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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



some reproof in the sermons which you sleep un- 

 der on Sunday. If you do not hear "music in the 

 running brooks," it is because your heart is not 

 attuned to nature, but still dwells among the 

 clods ! 



How many of these beantiful things, so interest- 

 ing, impressive, and full of teaching, are passed 

 unnoticed by us, votaries as we are, of this work- 

 a-day world. 



But as the busy season of haying approaches, 

 our week-day sermon shall be short, important as 

 it may appear to us. 



The Hay Crop. — This is the leading crop of New 

 England. Its aggregate value, if known, even in 

 Massachusetts, would be a matter of surprise to 

 most of us. But ivc are too poor yet, to have re- 

 liable statistics on this, or any other agricultural 

 product, in our State ! The value and importance 

 of the crop must be guessed at a little longer. 



A large proportion of the grass cut, is herds 

 grass or timothy, it being the same grass, but 

 called by these different names. When well cured 

 it is an excellent fodder ; the cattle eat it with 

 avidity and thrive well on it, and will so continue 

 through the winter. When grown on new, rich 

 ground, it is coarse and wiry, and inferior to clover 

 or red top. Herds grass may be cured or hayed 

 in one day as well as two if cut early in the morn- 

 ing and closely tended until 3 o'clock, of a hot Ju- 

 ly day. 



Clover-hay has fallen into disrepute with many, 

 and we think in consequence of its being so often 

 improperly cured. Cut it in the morning and let 

 it remain in swath until 3 or 4 o'clock in the af- 

 ternoon, when it should be carefully turned upside 

 down, and left until the following day. About 2 

 or 3 o'clock on the second day take up the swaths 

 carefully with a fork, and lay them in cocks where 

 they may remain 36 or 48 hours, and should not 

 be opened until there is a fair prospect of obtain- 

 ing a few hours of good weather to complete the 

 curing process. When this is the case, open the 

 cocks as soon as the dew is off, only partially 

 spreading them. If thought not to be sufficiently 

 dry on examination, they may be carefully turned, 

 and in an hour or two afterwards got in. 



When clover is prepared in this manner, the 

 leaves will adhere to the stems, the cattle will eat 

 the whole with a high relish, and we scarcely be- 

 lieve that any fodder is more profitable for them. 



Hay is as often made too much as too little. 

 Indeed, we believe it the fault of New England 

 hay-makers that they dry the grass too much. 

 The secret of making good hay, says Low, is to 

 prepare it as quickly as possible, and with as little 

 exposure to tl^e weather, and as little waste of the 

 natural juices, as circumstances will allow. When 

 we are enabled to do this the hay will be sweet, 

 fragrant, and of a greenish color. 



Hoeing. — This important operation must not be 



neglected in order to hurry on the haying. The 

 loss on your growing crops would be greater by 

 such neglect, than to leave a few acres of grass 

 beyond the proper time for cutting. It will be 

 well to remember thai the atmosphere is the great 

 store-house of manures, and that it will not impart 

 them to a hard, unyielding soil, be it ever so hun- 

 gry. Hoe, then, you that thirst for richer soila 

 and larger ^crops. But you need not do it all with 

 yourown hands ; make the "old mare," or "Jer- 

 ry," do it with the horse hoe or cultivator. 



Roots. — It will not be too late to put in any of 

 the turnip ci'ops early in July. Raise roots for 

 your stock, and use the money for other purposes 

 which you have heretofore expended in the pur- 

 chase of grain. Weed thoroughly and stir the 

 ground often, and with God's blessing you will 

 not fail of a good crop. Purchase one of the Es- 

 sex County Onion Iloes and your root crops will 

 cost you only about half as much as they will 

 without it — provided you use it often. The cost 

 is $1,50 cents. Try it, and you will feel encour- 

 aged to cultivate more roots. 



Yourself — gentle reader — makes an important 



item of your care. Without firm health there 



will be little elasticity of body or mind. Retire 



and rise early — 



"Of all the hours of cheerful light. 

 The morning is the best." 



Don't hurry, nor fret, unless the farm implements 

 are left dirty and out of place ; fretting is pardon- 

 able in such a case, if it will do any good! 



When fatigued, rest ; when hungry, eat mod- 

 erately ; when thirsty, rinse the mouth, and bathe 

 the wrists anl forehead before drinking, and as a 

 general rule avoid ice-water. Stimulants, of any 

 sort, as a beverage, are injurious. Eat sparingly 

 of meat — it is too stimulating for hot weather ; 

 shun unripe fruits and scolding, of every sort. 



If the garden has been well conducted it will 

 now afli)rd an abundant supply of cheap and whole- 

 some food, which will not only nourish the body 

 but gladden the heart. 



Observing these simple rules, you ought to be 

 happy and cheerful, and make glad the heart of 

 your wife and children ; and lacking these, glad- 

 den the heart of some pretty maiden, who likely 

 enough, would be ivilling to become your "gude 

 vrouw." 



But enough for a hot day in July — when the 

 thermometer is at 101^ degrees ! We shall now 

 seek the fields, wishing you a God-speed in your 

 labors through all this beautiful Hat-Month or 

 July ! 



Rockingham Fair.— The first exhibition of the 

 Rockingham Fair, will be held at Exeter, N. IL, 

 September 15th. The address will be delivered 

 by Mr. Brown, of the New England Farmer. A 

 plowing match will take place, on the day of the 

 Fair. 



