650 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Dec. 



graceful, swinging in the breeze, and scatter- 

 ing their tiny seeds, full of life, over the bar- 

 ren pasture, to clothe it, at some future time, 

 with usefulness and beauty. So all is life and 

 activity about us, though in a different form, 

 more hidden and obscure, perhaps, than in the 

 summer months. If the plant be an annual 

 one, the whole organism perishes the first year ; 

 if perennial, the part of the organism devel- 

 oped in the atmosphere alone dies ; but the 

 part of the organism still below the soil, is 

 protected, and lives securely, sheltered by its 

 friendly covering till Avarm weather come again, 

 and then from that still living, underground or 

 subterranean stem, the same plants spring 

 forth in the renewed beauty and freshness of 

 youth, to go through the same brief but inter- 

 esting life-changes. 



As we look from our window upon acres of 

 trees planted by our own hands, apple, pear 

 and peach orchards, elms, pines, the larch, 

 spruce, beech, birch, black walnut, and many 

 other varieties, all the deciduous ones of which 

 have shed most of their leaves, how vividly 

 come to mind the riddles and little songs from 

 nature that perplexed our narrow comprehen- 

 sion in childhood ! How our poor brain was 

 perplexed in getting at the truth wrapt up in 

 the following homely riddle : — 



In spring I look gay, clad in comely array; 



In summer more clotliing I wear ; 

 But as colder it grows, I tiing off my clothes, 



And in winter quite naked appear I 



What a wonderful thing is a tree ! How 

 •would a single town or State look without (jne ? 

 What would the climate be ? What would com- 

 pensate for the loss of their fruits, their fragrant 

 and charming flowers, their grateful shade, — 

 aye, and the songs they sing ? Where would the 

 birds find their homes, build their nests and 

 rear their young? The inspired writers often 

 speak of the beauty of trees, and illustrate 

 some of their best thoughts by them. David 

 says the man whose delight is in the law of the 

 Lord shall be like a tree planted by the rivers 

 of watar, that bringeth forth his fruit in sea- 

 son, and compares himself to a green olive tree 

 in the house of God. In speaking of wisdom, 

 Solomon says, she is a tree of life to them that 

 lay hold upon her. 



In his first lessons in botany and physiology. 

 Prof. Gray says that the Washington Elm, at 

 Cambridge — a tree of no extraordinary size — 

 was some years ago estimated to produce a 



crop of seven millions of leaves, exposing a 

 surface of two hundred thousand square feet, 

 or about^re acres of foliage ! 



Trees are the sanitary agents in the econo- 

 my of the world we live in. By one process 

 they abstract carbon from the atmosphere, that 

 in due time it may be converted into wood and 

 other vegetable substances ; and by another, 

 through the medium of their leaves, they pre- 

 serve the air in a condition fit for human 

 breathing. ' 'We little think when we inhale the 

 fresh air, and quaff it upon the hills, like so 

 much invisible and aerial wine, that its purity 

 and healthfulness come of the glorious trees. 

 But so it is." They also supply us with nu- 

 merous useful articles, whether of nourishment 

 or of clothing, or of medicine ; with timber to 

 construct our houses, furniture, ships, car- 

 riages, and an infinite number of lesser, bst 

 scarcely less indispensable articles. They live 

 and help us live. 



There is no death in the works of an Al- 

 mighty hand. What we call death shall live 

 again. "Life shall rejoice. Winter shall break 

 forth and blossom into Spring, Spring shall 

 put on her glorious apparel and be called 

 Summer. It is life ! It is life ! through the 

 whole year !" 



But, it is Winter. Winds howl and snows 

 fly. Cold penetrates everywhere. Want 

 stares into some dwellings like a wolf at the 

 door. What is your duty ? Go and deal your 

 Master's stores. 



"Here is your mission I Te who feed 



Your lavish tires I Not far, 

 But at your doors, your heathen are I 



God'd poor — your creditors — take heed." 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PERSONAL CARE OF STOCK. 



Farmers are apt to dread the coming winter, 

 in this northern latitude, because it throws 

 their flocks and herds so long and so entirely 

 upon them for food and shelter. And they 

 envy their more favored brethren in a milder 

 clime, where the cattle graze in green pastures 

 and care for themselves, independently of sta- 

 bles and cow-houses, all the year round. But 

 among the pleasantest of my winter experiences 

 is the personal care of the animals which this 

 inclement season renders so dependent on man 

 for protection and sustenance. To be sure, I 

 am but a "one-horse" farmer, having only 

 horse, cow, pigs and poultry to care for. 

 Some of your heavy stock owners may smile at 

 my simplicity, and wonder at my presumption 

 in dictating terms to them. Well, let me 

 have, then, only the ear of my brother one- 



