Even the California fever exists at the present time, under a very mild form, and people throughout the country are thinking more of the tillage of lands, than of land bonds, and much more of clearing their lands of rocks and digging ditches to drain or irrigate lands, than of hunting up quartz rocks, or draining rivers in California.

Common sense and common industry are bringing about a more healthy state. Every man who has traveled about our state the past fall, must have witnessed the improvement, in the great increase of preparation for the next years crop.

been pitched upon as the days upon which to hold the State Fair - these days happening to be the very days upon which the famous “Derry Fairs" had been holden for a century and more; and “Old Derryfield” being a part of the ancient territory of Londonderry, where these ancient festivals had been so long celebrated.

It is probable that the first fair ever held in this country was holden at Londonderry, in this county, one hundred and twenty-nine years ago!

As early as 1719 a colony of Scotch Irish, from the north of Ireland, settled in New Hampshire, in what was then called the Chesnut country or the Nutfield, a few miles north of Haverhill. They were Protestants and an industrious, hardy set of men. In 1722 their territory of 10 miles square was constituted a town by Royal Charter- and among other things, they were allowed to hold a Market every Wednesday "for the selling of goods, wares and merchandise," and also to hold semi-annual Fairs, one upon the 8th day of October, and the other on the 8th day of May, unless either of those dates should come on Sunday, when the Fair was to be holden on the following Monday. These Fairs were held with increased interest for a century. In fact, the October Fair has been continued until the present time, but latterly has been conducted with so much of disorder that, in 1850, the

People were at work on every hand. Some clearing their "burnt ground" for winter rye; others removing the deposits from swamps and quagmires; here one ploughing his barn-yard and making compost; there another ditching and draining his low grounds. On one side, was to be seen an ox-team "breaking up "for the spring crop and on the other was a horse-team "harrowing in" the winter wheat. All was activity,, and all were engaged in work with an energy and will, that show that speculation and California were not in their minds. Such a state of things is sure to bring prosperity. It is a harbinger of plenty and contentment and should be matter of interest to all classes of the community, for there is no doubt of the fact that, agriculture is the prime interest of our state and its improvements and deficien-clause in the charter legalizing them, was recies greatly affect every other intcrest.

pealed. It is difficult to estimate the vast advantages that have accrued to the whole community from these Fairs. They were the nucleus STATE FAIR AND DERRY FAIR. around which have been formed all other Fairs THE late State Fair and Show, in this city, now so prevalent in New England, and in may be considered a perfect triumph. It other parts of our country, and which are shows what our farmers, mechanics and man- having such decided effect upon the products ufacturers can do, when they once undertake of our country. an enterprise. The first State Fair and Show The Derry Fair was held after the model of at Concord, in 1850, was a great credit to the the Enniskerry Fairs in Ireland. To it, as a State and Society, and it was supposed by common centre of attraction, flocked the inmany and feared by not a few, that the first habitants of the surrounding Towns, Counties would prove the most successful attempt. A and States. Derry thus became a great Depot plausible ground of this supposition and fear, of Live Stock, Agricultural Products and was that the place of holding the Fair being Manufactures, brought together by their ownexclusively devoted to manufacturing, there ers to be sold, bartered or exchanged. might be a good show of manufactured goods, Amusements formed no small part of the while the other interests desirable to be rep-exercises of the day. Horse racing and trotresented, might be neglected.

ting, foot racing and wrestling, had their apBut the result proved far otherwise. Every propriate hours; and the Fairs holding three interest was well represented, and although days, the evenings were spent in social gatherthe State followed immediately upon the heels ings, love making, marriages and the like, with of our County Fair, yet the Farmers and Me- their accompaniments music and dancing. At chanics of "Old Hillsborough" made a fine these social gatherings, the customs of the display at the Fair, both in productions and Scotch, Irish and Yankees were blended tonumbers. In fact, the people of the neigh-gether, and the Scotch Jig, Highland Fling, boring towns turned out in mass, from recollections of "auld lang syne." This section of our State is literally the land of fairs, and old and young came to the State Fair as to a festital, where the one could live over again the scenes of "old times," while the other could realize those pleasures which had so often been presented to the imagination, in fire-side stories. It was a remarkable incident that the 8th, 9th and 10th days of October should have

Irish Reel and Yankee Break Down, were blended together in innocent merry makings. We have yet to learn that this industrious, honest and warm-hearted people were worse for these merry makings. Sure are we that one result of these Fairs has been, not only superior agricultural, mechanical and manufacturing skill, but an honest, stalwart race of men, whose superiors are not to be found in our land.

These Fairs often brought together 10000 people, 2000 head of cattle of all kinds and $10,000 worth of the produce of "the farm, the loom and the anvil." Within the last 50 years, and when these Fairs had begun to decline, there have been as many as 10,000 pcople present, and 500 head of meat and horned cattle, besides horses, mules, jacks, hogs and sheep.

SOUAHEGENASH OR WORN OUT
LANDS.

MANY of the tracts of land upon the Merrimack, and other rivers in New-England, have been tilled for centuries. Some of them had been cultivated for corn and beans for centuries before the Whites settled here. As a consequence they had become worn out, as the term is, for lands exhausted of their power of producing vegetation.

In 1719 the first field of Irish potatoes was raised in Londonderry that was ever raised in America. The seed for these were raised in The Indian farmers used but one kind of Andover and planted by a Scotch Irishman manure- -fish- and this being a great stimuwho had brought the seed from Ireland. The lant, soon impoverished the soil, as constant same year the first Linen Wheel was set in op-stimulus will prostrate the body. Such worn eration in Londonderry, that was ever started out lands the Indians called Souahegenash in America. And in 1722 Irish Potatoes and from souaheke, worn out, barren. Such were manufactured Linen goods, from an American the lands upon Souhegan and Quocheco rivers Linen or foot wheel, were on exhibition, at a in this State, Skowhegan in Maine, the Derry Fair, for the first time in America. Shawsheen in Massachusetts, and the "Cochikawauke” upon the Merrimack, betwixt Haverhill and Lawrence. These names all doubtless being corruptions of the Indian Souaheke, with the addition of different terminals. Thus the modern word Cochituate was originally Souahckewauke - corrupted into Cochickawauke, and again into Cochituate, from the Indian words Souaheke, (worn out or barren,) and auke, (a place), and meaning literally the worn out or barren place.

The first Premium ever awarded in America for Marino Sheep was awarded to sheep on exhibition at 66 Derry Fair." Fairs were occasionally held in other parts of the State. Thus it appears that Fairs were held in Rye and Epping, the N. H. Gazette of October 5, 1779, having the following notices.

"RYE FARE will be held at the House of Abraham Libby, Inholder in Rye, on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of October Instant." "Notice is hereby given, that a Fare will beheld at the House of Enoch Coffin, Esq., in Epping, on Wednesday, the 6th day of October instant."

But "Derry Fair" was the fair, and the others merely had an ephemeral existence.

After 1807 and 8 Fairs began to be holden in other sections of the country, but the difficulties with England and the war of 1812, 13 and 14, checked their frequency and usefulness.

Now the Indian had a good excuse for leaving his Souahegenash or barren lands, because he had not the skill of rendering his lands fertile, by applying appropriate manures. His manure was fish alone, and this tended to impoverish his lands. But the Whites have no such excuse. They have the knowledge to fertelize the most barren soil, if they have the industry to apply their knowledge. The late Judge Buel and Governor Hill, have both, by After the war had closed, greater attention practical illustration, proved that the most was paid to agriculture, and societies were barren pine plains can be made to yield a profformed in most of the counties in the State, itable crop, and a fair per cent. upon capital and were continued for some years with deci-invested in such lands, by their skillful cultiraded benefit to all interests of the State. A tion. Skill, enterprise and industry is all that "Board of Agriculture' was established, and is required. At this day, these are all in every the results of their labors were given to the public through the "Agricultural Repository." But the usefulness of these societies were of short duration. Various causes operated to make them unpopular, the principal of which was, that they became identified with the party pol-West or to go to California, upon some of itics of the day, through the ill-advised scheming of politicians.

At length the great Fair and Show at Brighton was opened by the Massachusett's Agricultural Society, and was continued for a series of years with great success and the happiest results.

And now, in all sections of our country, these annual Fairs in Counties and States are springing up, and disseminating their benefits among the agriculturalists, mechanics and manufacturers of the land.

And who is there that can compute their advantages, or measure their results?

Manure is the capital of the farmer.

man's control. Now instead of going out West, let the farmer who is troubled with discontent, sometimes known as the Western or California fever, spend the time, money and energy that is required to emigrate to the

these worn out lands at home, which he can get at his own price, and our word for it, he will have a better farm, and better "diggins," and more gold dust, in ten years of well applied labor and healthy toil, than he would if he had gone out West or to California - not to say anything of the excellent health retained by the operation.

Yet there are hundreds leaving New-Hampshire every year for the far West, spending their money, losing their time, impairing their health and risking their lives, without a prospect of bettering their condition — who, if they would only invest the same capital at home upon lands within their reach, and attend to this pital after it is invested - would soon ar

rive at comfort and competence, and enjoy a good old age free from chills and shakes, save only those against which they can provide by comfortable houses and warm fires.

BONES AND SHELLS AS A MANURE. GEN. WM. P. RIDDLE of Bedford, informs us that about 15 years since, he exchanged some refuse wood at Lowell for a canal-boat load of cattle's heads, brought them to Bedford, ground them in a bark mill and applied them to a lot upon his farm with the most astonishing fertelizing effects. The crops immediately were much greater, and the fertilizing properties of the bones, continue much longer than any other kind of manure in his knowledge; this lot of land showing to the present day the effect of bone manure, in larger crops of hay or other vegetables, than adjoining land dressed with

common manure.

their lands whole, but to grind them and thus realize the great advantage from them as a manure, they are so abundantly capable of affording.

RAISING GRAIN IN CALIFORNIA.

THE letters and books written relating to California are filled mostly with accounts of "rich holes" and "great washings;" pounds and ledges of gold, enormous prices of provisions and labor, game and horses, the wonderful skill of the natives in throwing the riata, and other such novelties. No wonder that it is so. It is emphatically a land of gold. The stories about it do not exceed the reality, except in relation to quartz rock.

One dazzled by the sight of its ravines of gold, its mountains of gold, its rivers of gold, and delighted as he must be with the view of its beautifully rolling hills, stretching away scores of leagues from the foot of the Sierra Nevada, its deep rich valleys and extensive plains covered with cattle and horses, antelope and deer; its rivers covered with brant, wild geese and ducks, and filled with salmon, trout and every other variety of fish, hardly thinks the soil and its productions worthy of note.

Such is the experience of every man who uses bones as a manure. And they are good on all kinds of land. In the neighborhood of Boston, they have found that wet meadow lands even, have been greatly benefitted by pressing broken bones beneath the soil with a mawl or beetle and upon uplands most farmers near large towns, have long known the Indeed, the first impressions of the Agriculgreat utility of bones as a manure. The tural resources of California are bad. As we value of bones as a manure has long been experience the burning sun, and behold the known and acted upon in England and mil-parched earth, and the rivers and marshes lions of dollars worth of bones have been im-dried up, we say, "No crops can be raised ported from the continent in a single year. here;" "it can never be any thing but a graThe mills for grinding bones and shells are zing and mining country. Such was my very much like our bark mills, only much impression when I first beheld it in the stronger. And there should be one for break-summer of 1849. It was a very dry year, and ing up the bones and shells, and another for grinding. One may be set over the other.

Bones contain much lime and animal matter and are suitable for manuring corn, wheat, rye, barley, beans, peas, and grasses-in fact any kind of vegetable which requires lime or gluten, for a sustenance.

Ground shells are good for light sandy soils, as possessing saline animal and vegetable matter, it keeps the soil moist and cool, and enriches it after decomposition, by a permanent manure. But the shells should be burned, for stiff clayey, sour soils.

a

the burnt appearance of the plains and mountains naturally inclined one to that belief. But the fact is otherwise. It is undoubtedly the best wheat-growing State we have. The green sward is not cut and turned over by such ploughs as were on exhibition here at the State Fair, but is merely scratched up by the natives in old Roman style. Yet, under this slight cultivation, the land yields a hundred fold. What is very remarkable, it affords good crop the second and third year, without any additional sowing or harrowing, or attention. One gentleman who has lived the last twenty years at Monterey, one hundred and twenty miles south of San Francisco, told me of a ranchero in the valley of San Jose, who sowed thirty fanegas of wheat, and raised the first year about sixteen hundred fanegas, and without further cultivation reaped twelve hunBesides, there are some vegetables that can-dred the second, and eight hundred the third. not be grown in perfection without shells. These are Kale and Asparagus. Asparagus beds should always receive a dressing of shells. Should this direction be followed, this most nutricious, healthy vegetable would be raised in much greater abundance and of much finer quality.

Farmers near our cities and large towns can get shells for the hauling away, and bones for a very small price. And a little labor and money thus expended will produce manure in "quality and quantity" equal to the manure of a barnyard of moderate demensions.

A fanega is about three bushels. Then from ninety bushels he raised ten thousand eight hundred bushels in three years, or one hundred and twenty bushels from one. My own observation and farther inquiries only strengthened my belief in what I had no reason to doubt. As I looked at the subject, and compared the Bones and shells can be gatherd in abund-yield of wheat in California with the yield in ance in our city and we hope some of our our own State, I was astonished at the result. farmers and gardeners will turn their attention But nothing can exceed the richness of the soil to collecting them. Not to cast them upon in some of the valleys.

16

ed for about an equal distance by a black, rich, Under it the people are to be ridden, and it
vegetable loam. Beneath the loam is a depos- matters but little whether the riders are blind,
ite of trunks and branches of trees, in a semi-halt or maimed.
In the neighboring Province of New Bruns-
petrified state, and still further down, at the
depth of sixty-five feet, is struck a vein of wick, in 1850, the Chief Justice had not been
metallic ore. A specimen of the ore is in pos-upon the Circuit for years, in consequence of
session of the editor of the Florida Whig, who gout and general debility; one of the Associ-
says that it is very pure, and has the appear-ate Judges was so deaf as not to be able to
ance of silver, but the hardness of platina. It hear without a hearing-trumpet at each ear;
is said to be found in considerable quantities.

the Surrogate of the County of Saint John
tion unless carried on with the utmost stretch
These facts go to show that the well is sunk was so deaf as not to be able to hear conversa-
into the bottom of some ancient basin of water, of the lungs; and one of the Queen's Counsel
active and talented
where these strata had been depositing for ages was blind of an eye and hard of hearing. These
prior to the revolution which caused the sub-last three were brothers-
It is more than probablemen
siding of the water.
"is some sulphate, and
that the metallic ore
perfectly valueless.

and having the ear of royalty, could bask in its favor, in spite of great physical defeets, which in a republican government would totally disqualify them for office.

One of the most ludicrous scenes we ever witnessed in a court room, was one where the PRACTICAL RESULTS OF ROYALTY. THE Crown Prince who succeeds, or has al- above Judge was upon the Bench; his brother, ready succeeded, to the throne of Hanover, is the Surrogate, was witness upon the stand, blind. Being the eldest son, the fact of his and the examination was conducted by the being blind does not disqualify him for the third brother! The reader can well imagine high office of ruler of a people. Priority of there was no under tone about the examination! birth being in such cases looked to as an essen-Such are some of the practical results of roy tial rather than physical or mental capability. To meet this physical defect in his son, the King of Hanover issued a patent, July 3d, 1841, commencing as follows:

alty!

NOT A PACHA WITH TAILS BUT A
WHOLE TRIBE.

LORD MONBODDO, or some other body, pub"In consequence of an agreement with our son, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, we have felt induced to decree, in case his lished a volume in which he stoutly maintainRoyal Highness should succeed to the Throneed that the human race originated from monbefore by the mercy of Providence he shall keys, and had assumed their present position have recovered the power of sight, as follows." in the animal world by long continued education - the caudal extremity having been worn Then are added a series of regulations as to the mode in which the public documents are to be signed. Besides the Minister of the de-off by sitting in an erect posture! Whether partment to which the papers may belong, this be true or false, it was said a few years there are to be present at every completion of since by a French traveler that he had discovered a race of Negroes in Africa, that were an instrument, two of twelve persons, officially sworn for this purpose; the number is always to be kept complete, in case of vacancies furnished with tails. Minute particulars were by death or otherwise. Before the paper is given at the time, but the account was considsigned, the contents are to be read to the King ered Munchausen. But a Paris correspondent by one of these two persons, clearly and dis- of the Journal of Commerce gives the followtinctly. After the instrument has been signed ing evidence in support of the statement of the by the King, and countersigned by the responsible Minister, the two witnesses append a declaration that it has been read in his presence, and that the signature is that written by himself. If this form is observed, the documents have every legal validity. The Crown Prince fully accepted the above regulations, and they will no doubt be strictly observed.

It is apparent from these facts, that the King may be made a mere automaton, played by the minister and the two witnesses; and it is only necessary to have these and the ministers for the time being, agreed as to any deception or iniquity, to have the most outrageous acts become legalized! With us, such a man as the Crown Prince of Hanover could not hold the responsible office of Hog Constable, unless by the way of a joke!

But royalty brings about strange things.

French savan:

Lately, Count de Castelnau, the explorer of South America, well known and highly esteemed in the United States, communicated to the Geographical Society of Paris the result of some personal inquiries at Bahia, which seem to confirm in a mersure the direct report:

"I found myself there," he says, "in the midst of a host of negro slaves, and thought it possible to obtain from them information of the unknown parts of the African continent. I soon discovered that the Mahommedan natives of Soudan were much further advanced in mind than the idolatrous inhabitants of the coast. Several blacks of Haoussa and Adamawah related to me that they had taken part in expeditions against a nation called NiamNiams, who had tails. They traced their route,

EDITORIAL CHIT-CHAT.

Now from such natives Mr Stetson, or any other farmer, can produce as good stock as any that is imported. Say he, or any other WE present the public with the first number farmer has one or five cows, that with the of the 12th volume of the FARMER'S MONTHLY same keeping, will yield more milk and butter VISITOR, with the misgivings of an old sailor than any other cows. Let their future stock transferred to a new ship-acquainted generally be bred from these, taking good care that a with every kind of water craft, but still unac-bull alone runs with them, that is the produce quainted with the capabilities of the craft of a good milker, and that all the produce is which he is to command-not knowing whether killed off that does not come up to the mark. she may prove a good sailor and a safe sea"Like begets like," and in this way alone have boat, or as dull and heavy as a Dutch galliot; the notable breeds of cattle been produced, and and as unsafe in a storm as a Chinese junk; in this way can any farmer improve upon his but still, with a picked crew, cargo well stow-breeds, retaining the distinctive qualities ed, and every thing "ship shape and Bristol color and shape of the original type. So of fashion" from stem to stern, and from clew to horses, hogs, sheep and poultry. Time and ear-ring, ready to embark upon his destined perseverrnce alone are wanting.

voyage.

Metaphor aside, we are quietly seated in the chair editorial, in charge of the Farmer's Monthly Visitor, an old periodical, but to us presenting all the novelty of a new one, and with all due care and solicitude preparing a sheet for public favor. Whether we succeed or fail in the attempt, and what we may do to merit approval or disapproval, can better be told hereafter, than now. Of one thing our readers may rest assured, that if we fail in the attempt, it shall not be for want of making the effort to deserve well of the public.

BREEDING CATTLE.

THE Detroit Advertiser remarks-Lake

Erie, says the Dublin Magazine, is only sixty or seventy feet deep; but the bottom of Lake Ontario, which is four hundred and fifty-two feet deep, is two hundred and thirty feet below the level of the ocean, or as low as most parts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; and the bottoms of Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior, although their surface is so much higher, are all, from their vast depth, on a level with

the bottom of Lake Ontario.

Now, as the discharge through the river Detroit, after allowing for the full probable portion carried off by evaporaticn, does not appear by any means equal to the quantity of water the three upper great Lakes receive, it has been conjectured that a subterranean river may run from Lake Superior to Huron, and from Lake Huron to Lake Ontario. This conjecture is by no means improbable, and will account for the singular fact that salmon and herring are caught in all the Lakes communi

We are pleased to see so much attention paid to breeding cattle. Many farmers, in all parts of our State, are turning their attention to this subject. We have already Durhams, Devons and Herefords in all sections. This is all right. But it is only independent farmers, those of means, that can have such stock. Now this state of things can be obviated in this wise. Let each town that has a town-cating with St. Lawrence, but in no others. farm, put upon it one or more of the celebrated breeds of cattle. Let the use or produce of this breed be sold to the farmers of the town at fair and uniform rates. In this way, the Durhams, Devans and Herefords can be universally introduced in our State at a trifling expense, and a very great advantage can be conferred upon the community at large.

NATIVE BREEDS.

OUR native breeds, with proper attention, can be made as good cattle, for milk, work or for beef, as the imported. Time and attention alone is wanted. Hon. Amasa Stetson, of Stetson, in Maine, who had in January fifty-four cows, and who attends to every thing that is worthy of note in enhancing the value of his dairy, informed us that the best cows in his herd were natives. And what kind of milkers Mr Stetson had may be judged from the following facts. The last week in June, 1850, his cows produced seven and a half pounds of butter each, upon the average. The first week in July, they produced eight pounds each, and in the second week in July, they produced eight and a half pounds each!

As the Falls of Niagara must have always existed, it would puzzle the naturalist to say how these fish got into the Upper Lakes without some subterranean river; moreover, any periodical obstruction of the river, would furnish a not improbable solution of the mysterious flux and refluz of the Lakes.

Did it ever occur to the editor of the Advertiser that the Almighty could as easily create a salmon in the Upper Lakes as in the Lower ones? And how does he account for the fact that in Lake Superior there is found a certain White fish, that is not known to exist in any other waters? We should think these fish would pass down the subterranean passage!