1863. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



800 



Hayfield Thoughts.— The Editor of the N. 

 H. Jovmal »/ Agriculture, apologized last week 

 for lack of "original," by saying that he prepared 

 his budget with a rake in one hand and a pitch- 

 fork in the other. With these tools in his hands, 

 and perhaps with a blister on one or both of his 

 palms, he thus meditates : 



Sometimes we think this rather a hard country 

 to live in, as it is about as mucli as we can do dur- 

 ing the summer to grow and gather enough for the 

 subsistence of man and beast through a winter of 

 six months. Eut this is the dark side of the pic- 

 ture. There is another and brighter side — one 

 we love to contemplate ; the beauty of which illu- 

 mines our whole existence. It points to the high- 

 er aims of life, and fills us with noble as])irations. 

 As we go to the field let us contemplate this 

 brighter side ; let us realize and enjoy it. It will 

 lighten our labor and subdue our passions. Let 

 us grasp the substance — not the shadow — and 

 cheerfully, hopefully, courageously, perform our 

 allotted tasks, and leave the result with God. 



Fur the Netc Ens^and Fanner, 

 HOW TO CimE POISON FKOM IVY. 

 I have seen an article going the rounds of the 

 papers credited to the Farmer, recommending hot 

 water for the effects of poison ivy. A trial of eigh- 

 teen years in the use of the ivy itself, as a preven- 

 tive and a cure also, has given me almost unlim- 

 ited confidence in its use. From some authority, 

 I know not what, I got the fact that chewing the 

 leaf had a good effect. Always having suffered 

 from it, the experiment was tried and to my en- 

 tire relief, and consequently to my entire satisfac- 

 tion. My boys use it with the same result. A 

 boy, Some twelve years of age, worked for me a 

 few days in haying about twelve years since, and 

 before he was aware of it, was in the ivy ancle 

 high. "I'm a dead man," said he. The next day 

 his legs began to swell, and he felt very sober, in- 

 deed, about the future, for he expected to be "used 

 up" a long time. I told him of my remedy. He 

 tried it and the effect of the poison was checked 

 at once, and he had no trouble after. At all times, 

 when I knowingly go into it, I pick a tender leaf, 

 as large as a three-cent postage stamp, and chew 

 It, usually being some five or ten minutes doing 

 so. If I get poisoned at any time by accident, 

 the one leaf usually does the cure. Every one 

 should be cautious to chew but Utile, as the reme- 

 dy will be worse than the disease. I make this 

 statement for the benefit of those who can be cau- 

 tious in its use, hoping others mav experience 

 what I have. Weare, N.IL 1863. Z. Brked. 



A New Bauometer. — M. Sauvageon, of Va- 

 lence, has studied the phenomena which are pro- 

 duced in a cup of coffee when the sugar is put 

 into the cup ; and the result of these observations 

 is thus stated : — "If, inswetening your coffee, you 

 allow the sugar to dissolve without stirring the liq- 

 uid, and the globules form a frothy mass, remain- 

 ing in the centre of the cup, it is an indication of 

 duration of fine weather ; if, on the contrary, the 

 froth forms a ring around the sides of the cup it 

 is a sign of heavy rain ; variable weather is im- 

 plied by the froth remaining stationary, but ''ot 

 exactly in the centre." 



For the Neir England Parmer, 

 "BOYS, STICK fO THE FARM." 



Nothing is more discouraging to me than to 

 witness the large number of our country youth 

 constantly leaving the farm and setting their faces 

 towards the distant spires of neighboring cities. 

 The evil is on the increase, I think. How many 

 family circles have been broken into and the fa- 

 vorite of the household removed to the city ! 

 How many a sleepless night and anxious forebod- 

 ings by day, has many a parent experienced on 

 account of her darling' son exposed to the temp- 

 tations of the great metropolis whither he had 

 gone. How many young men are daily wading 

 through a mother's tears, the remonstrances of a 

 kind father, and the eloquent pleadings of a sis- 

 ter, to reach the seeming goal of tlieir happiness, 

 namely, a home and life in the city. And well 

 may a loving mother weep, a father remonstrate, 

 and a sister plead, when the son and brotiier an- 

 nounces his determination to seek that hajipiness 

 in the city which he says he is unable to find in 

 his country home, for in many cases the depar- 

 ture of a young man from his country home is 

 but taking the road to future ruin. 



When I see a young man j.reparing to leave 

 the warm sunlight of a country home for the tur- 

 moil of a city, I always feel it to be my duty to 

 say to such an one, "Stick to the Farm." When 

 I find a country jouth contrasting his lot with 

 tliat of a city merchant's son, I always say to him, 

 "Stick to the Farm," and whenever I look upon a 

 farmer's boy, hard at work from morning until 

 night, I always like to whisper in his ear, "Stick 

 to the Farm !" Cast not off the uniform of the 

 farm, look not disdainfully at your rough hands 

 and tanned cheek, but be of good cheer, keep up 

 a stout heart, march bravely on in the routine of 

 your duty, so shall you at last gain a com])etency 

 a cheerful home, and that boon of great worth, 

 happiness. 



Look about you, listen to the experience of 

 others whose footsteps you fain would follow ; 

 take heed to the warning notes of alarm that are 

 being sounded every day in the city, from some 

 unfortunate youth who has sacrificed both body 

 and mind for a city life, and see if you do not 

 think it is best to "Stick to the Farm !" The farm 

 is the best place for you ; where you have grown 

 up and from early life have been accustomed to 

 work amid its fertile fields. There you have 

 served a long apprenticesiiip and are educated to 

 manage its affairs. You understand tlie nature 

 of the soil and the crops ada])ted to it. If you 

 go to the city you must begin anew; ever\ thing 

 will be strange to you, and it will be a long time 

 before you can get accustomed to doing business 

 there. You will have to throw aside :ill the ex- 

 perience of former years and start anew in regard 

 to your adoj)ted calling. 



Again, it is your duty to "Stick to the Farm ;" 

 vour father has already reached the meridiun of 

 life, and has commenced to descend the "western 

 declivity." He has long looked forward to the 

 day when he could relinquish the active labors of 

 the farm to his son. To tiiis end lie h.is taken 

 special pains to instruct you in all tilings connect- 

 ed with good husbandry, and now, when he needs 

 you most, when he feels the infirmities of age 

 creeping on, when he needs your aid, will you 

 leave him to struggle on as best he may, bearing 



