C2 



JsEW ENGLAND FARI^rER. 



Feb. 



nent advertisements of their owner's skill and 

 humanity. They will fill large milk-pails, be- 

 come the envy of every good teamster as work- 

 ers, or surprise you at the shambles by a 

 weight which you scarcely expected in an ani- 

 mal that did not look very fat! The rough 

 tallow was well laid on, another montirs feed- 

 ing would have shown the fat nearer the sur- 

 face. 



But, Mr. Farmer, your duties are not all 

 among the animals who do not think and rea- 

 son. You have others, perhaps, whose 

 thoughts are to be guided and reasoning pow- 

 ers aided, or corrected. So when the boys 

 have returned from school and assisted in mak- 

 ing all comfortable for the night about the 

 barn, — and the girls, with charming zeal and 

 aptitude, have lightened the mother's cares, 

 1/ou, yes, yourself must become a teacher in 

 the hi:;hcr school. The room is warm ; the 

 lii-hts clear ; the wind roars through leatless 

 trees without ; books are upon the table, and 

 their lessons for the succeeding day are 

 scanned. 



Now is the time for the natural teacher to 

 go as far as he can over the lessons which the 

 children are striving to master. Nothing will 

 encourage young students so much, and the 

 effort may become as instructive to parent as 

 to child. They become teachers in turn. 



It should be remembered, too, that educa- 

 tion not only secures the means of being use- 

 ful to the world, but, rightly used, confers 

 ease of manner, dignity and grace upon its 

 possessor, and what is of still greater impor- 

 tance, saves the cTiild from a life of idhness 

 and vice. Returns from the penal institutions 

 of New England show the two leading causes 

 of crime to be the want of a trade, and the 

 want of education. 



The Fehruary evenings, then, arc moments 

 precious beyond measure, in this light. If ju- 

 diciously occupied for a single month, knowl- 

 edge may be. gained and impressions made 

 which may be a source of power and happi- 

 ness through a long life. The scenes of such 

 evenings may become a "joy forever," — a stay 

 and comfort in the trials of life, and a fore- 

 taste of heaven itself. 



Who will allow such opportunities to pass 

 unimproved ? Who so indifferent as not to 

 recognize and value them? Let it not be 

 those standing pre-eminently amidst the most 



pleasing operations of a Divine Hand, and 

 witnessing its manifestations in everything he 

 sees or touches in the duties of his daily life. 

 Improving the soil tends to improve the mind. 

 Improving tlie mind gives us power to im- 

 prove the soil. When both arc accomplished, 

 the labor of the farm will be more agreeable, 

 and its profits larger. 



APPROPKIATE "WOKK FOR FEBRUARY. 



Top-Dkesslng. — If snow is not too deep, 

 this month is a good time to top-dress lawns 

 or mowing lands. The weather will be suffi- 

 ciently cold to prevent fermentation, and if 

 the dressing freezes or is covered with snow, 

 there will be little or no loss by evaporation. 

 The melting snow or rain will wash out the en- 

 riching matters, and carry them down among 

 the roots of the grasses, where they will be 

 ready for use by the plants when the earth is 

 warmed by the spring sun. This work can 

 be done without injuring the surface by wheels 

 or feet of the team, and will be out of the 

 way when other duties are urgent. In the 

 spring pass over the manure with Witt's 

 Breaker, and it will become so fine as to be 

 washed down by the first rain. 



Haul out IVLvnxjre. — Dr. Dana, who had 

 occasion to weigh the droppings of cattle many 

 times, states that one cord of green dung, pure 

 as dropped, weighs nine tJwiisand two hundred 

 and eighty-nine 2Jounds ! If the farmer, then, 

 wishes to apply six cords to an acre of his 

 corn land, liis team must haul thirty-one tons 

 and seven hundred and thirty-four pounds, in 

 order to place it on the field. In many cases 

 it would be necessary to haul this up hill, and 

 quite 'often over plouglied ground. If several 

 acres were to be planted, and each suj^plied 

 with a similar amount, the task to remove it 

 would require several days, and would be a 

 Herculean one. Of course, as the manure 

 was fermented and dried, the weight would be 

 less. 



The labor of removing this immense weight 

 is not the only objection against leaving it un- 

 til tlie ground is bare, and planting time at 

 hand. Other duties are jiressing then, which 

 cannot be postponed. If hauled to tlie field 

 where it is to be used, and thrown into a com- 

 pact form. It will be ready for overhauling and 

 breaking up as soon as the frost leaves It. 

 Tills should be done two or thi'ee times, and a 



