Its products once were immense, and not much reduced even now. It has been a grass-growing town, though the harvest the past season has been greatly reduced, and the farmers are compelled to fall back on corn-fodder, ensilage, and grain.

On Thursday, December 2, a meeting was appointed, to be held by the board of agriculture at the town hall, at the centre of the town. At a little past the hour assigned Secretary Adams put in his appearance, and was not a little disappointed, finding not a single member of the board present.

It is arranged that the members residing in the county where a meeting is held shall take the charge, preside, and do a fair proportion of the talking. It so happens that in Rockingham county the term of office of Mr. Hills, of Plaistow, expired a few months ago, and a new man was made his successor. Mr. Hills is a ready man, being not only a scholar, but a practical farmer, gardener, and fruit-grower. It is not easy to find a man in the whole state more thoroughly qualified for the place than he. He did not ask for a reäppointment, nor give intimation that he would not accept it. Others situated in the same way were recommissioned. In place of Mr. Hills, the Hon. John H. Broughton, of Portsmouth, was selected, and accepted the place. We hear that Mr. Broughton is one of Portsmouth's best men, and deeply interested in farming, but is not actively engaged in the occupation. The fact that he was not present to do his part at this meeting in his own county is quite suggestive that the executive made a mistake in the selection. To be sure, there is no pay attached to the position, but when a man accepts a place he is expected to meet its demands.

The meeting was largely attended, the hall during much of the day being well filled. The secretary spent the morning hour in presenting the work of the board, and advocated the support of a farmers' club, or a grange, in which the living issues of the farm may be discussed. During the afternoon session Mr. Adams discussed at great length the composition, the sale, use, value, and application, of commercial fertilizers, urging that they be bought intelligently, used for immediate effects generally, and with much care and exactness. He was questioned very sharply by a few men present, and, as a novelty, by the ladies also, who manifested unusual interest in the discussion.

George R. Drake, of Pittsfield, master of the Eastern Pomona grange, then briefly urged the reorganization of the dormant grange, and was followed in a short but wide-awake talk by Rev. William A. Patten, of Kingston, formerly pastor of the Congregational church in Deerfield. He referred very happily to the Goodhue boys, who left Deerfield years ago, and who are now among the influential men of the golden state on the Pacific, and urged the use of common-sense, thought, industry, and economy on the farm, and gave assurance of continued prosperity to the farmers of Deerfield.

At the evening session, the secretary was made happy by the appearance of Mr. DeMeritte, the member from Strafford county, who occupied the first hour in a presentation of the importance of good seed, and his manner of producing a hay

crop.

Mr. Adams then made a talk on silos and ensilage, including their history, management, and utility. The meeting was of a first-class character, being attended by scores of substantial farmers and their families.

Rev. Mr. Walker, pastor of the Baptist church, and a firstclass working farmer, has the credit of arranging for the meeting, and caring for visiting farmers from adjacent towns.

MEETING AT NORTHFIELD.

The chairman and secretary held a meeting in the town hall in Northfield, on Thursday, December 4. Dr. Mason, the Carroll county member, came in and lent his aid.

The first talk was by the secretary, on feeding. His points, in brief, were, that ruminating animals, having large stomachs, can take a coarser food and a larger quantity than the nonruminating; that the coarse food is at first only cut or partially masticated, and at a subsequent leisure is brought by parcels back from the first stomach and remasticated and prepared for digestion; that horses require less bulky food, but must have that which is concentrated, in part at least. The old practice of stuffing is not now accepted. From ten to fifteen pounds a day is enough hay for a horse. He would feed hogs three times a day, as they, like the horse, have small stomachs.

The speaker condemned the practice of feeding to any animal all coarse or cheap fodder early in the winter, with no grain. There must be a balance of the materials given, so as to supply the demands of the animal. Muscle-making or nitrogenous food and heat-producing food should be regulated according to the age, condition, and purpose of the animal.

Young animals require more shorts, clover hay, and similar food, than older ones, which demand more of the heat-producers, while fattening animals must have carbonaceous food. Young animals will give a better return for the food given than older ones;— therefore hasten the growth of young stock, and get them in the market at as fresh an age as possible. Feed regularly, and water horses in the morning before feeding, or at least before giving meal. Vary the food in warm and cold weather. Make barns warm in winter, but well ventilated, and above all things keep very clean.

Hon. W. F. Daniell, of Franklin, exhibited a sample of ensilage, which was made from advanced corn with well-filled ears. He said he gave his light horses, 900 pounds weight, not over ten pounds a day of good hay: liked to feed a little at noon, with grain. To prevent horses' eating too fast he puts wooden balls-croquet balls—in the manger. In that way the horse will be prevented from seizing large mouthfuls at once.

Mr. George H. Brown, of Tilton, related his success in feeding dry corn-fodder, run through a machine. Had no prejudice against the silos, but had faith in dry corn-fodder.

Mr. Josiah Philbrick, of Tilton, exhibited a sample of tall herds-grass, the result of ditching and plowing a meadow. He also exhibited a fine trace of eight-rowed corn. He gave the audience much farm experience.

Mr. Weeks, of Northfield, brought in a sample of ensilage that was put into the pit whole. It was much discolored, and had the rank smell of tobacco, but a closer examination brought a fresh odor, that showed it had good qualities left. Cattle eat it readily and thrive upon it, as Mr. Weeks assured us.

Mr. Humphrey, of Concord, gave his experience in feeding corn-fodder to steers, in which he showed that great gains can be realized if the proper grain be given with it.

The evening brought out a full house of gentlemen and ladies.

Dr. Mason occupied most of the time in a practical lecture on the handling of domestic animals, and the management of them in cases of injury or sickness.

The lecture was far more valuable than most lyceum lectures, and was received with marks of great pleasure.

THE SECRETARY AT BATH.

SWIFTWATER, BATH, Dec. 6, 1884.

For the first time a delegation of the board of agriculture, on invitation, held a meeting in this section of the town, and gave our people such an awakening as we have seldom experienced.

We are a small community, and, aside from a little hamlet of a dozen houses, we are much scattered. But on this occasion we were thickly crowded in our little country church. The meeting commenced at six o'clock in the evening of December 5, and was not closed until nearly ten. The church choir, with a few outside singers, helped along the interest of the evening.

Mr. Cummings, of this place, opened the meeting with brief remarks, and introduced Mr. Carr, of Haverhill, the county member, who, according to the practice of the board, presided. He spoke briefly, and said that as the secretary was paid for his work he intended to make him earn his money; and we reckon he did his share.

Mr. Adams said he had been asked to speak on so many different topics that he might as well take up his residence here, for it would be a long day before the whole task could be done. He would, however, give briefly the practice of the best farmers, so far as time would allow. Among these he named and discussed location of farms and farm-buildings; the drainage of wet lands, and the removal, as fast as possible, of obstacles in the way of the plow and the mowing-machine; improvement in farm stock by judicious crossing, and "the survival of the fittest," raising only those from sound ancestors and such as had extra vitality; the feeding of animals according to work, age, and purpose; the care and application of animal manures, and the increase of the manure-heap; the supplanting of home manures by the use of special fertilizers ;-and he explained the nature and composition of commercial fertilizers, and told us how to buy and apply them.

He advised combination of interests and purchase of improved implements, one set serving for several neighboring farms. He advocated the utmost care in the preparation of all that is offered for sale,-vegetables, fruit, etc. Especially important, he said, was care in handling milk and butter. If we could follow the practice which he related in this respect, we should see an increase in our butter revenue.

He urged the keeping of poultry, and gave directions for breeding, keeping and marketing eggs, young chicks, and poultry. But we cannot go on further, for he spoke more than two hours, holding the attention the while.

Among those of our citizens and neighbors who spoke briefly were George W. Mann of Benton, David Whitcher of Haverhill, and J. E. Carr. Messrs. Cummings, Hoit, and others added a few words, keeping up the interest to the last. The whole talk was entirely practical, and with no pretence beyond a plain, direct statement of facts.

VISIT TO COÖS COUNTY.

A. B. G.

Messrs. Harvey, Whittemore, Carr, and the Secretary made a visit to Coös county on the second week in December, going into remote towns and into localities not before canvassed by the board.

The following, written by one of the party, presents a concentrated view of the Coös country.

COÖS AND ITS RESOURCES.

We are accustomed to look upon that extended section of the state called Coös as a cold and dreary region, unfit for cultivation, and adapted to the production of wild beasts, timber, and ice, a rapidly-grown hay crop, many poor-quality potatoes, coarse-woolled sheep, and other very ordinary domestic animals-a place for summer visitors and winter lumber-teams.

For thirty years the writer has made at least biennial visits, summer or winter, to the northern portion of the state; has traversed every town from Shelburne on the south-east across to Whitefield and Dalton on the Connecticut river, and up that