374 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Aug. 



MORAL. 



We arc anglers all, on the shores of fate, 

 And though often times we may lose our bait, 

 Wc must try it again, and calmly wait, 



Nor be frightened off by showers. 

 ■We may get our fish by the morning light ; 

 We may toil in vain till the shades of niglit ; 

 We may oft get bit — then we may get a bite — 



And the best of luclj be ourg. 



There are many streams where tish are caught ; 

 T!ie streams of trade, and the streams of thought ; 

 Wherever the mind or hand has wrought, 



'Neath the light and smiles of heaven. 

 Let us not forget, as our lines we throw, 

 The Faith and Hope of Jonathan Slow, 

 And may part of our treasures here below 



To the widowed ones be given. 



Portland Arsus. 



PROPER USE OE EXERCISE. 



Those who are able can scarcely take too much 

 exercise of any kind, so that it is kept within the 

 bounds of fatigue. Walking, riding, rowing, 

 fencing, and various games, as fives, tennis, rack- 

 ets, &c., are all to be recommended to those who 

 ar; able to enjoy them. Horse exercise is partic- 

 ularly beneficial when it can be borne, part- 

 ly from the exhilarating effect of rapid mo- 

 tion on the spirits, but principally by the com- 

 plete exoygenation of the blood it leads to, by the 

 gentle exercise of voluntary inspiration it indu- 

 ces. 



Reading aloud and singing, when not carried to 

 excess, are most beneficial exercises, and can be 

 practised by the most infirm. They tend to pro- 

 duce deep inspiration, equal expansion of the 

 lungs, and give free access of air to the smaller 

 divisions of the air passages, thereby decarboniz- 

 ing the blood more rapidly. The lungs, dia 

 phragm, and walls of the chest, are gently but 

 trcely exercised, and the air tubes are freed from 

 obstruction. Like all other organs, those of respi 

 ration acquire power by exercise, and that which 

 at first produces breathlessness is soon performed 

 almost unconsciously, and without fatigue. In 

 all tliese cases and in all gymnastic exercises, care 

 must taken not to hurry the circulation so as to 

 produce either breathlessness or muscular fatigue. 

 — Spencer Wells on Gout. 



Mules vs. Horses. — The following estimate in 

 the difference of expense of keeping Mules and 

 Horses, is made by The Southern Planter, which 

 from our acquaintance with these animals, we can 

 endorse : 



Ten horses will censumoeack 12 bbls. of corn per annum, 

 say for twenty years, which is equal to 2,400 bbls., 

 worth on an average, $2,50 per barrel, $6,000 



Klioeing ten horses will cost %'ii) per annum, (S3 each, or 

 more, which we have to pay,) say fyr twenty years, .... 600 



Cost of feeding on corn and shoeuig ten horses for twenty 

 years, $0,000 



Ten mules will consume each 6 bbls. of corn per annum, 

 say for twenty years, which is equal to 1,200 bbls., 

 worth on an average, $2,50 per barrel — no expense of 

 shoeing $3,000 



.\mount saved in twenty years by mules $3,600 



According to this estimate we save $3,000 in 

 twenty years, or about $200 per annum, by hav- 

 ing mules instead of horses ; and then the mules 

 are much longer-lived and less liable to disease. 



For the New England Farmer. 



AGRICULTURAL FAIRS. 



Mil. Editor : — As the season is approaching 

 when "Fairs"' will attract and take up the time 

 and attention of farmers, a few words may not be 

 out of place. Having been personally interested 

 in agricultural fairs during the last fifteen years, 

 I can speak with some knowledge and confidence 

 in regard to their management and benefits. 

 These institutions have probably during the last 

 fifteen or twenty years done as much or more to 

 sustain and bring about a renovation in agricultu- 

 ral impi'ovements as any other institution. Still 

 a twelve or fifteen years' practice and experience 

 shows us that there is a great need of reform in 

 their management. The general plan of giving 

 out and awarding premiums has become so dull, 

 and monotonous, that the whole proceedings have 

 come to be a complete "stei-eotypcd" affair, so 

 that anything like variety is out of the question. 

 For instance, there is nothing to be gained or 

 learned in giving out large premiums for heavy, 

 fat animals, or krge and lieavy field crops, because 

 this was found out and known years ago. 



And yet it may be a difficult matter to mark 

 out a path to travel in, in this business. We 

 think that the premiums on farms might be so 

 awarded that a real benefit might come outof it- 

 For instance, instead of giving the premiums to 

 the best cultivated farm, as is usual, let the award 

 be made to the farm that shall show the greatest 

 improvement, say in tliree or five years in succes- 

 sion. Of course taking into consideration the 

 amount of labor laid out, the number of acres 

 cultivated, tlie situation of the farm, from mar- 

 kets &c., and the amount of means vvhieh the far- 

 mer has to do with. Li this way, where tlie im- 

 provment were to run from tliree to five years, 

 the farmer of moderate means might stand as 

 good a chance for the premiums as the more 

 wealthy one. That is to say the award in that 

 case would depend more on skill and management 

 than on money and means, although both sliould 

 be combined together to ensure success. Lt a mat- 

 ter of so mucli importance as the managing and 

 arrangingof awards of jiremiums so that all will 

 be satisfied, it is a difficult matter, and we can on- 

 ly give an outline on one or two points. 



Every society must know or learn for them- 

 selves about w'hat management is wanted in their 

 locality to suit or ensure success. Our experience 

 in this business has shown us a great variety of 

 men and minds to suit in connexion with agricul- 

 tural fiiirs. And when the great law of "self 

 st|j.nds out so prominent it is a matter next to im- 

 possible to suit all. For instance we have known 

 a farmer to get disafi'ectcd on the award of a pre- 

 mium of a few dollars on an animal, and with 

 this feeling not to come near the society again for 

 years. And if he ever did come back again, he 

 probably came more to grumble and find fault, 

 than for any good purpose. There was a class of 

 farmers too, who would go to the "fair" and pay 

 their dollar, provided they have anything to show 

 for a premium, and that was the last of it with 

 them. There was another class of farmers who 

 might pay their dollar if called upon, and thus 

 avoided the responsibility as they were never known 

 to attend the meetings of the society, or take any 

 .special interest in its welfare, whatever. There 



