482 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



commercial purposes. We learn that the factory 

 at Hinesburgli is in active operation, and with 

 abundant orders from the sea-board. We wish 

 its owners success, and look to see, ere long, 

 "Brinsden's Imperishable Potato" spoken of as 

 one of our large articles of export. — Burlington 

 Free Press. 



THE HAPPY FARMER. 



BY MRS. L. H. SIOOUR.NET. 



Saw ye the farmer al his plow 



As you were riding by ? 

 Or, wearied 'ueath his noon-day toil, 



When summer suns were high .' 

 And thought you that his lot was hard .' 



And did you thank your God, 

 That you and yours were not condemn'd 



Thus like a slave to plod .? 



Come, see him at his harvest home. 



When garden, field, and tree, 

 Conspire, with flowing stores to fill 



His burn and granary. 

 His healthful children gaily sport 



Amid the new-mown hay, 

 Or proudly aid with vigorous arm, 



His tasks, as best they may. 



The dog partakes his master's joy. 



And guards the loaded wain. 

 The feathery people clap their wings, 



And lead their youngling train. 

 Perchance the hoary grandsire's eye 



The glowing scene surveys. 

 And breathes a blessing on his race, 



Or guides their evening praise. 



The Harvest Giver is their friend, 



The maker of the soil, 

 And earth, the Mother, gives them bread 



And cheers their patient toil. 

 Come, join them round their wint'ry hearth. 



Their heartfelt pleasures see. 

 And you can better judge how blest 



The farmer's life may be. 



For the New England Farmer. 



VERMONT STATE FAIR. 



_ My Dear Brown :— I left Lowell at half-past 

 eight this morning, in the V. C. train, and came 

 on through Nashua, Manchester and Concord and 

 followed up the valley of the Merrimae and alono- 

 the southern and western base of the Kearsasge* 

 to Enfield. Then leaving the Merrimae, we fol- 

 lowed the serpentine Mascoma, a small stream, 

 but so crooked that we cross it fourteen times in 

 SIX miles. This stream rises in Enfield pond. At 

 Danbury we stopped about eight minutes to 

 lunch. From that place we jogged along, taking 

 up and setting down ten cent passengers, after 

 the manner of an old-fashioned stage coach.— 

 This train above Concord is truly an accommoda- 

 tion train. We lost half an hour at Concord, and 

 an hour and a-half from there to Montpelier, where 

 we arrived a quarter past G o'clock. Just two 

 hours after the train was due. After leaving the 

 Mascoma, we soon struck the White river, the 

 valley of which we followed to the Connecticut, 

 which we crossed at West Lebanon into Hartford. 

 On crossing the Connecticut, the soil at once as- 

 sumes a new character. We are no longer in the 

 Granite State. Rocky Mountains and ledges of 

 granite are no longer seen. Abrupt hills, capable 

 of tillage to their very summits, and beautiful val- 



leys teeming with verdure take their places. Slate 

 stone and banks of clay show themselves upon 

 the borders of the stream. I noticed, as I passed 

 along through the upper part of New Hampshire 

 and in Vermont, that the farmers are cutting up 

 the corn at the ground and shocking it in the field, 

 where it is left to ripen. They do not cut the 

 stalks as we do in Mass. 



The corn is just beginning to turn. It is not 

 as forward by some two weeks as that in the vi- 

 cinity of Boston. There is said to be a good crop 

 on the ground. On reaching Montpelier, I found 

 the hotels and boarding houses crowded to over- 

 flowing. _ But I reported myself at head quarters, 

 and received every attention that I could desire. 

 I find the citizens very polite and attentive. The 

 show ground is at the east end of the street, up- 

 on a beautiful elevation. The most perfect ar- 

 rangements have been made at an expense of some 

 thousands of dollars. A range of open sheds has 

 been erected for the exhibition of vegetables, agri- 

 cultural implements, the products of art, butter, 

 cheese, wool, &c. A beautiful arena has been en- 

 closed, and a splendid trotting course prepared, and 

 an extensive scaffolding erected for the accommo- 

 dation of spectators, not indeed equal to the am- 

 phitheatre of Trajan, but the largest and most 

 convenient structure of the kind whichjjas ever 

 been got up in New England, for a similar occa- 

 sion. It is designed to seat 3000. A lofty flag- 

 staff stands in the centre of the arena, from which 

 floats the star spangled banner. An abundant 

 supply of water is provided on the arena, with a 

 beautiful fountain. Flags ornament the several 

 sheds and indicate that this is the great gala day 

 among the Green Mountain boys. 



Wednesday 14th. — The people began to assem- 

 ble on the ground soon after 8 o'clock. At 9 the 

 officers and committees appeared, and the services 

 of the day commenced. I first visited the floral 

 hall where the flowers and fruits and fancy arti- 

 cles were exhibited. A fine car of milHnery and 

 a beautiful case of silver ware attracted notice. — 

 Some fine harnesses drew the young horesmen 

 around them. The exhibition of fruits was much 

 below my expectation. It by no means did jus- 

 tice to the State ; indeed, there seemed to be but 

 very little interest taken in the subject. I under- 

 stand there are a good many apples in the north- 

 ern part of the State this year. 



The show of Devon stock was very good. Some 

 very fine animals of this breed were on the ground. • 

 This seems to be the favorite stock just at this 

 time ; they are considered quite equal as dairy 

 stock to the Durhams, and are said to take fat 

 more readily. Then there^were two or three fine 

 Durhams and a few Ilerefords. There were many 

 fine specimens of French Merinos on the ground, 

 and a few Spanish. I saw no other breeds wor- 

 thy of notice ; the great feature of the day was 

 the exhibition of horses. There were several fam- 

 ilies of them, arranged in separate classes, with a 

 committee to each class. T here were .35 Sher- 

 man Morgans, 4 Bulrush Morgans, 5 Messengers, 

 17 pairs of matched horses, 20 Geldings and Mares, 

 and 11 foreign horses, making 128 horses, besides 

 breeding mares and colts. 



There were many splendid animals ; at the na- 

 tional exhibition which is to come off at Spring- 

 field, they must look out for their laurels. The 

 Vermonters mean to take a full share of the 

 prizes. 



