THE FARMER'S HOME. 11 



and crimson fruits, are his first and most aj)i)ropriate embellish- 

 ments. While your premiums have long stimulated to excel- 

 lence in these luxuriant staple products, we trust the time is 

 not distant when the same will be offered for improvements not 

 less deserving of competition and reward in themselves, but 

 which will tend still more to elevate the profession of agricul- 

 ture in the community. A very liberal beginning has already 

 been made in the right direction in the " Fay premium," 

 through the munificence of our enterprising President, but 

 experiments of individuals have been thus far, we believe, 

 unsuccessful. It remains, possibly, for the society itself to set 

 the example on its own opportunely presented farm, and make 

 that a model farm-home, worthy of inspection and imitation by 

 individuals of the entire county, for their own private benefit. 



Numerous fences crossing a farm at right angles, so common 

 in all directions, are unsightly and expensive and should be 

 dispensed with as much as possible. For division lines and 

 where the owner decides on a permanent fence, for durability, 

 the stone wall, when well made on dry land, is not to be given 

 up. It is high time, however, that many of these were rebuilt 

 during the leisure periods. They are as zig-zag as a Virginia 

 fence, trundle down at every touch, and it is a kind of slavery 

 to be constantly repairing them. To surmount these with 

 stakes and rails is a form of embellishment not to be recom- 

 mended. 



Large inclosures are necessary to the more extensive and 

 profitable introduction of horse implements and machinery, 

 indispensable for the saving of labor in conducting farm opera- 

 tions. It is a question, whether cheap, movable wire fences 

 may not be suljstituted for some of our clumsy and more expen- 

 sive stationary ones. For confining stock for a given time to 

 any portion of a pasture desired, or for cultivating a part only 

 of a permanent inclosure, this portable fence may serve a good 

 purpose. Tlie president of the society has already had consid- 

 erable experience in keeping his flocks of sheep in this manner. 



Front fences on roads or streets, should be more ornamental 

 than elsewhere, and kept in good condition ; but in this, as 

 well as some other points alluded to in this address, we intend 

 the proviso of the delinquent preacher, who said, " Do as we 

 say, and not as we do." Hedges of various kinds may be here 



