366 



NEW ENGLAND FAR^VIER. 



Aug. 



Pears, cherries and peaches looked well 

 wherever we noticed their trees. 



It is early, we are aware, for dry and 

 scanty pasturage ; but it is rarely the case, 

 even in "leafy June," to find them so densely 

 clothed with luxuriant grasses, and gemmed 

 with white clover blossoms. 



The stock on every farm visited was in fine 

 condition. It came through the winter well, 

 and passing into such excellent pasturage is 

 presenting a remarkably good appearance. 

 The finest we saw, in any considerable num- 

 ber, was at the State Alms House, at Tewks- 

 bury, under the care of the Superintendent, 

 Capt. Thomas J. Marsh. When he entered 

 upon his duties there, twelve years ago, he 

 found but three cows on the farm, although 

 the milk bills were annually some two to three 

 thousand dollars ! It was several years before 

 he could induce the inspectors to allow him to 

 enlarge the number of cows. They urged 

 that all the hay and grain they consumed must 

 be purchased, and that therefore, the milk 

 would cost more than to buy it as they had 

 done. It was true that the farm — of a hun- 

 dred or more acres — did not produce enough 

 to furnish the hay and grain required to keep 

 these cows and the two or three horses whose 

 services were needed in the business of the 

 institution. 



Now, Capt. Marsh has upon the farm sixty- 

 nine head of neat cattle, or had at the close 

 of winter i some of the young stock being 

 away at pasture. Most of these he has raised 

 on the farm, and now cuts a large portion of the 

 hay from it, upon which the stock has been 

 fed. Among the stock are six working oxen, 

 each animal of about eight feet girth. These 

 were purchased, but he has two pairs of ex- 

 ceedingly promising steers coming on. At 

 milking time we saw twenty-four cows in the 

 Jeanto, as fine-looking as we ever saw, and 

 whose products were all that ought to be ex- 

 pected of any cows. They were scrupulously 

 clean and docile, and of mixed breeds gen- 

 erally. There were four bulls, one a pure 

 Short-horn, judged to weigh 2100 pounds, a 

 pair of two-year olds and a yearling. The 

 Short-horn had a strong and easy-fitting har- 

 ness and was worked daily, alone or before a 

 pair of oxen. The younger ones were also mod- 

 erately worked, headed by the pure Jersey 

 yearling. By this usage they were all gentle 



and good-tempered, and were found profitable 

 workers in the field. The remaining portion 

 of the stock is young cattle, but not including 

 calves, — several of which were in the stalls. 

 In addition to the oxen, two or three horses 

 are required for the farm, and as many more 

 for the different vehicles needed in the busi- 

 ness of the institution. 



The hay for all this stock, if we understood 

 statements made correctly, is now cut on this 

 farm, on which, twelve years ago, there was 

 not hay enough raised to supply three cows. 

 Within a year or two the farm has been en- 

 larged by some fifty or sixty acres, but these 

 acres have not yet added much to the hay 

 crop. They are still in a transition state, but 

 are rapidly being changed into beautiful and 

 fertile fields. 



Passing through the kitchen we saw three 

 large wash tubs filled with soaking peas, and 

 as many tubs of corned beef to make a part 

 of the pea soup for the next day's dinner. 



When the inmates are to enjoy cabbage for 

 dinner, it requires a large ox-cart full of 

 heads, after the outside leaves are taken off, to 

 supply the plates of those who are not in the 

 hospital ! Between fo^lr and five thousand 

 bushels of potatoes are annually required for 

 the family. Five barrels of flour are kneaded 

 up at once for baking, two or three hundred 

 pounds of codfish for a single dinner, and 

 other things in proportion throughout the 

 whole cuisine department. 



The most perfect cleanliness and order were 

 apparent everywhere, inside and out. The 

 drainage and sewerage excellent, and gener- 

 ally the ventilation of the buildings ; but in 

 this particular some changes are needed and 

 of such a character as to be wholly indepen- 

 dent of the inmates. Persons who do not un- 

 derstand the importance of breathing pure 

 air, are quite apt to close all doors and win- 

 dows and run the risk of suffocation. Venti- 

 lation, therefore, should not depend upon 

 opening and shutting doors or windows. It 

 is somewhat doubtful which would kill the 

 quickest, impure air or fresh currents rushing 

 in on certain portions of the body when not in 

 exercise. We think we should rather take 

 our chance in the carbonic acid. 



When the fact is considered that the farm 

 improvements to which we have alluded, have 

 been made at the same time that a family of 



