830 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



All these peculiarities are just as natural as June 

 or July suns, and just as essential to the pro- 

 duction of the crops upon which we expend so 

 nnich labor and care. Let us but wisely improve 

 them, and they will greatly add to the comfort and 

 serenity of our lives. 



They should suggest to us, first, that prepara- 

 tion for a future existence, which the perfect seed 

 of our crops have acquired,— the power to pro- 

 duce a new and beautiful life, — and, secondly, the 

 preparation for winter, which will secure the pro- 

 tection and comforts we need when wind and 

 storm and severe cold make it impossible to pro- 

 vide them. When these are furnished, the win- 

 ter becomes to the farmer a season of compara- 

 tive rest — a season for the highest domestic en- 

 joyment, and for social and literary improvement. 

 It is certain that "the family circle is God's blessed 

 ordinance, and is the sweetest, the happiest, and 

 the most hallowed spot on earth. It is the nur- 

 sery of affection, of friendship, and of virtue ; the 

 place where those ties of mutual dependence and 

 help are first formed, which, in their expanded 

 1 state, unite human society ; and, according to the 

 -manner in which the rights of the family circle 

 are enj-oyed, its duties discharged, and its true 

 benefits realized, are the moral character, the sta- 

 bility, and the grandeur of a country." Let all re- 

 niembfir that '.it is inidlirient industry that supplies 

 the power and permanency of our government 

 and country, — that they derive that power and 

 permanency from individuals, of which number, 

 attentive reader, you are one, and that it is your 

 imperative duty to improve your mind as well as 

 your soiL Indeed, the soil will be improved, cor- 

 respondingly, as the mind is — one is consequent 

 upon the other. 



November is upon us. Gloomy clouds, it may 

 be, shut out the cheerful sun. Chilling winds rus- 

 tle the dry leaves, and hurry them in fitful eddies 

 away from our sight. The cattle that depend upon 

 our care, seek sunny corners, and look wistfully 

 at their winter home, as though anticipating the 

 comfort and plenty of the accustomed stalls, while 

 the trees and shrubs have cast off" their rich and 

 variegated foliage, and stand bare in the cutting 

 blast. All this strengthens the contrast with the 

 domestic health, and gives it value and tone. 



Forget not that this is a month of preparation, 

 rather than of consummation. October discharged 

 the latter duty, mainly. November must see all 

 things prepared for a period of tempest and cold, 

 and in-door life. 



Happy, indeed, shall we be, if that preparation 

 is made, and we seek that wisdom which will make 

 us strong as individuals, and impregnable as a 

 Nation. 



The mind, like the body, wearies more from 

 the want of action than from excess of it. 



CATTLE-SHOW AT NASHUA, M". H. 



The meeting of the Merrimack River Agricul- 

 tural and Meclianical Association took place at 

 Nashua, on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 7th 

 and 8th. The society is made up of some twelve 

 towns, two of which, Pepperell and Dunstable, 

 are in Massachusetts. The weather on the first 

 day was warm and bright. JJut • little was done, 

 however, beside general preparation. Not much 

 stock was brought to the grounds. Two or three 

 mowing machines were all the agricultural imple- 

 ments we saw. A collection of showmen was 

 about all that gave the scene any animation on 

 first day, notwithstanding the bright and beautiful 

 weather. 



On the second day it was rainy, — and especial- 

 ly in the early morning, — so that hundreds, if not 

 thousands were deterred from coming out. Events 

 came slowly and heavily. The cheering music of 

 four bands could scarcely inspire one with much 

 spirit. The clouds drizzled and the mud grew 

 deeper as the various cavalcades splashed through 

 it. When the procession was formed, however, 

 the skies kindly withheld their tears, so that the 

 march to -the grounds was rather a grand and im- 

 posing one. The Dunstable town team was a 

 fine one. On reaching the enclosure we fouud 

 many accessions to the meagre amount of the 

 day before. Some fine cattle, sheep, horses and 

 swine had been brought in. Mr. P. W. Jones, 

 of Amherst, had Dutch, Durham -and Devon stock, 

 and Cotswold, Southdown and Spanish Merino 

 sheep. Mr. Taft, of Nashua, had a sow and nine 

 five-months old i)igs, which we never saw ex- 

 celled. 



In the exhibition room, there was a very fine 

 display of the taste and skill of the women in 

 articles of domestic industry. It was certainly 

 highly creditable to the ladies of Hillsborough 

 county. The butter and cheese, from their hands, 

 were very attractive. Some tubs of the former 

 were very near perfection, and gave the exhibi- 

 tion credit and character. We were glad to see 

 this, as this branch of our exhibitions has been al- 

 together too much neglected. The show of vege- 

 taljles was very good. That of fruit included fine 

 specimens of apples and pears, but there was not 

 a large collection of either. 



After the procession had taken a look at the 

 stock, the shrill bugle note called the scattered 

 crowds together around the stand, and after re- 

 marks by the President, Col. Otis Wright, brief 

 addresses were made by Dr. Loring of Salem, 

 Hon. Frederick Smyth, of Manchester, Mr. 

 Tenney, Secretary of State for New Hampshire, 

 and the writer. All the addresses were brief. 

 That of Dr. Loring was humorous, yet practical. 

 He illustrated his points Avith much force. Mr. 

 Tenney read a patriotic and excellent letter from 



