508 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



for the fifty dollars which he has in his pocket 

 when voting on town-meeting day for a member 

 of the General Court, or for a President of the 

 United States ! 



These improvements are mainly eifected through 

 a knowledge of mechanical principles, and no as- 

 sociation, in our opinion, seems so well calculat- 

 ed as this of which we are speaking, to increase 

 that knowledge, and to produce results that will 

 avert or ameliorate human toil, and ennoble and 

 dignify mankind. 



It has been estimated by Mr. 'J. J. Thomas, the 

 careful writer whom we have already quoted, that 

 "the capital for furnishing the farms in the Union 

 with implements and machinery in the best man- 

 ner would amount to five hundred millions of dol- 

 lars, (500,000,000,) and as much more is estimated 

 to be yearly paid for the labor of men and horses 

 throughout the country at large. To increase the 

 effective force of labor only one-fifth would, there- 

 fore, add annually one hundred millions of dol- 

 lars, ($100,000,000,) in the aggregate to the pro- 

 fits of farming." 



The axiom of Lord Bacon, that "Knowledge is 

 Power," is not more applicable to any department 

 of human industry, than it is to that part of the 

 late Exhibition which relates to farm implements 

 and machinery ; for so long as Agriculture under- 

 lies all other Arts, and affords the basis of all en- 

 terprise and profit, so long will an increased 

 knowledge of its wants have a direct influence 

 upon the wealth and prosperity of the nation. 



The Ninth Exhibition is an honor to the Asso- 

 ciation, to the inventors and manufacturers of the 

 articles exhibited, and reflects credit upon the 

 taste, intelligence and progress of the people who 

 have sustained it. 



Barm Itch. — This disorder is a troublesome 

 and unsightly difficulty, and one which is very 

 liable to run through a herd of cattle to the seri- 

 ous detriment of the appearance of the stock. 

 The remedy is a very simple one, and, as we are 

 informed by Paoli Lathrop, Esq., of Hadley 

 Falls, Mass., a very efficacious one. Take a cob 

 and rub the aff'ected part until the surface is 

 smooth, and then apply grease as an emollient. 

 The sime remedy is always efficient for the 

 scratches in horses, vinless the disease proceeds 

 from some general disorder in the system of the 

 animal, in which case other and more efficient 

 means must be used. 



Neutralizing Poison. — A poison of any con- 

 ceivable description and degree of potency, which 

 has been intentionally or accidentally swallowed, 

 may be rendered almost instantly harmless by 

 simply swallowing two gills of sweet oil. An in- 

 dividual with a strong constitution may take near- 

 ly twice the quantity. This oil will most posi- 

 tively neutralize every form of vegetable, animal 

 or mineral poison with which physicians and 

 chemists are acquainted. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 NOBFOIiK AGRICULTURAL FAIR. 



The Norfolk Agricultural Society held its 

 twelfth annual Fair on Thursday and Friday last. 

 As usual, the attendance was large, and the ar- 

 rangements admirable. My impression of the 

 fair, is that, as a whole, it did not sustain the 

 reputation of the society so well as several fairs 

 previously held. In some respects, however, I 

 shall modify this remark, as I proceed. No pre- 

 miums for cattle had been offered, in conse- 

 quence of the general apprehension of the cattle 

 disease, at the time when the list of premiums 

 was arranged, and no cattle, therefore, were pres- 

 ent to compete for them. Some fine animals, how- 

 ever, were here on exhibition, among which the 

 Kerry stock and Shetland heifer, belonging to Ar- 

 thur W. Austin, Esq., of West Roxbury, the 

 Jamestown stock, owned chiefly in Dedham, and 

 the Ayrshire bull, owned byE. W. Andrews, Esq., 

 of West Roxbury, were particularly noticeable, 

 and attracted much attention. For the general 

 purposes of a farm, I am inclined to believe that 

 no animals superior to the Ayrshire bull and the 

 Jamestown progeny are to be found in the county. 

 The other stock, belonging to Mr. Austin, is of 

 recent importation, and its peculiar excellence re- 

 mains to be proved. It indicates, thus fai', great 

 hardiness of constitution and peculiar adaptation 

 to our climate and pasturage. It has a small and 

 compact form, well set limbs, a soft, glossy hide 

 and a golden skin. It is remarkably gentle and 

 docile, feeds quietly, and yields rich milk in larger 

 quantity than its size would authorize us to ex- 

 pect. I shall watch its progress with much inter- 

 est, and may reasonably look, I think, for great 

 benefit to the farmers of the county from the in- 

 troduction of it into their vicinity. 



The show of horses has never been equalled in 

 the history of the society. I make this remark on 

 the authority of qualified and experienced judges , 

 my own knowledge in this department being ex- 

 tremely meagre. I could not but notice, however, 

 that the celebrated Balrownie, belonging to Mr. 

 Shaw, of West Roxbury, was the observed of all 

 observers, and have no doubt that he merited the 

 attention he received. Other fine animals, jilso, 

 excited the admiration of skilful judges. In 

 swine, the exhibitions of this society have former- 

 ly been particularly full and good. Only a few 

 specimens were now presented, but these were of 

 much excellence. Of poultry, ducks and geese, 

 there was more than the usual display. Some 

 golden pheasants, beautiful swans and foreign 

 geese attracted universal attention. 



In the house, the chief interest centered in the 

 fruit. The apples, pears and grapes were unri- 

 valled. Besides all the common varieties of ap- 

 ples, I noticed, for the first time here, some beau- 

 tiful Nevvtov/n pippins, in the judgment of manj', 

 the very prince of apples. To those who know 

 Norfolk county, it is hardly necessary to say that 

 the pears and grapes were in great abundance, and 

 of the finest quality. 



The display of garden vegetables was good, but 

 small. I was surprised at this, because the prox- 

 imity to a good market and the almost uniformly' 

 high price of vegetables cause great quantities to 

 be raised in this county. So of corn and potatoes, 

 — the show was extremely limited. A few speci- 



