1863. 



NEW ENGLAXD FARMER. 



47 



at a price twenty per cent, higher than the Ca- 

 tawba or Isabella, and we think, when perfectly 

 ripened, is a better grape than the Isabella. Good 

 markets for the grape may be found all over New 

 England, and if the fruit is only equal in qual- 

 ity to that brought from a distance, our people 

 must have a considerable advantage in the less ex- 

 pensive item of transportation. 



In regard to the discussion on pears, nothing 

 especially new was elicited, and no decided opin- 

 ions were given as to the soils best adapted to 

 them, or what are the best dozen varieties. The 

 importance of shelter was acknowledged, and the 

 great success which is realized in their culture in 

 villages was imputed, in a considerable degree, to 

 this advantage. The ripening of the pear was 

 spoken of, but no definite plan suggested. Our 

 practice is, to find when the pear should be gath- 

 ered by the greater or less degree of tenacity with 

 which it adheres to the tree ; if, on raising it, the 

 stem parts easily from the tree, we think it ready 

 to be gathered. AVhen collected they are put into 

 boxes, barrels or drawers, and then deposited in 

 the coolest place we can find, and where the tem- 

 perature will be as even as we can command. In 

 this condition they will remain plump and fair, re- 

 tain their peculiar qualities of flavor, and gradu- 

 ally assume the orange or golden yellow which so 

 many fine varieties possess in a state of perfect 

 ripeness. A few days, however, befoi-e they are 

 ■wanted for the table, the number desired for im- 

 mediate use should be brought into a warm room, 

 when the chemical change that will rapidly take 

 place in their flavor is more wonderful, even, than 

 the change which they undergo in color. By the 

 observance of these three points, — gatliering, stor- 

 ing aicay and ripening, fruit of the most delicious 

 character may be obtained. 



For the Netc England Farmer. 

 SHEEP MAUIA. 



Mr. Editor : — What is to be the consequences 

 of the present excitement of the sheep market ? 

 The whole world, or at least that portion of it 

 which is located in this vicinity, is uncontrolably 

 afflicted with the sheep monomania of the most 

 violent character. Almost every man, woman 

 and child who can accumulate sufficient fuiids is 

 anxious to invest them in sheep. To such an ex- 

 tent has this been carried, and such fabulous 

 prices have been paid, that a violent reaction, 

 sooner or later, must undoubtedly occur. There 

 are no sheep left in the country that can be bought 

 at reasonable rates. Everything that grows wool, 

 coarse or fine, and many an animal that grows 

 nothing but hair, and that not of the finest tex- 

 ture, has been most sacredly preserved. This is a 

 fevered and an unnatural state, and cannot possi- 

 bly exist for any great length of time. 



If the consumption of wool remains as great as 

 it now is, or becomes much greater, the supply, 

 being stimulated by the high prices that it now 



commands, will soon become more than equal to 

 the demand when a decline will take place. 

 Those who purchased sheep previous to the ad- 

 vance, will undoubtedly make money in the ojjer- 

 ation. But it is very uncertain whether a ])erson 

 can now invest money in that way and make it 

 profitable, unless he is endowed with that fore- 

 knowledge necessary to induce him to sell before 

 the tide ebbs backwards. 



There are other interests which have been de- 

 serted by those who have become excited after 

 sheep, that hold out greater inducements (caused 

 by the limited supply that will result from such 

 desertion) than the one under consideration. 



Pawlet, Vt., Dec, 1862. Dike. 



/'V/r tlie New EnslnnJ Farmer. 

 H. W. BEECHEH ON FARMING. 



Hkxry Ward Beeciier is the author of a very 

 readable book entitled "Plain and Pleasant Talk 

 about Fruits, Flowers and Farming," as most of 

 the community know. I would call him Reverend, 

 but as he is opposed to all titles, he might take of- 

 fence. This book is mad-^ up of gleanings from 

 the Western Farmer and Gardener, which he 

 edited in Indiana more than twenty years ago. 

 In theology Mr. Beccher isa "Come-outer," but in 

 agriculture a corae-inner ! In other words, he 

 undoubtedly believes that good farming will re- 

 generate the world more than bad theology. Mr. 

 B. is certainly a very active, thinking man, and 

 may be regarded as one of the "Seven Wise Men" 

 of America. He is a column of many polished 

 sides, but it would be difficult to say whether it is 

 hexagonal or octogonal. He was led, he says in 

 his preface, to read horticulture and agriculture as 

 a relaxation from preaching. One instance he 

 mentions of preaching daily for eighteen consecu- 

 tive months ! If he has changed his oj)inions, 

 however, we are pained for the long account of 

 error he must settle. Nevertheless, everything 

 changes, and we suppose man must do the same, 

 or suffer his brain to jietrify. 



Mr. Beecher must be congratulated on his es- 

 chewing "D. D.," for we cannot see that Doctors 

 of Divinity should exist any more than Doctors of 

 Farming. In fact, we think, as Mr. B. must, that 

 the latter are far more important, as he himself 

 has assumed to be one. In any sense we trust he 

 is no abortion; no mere ignis fatuus, leading 

 men into pools and ditches ; no dull, false, tallow 

 light, but a brilliant, oxygenated blaze, leading 

 men out of all manner of l)ondage. He teaches 

 men to think for themselves ; is democratic and 

 utilitarian in all his notions ; a hard-thinking and 

 hard-figliting, shirt-sleeve preacher, preaching the 

 sacred and profane word as is most effectual, and 

 battling with weapons carnal or divine. He 

 pushes, he pulls, he cuts, he bruises, he tickles, he 

 crushes, he I)lows, he foams, be storms, he roars ; 

 and all this he does in inculcating what we must 

 call — Beecherism ! He believes in the four cardi- 

 nal ])oints of the moral compass, in original igno- 

 rance, if not in original sin ; in the Bible as he 

 understands it, but jjarticularly in man as he is 

 trying to make him, and of course in himself. He 

 thinks the laity not all sinners, nor the clergy all 

 regenerated. He has faith in education and in 

 progress, regardless of ancient landmarks ; has 



