364 



NEW ENGLAND FARINIER. 



Aug. 





*«'^^c:^w^ 



BOCOOIOA. 



This is a greenhouse plant which is culti- 

 vated for its beautiful foliage. It is used for 

 the decorations of beds and lawns in summer, 

 but must be housed in winter. It can be had 

 of Washburn & Co., Boston, and of other 

 dealers in flowers, &c. The variety shown 

 in our engraving is that known as Bocconia 

 frutescens. 



liETTEB, FKOM THE FARM. 



Concord, June 13, 1867. 



Gents : — I have just returned from a very 

 pleasant visit into Worcester county. Last 

 August, business called me to the town of 

 Barre and some of the neighboring towns, 

 and I then improved the opportunity to visit 

 several farms, look carefully at their stock, 

 and observe modes of husbandry. I was then 

 so much pleased with what I heard and saw, 

 that I suggested to several of the farmers of 

 this town that it might be profitable to them, 

 and espcicially to those raising milk for market, 

 to go and see the dairy stock of that portion 

 of Worcester county. 



In accordance with this suggestion, some 

 dozen of them turned out their teams, and at 

 7 A.M., Monday, June 10, the "cavalcade" 

 was on its way. Passing through a portion of 

 Acton, Stow, Bolton, Lancaster, and Sterling, 

 the party paused at Princeton five hours for 

 dinner, and for opportunity to look at the farm 

 of John Buooks, Esq., of that town. Mr. 

 B, was busily employed in one of his orchards, 



pruning, and in reply to a question, stated 

 that about the middle of Juna, was the most 

 appropriate season for that operation. A long 

 experience convinces me that he is right. He 

 very kindly left his interesting work and ac- 

 companied us over his large, and fine farm, 

 nearly every portion of which, buildings, fen- 

 ces, fields and stock, were carefully observed. 

 Numerous questions were answered with a 

 clearness and affability that gave the interview 

 a charm, while the replies were instructive or 

 suggestive, on very many points. Some of his 

 grass fields were already covered with a crop 

 that surprised every beholder ; indeed, it did 

 not seem to me, that such a crop could stand 

 until in blossom without injury to its quality. 

 The grass seemed to stand as close together as 

 the fur on the back of a fox ! The question 

 occurred, whether the dampness near the 

 ground would not be so great as to rot the 

 lower portions of the leaves, and thus create a 

 mould which would affect the whole crop? 

 But Mr. B. will undoubtedly have an eye to 

 that. The stock in his pastures were literally 

 "up to their eyes in white clover," — were ac- 

 tually feeding upon fragrant flowers and wild 

 honey. I doubt whether that oft-quoted strip 

 between the Tigris and the Euphrates could 

 boast of more than this. He has a meadow 

 in process of reclamation, first by drainage, 

 and then by surfiice working, which afforded 

 us an excellent example of what fine grass 

 fields can be made from our low and cold lands, 



