1870. 



NEW ENGLAOT) FARMER. 



323 



ties, some of which have been quite fairly 

 tested, will take their places. Among these 

 will be Bresee's King of the Earlies, Harri- 

 son, the Early Rose, Vanderveer, Bresee's 

 Prolific and Peerless, the Climax, Excelsior, 

 Early Prince, Granite State, Calico, &c. In 

 a letter to you from Maine, last winter, I spoke 

 of seeing some 2500 bushels of potatoes in the 

 cellar of Mr. Moses H. Hussey, of North 

 Berwick. I then thought he would scarcely 

 find a market for so many, as they were to be 

 sold for planting only. I now learn from some 

 of the Boston dealers, that the 700 bushels of 

 Early Rose, which I saw, have all been sold, 

 and that Mr. H. is making large purchases of 

 the same variety in Vermont. 



This potato has gained for itself several ex- 

 cellent points, viz. : It is early, prolific, does 

 not rot badly, is smooth, the eyes being a very 

 little depressed, and is said to be of excellent 

 quality. I have not tested it sufficiently to 

 come to any conclusion as to its merits. As a 

 vegetable, no other compares with the potato 

 in value. Nearly all the old varieties have 

 become worthless, or greatly depreciated, so 

 that every honest effort to introduce new and 

 good varieties is commendable, and confers a 

 public favor. 



The opening spring promises well. With 

 the aid of improved machinery, and larger 

 skill, the farmer may look forward to fair 

 profits in his pleasant employment. 

 Very truly yours, 



Simon Brown. , 



Messrs. R. P. Eaton & Co., Boston. 



THE AMEKICANT IMPEOVED SUQAR 

 BEET. 



There is certainly something a little wonderful 

 in the climate and soil of Vermont. 



A Massachusetts horse is taken to that State, 

 and the Morgans, the Black Hawks, Merrills, &c., 

 are the result. Massachusetts horses go to other 

 States and are heard of no more. 



A few flocks of Spanish sheep find their way to 

 the pastures of the Green Mountains, and the 

 "Improved American Merino Sheep" cross the At- 

 lantic and take premiums in competition with the 

 Imperial flocks of the "mother countries." 



A few potato seeds are dropped into Vermont 

 soil, and a single tuber pays for a good cow, and a 

 potato fever rages throughout the land. 



A single oat springs up in some Vermonter's 

 field, and he reaps sheaves in comparison with 

 which a good-sized man appears, — in the adver- 

 tisement, — as a pigmy. 



The Agricultural Department at Washington 

 sends out, year after year, parcels of seed by the 

 million — or, to be a little more definite, the num- 

 ber for the year 1861 was stated by the Commis- 

 sioner at 2,474,380,— most of which, undoubtedly, 

 fell by the wayside, into stony ground, thin soil, 

 or weedy fields, and the Department looks in vain 

 for the promised reports of the result of their cul- 

 tivation. But a few of these little papers of seeds 

 find their way into Vermont soils, and beets come 

 up that beat all other beets, — and hence the "Im- 

 proved American Sugar Beet." 



Some allusion to the good qualities of this vari- 

 ety by Mr. Henry Lane of Cornwall, Vt., in his 

 address at the Dairymen's Convention, at St. Al- 

 bans, has excited considerable inquiry among far- 

 mers, many of whom wish to obtain the seed. 

 Having published an abstract of this address, sev- 

 eral applications for further information upon the 

 subject have been made to us, but as we were un- 

 able to furnish it, we wrote to Mr. Lane, and re- 

 ceived the following note in reply ; — 



Mr. Editor : — Sir, — Your letter of inquiry of 

 the 4th inst. has been received. The American 

 Improved Imperial Sugar Beet is one of five vari- 

 eties that I received from the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment at Washington eleven years since. They 

 were at that time the best sugar beet that I had 

 ever seen. Good cultivation and a careful se- 

 lection for seed has changed and improved them 

 in some respects. Considering the source whence 

 I received the seed, I should suppose there would 

 be plenty of this variety in various sections of our 

 country. But I have never seen them, nor has 

 any one that has seen the beets that are grown 

 with us, pretended to have seen this variety any- 

 where else. It is now cultivated extensively in this 

 vicinity, and has superseded all other varieties of 

 beets, and nearly all others of the root kind. For 

 further particulars I will refer you to my address 

 that will be printed in full in the Transactions of 

 the Vermont Dairymen's Association. That you 

 may judge more correctly of them than from any 

 description I might give, I will send you a few 

 specimens next fall. Yours, respectfully, 



Corntoall, Vt., May 7, 1870. Henry Lane. 



Norfolk Farmers' Club. — At a meeting of 

 this Club, May 9, 1870, the following persons were 

 chosen a committee of arrangements for the next 

 annual fair of the Club. S. E. Fales, A. G. Hills, 

 H. M. Fales, S. T. Rockwood, Cyrus Ware, of 

 Norfolk ; J. H. Leland, Walpole ; William Fisher, 

 Medfield ; Virgil S. Pond, Foxboro' ; Erastus 

 Metcalf, Franklin; Willard Clark, Medway ; Hi- 

 ram Ware, Wrentham. — W. H. Rockwood, See. 



ENCorRAGiNO TO COUNTRY GiRLS. — A Commit- 

 tee of the city government of Boston have recently 

 held several meetings to hear arguments in favor 

 of the establishment by the city of a "free market." 

 At a hearing on Wednesday evening of last week, 

 Mrs. Daniels ascribed the alarming increase of 

 vice to the high cost of living, and said "it was an 

 impossibility for a girl to get board in a respecta- 

 ble boarding-house at less than !g5 per week, while 

 their wages do not average over $4.50 per week." 



