My father was the best farmer in the neighborhood. He had been
employed in the nursery and vegetable gardening at Newton, and for five
years he had had charge of the farm of Madam Coffin at Newton Corner,
widow of the Hon. Peleg Coffin, who had been a member of Congress from
Nantucket. In a few years we had a supply of cherries, peaches, and
choice apples. As my father understood budding and grafting tress, his
improved fruits were distributed to others. I acquired the art of
budding when I could not have been more than ten years of age, and
before I left home at the age of thirteen, I had practised the art in
the village and on the trees of the neighbors.
Previous to 1830 the era of invention had not opened, and the articles
by whose aid domestic comfort has been promoted were unknown. The only
means of cooking were the open fire and the brick oven. Meat for
roasting was suspended by a cord from a hook in the ceiling in front of
the open fire and over a dripping pan. The children found amusement
and became useful in twisting the cord and then allowing the weight of
the meat to untwist it. Even fire in the summer was obtained and kept
with difficulty. There were no friction matches and not infrequently
a child was sent on a flying visit to a neighbor's house to borrow
fire. Indeed, the habit of borrowing and lending extended to nearly
every movable thing that any one possessed.
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