538 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



"Dec. 



young pear trees, plums, quinces, and various 

 shrubs, are clustering- about each other, and seem to 

 have a mutual understanding that they will resist 

 the Winter together like a company of friends in 

 adversity, who -srill support and encoiu-age one 

 other to the last. Sometimes, if the snows have 

 not come, and the sun looks kindly into the gar- 

 den, a bright Pansy may be seen even in Decem- 

 ber, half-hidden mider a friendly leaf, but peeping 

 out into the world at mid-day ; or a few Chrysan- 

 themums may still linger, their various-colored 

 stars looking like faded imitations of the gay, glar- 

 ing China-aster. Here, too, may flit a bird, linger- 

 ing too long in his summer home, or perchance one 

 from higher regions north, the pioneer of thousands 

 yet to come. The currant and gooseberry bushes, 

 the climbing plants, the raspberry canes, bending 

 then" long tops gracefull}- to the earth, with the 

 edges of box along the paths, and here and there 

 the arbor ^ita^, the pine, fii- or spruce breaking the 

 north winds and sheltering the more tender plants, 

 give the garden an aspect of warmth and attractive- 

 ness, amid the general decay which prevails on the 

 farm. 



December is a merry Month, after all. Dreai-y 

 fields, bare forests, cold and snow and winds only 

 compel us to seek Avithin, the enjoyments which 

 the Summer presented to us from without. So we 

 find the heart turning to itself for a compensation 

 for what it has lost in the wonderful drapery of the 

 earth, in soft winds, refreshing showers, singing 

 birds, and the joy manifested in the summer season 

 by all animated creation. Now we have a compar- 

 ative exemption from labor, bright iires and cheer- 

 ful hearths ; gathered households and happy re- 

 unions, weddings, and the delightful contemplation 

 of full granaries and cellars and barns, and the hope 

 that all the dear ones entrusted to our care may 

 share in the products of the farm, so bountifully 

 provided by Him who never fails to pour into the 

 lap of honest Industry a due reward. 



This has been so in all time, and it is cm-ious to 

 obsjerve what a wonderful power man has to create, 

 as it were, by turning to himself, a compensation 

 for that which is lost by the operations of nature, 

 and over which he has no control. So December 

 is a merry month — having its merry meetings 

 throughout our land, and its "Wish j-ou merry 

 (Christmas," on every tongue. In describing the 

 customs of the people, English history is full of in- 

 teresting accounts of their enjoyments in Decem- 

 ber, and what is remarkable, and what it would be 

 well for us to imitate, their ceremonies and happy 

 gatherings were always in reference to the Harvest, 

 and their expressions of gratitude were mingled in 

 their games and diversions of every land. They 

 had foot-balls, matches, races, dancing, wrestling, 

 climbing, singmg and story-telling. Matches Avere 

 made and maidens were married, and those who 



had no "gay Lothario" to call their own, would 

 sometimes indulge in attempting to divine the name 

 of the man they were to marry, in various Avays, 

 One was for the girls to go to the wood-pile, and 

 each draw a faggot-stick ; if the stick was straight 

 and nice, then the future husband Avould be good- 

 tempered and kind, but if the stick Avere crooked, 

 then the husband Avould be a "hard customer," and 

 lead them a crooked life. 



Old Barnaby Googe renders this account into 

 metre, and it niay be interesting to some of om* 

 unmarried readers to see it, and is as follows : — 



"Unto some woodstacke do they go, 



and Tvhile they there do stande . 

 Eche one draws out a faggot sticke 



the next that comes to hande, 

 Which if it straight and even be, 



and have no knots at all, 

 A gentle husband then they tliinke, 



shall surely to them fall. 

 But if it foulle and crooked be, 



and knotted here and theare, 

 A crabhed, churlish husband then, 



they earnestly do feare." 



So they had many similar festivals in France, 

 which were abrogated by the revolution, but reviv- 

 ed by Buonajjarte, he apjireciating the influence of 

 such customs upon the people. 



Our Initial Letter, at the head of this article, in- 

 dicates something of the old customs. The Har- 

 vest is gathered — all the gods of the Seasons have 

 smiled upon us, Ceres, Pomona and old Cybele 

 herself — so that our garners are full, and here they 

 are being presented, perhaps by some of the god- 

 desses themselves, after having exhausted all the 

 mysteries of the culinary art in their preparation. 

 Come, then, to the feast, earned by your Industry 

 and Skill. Welcome, December, storm and bluster 

 as you will, come with snoAV and hail and Cimme- 

 rian darkness, if you please, you cannot touch the 

 cheerful hearts that have gathered the Harvest and 

 spread this bountiful board. With our thanks first 

 to the Giver of the Sunshine and the Rain, and 

 next to the A\illing and efficient partners of om- 

 toil, we gladly sing out the last days of the Old 

 Year, and trustfully await the advent of the New. 



As we have intimated above, the engagements 

 of the farmer are not now so pressing as in some 

 of the other months, but still, Avork may always 

 be found, and one important item is in regard to 

 the 



Maxure Heaps. — As., in our climate, planting 

 time is short, every thing should be done that may 

 be, to favor the labor of that period. All the ma- 

 nure that can be got at, should be removed to the 

 fields where wanted. While severe frost prevails, 

 it will not be injured by the sun and air, and as soon 

 as the surface of the earth around the heap is 

 thaAved, the heap may be covered. Hauling manure 

 in the spring, when it is Avet and heavy, and when 

 the roads and fields are easily cut up, Avhen ploAv- 



