370 



NEV/ ENGLAND FARMER 



MAT 89, I84a. 



Br statements in favor of the use of li.nc, there is LOVE OF THE COUNTRY AND ITS OCCU- 



good reason to hope that it will effectually protect] 

 plants from the various kinds of tie.) -beetles, if 

 dusted over them, when wet with dew, in proper 

 season. Waterinj: plants with alkaline solutions, 

 it is said, will kill the insects without injuriii;: the 

 plants. 'I'he solution may be made by dissolvinj; 

 one pound of hard soap in twelve gallons of the 

 soap-suds left after washinff. This mixture should 

 be applied twice a day with a water-pot. Kollar 

 very highly rceomincnds watering or wetting the 

 leaves of plants with an infusion or tea of worm- 

 wood, which prevents the tlea-bectles from touching 

 thi'iri. Perhaps a decoction of walnut leaves might 

 be equally serviceable. Great numbers of the 

 beeiles may he caught by tho skilful use of a deep 

 bag-net of muslin, which should be swept over the 

 [♦lants infested by the beetles, after which the lat- 

 ter may be easily destroyed. This net cannot be 

 used with safety to catch the insects on very young 

 plants, on account of the risk of bruising or break- 

 inff their tender leaves. 



PATIONS 



To the traveller, what can be more interesting 

 than to ob.<;erve the industrious and enterprising 

 farmer buililing neat, comfortable houses, and pre- 

 paring his lands to bring forth an abundant crop? 

 Or, on the other hand, what more discouraging and 

 disagreeable, than to see every thing on the de- 

 cline — houses rotting down for want of care, fences 

 levelled, and the fields grown up with briars and 



" THE BOOK OF THE FARM." 



By Henry Stephens, Editor of the (Quarterly Jon 



nal of ,'ifprieullurt. 



Seeing the above work advertised by BlacI 

 wood &. Sons, Edinburgh, we sent out for a copT 

 presuming that its author would furnish somethil 

 interesting if not instructive, that might be laid , 

 scraps before Yankee Farmers. But we have be 

 wofully disappointed. Four jnunibers out of l 



TREATMENT OF FLY-BLOWN SHEEP. 



When the sheep is fly-blown, dislodge the mag- 

 gots with a knife, and shake a little powdered 

 while lead into the wound. Do not apply tar to 

 the abraded surface, as, from its cauterizing effects, 

 the "ound nill be enUrged, and a repclitjon of the 

 visit speedily ensured. To ward off the onset of 

 the flies, various substances noxious to iheiii are 

 rubbed or poured upon the wool. Tar, in small 

 quantities, and of pungent quality, is by some 

 daubed upon the ears, horns and tail. Others pre- 

 fer rubbing a little melted butter, thickened by 

 flour of sulphur, along the sheep's back : this is an 

 effectual preventive. Some, again, preftr dressing 

 the sheep, wlu-n in low situations, with the follow. 

 in" recipe: "Take of arsenic, finely pounded, one 

 pound; potash, twelve ounces; common yellow 

 doap, SIX ounces ; rain or river water, thirty gallons. 

 I'.oil the ingredients together for fifteen minutes. 

 The li(|uid is in no degree injurious to wool. It 

 cleans and dries tho offensive perspiration of the 

 sheep, and destroys the smell caused by the dew 

 in the mornings, or by damp hot weather. In most 

 situations, one dressing in July and another in Au- 

 gust will suffice ; but as the e.xpenso is trifling, 

 and the process simple, it may be better to apply it 

 luoro frequently, especially in low and damp situa- 

 tions." 'I'he licpiid is applied only in dry weather 

 A teapot, or any vessel of a similar form, is filled 

 with it, and one person pours it on the wool, while 

 another rubs the fleece to facilitate tho passage of 

 the fluid. At the times of using the solution, all 

 •uperfluous wool ought to be shorn from the but- 

 tocks, but not too closely. 



■ When the insects are rery troublesome, drive 

 the sheep if possible to higher ground. Examine 

 carefully all wounds and ulcers, howuvrr trifling, 

 and dress them with any simple ointment contain- 

 ing a small proportion of sulphur, mercury, or 

 white lead. Lastly, bury all useless carcasses as 

 •pecdily aa possible, by which means you will keep 

 down the number of the Hies. 



Ticks are destroyed or stopped in their attacks 

 boy the same remedies and preventives detailed in 

 the preceding paragraphs on tho fly. — Blacklork's 

 Treatise. 



N. I'l. Rum and tobacco smoke likewise, will kill 

 the lick Ee. N. E. F. 



bushes ? We easily form a correct idea of a man's twelve have reached us, and they are barren of 



pride, judgment or industry, by observing the con- instruction that can be available here, beyond 



struction and order of his farm ; for we find at every we had conceived possible. Thinking it probal 



step something that excites our admiration in the that mere curiosity to learn a little concerning ti 



pursuit of the delightful employment, or we meet classes of laborers on an English farm of ha 



with something so disagreeable,' that, for a moment dreds of acres, may help our readers to bear w^ 



re feel inclined to abandon altogether a business a few extracts, we copy the following accounU 



that seems so ill calculated to enlist our energies a plowman, field worlitr, and dairymaid. 



either of body or mind. 'I hat farm in the distance ! 

 it presents an appearance of total ruin, and we 

 might think it deserted, were it not for the smoke 

 arising from the chimney. We must climb the 

 fence to get into the yard, and stumble over a pile 

 of boards, or rails which lie rotting, before we can 

 reach the house, stoop down as we enter the door, 

 or our hat is taken off ; then look around upon the 

 uncomfortable apartment, fast becoming more so, 

 for the want of a nail or two here, and some plas- 

 ter there. Outside we sec heaps of all sorts of 

 rubbish lying about — tools without shelter — out- 

 buildings worse than miserable — fences ditto. Such 

 being the confusion of the whole place, we should 

 look in vain were we to endeavor to discover its 

 comforts. 



Now, (ire such things as these calculated to al- 

 lure the young to tho pursuit of agriculture? Do 

 not such scenes rather lead us to form, even while 

 looking upon Ihein, a distaste for an occupation 

 which, if correctly followed, affords sweeter enjoy- 

 ments than any other? By good management, 

 every man can yield a mighty influence, by mak- 

 ing valuable and convenient improvements upon 

 his farm : he thus makes his land more productive, 

 lie saves labor and time, and excites his neighbor 

 to order and industry ; cultivates his own taste ; 

 sets a noble example to his children; secures to 

 his family a thousand blessings ; and increases the 

 sources of his own pleasures, — H'estern paper. 



Parental Example. — Example is a living lesson. 

 Tho life speaks. Every action has a tongue. 

 VV^irds are but articulated breath. Deeds are the 

 fac similes of soul : they proclaim what is within. 

 The child notices the life. It should be in harmo- 

 ny with goodnes.«. Keen is the vision of youth : 

 every mask is transparent. If a word is thrown 

 into oi.e balance, a deed is thrown into the other. 

 Nothing is more important than that parents should 

 be consistent. A sincere word is never lost. But 

 advice, counter to example, is always suspected. 

 Both cannot be true — one is fal.sg. Example is 

 like statuary. It is sculptured into form. It is 

 reality. '1 lie eye dwells upon it; tho memory re- 

 calls it; the imagination broods over it. Its influ 

 ence enters the soul. Parental example becomes 

 incorporated with the child's understanding. He 

 cannot forget it if he would. H it is good, it bless 

 es : if It is bad, it tyrannizes. The parent may 

 die, his example cannot. Let life, then, be en un- 

 blemished picture — a consistent whole. — Selected. 



I'liere is no (pialily whiuli cominaDda more re- 

 spect than integrity. 



Til 



The Plowman. — "The duties of a plowman I 

 clearly defined. The principal duty is to tal' 

 charge of a pair of horses, and work them at even 

 kind of labor for which horses are employed oni 

 farm. Horse-labor on a farm is various. It 

 connected with the plow, the cart, sowing-j 

 chines, the roller, and the thrashing-mill, w| 

 hor.se power is employed in the thrashing of col 

 so that the knowledge of a plowman should Cflj 

 prchend a variety of subjects. In the fulfilment il 

 his duties, the plowman has a long day's work Ir 

 perform; for, besides expending the appoint*! 



iirs in the fields with the horjes, he must grooo 

 tlioi/i before he goes to the field in the morning am 

 after he returns from it in tho evening, as well ft 

 at mid-day between the two periods of labor. Kill-' 



ilhstanding this constant toil, he must do In- 

 work with alacrity and good will ; and when, frao 

 any cause, his horses aie laid idle, he must not on 

 ly attend on them as usual, but must himself work 

 at any farm- work he is desired. There is seld» 

 any exaction of labor from the plowman beyoat 

 the usual daily hours of work, these occupying i' 

 least twelve hours a day for 7 months of the year 

 that being a sufficient day's work for any inao'- 

 strength to endure. But occasions do arise whjc 

 justify the demand of a greater sacrifice of htt 

 lime, such as seed-time, hay-time, and horveil 

 For such encroachments upon his time, many 0} 

 portunitiee occur of repaying him with indulgencf, 

 such as a cessation from labour, especially in bid 

 weather. It is the duly of the plowman to work 

 his horses with discretion and good temper, not oi- 

 ly for the sake of the horses, but that he may eit- 

 cute his work in a proper manner. It is also ha 

 duty to keep his horses comfortably clean. Plot- 

 men arc never placed in siluatinna of trust, ttti 

 thus, having no responsibility beyond the care H 

 their horses, there is no class of servants more il- 

 dependent. There should no partialilv be sbewt 

 by the master or steward to one ploivinan mor» 

 than to another, as it is the best policy to treat al' 

 alike who work alike. An invidious and reprehei 

 sible practice exists, however, in some parts of (hi 

 country of setting them to work in an order oi 

 precedency, which is maintained so strictly aa i^ 

 be practised even on going to and returning froii 

 work, one being appointed fortinan, whose move 

 menta must guide those of the rest. Should iIk 

 foreman prove a slow man, the rest must not go • 

 single bout more than he does ; and if he is activt. 

 they may follow as best they can. Thus, whiln 

 his activity confers no benefit to the fiirmcr beyond 

 its own work, his dullness discourages the actirit; 

 of the others. This consideration alone should bt 



