560 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Dec, 



made into beautiful wax candles. It melts at a 

 temperature of 110 degress, and affords an excel- 

 lent light. 



All of these substances we learn by the Plough, 

 Loom and Jinvil, are now made from the soft coal 

 found in Kentucky, and manufactured by the Breck- 

 inridge coal company at Cloversport, in that State. 

 They have twelve retors in operation day and night, 

 consuming eight or ten tons of coal every twenty- 

 four hours. , 



One can hardly realize, as he takes a lump of 

 heavy smutty coal in his hand, that he holds con- 

 centrated therein all these differeut ingredients 

 chained within, and which a little heat properly ap- 

 plied, will liberate and present in their separate 

 forms, ready for the several purposes to which they 

 are adapted. — Maine Farvier. 



For the New England Farmer. 



IHELUEHCES OF FASMIHG. 



A few weeks since, I contributed an article on 

 the above subject. I did not suppose, appealing as 

 I did to reason and practical experience, that a sin- 

 gle farmer would controvert my statements. And 

 there has not; but an article from E. H. S., of 

 North Wayland, lately appeared, by which he at- 

 tempts to prove them fallacious, and farming a 

 loathsome employment. I have intimated that I 

 thought him not a farmer. If he is one, he must 

 be a pitiable object ; and his farm everywhere bear 

 the mai'ks of neglect and ill-directed toil, where 

 the "horse and patient ox" would be the more wil- 

 ling, if not the more interested laborers. I pro- 

 pose to offer a few remarks on his article, not ap- 

 pealing to the "fancy," nor indulging in lamenta- 

 tions. 



He says it is one thing to gaze upon an edifice 

 in admiration, another to erect it. Allowed. But 

 who gazes upon it with so much admiration and 

 pleasure as its builders? They feel, as they survey 

 it in all its beauty and grandeur, that it is an off- 

 spring of their mechanical genius. And they are 

 justly proud ; but the casual observer experiences 

 no pleasure only as it approaches his idea of beau- 

 ty, and elegance ; and it awakens no deeper emo- 

 tions than would a beautiful landscape. Again, the 

 farmer in his labor-field is away from bustling cares. 

 His soul, unfettered, can appreciate, a> well as 

 others, ail the varied beauties of nature. How 

 the curse can particularly affect farming, is more 

 than I can see. God, in pronouncing it, would 

 not be likely to expatiate on its beauties, any more 

 than would a judge in passing sentence of death 

 upon a criminal. And as all mankind, directly or 

 indirect!y,receive their subsistence from the ground, 

 the curse of that would effect all. And friend E. 

 H. S. will not escape his portion in leaving farm- 

 ing. He is in an error, also, as to farming being 

 dependent on physical strength, for those who in- 

 troduce the most mental labor into their arrange- 

 ments, are the most successful. As to mechanics, 

 but very few are fortunate enough to be the auth- 

 ors of "wonderful inventions." The majority of 

 them must labor day by day for their livelihood ; 

 and as a chiss will not compare in wealth with farm- 

 ers. Our opinions of a class should be based, not 

 on exceptions, but generalities. 



Again, he limits the farmer's health and length 



of days to certain circumstances. The tables of 

 longevity place the farming community the highest 

 in their present circumstances, even. Here he 

 states that nine-tenths of the farming community 

 are loaded with debts, struggling to obtain a live- 

 lihood. An inventory of property will show them, 

 as a class, to be in more comfortable circumstances 

 than any other. I admit there are exceptions. 

 Some, having but little money, will purchase a 

 large farm. Others cultivate too much land, while 

 some will be poor in any occupation. After saying 

 this, he complains of their want of mental stimulus. 

 I should think a man loaded with debts would 

 have sufficient of this. If mental labor coun- 

 terbalances the advantage of physical exercise, 

 why do we not hear of an equal number giving up 

 farming, as study, on account of ill-health. Com- 

 pare a hard student with a rugged farmer, or sturdy 

 back-woodsman, and how does his statement ap- 

 pear ? 



Again, though the farmer may occasionally lose 

 a crop, it does not make him insolvent; his land 

 remains, and succeeding seasons will compensate 

 for his loss. Besides, the potato crop is not the 

 only staple product. Such meadows as he m«^n- 

 lions are owned but by few farmers, and those in 

 his section should not directly attribute the bless- 

 ing of their loss to the hand of Heaven, but to the 

 owners of Billerica dams. 



I have thus briefly, endeavored to state the real- 

 ity without "gloss or poetry." There are argu- 

 ments for farming against which sophistry will not 

 avail. It is an occupation engaged in by the larg- 

 est part of the civilized world. On that is based 

 its social fabric. And by the innate laws of hu- 

 man nature, it presents itself to the unprejudiced 

 mind as a worthy and pleasant pursuit. 



Visit, ye scoffers at farming, the home of a per- 

 severing, enterprising farmer, one who devotes to 

 it the energies of an intelligent mind ; his farm, in- 

 dicative of thrift and energy, is a place where the 

 visitor would willingly linger, while the taste dis- 

 played in his dwelling, his well-assorted library, 

 make home attractive, and pleasant. Then, tell 

 me, if there is no happiness in farming. 



October 22, 1857. L. H. ShermAjST. 



To Save Tools, &c., from Rusting.— The fol- 

 lowing is an exceedingly simple, cheap and effec- 

 tive preparation, one available to all, which will at 

 least save all metals from loss by rust. 



Talie about three pounds of lard and one pound 

 of resin. Melt them together in a basin or kettle, 

 and rub over all iron or steel surfaces in danger of 

 being rusted. It can be put on with a brush or 

 piece of cloth, and wherever it is applied it most ef- 

 fectually keeps air and moisture away, and of course 

 prevents rust. When knives and forks, or other 

 household articles, liable to become rusted or spot- 

 ted, are to be laid away, rub them over with this mix- 

 ture, and they will come out bright and clean even 

 years afterwards. The coating may be so thin as not 

 to be perceived, and it -will still be effectual. Let 

 every one keep a dish of this preparation on hand. 

 As it does not spoil of itself, it may be kept ready 

 mixed for months or years. Me?n. — Fresh lard, 

 containing no salt, should be used. Ilesin is a cheap 

 article, and may be obtained almost anywhere^ for 

 four to six cents per pound. — American Agricul- 

 turist. 



