344 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



which agriculture afforded, that they ascribed the 

 invention of the art to their god Osiris, and the cul- 

 ture of wheat and barley to their goddess Isis. 



ROCKINGHAM. 



For the N'ew Eiiglaiid Farmer, 



PRESERVING SEED. 



Mr. EniTOR : As the season has arrived when the 

 various kinds of seeds are coming to maturity, the 

 collecting and preserving of which is an important 

 branch of agriculture, it is of the greatest impor- 

 tance to have sound and genuine seed, and we must 

 not expect a good harvest without it. Imperfect and 

 unripe seeds will sometimes vegetate and grow, but 

 the}- will not produce healthy and vigorous plants. 

 Many ex])criments have been niade which go to show, 

 conclusively, the superiority of full-grown and well- 

 ripened seed. Every farmer and gardener should 

 raise his own seed, and then he will be certain that 

 he sows that which is genuine. He should devote a 

 small portion of his garden expressly to the raising 

 of seeds, and much care and attention should be paid 

 to this department of the garden. We all know how 

 extremely perplexing it is to have seed fail of vege- 

 tating, or prove to be different from what it was 

 planted for. In collecting and preserving seeds, 

 only those that are full -^grown and well ripened 

 should be kept for use ; and they should be well 

 dried before they are put away, and should be kept 

 in a dry place. If seeds are kept in a damji place, 

 or are put up moist, they are most sure to spoil be- 

 fore spring. Much more might be said on the sub- 

 ject, but I will close for the present. 



ROCKINGHAM. 



USES OF COf^VERSATIONAL MEETINGS 

 AT FARMERS' CLUBS. 



Every one who has paid attention to the subject 

 of education has found it difhcult to induce those to 

 study in middle or after life, who have not been ac- 

 customed to it in their youth. As a general rule, 

 those who arrive at the age of manhood without pre- 

 vious stud)' can seldom be induced to apply them- 

 selves to books, and thoi-efore they pass through life 

 without availing at all of the knowledge of others. 

 It is erroneously supposed by many that it is more 

 difhcult to study, or rather to retain what we may 

 learn, in manhood, than in childhood : mere words, 

 it is true, may be more readily retained by a child ; 

 but the truths imparted by words can be more easilj' 

 understood, and therefore more permanently im- 

 pressed on the mind, in after life. Such truths as 

 apply to our business are seldom or never forgotten ; 

 and therefore Ave find our greatest jurists, and indeed 

 our most original men of all kinds, among those 

 who are styled self-educated, having improved their 

 minds after arriving at the age of manhood. A child 

 may commit a whole book to memory at the rate of 

 one or two pages a day, and thus in twelve months 

 be able to repeat the words. A man may read the 

 same book in one or two days, and although he may 

 not remember verbatim a single passage, still his 

 general knowledge of the subject of which the book 

 treats, will be infinitely superior to that of the child ; 

 for impressions made on the more mature mind of 

 the man are independent of the mere words by which 

 the idea was originally received. But notwithstand- 

 ing this fact, we are answered that men will not 

 read, and that it is even difhcult to induce them to 

 attend lectures. All this is true, and so far as the 

 lectures are concerned, we are not surprised at it ; for 

 lecturers generally become tiresome from their en- 

 deavor to exhibit their own erudition rather than to 



instruct their audiences. Under these circumstances, 

 the question naturally occurs, How are we to induce 

 men to imin-ove their minds ? We answer, By in- 

 ducing them to believe that they are instructing 

 others; and the plan is as follows: Suppose one 

 hundred farmers should meet together once a week, 

 or once a month, for the purpose of discussing tlie 

 best mode, of performing any agricultural process, 

 and that, instead of its being a mere meeting for pro- 

 miscuous conversation, they would choose a subject, 

 appoint, a chairman, and adopt the following rules 

 of order : — 



1. That a chairman, two vice-chairmen, and two 

 secretaries, be ap])ointed by the members attending 

 the third conversational meeting. 



2. That it shall be the duty of the chairman, and, 

 in his absence, of one of the vice-chairmen, to preside 

 at all conversational meetings held during the win- 

 ter ; and that the secretaries keep minutes of all the 

 important facts stated at these nreetings, in a book 

 to be provided for the purpose ; which book shall be 

 the property of the institute, and open to the jDerusal 

 of all the members. 



3. That no person shall be at liberty to speak more 

 than fifteen minutes at one time, without permission 

 from the meeting. 



4. That in no case will a member be permitted to 

 reply to remarks made by another member ; it being 

 understood that at these meetings members are only 

 expected to state such facts connected with the sub- 

 ject of conversation, as their experience or knowledge 

 may suggest, but not to encourage debate. 



5. That a list of subjects for conversation be posted 

 in the room, to which each member may add such 

 as he may be anxious to avail himself of the informa- 

 tion of members upon ; it being understood that 

 these meetings are intended to disseminate any 

 information possessed by one member to the whole 

 m.eeting. 



6. That, previous to the close of each meeting, the 

 chairman shall propose three subjects, (if so many 

 remain undisposed of on the list,) one of which shall 

 be selected for the next evening's conversation. 



7. That the members shall be invited to attend at 

 7 o'clock, and employ their time until 8 o'clock in 

 social intercourse, thus enabling them to become 

 acquainted. 



8. The chairman shall call the meeting to order 

 at 8 o'clock, and in all cases adjourn at half past 9 

 o'clock, if not previously adjourned. 



9. All questions of order shall be decided by the 

 presiding officer. 



10. Members may invite their friends to atten-d 

 these meetings. — Working Farmer. 



CAMOMILE. 



A few roots of this plant should have a place in 

 every garden. Not only are its medical qualities 

 highly valuable, but its presence among vegetables 

 is supposed to bo an iEgis of protection against many 

 diseases to which they are subject. It should be 

 translated into warm and rich soil, early in the 

 spring, and be assisted, during its early development, 

 by copious manuring and frequent pressure. When 

 plants, late in the season, exhibit symptoms of decay 

 or general debility, the planting of a small root of 

 camomile in their vicinage is frequently the most 

 speedy and efficacious remedy that can be applied. 

 The odor, or aroma, diffused by this plant, is also 

 known to be highly repellent to many kinds of alige- 

 rous insects, and its presence aniong those species 

 of plants and vegetables infested by such enemies, 

 will protect them more efFectualh^ than almost any 

 other agent known, and at comparatively small 

 expense. 



