406 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



doorplace. If sitting, be so impolite as to keep 

 your feet off the floor — but not on the top of the 

 stove or on the mantel. 



There is safety on a bed of feathers, of husks, 

 of hair or straw ; on a haymow, or on a pile of 

 shavings if dry. If anxious to try an electrical ex- 

 periment, stay out in the rain till your clothes 

 are wet, then lean up against the body of a tree, 

 in an open field — the taller the tree the bettei*, or 

 stand in the outer door-way with your hands 

 raised to the lintel. r. b. h. 



Springvak, Me., July, 1854. 



Remarks. — (a.) We are not aware that we 

 have made such an "admission." We certainly 

 agree in the general principles laid down by our 

 correspondent, and should be sorry to lessen the 

 confidence of our readers in the utility of light 

 ning rods, ivhen properly put up. 



ANALYSIS OF SOILS, 



Mr. S. W. Johnson, who is now engaged in 

 chemical investigations under Liebig at Munich, 

 has an able and elaborate article on this subject 

 in the Country Gentleman, in which he sums up 

 as follows : 



I do not doubt that in very many cases a care- 

 ful investigation of a soil — chemical, physical and 

 !iistorical — by a genuine and scientific farmer — 

 uno, familiar at once with science and practice — 

 vould afford safe and nearly accurate data for its 

 1 roper treatment. But this would be always ex- 

 pensive, and in nine cases out of ten, would not 

 pay. Soil analysis, at the best, is a chance game; 

 nndivhere one ivins, a hundred may lose. It is the 

 royal road to what, the farmer should reach by 

 study, and a profound understanding of natural 

 laws. By this is meant that it is no practicable 

 road, not one which should be often trodden by 

 the man of moderate means ; although it may be 

 entered upon by the wealthy and curious, who 

 have no need to work in order to eat. A soil-an- 

 alysis is always interesting, often valuable, rare- 

 ly economical. It may amuse the amateur, and 

 instruct the philosopher, but for the farmer its 

 value is small, if he has to pay for it. It is only 

 by the application of the general principles which 

 may ])ejdevelopcd from numerous analyses, that he 

 can hope to bo directly benefited. 



But wiiat shall the farmer do? Shall he grope 

 in the dark? No! But let him beware of false 

 lights which are now a-days hanging out in abund- 

 ance. Let him beware of taking advice from two 

 dangerous cliaracters ; — the conceited farmer who 

 knows a little science, and the officious philosopher 

 who knows a little farming. 



It is far more difficult to warn against a course 

 that is unsafe, than to point out one that will 

 lead to desirable ends. Practice must accomplish 

 many of her ends in her own ways for a long time 

 to come. She should thank science for rebuking 

 her errors, and should reject them as they become 

 manifest. She should accept the light that sci- 

 ence sheds upon her path, though the rays be those 

 of a taper. Science should carry herself modestly, 

 as befits her youth, and not talk too loudly on all 

 occasions of old-fogyism vs. progress. She should 

 remember her f^iilings. The sister of GO centuries, 

 and she of tender years, should join hands, and 



walk harmoniously together towards the fields of 

 promise that lie in the fruitful coming time. 



ELEGANT BALLAD. 



'Tvras on a cliff, whose rocky base 



Baffled the briny wave ; 

 Wliose cultured height, their verdant store 



To many a tenant gave. 



A mother, led by rustic cares, 



Had wandered with her child ; 

 TJnweaned the babe — yet on the grass 



He frolicked and he smiled. 



With what delight the mother glowed 



To mark the infant's joy ; 

 How oft would pause amid her toil 



To contemplate her boy. 



Yet soon by other cares estranged, 

 Her thoughts the child forsook ; 



Careless he wantoned on the ground, 

 Nor caught his mother's look. 



Cropped was each flower, that met his eye, 

 Till scrambling o'er the green, 



He gained the cliff's unsheltered edge, 

 And pleased, surveyed the scene. 



'Twas now the mother, from her toil. 



Turned to behold her child : — 

 The urchin gone ! — her cheeks were flushed 



Her wandering eye was wild. 



She saw him on the cliff's rude brink — 



Now careless peeping o'er — 

 He turned, and to his mother smiled 



Then sported as before. 



Sunk was her voice — 'twas vain to fly — 

 'Twas vain the brink to brave — 



Nature ! it was thine alo 

 To prompt the means to save. 



She tore her 'kerchie ffrom her breast. 



And laid her bosom bare ; 

 He saw, delighted — left the brink, 



And sought to banquet there. 



For the New England Farmer. 



HOW TO USE MEADOW MUUK. 



Mr. Editor : — In the July number of the Far- 

 mer, under the head of "Meadow Muck and 

 Lime," and over the signature of "Young Far- 

 mer," I find an important inquiry, — "How can I 

 use an inexhaustible bed of decayed vegetation to 

 best advantage ? Can I make a compost by mix- 

 ing lime with it, that will produce corn, rye and 

 other crops ? ' ' 



As I am under obligation to my brethren of the 

 "farmer family," I should be guilty of a culpa- 

 ble neglect of duty, if I should not take an ear- 

 ly opportunity to give my experience and judg- 

 ment on the subject, and so you have it for what 

 it is worth . 



Put so much muck in the barn-yard, hog-pen 

 and other proper places as will absorb the juices 

 and then, instead of drawing 50 loads to a com- 

 post heap and adding thereto lime, ashes, or oth- 

 er materials, and expending much hard labor in 

 mixing, reloading and spreading, draw in the au- 

 tumn or winter mouths, 100 or more loads to the 

 acre, spread it upon the land evenly as j-^ou draw 

 it, that it may have the action of the frosts to 

 pulverize it — then plow and plant first to potatoes 

 — use plenty of ashes on the potatoes to prevent 

 the rot, a handful on each hill Avhere they first 



