160 



Farmers' Tools. — Go forth into the Country. 



Vol. XL 



manifesting itself in many of the larger or 

 later kinds in immediate and complete rot- 

 tenness, and in otliers, probably of the firmer 

 sorts, causing a dry brownish discolouration 

 under the skin; while in some of the earlier 

 varieties the roots remained sound. The 

 crop we can only estimate as a total failure, 

 although doubtless many of those not en- 

 tirely rotten, may be used for cattle-food or 

 otherwise; while perhaps a twentieth part 

 of tolerably sound potatoes may be selected 

 out of the crop. It is difficult to offer any 

 useful opinion as to the cause of this inscru- 

 table disease : it appears to us to depend on 

 some unusual state of the atmosphere, and 

 we are led to form this opinion from believ- 

 ing that several of our hardy forest trees, 

 ferns, and even the common nettle of the 

 country, appeared by their leaves as if af- 

 fected in a similar manner to those of the 

 potatoe. 



Turnips occupy a large breadth. The 

 crop is very various — on really good turnip 

 soils — where sown in good time — they are 

 fine, while on hard or wet soils they are a 

 poor crop. They have improve! a good deal 

 within the last few weeks. 



There is a considerable quantity of old 

 wheat held by the farmers, but little or none 

 of any other kind of grain. Comparatively 

 high prices will probably rule until another 

 harvest; but we may expect very heavy im- 

 portations of foreign grain, which will serve 

 in some measure to moderate them. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Farmers' Tools. 



To THE Editor, — It is a common saying, 

 as old as one of the Grecian philosophers, 

 that "time is money;" and old Richard said 

 that a " penny saved is as good as two pence 

 earned." Inasmuch as the income of the 

 farmer under ordinary circumstances are 

 slow, and are laboured for in the sweat of 

 his face, before they come at all, it is all-im- 

 portant that his outgoes should be few as 

 possible. In order to reduce them within 

 as narrow limits as practicable, he must 

 make on his farm, and within himself as 

 many of the articles he may need, as he 

 can, without making them cost him more 

 than their actual purchase would. A word 

 to the wise, may be improved upon, and I 

 venture, though perhaps rather deficient in 

 the matter myself, having but little mechan- 

 ical turn, to suggest to my fellow farmers, 

 the importance of providing our sons and 

 labourers with tools, and a convenient place 

 for using them, so that simple articles ne 

 cessary in our business may be made, as 

 well as repairs done at home, without the 



waste of time occasioned by taking them to, 

 or of money in bringing them from the me- 

 chanic. We need hardly be reminded how 

 much may be done in this way in stormy 

 weather by our boys, when they could do 

 but little else. But to carry out these 

 views, a workshop as well as good tools, 

 should be provided. The necessity also of 

 keeping these tools in their places, should 

 not be lost sight of, or habits of carelessness 

 may grow up in youth that will be hardly 

 overcome in manhood. To me the buildings 

 on a farm kept in good repair — the gates 

 and doors, and latches, &c., all as they 

 should be, give a tidy feeling to an observer, 

 and where boys are accustomed to the use of 

 tools, this is apt to be the case. 



Thrifty. 



Go forth into the Country. 



Go forth into the country, 



From a world of care and guile; 

 Go forth to the untainted air, 



And the sunshine's open smile ; 

 It shall clear thy clouded brow — 



It shall loose the worldly coil 

 That binds thy heart too closely up. 



Thou man of care and toil! 



Go forth into the country, 



Where gladsome sights and sounds 

 Make the heart's pulses thrill and leap 



With fresher, quicker bounds. 

 They shall wake fresh life within 



The mind's enchanted bower; 

 Go, student of the midnight lamp, 



And try their magic power. 



Go forth into the country, 



With its songs of happy birds. 

 Its fertile vales, its grassy hills. 



Alive with flocks and herds. 

 Against the power of sadness 



Is its magic all arrayed— 

 Go forth and dream no idle dreams, 



Oh, visionary maid! 



Go forth into the country. 



Where the nuts' rich clusters grow. 

 Where the strawb'ry nestles 'mid the furze, 



And the holly-berries glow. 

 Each season haih its treasures. 



Like the air, all free and wild, — 

 Who would keep thee from the country, 



Tliou happy, artless child 1 



Go forth into the country. 



It hath many a solemn grove. 

 And many an altar on its hills, 



Sacred to peace and love. 

 And whilst with grateful fervour 



Thine eyes its glories scan, 

 Worship the God who made it all. 



Oh holy Christian man ! 



Dublin University Magazine. 



