1862. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



237 



and in this way a great deal of milk is wasted by 

 the inexperienced milker. A person very natural- 

 ly springs back when a cow attempts to kick, which 

 is exactly what the cow wishes, for she can then 

 have full liberty of her legs ; and before you know 

 it, the cow's foot is in the pail. Instead of spring- 

 ing back, sit up as near the cow as possible, keep- 

 ing the pail — which should be between the knees 

 — as high as it will bear. In this position, there 

 is some danger of the cow's starting round sud- 

 denly, and tipping the milker over, unless the 

 head" be braced against the cow, so as to resist any 

 such movement. Some recommend tying a cow's 

 legs when she is fractious, putting a machine in 

 her nose, &c , but this should never be resorted to 

 except in extreme cases. Cross cows will gener- 

 ally become gentle by mild treatment. They will 

 be coaxed, but you cannot drive them much easier 

 than you can men. 



Cows should always be milked as rapidly as 

 possible. A slow milker dries them up. This is 

 why a cow milked by a "green hand" gives such a 

 small mess of milk. P. Paige. 



South Hampton, N. H., April 1, 1862. 



For the NetD England Farmer. 

 THE ROADSIDES OP THE PAKM. 



On passing a neighbor's the other day, I was for- 

 cibly reminded of the very descriptive words of the 

 wise man in reference to the field of the slothful, 

 and the vineyard of the man devoid of understand- 

 ing, and of their applicability to most of the road- 

 sides in every neighborhood. They are all grown 

 over with thorns, nettles have covered the face 

 thereof, and the stone wall thereof is broken 

 down. The wise man considered it well ; he 

 looked upon it, and received instruction. Can we 

 not do the same .'' 



How many neglect entirely the roadside adjoin- 

 ing their premises, and how many more not only 

 neglect the roadside, but their field side, and fen- 

 ces or walls. In numerous instances, I have seen 

 walls and fences so overgrown with brush, briars, 

 &c., that the owner, for years, probably had not 

 had access to them. On some farms, acres are thus 

 lost, so far as a profitable use is concerned, to 

 their owners. These bushes and briars, unless 

 vigorously combated, will encroach year by year 

 upon the field. The only sure remedy seems to 

 be to commence on the roadside, if the field is 

 thus bounded, and make thorough work of them 

 on both sides. I will ask you, whoever you may 

 be, who have such roadside fences, if it never oc- 

 curred to you, that every intelligent, observing 

 passer by of your premises would look upon 

 them with sorrow at their neglect, and regard you 

 with pity as being either devoid of understanding, 

 or wanting in good taste. Call to mind some 

 farms we know of in our several neighborhoods, 

 where we invariably see the fence corners piled 

 with brush and briars ; wall, if any, overrun with 

 the same, and often broken down. Old carts, 

 cart-wheels, plows and other farm implements, 

 piles of wood, boards, barrels, and sometimes 

 mulch of various kinds, (gathered in other places,) 

 all commingled in the road, within a stone's cast 

 from the front door of the house. Pigs, poultry, 

 and often other farm stock, also allowed the larg- 

 est liberty of the highway. Does such a state of 



things indicate prosperity? "Would you not, if 

 going to purchase a farm, pass such an one by, as 

 being unworthy of your inspection ? The farm, 

 aside from its slovenly appearance, may be equally 

 as good and productive as its neater neighbor, cul- 

 tivated under the same cu'cumstances. But who 

 cares to assume the task of clearing up and put- 

 ting such a place in order, unless it can be pur- 

 chased very low ? 



This brings the question to bear where I wished 

 in the outset, viz., that it is the interest of every 

 farmer to keep the roadsides of his farm neat and 

 clean. 



Most men are moved by this motive, when all 

 others fail. If you don't care much how things 

 look about your premises, and the roads adjoining, 

 depend upon it, there are dollars and cents involv- 

 ed in the matter that must be heeded, or you suf- 

 fer loss. If you set to work in good earnest, to 

 clear up the roadside borders of your farm, you 

 will soon extend your operations to other parts, 

 and not rest satisfied until the whole is put in a 

 state of neatness. You will in all probability then 

 discover that a sphit of improvement has some- 

 how got hold of you, and that the farm not only 

 looks better, but pays better. This, however, is 

 not all the good you get. There is an undercur- 

 rent of feelings awakened that will gush up into 

 living springs of enjoyment. You will feel your 

 manhood as you never felt it before ; new strength 

 for the conflict of life, and greater self-respect ; 

 and be held in higher esteem by all who honor 

 you, which will give to your example greater in- 

 fluence, and not only bless the present, but com- 

 ing generations. 



If such a state of things could be brought about, 

 we should hear less of high taxes and hard times. 

 Cheerful contentment would be found on every 

 hand. The wise man passing by, would be pleased 

 with the change, and instead of predicting poverty 

 and want to come as a strong man armed, would 

 regard you as being diligent to know the state of 

 your flocks, and looking well to your herds ; the 

 hay and the grass appearing for the sustenance of 

 the same ; the lambs for thy clothing, and the 

 products of thy fields and flocks for thy food, for 

 the food of thy household, and for the maintenance 

 of thy maidens. c. K. 



Rochester, Mass., Dec, 1861. 



For the New England Farmer. 



CTTLTURB OP SWEET POTATOES. 



Mr. Editor : — Why are we. New England farm- 

 ers, so far behind the times in the cultivation of the 

 sweet potato ? I know it is a prevalent opinion 

 with many that it is a difficult task, it being ap- 

 parently too far removed from its native climate. 

 This opinion, I admit, would hold good against 

 most of the many varieties grown at the South, 

 but I am confident, from experience, that there are 

 varieties that can be grown profitably throughout 

 the New England States. All we want is a varie- 

 ty that will be edible at a very early stage of 

 growth, cooking dry and good, when comparative- 

 ly immature. A variety called the Nansemond, I 

 think, possesses these merits, and has given good 

 paying crops 44° north. A very short time since; 

 it was thought impossible to cultivate the purple 

 egg plant Avith success, but we now find our cli- 



