458 



XEW ENGLAND FARRIER. 



Oct. 



the island, and there also rests his two wives; 

 several of his children are also buried there. 

 His second wife died in Norfolk, Virginia, 

 two years ago, and her body was brought 

 here for burial beside her husband. It is a 

 peaceful little spot — this tiny graveyard ! The 

 eternal hills cast their shadows there, and the 

 waters of Lake Winnipiseogee unceasingly lap 

 the shores with soothing murmur, yet quiet 

 and undisturbed they sleep the sleep that 

 knows no waking. 



Brown's island close by, is much larger and 

 has a number of farms upon it. A hotel has 

 been kept there, but it is now abandoned, as it 

 did not pay. Just below, the little steamer 

 Cbocorua is gliding behind little Diamond 

 island. There is a small house situated on 

 the verge of the isle and this is a hotel. What 

 are the attractions of the isolated and tiny 

 island. I do not know ; but fishing doubtless, 

 for Winnipiseogee is monopolized by the 

 finny tribes. Yesterday, the landlord of this 

 lonely hotel was conveyed to Concord for 

 burial. No isolation can preclude the search 

 of Death. 



Vegetation is loudly crying for rain. The 

 wells and streams are drying up, and the 

 earth is fairly baked. Susie Vogl. 



Guilford, N. H., July 28. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE PaiZE RING. 



The State of Massachusetts and other States 

 of the Union, annually make liberal appropri- 

 ations to encourage agriculture, horticulture, 

 and the mechanic arts. These appropriations 

 are put into the hands of directors who ofifer 

 premiums at their discretion for objects more 

 or less remotely connected with agriculture 

 and mechanics. 



Every generation grows wiser, and we have 

 a plan to suggest to the managers of our Fairs, 

 which, although it does not present a new sub- 

 ject, presents it in a new relation. The laws 

 of the State prohibit certain practices, as horse- 

 racing for premiums, prize-fighting, cock- fight- 

 ing, &c., under heavy penalities. But these 

 practices are all connected more or less di- 

 rectly with agriculture, and may be adopted 

 as proper objects for agricultural shows, and 

 thus the penalty of the law be evaded. The 

 matter, so far as it relates to horses, has been 

 settled, and the law has become obsolete. 



It only requires a little refiection to see that 

 the prize ring is quite as clearly related to ag- 

 riculture as horse-racing, and that if intro- 

 duced on to Fair grounds, it will draw quite 

 as well as the horses, and at much less ex- 

 pense. The prize ring is an exhibition of 

 muscle, endurance and pluck ; qualities which 

 all farmers need, and which are to be acquired 

 by training. Surely in these effeminate days, 

 anything that wiM induce our vonng men to 

 cultivate muscular power, endurance and cour- 

 age will contribute much to success in agricul- 



ture and mechanics. What would tend more 

 directly to this result than to appropriate a 

 part of the money granted by the State in pre- 

 miums to those who would come up to time 

 most promptly, and punish their opponents 

 most severely in the ring? This would not 

 only prepare men for hard work and great en- 

 durance in the field, but at the same time 

 would cultivate the "noble art of self-de- 

 fence," and would create a remunerative bu- 

 siness for a class of men who should prepare 

 and train the candidate for the honors of the 

 ring. Those men, too, who should win the 

 prizes would doubtless command the highest 

 wages on the farm, and would be the models 

 after which our young men would strive to 

 form themselves. 



There is no doubt that the Directors have 

 the same power to make such appropriations 

 as they have for racing and trotting, and we 

 think there are honorable gentlemen in the 

 community, who, from their love of agricul- 

 ture, would offer premiums from their own 

 pockets to the most successful entries in the 

 ring. 



If any person should object to this, let them 

 reflect that it is a leading object with most 

 Boards of Directors to get money into the 

 treasury of the society, and that nothing will 

 attract people like an opportunity to witness 

 contests of muscular streagth and endurance. 

 Experience has proved this from the times 

 when the games were celebrated on the Isth- 

 mus of Corinth, which brought together almost 

 all the inhabitants of Greece. Here foot races 

 were mixed with chariot races, and wrestling 

 with boxing, both with the naked fist and the 

 leaden caestus. 



This national gathering every five years, in 

 Greece, was justified not only for its social and 

 civilizing influences, but because the exhibi- 

 tion of the athletes and the contests in which 

 they engaged tended to improve the breed of 

 men. At any rate, these contests drew im- 

 mense crowds to witness them, and the same 

 result would undoubtedly follow at our Fairs, 

 were they sanctioned by our Agricultural 

 Boards and thus made respectable. We can 

 think of no way by which our treasuries could 

 be so speedily filled, and we trust our Direc- 

 tors will take the subject into serious consid- 

 eration. 



A class of very active and liberal men who 

 spend their money freely, would then become 

 interested in our agricultural fairs, — a class 

 which have hitherto not given them their pa- 

 tronage. This will tend to make them more 

 popular and extend their influence in behalf 

 of agriculture. 



It is the fashion to encourage intellectual 

 culture. Perhaps we are carrying this quite 

 far enough, to the neglect of the cidture of 

 the body. There are many reasons to believe 

 that the race of pure Yankees is depreciating, 

 not only in numbers, but in blood and muscle. 

 Not only is the number of children annually 



