378 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



LADIES AND AGRICULTURE. 



EXTRACT FROM C. P. UOLCOMB's ADDRESS AT THE MARY- 

 LAND STATE FAIR. 



As SHOwixG the interest English ladies take in ag- 

 riculture, I cannot but relate a casual interview 1 

 chanced to have with an English lady, in going up in 

 the express train from London to York. Her hus- 

 band had bought a book at the stand as we were 

 about starting, and remarked to her that " it was one 

 of her favorite American authors — Hawthorne." I 

 casually observed, " I was pleased to see young 

 American authors found admirers with English la- 

 dies," when the conversation turned on books and 

 authors. But I said to myself pretty soon, "this is a 

 literary lady — probably her husband is an editor or 

 reviewer, and she uses the ' scissors ' for him — -at all 

 events, I must retreat from this discussion about au- 

 thors, modern poets, and poetry. What should a 

 farmer know critically of such things ? If I were 

 only in those fields — if the conversation could be 

 made to turn upon crops or cattle — then I should 

 feel quite at home." 1 finally pointed out a field of 

 wheat, and remarked that it was very fine. The lady 

 carefully observing it, said, " Sir, 1 think it is too thin 

 — a common fault this season, as the seeding was 

 late." " Those drills," she added, turning to her hus- 

 band for confirmation, " cannot be more than ten 

 inches apart, and you see, sir, the ground is not com- 

 pletely covered — twelve and even fifteen inches is now 

 preferred for the width of drills, and two bushels of 

 seed to the acre will then entirely cover the ground, 

 on good land, so you can hardly distinguish the 

 drills." 



If the goddess Ceres had appeared with her sheaf, 

 or her cornucopia, I could not have been taken more 

 by surprise. A lady descanting on the ividth of ivhcai 

 drills, and the qiiantitij of seed! 



'• I will try her again," said I, " this may be a chance 

 shot;" and remarked in reference to a field of plowed 

 ground we were passing, that it broke up in great 

 lumps, and could hardly be put in good tilth. " We 

 have much clay like this," she replied, " and formerly 

 it was difficult to cultivate it in a tillage crop : but 

 since the introduction of Croskill's Clod Crusher 

 they will make the most beautiful tilth on these lands, 

 and which are now regarded as among the best wheat 

 lands." 



The conversation turned on cattle. She spoke of 

 the best breeds of cows for the pail — Ayrshires and 

 Devons; told me where the best cheese was made — 

 Cheshire ; the best butter — Ireland ; where the best 

 milk-maids were to be found — Wales. 



" Oh I " said I, " I was mistaken ; this chaming, 

 intelligent woman, acting so natural and unaffected, 

 dressed so neat and so verj' plain, must be a farmer's 

 wife ; and what a helpmate he has in her ! yes, a sin- 

 gle bracelet clasps a fair, rounded arm — that's all." 



The train stopped at York. Xo sooner had my 

 traveling companions stepped upon the platform, than 

 I noticed they were surrounded by half a dozen ser- 

 vants — men and women — the men in full livery. It 



turned out to be Sir John and Lady H. Thjs gen- 

 tleman I learned was one of the largest l.ind-proprie- 

 tors in Berkshire, and his lady the 'daughter of a no- 

 bleman, a peeress in her o\7u right ; but her title 

 added nothing to her — she was a noble woman with- 

 out it. 



It is a part of our task to excel in horticulture, in 

 which female taste and skill must aid us'. AVe must 

 embellish our homes; we must make them sweet and 

 pleasant homes. The brave old oaks nmst be there, 

 the spacious lawn with its green sward, and the fruit 

 orchard, and the shrubbery, and the roses, and the 

 vines festooned and trained about the balconies. 

 Even the birds will think that a sweet home, and will 

 come and sing and make melody, as though they 

 would " teach the art to imitative man." 



Such a home will be entailed to our children, and 

 to their children — not by statute laws of entail, but 

 by a higher law, the law of nature — through the force 

 of sympathy — the associations of childhood. 



" The orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wildwood, 

 And every loved spot which our infency knew." 



These will hold them to it — these eaijly memories — 

 which we should take care to deepen with a binding 

 and indissoluble tie. 



Talk not, then, you fathers and mothers ! to your 

 sons of forensic fame — of senatorial halls — of the dis- 

 tinction of professional life — or the gains and emolu- 

 ments of commerce. It is not for our class, surely, 

 to furnish more recruits to this hazardous service in 

 which so many of the country have already been 

 lost — lost to any useful purpose of living — themselves 

 miserable from hope deferred that makes the heart 

 sick — or disappointed of the objects of life have be- 

 come overwhelmed by bankruptcy and ruin. Give to 

 i/our sons tlie pursuit of Washington, who gloried 

 in being a Farmer. The field and the council cham- 

 ber he sought from duty ; but his farm at Mount 

 Vernon, where he wisely directed the j^low, from 

 choice and pleasure. 



" Wide, wide may the world feel the power of the plow, 

 And yield to the sickle a fullness delighting: ; 

 May this be our conquest, the earth, to subdue, 

 Till all join the sonjr of the harvest inviting. 



The sword and the spear 



Are only known here 

 As we plow, or we prone, or we toil void of fear; 

 And the fruit and the flower all smile in their birth, 

 All greeting the Farmer, the Prince ov the Earth." 



To MAKE Apple Pies without Apples. — One cup 

 of sugar, one tea-spoonful of tartaric acid, two cups 

 of water, one cup of light bread crummed fine, orte 

 egg. Season with lemon, or anything that suits the 

 taste. Let the water be warm when the bread is put 

 in, that it may soak soft. Bake with a crust, as you 

 would an ajDple pie. 



To Make Mince Pies without Meat. — The same 

 preparation as for apple pies ; and one hard-boiled 

 egi:^, chopped fine, to the pie, with raisins, and such 

 other seasoning as the taste may dictate for a mince pie. 



We can be truly happy but in proportion as we are 

 the instruments of promoting the happiness of others. 



Self-love is the greatest and worst of flatterers. 



