loS 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



April 



For the New England Farmer. 



AlSr AUTUMN" LEAF. 



[I was not intendeJ by the writer of the following touching, 

 truthful and expressive lines, that his name should appear with 

 them. But we cannot consent to any separation. His little in- 

 troductory note shows how the verses were born, and how they 

 came to meet ynur eye. We envy the happiness of the person 

 possessed of such a sense of the bountiful and beautiful works 

 of the Creator, and such a power of clothing tliem with poetic 

 language atd feeling. Mr. Canning is a true poet. His thoughts 

 are not summoned for the occasion, but the occasion itself opens 

 clearly before him, and presents its olten minute, hut wonder- 

 ful accompaniments, which fill with tenderness and love, his 

 glowing verses. His descriptions will inspire every one who 

 has huslfed out corn in the open air, in a balmy autumnal day.] 



Gov. Bkown, — Mij Dear Sir .- — I took from my vest pocket to- 

 day a bit of paper witli the following lines pencilled thereon. 

 They occurred to me while husking corn out-of doors, on one of 

 the glcrious ^Hatter daijK,^'' last autumn. Thinking they may 

 touch an answering chord in the minds of some of your readers, 

 I take the liberty to write them out for the Farmer. 



Yours a-field, J. D. Canning. 



Gill, Ms., January, 1859. 



AN AUTUMNAL LEAF. 



BY THE "PEASANT BARD." 



How beautiful the picture is that nature spreads to day ! 

 For autumn clothes her second-born in fancilul array ; 

 And through the hazy lift the sun a softened splendor sends. 

 That wraps the scene in quietude, — a sweet enchantment lends. 



How like to elves in elfin land yon troop of children go. 

 Turning the hill-side leaves to find the bright brown nut below ! 

 And every treasure brings a shout, and brings all there to see, 

 Just as the gust scuds, eddying round, the honors of the tree. 



The jay, that in the summer days was scarcely seen at all. 

 Flits frequent through the pictured bush, and startles with its 



call, 

 And seems to warn its feathered males, with quick and earnest 



cries, 

 Beware of Winter's biting breath, and bitter brumal skies I 



The squirrel on the mossy log, within the hollow wood, 

 Clucks loud to tell that he's secured a store of winter food; 

 His kinsman, clad in "hoddin gray," the hunter fain would see. 

 With tiny claws goes scratching up the rough, nut-bearing tree. 



The duck, within the dented shore, where spreads the mimic 



bay, 

 Sits silent, motionless, save when a ripple rounds away ; 

 And seems to watch the colored tints reflected from below, 

 Or list Dominion''s coming step, so stealthy, snd so slow : 



I see the waters of the brook, that in the summer time 



Went singing onward down the vale, a kind of "catch-me" 



chime, — 

 Now seem to linger by the bank, and linger by the brae, 

 As if all loth, from such a scene, to run in haste away. 



Can fairy land, — can "land of dreams," such scene enchanting 



show .' 

 So soft the heavens smile above ! so glad the earth below ! 

 As if millennial angels had their banners bright unfurled. 

 And Peace, dear Peace! her censer swung in sweetness o'er 



the world ! 



Why call this world "a wilderness" — a mournful "vale ef 



tears."' 

 I think it beautifid ; and for a better have my fears ; 

 My heart in thankfulness dissolves that I'm alive to see 

 The beauties autumn shadows forth, that by-and-by may be. 

 October 19, 1858. 



skin, and all the grooming he could get 'wouldn't 

 do it no good.' My friend, who is a great horse- 

 breeder and fancier, made me try giving him a 

 few raw carrots every day to eat out of my hand, 

 saying that he would have a good smooth coat in 

 three weeks, — and he was right, for in that time 

 my horse had a beautiful, sleek, glossy coat, and 

 all from eating a few raw carrots daily. He tells 

 me it is infallible. — Cor. Po7'ter's Spirit of the 

 Times. 



HoKSEs' Coats. — Lately going to the coun- 

 try to spend a few weeks with a friend of mine, 

 I drove a very handsome horse, and a good one 

 — but he was always annoyed about his coat. It 

 was more like bristles than a horse's smooth 



ADAMS' PATENT WIRE SCREENS. 



We were pleased this morning to see the ope- 

 ration of Mr. Banjord Adams' Wire Screens for 

 separating the various grains, coffee, rice, beans, 

 L^^c. He took about a pint each of three sizes of 

 white beans, rye, buckwheat, coffee, and caraway 

 seed, mixed them thoroughly in a peck measure, 

 turned them into his machine, shook them rap- 

 idly for a few moments and handed them to us, 

 each separated from the others. The inventor 

 states that these screens will not only sort and 

 sprout potatoes, clean and "size out" beans and 

 peas, but will separate buckwheat from oats, rye 

 from barley or wheat, and from all foul seed. 



The machine works on eight-cornered rollers 

 or cogs, and discharges the mixed contents into 

 separate barrels at the same time, each kind find- 

 ing its respective size. A person acquainted with 

 the business will sort from seventy-five to one 

 hundred bushels of grain per day. 



The machine is cheap, small, compact, and so 

 light that a man may carry it under his arm. 

 Any farmer raising much of this kind of pro- 

 duce, would not fail to save all its cost in two or 

 three years — indeed, we hear of one person who 

 used the machine in the city last year, and saved 

 refuse grain and small seeds enough to bring him 

 $25,00, which was freighted back fifty miles into 

 the country, and used for fattening mutton ! 

 When this foul and broken seed was extracted 

 from the good, it increased the value of the lat- 

 ter some fifteen per cent. Such a process is 

 worth going through. " 



This is one of those simple and efficient con- 

 trivances that commend themselves to all upon 

 once witnessing what they will do — and we there- 

 fore think well of it. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE BARN. 



Let the utmost neatness be observed in the 

 management of the barn. No more hay or other 

 fodder should be thrown on the floor at once than 

 is requisite to supply one feed. By throwing 

 large quantities from the mows or scaflbldings, 

 there is an unavoidable loss from the drying of 

 the fibre, which renders it less palatable to the 

 animals, as well as less nutritious. Sweeping 

 the floor daily promotes cleanliness, and conduces 

 to the health and consequently the comfort of 

 animals. The sweeping of the floors should be 

 preserved, as this is the easiest way to save some 



