1861. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



91 



Mr. Merriam, of Fitchburg, said that a year 

 ago last summer he raised an excellent crop of 

 corn from the virgin soil, and this was by work 

 alone. He plowed the land four feet deep, using 

 a Michigan plow, and drained it, putting on gua- 

 no, partly in the hill and the other part sowed in. 

 He spoke in high terms of praise of Bates' ma- 

 chine to pull out stones, that he had used, and 

 said he was desirous of seeing it come into more 

 general use. 



Mr. FiSKE, of Shelburne, said he thought the 

 whole community should be interested in the 

 subject of agriculture, and he hoped these meet- 

 ings would have a good influence on the sons 

 and daughters of Massachusetts. The idea pre- 

 vailed that farming did not pay, but it was high 

 time this fallacy was exposed, as every man who 

 has devoted his attention to farming could testi- 

 fy that no pursuit was more likely to pay well for 

 the time and labor bestowed upon it. He also 

 spoke of the rock-lifting machines, and was de- 

 sirous that they should prepare the land for mow- 

 ing machines, and he hoped neighbors would 

 club together, so as to bring them within the 

 reach of all. 



Mr. Ward, of Fairhaven, said he had not done 

 anything in farming for a number of years, but 

 his mind had nevertheless been drawn to the sub- 

 ject of agriculture. He thought every State 

 should be circumscribed in its products. Eng- 

 land, said he, is a manufacturing country, and in 

 this line were their own producers ; we ought to 

 be an agricultural country, and to be so the 

 greatest encouragement should be given to the 

 farmer. He spoke of his mode of raising onions, 

 saying that he hoed seven times, taking every 

 other row, and hoeing nearly up to tho adjoining 

 row, thus giving the ground nearly as good as 

 fourteen hoeings. 



Mr. Sears, of Yarmouth, said he did not be- 

 long to an agricultural district, but he detested 

 the idea of young men and women going away 

 from the farm on the ground that it was not gen- 

 teel. He considered the idea of "skinning" the 

 soil false, and hoped to see the process stopped. 



Mr. Bennett, of Hubbardston, said he was not 

 engaged in farming, but he had taken interest in 

 the statistics of the State in relation to it. From 

 these he quoted at some length, showing that the 

 returns from Worcester county showed a larger 

 per centage than any other county in the Com- 

 monwealth. From close observation he had come 

 to the conclusion that the larger amount of culti- 

 vation should be devoted to the best soiL He 

 also said longevity was largely in favor of farmers. 



On motion of Col. White, the subject for dis- 

 cussion at the next meeting was decided to be, 

 "T^e winter management of farm stock." Gov- 

 ernor Andrew is expected to preside. 



FACTS ABOUT CHINA, 



The Emperor of China, Hienfung, is the sev- 

 enth of the reigning dynasty of the Tsings, which 

 succeeded in 1644 to that of the Mings. The 

 present Emperor is the 244th, dating back 4702 

 years. His reign commenced on the 26th Febru- 

 ary, 1850. Hienfung is not his actual name, but 

 a sort of official name adopted by hitn as reigning 

 sovereign, and signifies Perfect Felicity. The 

 name of his father, Tankwang, signified Splendor 

 of Reason. The population of China was esti- 

 mated in 1849 at about 415 millions of souls. 

 The public functionaries (Mandarins) are divided 

 into nine classes, of which each is again subdivid- 

 ed into two, and the civil authorities take prece- 

 dence of the military. Authentic information re- 

 specting the finances and the army is wanting. 

 The military organization differs essentially from 

 that of European nations. Each governor of 

 provinces has his own regiment of Chinese, but 

 they rarely engage in action. There are Man- 

 choux who serve only as garrison troops. In case 

 of war, a militia force is raised, composed princi- 

 pally of volunteers, who hope to derive certain 

 advantages, or obtain the rank of Mandarin. 

 There is a war department, but no officers that 

 are superior to the governors of provinces. 

 When there is question of war, as of late to com- 

 bat the rebels at Nanking, the Minister of War 

 names a commander-in-chief, to whom all the 

 troops are subject. There is no imperial navy ; 

 the admirals are functionaries of the provinces. 

 The Chinese army, including the reserve, may be 

 estimated at 1.500,000 men, of whom 700,000 are 

 Chinese, 300,000 Mongols, and 500,000 Man- 

 cLoux. The fleet consists of 826 vessels and 58,- 

 637 men, commanded by two admirals. 



Middlesex Agricultural Society. — We 



have before us the report of the last year's doings 

 of the Society. The Address of Mr. Thoreau, 

 "On the Succession of Forest Trees," is given in 

 full. We have spoken of this before, and given 

 extracts from it. It contains, also, reports on 

 Sheep, Poultry, Grapes, Vegetables, Bread, and 

 Plowing loith Single Teams, extracts from which 

 we hope to find room for hereafter. There are 

 several other short reports of no general interest. 

 The officers of the Society for the ensuing year 

 are, — 



George O. Brastow, President. 



Andrew Wellington, } j^. „ -j^j 

 17 \XT Drr.r ' > V icB Prestdents. 



E. VV. Bull, ^ 



John B. Moore, Secretary. 



Richard Barrett, Treasurer. 



Flowages. — We are informed, by letter and 

 otherwise, that the proprietors of the dam across 

 the Concord River at North Billerica, have been 

 busily engaged in obtaining petitions to get the 

 act, passed at the last session ot the Legislature, 

 for the removal of this nuisance repealed. They 

 have given public notice of such intention. This 

 pertinacity shows how desperately men cling to 

 power when it is once in their hands. This dam. 



