184 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



He says that the Yankees fought on this mixture 

 at Bunker's Hill, and he agrees if it kills a man 

 to be indicted for murder, 



" For our part we see no harm in ice. We 

 have used it regularly for fourteen years with- 

 out any bad result, but on the contrary, we think, 

 with benefit." 



We know persons who have used it beneficial- 

 ly for a still longer period. A venerable friend 

 of ours, recently deceased, assured us that he 

 had used it for thirty years or more, and never 

 without advantage. His plan was to carry out 

 a barrel of ice in a cart, and keep the water 

 tubs nearly filled with it. His theory, and we 

 believe the true one, was that the ice acted as a 

 tonic ; and the hands could never overload their 

 stomachs with it, because the water was kept so 

 cold that they could never drink to distension. 



Strong coffee should always be given at break- 

 fast and at night. 



No form of spirituous liquors should ever be 

 used; and we who say it are not a " temperance 

 man." 



"Well cooked black-eye peas, fried onions and 

 rice, the latter cooked in puddings, or in as many 

 forms as you please, are the best vegetables." 



Raw onions are also said to be an excellent 

 food with those they agree with, and a friend 

 recently mentioned to us a case of a negro who 

 had never been able to stand the heat and fa- 

 tigue of harvest, until he thought of supplying 

 him liberally with raw onions, upon which he 

 went through his work like a well trained four 

 miler. 



"Salted meats and fish, never fresh, and a 

 plenty of red pepper, in everything that it suite, 

 boiled in the pod. 



" For physic, the pills recommended two years 

 ago by our friend Charles B. Williams, as fol- 

 lows : 



Pulverised Opium, 18 grains 



" Red Pepper, 18 " > made into 24 pills 

 Gum Camphor, 12 " ) 



To be taken when the first symptoms of cramp 



or diarrhoea appear — one then, and an additional 



one afterwards if necessary, according to the 



exigency of the case." 



We have proved the efficacy of this repeatedly, 



and would as soon think of going into the harvest 



without a basket of tools. 



^Sg^ See advertisement of "Board in the Coun- 

 try wanted." 



HAY COVERS. 

 We insert the following, which we solicited 

 in lieu of an Editorial which we had intended 

 to write to the same effect. 



Northampton, April 25, 1856. 



Dear Sir: — 



I was much pleased to receive your note of the 

 21st instant enquiring about the hay covers and 

 I now enclose two receipts which I wrote for our 

 village papers. 



The receipt for hay covers is intended for the 

 million — to bring the cost within the means of 

 the poorest farmers ; but, for those who are able 

 to pay a small additional price, I should advise 

 them to use cloth that is a little wider and to cut 

 the covers about 45 inches long. I consider 40 

 by 45 inches as the most desirable size. 



I should suppose a-small farmer would require 

 about 50, and extensive farmers from 100 to 200, 

 without regard to the number of acres. 



My men think that they can make hay two 

 hours sooner with the use of hay caps than with- 

 out them, even if there should be no rain — they 

 protect the hay against heavy dews. 



The size of a hay cock is in this region, on the 

 first day of raking up, when the hay is nearly 

 green, about 5J to 3 feet in height and about 

 the same in diameter at the bottom — on the sec- 

 ond day nearly double the size. 



It is now questionable whether any composi- 

 tion is necessary, as the hay cover is not intend- 

 ed to hold water, but to turn it. 



We know that a cotton umbrella is a very use- 

 ful protection against rain, and such farmers as 

 do not like the trouble of painting the cloth over, 

 might supply themselves with a good brow$ cot- 

 ton sheeting and merely sew stones into the cor- 

 ners, which would £Ost only about 8 cents each. 



When it was stated that the county of Wor- 

 cester in this State would have saved $20,000 

 last year if the farmers had been supplied with 

 the hay covers, it was not. understood to what 

 extent their hay crop was — they would have 

 saved, I think, $150,000, as in very many instan- 

 ces their hay was sold at half price and was 

 only fit for bedding for their stock. 



Respectfully yours, 



Edward Clarke. 



Northampton, Mass., Apl.. 25. 



Hay Covers. — Every Farmer his own Manu- 

 facturer. Take a piece or more of yard wide 

 unbleached cotton sheeting that can be bought 

 for 7 or 8 cents per yard and tack it up on the 

 sunny side of the barn or board fence. Then 

 prepare the following mixture, namely: — For 

 one gallon of linseed oil add about two pounds 

 of beeswax, to be simmered together and when 

 taken from the fire add about a quart of Japan. 

 When it is cold, it should be about the thickness 

 of paint. If too thin add more wax, and if too 

 thick add more oil, — then paint the cloth over, 

 on one side only, with a common paint brush, 

 and after drying a day or two take it down and 



