October, 1842. 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR 



149 



terinjt an individiuirs ])usilioii, and llierefore 

 cliansiiijr liis relation to all snrrouiiding oKjocts, 

 enable him to see ol'ten lliat to lie ii iitli wliicli he 

 thonjrht error, and that to he error which he hm] 

 called truth. 



To other:!, tlie whole story may teach tliis les- 

 son — that a young man ought to he estimated ac- 

 cording to what he really is, and not accordiii:; to 

 any position in which iie may he placed. The 

 yoimir man who has inteirm;ence, sonnd princi- 

 ples and an active mind, must rise inevitahly. — 

 And he wlio lacks these, be his position what it 

 may, if it depend ujion his own exertions to sus- 

 tain it, will as surelv tall. 



Apple Butter. 



We have eaten apple butter made liy the Ge 

 mans in Pennsylvania, !in<l a most excellent thing 

 it is. Rev. .Mr." Drew, while editor of the !\I 

 Cultivator a liiw years since {^ave the follownijr 

 directions for niaUing. We have liad it maci 

 an e.\c,ellent quality .is detailed below, excepting 

 the cider was boiled down to one third, which 

 was considered an improvement iu the quality, 

 and it would keep tlie better. 



"Late in the Autumn, when tlie evenings be- 

 come quite ItHig, iLivile one of those social pat- 

 ties to your house, whi(^h are made truly social 

 by being gathered for il;e [lurpose of performing 

 something useful and seasonable, called bees; tor 

 they are busy seasons, when (bones have no 

 place. Commit to these good hearted and mer- 

 ry neighbors six bushels of their sweet appJes, 

 and set the ladies at work paring, quartering and 

 coring ihem. iVleansvhile, let the boys or ynuii] 

 men be engaged in boiling dosvn two barrels o 

 new cider, to the ilimensions of one. When ih^ 

 apples are prepared, (whii-h nill make just about 

 a barrel,) (lei)osite tliern in the boiling down bar 

 rel of cider, apportioning them in different ves 

 sels if you liave not one large enough for the 

 whole — or manufactinlng a less qnaiuily than 

 above stated, if yon do not want so much, but 

 regarding the proporiiojis — and then conimence 

 the real work of making apple butter. Pile on 

 the wood and keep the lire blazing. Heanwh 

 from the time boiling conunences, the contents 

 must be stirred up by a suitable stick withoi 

 moment's cessation." This will require alternate 

 turns fiom all the members of the party — a mer 

 ry business amojigst them all night to accomplish 

 liie object; but when the whole is reduced 

 pa|) about the cousistency of thick hasty pudding, 

 turn in some essence of lemon or ciiuiamon tc 

 give it a flavor, and the operations may cease, 

 the tire sufl:"ered to die away, ami the jiaity retiu-n 

 to their homes. The ensuing day, the Jiiass may 

 be cojnmitted to pots and jars for futin-e use. 

 When cooked, it will be about as liard and fine 

 as butter. It is a delicious article, and will kee| 

 many years ; indeed it improves by age. That 

 which we ate in Pennsylvania, was seven years 

 old. Families in that region make no apple 

 sauce, or rather they make it this way, once in 

 seven years only, and then cull together friends 

 and neighbors for a great operation. We made 

 100 lbs. three years ago, directly after our return, 

 and a fine article it is. We keep it for the bene- 

 fit of age." 



From the Farmer's Gazette. 

 Large and Small Farms- 

 Mr. Editor : — We cainlidly believe, if there is 

 one farmer more to be jiitied than another, it is 

 that man who possesses so much land that he 

 hardly knows what to do with it. Such a man 

 must be unfortunate in having such a large num- 

 ber of acres, that he cannot pay that attention to 

 bis farm which he otherwise cotdd do, did he not 

 own but a small farm. Yet there are many men 

 now, who are so bent on having a large number 

 of acres, that they will saprilice almost every 

 thing, so that they can be able to count and add 

 acre to acre to their farms, without once thinking 

 how they are going to improve it. Now the real 

 wealth of the farmer does not consist iu the 

 number of acres which he owjis ; but it rather 

 consists in the manner in which he cultivates a 

 few acres. When we can once get farmers to 

 believe that it is better for iheni to cultivate a few 

 acres well, than it is to scatter the same aniount 

 of labor over a large tract of land, then shall we 

 believe that tbe farmer has waked up to his true 

 interest. 

 The fact is, it has been the universal fault with 



the tanners all over our country, so that the con- 

 tinual cry has been, "land! land!" and "laud 

 ho !" And some of them, not satisfied here, have 

 gone to the " Far West," and settled on the edge 

 of some " I'ruirie," and have looked across the 

 boundless trad, ti'l their eyesight grew ditn ; and 

 still we suppose their cry isi"laud bo!" We 

 are happy to say, however, that there is a re- 

 deeming s|)irit abroad in the land, and that farm- 

 ers are begiuniiig to see their interest in cultiva- 

 ting a small farm well, rather than to go over a 

 large tract with the same amount of labor. 



Now if land cannot be made to pay live or six 

 percent, interest to the laborer, then he had bet- 

 ter have his money out to interest, where it will 

 lie safe. We have actually known tanners in our 

 lo.Mi, if they would giveaway one half of then- 

 acres, and put the extra labor on the other half 

 of liieir fiirm, they would iu the end bi; the gain- 

 ers. Suppose a tiirmer with two hundred acres 

 of land, goes ou and scatters his labor over bis 

 farm, and if he c.in keep his fences up, and get 

 enough ofT his farm to support his family, and 

 pay his taxes, he thinks he does well. Now let 

 I his fiirin be divided into four fifty acre farms, 

 and put a good farmer upon each farm, and the 

 consequence is, that each of the farms is brought 

 into a good state of cultivation. And more than 

 that, one of tbe flurns under this inanngensent 

 will produce more than the whole lour did when 

 it lay in one farm. If any farmer should be so 

 uidbrtunate as to have one of these large fartns, 

 if he wishes to enjoy the comforts of a fanner's 

 life rightly, then let him get rid of part of Ifis 

 farm. But if you do sell, don't sell to a man 

 who has got more land than you have, for that 

 would only fiiakc bad worse; rather, talk with 

 him, and tell him, that he has got more land than 

 he wants now; and that noighhor A has just be- 

 gun in the world, and wants a small (arm; and 

 that you will sell part of yoiu-s, and if he wil[ 

 sell part of his, to neighbor A, all three of you 

 then will each have a snug fitrm. No farmer 

 ought to have more land than he can take care of 

 and cultivate to the best advantage; and generally 

 speaking, a fitly or seventy-five acre farm is bet- 

 ter for a man than one of a hundred acres. 



A good tiu'mer, who wishes to enjoy the reali- 

 ties of a finnier's life, wants to see every thing 

 prosper and flourish around him ; to see good 

 fences, good crops, thrifty orchards and fruit trees 

 growing around bis dwelling. These every 

 tanner can see, who has got a sinig and conveni- 

 ent farm to labor Ujion. The (act, we believe, 

 that among the greatest blessings of an earthly 

 nature which a man can have here below, is 

 " A little farm well tille.i, 

 A little liouse welt fiiled, 

 And a tittle v.ife well willed." 

 Yours truly. LEVI DURAND. 



Derby, Jlug.25ih, 184-2. 



ISodel Farms. 



The agricultural establishment under tbe pat- 

 ronage ot the French Government at Grignoji, is 

 probably one of the most perfectly managed in 

 the world. Smaller model farms, generally un- 

 der the care of pupils from the Grigiion school, 

 are established in many of the departments, sul 

 ject to the su|)ervision of the government. Of 

 these, the one at llennes, is thus described by 

 Mr. Doyle, in the Cyclopedia of Practical Hus- 

 bandry : 



" The Farm consists of 72 acres of arable land 

 held by a \5 years' lease fi-oni a wealthy proprie 

 tor, by Jl. Bodin, who was assisted by tlie prin 

 C!|ial authorities of tlx; department, to take the 

 direction of it. M. Bodin had been a piqiil at 

 Grignon, and .subsequently managed a small farm 

 in a similar capacity, before he obtained the pies- 

 ent one, w hich was in 1837. The rent of the 

 farm is 3,500 francs, of which the department 

 pays 2,000; and the director the remainder, with 

 taxes and rep.iirs, which amount to 500 francs 

 more. He also supplies all capital for improve- 

 ments, and all out-goings, clears all losses, and of 

 course has all tlie profits. There are in this 

 school 20 pupils, paying 250 francs a )'ear each. 

 The department iu w hich the school is situated 

 pay for si.\, and the government for the remain- 

 ing fourteen, who are nominated by the prefects 

 of three other departments in Brittany. They 

 are generally the sons of well conducted farmers, 

 and at the expiration of two years, go to the aid 

 of their parents, or as hired steward.-!. The ))U-. 



pils are taught by M. Bodin, or an assistant, ih^ 

 ordinary subjects suited to their employment, and 

 have no charge except for books, which they 

 must supply lor themselves. M. Bodin has a 

 factory tor iinpleuients, and disposes of many of 

 them to farmers, even in very distant localities; 

 he is altogether well qualified for his important 

 ofRtje, and has obtained a prize for a treatise on 

 agriculture, which is about to be enlarged to a 

 second edition. ,4nrf when practical men, like M. 

 Bodin, can be induced ivilh moderate assistance, lo 

 take the responsibilities of a model farm upon them- 

 selves, and to receive pupils for three or more years, 

 at a reasonable rale of payment, they are the most 

 eligible instructors." 



We would call the attention of our readers, 

 and particularly those who are anxious to see 

 schools of this nature established in our country, 

 to that part of the above extract, which we have 

 italieiseil. Practical men in our o|iinion, are the 

 ones to manage such an establishment. We 

 could name fanners, wlio, if they would take the 

 " responsibilities of a model farm upon them- 

 selves," woidd do more to impart really useful 

 knowledge to their pupils, than an institution 

 which should cost as nruch in founding as Gi- 

 rard's College, managed as such institutions fre- 

 quently are. Men, who like M. Bodin, are able 

 to illustrate the theory of agricidture by the 

 practice, are the ones to whom farmers would be 

 glad to entrust the education to their sons, confi- 

 dent that in the conr.se pursued, the useful would 

 never be compelled to give place to the purely 

 l^inciful in agriculture. — .Albany Cultivator. 



Autumnal ShoAvers. 



BY PARK EF.XJAMIN. 



Off in the West tliere is a sea of hlue : 

 Wtiile gloomiest vapors, clustering on liigfi, 

 Tell that the hour of storm is drawing nigh ; 



For dark they rise, and darker to the view. 



Oh, coldly from tlie F.ast careers the gale — 

 Sharp as Adversity or the pang of grief. 

 Which seres the heart like Autumn's wither'd leaf, 



When those we love in their alTection fait. 



>iow from the scattering mists, relentless Rain 

 Falls in chit! drops, precursors of the shower, 

 That soon will prostrate the unsheltered flower, 



Blooming of late securely on the plain. 

 It comes! in sudden gusts it rushes down — 

 And angry clouds o'er alt the landscape frown. 



The iNorthern wind hath hlown his bugle blast ; 

 And troops of clouds come hurrying on the fields 



Of the dark sky, and wide their banners cast,S 

 And lift above the earth their massive shields. 



Now, all unordered, all unmurshalled, they 



Make preparation for the dire affray : 

 Their weapons are the sleet, the rain, t 



Concealed behind those parapets of mist : 

 Lo ! now, their keen-edged fury doth assail 



The guarding atmosphere, and o'er the land- 

 Save where its breast Is cased in rocky mail — 



Oh. Northern wind \ JN'or will the war desist. 

 Till thou art conquered by some liostile gale 



; hail— 



Lmportance of i.\dividoal action. — It IS sta- 

 ted in the Cincinnati Chronicle, that at an edu- 

 cation meeting lately held in that city, the Rev. 

 Dr. Beecher related the following " dream," be- 

 ing a beautiful illustration of the importance of 

 individual action — and showing that in our re- 

 publican country, although it is only the mass 

 which acts through the laws, it is tlie individual 

 which moves the mass:— Mer. Jour. 



" He said he had a dream which like other 

 dreams, did not wholly express itself, and in 

 which some of the natural objects had the power 

 of speech. He was travelling near the sources 

 of the i\lonongahela, and, in passing over a rough 

 country, at every short distance, met a little 

 stream, which lie could step over; but all of 

 them were goigg the same way. At last, he ask- 

 ed one, where he was going. ' Why,' replied tbe 

 little rill, 'I am going to New Orleans. I heard 

 the people there want a great canal, a tbou.«and 

 miles long, and fifteen hundred feet wide, and I 

 going to help make it.' 'And pray what can you 

 do? 1 can step over you. What can you dor' 

 'I don't know what 1 can do; but I shall be 

 there.' And so saying, it hurried on. 



He came to another and asked the same ques- 

 tion, and received the same answer. AH were 

 hurrying on to m.ike the grand canal, in which 

 the steam-ships of the West with their heavy 

 burdens, were to be transported. On the heads 

 of the Alleghany, the Scioto, and the Mississpi>t, 

 he found thousands more of tittle streams, hur- 

 ried on by the same iinpiilses, and which while 



