NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



543 



These burdens which bear so heavily upon the 

 wives of our farmers as to constitute a great ob- 

 jection to the choice of agriculture as a business, 

 with any considerate man, result, as we have seen, 

 in part from the want of servants or reliable help. 

 This difficulty arises legitimately from the princi- 

 ples of equality, inherent in the constitution of 

 our government, and which we should not seek 

 to change. 



But this is by no means the whole secret of the 

 trouble. Much of it results from causes which lie 

 within our own control, to some of which allusion 

 has already been made, and others may readily be 

 named. 



A RARE AND INTERESTING BOOK. 



"Markiiam's Farewell to HvsBANDRr, or The 

 inriching of all sorts of Barren and Sterile grounds 

 in our Kingdome, to be as fruitfull in all manner 

 of Graine, Pulse, and Grasse, as the best grounds 

 whatsoeuer: Together with the annoyances, and 

 preservation of all Graine and Seede, from one 

 yeare to many yeares. As also a husbandly com- 

 putation of men and cattels dayly labours, their 

 expences, charges, and vttermost profits. For the 

 bettering of arable pasture, and woody grounds : 

 Of making good all grounds againe, spoiled with 

 ouerflowing of saltwater by sea-breaches, as also 

 the inriching of the hop garden, and many other 

 things neuer published before." Such is the prom 

 ising title. The book was printed at London, in 

 1023, two hundred and twenty-seven years ago. 



Under the same covers there are four other books 

 showing that the "old 'uns" knew something about 

 farming as well as other things. Here is one en 

 titled "A New Orchard and Garden, with the 

 Country Hovsewifes Garden for herbes of common 

 vse. As also The Hvsbandry of Bees, with their 

 several vses and annoyances, all being the experi- 

 ence of 48 yeeres labour." This is illustrated by 

 rude engravings of buildings and grounds about 

 them, of planting and trimming trees, kitchen and 

 flower gardens, bee houses and hives, and the notes 

 of music describing the songs which the bees hum 

 out at various times. 



But the queerest title of all the five books is 

 the following: — "Covntrey Contentments, or The 

 English Hu8svvife. Containing The inward and 

 outward Vertues which ought to be in a compleate 

 Woman. As her skill in Physicke, Surgerie, Ex- 

 traction of Oyles, Banqueting-stuffe, Ordering of 

 great Feasts, Preserving of all sorts of Wines, 

 Conceited Secrets, Distillations, Perfumes, order- 

 ing of Wool, Hempe, Flax, making Cloth, Dying, 

 the knowledge of Dayries, office of Malting, Oats, 

 their excellent vses in a Family, Brewing, Baking, 

 and all other things belonging to an Household. 



A work generally approved, and now much 

 augmented, purged and made most necessary for 

 all men. London: 1623." 



In addition to all the wonderful things set forth 

 j u Hip title pa?e, Mr. Gervase Markham invades 



the kitchen, the nursery, and medicine chest, and 

 sets forth the peculiar duties of the housewife in 

 a great many particulars. We cannot resist the 

 temptation to give one or two short extracts — and 

 first, this — 



SIIEE MUST BEE TEMPERATE. 



Next vnto this sanctity and holinesse of life, it 

 is meete that our English Hous-wife be a woman 

 of great modesty and temperance as well inwardly 

 as outwardly ; inwardly, as in her behauiour and 

 cariage towards her husband, wherein she shall 

 shunne all violence of rage, passion and humour, 

 coueting lesse to direct then to bee directed, ap- 

 pearing euer vnto him pleasant, amiable and de- 

 lightfull ; and though occasion, mishaps, or the 

 misgouernement of his will may induce her to con- 

 trarie thoughts, yet vertuously to suppresse them, 

 and with a milde sufferance rather to call him 

 home from his error, then with the strength of an- 

 ger to abate the least spark of his euill. 



OF HER GARMENTS. 



Let the Hus-wifes garments be comely and 

 strong, made as well to preserue the health, as 

 adorne the person, altogether without toyish gar- 

 nishes, or the glosse of light colom-s, and as farre 

 from the vanity of new and fantastique fashions, 

 as neere to the comely imitations of modest Ma- 

 trons ; let her dyet be wholesome and cleanly, 

 prepared at due howers, and Cookt with care and 

 diligence, let it be rather to satisfie nature then 

 our affections, and apter to kill hunger then reuiue 

 new appetites, let it proceed more from the prolu- 

 sion of her owne yarde, then the furniture of the 

 markets ; and let it be rather esteemed for the fa- 

 miliar acquaintance she hath with it, then for the 

 strangenesse and raritie it bringeth from other 

 Countries. 



The whole subject of agriculture in all its vari- 

 ous branches, is thoroughly treated in these curi- 

 ous books. We have preserved the ancient style 

 of spelling and using capitals. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD OF 

 PRESERVING CELERY ? 



Messrs Editors : — As celery is a vegetable 

 which but few cultivate, and fewer still, I believe, 

 properly appreciate, and as it always commands 

 a high price in the market, especially in the win- 

 ter and sirring, it becomes an important practical 

 question, how it can be best preserved. Some 

 cultivators recommend placing it in water in the 

 cellar. Others advise to bury the plants in dry 

 sand, and others still, in rich loam. Having tried 

 some of these methods, and not with satisfactory 

 success, I wish to elicit the results of the expe- 

 rience of other cultivators of this very great luxury 

 for the table. If some of your numerous and in- 

 telligent correspondents, or yourselves, will favor 

 the public with wisdom on this point, one of your 

 constant readers, and many others, I presume, 

 will be thankful. d. c. 



Waltham, Nov. 19th, 1852. 



GF" If you have a friend that will reprove your 

 faults and foibles, consider you enjoy a blessing 

 which the President of the United States cannot 

 have. 



