1869. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



261 



and fret at tliem most of the time, and find 

 fault about the manner in which they do their 

 work. They never tdk over their plans of op- 

 eratiins wirh their men, but seem to take pri je 

 in keeping them ignorant of what they are to 

 do until "ordered to take hold of some partic- 

 ular job, which they are to go at, as slaves go 

 to thtir tasks, without thought or responsi'ul- 

 itj', other than to do as they are bid. This is 

 too much like slavery for me. Even hired 

 men dislike to be treated as machines, or as 

 animals without judgment, skill, or thought 

 of their own. Confidence begets confidence; 

 distrust engenders di-.trust; or at least such 

 has been my exp rience. Show your hired 

 man that you have contidenco in him ; ask his 

 opinion a our the woilv in hand, and so fir 

 as is consistent with your plans, throw him on 

 his own resources and allow him to proceed 

 in his own way, s^nd on liis own personal 

 responsibility, or give him your reasons in a 

 pleasant and respectful manner for preferring 

 a different C(iui>e, and he goes at his task with 

 different fei li'igs from those wliich are exci eJ 

 by orders and directions so minute as tj be- 

 wilder, and so peremptory as to provoke. A ;' 

 common fault witli employers is too much or- 

 dering — one cotnmai.d follows another with 

 such nipidity that tne employed hardly knows 

 or cares wh't he do"s, so that the last or'ier 

 or command is observed. As a sample of this 

 kind of ordering, I ofcm think of a woman of r:. 

 my a quaintancn who ordered her hir. d girl, ^ 

 who was house cleaning, to put some soft toap 

 on a varnished door, and before she had hard- 

 ly tinished do ng so, ordered her to get the 

 potatoes and wlis'i t lem for dinner, and then 

 on finding th' v raisli injured, discharged hir 

 for leaving the soap on the door, or, as she 

 expressed it, for not obeying orders! 



If y<;u want good lu ip tieat them like men, 

 allow them occasionally a day of recreation, 

 and if convenient a team when desired. If 

 they do well, be not atVaid to pi'aise th"m ; if 

 they do wronir, tell them so in kind woids, 

 and show them the better way. Fretting and 

 scolding does you little good and them much harm 

 generally. j. h. k. 



Barre, Vt., March 24, 18G9. 



,/,« 



RAISE THE CALVES. 



Just sav to the readers of the Farmer that they 

 had licit r !ai>e iheii- calves this season than to 

 sell them to 'le earned i.tf on the cars, just because 

 they are offered a good price for the n at one or 

 two weeks old. 1 raisid one year twenty- five 

 calves and had imly five cow-;, and did not lose a 

 calf. I t> d I lieni porridge, and found whe:it ground 

 without i'f)Itiig, t>ran and all, the best material to 

 make it of, as cilve^ will Ijear more of it than of 

 any otbt r grail, wuhout scouring. I have n/ver 

 known cows to sell so high as they do this spring; 

 we canr (It <.ctih<' best here for less than a hun- 

 dred ilclLirs each. I think it will pay to rai^e 

 caivPb C. C. Kimball. 



North Haver/all, X. H., March 27, 18o9. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 THE CRIMSON CLOVER, 



I remember seeing in your columns, some years 

 since, a cut of a very handsome sptci'S t'f clover. 

 Can you inlbrm me wheth' r it is more desiiabJe 

 than the ordinary kinds, and if so, how it stands 

 our climate, and where I can obtaiu the seed ? 



Maine, March 29, IbGO. J. M. p. 



— The idea that the extreme ends, or spongioles, 

 of the roots supply all or most of the plant food 

 for the free is (ontroverted by Mr. Suel Foster, in 

 the Westtrn Rural. He says that while the tree 

 is growing all the roots, the stalk, branches and 

 leaves are at work, and he believes that every part 

 of the root coming in contact with the moist soil 

 absorbs moisture, and that in all this moisture 

 there is plant food. 



Remarks. — This clover, — Trifolium Incar- 

 natum of the botanists, — Las been grown in 

 the Experimental (iarden of the Agricultual 

 Department at Washington, and its seeds 

 have been disseminated tberefron. One of our 

 neighbors in Concorl, Mxss., sowed a little 

 parcel received by him from Washington, on 

 the edge of a corn field. It grew luxuriantly, 

 and was much liked by some horses and colts 

 that got a taste of it. A basketful was gath- 

 ered for seed, but none of it germinated, and 

 that left in the field was fed so closely that 

 none of it appeared again. It is said to be an 

 Italian plant, and that it has been grown to 

 considerable extent in Scotland for soiling 

 and hay. It has also been cultivated as a 



