414 



NEW ENGLAND FARMEK, 



JUNE 26, im 4 



AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



Indited by Josepb BrecR* 



BoSTou, Wednesday, June 26, 1844. 



A TRIP 1 O NANTUCKET, SHEEP SHEARING, 

 &C. 



A trip to Nantucket at this eeason of the year will 

 well pny for the time and e.ipense to those who are fond 

 of the Bea air and ocean scenery. The conveninnce of 

 trHvellinjr to thai, beautiful and out-of-the way place, 

 are so complete and comfortable, and the journey made 

 with such dispatch, that we wonder tliero are no more 

 found wending their waj' to this place to enjoy the 

 riches of the sea and beanly of the scenery which the 

 numerous islands and bays on the rout afford. 



To get a few days respite from business, and to be 

 present at the 'shearing,' we took a seat in the New Bed- 

 ford train of cars at a quarter before eight o'clock A. M. 

 and soon found ourself moving at the rate or20 miles 

 per hour through the country, and at eleven o'clock 

 were landed in the flourishing town of New Bedford. 

 This place far exceeded our expectations in the beauty 

 of its location, size and amount of business. As we em- 

 barked on board the steam boat we observed a forest of 

 masts from the shipping ; it was said there was no less 

 than 50 ships then in port, mostly whalers fitting for 

 8Pa. We passed two ships with their boats slung ready 

 for sea as we steamed it down the harbour. We cross 

 Buzzard bay lo Wood's hole, where there is a stop for a 

 few minutes lo land and take in passengers, then cross 

 the Vineyard sound with fleets of vessels passing up and 

 down in sight, with Cape Cod shore in the distance. 

 We are soon at Holme's Hole, a well known refuge for 

 vessels in a storm ; here we stop again to leave the 

 mail, &c. and then proceed to Edgarton, where we are 

 again detained for a few moments. Having once more 

 put to sea the course is direct. We soon see in the dis- 

 tance the sandy bluffs of Nantucket, — we pass the ships 

 «t anchor in the outer harbour, cross the bar, the town is 

 in sight ; we are in the inner harbour, there are the cain- 

 mels. we are at the wharf and among the inhabitants 

 who have come down to meet their friends and get the 

 news, and it is but 4 o'clock P. M . 



Having greeted our friends, we are invited to take a 

 ride across the island to see the preparations fur the 

 shearing. We soon emerge from the town which is 

 compactly built and find ourselves upon a large open 

 common extending in one direction as far as the eye can 

 reach, without a tree or fence, or any other ( bject to ob- 

 struct the vision, giving us some idea of a western 

 praire, the soil very sandy, with a scanty herbage and 

 apparently suffering for xvant ef rain. It should be re- 

 marked tliat three fourths of the Island is common land 

 on which the sheep and cows range at lai-ge. The roads 

 branch out in every direction : they have the advantage 

 of us at Nantucket, there is no working on the roads ; 

 when one is worn out they can strike out a new one. 

 The shear pen is about two milfs from town, and is 

 aituated at one end of im enclosure cunlainin<r one 

 square mile of perfectly level land : in this large field we 

 found the sheep collected, spread out ovi r the whole 

 surface, appearing in the distance like mere dots upon 

 It. We learned that these sheep had been collected 

 from every part of the island, and on Monday what is 

 termed the eastern flock, had undergone the preparatory 

 ablution in a pond near by, and were wailing lor tlie ri- 

 sing of another sun lo he relieved from their wint. r cov- 

 ering. The western flock had gone through the same 



prociss on Tuesday, and were drying off for tlie second 

 day of shearing 



The washing is done at 2 cents per head, and some- 

 times when a person is particular to have his wool quite 

 clean he pays 2 1-2 cents. The number of sheep now 

 collected and in view was not far from 7000 — it was 

 said on account of the severity of the winter the num- 

 ber fell short of what it was last year, notwithstanding 

 the increase of the lambs is reckoned Upon inquiry 

 we found it was thought lo be doing well, if the original 

 number was found to he good in shearing time. We 

 cannot speak much in praise of the breed or appear- 

 ance of the flock ; they are mostly native, smnll, pooi , 

 with a good sprinkling of sirkly scabby ones. We no- 

 ticed a number dead, and others that looked as if they 

 would not survive the ordeal of sheaiing. Our readers 

 will not much wonder at the appearance of the flock, 

 when they are informed the sheep receive no attention 

 whatever with fuw exceptions, save in shearing time. 

 In winter they rover over the island to shirk for them- 

 selves, gleaning a scanty fare, their only shelter from 

 the piercing winds, the swamp holes and hollows; 

 there is scarcely a tree on the island, and but few in 

 lown. If there should be a enow storm, it is all the 

 same, the sheep must look out for themselves, they are 

 used to it. The bucks are all taken up in September 

 and kept seperate until the Isl of November, when they 

 are suffered to run at large again ; thus the lambs do not 

 begin lo make their appearance until the first of April. 

 Pa.ssing the sheep field, we soon come to the great 

 ocean, and here there is no obstruction until the W. 

 Indies appear in the vision of the mariner. Yes, the 

 great ocean,— the wind has been blowing hard from the 

 southwest all day, and how grandly the sea breaks upon 

 the beach ; if there is such a roaring and dashing, and 

 foaming, and tossing of the spray now, what must it be 

 in a storm ; when the poor sailor is stranded upon the 

 shore, what perils must he encounter ere he gain the 

 land or reach one of the numerous huts, placed alono 

 the shore by the humane society for the relief, if in- 

 deed such dilapidated buildings can afford him any ; but 

 night is approaching and we must return to our lodg- 

 ings, and be ready for the sheep shearing at an early 

 hour in the morning; a time long anticipated by ihe 

 young ones who are let loose from school, a time set 

 apart by the older part of the community as a general 

 su-ipension of business, (except shearing) for relaxation, 

 fun and frolic. We must finish next week. 



conspicuous and much admired, as well as many ot 

 beautiful shrubs and planti in the collection 



From J. Breck & Co. a fine display of Roses Til 

 Die«, and Perennial flowers of the season. ' ' 



For ihe Commitlee, J. Breck, Chm'nj 



Fruits The display o( Strawberries today, was eq 

 if not superior, to any ot our former exliibiiions If) 

 ther proof was necessary to establish the superiorit. 

 Hovey's Seedling, both as it regards size and qual 

 over all other varieties, the .specimens exhibited to i 

 by Messrs I.ovett, 2d, of Beverly, and Richardson 

 Canibridgeport, would convince us of that fact, and a 

 Ihat It has no superior, and we venture to add lev 

 any equals. The new varieties lately imported , 

 other seedlings from the Empire Slate, are now un. 

 culuvation ; we feel anxious to see the Brilish Que 

 Her Roycl Husband, Prince Albert, and the New Y, 

 Phccnix; all ihese varietie. will find a powerful cc 

 petilor in this high flavored and very superior sort 



Strawberries, by J. Loveti 2d, BeVerly, viz; 4 bo 

 eary Virginia, fine; 2 do Hovey's Seedling, extra la 

 and fine. By J. Richardson, Caoibridgeport, 1 boj 

 Cambridgeport, 1 box of Hovey's Seedling, very fi 

 By Hovey & Co 1 box, fine specimen, 2 boxes of 1 

 veys Seedling, by A H. Hovey, I box Methven C 

 tie, by Jhoinas Kdmunds, Newton, i do. do do 

 Jno. Gordon, Brighton, 3 large dishes, by J. L L 

 Warren, Bri^jhton, viz ; Warren's Seedling, (large) 1 

 vey s Seedling arid Keen's Seedling, all fine specime 



Grapes, Black Hamburgh, by J. F. Allen, Salem 

 very high and superior flavor. Black Hambur"h a 

 Sweetwater by J Nugent, from the garden of A 

 Howard, of Woodland, Brookline— the Bl.ick Ha 

 biirgli were finely colored. 



Peaches, Early Crawford and Grosse Mignnnne 

 New Jersey) ihe latter very high flavored, by J F i 

 len, of Salem. ■' 



Nectarines, EIruge and Golden (Pincis) by J- F j 

 len, ftlr. Allen also presented some very superior Fi 

 var St. Michael. j t- 



Cberries, I box Black Tartarian, by Jno. Gord. 

 Brighlon. 2 boxes Belle de Choisy, and 1 box Bi" 

 reau Savoy ? (fine) by Mr. Geo Walsh. 1 box, Thon 

 Motley, Jr. Dedham. 2 boxes, James Monroe jr 



Seedling Cherries, by Benjamin Merriam, Koxbu 

 lor a name. The commiilee would be pleased to , 

 other specimens of this variety next week 



N.B. l.asi week Mr. Jno Gordon, Brighton n 

 sented seven boxes ofStrawberri.-s, viz- Melhven C 

 tic, very handsome ; also Warren's Seedling, and Ea 

 Virginia. ° 



MASS. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



EXHIBITION OF FLOWERS. 



Saturday, June 22, 1844. 



From Samuel Walker, 16 beautiful Ranunculus from 

 his splendid bed, viz : orange, yellow, sulphur, crim- 

 son, scarlet, rose, variegated and variously striped and 

 mottled ; also, handsome bouquets. 



From J. L. L. F. Warren, 7 Bouquets, Roses, Carna- 

 tions, Verbenas, Stocks, Dahlias, &c. Among the Dah- 

 lias, VVidnalls Queen and Wheeler's Maria, were fine. 



From Messrs Hovey & Co. a large collection of har- 

 dy roses, 00 vanaties. 



From Me>srs. Hovey & Co. a large collection of har- 

 dy roses, 100 varieties. 



Bouquets from John Hovey and Miss Sumner. 



From Parker Barnes, cut flowers nnd bouquets. 



From Samuel R Johnson, China and Hardy R 

 finedi.^play, Pieonies, &c 



Vegetables Remarkable specimens of" Tuikis ' 

 and " Palestine" Leituce, were exhibited by Cipl 

 siah Lovett, 2d, raised from seed ref;eived from Smir 

 two years >ince. ^ 



Twenty-fi.ur stalks of Myall's Victoria Rhubarb, we- 

 exhibited by John A Kenrick, all gaihcrid frum o 

 plant, 12 of which weighed 12 1-3 pounds. 



John A. Kenkkk. 



From John A Kenrick, Rhododendrons, Knimias 

 Magnolia ureifolis, roses, iVc, ' 



From Samuel Sweeiser, G varieties of China Roses, 

 and a beaiinful specimen of Cactus serpentiniis. 



From William Kenrick, a great variety of Roses, Pm- 

 onies, and cut flowers of numerous sorts. 



From Messrs Winship, a circular stand filled with ro. 

 ses in ab..ui 50 sorts, with a pyramid .if Herbaceous and 

 other flowers ; embracing 100 varieties, making a splen- 

 did show. The new shrub Denlzia scabra, was very 



WALKER'S RANUNCULUSES. 

 Mr Samuel Walker, of Roxbury, has succeeded 

 bringing 10 perfection a bed of splendid Ranunculi 

 containing between one and two thousand plants, ei 

 bracing varieties of every color and hu«, plain, spotb 

 and variegated, which ho imported last year. We h 

 the pleasure of looking at them yesterday : they are e 

 cecdingly beautiful and delicate ;-those who are de,l 

 reus to see them should call soon, as the warm wealh 

 will soon mar their comeliness. VVe understand 1. 

 bed will be sold without reserve at [auction tomorroi 

 at Ihe garden, at half past four o'clock, P. M. Dire 

 lions for cultivating will be given to purchasers. FI 

 risls and amaleurs will do well to be present. 



In the horticultural report last week, for Samuel A 

 Walker read Samuel Walker. 



■^n Insect Trap.— Scoop ont the inside of a turni 

 scollop the edge of the shell, and place it downward , 

 the earlh The insecis will go imo ,i a. a place of , 

 treat, and the beds ofsquashe.s melons, cucumbers, &( 

 may thus soon be cleared of then:.— Selected. 



