1S71. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



657 



had the largest half of the farm. I 

 then began to im[»rove by manuring 

 higher and trying to keep the weeds 

 down, and have succeeded so far 

 that I do not allow one to go to 

 seed if I can help it. I think one 

 day spent in keeping weeds from go- 

 ing to seed this year, will save four 

 days in killing weeds hereafter. I 

 would advise all old and young not 

 to be so bound to their old practices 

 as not to be willing to try new im- 

 provements. I have changed my 

 system of management more within 

 ten yeai's than I di<l in fifty years be- 

 fore. I hire my help by the year, 

 and find it will not pay to cultivate 

 more land than I can manure and 

 tend well and get in order to bear a 

 good crop of grass when I put it 

 down. The greater part of the land 

 that used to be occupied as pastur- 

 ing, is very ledgy, and pine wood 

 grows spontaneously upon it. I 

 think it more profitable to let it 

 grow, for I believe it would be a 

 benefit to the public if we let more 

 of our land grow to forest trees, and 

 what we keep for grass and cultiva- 

 tion maimre well and keep the weeds 

 down. 



I keep five cows, two oxen and 

 one horse. The oxen and horse are 

 kept in the barn when not at work. 

 The oxen fed chietly on salt hay ; 

 the cows are fed well with green fod- 

 der night and morning. 1 raise clo- 

 ver to feed the cows, beginning to 

 cut about the 10th of June. The 

 second crop comes on and lasts until 

 we have plenty of corn fodder. 



I like to read your reports of great 

 farms and men of great abilities to 

 manage them. I hope my experi- 

 ence will encourage those of smaH 

 means to persevere, for we of small 

 means may be just as useful mem- 

 bers of society if we improve what 

 talents we have, and should be 

 equally respected. 



I think 1 have all the enjoyment of 

 the present life 1 can have while I 

 remain in this poor old worn out 

 body. I am trying to solve the 

 labor and capital jjroblem according to my 

 ideas of right. I wi:sh my hired help to feel 

 themselves my equals in every respect. I need 

 their labor as much as they do my money. 

 Thomas Haskkll. 



West Gloucester, Mass., Sept. 19, 1871. 



— Rhode Island has not raised apples enough this 

 year to make the usual number of pies; while 

 Michigan cannot find barrels enough to hold her 

 crop, and is selling at ^1.00. 

 2 



DWAKF PBAB TJREES. 



A few years ago there was a great excite- 

 ment about pear trees on quince stocks, and 

 shiploads of dried-up looking things were im- 

 ported from France and sold here by whole- 

 sale and retail. As usual in such cases, the 

 fever was followed by a chill, and now but 

 little is seen or heard of French dwarf pears ; 

 perhaps not as much as their peculiar merits 

 deserve. For general culture the pear stock 

 is undoubtedly the best. But the small amount 



