134 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Mae en 



dren — how happy they look — Mrs. Lee sits in the 

 easy chair trying to smile, but 'tis a sad smile. 



"Well, Fanny," exclaims Mr. Lee, "I never 

 should have thought it, how thankful 1 am you 

 have come." (Aside to Mrs. Lee.) "Isn't it time 

 for the children to go to bed mother?" "Yes, eight 

 o'clock, good night." The two eldest Avere per- 

 mitted to remain a short time longer. 



"As I was going to say, Fanny, I don't know 

 what I should have done if you had not come. I 

 did not think it was half so bad, but I never had 

 the heart to look difficulties fairly ijj the face as 

 you have. Well, it is better to know tlie worst, 

 even if one can't see one's way out of trouble — 

 but I declare, I can't see where it has gone, I am 

 sure you've been prudent, Ellen, and worked hard 

 all the time, but I don't know but farming is poor 

 business, after all." 



"Let me see your books, now, brother," said 

 Fanny, "perhaps it is not so bad asyou suppose." 



"0 dear ! Fanny, I may as well tell the whole, 

 I have never made a mark in those books — I meant 

 to, but I put it off and off, and finally I let it go." 



A look of sorrow, accompanied with a deep sigh, 

 was Fanny's only reply, and as she sat, and with 

 a clear head reduced his tangled affairs to order, 

 he exclaimed, 



"Fanny, you would make a capital lawyer; 

 there, I didn't mean to say so, for I hale lawyers, 

 cheating rascals ! Ah, they have got more out 

 of me than they ever will again !" 



"Why did you meddle with them, then?" 



"I — I didn't, but you see others — " 



A tittering and whispering between the boys 

 caused the father to leave the remark unfinished. 



"What pleases you, William ? What are you 

 laughing for?" 



"Nothing, only I was thinking Aunt Fanny 

 would make a better lawyer's ivife.'' 



It was now Fanny's turn to smile, and blush too. 



"Eh, I guess I know something — George Pren- 

 tice told us about it !" 



"About what?" exclaimed Mr. L., with un- 

 feigned surprise." 



"About Aunt Fanny — how she is going to mar- 

 ry his uncle, Mr. Prentice's brother, a lawyer !" 



Aunt Fanny was still busy, and it was thought 

 best for the boys to go to bed. 



"Why, Fanny, why didn't you tell us about 

 this before," said Mr. L., as the boys left; "I 

 never dreamed of such a thing !" 



"As you did not think much of these neighbors, 

 when I was here last, perhaps you will object." 



"I always said Prentice was a fine man; I only 

 thought — but no matter now, what I thought. To 

 tell you the truth, sister, everything he puts his 

 hand to prospers. If I had anything to do with 

 now, I would manage this farm as near like him as 

 I could, for I believe he is a safe man to follow. 

 But I want you to tell me just what to do — you 

 see just how my affairs stand — my indebtedness is 

 so much; I did think of moving in town and taking 

 boarders, but it would bo too hard for Ellen, we 

 could not afford to hire help. What would you 

 advise me to do, Fanny?" 



It is none of our business how matters were set- 

 tled, it is enough for us to know that Mr. L.'s af- 

 fairs lucre adjusted to the satisfaction of all parties, 

 and Mr. L. remained on the farm ; and if for a 

 short time the family felt the pressure of poverty, 

 it only bound them closer together. 



"Sweet are the uses of adversity." 



'Tis true 'twas rather late in the journey of life, 

 to learn to "stop and know what link in the chain 

 was lost;" but Mr. L. did conquer difficulties, and 

 learn, though late came the knowledge, that diffi- 

 culties are not impossibilities. 



Mr. heeborroived^h. Prentice's "subsoil plow," 

 the next spring, (bad management that borrow- 

 ing,) but then it is "all in the family" now, and 

 Mr. Prentice takes some pardonable vanity, in 

 speaking of "my sister, Mrs. Prentice." 



Mrs. Lee is in feeble health, but Ellen is a good 

 deal of help, and saves her mother many steps, 

 and Mr. Prentice is never tired saying, "she is 

 just like my sister, Mrs. Prentice." One thing 

 more — Mr. Lee would as soon "let the sun go 

 down on his wrath" as to neglect to open aud shut 

 that writing-desk, and see that all was right 

 there, before the clock tolled the hour for retir- 

 ing. M. F. D. 



Brentioood, N. H. 



For the New England Farmer. 

 CRANEBRRIES. 



Mr. Editor: — Cranberries have not only be- 

 come one of our indispensable articles of food, but 

 are also an article of commerce. In 1852, in Mas- 

 sachusetts alone, there were more than ^50,000 

 worth sold, to be exported to California, besides a 

 much larger quantity exported to England and 

 other countries. That being the case, it behoves 

 those who have bogs or upland suitable to their 

 culture, to improve it to the best advantage, in 

 raising this most delicious fruit for culinary use. 

 It is now five years since 1 have turned my atten- 

 tion to this suljjcct ; I have experimented consid- 

 erably, and find that cranberries will grow on al- 

 most any soil ; but the best in low meadows, where 

 but little grass grows. I have succeeded best 

 where it is not plowed summer or winter ; where 

 the soil is deep, and before draining it was swim- 

 ming meadow. I mean when you walk on it, on 

 the turf, it would sink from one to two feet, and 

 then rise again when the weight was removed. — 

 My best cranberries are in a meadow where it was 

 impossible to go on it with a horse. In 18-18 I 

 drained the meadow by ditching, so as to make it 

 solid, and took care in mowing not to injure the 

 vines ; this has increased the fruit from about 2 

 bushels to 50 bushels. My hay is in less quanti- 

 ty, but in much better quality, on the same mea- 

 dow. 



I have raised cranberries this year on dry, san- 

 dy pasture, in wet, springy swamp, on hillocks, 

 also on the best of mowing land. I have no doubt 

 that cranberries could be cultivated on any soil, 

 with proper care and attention. They may be 

 propagated by roots or seeds. The best way is to 

 select the best kinds, and take up with a spade, a 

 turf that contains plenty of vines, and dig a hole 

 and put it in where you want it, and tread it down 

 hard with the feet ; then throw on one or two 

 shovels full of sand or gravel, taking care to make 

 the surffice even, and not quite cover the top of 

 the vines. This should be done in the fall, or 

 early in the spring. The first season they will 

 spread almost to meet, if they are put four feet 

 apart, and the next year they will produce fine 

 fruit enough to pay charges and trouble. T'hey 

 will continue to increase if you keep them well 

 provided witli a slight coat of sand or gravel every 

 fall or winter. 



