1860. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



491 



THE MAINE STATE SHOW. 



Our brother farmers of Maine held their Annu- 

 al Cattle Show and Fair at Portland, commencing 

 on the 2oth of September and continuing through 

 the week, — one day having been added to the 

 original time contemplated, owing to bad weath- 

 er interfering with some of their arrangements. 

 Having the good fortune to be present on the 

 third and fourth days, we propose briefly to men- 

 tion some of the things worthy of note that fell 

 under our ken. 



The grounds fitted up for the display of stock, 

 fee, were on the top of Munjoy Hill, or rather on 

 the eastern side, exposed to the full sweep of the 

 winds, which made it rather uncomfortable most 

 of the time we were there. The view from this 

 Bpot is a lovely one, almost enough to overbal- 

 ance its objections. 



The show of stock was very good indeed, but it 

 seemed to us not quite equal to that of the pre- 

 vious year. 



There was quite a show of horses, but the 

 Horse Show at Augusta, the week previous had 

 detracted somewhat from this portion of the ex- 

 hibition. 



The trial of working oxen, on Wednesday, at- 

 tracted much attention, and the animals showed 

 docility, patience and good training in a remark- 

 able manner. 



As has been the custom of late years, at most 

 of the Agricultural Shows, a large portion of 

 the time and an undue proportion of the premi- 

 ums, were devoted to the exhibition of fancy 

 horses. 



Sheep, swine and poultry were few in numbers, 

 but of very good quality. A few of the flocks of 

 fine wooled sheep from Somerset county, that we 

 noticed at the last Show, would have added great- 

 ly to the attraction. 



The show of manufactures, implements and 

 fancy articles was held in the splendid City Hall 

 building. We found this in many respects supe- 

 rior to any previous display by this Society. The 

 fancy work was not very plenty, but we noticed 

 some highly creditable specimens of feminine in- 

 genuity and patience. 



The Portland Horticultural Society united with 

 the State Society, and made up an excellent show 

 of fruit and flowers. 



The Dairy department showed much falling off", 

 both in quantity and quality, owing to the severe 

 drought throughout the State. 



The show of agricultural implements contained 

 little that was new or striking. The household 

 fui'nishing department was well filled. 



5000 bushels, mostly ground in the Little Giant 

 ]\Iill, states with great confidence his conclusion 

 that cob meal is the safest and cheapest feed that 

 is raised in Ohio. Cattle that cost him $18 per 

 head in the fall, brought him $45 69, after con- 

 suming only about 12 bushels, 70 lbs. in the ear 

 per bushel, ground and cooked. Grinding and 

 cooking, he affirms, doubles its value. 



CHEAP EAILROADS. 



Corn and Cob Meal. — A correspondent of 

 the Ohio Cultivator, who has fed not less than 



I am gratified in a late number of the Hnme- 

 stead to see this matter broached. Although it 

 is said the railroad whistle is now heard in every 

 town in Connecticut, I infer from the amount of 

 money which has been lost by railroads, that it is 

 doubtful whether they will very soon come any 

 nearer to our farms than they now are. Most of 

 the farms in this State have more or less besides 

 the produce of the farm to be conveyed to and 

 from the railroads, and this is probably upon the 

 increase ; hence the great necessity of some other 

 means of transport than that approached by our 

 common roads. For this purpose wooden rail- 

 roads, in my view, are meriting our consideration. 

 They consist of two longitudinal sills, on which 

 the wheels of a wagon are made to run, say four 

 inches thick, one of sufficient width to admit of 

 two pieces of scantling being spiked on, leaving 

 a rut or space between them for the wheel of one 

 side of a wagon to run on. The other side _ re- 

 quires no rut, but should be of sufficient width 

 to accommodate vehicles with axles of various 

 lengths. The team, which travels between the 

 sills on the earth, will draw a load with more 

 ease than on a plank or macadamized road, no 

 cross ties being required. These are easily made, 

 indeed a teamster can carry two pieces of scant- 

 ling two feet long, made like a wedge on end and 

 side ; these placed in the rut forward of the 

 wheels will enable him to turn out at any place, 

 and by this aid he can get a loaded wagon upon 

 the road. A prop or brace may be attached to 

 the hind axle to be applied going up hills to al- 

 low the team to rest, and on steep hills. 



A common road should be made outside of 

 these rails to go down on. The slight cost of this 

 kind of road compared with other improved roads 

 is certainly worthy of consideration, and they are 

 well adapted to sandy and soft soils and hills, if 

 not other lands. 



More remains to be said in relation to them, 

 but the shower which drove me into the house 

 has passed, and I must away to the field. — Home- 

 stead. 



Putridity in Wells. — Sometimes the water in 

 wells suddenly acquires a putrid taste and smell, 

 as though some animal matter was undergoing 

 decay therein, yet which upon careful examination 

 is found not to be the case. The Homestead tells 

 of such an instance, and a remedy was found in 

 the thorough agitation of the water, by working a 

 chain pump fo"r two hours, bringing the water 

 more or less in contact with the air. The next 

 day the water was as sweet as ever. In the case 

 of a cistern of filtered rain water, the same remedy 

 of agitation was resorted to with equal success. 



