1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



235 



urn, ^'that Webster teas apt to make mistakes in 

 his politics and his dictionary too .'" 



A worthy young man once remarked to me, 

 "that he would stay on the farm if the young la- 

 dies did not turn up their noses to farmers." 

 Young ladies, you must see to it that this error 

 be corrected in your circles. Farmers usually 

 prnvide the best of homes, and make the best of 

 husbands. Now young farmers must advocate 

 improvement in agriculture, elevation in mind, 

 retinement in manners, and young ladies should 

 advocate them too. God never designed woman 

 as a mere toy, to be stowed away in palaces. 

 Farmers have few palaces, and need no lisping 

 fashionable belle to preside at their hearth-stone. 

 They need assistance from vigorous minds and 

 willing hands, while the natural vivacity of wo- 

 manly hearts should be their sun-light, which 

 shall shed a cheerful glow, and even penetrate 

 the depths of manly souls, coax tired laborers 

 and anxious business men to relaxation and in- 

 nocent pleasure. When our young ladies are ed- 

 ucated to become efficient co-Avorkers with the 

 other sex, a new feature in society will be devel- 

 oped, while woman will endear herself by her 

 graceful virtues to man, and prove his guiding 

 star through the myths and mirage of life's weary 

 pilgrimage. AVhen we find feminine talent and 

 sympathy directed into a right channel, we may 

 then expect that the intellectual, moral and phy- 

 sical being of future generations will become ele- 

 vated, and truth more often triumphing over er- 

 ror. 



It is no ignominious thing to our farmers' wives 

 and daughters, that they understand the distinc- 

 tion between a superior and inferior breed of an- 

 imals, which exists in the farmer's herd or flock. 

 It is as praiseworthj' for a young Miss to knit a 

 sock, produce golden lumps of butter or a tempt- 

 ing cheese, or loaves of bread of feathery light- 

 ness, as it is to trace fairj flowers and forms up- 

 on the canvass with the needle and crewel ; or 

 upon bristol-board with the paint-brush, or to 

 touch the ivory keys of the piano. It is as grace- 

 ful in the young maiden to dance over the newly 

 mown meadow, while she administers to the 

 wants of the heated and thirsty laborer swinging 

 his scythe, as it is for her to "tread the light fan- 

 tastic toe" iu a dizzy whirl in the fashionable ball- 

 room. 



A complaint is made that our young men emi- 

 grate to the West, but we have ladies enough to 

 stop them, if they will try for it. Ladies must 

 not treat farmers as drudges. They must talk 

 with them, calculate with them in their estima- 

 tion of loss and profit. Must admire with them 

 their broad, well-tilled acres ; their sleek oxen, 

 fine horses ,• laugh with them beneath the drop- 

 pings of the thrifty vine or fruit tree of their own 

 planting ; sympathize with them in their cares, 

 soothe them in their weariness ; and then, we 

 will answer for it, that the wise old farmer will 

 cease to expatiate upon the merits of the women 

 of his youthful days, and his son "Charlie" will 

 be glad to catch one fcr a wife, while New Eng- 

 land daughters of the present age shall redeem 

 New England feminine character ! 



Grennell, Esq., of Greenfield, and Secretary of 

 the Society, we have before us its Eighth Annual 

 Beport. Coming through the hands of Mr. Gren- 

 nell, of course it is made up with care, and pre- 

 sents a handsome appearance ; and this, with its 

 papers on various topics, will reflect permanent 

 credit and character on the association. The re- 

 port of the committee on "Improving Pasture 

 Lauds," "on Subsoiling," on "Improved Meadow 

 and Swamp Land," on "Fruit Trees," "Manures," 

 "Grain and Root Crops," and several on "Stock," 

 contain valuable information and suggestions, 

 and are worthy of frequent reference. The offi- 

 cers of the society for 1858 are : 



Z. S. Raymomb, of Greenfield, President. 

 T. M. Stocghton, Gill, ) rr- i, . , ^ 



Moses Steubins, So. DeerfieW, j ^ ''^^ '^'■^'^*"<-«- 

 James S. Grennell, of Greenfield, Sec. and Treas. 



Franklin County Agricultural Society. 

 — By the considerate attention of James S. 



THE FLOWERS. 



The ancients early remarked that different 

 trees — especially different date trees — produced 

 differently developed flowers. The discrepancy 

 consisted simply in the flowers of one tree being 

 provided with several minute organs, to which 

 botanists apply the term ^'pistils." These trees 

 were, they remarked, invariably destitute of fruit, 

 unless growing in the immediate vicinity of trees 

 differently constituted, and which produces flow- 

 ers differently constructed, and containing in 

 their central organization certain members to 

 which is applied the technical name "stamens." 



The celebrated naturalist, LiNN.EUS, has ar- 

 ranged the whole vegetable kingdom into twen- 

 ty-four classes — each class being distinguished 

 by the number of the generic or sexual organs 

 found in each flower. His system is admirably 

 adapted to assist the memory, and at the same 

 time denotes with accuracy and clearness the 

 analogies of all plants. Philosophers, in every 

 age have indulged in many singular fancies re- 

 garding flowers, and their uses and modes of 

 contributing to the economy of vegetable repro- 

 duction. 



Dr. Darwin, Tiimself a true poet, delighted 

 to contemplate flowers — not in the light and 

 character of mere organized but insentient be- 

 ings, but as possessing a sentient principle, not 

 less real or identifying in its character than the 

 mysterious but strongly distinguishing faculty of 

 instinct in the human soul. Hence his beautiful 

 theory of the "Loves of the Plants" — a theory 

 which could have been suggested only to a mind 

 endued with the richest elements of poesy, and 

 vividly alive to that peculiar species of inspira- 

 tion which the most hidden and recondite recess- 

 es of nature can alone afford. It is much to 

 be regretted that botany has not been more ex- 

 tensively introduced into our common schools. 

 In it the young would find a powerful induce- 



