1861, 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



523 



other sex of a marriageable age, prefer almost 

 any other man for a husband rather than a far- 

 mer ! 



There was no address at the table. The Presi- 

 dent, C. G. Davis, of Plymouth, now elected for 

 the Jifth time, made some remarks upon the con- 

 dition of the Society, expressed his great pleas- 

 ure upon seeing so many in attendance, and then, 

 with rare felicity, introduced the invited guests 

 of the occasion. Dr. Jabez Fisher, of Fitch- 

 burg, a delegate from the State Board of Agri- 

 culture, was the first speaker. He was followed 

 by the writer of these notes, who spoke to them 

 of the importance of raising their own wheat, by 

 Hon. Albert Fearing, of Hingham, President 

 of the Society of that town, and a gentleman who 

 is doing much to promote the noble art, — and 

 then by His Excellency, Gov. Andrew, the Com- 

 mander-in-Chief coming last, and by his patriot- 

 ic eloquence entirely neutralizing the defects of 

 oratory in those preceding him, leaving the au- 

 dience in the most happy frame of mind imagina- 

 ble. He was frequently applauded at the close 

 of one of his patriotic and eloquent sentences. 

 His remarks had reference, mainly, to the war, as 

 all his energies, for several months of unflinching 

 labor, have been devoted to plowing out that fil- 

 thiest of all invaders, secession. 



The Exhibition has been an excellent one. Ex- 

 cellent in its arrangements — excellent in the pro- 

 ducts presented, — and most excellent of all in 

 the men, women and children who have estab- 

 lished and sustained it. 



I will only say how much I am indebted to Mr. 

 Davis, the President of the Society, and its other 

 officers wherever I met them, for the kindest at- 

 tentions, — and to Messrs. H. & V. Ames, and the 

 Lady of the former, who "took me in" and fed me, 

 when I was tired and hungry, and paid me every 

 attention I could desire — and then subscribe my- 

 self. Very truly yours, Simon Brown. 



Messrs. Nourse, Eaton & Tolmax. 



For (he New England Farmer. 



CCTLTTJEB OF WHEAT. 



Mr. Editor : — I have read with much interest 

 the elaborate article of Mr. Wood, in the Month- 

 ly Farmer, just received, on the "Culture of 

 Wheat." To bring together sueh a mass of facts, 

 must have caused him much investigation. In 

 his estimate of the value of the product of his 

 fields, I was surprised that he should put down 

 the straw at $10 the ton, when English hay is 

 worth only $15 the ton. I believe that straw v.'ill 

 not bear to be estimated more than half as much 

 as hay, as a general thing. It certainly will not, 

 for any feeding purpose. He excuses himself 

 from naming the varieties of wheat most worthy 

 of culture. This is the very thing we, in this re- 

 mote section of the State are most anxious to 



learn. Pray tell us, Mr. W., (if you know,) what 

 kind of wheat is best to be sowed, and where it 

 can be obtained ? Several of our farmers, the 

 last season, Messrs. Sutton, Berry and Tilton, 

 among the number — raised very good crops of 

 wheat. But I doubt whether there were a dozen 

 others who raised any — and there are more than 

 one hundred in town who might have raised it, if 

 they would. If they could be satisfied that it will 

 pay, I believe they would all be glad to grow it. 

 But in order to satisfy them, facts alone should 

 be brought forward, and calculations should be 

 made in a manner to bear cross examination. 

 South Danvers, Oct. 1, 1861. p. 



INDIAISr SUMMER. 



BY CHARLES FENNO HOFFMAN. 



Light as love's smiles, the silvery mist at morn 



Floats in loose flakes along the limpid river ; 



The blue-bird's notes upon the soft breeze borne, 



As high in air he carols, falLtly quiver ; 

 The weeping birch, like banners idly waving, 

 Bends to the stream, its spicy branches laving; 



Beaded with dew, the witch-elm's tassels shiver; 

 The timid rabbit from the furze is peeping, 

 And from the springy spray the squirrel's gaily leaping. 



I love thee, Autumn, for thy scenery, ere 

 The blasts of winter chase the varied dies 



That richly deck the slow declining year ; 

 I love the splendor of thy sunset skies, 



The gorgeous hues that tinge each falling leaf. 



Lovely as beauty's cheek, as woman's love, too brief; 

 I love the note of each wild bird that flies, 



As on the wind he pours his parting lay. 



And wings his loitering flight to summer climes away. 



O, Nature ! still I fondly turn to thee, 

 With feelings fresh as e'er my childhood's were ; 



Though wild and passion-tossed my youth may be, 

 Toward thee I still the same devotion bear ; 



To thee — to thee — though health and hope no more 



Life's wasted verdure may to me restore— 

 I elill can, childlike, come as when in prayer 



I bow my head upon a mother's knee. 



And deemed the world, like her, all truth and purity. 



The Great Metropolis. — It is calculated 

 that there are from 1000 to 1500 acres within ten 

 miles of London under the strawberry crop. 



The Commons' Select Committee on the local 

 taxation and government of London have to deal 

 with an area of 78,029 acres, on which stand 

 360,237 inhabited houses, with a population of 

 2,803,034 souls. The assessment is over sixty 

 millions of dollars annually, and 7000 persons are 

 employed entirely in the government of this vast 

 body of people. 



The South Middlesex Show. — The Middle' 

 sex South Society held its annual show at Fram- 

 ingham, September 17 and 18. The attendance 

 was large, and there was a fine display of cattle, 

 horses, swine and poultry. The address was by 

 Dr. LoRiNG, of Salem. Mr. H. H. Peters, of 

 Southboro', had a fine display of Ayrshire stock. 

 The weather proved to be pleasant, and the whole 

 occasion was one well calculated to promote the 

 objects for which the association was formed. 



