AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE. 51 



this. This spirit is encouraged by these animal gatherings and 

 exhibitions. We meet here familiar faces, and our interest in 

 each otlier is reawakened, when we behold the first fruits of 

 harvest, wliich each has brought up hither as an offering to the 

 noble cause of agricultural progress. This spirit of emulation 

 in communities, is excited through the year. The progress of 

 the crops in different fields, possessed l)y different owners, is 

 watched, and the interests of the whole community are fre- 

 quently discussed, when its members meet together. 



How interesting it is for us to watch the progress of the 

 season. Wc are not only interested in seeing the snows of 

 winter retire, and the buds of spring opening their hidden 

 treasures of beauty, but we rejoice to see young and old going 

 forth into the fields, to open the long buried soil, and sow the 

 prejcious seed. We watch with interest the growing blades, 

 when they at length appear. All readily unite in this pleasure 

 and aid the great work of nature, by loosening the soil, and 

 destroying the hostile weeds. Soon other scenes awaken our 

 interest. In the morning we hear the sound of swinging 

 scythes, and at night behold the nicely raked hay and the 

 returning teams laden with the valuable material. At a later 

 period, the orchards are laden with fruit, the cornfields show 

 tlieir yellow ears, the vine reveals its purple clusters, and the 

 wheat invites the reaper's toil. How sweet to hear the song of 

 harvest. Well might our forefathers, rejoicing at their success 

 in tilling the soil of the New World, set apart a day, which in 

 the country is more truly than elsewhere, both alioly day and a 

 holiday, in which kindred and friends partake of a joyful feast, 

 and sing their songs of " thanksgiving" to " the Lord of the 

 harvest." Give me a New England home, — the home of liberty, 

 the birtliplace of the free, where our fathers bled on the field of 

 battle and sweat on the field of toil. Let me rejoice in time 

 honored customs, and be permitted to hear the Sabbath bells, 

 and visit the district school. Oar streams may -carry with their 

 force the noisy machinery, and mark their course with the 

 signs of enterprise ; but our New England homes are among 

 the hills, and in the fruitful vales. Long may they be honored 

 by those who inherit their father's patriotism and virtue, as well 

 as their farms and dwellings. 



In addition to the influence of the theory and practice of 



