316 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



kind of work, — "except gdting in hay, with a show- 

 er coming" — to collect the kelp after a storm. 



Mr. W. markets his own products, and thus 

 Icnows all about what is going on in his line of 

 t ide. As time is money, he cannot afford to 

 g end it unnecessarily on the road — which fact 

 w s elicited by a complimentary remark upon his 

 p lir of strong-limbed horses. They looked as if 

 they were well fed and well governed, which 

 brought out the remark that it was economy to 

 feed well. He wanted his horses and oxen always 

 "ready." This hint is worth remembering. At 

 the time of our visit, Mr. W. was marketing his 

 early potatoes and cabbages. For the former he 

 was then realizing $2 75 per barrel, and for the 

 latter $15 per hundred- heads, — the season being 

 somcv.'hat advanced. 



All may not have the advantages and facilities 

 enjoyed by this Essex farmer, but all may learn 

 from him, and his success, that well directed en- 

 ergy and skill are as important, and will )ield as 

 ready a return — if not as large — in farming, as in 

 most other callings. There is ample room for 

 more examples of this kind, even in old Massa- 

 chusetts. 



The farm of Dr. Loring is sitaated about two 

 miles from the city of Salem — toward Marblehead 

 — and consists of a little more than five hundred 

 acres. The soil is of almost 'every variety. At 

 present, the farm is princijially devoted to the 

 raising of stock and milk. Some over forty cows 

 are kept for milk purposes the year round, and a 

 milk wagon is run to the neigliboring city daily. 



The average stock of the farm numbers about 

 ninety to one hundred head, nearly -all of which is 

 now either pure blooded or a high grade of Ayr- 

 shire — a favorite breed with the Doctor. He is 

 firmly of opinion that this breed is the one of all 

 othei 5 best adapted to the sliort pastures and long 

 wRii/rs of New England. Their fine forms, pleas- 

 ant and intelligent faces, well known gentleness, 

 and milking qualities, are certainly large recom- 

 mendations in their favor. The stock of the Doc- 

 tor is probably unsurpassed in the country, and 

 includes some of the finest animals of the breed 

 to be found in tlie world. Among his imported 

 stock is the finest prize heifer from the Royal Ex- 

 hibition in Scoiland, selected as the finest speci- 

 men in that country — the home of the breed. A 

 visit to the hundred-acre-pasture, in which he 

 keeps his young stock, is enough to quicken the 

 pulse of the most inveterate old fogy farmer in 

 existence. Tlie eye must indeed be dull that can- 

 not see and admire the beautiful symmetry of his 

 "pure bloods," of which he has quite a large num- 

 ber. The writer was especially pleased and in- 

 terested in a pair of twin yearling steers of the 

 above breed. This is the only attempt, within 

 his knowledge, in this country, to make Ayrshire 

 working oxen, and the result will be looked for 

 with great interest. As far as size, muscles, sym- 

 metry and temper are concerned, the experiment 

 thus far appears most flattering. The pair are 

 literally "two beauties." 



'I'he horses upon the farm are principally Black 

 Hawk iMorgans, of which the Doctor has several 

 fine specimens. The writer agrees entirely with 

 the opinion that these combine more good quali- 

 ties, and fewer poor or undesirable qualities, than 

 any other breed, for New England farm and fam- 

 ily purposes. Their size, temper, speed and bot- 



tom, are as yet unsurpassed — if equalled — by any 

 other breed in the country. If any one doubts it, 

 a careful looking over of the stocks of Dr. Loring, 

 and of Mr. Maynard, of Bradford, will be most 

 likely to settle their doubts. They are hardy, 

 compact, well-built in every way, sagacious," good 

 tempered and enduring. More than this can 

 hardly be expected or wished for. 



Although the farm cuts about three hundred 

 tons of hay — two-thirds English — it is all fed out 

 on the placp. Li addition to this, large quantities 

 of roots are raised, and corn, shorts, &c., are an- 

 nually purchased in no §linted amounts, to add to 

 the growth of bone and muscle and the flow of 

 milk. From all this a very large quantity of ma- 

 nure is made, which is increased Ijy various means, 

 and is all used on the farm. The Doctor has a 

 high opinion of sand for bedding his cattle, and 

 uses large quantities of it. \n his 'Case the opinion 

 is well gi'ounded. His land is principally a moist, 

 and therefore cold, clay, and the application of 

 warm sand is of unquestioned benefit ; sand is 

 a very good absorbent for stable use ; it is easily 

 used and applied ; and, in the Doctor's case, is 

 easily procured — his "bank" being but a few rods 

 from his farm. 



He has proved to his own satisfaction, by re- 

 peated experiments, that there is an actual econ- 

 omy in using cut and steamed feed for milch 

 cows. He feeds in winter a mixed diet of cut 

 hay, Lidian meal, or shorts, and roots. His steam- 

 ing appai-atus includes some valuable improve- 

 ments of his own, and is well worth examination 

 by any one who proposes erecting a similar one. 



Of swine, his pens show good specimens of both 

 the Suffolk and the Chester County breeds. JFrom 

 a cross between these he raises quite large num- 

 bers of ])igs for sale, to the Irish people, who like 

 to raise large porkers. 



x\mong his growing crops we noticed one piece 

 of fourteen acres of barley — probably the largest 

 "field" of barley in Massachusetts. 



Much to the regret of the owner there are no 

 sheep upon the farm. The risk from dogs will 

 not allow of their being kept so near the city. 

 This is too bad. We are of opinion that the profit 

 from one good flock of sheep will more than bal- 

 ance all the real advantages derived from all the 

 dogs in the above city. 



Much to our regret we were our obliged to take 

 leave of the Doctor to reach the cars, and we are 

 now ol)liged to "switch off" our train of pleasant 

 reminiscences for fear of a collision with the printer. 



How Nature Covers up Battle Fields. — 

 I saw on the Bull Run battle field, pretty, pure, 

 delicate flowers growing out of emptied ammuni- 

 tion boxes, a rose thrusting up its graceful head 

 through the head of a Union drum, which doubt- 

 less sounded its last charge (or retreat as the case 

 may have been) in that battle, and a cunning scar- 

 let vei-bena peeping out of a fragment of bursted 

 shell in which strange cup it had been planted .P 

 Even so shall the graceful and the beautiful ever 

 grow out of the terrible things that transpire in 

 this changing but ever advancing world. Nature 

 covers even batile-grounds with verdure and 

 bloom. Peace and plenty soon spring up in tlie 

 track of devastating campaigns, and all things in 

 nature and society shall work out the progress o/ 

 mankind and harmony of God's great designs. 



