VOI-. XIII. NO. 53. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



411 



in even/ instance. The mode in wliicli these ex- 

 periments were made was tliis. Out of a large 

 lot of fine wethers which were in the course of 

 being killed, and which were all believed to be 

 sound, three at a time were selected for the trial 

 of each of these remedies, and put on the mead- 

 ows. At the end of three weeks, their livers 

 were invariably found to be more or less infected ; 

 while the livers of the others of the same lot, 

 which had not been on the meadows, and which 

 had remained in their usual dry jasturcs, reraaincd 

 unaffected. 



This continued for some time ; but at last two 

 wethers which had not been on the meadow, were 

 found to have diseased livers; and, therefore, it 

 cannot be affirmed with perfect certainty that the 

 subjects of the experiment had taken the disease 

 in spite of the remedies ; because it is just possible 

 that, like the two last, they might all have taken 

 the infection at some previous period. — Edinhurgh 

 Qr. Jour, of JlgricuUure. 



Transactiong of the Essex Agricultural Snciety, for 1834. 



ON DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES. 

 This Cominittee, Rev. G. B. Perry, Chairman, 

 after mentioning the awards of premiums — some 

 of which for specimens of needlework, were giv- 

 en to children 11, 5, and 4 years old, amounting in 

 the whole to the sum of one hundred and eight 

 dollars — proceed to say ; 



In presenting this report they are happy to observe 

 what indeed must be known to all who have visited 

 the room where the articles were exhibited, that 

 their number was unusually large, and in general 

 of a superior quality. It will be readily perceived 

 that this increase in number, considering the lim- 

 ited time allowed the committee for examination, 

 must increase the difficulty of examining and 

 comparing them so as to judge coi^-ectly of their 

 relative merits. All the committee assume is an 

 honest desire to fulfil impartially the trust com- 

 mitted to them, feeling no ways confident that 

 exact justice has in all instances been done. 



There were several articles for which premiums 

 or gratuities are awarded, and others perhaps 

 nearly or (juite as meritorious, not thus distin- 

 guished, upon which the committee would have 

 been glad to have made some remarks. Among 

 them may be mentioned specimens of different 

 kinds of dressed leather, a great number of very 

 substantial hearth rugs, several pair of linen hose, 

 a variety of beautiful articles manufactured from 

 the milk-weed, (ascle])ias syriaca,) and some inter- 

 esting specimens of coloring done by Mrs Mer- 

 rill of Newbury. But our time did not allow of 

 such discriiTiinate records as would now make our 

 remarks of the best service to the Society. 



An unusual number of the specimens exhibit- 

 ed were the work of children from 4 to 12 years 

 of age, many of them executed at leism-e hours or 

 between schools, and afford a happy and encour- 

 aging evidence of the industry of that interesting 

 portion of our population. Your committee were 

 at some difficulty to determine what should be 

 done in relation to them, but concluded finally, as 

 it was the great object of this Society to encour- 

 age industry and the dfcvelopement of the me- 

 chanical powers, they would recommend a gratu- 

 ity'of a dollar to each or.e whose work gave cred- 

 itable evidence of a desire and ability to do well. 

 Your cominittee think, however, that should the 

 Society comply with this recommendation, it 



ought not to be construed into an intimation that 

 the like course would he pursued at subsequent 

 exhibitions. 



Perhaps it may be observed with justice, that a 

 large proportion of the articles were rather of or- 

 namental than iu the strictest gense of the word, 

 of the useful — such as are more calculated to 

 please than to profit. Your committee are not 

 enemies to taste and ornament ; nor do they sup- 

 pose that because a thing is good for nothing but 

 just to look a<, that it is therefore worthless. Our 

 benevolent and wise Creator has made, and does 

 from year to year continue to make, many things 

 of which we know no use except that they are 

 pleasant to the sight ; and we feel willing — more 

 than this, desirous, — that the noblest portion of 

 his creatures should iu their appropriate sphere 

 attenipt to imita:e him. But with the beautiful 

 he has given a still larger portion of what in civil 

 economy is called the useful, or perhaps it may 

 be more accurately expressed, he has rendered 

 the useful attractive by finishing it in a tasteful 

 and ornamental manner. We do not wish any of 

 the specimens had been withheld, nor the atten- 

 tion to things of taste diminished, but we wish 

 with these an increase of those of a more substan- 

 tial character, and particularly those where the 

 useful are rendered interesting and attracting by 

 an ornamental and, tasteful finish. We are persua- 

 ded we express the feelings of the Society, and of 

 the community generally, when we observe 

 that the great and good design of this annual exhi- 

 bition will be more fully answered, if in subse- 

 quent years our young female friends, and indeed 

 those of greater age, together with their highly fin- 

 ished specimens of bead and lace and various fan- 

 cy v/ork, will also bring well wrought specimens 

 of plain sewing and knitting, garments of com- 

 mon wear, and other necessary and substantial 

 articles of domestic life ; things which meet the 

 wants and subserve the interest of every day, and 

 by which, even in the busy forenoon, a family 

 would a|ipear attracting, as well when at even- 

 tide they are ready to see friends and enjoy the 

 sweets of social life. 



The county abounds with specimens of the sorts 

 referred to. In very few portions of our country 

 are the principles of taste and economy more hap- 

 pily combined than in our' ovi^n county. What 

 we ask is, that our annual exhibitions may have 

 their interest and usefulness increased by a more 

 extensive collection of them. 



Remarks of the Trustees of the Essex Agricul- 

 tural Society, in offering premiums for Butter 

 and Cheese :-i- 



The trustees have heretofore been desirous of 

 encouraging the makinJE; of good butler aind cheese. 

 A laige proportion of their premiums have annu- 

 ally been given for these articles. They are easily 

 prepared for exhibition, and can be trans|)orted 

 without material injury. They are in a peculiar 

 manner susceptible of improvement by careful 

 attention to the manner of making and preserving 

 the same. Every person who has ever known 

 the distinction between good and bad butter, must 

 he astonished when he considers how much the 

 purchaser loses by want of care in the making of 

 this article. It is not too much to say, that the 

 farmers of Essex might save thousands of dollars 

 every year, if they would give proiier attention to 

 the management of their dairies. 



Pepper. — Mr Reynolds, in his " Voyage Round 

 the World," gives some account of the cidture of 

 Pepper, the principal article of trade at Sumatra. 

 He says it grows on a vine or creeping plant, run- 

 ning up on jiolcs, with leaves of a dark green, 

 heart-shaped, pointed, and not poignant to the 

 taste. The blossom is small and white, and the 

 fruit hangs in bunches or clusters, resembling 

 those of the currant bush, but larger and less 

 pliant. It is from four to five months in coming 

 to maturity. The berries are at first green, and 

 gradually become a bright red when ripe, and 

 soon fall oft', if not gathered. " All the bunches 

 on the stems do not become ripe at the same 

 time, and the natives frequently go through their 

 little farms with small baskets, plucking off each 

 bunch as they become ripe. When gathered it is 

 spread out on mats, or clean places, to dry. That 

 which has been gathered at a proper age will 

 shrink least ; while those skilled in the trade will 

 readily distinguish that which has been plucked 

 prematurely, by rubbing it in the hand, when it 

 will impart much dust, and even crumble to 

 pieces." 



The poles are about six feet apart, probably re- 

 seinbling one of our hop-fields. The culture of 

 1000 such ])lauts or hills, is occupation sufficient 

 for a man and his wife — 500 are usually allotted 

 to a single person. 



Threshing Machine. — We have seen the new 

 " threshing instrument" which has been exhibited 

 in this town during the past week — and we com- 

 mend it to the favorable attention of all our far- 

 mers of the Granite State. It is a neiv one — de- 

 pend on it ; a patent — invented by Mr Laighton, 

 of Portsmouth. Those who have examined it, 

 have but one siory to tell — from his Excellency 

 the Governor, to the most humble individual of 

 tlie Agricultural fraternity — and that story is a 

 good one. If we were in the " speculating line," 

 we should purchase a right in the concern, and 

 that shortly. As we are not we recommend our 

 friends who may desire to know more about it, to 

 Messrs. A. M. & A. J. Beck, Portsmouth, N. H., 

 who are sole agents for the concern. — JV. H. Star. 



Gapes in Chickens. — To one quart of corn 

 meal add about one spoonful of sulphur and as 

 much salt as will give the dough a salt taste — 

 make it into dough. We are assured by a re- 

 spectable farmer who has repeatedly tried it, that 

 if this food be given to young chickens frequently, 

 say once a week, until the season for gapes is 

 past they will not take the disease, and that if 

 laboring under it, three or four meals of it in suc- 

 cession will cure them. — Washington Republican. 



The weather thus far has been remarkably cool. 

 Our thermometer at 1-2 past 5 this morning stood 

 at .57 1-2, which is a rare occurrence for the first 

 of July. 'J he season has been hitherto quite un- 

 favorable to travelling, and we presume the wa- 

 tering places have felt its un|!rofitable influence. 

 A friend just from the Virginia Springs, tells us 

 that the visitors were obliged to have fires and to 

 wear great coats all the time he was there. — Phil. 

 Gazette, July 1. 



To preserve Milk. — In very warm weather, 

 when mi!k sours soon, put two table spoonfuls of 

 salt into every pail of milk before straining, and 

 it wi.l greatly inq)rove the quality and quantity of 

 butter. — Genesee Farmer. 



