1864. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



53 



that uninterrupted prosperity in this life of disci- 

 pline is neither to be expected nor desired. 



Farmers, as a class, are not great readers, sim- 

 ply because they have not the time or means for 

 this end, but every one has at hand his volume of 

 experience ; and I, for one, have been largely in- 

 debted in this respect to one and another who had 

 litlle "book-learning," and only a common school 

 education. They confessed themselves illiterate, 

 but knew enough to keep their journal of the 

 weather and crops, year after year, until it had 

 become a most valuable book of reference. Be- 

 sides this, 4hey had accumulated a fund of infor- 

 mation, more precious to them than libraries, be- 

 cause all gleaned from their own personal experi- 

 ence^ and an encouraging word or two would un- 

 loose their tongues, and render it a privilege to sit 

 at their feet and learn wisdom. Some poet has 

 eaid that, 



"Old experience doth attain 

 To eomethinglike prophetic strain." 



And this is why old mea do sometimes seem in- 

 vested with the gift of prophecy. Why should 

 not a man that has reached his three score years 

 and ten, and can look so far back over the past, 

 be able to look farther ahead than those whose ex- 

 perience is but of yesterday ? The ancient proph- 

 ets we are wont to regard as men of heavy locks 

 and wrinkled brows, and venerable aspect gener- 

 ally. Their far-reaching vision was of course due 

 primarily to inspiration ; and yet their long ex- 

 perience of men and events must have contribut- 

 ed not a little to their deep insight of the future. 

 No wonder, then, we have this injunction, "thou 

 shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor 

 the face of the old man !" But with all this def- 

 erence to age, let me caution the well-meaning 

 farmer against a mistake made by the infidel 

 Hume. He disi^elieved in miracles, because he 

 never had any experience of them. So some bet- 

 ter men then he will have no faith in this and that 

 miracle of agriculture, because such phenomena 

 had never fallen within their own experience, or 

 that of their fathers before them, and thus they 

 keep moving in the old ruts which will by and by 

 be worn so deep that they must halt, while the 

 world moves on without them. w. E. B. 



Fur the Aeio Ensland Farmer. 

 HOPKHTTOTiT, MASS. 



How it pot its N'ame— Its Manufactiin-s— Good Highways— In- 

 vestments ill Farais ami Stock — Agricultural Reading — Little 

 Cedar Swamp Drained under the Law. 



"Tot conjecta manu prajnipt!'? oppida saxis." 

 So many towns upreared by hand yn cragged rocks. 



On many a rugged New England hill, so ster- 

 ile as to be almost valueless for cultivation, we 

 find a flourishing manufacturing village and an in- 

 dustrious and thrifty people. Such towns are 

 happy evidences of the enterprise and persever- 

 ance of our people. The growth of a town situ- 

 ated on the bank of some noble river, furnishing 

 ready facilities for communication, and an abun- 

 dant water power, is easy and natural. Lowell, 

 Lawrence, and VV^ebster are instances of such a 

 growth. But there are towns wliich have been 

 blessed with none of these promising beginnings ; 

 which nature has slighted and left without a dow- 

 ry, that have called to their aid the power of steam, 

 and through the inventive genius of the people 

 have achieved a name in commerce and a place in 

 the records of industry. Of this latter class is 



Hojikinton, situated on a ledgy ridge in the south- 

 west corner of Middlesex county, twenty-eight 

 miles west south-west from Boston. It was orig- 

 inally an extensive tract of land known among 

 the Indians as Maguncook, and famous for its 

 rich hunting grounds. Although not permanent- 

 ly settled until 1710, its history comjjiences as 

 early as 1657, and is interwoven with that of the 

 University at Cambridge. 



A gentleman in England by the name of Hop- 

 kins, an ardent lover of learning, became deeply 

 interested in the bold project of establishing a 

 college in the wilds of America, which the Puri- 

 tans had formed, and at his death in 1657 be- 

 queathed eight hundred pounds sterling to Har- 

 vard College and the grammar school at Cam- 

 bridge. This money was invested in the tract of 

 land just described, which, in honor of its donor, 

 has since been known by the name of Hopkinton, 

 under which name it was incorporated in 1715. 



The only endowments which nature bestowed 

 upon it were, wood, granite, and the mineral 

 springs at the west part of the town. These are 

 three in number, each differing in properties from 

 the others. They have been a Aivorite resort in 

 the summer months until 1862, when the hotel 

 was destroyed by fire. 



Hopkinton is engaged in that branch of labor 

 which, according to the late census, employs a 

 larger number of operatives than any other single 

 branch of American industry, — the manufacture 

 of boots and shoes. In reference to the number 

 of cases of boots annually made up and sent to 

 market, it has but one rival in the State. Dur- 

 ing the past 'five years, great improvements have 

 been made in the machinery used, and in the 

 methods of manufacture. The application of steam 

 power has been of some advantage, although not 

 available to so great an extent in this as in many 

 other branches of industry. 



Situated aside from any line of railway, and 

 realizing the importance of rendering the means 

 of traiisportiUion as easy as possible, the town 

 has paid especial attention to the improvement of 

 its highways, and has discovered that the iiiex- 

 haustil)Ie beds of granite which abound here are 

 the very best material for roads. It has purchased 

 and has now in successful operation a crushing 

 machine, operated by steam, which converts large 

 blocks of granite into rubble with a rapidity that 

 is truly astonishing. 



Having intimated that the natural resources are 

 limited, the reader will, perhaps, conclude that 

 agriculture is little attenied to. But tlie sjiirit 

 of enterprise is diffusive, and manufactures al- 

 ways encourage agriculture. The demand for 

 farm products, which iscreited by a community 

 of mechanics, stimulates the farmer to improve 

 his soil and multiply its products. We trust that 

 the yeomanry of Ilupkinton understand this sort 

 of philos(ii)liy, and are not blind to their own in- 

 terests. Alihojgh they have invested only $440,- 

 OOO in farms, stock and im[)lements, there are 

 signs of progress amonj^ them. They iiave a 

 farmers' club, which holds semi-monthly meetings, 

 and an annual exhibition. They have also an ag- 

 liculiural library, and besides a goodly number 

 of otlier agricultural papers, a club of seventy 

 subscribers to the New England Farmer. These 

 things betoken reading, thought, and discussion, 

 which are precursors of right action. And it is 



