AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
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AGRICULTURE IS THE MOST HEALTHFUL, THE MOST USEFUL, AND THE MOST NOBLE EMPLOYMENT OF MAN . -Washington. 
CONDUCTING EDITOR, 
ORANGE JUDD, A. M. 
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY 
ALLEN & CO., 189 Water-st., New-York 
VOL. XIV.—NO. 22 .] NEW-YORK, THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1855. [NEW SERIES.—NO. loo 
Jbr Prospectus, Serins, &c., 
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separate sheets. 
MASSACHUSETTS FARMERS AND FARMING. 
We had the pleasure of spending a few 
days of last month among the farmers of 
Norfolk County, Mass. A part of our jaunt 
was through towns not before familiar to us, 
and of course comparison with what they 
were years ago, could not be made. In 
others, however, which we had formerly 
visited, the general improvement in agricul¬ 
ture since our last visit, was so decided, as 
to challenge our unqualified admiration. In¬ 
deed we know of no section of the country 
where greater progress has been made in 
this department of human industry, within 
the last few years, than in this fine County. 
The formation of the County Agricultural 
Society is an evidence of this ; which, dating 
among the youngest in the State, already 
numbers many of the most intelligent, influ¬ 
ential and conspicuous of the agriculturists 
of the United States. Several of the leading 
men of the National Agricultural Society 
reside in this County ; and we think we are 
quite safe in the assertion, that but for the 
enterprise and perseverance of gentlemen 
residents of this County, that national enter¬ 
prise would not hitherto have been success¬ 
fully undertaken. 
We were present at a social gathering, at 
the farm of Aaron D. Weld, Esq., in Rox- 
bury, of a numerous company of the leading 
agriculturists in the County, including the 
President, Hon. Marshall P. Wilder, the Sec¬ 
retary, Ed. L. Keyes, Esq., and most of the 
other officers of the Norfolk County Society. 
To those who know them, it would be super¬ 
fluous to say, that the country affords no 
more intelligent body of men, in all that per¬ 
tains to their local interests and agriculture, 
than we met there and on that occasion. 
The farm of Mr. Weld, consisting of 200 
ac es of fine land, was duly examined by the 
invited company, under the lead of their hos¬ 
pitable host. The large orchards of thrifty 
apples, pears, peaches, and the smaller fruits, 
raspberries and currants; the luxuriant up¬ 
lands and the lowlands ; the beautiful grove, 
equally a shelter from the summer heat and 
wintry storm ; the fine crops of grass, corn 
and roots; all were passed under review by 
the visitors and greatly admired. So, too, 
were some excellent breeding mares and 
their Trustee and other fine foals ; some 
choice Alderney and other cows ; excellent 
working cattle, &c. ; not omitting a capa¬ 
cious piggery, 100 rods away from all other 
buildings, where 250 porkers were grunting 
their satisfaction with their commodious 
quarters and ample supplies of food. 
But what especially challenged the admi¬ 
ration, was the large number of well ar¬ 
ranged, capacious farm buildings, erected in 
the best taste, without regard to expense, 
and combining every summer and winter 
convenience for all the animals, grain and 
other crops, and implements required on the 
farm. We can not give dimensions, but 
there are several hundred feet in length of 
barns, carriage, tool and store houses, and 
sheds, all of which are new and of the best 
materials, and many of them with slate roofs, 
and two or more stories in hight. 
The interior of the barn is adapted for the 
most economical feeding and attention to the 
animals. The old-fashioned stantials are 
used, as preferable on the whole, to ropes or 
chains. The feeding-box is discarded, and 
the hay, roots, &c., are pushed from the 
main floor within reach of the animal. A 
single board prevents the food from being 
drawn under their feet, and a low partition 
separates each animal’s portion from its 
neighbor’s. Water is led from an elevated 
spring by pipes to every animal, and the snug 
buildings effectually prevent freezing, even 
through a Massachusett’s winter. All the 
manure is thrown into the basement through 
side scuttles, made between the manure box 
or trough in the rear of the animals, and the 
elevated walk between this and the outside 
of the barn. 
The horse stables, adapted to about 30 
horses, which Mr. W. boards through the 
winter, for the double purpose of securing 
manure and a market for his hay, are thor-* 
oughly complete. Ample stalls, well se¬ 
cured by side partitions and chain in the 
rear of each ; a close box to conduct the hay 
or cut feed from the floor above to within a 
few inches of the bottom of the feeding box, 
so as always to keep the food clean yet pre¬ 
vent waste ; a shelf under the feed box, for 
the blanket and trappings of each horse, and 
numerous other improvements, make this 
quite a model stable. 
The amply provided table was not the 
least inviting part of the entertainment, and 
this was the more so, as the luxuriant viands 
beneath which it groaned, were mostly the 
product of the farm we had just looked over 
with so much gratification. Toasts, speech¬ 
es and general conversation completed the 
enjoyments of the day. Such is one of the 
many festal days annually enjoyed by the 
farmers of old Norfolk; and the more en¬ 
joyed from their unostentation and rural 
simplicity, and the mutual benefit they con. 
fer, by bringing so many intelligent minds 
together, with the various incidents and 
topics for discussion which the occasion both 
furnishes and suggests. 
We had the pleasure of meeting a similar 
assemblage the following week, at the resi¬ 
dence of Cheever Newhall, Esq., in the ad¬ 
joining town of Dorchester. We were un¬ 
fortunately too late for examining the farm, 
and its appurtenances and management, 
which we can readily understand must be 
highly meritorious, to have received the pre¬ 
mium on farms, accorded by the County So¬ 
ciety, within a year or two past. The view 
afforded from the elevated position occupied 
by the house, is quite unique and hardly to 
be surpassed. This embraces Boston har¬ 
bor and its numerous islands, Nantasket 
beach, the wide Atlantic, a distant range of 
mountains, Milton Hill, Dorchester Hights 
and their tasteful residences and surround¬ 
ings, as well as those of the adjoining 
country all under the highest state of culti¬ 
vation, and in the full luxuriance of their 
summer foliage—this magnificent coup d’ceil 
scarcely lacks an object to complete its fas¬ 
cinating attractiveness. 
A social yet ample dinner followed, with 
its appropriate food for body and mind, which 
closed the festivities of the day. 
There is an excellent arrangement with a 
club of the Norfolk County farmers. They 
have a frequent meeting and dinner in Bos¬ 
ton, (where they almost daily resort for their 
customary business,) in their own convenient 
rooms, where all questions are propounded 
and answered, notes are compared, informa¬ 
tion is communicated, experiments are de¬ 
tailed or suggested, which do much for the 
furtherance of the great agricultural cause. 
We have more to say on Massachusetts 
agriculture, as shown by Messrs. Wilder’s 
and^French’s admirable farming and horti- 
