sot 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



ticularly when dressed with plenty of good butter 

 and maple sugar, honey, or even our common sugars. 

 Who would not be at some trouble for such break- 

 fasts ? It is good to make the hens lay, even in the 

 coldest weather, if a good supply is given, and they 

 have free access to lime and water daily. It makes 

 good feed for pigs, notwithstanding a prejudice for- 

 merly existing against its use. The straw makes 

 excellent bedding for the stables. It absorbs and re- 

 tains moisture to a considerable degree, if kept under 

 cover, as all manures should be. The bran is an ex- 

 cellent feed for milch cows, increasing the flow of 

 miik quite perceptibly. D. 



Gates, JV. Y. 



^ » fc . 



CUTTING HAY AND CUEING CLOVES. 



Messrs. Editohs: — As haying is approaching, it 

 may be well to talk the matter over a little before we 

 ccfmmence operations. Some good farmers think that 

 timothy should be cut while in bloom; otheis, equally 

 as good cultivators, are of the opinion that the seed 

 ^ould be nearly mature before cutting. There are 

 asrguments in favor of both of these propositions. 

 M^ own experience is, that it should be cut neither 

 too ripe nor too young. I think that hay holds its 

 weight better if cut while the seed is in the milk, 

 than at any other time; there is more nutriment in it 

 tlian when cut in the bloom. If left until too ripe, 

 there is in the stalks so much of woody fibre that 

 more or less of the nourishing qualities are lost. 



One word in regard to clover, which is very highly 

 prized by English teamsters — ^so much so, that they 

 oare very little about " corn," while there is plenty 

 of clover hay in the loft. Their method is to cut as 

 the first blows begin to turn brown; never spread, 

 bat pitch into small cocks, say fifty pounds each, or 

 vAat will make about that after being cured ; leave 

 it in this manner for a couple of days; then turn it 

 over, and draw in. When cured in this way, we do 

 not hear of so much dust — besides, the leaves are all 

 saved, and they are the best part of the fodder, yet 

 horses and cattle will eat the greater portion of the 

 stalks, which they will not do if cured in any other 

 manner, unless driven to it by starvation. D. 



Gates, JV. Y. 



IS rr BIGHT TO ASK THE WOMEN FOLKS TO MILK 

 THE COWS DURING THE BUSY SEASON? 



[The following extracts from some of the numer- 

 ous answers we have received to this question, will 

 be read with interest] — Eds. 



I THINK it is quite right to ask the women folks to 

 do the milking, or help do it, during the busy season. 

 If farmers' daughters were all taught to milk, it would 

 not be any detriment or disgrace to them, as a general 

 thing; but, on the contrary, it might many times be 

 aa advantage to them and their parents. What 

 farmer's wife, who feels an interest in her husband's 

 affairs, has not witnessed how perplexing and weari- 

 some his business is at many times, especially at that 

 hurrying season, haying and harvest ? The weather 

 is frequently bad for curing hay and grain, and per- 

 haps but little help, or that which is very poor, can 

 be had. We ought, in Buch casep, to make onrselvefi 

 very useful, for we know, if we but observe things 

 H9 they are, that our husbands are tired enough at 

 ■night to find the cows milked, or if they are not 

 «aUked, to find ihem in the yard, and bis wife and 



daughters ready and willing to help him, and make 

 him pleasant and cheerful by their little kindnesses in 

 doing a chore here and there. 



1 have witnessed many times, with regret, the 

 husband and father, on his returning from town or 

 some other place where he has been necessarily de- 

 tained, go perhans at nine o'clock at night to hunt 

 after the cows, and perhaps not find more than half 

 of them then; he drives them into the yard, milks 

 them, strains the milk, and uflerwards feeds the hogs, 

 &c. All this time his family are quietly sleeping, un- 

 conscious of him who is laboring for their support 

 All men are not of this stamp. 1 know of some who 

 never milk a cow when at home. This, in my opin- 

 ion, is not right. The millking should not be all 

 done by either sex, but as it is most convenient 



All children should be taught to milk as soon a* 

 they have sufficient strength in their hands to milk 

 fast enough to keep the cows from shrinking. Farm- 

 ers' daughters are being brought up very wrong in 

 many respects. In the first place, they are not more 

 than half dressed after they are two years old. In 

 this way they are exposed to heat and cold, and, it" 

 they survive this usage, nine-tenths of them are puny 

 children; and by the time they are seven or eight 

 years old, (or ten at most,) they are placed on a stool 

 to take music lessons, and, of course, their hands and 

 fingers must be very limber to reach an octave on a 

 piano. Mothers had better have them stand on a 

 stool at the si7ik, and take lessons in dish-washing, 

 and have them do all kinds of chores they are capa- 

 ble of doing, in doors and out. They should also be 

 taught to knit their own and their brothers' stock- 

 ings, mend and make papa's shirts, and piece bed- 

 quilt:?, and, for .aught I care, they may be taught em- 

 broidery, crotchet work, &c. After they are twelve 

 years old, if their parents wish them to learn musie, 

 they should buy a piano or any other instrument ot 

 music they may see fit and have them take lessons 

 and practice at home, so they will not forget that 

 their parents are olten fatigued with many cares and 

 much work. Mothers should endeavor to teach their 

 daughters to love and respect their father and bro- 

 thers, who have to toil almost incessantly. Especially 

 should they love and respect their father, for often be 

 has to undergo many privations in order to give them 

 a proper education. This he is generally willing to 

 do, if they only repay him with their love and kind- 

 ness. What parent who has a taste and an ear 

 for music, does not like to hear some choice pieces 

 of music, after his labors for the day are done, in his 

 cheerful and happy home ? and all will be happy and 

 cheerful, as a general thing, where parents have doae 

 their duty to their children. I think there is a great 

 error afloat in respect to the training of our childrea 

 "The rod and reproof give wisdom; but a child left 

 to himself bringeth his mother to shame. ' I heard 

 a father remark the other day, that he " suppose-d 

 girls ought not to wash dishes when they were taking 

 music lessons, because it made their hands stiE" He 

 had been told so, perhaps, by his wife or daughters. 

 Such a parent would not of course, ask the '■ women 

 folks " to help milk the cows at any time, let the case 

 be ever so urgent, because it is instilled into his mind 

 that they cannot or ought not to milk v.itL their 

 limber, white hands. Oh ! what a pity that he does 

 not let his judgment teach him better; children ca« 

 play the piano if their hands are a little slifil or ccJ- 

 ored with the sun's raya Do not fathers like t© see 



