256 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



BOYS AND GIRLS. 



The times have indeed sadly changed. One en- 

 tire portion of human life is strncli out. It is now 

 babyhood or manliood. There is no conserrative 

 state — (we do not spenlj politically.) Once there 

 Were intermediate states of bqyhood — bare footed 

 and bean-porridge eating state — a spelling and cy- 

 phering period — when there were hoys to do the 

 chores and go errands — when apprentice inden- 

 tures were in fashion, and ihe line between boy- 

 hood and manhood well defined by the " freedojn 

 suit." But there are no such things now. The 

 child steps out of his diaper and frock into a long- 

 tailed coat, and high-heeled boots. He exchanges 

 the nipple for the cigar. Not one of the present 

 generation has ever seen a real, bona fide " nine- 

 day-old" pot of bean porridge; Noah Webster's 

 spelling book is crowded out of school by high 

 works on philosophy and metaphysics. There arc 

 no apprentices now. Young men lake a few les- 

 sons in the trade they fancy, and set up for them- 

 selves. 



But the present generation is as destitute of girls 

 as of boys. It is either baby or lady — clout or 

 '' bustle" — nursery or parlor. The mother tends 

 her infant, or waits upon her daughter. Instead of 

 spinning flax for tlieir father's shirt, they reel silk 

 for the ladies' fair; and instead of knitting stock- 

 ings and mending trowsers for their brothers, they 

 work lace and make stays for themselves. Tlie 

 mother milks, churns, mends, washes and irons, and 

 their daughters — the "ladies" — read novels, dress, 

 and make and receive calls. They make parties, 

 instead of puddings, and cook by the book, rather 

 than from knowledge. 



We should be delighted to see a generation of 

 boys and girls — in looks, actions, and dress — we 

 should then hope for health and streUL'th, industry 

 and sobriety, frugality and economy, prosperity and 

 happiness. We go for protection to this class 

 of our community. Every father should im- 

 pose a tarifl^, one that should amount to an entire 

 prohibition, on the introduction of fashionable fol- 

 lies into the family. He should protect and enforce 

 home industry. He and his wife and children 

 should enter into a " Home League" on the sub- 

 ject. This is the tarifl^that will restore confidence. 

 This is the bank that will freely discount and nev- 

 er suspend. — Alexandria Index. 



"KICKING FROLIC." 



In some of the new counties in the Western 

 country, they occasionally get up a nice bit of fun, 

 which is there termed a "Kicking Frolic." Nev- 

 er having attended one of these back-woods " stntn- 

 pedes," we were entirely at a loss as to their object, 

 or the manner in which they are carried on, until 

 we met with the following description going the 

 round of the papers. It seems that having no 

 fulling mills in the new districts, whenever a fine 

 piece of cloth is taken from the loom, a ''kicking 

 frolic" is got up, which amounts to the same thing 

 as one of the formur machines in the long run, al- 

 though the modus operandi is by hand, or rather by 

 foot. But we wUl let one who has taken a kick ut 

 a piece of cloth, tell his own story : 



" The young folks of both sexes congregate from 

 the whole settlement, on a certain evening, for this 

 purpose, and the girls particularly look with as 

 much anxiety for the ftlc as any of the city belles 



could possibly feel for the approach of their most 

 magnificent balls. When the guests are all assem- 

 bled, and the usual preliminarus passed, the host 

 enters with the newly wove cloth, and carefully 

 spreads it over the floor. He then covers it com- 

 pletely with that delectable siihstance yclept 'soft 

 soap,' which, saturating it throughout, renders it in 

 order for the commencement of the sport. Then 

 the fun begins. The Indies dnest their feet of all 

 their covering, and tuck up thr .-^kirts of their dress 

 to a convenient height ; then the gents, with the ut- 

 most nonchalance, draw off thoir boots, pull off their 

 stockings, and roll up their pantaloons to a corres- 

 ponding height. Thus accoutred, the whole com- 

 pany form a circle upcm the outspread cloth, seated 

 upon chairs, each one holding on to a rope passed 

 round the circle, somewhat after the manner that 

 youngsters perform the play of Copenhagen. Then 

 the kicking commences, and the soap-suds fly a- 

 round, until the faces and clothes of the 'kickers,' 

 the chairs, tables, floor, and in short, every thing 

 about, is completely bespattered. Sometimes there 

 will be two or three of the youths sprawling on the 

 floor, having lost their hold on the rope — and such 

 blushing and laughing when one one of the ' gals ' 

 happens to slip down, you never saw. As the work 

 progresses and draws towards a close, the sport in- 

 creases. All is uproarious mirth — each trying to 

 kick harder than his neighbor — and the shouting 

 and laughing, splashing and uproar, are such a3> 

 can only be imagined by one who has been present 

 at a kicking frolic. This all over, the benefciary 

 invites the company to a ' promiscuous grub.' Hav- 

 ing partaken of the 'fat' things prepared for the 

 occasion, you 'pair off' with one of the lovely fair 

 ones, to join in a dance." 



We have " shaken a foot" at " apple bees," 

 "quiltings," "house warmings," "bran dances," 

 " corn shuckings," and other country frolics, but 

 never have we taken part in a " kicking" scrape 

 like the above. Singular that Dickens, Fiddler, 

 nor Trollope did not find them out in their inquisi- 

 tive and prying wanderings. — A^. O. Picayune. 



Un-FAZR Jokes. — At a late celebration of the 

 8th of January (Battle of New Orleans,) at Nor- 

 wich, Ct., the following ungallant toasts were giv- 

 en : 



By P. M. Judson. 'Ihe Ladies — who, reversing 

 Old Hickory's method of defence, place the cotton 

 bags in the rear. [Great laughter and shouts of 

 applause.] 



This sally was followed by another about as 

 good : 



By Dr. Rogers. Cotton — A material in high 

 repute among ladies and warriors, for the erection 

 of breast-works. [Peals of laughter and great 

 cheering.] 



The following sentiment was drank in cold wa- 

 ter at a late Washingtonian Temperance celebra- 

 tion in Nantucket : 



The K'halers of the Pacific Ocean — True Wash- 

 ingtonians — cold water their only beverage ; and 

 consequently they are so clearheaded, that, with 

 their brains, they enlighten the world. 



'' Your chec.oe is made from mixed dairies," said 

 the customer to the cheese-monger. " You 're mis- 

 taken, ma'am — it's a first rate article, and there's 

 no two ivhcys about it." — Bam Gaz. 



GREEN'S PATESfT STRAW CUTTE 



JOSKPH EllECK. & CO. at IhelVcw Englaii. 

 lural Warehouse auJ Seed Store Nos. r,\ anil 52 N 

 ket Slreel, have for sale, Green's Patent Slrav 

 Stalk Cutler, operating on a niechanieal principl 

 applied to any implemenl lor this purpose. The rr 

 inenl effpcis of this appliialinu, and some of the c 

 peculiarities of the macliine are; 



1. So great a redaction of the quantum o( po 

 111 use it, that the strength of a hall grown boy is 

 to work it etficienlly. 



2. With even this nindernte power, it easily cut 

 els a minute, which is Jiill twice as fast as. has hoe 

 hy any other machine even when worked by bi 

 power. 



3. The knives, owing to the peculiar manner in i 

 cut, require sharpening less often than lliose <>i 

 straw cutler. 



4. The machine is simple inits construction, ma 

 together very strongly. It is therefore not so lia 

 complicated machines in general use to get out i 



AGRICUL.TIIRAI. IMPI.K.'HE.\TS, A ,, 



Tlie Proprietors of the New England Agriculti 

 house and Seed Store No. 6 1 and 62 North Mai 

 would inform their customers and the pulilic gen 

 they have on hand the most extensive assortmer 

 cultutal and Horticultural Tools to he found in I 

 States. Part of which are thefollowin 



lOUO Howard's Patent Cast 



Iron Ploughs 

 300 Common do. do. 

 200 Cuhivaiors. 

 100 rireene's Straw Cutlers. 

 SOfWillis' do. do. 

 lot) Common do. do. 

 100 Willis' Patent Corn 



Shellers. 

 50 Common do do. 

 2u0 Willis' Seed Sowers. 

 60 " Vegetable Cutters 

 50 Common do. do. 



200 Hand Corn Mills. 

 200 Grain Cradles. 

 100 Ox Yokes. 

 1500 Doz- Scythe Stones. 

 3000 " Austin's Rifles. 

 March 17. 



100 doz. Cast Stet 

 Common k 



iOO " Grass Scy 

 100 " Patent Sr 

 !00 " Common 

 MO " Hay Rak 

 !00 " Garden di 

 !00 " Manure F 

 too " Hay 

 iOO Pair Trace CI 

 00 " Truck I 

 Dralt I 



too 



iOO 



50 doz. Halter c 



1000 yards Fence c f! 



25 Grind Stones i 



PEN'CE CHAINS. 



Just received from England, 10,000 feet Chaii 

 for Fences or other purposes. For sale hy J. I 

 CO., No. 62 North Market si. 



TYK I'P CHAINS. 



Just received by 600 Chains for tyeing up Cal 



These chains, introduced by E. H. Derby, Esq 



and Col. Jacques, for the purpose of securing c 



stall, are louud to he the sal'esl and most con ven 



of fastening cows and oxen lo the slanchion. 



For sale by JOSEPH CRECK & CO., No. 

 Market st. 



DRAFT AND TRACK CHAINS. 



400 pair Trace Chains, suitable for Ploughing 



200 " Truck and leading Chains. 



200 " Drall Chains. For sale hy J. BRE( 



No. 52 North Market si. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMEi 



A WEEKLY PAPER. 



Terms, $2 per year in advance, or;|2 50 i 

 within thirty days. 



N. B. — I'ostniasti rs are permitted by law tn 

 subscriptions and remittances for news(iaper 

 expense to subscribers. 



TUTTI.E A.-«D DEKKITT. PKIKTERg. 



