1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



495 



as thick as a stout man's thumb, and the bush 

 from four to five feet in diameter, may be seen 

 springing out of the joint in the stone wall of the 

 church tower, at a height of 84 feet from the 

 ground. It has grown there for a century or 

 more, thriving greatly in most seasons, and dwind- 

 ling and pining during drought. The seed was 

 probably dropped by a bird, where it has germi- 

 nated. 



AGRICULTURAL FAIR. 



At Westminster, Vt. 



The Show for "Windham County, Vermont, took 

 place at Westminster, a pleasant village on the 

 banks of the Connecticut, 4 miles below Bellows 

 Falls, on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 6 and 7. — 

 Excellent preparations had been made for the oc- 

 casion by enclosing 25 acres of level land near the 

 village, and the erection of tents, booths, &c., on 

 the grounds. In the enclosure the whole exhibition 

 might be seen, plowing match, trotting course and 

 all. 



The entries of stock were not very numerous, 

 not so much so as we had expected to see in that 

 fertile region of country. Working cattle were pre- 

 sented ia considerable number, but we are confident 

 were not the best the county could produce. There 

 were some fine milch cows of mixed blood, two or 

 three fine, and probably pure blood bulls, and some 

 handsome young cattle. The swine were not nu- 

 merous or remarkably good. The Messrs. Camp- 

 bell presented specimens from their flocks of sheep, 

 which are so well known as to need no description 

 here. There were also poultry, farm implements, 

 &c., on the ground. But in horses, the .Vermont- 

 era run away from us. There were many present 

 of great spirit and beauty ; if they don't beat the 

 telegraph in speed, it is because they cannot, and 

 not because they lack the disposition. 



The show of fruits, vegetables, and butter and 

 cheese, did not do credit to the ancient renown of 

 Vermont. She must not trust her fame entirely to 

 the merits of her noble horses — the field, the gar- 

 den, the dairy, and skill in household manufac- 

 tures must be sustained among her people, or her 

 laurels will be won by some of her persevering and 

 watchful sisters. 



There is evidently a want of system and arrange- 

 ment — we feel bound to speak the truth in kind- 

 ness — in the carrying out of the objects of the so- 

 ciety. AVe have examined the premium bill with 

 care, and find the list liberal, and the rules judi- 

 cious, and the action of the society so far, such as 

 to ensure an exhibition to command the admira- 

 tion of every other county in the State. The de- 

 ficiencies seemed to us to be in the imperfect ar- 

 rangements to carry out their original designs. 

 With more age and experience, and the determi- 

 nation of a few energetic spirits, all that can reas- 

 onably be desired may be speedily accomplished. 

 There was an address on the first day by the editor 

 of this paper. 



Our thanks are due the Hon. Frederick Hol- 

 uRooK, and the gentlemanly officers of the society, 

 for their kind attentions, and to Mr. Henry Kel- 

 logg and his estimable lady, for the hospitalities 

 of their house during our stay. 



For ihe New England Farmer. 



Mr. Brown :— Dear Sir, — The sentiments em- 

 bodied in the enclosed extract are such as it is de- 

 sirable to keep before " Young America " in this 

 very " progressive " age ; and, as I have noticed 

 with pleasure your endeavors to make the N. E. 

 Farmer exert a good moral influence, I venture to 

 beg you to insert it among your selections. 



Respectfully yours, av. 



Government and the Bible. — How often do we 

 hear, from the halls of Congress and from the 

 press, eulogiuras upon our republican government, 

 as though this, simply and alone, were the source 

 of our happiness and prosperity as a nation. But 

 such is not the case. It is not government which 

 is the blessing; government is an evil, though a 

 " necessary evil." It is the Bible that gives good 

 government, and this is the cause of our happiness 

 and prosperity ; it is this, alone, which has given 

 us a " power on earth." France, or any other na- 

 tion, can easily form a republican government, but 

 so long as they are unenlightened by the truths 

 of the word of God, they may as well have an em- 

 peror as a president. Let us remember that we 

 owe our liberty to God, and not to any wisdom of 

 man exhibited in laws or constitutions. So long 

 as we make his Word our chart, we shall ride 

 safely through the storms of life ; but that re- 

 jected, we grope in heathenish blindness. 



Sunday, Oct. 9th, 1853. 



Remarks. — We not only believe the above, and 

 mean to refer to the book mentioned for our own 

 chart in life, but thank our correspondent for his 

 willingness to aid in keeping the world " on the 

 right track." 



MASSACHUSETTS LANDS IN MAINE. 



We have already apprised our readers of the 

 final acceptance by the Maine Legislature of the 

 proposition to purchase the public lands in that 

 State belonging to Massachusetts. The lands in- 

 cluded in this sale are as follows : 35,535 acres of 

 undivided lands, and 424,569 acres of lands held 

 in severalty — all contained in the first five ranges ; 

 and 265,408 acres west of these ranges, held in 

 severalty unincumbered, 414,245 acres undivided, 

 and 268,544 held in severalty which are permitted 

 mostly for six or seven years. The price paid is 

 $362,500. The sum of 8112,500 was appropriated 

 in part payment for the land. The remainder of 

 the debt is to be provided for by certificates 

 of stock, in sums not less than $10,000 each, with 

 coupons for each year's interest at the rate of five 

 per cent, per annum, the stock to bo redeemable 

 at such times as in the opinion of the Treasurer of 

 Maine shall be advisable, not exceeding twenty 

 years. 



