1878.1 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
4:65 
early eireumstances ; sometimes by incidents so 
trivial, that they have hardly a place in memory. 
It is not difficult generally for a father, who loves 
the farm, to determine the calling of his children. 
If he makes it a business of thrift, and provides 
comfortably for his family, they will respect the 
calling. If he is discouraged and continually 
shifting his work, or bis home, they will not be 
likely to make tillers of the soil. But if he con¬ 
ducts the farm upon business principles—makes it 
a machine for coining money—and providing home 
comforts, they will be ready to invest in it. One 
can hardly begin too early with his boys to incline 
them to the calling that is to give them 
bread, and the means of their future 
usefulness. If the boy is to be a farm¬ 
er, he must begin to have a personal 
interest and venture in farming while 
he is yet a boy. Filial affection, in a 
happy home, is a very strong motive 
to industry and fidelity, but it does not 
shape a boy’s plans for life like an in¬ 
vestment of his own brains and muscles 
in his daily work. He should have 
crops and animals, not only that he can 
“ call ” his own, but that are his own. 
to keep, to enjoy, and to sell for his 
own pleasure and profit. The trusts 
may be small at first, but they should 
be absolute, and let him have his own 
experience of success and failure in 
managing them. Let him manage 
poultry, a lamb, a calf, or a colt, and 
exhibit his own stock at the fairs. We 
notice with great satisfaction the in¬ 
creasing attention paid to the boys at 
the fall fairs. Boys did some of the 
best work at a recent plowing match 
at one of our fairs. One, a boy of fourteen, held 
the plow and drove his own team, and made as 
good a seed bed as his older competitors. These 
premiums for boy’s work, are in the right direc¬ 
tion, and should be carefully studied in making up 
the lists for next year. Make room for the boys. 
A Well-Cellar. 
In parts of Pennsylvania we have seen a cellar so 
connected with a well as to considerably lower its 
temperature. The arrangement might be used to 
advantage elsewhere. It is represented in the en¬ 
graving. A cellar is dug about 3 feet from the 
A Method of Setting Fence Posts. 
Where the soil is soft, loose and free from stone, 
fence posts may be set by driving, more easily and 
firmly than by digging holes for them. A method 
of driving is shown in the annexed engraving. A 
wagon is loaded with posts, and furnished with a 
movable stage, upon which the person who drives 
the posts may stand when first starting them. The 
engraving needs no verbal description except that 
the hook which holds the stage in place, is made of 
strap iron, and fastened to the floor of the stage. 
One man holds the posts upright, while the other 
work. Not only the number of animals to be pro¬ 
vided for modify the plan of the barn, but the nature 
of the land must be considered in designing the 
building; hence a great variety of plans are desira¬ 
ble, that one intending to build may combine sueli 
features of each as suit his needs and surroundings. 
WELL AND CELLAB CONNECTED. 
well, as deep as may be convenient, and an opening 
made between them through a brick arch, the 
mouth of which is covered with coarse wire netting. 
A slab of stone is placed near the opening, upon 
which butter is set to cool. A shelf, or shelves, 
may be put up around the cellar. It is separated 
from the room above by a tight floor, and connected 
with it by a trap-door and stairs. The cellar walls 
should be of stone or brick, whitewashed. The 
upper room serves as a store-room for clean articles. 
EAST METHOD OF SETTING POSTS. 
drives them. When a post is driven home, the 
wagon is moved on to the next place, and the oper¬ 
ation repeated. This is an easy, rapid and economi¬ 
cal manner of setting posts for any kind of fence. 
A Tennessee Barn. 
A Tennessee subscriber sends the plan of a barn 
he is building, which we reproduce, with a few im¬ 
provements, in the engraving. He writes : “ I am 
not able to build an expensive barn, and have had 
to study how to obtain the most convenience for 
the least money. Just now labor and material are 
very cheap, and I think that the barn can be built 
for an outlay of $250, by furnishing 
some timber myself, of which I have 
plenty. I wish to thank you for your 
remarks on painting out-buildings, 
especially as to trimmings. They suit 
my ease.”-—The main bam is 30 x 40 
ft., posts 20 ft. A floor far a loft is 
put in, 8 ft, from the first floor, over the 
horse stalls, granary, and tool room, 
and 11 ft, over the drive-way to admit 
threshers, etc. Double doors open on 
opposite sides, a small door at foot of 
stairs, and windows as shown. At T 
is the tool-room ; O, the granary ; //, 
the horse stalls ; and at W, a well. 
The cattle shed, D, is 20 x 25 ft., with 
16 ft. posts, and a loft for hay, into which a 
door opens from the head of the bam stairs. 
This shed may be open in the rear, for that 
section, or a partition may be put up behind the 
cattle stanchions at a slight cost. A passage-way, 
21 feet wide, runs in front of the stanchions for 
convenience in feeding, and familiarizing and gen¬ 
tling the cattle. On the front and south side of this 
shed is the manure-yard, and a place for the cattle 
to ran if desired. Our correspondent locates a 
compost heap at M, which is wholly or in part 
under cover. A door under the stairs is convenient 
for removing the droppings of the horses, and a 
trench behind their stalls leads the liquids to the 
manure-heap. It is thought best to have the horses 
face the bam floor, that they may be more familiar 
with the people, and for convenience in feeding. 
It is quite as important to have a well planned bam 
as a well planned house ; in both cases proper fore¬ 
thought will save many steps in doing the daily 
A Mechanic Turning Farmer. 
We are asked to lay out a plan for a farmer in the 
following circumstances : He owns and lives on a 
small hill farm of about 40 acres, located within 25 
miles of a large Eastern city, and has 
two boys in his family, one of whom is 
interested in the farm, the other not. 
The land is somewhat rocky, and not 
over fertile, but the soil is light and 
warm, and will produce early crops. 
Aside from the city market, there are 
several large manufacturing villages 
within easy reach. The owner has but 
little money capital. He has lived on 
the farm for 20 years, but has always 
worked at his trade of box-maker. He 
is tired of the confinement, and now 
that his son is developing a taste for 
fami work, his own natural love for the 
soil is re-awakened,and he seeks advice. 
The location and the soil are well 
fitted for growing vegetables and small 
fruits for the neighboring villages. 
Like many other country towns, these 
are largely supplied with vegetables, 
even late in the season, from the sur¬ 
plus stock of the city market, which is 
often several days old, partially wilted, 
and of quite inferior quality. Now if 
our correspondent has sufficient experience, energy, 
and determination to look after the cultivation and 
marketing of his crops, we know of nothing which 
he can undertake with a better hope of moderate 
success, than raising those vegetables, the value of 
which consists in their freshness, such as early 
peas, sweet corn, string beans, and others. A straw¬ 
berry bed may be made the source of considerable 
income ; and this, if successful, will naturally lead 
to the cultivation of various other small fruits. 
A beginning can be made in this line on a small 
scale, without any necessity for much capital, aside 
from labor and careful attention. Avoid getting into 
debt It is better to produce only enough to pay 
o 
W 
expenses the first 
year, than to risk 
failure on borrowed 
capital. Success will 
be more certain in 
planting only an acre 
or two to begin with. 
Though forcing-pits, 
or hot-beds, are not 
needed at first, if 
success comes with 
experience, there is 
time enough to en¬ 
large by adding these 
PLANT OF TENNESSEE I!ABN. 
and other facilities. A 
few simple rales only are necessary ; but these are 
imperative: Select ground sloping toward the 
south or east, and more or less sheltered either by 
the slopes or by trees. Drain thoroughly if needed. 
Pulverize the soil by repeated plowing and harrow¬ 
ing Enrich at the rate of six cords or more of 
