AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[November, 
336 
AMERICAN FARM SCENES— A U T U M N— From an Original Sketch by F. 0. C. Darley. 
(Engraved Jor the American Agriculturist.) 
The above engraving completes the series of 
American Farm Scenes, by Darley, illustrating 
tlie four Seasons, three of which have already ap¬ 
peared in our columns during the present year. 
The scene represents the closing triumph of the 
farmer’s year. True, it has none of the pomp 
and clangor which attend success in other 
arenas, but it is none the less a triumph. The 
golden spoils of victory are being gathered, and 
the whole household are present to share the 
pleasure. The principal figure in the group, the 
old man, is suggestive of the Autumn of life. 
He, too, is ripening for the final harvest. The 
confiding children that surround him show that 
the kindly influences which attend rural life 
have not been lost upon him. He is mellow at 
heart, though weather-beaten and hard-handed. 
A few features of the engraving are open to 
criticism, especially the position of the driver on 
the wrong side of his team, but some license 
must be granted to the artist, who placed the 
figures so as to give the best general effect. As 
previously stated, the originals, from which 
these four engravings are copied, are fine speci¬ 
mens of lithography, of large size, and will be 
a beautiful and appropriate ornament to the 
farmer’s parlor. They are copyrighted and 
published by M. Knoedler, from whom we ob¬ 
tained the right to engrave them. We can pro¬ 
cure the large lithographs for those who may 
wish, upon receipt of the price, $5 for the set. 
Rights of Gleaners in France. —The 
court of highest jurisdiction in France has re¬ 
cently decided that in that country a farmer 
has no right to turn sheep into his own fields 
until two days after crops have been taken off, 
so that the poor may enter and glean the scatter¬ 
ings. Neither has a farmer a right to let out 
the privilege of gleaning for payment. This law 
applies to vineyards as well as grain fields. 
---— is— ——«»- 
Helps to Agriculture Heeded. 
SUGGESTIONS to inventors. 
Since the benefits of deep tillage and thorough 
pulverization of the soil have been recognized, 
it has become apparent that some new imple¬ 
ment is needled in place of the plow. With the 
latter it is impracticable to reach the required 
depth without great expenditure of animal 
power, and the work of pulverization is only 
half performed. Below the line reached by the 
plow, particularly in clayey soils, there is left a 
solid compacted surface almost impenetrable by 
the roots of plants, and almost impervious to 
air; and this is made worse by each succes¬ 
sive plowing. An implement is needed, to be 
worked by horse or ox power, that shall at one 
operation invert the surface growth, stir the soil 
deeply, and not make the subsoil still more dense. 
The invention of a successful apparatus of this 
kind will bring a large fortune to somebody. 
There is greatly needed some system by which 
the waste manure of cities may be made availa¬ 
ble. It is calculated that each living being pro¬ 
duces manure enough to sustain plants sufficient 
to supply it with food. This is partially true 
only. The excrement of an animal, added as 
far as it would extend, upon a soil of average 
good quality, would probably increase its pro¬ 
duct enough to nearly supply food for the ani¬ 
mal in the increase of the crop. At any rate, if 
the fertilizing material of cities which now is 
only a nuisance, difficult of abatement, could bo 
brought within reach of cultivators, their land 
would speedily be raised to much greater pro¬ 
ductiveness. Who will originate some practicable 
scheme to this end? 
Cheap portable farm buildings, which might 
be easily carried to distant points and readily 
erected, would be of incalculable benefit in new 
settlements, especially upon the prairies where 
timber is scarce. A combination of iron and 
wood may be devised which will answer this 
end, and give at least temporary shelter to 
thousands of animals that are now of little 
profit to their owners for want of buildings. 
Let inventors make a note of these suggestions, 
and improve their fortunes and at the same 
time the agriculture of the country. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Convenient Grain Measurer. 
The number of bushels contained in ,i bin or 
box may be found by multiplying together the 
length, breadth and depth in inches , and divid¬ 
ing the product by 2150.42, the number of cubic 
inches'in a bushel. A convenient measurer for 
grain in the bin may be made thus. Take a 
a straight rule, of any desired width and thick¬ 
ness, and 12| inches in length, which very 
nearly equals the length of one side of a cubical 
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