1867. 



J^EW ENGLAND FARIMER. 



267 



As the latter disappear, the grass increases, 

 until the pasture that -would support only 

 twenty sheep will sustain one hundred in good 

 condition. 



JMr. Smith's sheep did not reduce the bushes, 

 probably because they found all the good grass 

 they wanted. He should have slightly over- 

 stocked the pasture for a week or two at a 

 time, and we have no doubt he would then 

 have seen the work of destruction going on. 



TARIFF SAMPLES OF WOOL. 

 We are among those who are very anxious 

 to believe that the manufacturers acted in good 

 faith in their agreement to work in concert 

 with wool growers in securing such rates of 

 duty as would promote the best interests of 

 both parties to the contract, and that they 

 have acted throughout in accordance with the 

 terms of that agreement. The appointment of 

 a leading wool merchant of Boston, by the 

 Secretary of the Treasury, as the sole agent of 

 'the government to prepare the samj^les of 

 ■wool required by the newtariif law, has given 

 occasion to those who doubt the integrity of the 

 manufacturers to raise the cry of "sold again." 

 In a communication to the Vermont Farmer 

 by "J. W. C." of Springfield, the appoint- 

 ment is spoken of as "an outrageous and fla- 

 grant wrong to the wool-growers," and some 

 of our own correspondents have spoken of it 

 in the same bitter terms, and asked why the 

 wool-growers were not represented on so im- 

 portant a commission. But as Mr. Bond is 

 neither a manufacturer nor a wool-grower, but 

 a buyer and seller, and unquestionably well 

 qualified for the duties of his appointment, we 

 have held on to the belief that both he and the 

 government were disposed to do justice to the 

 letter and spirit of the law, and to both parties 

 ■whose interests are affected by it, and we are glad 

 to see by the Rural New Yorker that a letter 

 has been received from Mr. IMcCulloch, Secre- 

 tary of the Treasury, in which he gives assur- 

 ance that "the samples when prepared Avill be 

 open to the criticism of all parties interested, 

 and should it be discovered that, from any 

 cause, a mistake has been made in the classifi- 

 cation or arrangement of the distinctive sam- 

 ples of wool and hair, the Department will not 

 be slow to correct it." Upon which Dr. Ran- 

 dall comments as follows : — 



Without in the least impugning the good faith of 

 the Secretaiy of the Treasury, or the integrity and 



other qualifications of Mr. Bond, wc have to say 

 tliat so far as we possess any information in the 

 premises, no accredited agent of tlie wool-growers 

 was consulted in making this appointment; and 

 that when the tariff on wool and woolens 

 was drawn up by the Committees of Growers and 

 Mnnntiictnrers, and one of the Connnissioners of 

 Revenue, in the winter of 186.5-G, that Commission- 

 er (Hon. Stephen Cohvcll,) assured us that both 

 interests would be represented, and equally repre- 

 sented, in the Committee to select samples — that it 

 would only be necessary to apprise the Secretary 

 of the understanding to ensure its adoption by him 

 — and that he (the Comniissioiier) would see that 

 he was so apprised. As the liill did not pass dur- 

 ing the session of I860-6, it is very probable th? 

 Mr. Coh^»ell did not inform the Secretary of this, 

 understanding, and Mr. C. had nothing to do with 

 the matter during the last session of the Thirty- 

 ninth Congress. But, without knowing the fact, 

 we take it for granted that the members of our 

 Committee in Washington called Secretary Mc- 

 Culloch's attention to the arrangement. 



Secretary MeCiilloch will be asked to submit the 

 samples prepared l)y Mr. Bond to the examination 

 and revision of a Committee of Growers and Manu- 

 facturers, selected by themselves, before the sam- 

 ples are adopted as standards ; and if he accedes to 

 this, his plan will have the same effect with the 

 original one. We cannot suppose that Secretary 

 McCulloch will refuse to comply with a request so 

 palpably just and rcasonaljle. His language above 

 quoted ought to be understood as sulistantially 

 implying so much. His decision in the matter 

 will be placed before our readers as soon as it is 

 received. 



We think that we cannot misapprehend the 

 views of the wool-growers of the country in acting 

 on the hypothesis that they will not rest satisfied 

 with having the entire selection of the custom 

 house samples of wool confided to one man, what- 

 ever his qualifications — or to any body of men in 

 which the gi'owcrs are not equally represented with 

 any and all opposing interests. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 DESTRUCTIOlSr OF TREES AJSTD 

 SHRUBS. 



Messes. Editors : — In a late communica- 

 tion to the Farmer, I spoke of an evil prac- 

 tice which I fear is still very common, and 

 which, as I hope to show, is far more mischiev- 

 ous than it is commonly considered. I mean 

 the thoughtless and barbarous practice of cut- 

 ting off and destroying the trees and native 

 shrubs which, in a thousand places in the coun- 

 try, naturally border the old roads. 



I now wish to state, as briefly as possible, 

 some reasons why this practice should be dis- 

 continued, and why and how the mischief done, 

 shoidd, whenever it is practicable, be repaired. 



1. It impairs the beauty of the roads. 



2. It diminishes the beauty and attractive- 

 ness of the town or village. 



3. It makes the roads uncomfortable, by 

 leaving them open to the sun and exposed to 

 the winds. 



4. It increases the drought of summer, and 

 the violence of the winds at all seasons. 



5. It exposes the roads to be filled with 

 snow drifts in winter, and to be gullied by the 

 rains in the epd of winter and in spring. 



6. It diminishes the fertility of the land. 



