MASS. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. The Board met at the State House on Monday, can be made fat at any age, and invariably matures quick. But recollect they must have fine points; by this I mean fine or small heads, ears, legs, feet and tail, a wide, deep chest, and a round the 2d inst., at 10 o'clock. The President, Col. full body, like a barrel. These constitute what WILDER, in the chair. are technically called fine points. None of your WM. S. KING, Editor of the Journal of Agriculbig heads, large lop ears, coarse bristles and hair, ture, was elected Secretary, pro tem. long legs, great feet, and flabby, thin, slab-sided The chair suggested that the Board proceed to up bodies, after the alligator or landpike order. Of take the large breeds, I prefer the Lincoln. the regular business of the Board, such as In order to get pigs to weigh well, they must reports, several having been recommitted at the come early. February in the Southern, March in last meeting. the Middle, and April in the most Northern States, The President then stated that the Executive are the best months to drop pigs. Feed them from Committee, at the last meeting, had agreed that the start, all they will eat, and they will be ready the resolutions now presented should form part of to kill from October to January; and thus you dispense with wintering any, except those reserved for breeding.-From the Plow. a memorial to be presented to the Legislature. Corn Rye.... POUNDS. 56 Carrots.. POUNDS. ...55 .56 | Sugar Beets. ....60 .46 Mangel Wurtzel.. .....60 .46 Ruta Baga.. ....60 SALE OF STOCK---FOUL AIR. We from the London Times a few items of copy a late sale of animals at The Knowsley Menagery. The sale was principally of Brahmin and Zebu cattle. A Brahmin Bull brought $250; a Zebu bull $64; 21 lamas sold for $2,935; a pair of alpacas for $325; a male Zebra from South Africa, This report is drawn with care, and is full of refor $750; a female in foal, of the same species, liable information. Perhaps there is no man in brought $700; a female quagga for $250; a lot the State better qualified to report on these subof three kangaroos, a female and two males, sold jects than Col. Lincoln. blood hound and other rare and choice animals. be collected and subdued. Wheat..................60 Round Turnips.. ..60 for $525, to go into the zoological gardens. There Mr. A. W. DODGE submitted a most excellent were also sold the Scotch deer hound, English report on Milch Cows. This was recommitted with The Brahmin male crossed with the Devons it is standard of measuring milk, whether it shall be a request that the committee append to it a said have formed a beautiful race of cattle. In the wine or beer quart. The committee subsethis manner the English people are extending their quently reported that all persons competing where experiments into all the races of animals that can milk is concerned shall use the wine measure. We believe this is the measure now required by In the same paper we find the following for statute of the State in the purchase and sale of clearing a well of foul air. Put a quart or two of unslacked lime into a bucket, and before lowering it into the well, pour a sufficient quantity of water on the lime to slake it; then let it down to the water but not so as to go into it. In a few minutes the well will be cleared of the foul air, the slaking lime either taking up the noxious air or forcing it out of the well. So says the London Builder. We have received a copy of an Address de- Mr. DAGGETT submitted a report on Farms. livered before the Sullivan County Agricultural Prof. FOWLER reported on the Hampden Co. Society on the 4th Nov. last, by the Hon. EDMUND Society. In the course of the report he stated BURKE, of Newport, N. H. It abounds with im- that a single squash vine was exhibited having on portant facts and valuable suggestions. Mr. it 16 squashes, weighing in the aggregate 700 Burke holds a powerful pen, and we are glad to pounds. Some of the parsnip roots were said to find it enlisted in the cause of Agriculture. Per- be about three feet long. haps few persons have made the subject of political Mr. PROCTOR reported on the Bristol Society. economy so much of a study, and so well underDr. REED reported upon the Housatonic Soci stand the influences of the different professions, ety. trades and occupations of our people upon the Mr. KING reported upon the West Worcester progress of the country, as Mr. Burke. In his vig- Society. orous intellect and persevering habit, the cause Voted, That the Society be requested to notify may find important aid. Some extracts from the the persons who have not already reported. address may be found in another column. Voted, That the Executive Committee of this Board be instructed to confer with the Secretary worth remembering for the comfort of a sick of State in regard to the publication and circula- room, because it is easily accomplished, agreeable, tion of the proceedings of this association, and to and more economical for purifying than any other make such application to the Legislature as may process now known.-Boston Medical Journal. be deemed expedient. Voted, That the Executive Committee be also For the New England Farmer. instructed to take such measures as they may PALMER'S SECOND IMPORTATION OF deem expedient to secure a more general circulation of the abstract of agricultural societies, published by the State. SHANGHAES. THE RIGHT KIND OF HENS. Resolved, That the Executive Committee be authorized and instructed to make arrangements with Of the breed of domestic fowls, imported into Prof. FOWLER, of Amherst, who contemplates a this country from Shanghae, in China, and bearvoyage to Europe, to procure a Report from him ing the name of that city, much has been said and to this Board on the agriculture and agricultural written. Hen literature has abounded with their institutions of the countries he may visit. The President introduced and read a paper from the Pennsylvania State Agricultural Society, asking the co-operation of other States in calling a National Convention of Agriculturists, at Washington, to take measures for the establishment or a National Agricultural Society. eulogies, and occasionally has been marked with their anathemas. Opinions, that did not reach the press, were conflicting, and it was difficult for a man without the fever, to get at any very satisfactory results in regard to them. Living in the vicinity where they were first imported, I necessarily heard something of their fame, but found the farmers who had tried them differing very much in their opinions concerning And, upon motion, the following preamble and them. Some thought highly of them as a pure resolve was adopted. stock; some thought them very good for crossing Whereas, This Board, at their last meeting, with the native hens, making a larger fowl and holden Jan. 14, passed a resolution proposing a one more prolific; while others discarded them alNational Agricultural Convention, and whereas together, as a great, coarse fowl, enormous eaters, they have received a communication from the State poor layers, and the flesh insipid for poultry. Agricultural Society of Pennsylvania on the same subject, Resolved, That said communication be referred to the President of the Board for his consideration and correspondence. It was worth an effort to get at the truth in this matter, and I determined to make an accurate experiment to test their value. Capt. A. Palmer, who imported the Dixon stock of Shanghaes in 1846, made a second importation, in the spring of Resolved, That the Executive Committee 1850. He was very successful with them during the subject of premiums to be recommended to the summer, and raised a large number of chickeach county Agricultural Society. Oct. 31st, 1850, I procured a cock and two arrange ens. Voted, That the Executive Committee be au- pullets, by special favor having the choice of the thorized to call a future meeting of this Board flock. To start them under good auspices, and to whenever business of sufficient importance may keep up with the spirit of the times, the cockerel seem to them to require it. was named Barnum, and the pullets, Jenny Lind and Juliet. They were about five months old when This session of the Board was particularly for procured, and Barnum weighed nearly six pounds. the transaction of business, and no discussion of The pullets were not weighed. Barnum and Jenimportance took place. After the passage of the ny Lind were of a fawn color, and heavily feathered upon ' above vote the Board adjourned to meet in the the legs. Juliet was parti-colored, with few feathers upon the legs. Representatives' Hall at half-past three, P. M. [For the conclusion of the report of the above meeting, see page 130.] DISINFECTING LAMP, a A note, from a medical friend, reminds us of beautiful, simple, economical apparatus, for overcoming bad odors and purifying any apartment where the air is loaded with noxious materials. They grew finely, and I find in my fowl book an entry Jan. 1st, 1851. Barnum weighed nine pounds Jenny Lind six pounds. May 1st, 1851, there is another entry. Barnum weighed ten pounds, Jenny Lind eight and a half and Juliet eight and a half. December, 1851, Barnum weighed eleven and a half pounds strong, and the pullets about seven. JENNY LIND. 1. January 16.......21 eggs. 2. February 22......17 JULIET. 1. January 23........6 eggs. 2. March 2.. ......17 The fecundity of the pullets will explain this A description of it has already appeared, but the falling off in weight. Jenny Lind began to lay Jan. reference in the note alluded to, has unfortunately will show the date of the beginning of each litter 16th, and Juliet Jan. 23d. The following record been mislaid. The whole matter, however, is simply this. Take one of any of the various kinds of eggs, and the number. of glass lamps-for burning camphene, for example-and fill it with chloric ether and light the wick. In a few minutes the object will be accomplished. In dissecting rooms; in the damp, deep vaults, where vegetables are sometimes stored, or where drains allow the escape of offensive gases; in out-buildings; and in short, in any spot where 8: it is desirable to purify the atmosphere, burn one of these lamps. One tube, charged with a wick, is quite sufficient. This suggestion is really! 3. March 24... 5. 3. March 30. .23 64 May 25.15 6. June 24..........16" 7. July 28................... 13 " 14 9. September 13......9 10. November 8......16 Total........163 eggs. ..23 " .18 " 5. June 1...........14" 6. July 14.. ..... ..15 " 15 " 8. September 1......13 " 9. September 25.....19" 10. November 4......17 11. December 4......14 " Total........171 eggs. Juliet set once, and with this exception they and other races of fowls, the reader will judge for were not permitted to incubate, as they strongly himself. With the writer they have passed a inclined to, at the end of each litter. They were good examination and are admitted to the first nearly all the while kept with a large flock of class for size, hardiness, fecundity and profit. fowls, and confined in a yard during the summer, Whether or not they are the right kind of hens, so that they had no special favors. Had the eggs remains to be seen. We shall hold on here, until been sold at the market price, they would have our own experiments or those of some other breedcome to five dollars. The eggs weigh about one er point out a better. pound and a half a dozen, which makes the whole weight of eggs nearly forty-two pounds. They have therefore laid three times their present weight in eggs. It will not be wondered at, that they lost something in flesh. Stonington, Ct., Jan. 15, 1852. W. C. OFFICERS OF AGRICULTURAL SOCI ETIES. I had heard it stated that this breed of fowls NORTH KENNEBEC (Me.) AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. had a tendency to run out in this climate. To-The Eastern Mail, Waterville, of last week, gives test this opinion, I have kept account of the 1st a list of the officers of the North Kennebec Agri clutch of chickens which were hatched March 24th. There were six pullets out of the ten which cultural Society for the ensuing year, as follows: nearly grew up. One died at about five months old and one was killed for the table at about six months. The remaining four laid as follows:One sent to David Jackson, of Taunton, Mass., began to lay at the age of five months, and in a letter received in Dec., he informed me that she had been laying constantly since the first of September. This one was out of Juliet. Another of Vice Presidents. ROBERT AYER, of Winslow, President. year are CHARLES HICKS, President. JEROME J. HALLOCK, Vice Presidents. BENNINGTON COUNTY (Vt.) AGRICULTURAL SOCIEher chicks began to lay Nov. 1st, at seven months TY.-The officers of this Society for the present old, and laid 31 eggs, up to the 7th of December, when she inclined to sit. She was then presented to a friend. The third of the clutch out of Jenny Lind was named Catherine Hays. She began to lay Oct. 11th, and up to this date has laid eightythree eggs, without inclining to sit. The fourth, a bird too unpromising to have a fancy name, and from whom nothing good was expected, began to lay Dec. 17th, and has finished her first litter of 12 eggs From these statistics it is manifest that in laying qualities, the second generation is an improvement upon the first. The cockerels have been weighed occasionally, and fair specimens have gained about a pound a month up to the age of 8 or 9 months. One weighed 9 pounds at 8 1-2 months, and the largest weighed ten pounds at nine months. They have been more healthy than NORMAN BOTTUM, Treasurer. PLYMOUTH COUNTY (Mass.) SOCIETY. SETH SPRAGUE, President. Vice Presidents. JESSE PERKINS, Secretary. ORANGE COUNTY (Vt.) AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. any fowls I have ever kept, and I have raised all I-The officers of this Society for the present year wanted. I have made no accurate experiments of the expense of keeping them, but have this general result:-In 1850, when the larger part of the flock were of the native breed and crosses, the expense per head was more than in 1851, when the greater part of the flock was of the Shanghae breed. Now if somebody else will give us accurate experiments of other breeds of fowls for the year are, GEO. P. BALDWIN, of Bradford, President. A ROUSER !—A gentleman just from California 1852, we shall be able to tell which are the right handed us a potato this morning which weighed kind of fowls. I have some of the Dorkings and three pounds and a quarter! Now, gentlemen white Shanghaes of Dr. Wight's stock, Dedham, doubters, be kind enough to believe that a single and have put them on trial for this year. Will not some fowl breeder test the Black Spanish, the potato grows large enough in California to give Chittagongs, the Brahma, Pootras, &c., and help half dozen men a good dinner-especially if they us to the fowl facts, which is the only remedy for have plenty of good beefsteak with it. This is a great country-decidedly! the hen fever? The only peculiarity of this importation of Shan-| ghaes is a tuft of stiff feathers or quills projecting THE TRADE LOOKING UP.-We have before us the from the thigh very much like those of a Bantam. first number of a paper bearing the pleasant name, In some specimens the mark is hardly noticable; Green Mountain Farmer. It is to be published at in others, the feathers are three or four inches in length. As the importer has never sold any of Bradford, Vt., twice a month, at $1 a year. It is these fowls, they are at present in very few hands. well filled, and take it altogether is a very comely Of their merits compared with other Shanghaes child. A MODEL FARM SCHOOL. the encouragement and fostering care of the State. Now that the subject of Agricultural Education That vital interest has been neglected, so that is receiving some attention and will probably be- Massachusetts, the pioneer in other education, in come a prominent topic in the legislature, we ask ship building, manufactures and inventions, has our readers to give it their careful attention, and no institution within her limits to teach her sons refer them particularly to the article on the sub- the Art of Farming. It is time something were ject of a Farm School in another column. We do done to advance these interests and check the this freely, because the object must be of importance spirit for emigration which is robbing the old wherever our columns are read-Canada, Oregon, homesteads of the State of many of their best sons. Texas or California; and they are readin them all. A more intelligent practice of husbandry will do As we have said before, every interest among more towards it than a thousand volumes of esus, excepting the farming interest, has received says. It is every man's duty to aid in the work. We give in this number the elevation, ground readers occasional specimens of cottage architecand chamber floor plans of an attractive and pleas-ture, from both original and selected designs. As ant cottage. We do not say that it is perfect in an illustration of the manner in which we design all its architectural points, but that it combines to treat this subject, we here introduce a perspecso many advantages that one may adopt it as a tive view of a country residence, on a small scale, whole, without doing violence to a tolerably cor- in the Gothic cottage style. It is transferred, with rect architectural taste. Or, it may be modified some alterations, from Loudon's "Encyclopædia somewhat to suit location or individual ideas. At of Architecture." any rate, we hope many of our readers will find something in it to meet their wants. In the ground-plan, with the points of compass indicated by the letters N. S. E. W., a is the enA manifest improvement of taste has been ex-trance porch, which is to be finished with a covhibited, within a few years, in the construction of ered roof, and to have Gothic niches at the angles, dwellings, as well as an increasing regard for con- for statues, or vases for flowers. From this you venience and health. The discovery has been made pass to the hall and staircase (6), by a Venetian that neatness, taste, and even elegance, may be door, the upper part of which may be glazed with combined with utility and economy, in our houses stained glass; thence to a small ante-room (c), and cottages;-a fact unknown, or little heeded, which may be used as a book-closet, or, having a by our matter-of-fact, prosaic ancestors. To grat- good southern exposure, as a conservatory for ify this commendable feeling, and to extend it in plants. From this there may be a glazed door the community, if possible, we shall present to our leading to a piazza, surrounding the eastern wing of the cottage. From the hall you enter the dining room, (1). There are two water-closets, (m. m.) room, (d), the two windows of which may be both under cover; one entering from the porch, brought down to the floor, and open like French the other from the piazza. Under the principal casements, so as to lead out to the piazza. From staircase is a flight of steps, (o,) shut in by a door the hall you likewise enter the drawing-room, (e), descending to the cellar. Behind the wash-house, which may have a glazed door opening into the (at p), is a kitchen yard, which may be surroundconservatory. If preferred, e may be made the din-ed by a high fence, and covered with shrubbery; ing-room, and then a communication may be made where may be the wood-house, privy, well, etc. with the kitchen, (f). From the kitchen there is a In the chamber floor plan, q and show the door leading to a closet, or pantry (g), and anoth- landing and stairs; s, a balcony over the conservaer to the back kitchen or wash-house, with a cop-tory, entered from the staircase window; t, u, and per, (h); a larder for meats, (i); a place for clean-v, bedrooms, with the places for the beds; w, lining knives, boots, lamps, etc., (k); and a store en-closet; x, passage-way. q t T CHAMBER FLOOR PLAN. |