1870. 



NEW EI^GLAOT) FARMER. 



431 



stuff as they were endeavoring to gather ? 

 He replied, "Well, I don't know, but I 

 thought that they would pick up part of their 

 living out there." But what possible good 

 can it do them ? Said I, It seems as though 

 30U would have to give each animal a good 

 dose of salts, along with such feed, to ever get 

 it though them. It don't pay to keep cows in 

 that way, my friend. In order to make good 

 sweet butter, good rich wholesome food has 

 got to be furnished them, with a good warm, 

 comfortable stable, fresh pure water, and 

 kindly care. 



And then, to think of the damage to the 

 mowing land, to have it browsed all the fall, 

 and then because of the open winter, to feed 

 it all winter too ! 



And please bear in mind, that where cows 

 are allowed to roam around and browse, the 

 young cattle and sheep are treated in the same 

 manner, and often the colts, if the farmer has 

 any. In my estimation, the loss is, first, in 

 the animals themselves, for they will not grow, 

 or certainly not much ; they come out poor in 

 the spring, and will not be^^in to gtow until 

 the first of July or thereabouts, and the milk 

 and butter is poor in quality, and small in 

 quantity. Secondly, the manure, that might 

 have been accumulated if the stock were 

 stabled, is nearly lost. And, thirdly, the 

 damage to the mowing lots is no inconsidera- 

 ble item. Unmanured mow lots should never, 

 in my opinion, be pastured. When will such 

 farmers learn wisdom ? 



Then in some yards the manure is all ex- 

 posed to the bleaching process — exposed to 

 rains, winds and washing. It setms as though 

 cheap sheds could be constructed where no 

 better or more permanent covering can be had, 

 and thus nmch v?aste saved. Where practica- 

 ble, cellars should be made for ih>? purpose of 

 storing the manure accumulating upon the 

 farm. One cord of manure taken from such 

 repositories is actually worth two cords of 

 these waterlogged heaps, thrown as they too 

 often are, diiectly under the eaves, so as to 

 make sure of a more thorough washing and 

 drenching. Yet, would j ou believe it, Mr. 

 Editor .'' I can point to at least one such speci- 

 men of thrittlessness in a prominent member 

 of a. Farmers' Club, not over a hundred miles 

 from the famous "Wapping Farmers' Club" 

 place of meeting. I really hope that a hint of 

 this kind, will prove .'sufficient to stir up the 

 members of this famous club, to an exhibition 

 of better husbandry in their midst. We that 

 are in the habit of preaching so much, and so 

 well, ought to practice what we profess, or 

 the world's people will turn up their noses at 

 us. 



Then another almost infallible sign of thrift- 

 lessness is seen in the case of a farmer who 

 has abundance of wood on his own land, but 

 60 manages as to have only a small load of 

 green wood hauled up at a time, and only chop 

 it as it is wanted for immediate use. Likely 



enough when he gets out of bed he has to run 

 out and chop inro, and split off a fr;w sticks 

 from the log, before he can start the fire, or 

 leaves it to be done by the boys, or worse than 

 all by bis poor wife. 



But hold on, this theme is inexhaustible, my 

 paf>er is more than full, and I will stop where 

 I am. Feanklin Couisty. 



No. Hatfield, Mass., March 3, 1870. 



Remarks. — This article was accidentally 

 crowded into a back corner of the copy draw ; 

 but its publication now, though not on time, 

 is perhaps more seasonable than it would have 

 been in March. The horse had been stolen, 

 and locking the door then would do little 

 good. Now is the time to begin to make 

 ready to avoid the mistakes, errors, and bad 

 management exposed by 'Franklin County." 



For the Seio England Farmer, 

 MUTUAL BENEFIT ASSOCIATIOJSS. 



Nearly all the professions and different oc- 

 cupations of mankind have long had organized 

 associations for instruction and mutual benefit. 

 The legal profession has its bar meetings for 

 the purpose of consultation, advice and mutual 

 study of technical points of law ; the medical 

 profession has its medical society, and meetings 

 in which the different modes of practi^^e are 

 discussed and dangerous cases of diseases are 

 considered ; the clerical profession has its 

 associations and convocations, in which the 

 interests of the church are considered and the 

 best means of advancing Christianity are dis- 

 cussed ; and so on through the catalogue, — 

 all appear to be connected together in their 

 efforts to advance their several interests, as a 

 class. Even the common people of our coun- 

 try towns associate in lyceums for the purpose 

 of intellectual improvement, by means of de- 

 bate, lectures, &c., and associations of me- 

 chanics and arcizans exist all over the country. 



Farmers, however, have heretofore formed 

 an exception to the general rule, as our County 

 and State Agriculiural Societies are too gen- 

 eral in their organization and objects to be 

 classed as mutual benefit associations. Far- 

 mers' Clubs appear to be better adapted to 

 the purpose, which it is to be hoped wiil soon 

 become the rule, rather than, as now, the ex- 

 ception. 



The questions very naturally arise, are they 

 a source of improvement and benefit to their 

 members, and if so, why are they not more 

 generally organized ? Regarding the first part 

 of the proposition, there could scarcely be a 

 doubt that benefit is derived from such asso- 

 ciations. In the first place it is supposed that 

 all persons so associated are reasonably intel- 

 ligent farmers, and engaged in agricultural 

 pursuits ; and in the second place, that each 



