368 
AN OLD-FASHIONED NEW ENGLAND FARM HOUSE. 
various kinds of these “improved” sheep have 
been in demand. Within that time more “ pau- 
lar” merinos have been sold—“the pure descend¬ 
ants of Consul Jarvis’ flock’—ten to one,than he 
ever bred, or could have been bred from all he 
ever owned; and he professes not to have bred 
a pure one for twenty years past—but, be it 
observed that Consul Jarvis did not thus sell 
them. And so of any or all other varieties 
which the market demanded. 
Then, as the last grand crown of all came the 
Rambouillet, and other importations of the 
French merinos. These, too, soon found their 
way into Vermont; and from these originals , there 
soon spawned out flocks as numerous as those 
of Jacob from the stock of Laban. The first 
grand “ show” of them was made at Syracuse, 
in 1849, and noble animals they were. But 
such a marvellous power have these sheep also 
to procreate their kind, that, obedient to the 
demand, and grateful to their proprietors for the 
price , their fecundity became second.only to that 
of the vermin at Carrier’s tavern, in one of the 
plays of Shakspeare. During the autumn of 
1850, at every cattle show extending from Ver¬ 
mont to Kentucliy, they, “ the pure blood French 
merinos, of the most recent importation,” were 
shown in scores ; while at every landing or stop¬ 
ping place, to the utmost limits of the far west, 
“lots” of them and their crosses, with the “pure 
Paulars,” were to be seen stowed away in pas¬ 
tures, at storage , for selling after the shows were 
over; and what is equally remarkable, the flocks 
from which these sheep were produced had all 
been sold out clear and entire the year before! Veri¬ 
ly, Vermont is a prolific country! But Jonathan’s 
gullibility is as wide as Sam Slick’s invention 
and no doubt the Slicks will have a “good drive’’ 
for another year or two. 
Devon Cattle. —Then again, the Devon cattle, 
beautiful red animals, and as useful as they are 
beautiful, were brought into the country. Taking 
the fancy of our breeders and farmers, they came 
into demand. Possessed of one or two of pure 
blood, the jockeys soon exhibited herds of plump, 
sleek, red colors—“pure Devons,” of course— 
and from that day, some years ago, to this, our 
cattle shows swarm with these Devon calves with 
black , brown and streaked noses, so entirely charac¬ 
teristic of pure Devons ! These are exhibited and 
sold—“ premium stock” too—at fifty to a hun¬ 
dred dollars each, and bound to Canada, Michi¬ 
gan, and the far west and south! 
Of course the purchasers of these spawn, read 
the Agricultural papers! They are good judges 
of cattle ; animal physiologists as well, and pay 
great attention to pedigree and the character of the 
men they deal with! This last remark, I con¬ 
fess, is sheer irony. It is an unwelcome subject 
I admit; but as one of the chroniclers of the 
time, I feel bound to show up some of the impo¬ 
sitions of the day, whether it might benefit the 
public or not. At some future time I may re¬ 
sume the subject. Vermonter. 
-- 
AN OLD-FASHIONED NEW ENGLAND FARM¬ 
HOUSE. 
In our last number I gave you an insight into 
the farmer’s kitchen. Now let us walk out in 
the balmy air of the following morning and look 
at the exterior of this happy abode. 
It is only one story, but the gambrel roof gives 
ample space in the chamber for lodging-rooms. 
It is 32 by 48 feet on the ground, with a projec¬ 
tion at one end for a dairy room—an important 
point never lost sight of by a thriving farmer. 
Farm House.—Fig. 66. 
In front there are two rooms, each 16 by 18 feet, 
with a front door opening into an entry between, 
behind which, and occupying about twelve feet 
square, stands the huge stone chimney, right in 
the center of the house. The kitchen is 16 by 
24 feet, with a fire place of most ample dimen¬ 
sions. At one end is a bed room and pantry, at 
the other the chamber and cellar stairs, a bed¬ 
room and long entry to the end door, or one of 
common entrance. The well is within a rod of 
the back kitchen door, and the garden a few 
rods beyond. 
About forty feet from the end door is the re¬ 
mains of the great wood-pile of last winter; for 
in those good old times, every New England 
farmer made it a point to get up wood 
enough in sledding time to last through the year. 
Two of the boys are hard at work before break¬ 
fast, preparing oven-wood. Another is feeding 
the hogs, and the fourth has gone after the oxen 
to have them ready to start into the field as soon 
as breakfast is over. The hired men are in the 
