158 



NEW KN-GLAND FARMER. 



Mat 



IF -WE KNEW. 



If we knew the cares and crosses, 



Crowding round our neighbor's way, 

 If we knew the little losses. 



Sorely grievous day by day. 

 Would we then so often chide 



For his lacs of thrift and gain — 

 Leaving on his heart a shadow. 



Leaving on our lives a stain ? 



If we knew the clouds above us, 



Held by gentle blessings there, 

 Would we turn away all trembling 



In our blind and weak despair? 

 Would we shrink from little shadows 



Lying on the dewy grass, 

 While 'tis only birds of Eden, 



Just in mercy flying past ? 



If we knew the silent story 



Quivering through the heart of psln, 

 Would our womanhood dare doom them 



Back to haunts of guilt again ? 

 Life hath many a tangled crossing, 



Joy hath many a break of woe, 

 And the cheeks tear-washed are whitest 5 



This the blessed angels know. 



Let us reach into our bosoms 



For the ke3' to other lives. 

 And with love toward erring nature. 



Cherish good that still survives ; 

 So that, when our disrobed spirits 



Soar to realms of light again, 

 We may say "Dear Father, judge us. 



As we judge our fellow-men." 



Foreign Exchange. 



EXTRACTS AND REPLIES. 



SEEDS — CURKANTS AND RASPBERUIES — URONZE TUR- 

 KEY — BRAHMA FOWiS. 



1. I wish to inquire what kind of vegetable seeds 

 are good only at one year old? what kind at two ? 

 and what three years or more? (Common kinds only.) 



2. Should currants and raspberries be set in partial 

 shade ? 



3. In what does the superiority of the Bronze tur- 

 key consist r 



4. Are the genuine Bramah fowls clear white, or 

 streaked with black on neck or tail ? Ex. 



March, 1863. 



Remarks. — 1. The egg plant, various kinds of on- 

 ions, parsnip and thick-skinned squash are safe only 

 for one year. 



Beans should not be planted that have been kept 

 more than two years, — nor carrots, celery, spinach or 

 tomato seeds. 



Asparagus seed is good at three years, — so are let- 

 tuce and peas. 



But broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, cucumber, mel- 

 on, radish, squash and turnip seeds are supposed to 

 remain good for from five to ten years — so says Mr. 

 ScHLEGEL, at 20 South Market Street, Boston,->-one 

 of the best informed seedsmen in our knowledge. 



2. We are not aware that currants and raspberries 

 flourish any better for being partially shaded, after 

 they are once thoroughly established in the gi-ound. 

 We have cultivated them successfully in the sun, and 

 just as well when partially shaded. 



We must leave the other questions for some one 

 better informed. 



HUNGARIAN GRASS. 



I have seen communications frequently in the Frtrw- 

 er on Hungarian grass. I would like to make one 

 suggestion in its favor in relation to its being fed to 

 milch cows. I raised some two years ago, and in the 

 winter triwl it in various ways — the sheep, horses and 

 cattle all being very fond of it. It improved the quan- 

 tity and quality of the milk at once. I sold half a 

 ton to one of my neighbors for his cow. His experi- 

 ence accords with mine. He said it improved the col- 

 or and taste of the butter. I am now feeding with 

 the same result. 



I wish to know where I can obtain one-half bushel 

 of flax seed, and at what price ? some that will be 

 adapted to the latitude of Central Vermont or New- 

 Hampshire. "Agriculturist," in his letter No. 2, has 

 given so minute a description of the whole process of 

 raising, that I think I can do it ; at anv rate I can try. 



North Thetfotd, Vt., 1863. M" D. Baxter. 



Remarks. — Flax seed is high at present — probably 

 $Z 50 or $^ 00 per bushel. It lisually sells for about 

 half that sum. 



horse RAKES. 



Will you inform the boys of New Hampshire of the 

 best horse rake in use, and the cost ? Also the best 

 one or two-horse mower, and the cost ? Also the cut, 

 or plan, if convenient. Most of our help has left to 

 work for Uncle Sam ; so much so, we are almost 

 oI)liged to do our labor with horses, or at least, as far 

 as we can. e. h. 



Upper Gilmanton^ N. H., 1863. 



Remarks. — There are two horse rakes about to be- 

 introduced, which we shall notice by-and-by. 



SETTING VF BIRDS. 



Will you through the Fanner inform, me of the best 

 manner of preserving, stutting and curing birds ? 5 

 "want to know the whole modus operandi, so far as the 

 materials used in preserving and stuliing are concerned. 

 Of late, we have been visited with many rare kinds, 

 uncommon in this country, and at this season. If you 

 will ol>lige me in this matter, you will confer a favor 

 on a friend and a reader. 



Chanxins E. Hazeltine. 



Sonth Strafford, Vt., 1863. 



Remarks. — We will publish a complete article on 

 the sul)ject, soon. 



warts on cattle. 



I wis?i to inqnire through the columns of the Farm~ 

 er if there is any cure for warts on cattle. I have a 

 vaUja))lc cow which has a number of large warts. 

 Will some ol" your numerous readers prescribe a rem- 

 edy, and much oblige s. f. a. 



Bellows Falls, March, 1863. 



LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL MEET- 

 ING. 



The Eleventh meeting of tliis series took place at 

 the State House on the evening of March 30. 

 The subject for discussion was the Qdiure of Flax. 

 Stdpiien M. Allen, Esq., President of the Na- 

 tional Fibrilia Companiy, spoke as follows : 



In both England and France the change from 

 the use of linen to cotton was attended with much 

 difficulty. It was principally brought about by 

 the influence of new machinery, invented for card- 

 ing and spinning short-stapled fibres at much less 

 cost than long-line fibres could be manufactured. 

 Tnis difi'erence in manufacture is as marked now 

 as it was then, and has given birth to the fibriliz- 

 ing process, which admits of the preparation of 

 flax or hemp for spinning on short-stapled ma- 

 chinery usually employed for the manufacture of 

 cotton and wool. 



The transition wrought in England by the in- 

 ventions of Paul, Hargrave, Arkwright and 

 Crompton, in the introduction of power spinning 

 and weaving, was so great that whole neighbor- 

 hoods became disturbed by mobs, composed of 

 hand spinners and weavers who feared being 

 thrown out of work. The governments of both 

 England and France had to interfere, and laws 

 were made to regulate the manufacture of cottoii 

 goods, restricting them to linen warps. These 



