284 EEPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGP.ICULTURE. 



ever, T^as going ou actively near Verceil. The carriage-toads, which are macadamized, 

 and excellent, have an elevation of a couple of feet above the adjoining fields. There ia 

 generally riiuuiDg water on either side, and sometimes willow or poplar trees. Farm- 

 houses, with rather gloomy looking plastered walls and projecting eaves, were fre- 

 quently to be seen, bur. very seldom any handsome villas or chateaae. The soil is com- 

 posed of clay, mixed with loaui, and, being moist, had a dark-brown color. 



Our little excnrsion to tie homes of the farmers extended four miles, and was 

 favored with sunshiny weather. Wo teemed to be almost, surrounded by the Alps, 

 which appeared to be only & dozen miles distant, or at any rate so near that I could 

 see thi) glistening of their snowy sides in the sunlight. The proapecu was interesting 

 in winter acd must bo charming in summer. I was struck wioh the indication of so 

 little l.;caL travel, considering we were in the neighborhood of a lerge town. Neither 

 in going nor coming did we meet a sirigle vehicle, and only one person, I think, 

 afoot. There was the sime frequency of willow and mulberry trees rhat I have before 

 mentioned. There appeared to be a farm-house to about evoiy hundred acres. We 

 visited several, and had aa opportunity to see the farmers and their families at home 

 in thtnr every-day dress and employment. Their manners are couvteoizs and friondiy, 

 neither obsequious nor famili.ar. I really could not see that the loen were much em- 

 ployed, but most of the women were spinning flax. The general appearance of the 

 premises was unattractive. It is, perhaps, owing to the fact that ttio farmers are not 

 owners of the farms, but only rent them, that nothing is done for oroamentatiou or iu 

 the way of taste. The ground being Hat about tlie houses, %vith little or no drainage, 

 and no paved or graveled walks, and tbe surfac i being neither raked nor swept, but 

 half covered with straw, gives a sort of barn-yard a.spect to the whole ^^urrounding8. 

 In order to excindo the fowls, of which th^^ro are a good many at eveiy f::rm-house, 

 the kitchen-garden is inclosed with tvv-igs of irregular height, and, being sjuiil and pen- 

 like, rather mars than ornamet'ls the view. A pil > of biush was pointed out as the 

 only wood forfpel. Ociasionally therc^ are some fruit-trees iu the vicinity. As two or 

 three forty-acre farms may be supplied with one set. of buildings, there are of course 

 many farming iiui)lements and some carts and wagons, and these are generally well 

 sheltered in "the different sheds. A peculiarity of the dwellings is thau tbey adjoin, 

 and are under the same roof with tfae barn or stable. They are plainly, but rather 

 massively, builr. of brick, two stories high, the walls plastered on ihe outside, and of a 

 light color. The upper story, which is reached by outside stairs, is frequently reserved 

 for the family of the proprietor, in case they should wish to come for a few days in the 

 summer. Not uncommonly some of the upper rooms are used for storing grain. The 

 kitchen adjoins the stable, there being a brick wall between and a door. The ceiling, 

 as well as the walls of the stable, is of brick, being massively arched over, ac;d about 9 

 feet high. The windows of the stables have four moderate sized panes, with iron bars 

 outside. The loft for hay over tha stable is open toward the yard, anil brick pillars 

 extend up from the ttablo wall to support the roof, which projocts over a good deal, 

 and affords shelter to corn-fodder and other things which may be placed underueath. 



In is the custom of the country for the farming people iu winter to live in the stable 

 with the cattle f >r the animal warmth, and in entering the dwellings wo, as a matter 

 of course, were first taken into the stable. As I took particular notice of a staldo which 

 was rather more crowded than the o.hers, and where, close by the cows, a chair was 

 kindly offered me by the wife of one of the fanners, I will try a-.id give a description 

 of it. Though on entering the eight was extremely novel, yet what moss-, impressed 

 me was thi< heated and s'iflerl atmosphere, as was the case indeed in all of tho stables. 

 The temperature must have been as high aa 70-^ Fahr., and it immediately occurred to 

 me whtither or not many of the cattle epidemics and diseases have no., originated from 

 such liigh and bad temperature iu stables. At this farm were threa families ; ihat of tho 

 father and priucipiil farmer, who occupied quariers in the dwelling proper, and those of 

 two of hill sons, who lodgcid in I ho stable. On the left, as wo wont in from the yard, the 

 wives of the two brothers were sitting in a cornci of the utable, near the kitchen door 

 and a window, at work, with their infants in cradles by their sides, and thero was a 

 chihi running about. Near them was a double bed, and between tho bed aiid tho door 

 we entered by was a large crib for receiving the hay from the loft. On tho right of 

 the donr was another double b^d, and then farther to the right, on the same side, were 

 Bov<ral largo and fat calves from six to twelve months ola, and ;it the farther end uf 

 the stable was a pen containing eight large black fat hogs. On tho opposite side from 

 v>-hich vre entered were a dozen or more of cowh, and in one corner a mare. The cattle 

 were all tied. No especial pains appear to be taken to keep the stable tidy. It 

 appeared like any ordinary farmer's stable. The kitchens usually have large open 

 fire-places, and, like mosli of the ba jemont rooms, brick floors of dingy color. A plain 

 table iu the center, a wood-box iu the corner, a sort of stone range for cooking near 

 the fire-place, a dresser with plates and other crockery standing on the shelves, and a 

 cupboard beneath, some old-fjshioncd wardrobes against tho walla, comprise the fur- 

 niture of the kitcken. In n.cue of these farm-houses did I see a newspaper or a book, 

 or, if I remember right, a pot of flowers or plant of any kind. 



