9G 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



I think he can do it as acceptably in a white house 

 as he can in a black one. 13ut enough of this. 



The decidedly superior beauty of white houses in 

 comparison to colored ones, outweighs all the ar- 

 guments that can be brought against them, and I 

 hope that many, very many, will ere long be made 

 to see and acknowledge that they have sadly marred 

 the beauty of our New England villages, and apply 

 that magic remedy — white faint — which will trans- 

 form their dismal-looking dwellings into beautiful 

 abodes that will ever greet both its inmates and the 

 passing stranger with a smile of welcome. 



^yillchester, Jan. 30, 1851. J. w. 



Remarks. — We have not time to examine all 

 our previous remarks on this subject; but we should 

 not recommend black, excepting in a few par- 

 ticular cases. So we think our correspondent, on 

 this point, has been combatting a mere shadow of 

 his own creating. This will suffice for the story 

 of the Deacon; and as to the dashing belle, a good 

 substantial dress, in cold weather, would be far more 

 appropriate than a flimsy one, and it would com- 

 mend her to a man of sense. 



We are decidedly opposed to painting so many 

 houses white, without any regard to the size, the 

 style of building, the purpose of the building, the 

 location, or the surrounding objects. The univer- 

 sal rage, that has been in years past for white, 

 without any regard to circumstances, shows a want 

 of good taste, as much as white shows a want of 

 any color. 



Now we would ask the reader if there is any 

 beauty in white. It is a mere blank, and no more 

 beautiful than a blank in a lottery is desirable, 

 ('olors are beautiful; some alone, and others when 

 i)lended. But white is a destitution of all colors, 

 and can only be admired for its neatness and purity, 

 having a mere negative excellence, being preferable 

 to a color in bad taste. 



In all the beauty of nature, which is great and 

 various, what have we that is extensive that cor- 

 responds with a white house, or a row, or village 

 of white houses. Snow is the only thing. Now 

 let a person of good taste travel when the earth is 

 covered with snow, and he sees the hills looming up 

 like white houses, and the plains covered with 

 white; how soon will he tire of the monotony of 

 the scene which had no beauty even in the begin- 

 ning. 



When there are many houses, as in a town or 

 village, we would have a variety of colors. We 

 would not paintevery building the same color, from 

 the magnificent cliurches down to the small school- 

 house, and even the still smaller martin-house. 

 We would not paint a house of a dark color, when 

 it was almost wholly shaded with trees, nor would 

 we paint'a house white unless we had a good lot of 

 well arranged trees, some evergreens, to break the 

 glare of a colorless paint. In some cases white, 

 from its glare and prominence, forms a beautiful 

 contrast with the surrounding green foliage. The 



beauty is in the contrast, not in the white or the 

 green. 



Some small houses might look pretty with a 

 warm lightish tint, that would be very improper for 

 a stately public edifice; and some rather dark color 

 might be appropriate for the latter, which would 

 give to the former an unsightly and sombre ap- 

 pearance. Besides, the want of beauty in so much 

 white painting, it is dear and transient. To keep 

 a house well painted with Avhite for a course of 

 years, will cost more than to use colored paints gen- 

 erally. Some colors cost more than white, and 

 others less; but colored paints are more durable. 



If houses are painted various colors, without any 

 regard to the circumstances which we have named, 

 and various others that should be taken into consid- 

 eration; then, indeed, J. W., and every one else, 

 who travels about the country, or at home, has the 

 the disagreeable objects in his view, has reason to 

 complain. This is a very interesting subject, in 

 which too little good taste has been consulted, and 

 we should be pleased to have opinions on it. 



We are aware that some philosophers consider 

 white a compound of all colors, as presented when 

 they are all rapidly revolved before the eye; but 

 they appear whitish, not white. 



For the Neiu England Farmer. 

 PLOUGHING IN OATS. 



Mr. Editor: — As the season is fast approaching 

 when farmers should be thinking about their work 

 for the coming season, I would respectfully solicit 

 your opinion, as to the best method of getting in 

 Oats, where the land is both level and smooth. 



Some in this vicinity recommend ploughing 

 them in; but the question in my mind is this; is it 

 doing justice to the land, to plough it as shoal, as 

 we should be obliged to, in order to have our 

 seed at a proper depth from the surface 1 



I am anew beginner in farming, and have had no 

 experience in raising grain; therefore a few hints 

 from the experienced in regard to the above will 

 be highly gratifying to 



Yours, &c , J. DiMON. 



Wakefield, R. I. 



Remarks. — In sowing the oats before ploughing, 

 and then ploughing them in, would not pulverize 

 the soil sufficiently. A great deal depends on the 

 frequent stirring of the soil, and its thorough pul- 

 verization. With due attention to this subject, less 

 manure will be required, and as this article is gen- 

 erally scarce, it is best to economise as to its use, 

 and render the soil more fertile by frequent plough- 

 ing, harrowing, and cultivating. 



Another objection to ploughing in oats is, that the 

 furrow for this purpose must be shallow, else the 

 grain would be buried too deep; of course the plough- 

 ing would not be so deep as would be necessary to 

 produce a good crop. A little extra labor in the 

 preparation for the crop would be more than re- 

 paid by the superior yield. — Ed. 



