220 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



visiting among my many friends, and I think, — 

 privately to be sure — that the fair Margie is a wife 

 of but little time, or has a husband of better make 

 than are most men. 



The truth of the matter lies just here : the hus- 

 band knows nothing of the thousand and one 

 little things that fret a woman into her early grave. 

 He expects his dinner at the right moment, and 

 if it is ready and cold before he eats it, all very 

 well. He can find no fault. Perhaps in a soft, 

 easy voice, — "that beautiful thing in woman" — 

 you remark, "The dinner was ready at the usual 

 hour, but waiting has nearly spoiled it." Can he 

 answer you back any other way than pleasantly, 

 however cold the dinner may be, when his own 

 conscience tells him that talking over that last 

 bit of war news with a passing neighbor was the 

 sole cause ? He cannot blame you unless he be a 

 creature unworthy the noble name of man. You 

 may blame him, to be sure ; and away down in 

 your heart may be uneasy feelings of vexation 

 clamoring for utterance ; but, believe me, the 

 "least said is soonest mended." Calm, even tones 

 will often quell a harsh disturbance in a woman's 

 mind, at keenly felt wrongs, even though they are 

 but a mask to conceal the real feelings. Anger 

 seldom speaks in sweet, gentle accents; audit 

 would be well for us to pitch our voices low, and 

 never rise above that point. Reproof will harshly 

 wound, after the lover has entirely passed through 

 his transformation, and '"'come out" the newly- 

 fledged husband. He prizes his "pinnacle of stern- 

 ness" too much to be unceremoniously pushed 

 from it, by a frail woman, even though she be his 

 bdta- half. 



I do not wish to be understood to advocate this 

 to be all right, but it is just as it is ; and could I 

 put my younger sisters in the holy bonds of wed- 

 lock on their guard, could I teach them to te'ain 

 themselves to be more independent, could I save 

 them one family jar, I should not have lived in 

 vain or spent my time for naught. The only patli 

 that will lead to true independence, is that of pa- 

 tience and forbearance ; trying in all things to do 

 exactly right, as far as in us lies ; and then, if 

 blamed, we can better bear the censure with a 

 closed mouth, feeling the easy pulsations of a qui- 

 et conscience. 



I do sincerely think it right and well to invite 

 a morning caller into the kitchen. If you make 

 a practice of so doing you will soon acquire a self- 

 assurance about your work that will astonish you. 

 After a few trials the dough will not adhere to the 

 moulding-board, but work as easily as though you 

 were alone ; the bosom of the "good man's shirt" 

 will no longer be marked by the print of the starch- 

 besmeared iron, l)ut by your own self-control, be 

 ironed so smoothly and look so glossy that your 

 friend will speak of its perfectness ; and, seeing 

 she is no clog to the beautiful movement of the 

 household machinery, the half hour will glide into 

 an hour and a half, and you will then part I'rom her 

 with a beaming smile and a light heart, knowing 

 your morning's work is done ; and she will go 

 home wishing she had the same easiness of man- 

 ner you possess. 



The power of self-control is one of great impor- 

 tance to a young wife, and if once learned will 

 prove a blessing through life ; therefore, I say, send 

 no one from your kitchen, neither hesitate to in- 

 yi^^r^ .x.-o tht-iP. because vnu are too busv to piit.er- 



tain them ; but strive not to let their presence in- 

 terfere with your employments. The kitchen is, 

 indeed, the home of the farmer's wife, and should 

 be made pleasant to every one. 



Now, Margie, will you not please soften down 

 that expression of yours a little, and not call that 

 man a "tyrant" who looks for more in his wife than 

 he possesses in himself? I cannot think he is ; 

 but if so it be, methinks tyrants are very plenty in 

 my circle of acquaintance, and I am afraid you 

 will find them so in yours. Sarah. 



For the New England Farmer, 

 ADULTERATED GUANO. 



Messrs. Editors : — The Peruvian guano is 

 so extensively used all over Great Britain and is 

 in such demand, that it presents a great tempta- 

 tion to venders to adulterate the true article by 

 mixing it with other substances. We doubt, how- 

 ever, Avhether this is much, if ever done in New 

 England. The Peruvian government guano re- 

 ceived here through the agent, Mr. Bartlett, of 

 Boston, I believe is the genuine article. In En- 

 gland this adulteration must be common, as we 

 gather from the following : "It is absurd to lay 

 down rules as to the quantity of Peruvian guano 

 to be applied to a given space ; such rules have 

 been promulgated with apparently great care ; 

 but we fear, in many cases, not taking into ac- 

 count that not two samples of guano are found to 

 agree in their constituents. Color is no test, and 

 even weight is not to be depended upon. The 

 following is a simple test, and is worth the atten- 

 tion of purchasers : Burn 200 grains of guano 

 in an open fire, in a common iron ladle ; it must 

 be frequently stirred, and after keeping it at a 

 strong red heat for ten minutes, and allowing it 

 to become cold, if the ashes weigh more than 72 

 grains, it is not genuine Peruvian guano." 



Salem, Mass. j. M. I. 



Obscure Sources of Disease. — In another 

 place the reader may find an article under this 

 head, written by Dr. James R. Nichols, of Bos- 

 ton, a gentleman distinguished for his skill as a 

 Manufacturing and Analytical Chemist. The sub- 

 ject presented is one of interest to every farmer, 

 as there are frequently sources of impurity about 

 his premises that may greatly afiect the health of 

 his family, if not even destroy life. We know of 

 some cases where the sufTcring has been very 

 great, and life endangered. ! v some of the causes 

 alluded to in the Doctor's J '.'resting article. We 

 commend its careful peru^ ..; ! > ever' reader, as by 

 heeding its suggestions he .n y save vears of suf- 

 fering for himself or some ' , her of liisfimily. 



A New Way to Dksti:> > ''ruMi's. — A corres- 

 pondent of the rairal Eeij, ■( , ■ writes that journal 

 that Mr. John Barnes, of !' .1; imorc, removed a 

 troublesome stun'ip from nc:i. i;is l-.ouse in the fol- 

 lowing maimer : "Last fil!. V, ith nn inch auger, 

 he bored a hole in the ti'n'rc i.f the stump ten 

 inches deej), and put into ii ' it half a pound of 

 oil of vitri'l and corked tin '• Ic i",) ligljt. 'i'his 

 spring the whole stump, ';:i ■ ixtending 



through 11 their ramific;;!: : i -iteu that 



they wcw .easily eradicai* 



