IG 



THE FARMERS CABINET. 



VOL. 1. 



and hurrying, which tend to irritate the tem- 

 per, avoided. By pursuing tiiis method, the 

 numerous cares in a farmer's family are ren- 

 dered easy and agreeable, and to a woman 

 who has been properly instructed, and who 

 has a knowledge of her own concerns, it is a 

 source of peculiar satisfaction to know, that 

 what she requires of iicr domestics, is consis- 

 tent with liie obligations they arc under to 

 her. 



The mistress who treats them with mild- 

 ness and suitable attention, is generally much 

 better served, than she who treats them with 

 harshness and severity. Their love and at- 

 tacliment create a desire to please, and these 

 mutual interest? contribute very much to the 

 quietude and happiness of all around. 



By this mode of procedure, there is much 

 time for literary pursuits, which are highly 

 important. 



It is from the mother, that the early educa- 

 tion of children is mostly received. It is the 

 example at home that will educate them: — 

 your conversation, the business they see you 

 transact, the likings and dislikings they hear 

 you express; these will educate them, em- 

 ploy what teachers we may. The influence 

 at iiome will have the mightiest influence in 

 education. 



[Schoolmasters may cultivate the intellect, 

 but the things done and said at home, are bu- 

 sy agents in forming the character; hence the 

 importance of our families being well regu- 

 lated ; and if a mother would faithfully per- 

 form her duty to her offspring, she must be 

 willing to make many sacrifices. The com- 

 fort and unprovement of her family must be 

 her principal object. Social visiting and vir- 

 tuous intercourse with those we love, are 

 some of the greatest comforts of life, yet 

 even these must be under such restrictions 

 that nothing may suffer from her absence. 



While her children are young, and their 

 minds susceptible of suitable impressions, 

 she should sow the seeds of virtue, benevo- 

 lence, and all those amiable qualities that will 

 in riper years, render them honourable and 

 dignified in their pursuits, respectable and use- 

 ful members of community, and virtuous and 

 exemplary heads of families.— • Cultivator. 



Culture of tlic Ruta Baga. 



The following is an account of the me- 

 thod I pursued in the cultivation of Ruta 

 Baga. I sowed three-fourths of an acre, the 

 most of which had been well manured the 

 year preceding: soil, a deep sandy loam. 

 The land was ploughed three times, and then 

 thrown into low ridges, about twenty inches 

 apart. These were smoothed down with a 

 hoe, and a man followed witii a sharpened 

 stick to make a light drill in the top of the 

 .ridge. Tlie seed was sown in these drills 



with a tin cup, which had two small holes 

 punched in the bottom ; in the top was fixed 

 a tight wooden cover, to which was attached 

 an upright handle two feet in length. The 

 sower should walk at an even pace, shaking 

 tiie cup gently. A boy followed him with a 

 light roler, which completed the work. Se- 

 veral rows were sown on the ridges as they 

 were left by the plough, and no difference 

 could be observed between them and the oth- 

 ers. A rain however followed the sowing. 

 Had it continued dry, I doubt whether these 

 rows would have succeeded as well as the 

 others. I used a pound of seed. This I am 

 aware would be considered a great deal ; — 

 but the cost of the seed is trifling in compari- 

 son with the value of the privileges of having 

 a plant just where we want it. As soon as 

 they were in the rough leaf, I thinned them 

 out at from eight to twelve inches distance 

 from each other. 



1834. Exj)ensc of Cultivation. 

 4 mo. 26 — Ploughing | of a day, 128. 

 2 — do. do. do. 



30 — do. ^ day, do. 



30 — Ridging, ^ day, do. 

 30 — ^ day sowing, 3 men and 

 1 boy, at 5s. 

 Seed, 1 lb. 8s. 

 7 " 12— Weeding and thinning, 12 



days, 5s. 

 7 " 21— Weeding, 2| days, 5s. 

 8" 16— do. 1^ days, 5s. 



9 " 8 — Drawing from the ground, 

 5 days, 5s. 



Covering, 1 day, 5s. 

 Interest on land at $50 

 per acre, 



Cr. 

 By 40 bushels, sojd at 2s. 

 By 486 do. certainly worth Is. 



6" 

 6" 

 6" 

 6" 



526 bushels, $70 75 



Net gain, $49 88 



But in my opinion, when corn is worth 50 

 cents the bushel, turneps ought not to be es- 

 timated as low as 12^ cents. I have not, how- 

 ever, made experiments suSiciently decisive 

 to show what the relative value is, but I have 

 fattened three oxen upon them, and those 

 who had opportunities of judging, acknow- 

 ledged that animals could hardly thrive better 

 than they did. 



I think, unless for house use, they should 

 not be sown later than the 15th of 6tli mo. — 

 The finst weeding was put off much too long 

 — labor more than double on that account. — 

 They should be sown '2h or 3 feet apart, that 

 the cultivator may be used. 



WM. R. SxMlTH. 



Macedon, 3 mo. 6, 1835. 



