404 



NEW ENGLAIND FARMER. 



Sept. 



it, even if it should clash with the harvest ; but 

 we are clear that on all kinds of land more prod- 

 uce, with the present crop given in, will be ob- 

 tained by such a course, and the present crop will 

 be very acceptable of itself. The fog, or aftermath, 

 has also every prospect of being better after thus 

 supplying the deficiency of the year. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 HIGHWAYS— A BEAUTIFUL FEATURE. 



Mr. Editor : — In a recent excursion in my own 

 vicinity, a few days since, I was gladdened by a 

 prospect such as I had long desired to look upon 

 in our hill country, but after years of patient wish- 

 ing and waiting, had almost despaired of ever see- 

 ing, unless it were in anticipation. It was the 

 beautiful sight of a highway free from all wander- 

 ing animals, with no long furrows plowed on the 

 sides of the travel path to produce a harvest of 

 weeds, whose feathery seeds may be blown for 

 miles, perhaps to vegetate and disfigure some field 

 now smiling in fresh and valuable herbage ; no 

 deep gullies or dangerous ditches to disfigure the 

 scenery, and render all '■burning ouV when two 

 conveyances met, dangerous to the nerves, if not to 

 the life and limbs of passengers, but a gentle slop- 

 ing declivity, just enough to turn the water oS. 

 Then the grass, tall, beautiful grass, waving in the 

 light breeze and reflecting bright jewels in the dew 

 drops which hung upon it ! how rich it looked, 

 skirting that smooth, well- wrought highway ! 

 and how beautiful the ground will look again, 

 when the mijwer has smoothly shorn it of its 

 heavy burthen anl it is gathered into the garner, 

 all fresh and green and lovely as the earliest her 

 bage of spring. 



It has been a source of continued wonder tome, 

 that in a civilized age this street feeding should be 

 tolerated at all. The practice has always looked 

 as a relict of dark and barbarous times, originat- 

 ing and continued more from a desire to invade 

 the rights of others, rather than in adopting the 

 precept of doing justly and loving mercy. I re- 

 joice to see the practice so far abandoned, as to 

 develop some bright spots along our waysides. — 

 While I feel a comfortable assurance that no rea- 

 sonable bcin^, where he once sees and experiences 

 the benefits, will willingly return to the old way of 

 turning sheep, geese, hogs, cattle, horses, pell- 

 mell into the street, to the annoyance of every- 

 body and the neighborhood in particular. 



Then, when the streets are once cleared of these 

 wandering, mischievous herds or collection of 

 beasts that go about without owner and keeper to ex- 

 hibit themselves, admitting themselves freely wher- 

 ever they find a deficiency offence, into the grain- 

 field or mowing land of orderly and quiet citizens 

 instead of taxing an admittance fee, what improve- 

 ments in our highways may we not reasonably ex- 

 pect? Instead of the too common and disagreea- 

 ble fallows left by the wayside, we shall see the 

 sod remain firm and protected beyond the necessa- 

 ry requirements for the preservation of the road, 

 rough places will be made smooth by the wayside 

 as well as in the way, and handsomely laid to grass. 

 Trees will be planted all along, and in variety as 

 great as the neighboring woodlands will permit, 

 giving shade to the traveller, beauty to the sce- 

 nery, and furnishing subjects of various investi- 

 gations, to awaken the mind and enrich the heart. 



Then, too, if men cannot sit under their own vines 

 and fig-trees with nothing to molest or make 

 them afraid, they may stand a much better chance 

 than we fear many now do, of retiring for the 

 night, quiet in the reflection that the crops on 

 which they have spent so much care, and which 

 promise to repay their labor so generously, will not 

 ere the morning, be destroyed by some troop of 

 wandering animals. 



I have not written supposing^hat I have seen 

 is a solitary sight confined to a single town or 

 neighborhood. There are many such places, but 

 not all,- and I have been induced to hold up this 

 one example as a subject of imitation, to places 

 where no such beauties mark the landscape, and 

 encourage them to hasten the day when our coun- 

 try shall be free from a loathsome, disagreeable, 

 unjust, unneighborly and unlawful practice. 



Yours, truly, w. b. 



Elmwood, July 20, 1853. 



For the New England Farmer. 



GARDEN AND FIRE ENGINES. 



Mr. Editor : — In a late number of your paper, 

 in a notice of a garden engine, you say "It will 

 throw water to the height of forty feet, and to the 

 distance of seventy feet horizontally. It may, 

 therefore, be found of use in extinguishing fires in 

 buildings." That remark is in accordance with 

 the general belief of the use of such engines for ex- 

 tinguishing fires. I have no doubt but that if any 

 twelve of your customers who live a mile from a 

 large fire engine, should purchase a small one, 

 and their buildings should take fire, they would at 

 least, eleven of them, run fur the large one at the 

 village, and never once think of trying their own, 

 or if they thought of it, would give it up as a fool- 

 ish idea. A more mistaken idea than this, of fire 

 engines, never entered the mind of man. Fire does 

 not wait while we run for engines, but increases 

 in arithmetical progression, and therefore if the 

 engine yon have described, will not put it out when 

 first discovered, the largest in the world cannot, 

 if we have to run but half a mile and it then has 

 to be drawn to the fire. I want to see a better de- 

 scription of the new Hitchcock engine. I know 

 its power, and I tell you it is to create an entire 

 change in our fire departments. Hundreds of towns 

 in the State cannot aSbrd to purchase a large one, 

 who could have half a dozen of these ; and three 

 of these at proper distances, are better than a large 

 one, because so much sooner brought to work. 

 Again, many towns who have the large ones should 

 purchase small ones for the "outsiders," who pay 

 their part of the expense while they are wholly 

 unprotected. But enough for tliis time. If you 

 please, I will again trouble you upon this impor- 

 tant subject, and now only say that any of your 

 friends who purchase the engine for garden pur- 

 poses, will have a most useful and effectual fire en- 

 gine. B. 

 Water/own, 1853. 



Remarks. — Having used the engine you speak of, 

 and "knowing its power," we hope you will furnish 

 the description which the puVjlic needs. The sub- 

 ject is one of importance to all, but especially to 

 farmers, and we thank you for calling attention to 

 it. ' 



