1878.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
403 
AMOTiftSJSf, 
New York, November, 1878. 
Thanksgiving. 
Thanksgiving day was instituted by the Pil¬ 
grims at Plymouth as a day of fasting, thanksgiv¬ 
ing, and prayer, in memory of the bountiful crops 
gathered at their first harvest, in 1621. Occasional 
days of thanksgiving were held from then until 16S0, 
when it became an annual custom in Massachusetts, 
and they were frequent in other colonies, often at 
different seasons and for various purposes, as for 
the safe arrival of ships after dangerous voyages, 
since which time the President has issued such a 
proclamation annually, supplemented by one from 
the Governors of many of the States. Year by year 
the day is becoming a truly national festival, and 
especially where New England blood and sentiment 
have made themselves manifest. It is a day, too, 
which should become national in every sense, as no 
other nation, as a nation, has greater reason to be 
thankful to the Giver of all good, for liberty and 
progress, than ours. One of the most beautiful 
features of Thanksgiving Day is the gathering of 
scattered members of the family at the old home; 
and it is this “coming home for thanksgiving” 
which our artist has so well portrayed in the en¬ 
graving. Husking, though mainly over in New 
England, is common in the latitude of Pennsylvania 
to Kansas, and further south. We hope this festi¬ 
val will be observed this year at the home of every 
member of the great American Agriculturist family, 
it can be performed comfortably and cheaply. 
Many are getting it husked for 3 cents a bushel, 
which is cheaper than for the owner to do it him¬ 
self when he has plowing or draining to do. By 
and by no one can afford to husk at this price, as 
the days will be shorter and the weather colder. 
Stacking Corn-fodder.— Fodder is damaged by ex¬ 
posure in the shock. It should be stacked at once ; 
it keeps best in small stacks—say 12 feet wide and 
16 feet high to the peak. Put ventilators made of 
rails in the center to prevent heating and moulding. 
Seed Corn. —If a full supply was not selected 
when cutting, it 6hould be done at the husking. 
(See article on “ Selecting Seed Corn,” page 412.) 
Boot Crops. —Gather before injured by frosts. 
Mangels, being tender skinned, need to be handled 
with care. The tops make good feed for cows if 
given in quantities of not more than half a bushel 
COMING HOME FOR THANKSGIVING. 
or for victories over the Indians. Thanksgiving Day 
was a national institution throughout the revolu¬ 
tionary war; but there was no national appoint¬ 
ment after the general thanksgiving for peace in 
1784, until President Washington recommended 
one in 1789, for the adoption of the Constitution. 
There were other official appointments for national 
thanksgiving, in 1795 for the suppression of an in¬ 
surrection, and in 1815 for the successful termina¬ 
tion of the second war with Great Britain. It early 
became one of the most prominent holidays through¬ 
out New England ; in other sections it was fre¬ 
quently ohseived locally, and by some religious 
bodies. The Governor of New York has annually 
recommended a day of thanksgiving since 1817. 
Proclamations for the observance of the day were 
made by the Governor of Virginia in 1855, and in 
eight Southern States in 1858. President Lincoln 
issued proclamations recommending days of special 
thanksgiving for victories in 1862-3, and in 1863-4 
for the annual observance of the day by the nation ; 
whether in city, village, or country. It is distinc¬ 
tively an American institution, and savors of the pe¬ 
culiar puritan character in its best phase, which de¬ 
serves to be preserved, and to spread into every 
section -where contentment, happiness, and the ties 
of family and friendship prevail, and where they are 
desired to be perpetuated in the coming generations. 
Hints for Work. 
Secure the Crops. —Many farmers, as well as other 
people, are always behind hand. They go to large 
expense and much labor to produce crops, and 
then permit them to waste. There are potatoes 
yet ungathered, corn unhusked, badly-shocked 
corn-stalks exposed to the weather, potatoes and 
fruit daily depreciating, etc., etc. A dollar paid 
for extra help now is better than losing ten dollars 
by delay in securing or properly storing the crop. 
Corn Husking is better to be done at once, when 
at a time, but they should be wilted at least 24 
hours before feeding. Pitting is a cheap and effec¬ 
tive method of preserving them. (See “ Talks on 
Farm Crops,” on keeping roots, etc., page 415.) 
Harvesting Turnips may be done quickly by top¬ 
ping them with a sharp hoe, plowing a furrow 
away from the roots, and then dragging a harrow 
across the rows, so as to tear them out of the 
ground towards the furrow. A slight bruising will 
be little damage as compared with the cheapness 
of the method. They may be rapidly thrown 
into wagons with manure forks. Turnips may 
remain in the ground until there is danger of their 
being frozen in. Light frosts do not injure them. 
Plowing should be engaged in at every oppor¬ 
tunity. Every day’s work thus done helps forward 
the labors of the busy spring time, and opens the 
ground to the ameliorating effects of freezing. 
Top-dressing Fall Grain should be done without 
delay. If no barn-yard manure is at hand, some 
