178 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Domestic Dtpartmcnt. 



The Educatiox of Farmers' Daughters. — Most 

 of the fanners of our country arc the sons of farm- 

 ers ; and most of their -wives arc the daughtci's of 

 farmers. This shows the propriety of educating our 

 children with reference to our own occupation. The 

 first and most important step towards the improve- 

 ment of the great agricultural community, is the im- 

 provement of the mind, by a proper early education. 

 Until they, as a class, are as well informed as those 

 engaged in other pursuits, they must and will feel a 

 degree of dilHdcnce, a want of confidence in them- 

 selves. The most important duty we have to per- 

 form, cither as parents or citizens, is that of properly 

 educating and bringiiig up our children. Until the 

 farmers so discharge that duty, as that their descend- 

 ants rank oi^ual with those engaged in other pursuits, 

 they will be guilty, as they too long have been, of a 

 great dereliction of duty. 



I am well pleased to -see, of late, able articles in 

 our journals, on the subject of giving our sons an 

 agricultural education ; but this should be coupled 

 with a good common education, at least. I am prov- 

 ing the Avant of this, in. almost every sentence I 

 write. 



"We should also remember, that the education of 

 our daughters is of equal importance, and that com- 

 mon justice requires that we give them an equal 

 chance with our sons. It is true, our women do not 

 vote at our elections, or hold political offices, or man- 

 age the out-door concerns of the farm ; but it is 

 equally true, that they exercise their full share of 

 influence in all our concerns. They have the mould- 

 ing, direction, and training the minds of our chil- 

 dren — the boys to the age of ten or twelve, and the 

 girls to a much greater age ; and nature has admi- 

 rably fitted them for the performance of this impor- 

 tant duty. Their earlj' impressions, derived from the 

 mother, are indelibly fixed in their minds, and have 

 great weight in forming their future characters. 

 Most of us, who had a mother living after w-e 

 became old enough to recollect, can well remember 

 the fine sympathetic feelings she possessed, and 

 taught us ; and these are among the noblest feelings 

 of the human heart. We can also well recollect the 

 rigid principles of morality taught us by her, and 

 the lasting impression they made on our minds. If 

 •we look about among our acquaintance, we shall sec 

 that wherever there is a well-educated, intelligent 

 mother, there is also an intelligent family of children. 

 And this is a much more important matter, than the 

 rearing of fine, high-blooded animals with four legs. 



If we will divest ourselves of pride and prejudice, 

 and examine coolly, we shall see that our women 

 liave greater influence over us, than Ave are generally 

 willing to admit. 



Nor is the importance of educating our daughters 

 less in a pecuniary, than in a moral and intellectual 

 point of view. Much of the success, prosperity, and 

 comfort of every farmer, depends upon the manage- 

 ment of his in-door concerns, by his wife. There is 

 no occupation in which intelligent women are more 

 useful than that of farming. If wc will look about 

 among our acquaintance, we shall see that wherever 

 there is a wife of the right stamp, if the husband 

 possesses ordinary ability and industry, they Mill be 

 prosperous. If I am right in this, it shows the ne- 

 cessity of properly educating our daughters, and cjic- 

 ing them a i^rojier traitiing in all matters that relate to 

 good housewifery. Let us fit them to make good 

 farmers' wives, and they will answer for those en- 

 gaged in other pursuits. "NVe should first attend to 

 the useful and substantial part — that well done, if we 

 can afford it, to do something by way of the orna- 



mental. But it is feared that some of our farmers 

 pay too little attention to the former, and too much 

 to the latter. 



A young lady, with ever so fashionable an educa- 

 tion, if she possessed no knowledge of the kitchen, and 

 the different departments of housekeeping, however 

 well she might show off" in the parlor or drawing- 

 room, would make a farmer a very unsuitable com- 

 panion ; she would not be worth as much as Lot's 

 wife after she became salified, because he could pro- 

 cure from her salt for his porridge. 



The first and most important step is, to make our 

 common schools good. If this is neglected, the great 

 middling class of farmers, and almost all the poorer 

 class of people, will fail in giving their children a 

 proper education. "NVe should make our common 

 schools such that our scholars can go from them 

 direct to the academy, to good advantage, or procure 

 a good common education without. "\Vheu this is 

 done, we shall have an intelligent agricultural com- 

 munity. A FAllMER. 

 — Chickopee Telegraph. 



To CLEAN Knives. — Charcoal, ground to powder, 

 is one of the best things ever discovered for this 

 purpose. 



|)outl/s Drpartmcut. 



Good Society. — It should be the aim of young 

 men to go into good society. "We do not mean the 

 rich, the proud, and fashionable, but the society of 

 the wise, the intelligent, and the good. Where you 

 find men that know more than you do, and from 

 whose conversation one can gain information, it is 

 always safe to be found. It has broke down many a 

 man by associating w^ith the low and vulgar — where 

 the ribald song was inculcated, and the indecent 

 story, to excite laughter, and influence the bad pas- 

 sions. Lord Clarendon has attributed his success 

 and happiness in life to associating with persons 

 more learned and virtuous than himself. If you 

 wish to be respected, if you desire happiness and not 

 misery, we advise you to associate with the intelli- 

 gent and good. Strive for mental excellence, and 

 strict integrity, and you never will be found in the 

 sinks of pollution, and on the benches of retailers 

 and gamblers. Once habituate yourself to a vir- 

 tuous course — once secure a love of good society — 

 and no punishment would be greater than by acci- 

 dent to be obliged, for a half a day, to associate with 

 the low and vulgar. 



(5caltl) Department. 



Individual Odor. — Bathing. — The quantity of 

 heat, perspiration, or moisture continually passing 

 from the body is very great. Frequent exposure of 

 the naked body to the air, changes of clothing, and 

 bathing, are necessary to health. No person can be 

 considered cleanly without their observance. 



" It may shock the feelings of a young lady," says 

 Mrs. Farrar, in her Young Lady's Friend, "to be 

 told that this large quantity of matter which is con- 

 stantly passing ott' through the skin, has an individ- 

 ual odor, more or less disagreeable in different per- 

 sons. Now, each person is so accustomed to his own 

 atmosphere, that he is no judge of his odor ;_ but, 

 since most persons can recollect some of their friends 



