1G6 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



read books and newspapers which treat of 

 their profession and are proud of their calling, 

 have made up most of the audiences so far. 

 The good inrtnence of these winter meetings 

 must be extended, until the most indifferent 

 now, shall become among the most zealous. 



NE."W PUBLICATIONS. 



Seventh Annual Report of the Trustees of the 

 MaBsachusetts Agriculiural Colk-ge, Janu.ry, 1870. 



To an encouraging and hoptful review of the 

 past years' operations of this institution, are 

 added a Catalogue of Trustees, Overseers, 

 Faculty and Students, the Course of Study and In- 

 struction, Financial Statement, &c. Tne Junior 

 class numbers 35, the Sophomore 41, the Fresh- 

 man 24, Select Class 19; total 119. While it is 

 regarded as desirable that the students should go 

 through the regular four years' course of study, 

 provision is made for the instruction of those who 

 are unable to do so, in any of the studies for which 

 they are qualified, during a single term or longer, 

 as they please. We think this is a very important 

 feature in the college. To a great number of far- 

 mers' lioys the college thus becomes practically 

 an academy or high school. Here one can spend 

 the winter months, or any other time at his com- 

 mand, and cnjijy the advantages of the apparatus, 

 the professors, the lecurers, &c., which the insti- 

 tution affords, and thus with little expense of 

 money or time, may have put into his hands the 

 "key to the door of knowledge," which President 

 Clark says in his report is the great object of all 

 instruction in the college ; or at least may get the 

 key to the door of some particular branch of 

 knowledge. Ifa young man wishes for the key 

 to the door of chemistry, Dr. Goessmann will re- 

 view bis lessons and illustrate the principles of 

 the science in the college laboratory ; if he would 

 open the door that leads to a knowledge of the 

 diseases of domestic animals. Prof. Law will di- 

 rect and aid his studies by all the appliances en- 

 joyed by those who pursue the regular course; if 

 he wants instruction in Botany, President Clark 

 himself offers his services as instructor, with the 

 use of an extensive herbarium and of the Durfee 

 plant-houte, with about one thousand live and 

 growing specimens ; and the same may be said to 

 those who desire to make a specialty of any other 

 science embraced in the regular course. 



The students of the regular classes are required 

 to work six hours a week without compensation, 

 and are allowed to work, at ten to twenty cents an 

 hour, as much as they please, provided their stud- 

 ies are not neglected. 



Among the results of ordinary operations on the 

 college farm of 384 acres, during the past year. 

 President Clark mentions the laying down to grass 

 of about flfteen acres, the hay crop of one hundred 

 and fifty tons, seven hundred and fifty bushels of 

 corn, six hundred of oats, and six hundred of po- 



tatoes. The College now owns good specimens of 

 the four principal breeds of cattle. The Short- 

 horns are represented by a bull. Mountain Lad, 

 bred by Augustus Whitman, of Fitchburg; a cow, 

 Young Acacia, bred by G. Munson, of Hunting- 

 ton ; a heifer, Yarico 57th, from the herd of Paoli 

 Lathrop, of South Hadley ; and another, Autumn 

 Rose, Irom that of Phineas Stcdman, of Chicopee. 

 The Dev'ons are from the stock of E. H. Hyde, of 

 Stafford, Conn., and consist of a bull, General 

 Lyon, and two cows. Gem 3d and Winona 2d. 

 The Ayrbhircs are a bull, Colfax, bred by H. S. 

 Collins, of Collinsville, Conn.; and a heifer, Lulie, 

 bred by H. F. Hills, of Amherst. The Jerseys con- 

 sist of a bull, Essex, from the herd of Charles G. 

 Loring, of Boston ; a bull calf, Enterprise, bred by 

 James Thompson, of Nantucket ; and a cow, Lucy, 

 from the stock of Henry Cobb, of Amherst. Be- 

 tides the above-named, thoroughbred animals, the 

 College has about forty natives, mos:ly cows, and 

 steers designed for slaughter. There are also 

 upon the farm twenty-five fine Southdown sheep, 

 from the stock of Thomas Buffum, of Newport, 

 R. I., and twenty-four swine of the Suffolk, Berk- 

 shire and Chester County breeds. The teams 

 consist of two pairs of oxen and five horses. 



Much other work has been done in underdrain- 

 ing, road-making, planting trees, vines, &c. 



Students pay term-bills to the amount of $54 

 per annum, and the absolute necessary cost of a 

 residence at the institution for a year, aside from 

 clothing, it is stated, will not exceed $250. 



The American Herd Book, containing Pedigrees of 

 Btiort-horne-i C-ittle, with Introdu :'.ory N'tes, by 

 Lewis F. Allen. Vol iX. Part I.— Bulls; Partll— 

 Cows. Buffalo: Warren, Johneon &Uo. 1»70. 



The disposition that has been manifested by 

 agricultural societies to confine their premiums 

 for thoroughbred stock to animals with a herd- 

 book pedigree, and the superior price which such 

 animals command, will undoubtedly excite a 

 greater interest in herd-books than has heretofore 

 been manifested by cattle breeders. The present 

 volume contains about 5386 pedigrees, a much 

 larger number than any previous volume, and 

 about the same as that of the last volume of the 

 English Herd-book. American Short horn breed- 

 ers are congratulated on the increasing popularity 

 and profitableness of their herds, and Mr. Allen 

 says, "It has been conclusively ascertained that 

 our American breeders have fully maintained, if 

 not improved the quality of their stock over those 

 of the same tribes and strains of blood retained in 

 England. Some of the most eminent among Eng- 

 lish breeders have, in several instances, sent to 

 America for Animals descended from some of 

 their own choice tribes, years ago imported here, 

 with which to re invigorate the blood of their na- 

 tive herds. Such facts settle the question, not 

 only of the adaptability of our country to the in- 

 crease and thrift of the cattle themselves, but that 

 our American breeders possess the skill and ability 

 to develope them in all the nobility and excel- 



