462 



^EW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Oct. 



ought to be, the remainder I "guess at," for it is 

 entirel)^ hidden by tall lilac bushes. 1 never looked 

 inside, but I know it is dark, and gloomy and 

 still. Once I had a glimpse of the lady that dwells 

 therein. One summer morning as Abhie and I 

 were passing, we spied two blush roses outside 

 the rickety fence, and with no thought of tres- 

 passing, we stopped to pick them. The lilac bushes 

 parted, (there must be windows behind them !) a 

 gray head surmounted with a black cap appeared, 

 and a harsh voice called out, "Here, gals, let alone 

 o' those roses !" We "skedaddled !" But what 

 better could we expect, where there was no sun- 

 shine ? Somewhere, however, in her desert heart 

 there was a green oasis, for she cared to save her 

 roses. And they, poor things, were trying to es- 

 cape her and her shadows, seeking the common 

 highway, where sunlight and somebody would 

 smile upon them. 



Let in the good sunshine. God only knows how 

 we need it now, in our homes and in our hearts, 

 while such great shadows of grief hang over us, 

 and in nearly every household the hourly prayer 

 is, "O, save my soldier!" "God said, let there 

 be light I" And there is light now for us, free and 

 overflowing, if 



"While the west winds play 



We throw the windows of our souls 



Wide open to the day." MaRGIE. 



CATTLE IN" THE KOADS. 



The best judicial authority in our land has de- 

 cided (and the decision has been confirmed time 

 and again) that when a person sells or deeds a 

 portion of land to a county for a public road, he 

 merely gives the public the right of free passage 

 over that land, and no one has the right to re- 

 move earth from the roads, — and of course the 

 same applies to the gxass. This places the matter 

 in the hands of the farmers, and gives them a 

 remedy which they should make use of. 



It is not proper or humane to injure or hurt the 

 cattle thus committing a nuisance, but their own- 

 ers should suffer for it. My treatment (which I 

 find effectual) is to treat all such animals as strays, 

 according to the law made and provided for such ; 

 that is, take them into your field, and if not soon 

 called for, advertise them, and charge for pastur- 

 age and expenses. 



We have a law against any person who owns 

 sixteen acres turning his stock into the road, but 

 this does not give any one owning less or none at 

 all the right to tiu-n theirs on the public road, be- 

 cause no authority can give the right. 



The owners say that if farmers wovdd keep good 

 fences the cattle would not trouble them. 13ut all 

 know that a good fence will not turn an experi- 

 enced road steer or cow, for they have a wonderful 

 facility, acquired by long practice, of letting down 

 bars and throwing the riders off fences, which cat- 

 tle that have enough to eat know nothing about. 



Whenever these coavs appear within the limits 

 of my farm, I drive them into a small lot near the 

 house, where they remain for eighteen or twenty 

 hours, when, if not called for, they go into the pas- 

 ture meadow with the other coms, and their pas- 

 ture bill begins and continues until it is paid and 

 the cows are removed. If not called for within five 

 days, they are advertised. In this way I and some 

 dozen of my neighbors keep ourselves nearly clear 

 of this nuisance. 



FEVEK AND DYSENTEKT. 



The sudden and extreme change which occurred 

 in the weather during Saturday and Sunday, Au- 

 gust 24 and 25, will undoubtedly prove the cause 

 of numerous cases of fever and dysentery among 

 our people. Many persons suppose that these 

 diseases are generally occasioned by eating the 

 vegetables and fruits of the season. That they 

 are so, in many instances, is probably true, but 

 perhaps more frequently by a .sudden check of 

 perspiration, or exposure to the night air. Great 

 care is, therefore, necessary not to expose the 

 body to fresh currents of air when it is moist with 

 perspiration, or fatigued, or when sleeping. Plen- 

 ty of air in the sleeping-room is favorable to 

 health, even though it be night air, — but it should 

 not blow directly iipon the person. 



At this season of the year one must be espe- 

 cially careful to keep a general and equal warmth 

 of the body, eat sparingly of fruits and vegetables, 

 and make the fruit as much a» possible a part of 

 the meal, and change the clothing as the temper- 

 ature of the weather changes. At most, take but 

 a light supper. Sedentaiy persons would be bet- 

 ter without any — having had two hearty meals. 

 At the first symptoms of sickness, stop eating and 

 drinking, and labor, £is far as possible ; then put 

 on a pair of easy slippers and clean clothing, and 

 resolve to do just rijht in everything, and you wili 

 soon be well again ! Will you try the prescrip- 

 tion ? 



WATUKAL BAROMETEK. 



The spider, says an eminent naturalist, is almost 

 universally regarded M'ith disgust and abhorrence ; 

 yet, after all, it is one of the most interesting, if 

 not the most useful, of the insect tribe. Since the 

 days of Robert Bruce, it has been celebrated as a 

 model of perseverance, while in industry and in- 

 genuity it has no rival among insects. But the 

 most extraordinar)' fact in the natural history of 

 this insect, is the remarkable presentiment it ap- 

 pears to have of an approaching change in the 

 weather. Barometers, at best, only foretell the 

 state of tlie weather with certainty for twenty-four 

 bom-s, and they are very frequently fallible guides, 

 particularly when they point to settled fair. But 

 we may be sure that the weather will be fine 

 twelve or fourteen days, Avhen the spider makes 

 the principal threads of its web very long. This 

 insect, which is one of the most economical ani- 

 mals, does not commence a work requiring such 

 a great length of threads, which it draws out of 

 its body, unless the state of the atmosphere indi- 

 cates with certainty that this great expenditure 

 Avill not be made in vain. Lot the weather be ever 

 so bad, Ave may conclude with certainty that it 

 will soon change to be settled fair when we see 

 the spider repair the damages which his Aveb has 

 received. It is obvious how important this inf;tl- 

 lible indication of the state of the weather must 

 be in many instances, particulai'ly to the agricul- 

 turist. — Exchange. 



