag- 

 riculture, no one, I think, would for a moment 

 doubt, — provided it was reared and carried on in 

 such a manner as to render it truJi/ a model ivor- 

 thy of being ■pallerncd after by every farmer in the 

 State. In addition to its being a model farm, it 

 should also have an experimental department. Ta 

 start such an establishment, the State need not 

 purchase more land, as it already owns a farm in 

 VVestboro' in connoxicm with the State Reform 

 School, of sufficient dimensions to commence with 

 This farm ouglit long before now to have present- 

 ed, at least, an approximation to a model farm ; 

 but the thing seems never to have been thought 

 of; although this establishment possesses nearly 

 all the elements necessary for the successful man- 

 agement of such a farm ; and that, too, without 

 any additional expense in maintaining the institu- 

 tion; but on the contrai-y, an improved system of 

 husbandry, would, in the opinion of many persons, 

 materially lessen its present yearly d> mands upon 



the State treasury. This farm contains, I be- 

 lieve, between two and three hundred acres of 

 various soils, — favorably located, which, with the 

 adequate supply of labor of the boys, together 

 with an official Agricultural force, who if not al- 

 ready, might in future be selected with reference 

 to their proper agricultural attainments, affords 

 such an economic opportunity for the establish- 

 ment of a model and experimental form, that it is 

 to be wondered at that it has not (at least to my 

 knowledge) been suggested before. Believing 

 such an establishment would greatly aid the in- 

 terests of agriculture, and believing also that here 

 is a most favorable opportunity to try the experi- 

 ment at no extra cost to the State, I have ventured 

 thus to suggest my ideas upon the subject to you, 

 Mr. Editor, and to the consideration of youi*" nu- 

 merous readers. I see no good reasons why the 

 State Board of Agriculture, together with the trus- 

 tees of this institution, if clothed with the requi- 

 site authority by the "powers that be," could not 

 cooperate in bringing about this needed transfor- 

 mation in this already State farm. What say you, 

 Mr. Editor, to these suggestions ? If you think 

 favorably of them, give us the weight of your in- 

 fluence, and the thing is done — perhaps. 



T. A. s. 



Westboro\ April, 1853. 



Remarks. — "T. A. S." has given above valuable 

 and timely suggestions, and we see no reason why 

 they may not be acted upon with benefit to all 

 concerned. At any rate, his remarks prove that 

 he is interested in the subject, and has taken the 

 true course to make others so. Accomplish this, 

 friend "S.," and the "powera that be" will come, 

 up to the work. Legislators, and other associat- 

 ed deliberative b'odies of men, are usually a little 

 behind the masses. 



Interesting to Farmers. — The N. Y. Ecepress 

 makes some suggestions in connection with a ref- 

 erence to the material advance in the prices of 

 beef cattle, which are worthy the consideration of 

 farmers and farmers' clubs. The reason for this 

 advance is found in the fact that the graziers in 

 the northern Illinois region, who have heretofore 

 been among the most extensive contributors to the 

 great cattle markets of New York, Philadelphia, 

 Baltimore and Boston, now drive their herds 

 across the plains to California, where very much 

 higher rates are realized. The pasturage along 

 the route is good, and the cattle arrive in excellent 

 condition, and find a ready market. The cattle 

 dealers of Ohio are turning their attention in the 

 same direction, and in some instances have re- 

 called their droves from their journey to New York, 

 to be sent across the plains. New York requires 

 some five or six millions worth of animal food in 

 the coarse of the year, and the £'.r/'res5 urges that 

 the only way to meet the threatened deficiency, is 

 for the agriculturists nearer home to bestow more 

 attention on the raising of cattle. Another drain 

 upon the beef market is made by the very exten- 

 sive shipments to. Australia. Immense quanti- 

 ties of beef have been and are now being packed 

 and shipped for that market. In view of these 

 facts, there cannot be a doubt that the raising of 

 beef will be a much more profitable business than 

 it has been for years past. 



