isG.-; 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



163 



of agriculture. Some of these societies have been 

 established more than half a century, and others 

 for varying periods, down to within two or three 

 years. The leading things these socieiies did last 

 year, they did the first year of their existence, and 

 have done every year since. Some improvements 

 have been introduced, and some grave errors, un- 

 til their general operations swallow up the liberal 

 ajipropriations of the State — and as much more 

 from individuals — without producing beneficial re- 

 sults at all commensurate with the money expend- 

 ed. The same things have been done, and paid 

 for, over and over again, until the object sought 

 is, to gain the j^remium, rather than to benefit the 

 public by submitting important and well authenti- 

 cated results in the breeding of animals, or the 

 production of field crops. In fact, the salt has 

 lost its savor. The Avhole thing needs remodel- 

 ing, or the State bounty should be discontinued. 



In this connection, we are glad to notice that 

 one of the members of the State Board of Agri- 

 cuUure, entertains similar views. In his report of 

 the society to which he was a delegate last fall, he 

 says : 



"The exhibitions have come to be considered 

 too much as a mere matter of course, the forms of 

 which are to be gone through with, and a certain 

 amount of money distributed iu premiums, quite 

 a proporliou of which really goes for accidental 

 products, for which the competitor is entitled to 

 little, or no credit. 



'•After a few years," he continues, "the interest 

 abates, and finally there comes to be mainly a 

 scramble among the competitors for the money 

 distributed in premiums. The reports of commit- 

 tees grow less and less interesting and suggestive, 

 and at last, all that is expected, even of a commit- 

 tee, is the bare announcement of the premiums 

 awarded, without comment, and are of little or no 

 use to anybody except the recipients." 



This is plain language, is as truthful as plain, 

 and we thank the gentleman for his bold utterance. 

 It should secure the earnest attention of the Board 

 to this important matter. 



It is worse than useless to continue the old 

 practices any longer. They not only do no good, 

 but have corrupting influences, which are paid for 

 by taxes laid upon the people. Let them be ar- 

 rested at once, and some new modes introduced. 

 As it is easier to pull down, than to raise up, we 

 will suggest a plan for progression. 



The one great thing in the way, as suggested by 

 the Legislative committee and the member of the 

 Board of Agriculture whom we have quoted, is 

 the ivant of intercut. They are right. How can 

 this be secured ? It is only a comparatively small 

 portion of the people of any county — even among 

 the farmers — who take a decided interest and par- 

 ticipate in the aff"airs of the county society. This 

 interest can be awakened and sustained at small 

 cost. Let a society receiving $G00 bounty, ap- 



propriate one-third of that amount, annually, in 

 holding meetings in each town in the county, or 

 at least, in the leading agricultural towns. Sound, 

 practical men should be selected to attend these 

 meetings and orally address them — and what is 

 still more important, they should possess the 

 genius to induce their hearers frequently to ad- 

 dress each other. These speakers themselves 

 should have an experimental knowledge of farm 

 operations, should be genial and afi^able ])er3ons, 

 and have that peculiar tact to "draw all to them," 

 which some so eminently possess. The meetings 

 should have something of the character of our 

 Teachers' Institutes. They should be formally an- 

 nounced, and the leading minds in the locality es- 

 pecially called upon to aid in fully securing the 

 objects of the plan. An hour's lecture will not 

 do — the entire day and evening should be occu- 

 pied — the subjects to be discussed announced be- 

 forehand, and the exercises conducted systemati- 

 cally. No single flint produces fire. Few isolat- 

 ed farmers progress, but a contact like this will 

 make the sparks of thought fly. These meeting* 

 must not be confined to men — their wives and 

 children must be there also. 



Briefly, these are our views in this matter. 

 They have been put in practice in another State, 

 with the most satisfiictory results. One winter's 

 labor of this kind will secure the interest that now 

 lies dormant, and accomplish more good than all 

 the societies have accomplished for the la.st five 

 years. When the pioneer work is done, there 

 will be multitudes ready to listen to the chemist 

 and philosopher, and after tliem to enter the agri- 

 cidtural college. 



For the Pieir England Farmer. 

 •WOOL GROWING. 



Professor Owen defines wool to be "a peculiar 

 modification of hair, cliuracterised by fine trans- 

 verse or oblique lines, from two to four thousand 

 in the extent of an inch — indicative of a minutely 

 imbricated scaly surface, wlien viewed under the 

 microscope ; on which, and on its curved or twist- 

 ed form, depends its remarkable felting pro])erty, 

 and its consequent value to manufacturers." 



The professor is mistaken in estimating the val- 

 ue of wool for general manufacturing jiurposes as 

 dependent on the "imbricated sealy surface" of tlie 

 fibre, and tne number of '"fine transverse or ob- 

 lique lines, in the extent of an inch. "Bulli of these 

 principles greatly add to llie value of wool for 

 fuUimj and fdling ; but these are not the most 

 valuable pro])erties of wool, neither are they the 

 most common, nor are they produced alike in but 

 few cases of fleeces. Many fibres of wool, even 

 fine and silky, have but little of the barbed prin- 

 ciple, consequently they will full and felt l}ut poor- 

 Iv, and they are the more valuable for that, par- 

 ticularly where the garments made are often wash- 

 ed. These barbs or scales will vary on the same 

 sheep in different years, and at different periods 

 of the same yeai-, by the treatment and food of 



