146 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



the value of agi-icultural knowledge from the success 

 attending the hoys who had been instructed at the 

 Fixmi School. 



Hon. Mr. Gray, of Boston, was of the opinion of 

 Dr. "Wilder, that the young should be instructed in 

 agricultural education. He thought that instruction 

 in agriculture might bo given in our colleges. "We 

 need works to teach the elements of agriculture. 



On motion of Mr. Calhoun, it was Resolved, that 

 it becomes the enlightened policy of Massachusetts 

 to aid in furnishing to the people the means of a 

 thorough agricultural education. 



NOTICES OF PUBLICATIONS. 



Hovey's Magazine of Horticulture, for April, 

 as usual, contains a variety of interesting matter. 

 Mr. Hovej' is among the most industrious and per- 

 severing pomologists in the country. 



A Practical Treatise on the Management op 

 Fruit Trees, by George Jaquos, published by E. 

 N. Tucker, Worcester. This is a small work, con- 

 taining useful directions, with a descriptive list of 

 such fruits as the author considers adapted to the 

 interior of New England. Even those who prefer 

 more definite descriptions of fruit, and an account of 

 the principal kinds cultivated in the country, will 

 hnd valuable hints in this work on cultivation and 

 management. 



Report on Agriculture, by the committee on 

 agriculture, in the New York Assembly. A valuble 

 document, extracts from which appear on p. 159. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. 



From Mr. Nathan Waters, Sutton, Beauty, or Sut- 

 ton Beauty. This apple, in form, size, color, and 

 season, is similar to the Baldwin. Yet it is of a 

 more delicate and beautiful appearance, of fine tex- 

 ture, more mild and delicate in its flesh, which, in 

 our opinion, renders it superior for the table. We 

 have tried and described this fruit before, but we 

 never made a fair trial of it, as we have not had it 

 till too late in the season to judge accurately of its 

 quality. We find that it is a stout, vigorous grower 

 in the nursery. It is worthy of trial, and promises 

 to be one of our most valuable winter apples. 



Of Mr. George Phipps, Framingham, Winter 

 Sweet apple. Medial size, round, ribbed, yellow, 

 with a brownish red blush ; flesh very firm, and of a 

 pleasant, lively flavor, after long keeping. 



Of Mr. Lewis Jones, Wayland, Jones's Sweet apple. 

 Large, round, yellow, dull brown blush, of a pleas- 

 ant quality. These noble apples make a fine appear- 

 ance at this late season ; but Mr. Jones says, that it 

 requires high culture to bring them up to so fine a 

 condition. 



Of Mr. J. Waters, from his father, Stephen Waters, of 

 Sutton, Sutton Export apple. Medial size, roundish 

 oblong ; j-cUow, russet, and red ; flesh, very hard, of a 

 pleasant flavor ; but it is not sufficiently ripe to allow 

 US to judge correctly of its quality. Mr. W. makes 

 the following remarks on this fruit : — 



Mr. Cole : I herewith send you some specimens 

 of an apple which I have christened the Sutton Ex- 

 port, from the fact, that I think there are no apples 

 now extant which are equal to this for exportation, 

 or for holding their hardness and flavor to a very 

 late period in the season. I have kept them without 

 assorting over until August, when they would come 

 out fresh and fair, with very few rotten, retaining all 

 their qualities, as though they had but just arrived at 

 maturity. They are, however, eatable as early as 

 January, although quite hard. The tree is hardy and 

 rugged, and I think peculiarly adapted to our New 

 England culture and climate. It is a constant and 

 prolific bearer, and such is the wonderful tenacity 

 with which the fruit clings to the tree, that they suc- 

 cessfully resist the storm and wind, and even the 

 eftbrts of boys with clubs and other missiles are not 

 sufficient to detach them. To make an attempt to 

 cat the fruit in the fall would be in vain, for it would 

 be almost impossible to make an indenture with the 

 teeth ; and in fact it is hard to bruise or make an 

 impression upon them at this time of the year, which 

 peculiarly adapts them to exportation. You will 

 please have the goodness to test these apples ihor- 

 oughly, particularli/ the JIuvor — how they will com- 

 pare with others, &c., and oblige S. W. 



EXERCISE OF THE MIND. 



Persons who are much employed in pursuits in- 

 volving manual labor are apt to undervalue the 

 necessity of exercising their minds more fully than 

 the mere thinkings immediately connected with their 

 pursuits. To such we would say, your power of 

 applying your mind intently to any subject will be 

 in exact proportion to the amount of exercise you 

 have given it. 



The arm of the blacksmith, or the leg of the dan- 

 cing master, increases in size by its exercise, and the 

 brain of the lawyer gains activity and strength from 

 a similar cause. 



Even the eye may be improved in the exercise of 

 its functions by use. Thus the artist and the dealer 

 in dry goods both remember and observe colors with 

 greater exactness than those not so employed. 



Go to our prisons and observe those who have 

 worked in silence for many years at some monoto- 

 nous occupation, without the opportunity of listen- 

 ing to conversations, or of referring to books, without 

 change of scene or other cause for the exercise of 

 thought, and you will invariably find that they have 

 lessened in the power of thinking ; their memories, 

 and indeed every quality of their minds, will be found 

 to have deteriorated. 



With such facts as these fairly ascertained, is it 

 not both slothful and sinful for farmers to doze away 

 their evenings in a sort of half consciousness, and 

 then retire to bed like tired beasts of burden, instead 

 of spending a single hour, at least, each evening, in a 

 healthy and proper exercise of their minds. 



If this exercise have relation to the affairs of the 

 farm, arising out of judiciovis reading, you will profit 

 more by it than from a similar' amoimt of bodily 

 exercise. Indeed, its beneficial effects will pen'ade 

 all your doings. 



The necessity for this advice is rapidly passing 

 away ; but we all know that our industrious farmers 

 have been too apt to over-labor and under think — 

 excusing themselves for such negligence by urging 

 their fatigue as the cause. Farms of any extent re- 

 quire that the person having them in charge should 

 not so over-labor, as to have no time for thought. 

 One hour per day, applied to reading agricultural 

 improvements, Avill give rise to methods for saving 

 more than the value of the time so spent, in addition 

 to its beneficial effect on the mind. — Working Farmer. 



