26 



GENESEE FARMER. 



Jan. 



Turning over a New Leaf. 



The November number of the "American 

 Journal of Agriculture and Science" contains a 

 very interesting and graphic sketch under the 

 above heading. As the subject of reform is al- 

 ways "in order" on the birth of a New Year, 

 perhaps we cannot better occupy a page or two 

 of the Farmer than by giving the Journal's arti- 

 cle. It happily blends the " romance of rural 

 life" with useful suggestions. We think its pe- 

 rusal will aflbrd amusement to many, both old 

 and young — while some kind easy souls may be 

 induced to adopt a more prompt and thorough 

 system in the management of their farming ope- 

 rations. Here it is. — Listen : 



" Are you going to get in that corn to-day?" said John 

 Hendricks to Mr. Butler, tlie farmer for whom he was at 

 worl^ by the month. 



"Yes," said Mr. Butler, "we must try to get it in, in 

 course of the day." 



" If it is to be got in to-day, we must go a^out it this 

 morning. It is time it was in, it is half destroyed now. — 

 Benton's cattle were in again last night." 



"I know they were. Here Saul, do you run over to 

 Benton's, and tell him his cattle lay in our corn last night, 

 and ask him to take care of them." 



" And he will tell me to tell you to put up the fence," 

 said Saul. 



" The fence ought to be seen to. Hendricks you bring 

 me the axe, and I'll go now and tackle it up a little," said 

 Mr. B. 



Hendricks went for the axe, and having searched in vain 

 for it, returned to Mr. Butler, who was trying to set np a 

 wash tub, which had fallen to pieces in despair of tlie ful- 

 filment of Mr. Butler's promise, that he would get a hoop to- 

 morrow." 



"I can't find the axe; I would as soon undertake to make 

 a thing as to find it in this place. It seems to be a rule with 

 every one who uses a tool here to put it where it can't be 

 found no how. If it was left where it was used last, a body 

 might find something once in a while, but as it is, 'tis about 

 impossible. I expect the barn will be among the missing 

 some day." 



" Never mind," said Mr. Butler, in a conciliating tone, 

 " the axe will turn up in the course of the day. You see 

 if you can set these staves up, I want to step over and see 

 if Holmes can come and cut that buckwheat to-day." 



Hendricks did as he was requested. He set up the staves 

 and looked round for the hoop to confine them in place. — 

 "I wonder," said he, " if I am expected to sit here and 

 hold these in place all day. There is no hoop between here 

 and the blacksmith's, I dare say. I have done harder work 

 than sitting and doing nothing, and more profitable work 

 for my employer ; but I must obey orders. Benton's cows 

 are to have another pull at that corn, I see plainly." 



In due time Mr. Benton came, and Mr. Holmes with him, 

 and Holmes was ready to go at the buckwheat as soon as 

 he had ground up his new scythe, and spliced one of the 

 fingers of his cradle. 



" You have got them set up, have you?" 



"Yes, but what is a going to hold them up when I let go 

 of them?" 



"Here is a hoop," said Mr. B. "I forgot to tell you 

 about it." 



Ilenchicks took it, and while Butler and Holmes were 

 grinding the scythe he put it on and drove it down. — 

 " There," said he, " that's the first job I've known to be 

 finished on this ground since I came here three months ago." 

 At this moment Saul returned. " Well, Saul, what's the 

 news 1" 



" Benton says Hyde's cattle are in the lower meadow." 



" Very likely ; I saw a red squirrel running towards the 

 fence, and I thought it likely he would get on it and throw 

 it down. If they find the potatoes, it will save some labor." 



" What about the potatoes ?" said Mr. Butler coming up 

 at that moment. 



" Hyde's cows are taking care of them," said Hendricks. 



" You run and drive them out, Saul, and find out where 



they got in, and put up the fence a little, just enough to 

 turn them for the present, I'll see to it in a day or two. — 

 Hendricks, you harness tlie horses, we will try to get a load 

 of that corn in before dinner." 



In about half an hour, during which time Messrs. Butler 

 and Holmes had been employed in splicing the cradle finger, 

 Hendricks came to Butler, and asked, "where is the har- 

 ness for the off horse ?" 



" Oh, I let Finkle have it last night. I didn't know as 

 we should want it to-day. Isn't there something else you 

 can do to-day ?" 



" Yes, there is enough to do, if a body could ever get at 

 it. There he comes with the harness. You are sure yoa 

 havn't lost any of the linch pins ?" 



" I guess not." 



"Well, it may be," said Hendricks to himself, "that 

 some of that corn will be saved after all." 



The reader has had a specimen of the mode of proceeding 

 on Mr. Butler's farm, and will be enabled to form a pretty 

 shrewd guess why it was that Mr. Butler, who had an ex- 

 cellent farm and who was always busy about something, 

 was not " deemed and taken" by his neighbors to be a fore- 

 handed man. 



Hendricks, with the aid of Saul, succeeded in getting in 

 most of the corn to which allusion has been made, so that 

 Mr. Benton's cows came home the next day, which was the 

 Sabbath, much less well filled than ordinary. 



On Monday morning Hendricks was out by daylight, and 

 at work when Saul made his appearance, which was not 

 till he had given the sun due precedence. Hendricks in- 

 formed him that a new leaf was to be turned over. "Things 

 about the place are going to be done this week as they 

 ought to be done," said he. 



" I'm agreed" said Saul, who was quite willing to work, 

 but wished very much to be relieved from the responsibili- 

 ty of directing his own movements. 



"Mr. Butler," said John after breakfast, "has that ax€ 

 come to light yet?" 



"I havn't seen it." 



"Here it is," said Lizzy, " I found it in the grass in tlie 

 garden." 



"And took care of it like a sensible body," said John, 

 taking the axe from her hand, " Thankee." 



The compliment was not a very polished one, but it 

 brought over her beautiful countenance a blush which she 

 hastened into the pantry to conceal. 



" Now," said he, "if you and Saul will go at those pota- 

 toes, I will put that fence in a shape that will keep Hyde's 

 cattle out of that meadow for some time I guess." 



" Hyde ought to put up part of it," said Butler. 



" I know he had, but he will never do it ; you might as 

 well try to get a hen to do a sum in the rule of three, as to 

 get him to do anything worth while. Come let us have all 

 those potatoes in, and that fence up before sunset." 



" If we get all the potatoes in, it is not much matter about 

 the fence."' 



" What is the reason it isn't?" Who wants the cattle 

 making mortar of the meadow ? Come on." 



They got into the wagon which had been brought to the 

 door before breakfast, and Hendricks drove off at a rapid 

 rate, making a great clattering of the loose boards in the 

 wagon, and rendering it somewhat diflicult for Mr. Butler 

 and Saul to keep themselves, or rather the board on which 

 they sat, in^lace. 



" What has got into John?" said Mrs. Butler, pausing 

 from her efforts over the butter bowl, and watching the 

 rapidly disappearing wagon. 



" I don't know," said Lizzy, softly. Now she had better 

 not have made any reply to the question, for it was not ask- 

 ed with any expectation of a reply. I say she had better 

 not have answered it, for I am not sure but thaj; she strained 

 the truth a little in so (^ling. Some passages which had 

 taken place between Jcflin and herself as they came home 

 from meeting together on Sabbath evening, and sat in the 

 " front room" together, till the roosters crowed, were in 

 fact the causes of the turning over of the new leaf in the 

 management of liie farm. 



Before night tlie fence was put up, in the most substan- 

 tial manner, and the potatoes all put in the cellar. 



The next morning when they were all at breakfast, Jobnf 

 inquired, " Ls Holmes to work for you to-day?" 



" He promised to come and do what he could towards 

 finishing the buckwheat. He thinks it will take him a day 

 and a half to finish cradling it." 



