62 



KEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



row, and just as well calculated to afford com- 

 fort as the fire-place was to afford ■warmth ! 

 As to convenience they had none, and getting 

 in and out of them could only be accomplished 

 by that wonderful flexibility of limb which es- 

 pecially belongs to boys and girls. The books 

 were few and meagre. The philosopJdcal ap- 

 paratus was a huge poker and pair of black 

 tongs, both fashioned on the smith's anvil in 

 the village. Out-of-doors, an abundance of 

 gymnastic exercises was obtained through the 

 agency of certain ponderous wooden shovels 

 which were constantly put in requisition, in 

 order to afford ingress and egress to the door 

 of the house. 



The pursuit of knowledge under such cir- 

 cumstances, or of religious instruction, was 

 certainly a hard, if not ji painful one. To 

 sit two hours in a room surrounded on 

 all sides by large, and loosely fitting win- 

 dows with the thermometer vibrating about 

 zero, if not positively falling below, and 

 where the genial influences of a wood or 

 coal fire had never been felt, would now be 

 considered a hardship that could not be en- 

 dured. Yet such were the circumstances 

 under which many of those now living grew 

 up. It is not necessary to write out the con- 

 trasts. They are afforded in nearly every 

 church and school-house in the land. With 

 their neatly fenced yards and shade trees, 

 they are as attractive outside as they are con- 

 venient and comfortable within. 



If the blessings which these may confer are 

 not improved and appreciated, woe will come 

 to our goodly land. 



It is in rural life where they will be valued 

 most, and it is to rural life that we must 

 look for that purity and patriotism which will 

 preserve our civil and religious freedom and 

 hand them down to generations yet unborn. 



Then there are other changes in farm life no 

 less striking, and which greatly affect the pros- 

 perity of the farmer. Fifty years ago, the 

 winter care of farm stock was looked upon by 

 many as a sort of stern necessity imposed 

 upon the farmer, from which no correspond- 

 ing compensation was derived. Now, all 

 this is plainly seen to have been a mistake, 

 or rather, the want of a proper knowledge of 

 the business in which he was engaged. We 

 have heard persons boast of wintering a cow 

 on one ton of hay ! It was said with an air of 



gratulation, — a feeling of triumph in achieving 

 such a result in economy ! 



The policy seemed to be to keep the stock 

 at the lowest possible cost, take it through the 

 winter, and get it into pasture in the spring, 

 on its own legs ! Under such a course, the 

 cattle and sheep came out lean and lousy, 

 having made little or no growth, and the cows 

 in calf, weak and in miserable condition to 

 feed the young when dropped. The swine had 

 long legs and long noses, and could run like 

 race horses so long as the little strength they 

 had held out. The colts were poor and frow- 

 zy, and had about as much spirit as a sick hen ; 

 walked cross-legged when "stirred up," and 

 with their ears flopping about their eyes. 



Under such treatment, it was no uncommon 

 occurrence for a farmer with six cows, a horse, 

 a colt or two, three or four swine and a dozen 

 sheep, to lose one or two from each class by 

 disease, by accident occasioned by weakness, 

 or from some other cause growing out of mis- 

 management. All this "has changed," now. 

 Two tons of good hay is not thought too 

 much for the winter-feed of a cow, even if 

 roots and a little grain are occasionally added. 

 It is supposed to be economical to keep all 

 stock warm, clean, their apartments ventilated, 

 and their feed given to them at regular times. 

 No one now doubts that all the animals should 

 be kept continually growing in winter as well 

 as summer, and if possible in condition fit for 

 the shambles at all times. In short, true 

 economy. It is believed, consists in liberal 

 feeding, cleanliness, regularity, mild tempera- 

 ture and kind treatment in every respect. 



A brief retrospect of the past, then, in this 

 good month of February, and a fair compari- 

 son of the past with the present, will present 

 numberless encouragements to all to go on 

 with cheerful hearts and a new courage to im- 

 prove both the soil and the mind. 



The Tariff on Wool. — An extensive 

 and very experienced wool broker in New 

 York — one of the large hearted and liberal 

 men in that business — thus writes us : — "Sheep 

 husbandry was never on as good a base as it is 

 now. In Europe fine wool was never as cheap 

 — fair Mestiza being at five to five and a hall 

 pence, and Cape at six to seven pence. 

 Where would our wool growers be if not pro- 

 tected? The stock of fine clothing wool in 

 Europe is terrific." — Bural New Yorker. 



