86 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



tioh, the Planter gave us a pretty severe trimming 

 But it led to a pleasant correspondence which now 

 gives that paper the aspect of an old friend. We 

 wish it abundant success. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 WINTER EMPLOYMENT. 



Mr. Editor : — Winter is to farmers peculiarly 

 the season for mental effort. 



At this season, they have a great deal of leisure 

 time that could be no better taken up, than by 

 earnest endeavors to improve their minds — and 

 much, very much might be done in that way, if 

 they only had the disposition to avail themselves 

 of the opportunity thus afforded them. 



Daring the stormy days, when no one can work, 

 and the long evenings at this season and for two 

 months to come, they might accomplish a great 

 deal. With a mind free from the embarrassing 

 cares incident to most other situations in life, with 

 peace and plenty within their borders, — at peace 

 with all mankind, farmers can sit down to their 

 cogitations with a greater zest, a clearer head, 

 and a more unbiassed judgment, than any other 

 class of men. 



They can scan with eagle eyes their Agricultural 

 journals (which we premise no good farmer would be 

 without,) that come home to their dwellings, laden 

 with the theories and recorded experiments of the 

 most intelligent cultivators throughout the land, — 

 these will naturally stimulate them to thought, 

 and comparison of the modes and results of others 

 with their own observations and labors — can draw 

 their own conclusions without fear or favor, and 

 write them out in full in their note-book — kept for 

 this especial purpose — so that they may be able to 

 turn to them at any future time, should occasion 

 require. There is now ample opportunity to run 

 over the operations of the past year, — see where 

 they have miscalculated, and they will then be 

 able to avoid those mistakes the next, — their 

 Meteorological, Thermometical and Barometical 

 observations and phenomenas should be carefully 

 compared with years past, and any particulars 

 noted in their book — the birds and insects injurious 

 to vegetation should claim also a passing thought ; 

 any new facts in this department should be care- 

 fully noted down, and some method of lessening 

 their depredations on future crops be decided upon, 

 if possible. Such a diary would be valuable to all 

 the farming community as well as interesting to 

 the general reader. 



Again — farmers are usually inclined to segrega- 

 tion, partly from habit, and partly from necessity; 

 — it therefore behooves them to mingle together, 

 as much as possible during the winter. It is a 

 good idea, to organize an Agricultural Club, and 

 hold meetings once a week or fortnight, perhaps, 

 at each others' houses, and discuss the various 

 modes of growing crops, — the forming of the com- 

 post heap, — feeding of stock — the breeding of stock 

 — the reclaiming of low lands — the draining and 

 irrigation of the same — the eradication of the Can- 

 ada thistle, burdock, and other useless weeds — 

 and indeed, all the various questions that immedi- 

 ately concern them in their vocation. Such clubs 

 are yery easily arranged ;— just let a half dozen 

 spirited farmers give notice that at such a time 

 and place a, meeting of farmers will be hold, and 

 the thing is done ; such meetings, beside the ad- 



vantage to the agriculture of the town, will have a 

 good social effect — it will bind the inhabitants close 

 together, because they would be perhaps the only 

 meetings, where all, of whatever politics or reli- 

 gion, could meet and feel at home. 



In connection with these clubs, a Tree Society 

 might be formed, for the purpose of setting out 

 shade trees by the road side, to beautify the town ; 

 this also, in addition to the improvement in the 

 looks of the highways, would form another induce- 

 ment to keep the younger portion of the commu- 

 nity from leaving their country homes. Throwing 

 all these aside, the pecuniary advantage of such a 

 movement, if carried into effect, would warrant the 

 trial, — as in all instances handsome shade trees 

 have invariably enhanced the merchantable value 

 of real estate. 



This being the season of the year when schools 

 are kept in the country — farmers should be per- 

 fectly conversant with the state of District Schools, 

 see that they are properly provided with all the 

 paraphernalia of well appointed schools — that the 

 teachers are competent to their task — that proper 

 studies are pursued — and " last but not least," 

 see that their children attend every day and in 

 season, in order that they may be properly educated 

 in the various English branches. 



Thus, Mr. Editor, I have enumerated briefly 

 some of the ways for farmers to employ their spare 

 time during the winter months. One more and I 

 have done, and that is, that they should make 

 copious extracts from their note-books, with their 

 comments, and send them to the New England 

 Farmer office for publication, that they may be 

 scattered broad-cast over the land, for the example 

 and benefit of others. J. b. d. 



January 7, 1852. 



FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR, 



The late Gov. Hill, of Concord, N. H., pub- 

 lished a paper with the above title through a pe- 

 riod of some ten years, every number of which we 

 carefully perused. With the failing health and 

 energy of the editor the Visitor declined, and was 

 discontinued. It has been revived, is published at 

 Manchester, and edited by C. E. Potter, Esq. 

 There are now two agricultural papers published 

 at Manchester. The Granite Farmer, now in its 

 third volume, and the Visitor. The Visitor is in 

 the book form, is handsomely printed, and contains 

 many valuable suggestions and articles upou farm- 

 ing topics. 



The Valley Farmer. St. Louis : Ephraim Ab- 

 bott, Editor. — We are always happy to receive 

 our friends from the West. There are many 

 cheering indications of a new interest in agricul- 

 tural pursuits in all portions of the country. Many 

 of our exchanges appear in new dresses at the 

 opening of the year, and the Valley Farmer 

 among them. We hope it will soon find it neces- 

 sary to get a "fast press." 



County Transactions. — We are under obliga- 

 tions to the gentlemanly officers of the Worcester, 

 Essex and Plymouth County Societies for hand- 

 some copies of their Transactions during the last 



