348 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



shed on the grounds, and received a good propor- 

 tion of the premiums, among which are the follow- 

 ing : McCormick's Reaper and Mower, a gold 

 medal, being the highest premium in the Depart- 

 ment of Implements and Machinery ; John Jvel- 

 sey, of Pennsylvania, a large bronze medal, for 

 Harrow ; A. S. Clark, of Bellows Falls, Vt., a 

 large bronze medal, for best Turnip Cutter ; and 

 many other premiums. 



Mr. Campbell and the Hon. Mr. Needham, 

 Commissioner from Vermont to the late Fair, were 

 fellow-passengers with the writer of this, on board 

 the Canard steamship Asia, Avhich recently arrived 

 at Boston from Liverpool, from whom the forego- 

 ing facts were obtained. 



Mr. Campbell is a plain, practical farmer, (prob- 

 ably about forty-five years of age,) very modest and 

 unpretending, and a good specimen of our intelli- 

 gent, persevering, and industrious Ncav England 

 yeomanry. Such of the foregoing facts as were 

 communicated by him, were given by my solicita- 

 tion, but in no boastful spirit. — J. D. \v. in Journal 

 of Agi-iculture. 



HAKVAHD FARMER'S CLUB. 



This association had its annual meeting in the 

 public square at Harvard, on Thursday, Septem- 

 ber 2-3. The weather was cool, but pleasant, and 

 the attendance was quite large. Notwithstanding 

 it is only a town affair, they have their cattle pens, 

 their drawing match, sheep, swine, poultry, pub- 

 lic dinner, address and music, with as much sys- 

 tem and dignity as any State or County society. 



Some fine cows and heifers were on the ground, 

 a few sheep, some excellent swine and a number 

 of very promising colts. We saw only three or 

 four pairs of working oven. Where were the oth- 

 er fifty yoke which are probably owned in the 

 town ? The tables in the Town Hall were covered 

 with fine specimens of the vegetables, grain, and 

 fruits of the town. The collections were not large, 

 but some of them embraced as excellent samples 

 as have been seen at any show in the State. Beau- 

 tiful specimens of needle work adorned the walls, 

 and various articles requiring skill and taste to 

 construct, were spread upon the tables. The Pres- 

 ident of the Society is A. J. Sawyer, Esq., and 

 the Secretary, Trumbull Bull, Esq. We trust 

 they will see that the Association is not only fully 

 sustained the coming winter, but that it will re- 

 ceive new and life-giving impulses. 



The dinner was eaten in a grove near the pub- 

 lic square, where it was intended to have the ad- 

 dress, speeches and music, but a cool wind spring- 

 ing up prompted the officers to adjourn to the 

 church ; so, after dinner, a procession was formed 

 and marched to the neat and convenient Orthodox 

 church, where the unfinished exercises of the day 

 were attended to. 



The address was by the Rev. Mr. Hurd, of 

 Fitchburg. Its subject was, ''Agriculture in its 

 Relaiions to the GuvernmenL" It touched upon 

 many interesting points — points that ought to bo 



better understood than they generally are by farm- 

 ers ; it was logical, and abounded with many 

 striking and eloquent passages. The speaker was 

 earnest in his manner, and kept his audience close- 

 ly attentive during the hour which he occupied. 

 This address will undoubtedly open a new chan- 

 nel of thoughts in the minds of many who were so 

 fortunate as to hear it. Mr. Hurd was followed 

 by Dr. Joseph Reynolds, of Concord, who made 

 a short off-hand practical speech, principally upon 

 the thoroughness which is not only desirable, but 

 which is profitable in farming. The reading of 

 the reports of committees, and the payment of 

 premiums closed the exercises of the day, so far' 

 as the show was concerned. What the young folks 

 did in the evening we did not remain to see, but 

 from what we did see of them, we feel quite cer- 

 tain that they well know how to have a good time 

 when they set out for it. 



While in town we visited the cold grapery of 

 Trumbull Bull, Esq., and were much pleased 

 with the success which he has gained in the cul- 

 ture of some of the finest varieties of grapes under 

 glass, but without artificial heat. This mode of 

 cultivating grapes is commending itself more and 

 more every year, and we hope will continue to 

 find favor until it becomes quite common among 

 farmers. Cold graperies are not expensive nor 

 difficult to manage, and may be made the source 

 of profit, as well as a beautiful adjunct to the 

 dwelling, and a healthful and acceptable source of 

 luxury to all. They are, also, a delightful resort 

 for invalids, in which the eating of the ripe fruit, 

 and the pleasant care of attending to the house 

 and plants, would be more likely to restore health 

 than any skill of the physician. 



A Trot at the Vermont State Fair. — 

 This society having offered a premium of $60 

 for the fastest trotter, and open to all competitors, 

 Messrs. Peter W. Jones, of Amherst, N. H., 

 M. Norton, Tinmouth, Vt., C. Goodall, Bran- 

 don, Vt., entered as follows : Mr. Jones entered 

 his b. m. "Empress," Mr. Norton, "Darkey," and 

 Mr. Goodell, "Boy." "Empress" won in three 

 straight heats, as follows : First heat in 2.40^ ; 

 second heat in 2.40:^ ; third heat in 2.34f . "Em- 

 press" is a perfect fac simile of Flora Temple, 

 and time will show that she is no disgrace to her. 

 "Darkey" is a grandson of Hill's Black Hawk, 

 and is said to have trotted a straight heat on the 

 ice at Lake George, last winter, in 2.2o — his own- 

 ers hold him at a price accordingly. 



!E^ Mr. WHliam Lawrence, of Falmouth, who 

 has reached the advanced age of eighty-six years, 

 owns a meadow lot in that place which he has 

 mowed regularly for seventy successive years, eat- 

 ing his dinner farmer-like, in the field.. He might 

 pass now, scythe in hand, for "Old Time" himself. 



