1855. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



31 



constructed of both wood and iron, and are made 

 in from one to six sections. For common use, I 

 should select one made of wood, with two sections 

 of about two and a half feet each, and about three 

 feet in diameter. 



The horse rake, in its various forms, has proved 

 itself of groat service. With a good mowing 

 machine and a good horse-rake, it would seem 

 that the laborious task of haying might be con- 

 verted into a pleasant amusement. 



There are many other implements which have 

 been recently introduced, and which promise to 

 be valuable aids to the farmer. Among these are 

 the reaper, horse-drill, horse-hoe, &c. 



Valuable improvements have also been made in 

 many of the smaller and more common imple- 

 ments, such as shovels, forks, hoes, &c. It is 

 probably safe to say that double the amount of 

 labor can be performed, in a given time, with 

 such tools as we now have at command, than with 

 those used in by-gone days. 



The whole subject of farm implements, in all 

 its various bearings upon the labors of the farm, 

 is, or should be, one of much interest to every 

 farmer. No farmer or mechanic can perform a 

 good piece of work without good tools, therefore 

 parsimony in this matter is bad economy. 



In no way can a flirmer contribute more to his 

 pleasure, comfort, or success, than by a liberal 

 and judicious expenditure for implements. 



WHAT WILL MAKE A COW GIVE DOWN 

 HER MILK ? 



The inquiry in the American Agriculturist, 

 "What will make a cow give down her milk ?" 

 reminded me of an incident in my own expe- 

 rience. 



We have a fine cow, which goes by the name of 

 Whitey, on account of her color. She gives a 

 large quantity of milk, and of superior quality. 

 Her only fault is, that she is rather too intelli- 

 gent, and knows too well how to look out for her 

 own interests. She is evidently in favor of bov- 

 ine rights, and has no idea of submitting, against 

 her judgment, to the control of man and woman. 

 She can let down the bars of the pasture very 

 nicely, if there are no precautions taken to pre- 

 vent it ; and if the fence is not "legal," she does 

 not consider it worthy her regard. She under- 

 stands the mysteries of latches and hooks ; and, 

 if she has a calf to look after, she knows very 

 well how to retain a suflicient portion of her milk 

 for its nourishment. 



Bridget had been with us several weeks, and I 

 had always given her particular instruction to 

 treat the cow gently, and never strike iier. One 

 day she came to me, and told me that Whitey 

 would not give down her milk. She had tried 

 for some time, and could not get a "sup." I had 

 known the cow so long, that 1 had learned if she 

 was coaxed with a bucket of delicacies, she would 

 for a time forget her calf, and not refuse to yield 

 her milk 



"Vnto the milkmaid's hand ; while in regular cadence 

 Into the sounding pail the foaming streanilets descended." 



So I told Bridget if she would "slop" the cow, 

 she would have no difliculty. She went out, and 

 pretty soon came in again. 



"How have you succeeded this time?" I in- 



quired, expecting her to show a pail of foaming 

 milk. 



"Oh, ma'am," she answered, dolorously, "I 

 slopped her all about the barn-yard, and could 

 get nary a drop." 



"Slopped her about the barn-y.ard ! What 

 does she mean V I said to myself. I inquired in- 

 to the matter, and found she had been "bating" 

 the cow. 



"Why did you do that?" I asked. "I have 

 often told you never to strike her." 



"But you said, ma'am, if I would slop her. 

 she would give down her milk." 



So poor NVhitey had a beating, and Bridget 

 had no milk, because I had used an expression 

 which I had frequently heard, but which she en- 

 tirely misunderstood. If I had told her to give 

 the cow a "mash," she would probably have 

 known what I meant. 



After suitable e^iplanations, Bridget tried a 

 third time, and with much better success. She 

 prepared some food which the cow liked, and as 

 Mooly was not slapped, she stood still, and gave 

 down her milk, Bridget wisely concluding that 

 the way to a cow's heart, as to a child's, is through 

 the mouth. — American Agriculturist. 



THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. 



The best description, which we have seen, of 

 the defence of the city and port of Sebastopol, is 

 one given by* Mr. Scott, a late English traveller, 

 who gives the results of his own observation. — 

 The port consists of a bay, running in a south 

 easterly direction, four miles in depth, a mile 

 wide at the entrance, and narrowing to a quarter 

 of a mile at the end, where a small river enters it. 

 It has an average depth of water of about eight 

 fathoms ; the bottom being of mud in the centre, 

 and of gravel at the sides. The military harbor, 

 where the Black Sea fleet is moored in winter, 

 and where the largest ships may lie with all their 

 store on board, close to the quays, is a mile and 

 a half long, and a quarter of a mile wide. It is 

 land locked on every side. On the east side, near 

 the entrance,fare the naval arsenals and docks. 

 There are besides the commercial and the careen- 

 ing harbors, and outside the entrance is the qua- 

 rantine harbor. 



The port is defended on the south side by six 

 principal batteries aud fortresses, mounting from 

 50 to 100 guns each ; and on the nortii by four 

 witli IS to 120 guns each ; and there are many 

 small batteries in addition. The fortresses are 

 built on the casement principle. Three of them 

 have three tiers of guns, and a fourth two tiers. 

 The largest. Fort Nicholas, mounts about 190 

 guns. Mr. Scott by great interest obtained per- 

 mission to enter this port, lie counted 18G guns. 

 It is built like all other forts, of white limestone; 

 a fine sound stone, wliicli hardens by exposure to 

 the air, and is very durable. Between every two 

 easements are furnaces for heating shot red hot. 

 Mr. Seott measured the calibre of the guns and 

 found it to be eight inches, capable of throwing 

 shells, or 8 Ih. solid shot. VV'e could not say 

 whetner all tlie guns in the fortress Avere of the 

 same size but it was his belief that most of the 

 fortifications were heavily armed. 



At the time of his visit, there were not more 

 than 850 pieces of artillery defending the fort to- 



