1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



117 



case of the farmer ; with the best common schools 

 in the world, the farmer's sou had nothing done 

 to fit him for following the profession of his father, 

 while he needed more instruction than a boy des- 

 tined for commercial pursuits. He advocated the 

 introduction of works on the nature of soils, geol- 

 ogy and botany, if no other works on similar sub- 

 jects, in our common schools, and the speaker said 

 he would go further and advocate the establishing 

 of a high school of agriculture in every county in 

 the State, and have young men taught until they 

 go on farms, and then there would be no fear but 

 they would do well. Mr. Fay said that looking 

 on farming in a political point of view, he consid- 

 ered farmers who own their own land the most 

 conservative men alive, and he would sooner leave 

 his fortune in the custody of a fai-ming community, 

 enjoying such advantages as he hoped to see, than 

 any other class. He hoped the present Legisla- 

 ture would take the first step to improve the means 

 of education for the farmer, and thus commence 

 T.'hat vrill eventually benefit our Commonwealth 

 more than anything else. 



It was announced that the subject for discussion 

 at the next meeting would be, "Fruit, and Fruit 

 Culture," and that Hon. Marshall P. AVilder 

 was expected to preside. 



On motion of Mr. Brown, the meeting then ad- 

 journed to Monday next, at 7 o'clock. 



P. S. Ladies were also invited to attend. 



For the Neic England Fanner. 

 THE CBEEPEB BREED OP SHEEP. 



Mr. Editor : — I have noticed in the Farmer, 

 of late, some interesting items in relation to sheep. 

 But there is one variety of the sheep kind which 

 has not been mentioned, to my knowledge, in the 

 colums of your paper. I have reference to the 

 creeper (or Ancon) breed of sheep. I would like 

 to inquire, through the Farmer, if they are as prof- 

 itable to keep as the common sheep ? What are 

 the relative properties and qualities of them, com- 

 pared with other sheep ; and also, the relative 

 productiveness in wool and lambs ? Are they or- 

 derly and peaceable, with regard to fences ; or, 

 like the native, "long legged sheep," will they 

 leave the pasture, at any moment "the fit comes 

 on them," in quest of better feed ? Where can 

 this breed of sheep, pure bloods, be procured, and 

 at what price ? 



If you, Mr. Editor, or any of j'our kind readers, 

 having had some experience in keeping two or 

 more breeds of sheep, and especially the creeper 

 breed, will answer the above inquiries, and give 

 any other information concerning them that may 

 be deemed requisite, a favor Avill not only be con- 

 ferred on me alone, but, I trust, on many others 

 interested in the subject. Samuel True. 



Fast Salisbury, Mass., Jan. 4, 1860. 



Rejl\rks. — We have no knowledge of this 

 breed of sheep. 



EXTBACTS AND BEPLIES. 

 HOW TO SET THE TOPS OF FRUIT TREES. 



Much useful information has been published 

 about digging large holes, placing the roots, filling 

 in the dirt, mulching, &c. But I write to suggest 

 how to set the tops, or rather, how not to set 

 them. Never set a tree leaning to the northeast, 

 because if you do, the sun will shine hot on the 

 upper side and kill the bark. Let me say to the 

 man with saw and pruning-knife, let alone the 

 limbs that shade the trunk in the hottest part of 

 the day. Any old orchard where trees thus lean, 

 will furnish proof that what I say is of importance. 

 Reader, be sure to plant trees, plant and feed 

 them well, and you shall eat the fruit of your do- 

 ings, and your children will rise up and call you 

 blessed. Elipualet Weeks. 



CJtatJiam, N. E., 1860. 



P. S. What will kill the Kcale or bark louse, and 

 not injure the tree ? Lye kills a part, but not all. 



Rejlirics. — We use soap suds, and have no 

 trouble from the bark louse. Try whale oil soap, 

 rubbed in gentlv with a brush. 



FRENCH PHEASANT FOWLS. 



I would like to know if "P.," or any of your 

 correspondents, have kept any of the French 

 Pheasant fowls ? I have had them about a year, 

 and like them very much. I was told they were 

 imported from France, a few years ago. French 

 or American, they are the most ])eautiful fowls I 

 have ever seen. They weigh thirteen pounds per 

 pair, are white, with a bronze or golden cast, very 

 yellow legs, small wings and tail, and most of 

 them have a double comb. I have never seen one 

 of them on a scaffold eight feet high, in the barn 

 where they were kept through the winter. They 

 are excellent layers — lay a good sized, very dark 

 egg, and some of them are spotted like turkeys' 

 eggs. They do not lay as young, and want to set 

 more than the Spanish, but are easily broken up, 

 if taken in season. They appear to be very hardy, 

 and easy to raise. I have none to sell. 



H. T. Gates. 



New Worcester, Jan. 16, 1860. 



PROBLEM. 



Bought a farm April 1st, 1852, at $2,350. Paid 

 down $200, and gave a mortgage for $2,150, to be 

 paid $100 annually, with interest on the balance, 

 till the whole is paid. How much has the sum of 

 the payments amounted to, at annual interest on 

 each payment, April 1st, 1860, and what will be 

 the whole sum of the whole payments April 1st, 

 1873, at which time the odd $50 is to be paid with 

 the last instalment of $100, provided each pay- 

 ment is kept at annual interest until April 1st, 

 1873 ? Will some of our friends who have given 

 us so much light on the "Profits of Farming," 

 (A. B., Barre, Vt., or T. J.Pinkham, for instance,) 

 inform me whether said farm will ever be paid for 

 from the farm, containing less than 60 acres of 

 land, 150 miles from Boston, in the Green Moun- 

 tain State ? The purchaser is a youngerly man, 

 with but $395 capital at purchasing, and does not 

 like to make a failure, unless Mr. Pinkham is very 

 sure he can't pay for it. P. j. 



Jan., 1860. 



