-.52 



NEW ENGLAND FAKMER. 



March 



cates of the Ayrshire had the strongest side of 

 the argument, T am clearly of the opinion that it 

 •was not expedient to pass any vote to this effect, 

 as was proposed. I was therefore gratified when 

 tiiis proposition was laid upon the table. I 

 chink that the best hopes of stock are to be 

 found in the association of first class, pure-blood- 

 ed Ayrshire males, with the best Yankee fe- 

 males. The primary object of keeping stock be- 

 ing for the milk they give, I think the prospect 

 for quantity and quality is from Yankee cows. 

 I use this term as expressing my views more 

 elearly than any other. I was somewhat aston- 

 ished that so little was said in favor of the milk- 

 ing qualities of the Devons. I had supposed 

 that the venerable farmer of Framingham had 

 sounded his trumpet so often and so loud, that 

 the reverberation of the sound thereof would not 

 cease while he lived. So true is it, that "the fash- 

 ion of this world passeth away, and the memory 

 thereof shall be no more forever." Essex. 



Jan. 25, 1859. 



Remarks. — The aoove was not received until 

 several days after its date, or it would have been 

 given in our last. 



HAMPDEN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



On looking at the constitution of this society, 

 (p. 113,) it appears that five of the officers con- 

 stitute a quorum for the transaction of business, 

 to wit : President, Vice President, Treasurer, 

 Secretary and a Director, all of whom can be 

 found in the city of Springfield — so that although 

 it is a county society, having officers in every 

 town, it can be governed and controlled by a 

 single town. This strikes me as a singular and 

 questionable provision. It becomes the more 

 worthy of notice, as there seems to be a disposi- 

 tion to make this society the controlling centre 

 of a State Society. I admire the energy and 

 efl[iciency of a concentrated government ; but do 

 not believe the yeomanry of Massachusetts are 

 ready to go for it, to this extent, be it never so 

 good. My views are republican, and I do not 

 like aristocracy in any form — and least of all, in 

 the government of farmers. *. 



Feb. 1, 1859. _ 



WHAT AILS MY COW? 



Nov. 12, 1857, she dropped a seven months' 

 calf ; her milk came, and s^he did as well as ever 

 When seven months in calf again, she did not 

 appear well for several days, and I thought she 

 would do as she did the year previous, but she 

 did not — she got better, and was hearty and well 

 to all appearance. It is now some days past 

 the time for her to calve, and there is nothing 

 that any way indicates it. She discharges large 

 quantities of matter but still appears in good 

 health. What can be done for her ? 



Constant Reader, 



West Boxhury, Jan., 1859. 



Remarks. — We have not the skill to recom- 

 mend anything but a warm and convenient sta- 

 ble, plenty of nourishing food and kind treat- 

 ment, all of which she probably has now. Per- 

 haps some of our friends can. 



A CORDIAL INVITATION. 



If you should make New Jersey in the way of 

 some of your agricultural tours, I should be most 

 happy to receive a visit. I think I can show you 

 some good farms as well as farmers (to say noth- 

 ing about the bad.) I. W. Black. 



Sijkesville, N. J., Jan., 1859. 



Remarks. — It certainly would give us pleas- 

 ure and profit to make some rural rambles with 

 you through a portion of your State, and we shall 

 bear you kind invitation in remembrance. 



LADIES' DEPARTMENT. 



LADIES' "WEARING APPABEL. 



Flannel is the proper clothing for the skin, 

 preserving the natural heat of the body from be- 

 ing a non-conductor, in winter, and protecting 

 the skin from the danger of a chill after perspi- 

 ration in summer. However fine and thin the 

 material for this under-garment may be in sum- 

 mer, still it should be woollen — in colder weath- 

 er to be exchanged for one of a thicker and 

 warmer quality. Beyond this, there should also 

 be a sufficiency of upper garments proportioned 

 to the season ; it is not desirable that, even in 

 winter, they should be heavy, but always warm. 

 There is still existing a pernicious practice of 

 wearing thin-soled boots and shoes. If intended 

 for walking out, all boots should have soles of 

 tolerable thickness ; in damp weather, the soles 

 should be very thick, or overshoes of some des- 

 cription should be worn with them. The foun- 

 dation of many a consumption has been laid by 

 a young lady walking or standing in the damp, 

 with her feet ill-protected by mere gauze-like 

 stockings and thin summer boots or shoes. Even 

 in the house, this important part of a lady's dress 

 appointments is by no means, as a general fact, 

 sufficiently attended to. In cold weather, thin- 

 soled slippers are not at all a sufficient protec- 

 tion for the feet in walking on uncarpeted pas- 

 sages ; and the "unaccountable" colds that so of- 

 ten attack ladies in winter are often attributable 

 to this cause. The covering for the head should 

 be light, cool, and open, to admit the air. Close 

 night-caps are an evil, and have long been dis- 

 carded by persons of sense ; but if ladies are dis- 

 posed to wear them to keep the hair tidy, they 

 should be loose and transparent. — Springfield 

 Republican. 



To Clean Gloves. — Lay them on a clean 

 board, and first rub the surface gently with a 

 clean sponge and some camphene, or a mixture 

 of camphene and alcohol. Now dip each glove 

 into a cup containing the camphene, lift it out, 

 squeeze it in the hand, and again rub it gently 

 with the sponge, to take out all the wrinkles. 

 After this gather up the cuff in the hand, and 

 blow into it to puff out the fingers, when it 

 may be hung up with a thread to dry. This op- 

 eration should not be conducted near a fire, ow- 

 ing to the inflammable nature of the camphene 

 vapor. The receipts given in all the books we 

 have consulted for cleaning gloves are barbarous. 

 Scientific American. 



