1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



131 



For the New England Farmer. 



PAKMS AND FABMIWG IN CLARE- 

 MONT, N. H. 



Mr. Editor : — I said to you in a former com- 

 munication, that I might, at some future time, 

 have something to say about my own Sugar Riv- 

 er valley. But notwithstanding the hint I gave 

 you in said communication, I should be almost 

 tempted to relinquish the task, were it not that 

 the granite hills, verdant vales and crystal strcam.s, 

 in the vicinity of this valley, are always invested 

 with those charms on which memory fondly lin- 

 gers, when travelling in other sections of New- 

 England. My remarks at this time will be con- 

 fined to that portion of the valley which lies vv ith- 

 in the limits of the town of Claremont, as that 

 part of it lying in the towns of Newport and Sun- 

 apee, has already been most ably noticed in a for- 

 mer number of the Farmer, by one of its editors, 

 who, wherever he may wander, looks back no 

 doubt with pride and longings to the days he 

 has spent, and pleasures he has enjoyed, in this 

 beautiful valley, and wherever he may roam, and 

 fond as he may be of roaming, probabty never 

 finds the place which presents equal attractions. 



Sugar River enters this town from the cast, and 

 flows on through this valley to the Connecticut, a 

 distance of about eight miles from cast to west, 

 dividing the town near the centre, leaving almost 

 equal portions on either side. The falls afford a 

 water privilege of gi-eat value, and within the last 

 twenty years, a large amount of capital has been 

 invested in cotton mills, and other manufacturing 

 establishments in the village. Twenty years ago, 

 the village contained probably not more than three 

 thousand inhabitants, but at the present time, 

 they number near six thousand. The town has 

 been settled over one hundred years, and is one 

 of the best agricultural towns in the State, com- 

 prising as it does, a large amount of meadow, 

 rich and productive, and in valuation, ranks, we 

 believe, about the fifth in the State. That portion 

 of the village called the plain, presents about the 

 same appearance it did twenty years ago, while 

 in other portions of the town, great changes have 

 been wrought; in fact, nearly three-fourths of the 

 village has been built up within the last twenty 

 years, and if the march of improvement is still 

 onward, Claremont will very soon become a city. 



Scattered along this valley are a large number 

 of young, industrious and independent farmers, 

 who have taken the place of those M'ho worked 

 them many years ago, and they would as soon dis- 

 pense with almost any other article of personal 

 property, as the New England Farmer ; they take 

 it almost to a man, consequently, improvements 

 are constantly going on ; such, for instance, as 

 ditching, underdraining, barn cellars, &c ; while 

 each one strives to excel the other in stock, im- 

 plements, and crops of various kinds. So you see 

 there is a continual effort for the best farm, the 

 best stock, the best buildings and the greatest 

 amount of wealth, and to accomplish their pur- 

 pose, it becomes necessary to consult the Farmer 

 weekly, which fact will explain to you, why you 

 have such a list of subscribers in this town. That 

 portion of Sugar River valley which lies in the 

 easterly part of the town, is a beautiful tract of 

 territory, and the view from the southern hills is 

 truly magnificent ; the bright river runs like a 



natural mii'ror, while on the north, lies the old 

 Green Mountain, cultivated almost to its summit, 

 and on either side may be seen meandering streams 

 with their crystal waters flowing on to the bosom 

 of the beautiful Sugar River. The western por- 

 tion of this valley is not so attractive, although it 

 presents much that is beautiful. There are many 

 young, industrious and wealthy farmers west of 

 the village, who own extensive and productive 

 farms, and who are themselves model farmers, 

 but the view from the surrounding hills is not so 

 delightful as that east of the village, notwithstand- 

 ing it is all very beautiful. 



W. C. A. Clinton. 

 Claremont, Jan., 1860. 



LEGISLATIVE AGRICDLTITKAL 



MEETING. 



[Reported fob the New Kngland Farmer by Thos. Bbadiet. { 



The fourth meeting of the series of the Legisla- 

 tive Agricultural Society was held on Monday 

 evening in the Representatives' Hall at the State 

 House, Hon. Henry Bishop, of Lenox, presid- 

 ing. There was a very largo attendance, notwith- 

 standing the inclemency of the weather, and the 

 gratification of the company was frequently ex- 

 pressed in hearty applause. 



On taking the chair, Mr. Bishop addressed the 

 meeting. He said he had to state to the compa- 

 ny that he had not been engaged in agriculture, 

 but had spent his life in the study and practice of 

 another profession, yet he had a fondness for ag- 

 riculture, and his tendencies led him in that direc- 

 tion. He then spoke of the Divine assistance 

 vouchsafed to the farmer, and said that the Al- 

 mighty gave every facility and made every ar- 

 rangement for the prosecution of agriculture. The 

 ■whole world is given to the agriculturist — the air, 

 the water from the clouds, and the soil, are his 

 capital — ^his bank, and no bank commissioner 

 need be called to interpose in that direction. The 

 conditions of agriculture, said he, are in the air^ 

 ground, light, heat and moisture ; they are 

 either the forces of the agriculturist, or they are 

 the elements of his plan. The atmosphere con- 

 tains most of the elements of vegetation. In this 

 there is oxygen, nitrogen, carbonic acid, ammonia, 

 and other elements not combined as necessary 

 components, all being conditions of growth. 



Mr. Bishop took exception to remarks made at a 

 former meeting that a knowledge of science was 

 not necessary to make a successful farmer. He said 

 that as we work on the soil, all around, all above 

 us aids us, and then science comes in piay. The 

 farmer, said he, must be more than an empyric. 

 There are secret forces to be learned, gases to be 

 underetood which can neither be seen or felt, but 

 which require a knowledge of science to give us 

 their properties, qualities and effects. He then 

 spoke of the different soils, silicious, calcareous. 



