150 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doe. 



enthusiasm of every son and daughter of New England, 

 whether living within her borders or under other skies. Is 

 it impracticable to think that in the near future there shall 

 be undertaken a New England campaign for rural progress? 



During the English mutiny of about fifty j^ears ago the 

 city of Lucknow was besieged. General Havelock managed 

 to get word to the garrison that if they would hold out for 

 fifteen days he would come to the relief of the city. Al- 

 though sorely besieged, they held out the fifteen days, but 

 no relief came. They held out twenty-five days, and no 

 relief came. There were women and children there, and 

 there were suff'ering and torment, and disease and death. 

 The weary days wore on, l)ut the garrison would not give 

 up, although the case seemed hopeless. "And ever aloft 

 on the palace roof the old banner of England l)lew." 



Finalh', one morning, after weeks and months of suffer- 

 ing, and cholera, and scurvy, and starvation, and death, 

 ears that were strained to catch every note of hope heard 

 over the distant hills something very like the sound of the 

 pibroch. Finally they made sure that they caught the 

 strains of the old Highland Avar song, "The Campbells are 



coming." 



All on a sudden the garrison ntter a jubilant shout, 



Havelock's glorious Highlanders answer with conquering cheers ; 

 Forth from their holes and their hidings our women and children come out, 



Blessing the wholesome white faces of Havelock's good fusileers. 

 Kissing the war-harden'd hand of the Highlander, wet with their tears. 



Dance to the pibroch ! Saved! We are saved! — Is it you? Is it you? 

 Saved by the valor of Havelock, saved by the blessing of Heaven! 



" Hold it for fifteen days! " We have held it for eighty-seven! 

 And ever aloft on the palace roof the old banner of England blew. 



It may be that New England agriculture has been be- 

 sieged : that the New Ennland farmer has had to contend 

 with a rocky and even a depleted soil ; that he has had to 

 face the competition of the rich prairies of the west ; that 

 he has found it difficult to secure an adequate labor supply ; 

 that the call of the city has robbed him of the strong right 

 arm and the stout heart of his son and his daughter ; that he 

 has become discouraged, and has lost faith in his occu{)ation 

 and in himself, — in some cases has become unenterprising; 



