1856.] Ladies and Agriculture. 5jg 



In his Address at tlie Maryland State Fair, C. P. Holcomb dves 

 us the following : 



As showing the interest English ladies take in agriculture, I can- 

 not but relate a casual interview I chanced to have with an English 

 lady, in going up in the express train from London to York. Her 

 husband had bought a book at the stand as we were about startino-, 

 and remarked to her that " it was one of her favorite American 

 authors — Hawthorne." I casually observed, " I was pleased to see 

 young American authors found admirers with English ladies," when 

 the conversation turned on books and authors. But I said to myself 

 pretty soon, " this is a literary lady — probably her husband is an 

 editor or reviewer, and she uses the ' scissors ' for him — at all events, 

 I must retreat from this discussion about authors, modern poets, and 

 poetry. What should a farmer know critically of such thino-s? If 

 I were only in those fields — if the conversation could be made to turn 

 upon crops or cattle — then I should feel quite at home." I finally 

 pointed out a field of wheat, and remarked that it was very fine. The 

 lady carefully observing it, said, "Sir, I think it is too thin— common 

 fault this season, as the seeding was late." '' Those drills," she add- 

 ed, turning to her husband for confirmation, " can not be more than 

 ten inches apart, and you see, sir, the ground is not completely cov- 

 ered — twelve and even fifteen inches is now preferred For i\iQ width 

 of drills, and two bushels of seed to the acre will then entirely cover 

 the ground, on good land, so you can hardly distinguish the drills." 



If the goddess Ceres had appeared with her sheaf, or her cornuco- 

 pia, I could not have been taken more by surprise. A lady descant- 

 ing on the width of wheat drills, and the quantity of seed! 



I will try her again," thought I, " this may be a chance shot;" and 

 remarked in reference to a field of plowed ground we were passing, 

 that it broke up in great lumps, and could hardly be put in good 

 tilth. " We have much clay like this," she replied, " and formerly 

 it was diflicult to cultivate it in a tillage crop ; but since the intro- 

 duction of CroskilFs Clod Crusher, they make ihQ most beautiful 

 tilth on these lands, and which are now re"-arded as amonc; the best 

 wheat lands." 



The conversation turned on cattle. She spoke of the best breeds 



