1847.] The Farm on the Flats. 2dl 



first attracted his attention. The stream which flowed through 

 the valley, had risen in the spring, and carried away a portion of 

 the fence. In consequence, the cattle of the neighborhood saw 

 no objection to their enjoying themselves in the meadows thus 

 thrown open to their enterprise. They took possession of them 

 early in the spring when the soil was soft and yielding, and ac- 

 cordingly they made a deep impression upon it, and as they were 

 constant and persevering in their efforts, before the first of May, 

 the surface presented in its appearance, a very close resemblance 

 to a mortar bed. Mr. Lord wondered whether all meadows looked 

 so in the spring, but he had no disposition to ask any of his negh- 

 bors. on account of a slight repugnance to receiving information. 

 He robked at his neighbors' meadows and saw that the turf was 

 smooth and green; but then their meadows were not on the flats, 

 and hence would naturally assume a different appearance. It was 

 plain that his meadows needed fencing. So he went at it, or 

 rather his Irishman did without delay. Mr. Lord was always pre- 

 sent, and by his minute and unintelligible directions, prevented 

 him from doing more than half as much as he would otherwise 

 have done. This Mr. Lord called overseeing. 



" Mr. Lord, when is the dairy woman to begin to make butter 

 and cheese? " 



This inquiry was made by Mrs. Lord about a week after they 

 were settled. 



" It is time she begun, certainly," said Mr. Lord. 



" And what will I be making butter and cheese oil " said the 

 dairy-woman, who overheaid the question and reply. " Not a 

 cow nor a pig have I had a living sight of yet about the place." 



"You don't want pigs in a dairy," said Mr. Lord. 



'^ Is it pigs you are speaking of? Who ever heard of a dairy 

 without pigs? And what else will I do with my whe , 



" I must buy some cows immediately. They had es ped my 

 mind." 



It was plain that Mr. Lord reasoned justly, when he came to 

 the conclusion that in order to produce butter and cheese, he must 

 have some cows. Accordingly he set out on a short tour for the 

 purpose of purchasing a half a dozen first rate cows. 



"If your honor would just let me have a sight of the b3asts 

 first, I could tell if they are worth the money," said the dairy- 

 woman. 



This remark was not well received, for it implied a deaciency 

 of knowledge in regard to cows, on the part of Mr. Lord. He 

 had gone but a short distance before he fell in with a drove of 

 cattle. On inquiry he learned that they were destined to the Nevt* 

 York market. They must therefore be superior to any oflered in 

 the country market. The drover soon saw what kind of a ciis- 



Vol. v.. No. 13. 18 



