AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
327 
INTELLIGENT LADIES. 
At the last Maryland State Agricultural So¬ 
ciety Show we had the pleasure of listening to 
the excellent Annual address by Mr. 0. P. Hol¬ 
comb, to which we at the time alluded. We 
have since received a copy of this in pamphlet 
form, and have read it with interest. We were 
much pleased with that part of the address 
which alluded to the intelligence of English 
ladies in rural affairs. We have long advocated 
the propriety of giving ladies an education that 
should fit them for the companions of their 
husbands. We can see no propriety in that 
system of education, which allots to females the 
pursuit of so entirely a different range of study 
and thought from men. If husband and wife 
are to sit at the same table and around the same 
fireside together, why should not their thoughts 
flow somewhat in the same channel, and why 
should they not be able to converse together on 
common subjects? As it now is, they too ofcen 
sit in mute silence, the husband with his paper, 
treating on scientific or political subjects, while 
the wife peruses the Ladies’ Magazine or the 
ladies department of some paper, which must 
be filled with light, sentimental reading. 
We think the appropriate sphere of woman is 
in household matters. We would by no means 
have her for ever prating of manures, soils, 
breeds of animals, &c., yet we cannot but think 
she should know something of the general prin¬ 
ciples involved in the cultivation and growth of 
farm products. We believe she should so un¬ 
derstand them, that if left, by the death of her 
husband, to the care of the homestead, and the 
out-door education of her sons, she should not 
look out upon the fields as an unknown region, 
or the crops grown there, and the animals fed 
upon them as unknown subjects. When she 
walks out with her companion to view the fields 
of growing grain, she should be able to converse 
intelligently with him upon the various general 
processes which he is daily pursuing. Their 
conversation at these times, as well as around 
the fireside, should not be confined to a few 
remarks upon the weather, the stars, the 
fashions, the faults of the neighborhood and 
such like themes. The conversation that passes 
between the heads of families, is one of the 
greatest sources of instruction to the young 
minds expanding and growing under their care, 
and in proportion as this conversation is elevated 
and instructive, will they grow up intelligent. 
We think many of the English ladies have 
juster views of this matter than is common 
among our own countrywomen. 
We give, as an illustration, the following from 
Mr. Holcomb’s address: 
I have failed to acknowledge the presence of 
the fair daughters of Maryland, as well as the 
presence of others from the adjoining States. 
Yet we have all seen them here defying the 
elements, with threatening clouds overhead and 
damp wet ground beneath their feet, passing 
round our grounds, cheering us by their smiles 
or encouraging us by the sound of their approv¬ 
ing voices; and this is right .When their Hus¬ 
bands, Fathers, and Brothers have come forth 
with all their best appointments to do honor to 
agriculture—-why should they not lend the 
charm of their presence to give to the occasion 
greater interest and honor? Was it not Portia 
— Brutus’ Portia — that sent seven times to the 
forum to hear how her husband was succeeding 
with his speech? Was it not the high bred 
Grecian dame Aurelia, that herself trained her 
son to contend for the prize at the Olympic 
Games, and was present in disguise that she 
might be near him, as she said, “to console him 
in case of defeat or to rejoice with him in the 
victory.” The most attractive scene of rural 
life any where to be seen is these show grounds 
—this beautiful amphitheatre of a fair and bright 
day, when the grouping on the landscape in¬ 
cludes as it always does, hundreds and thou¬ 
sands of these fine, fair women, the descendants 
of a landed gentry who justly appreciated the 
dignity of their calling, and taught their sons 
and daughters to appreciate it too. There is an 
account given by Madam Reidesel—who was the 
wife of a German General, that was taken 
prisoner at the capture of Burgoyne—in her 
memoirs, of a visit she paid to a Maryland Lady, 
which, as showing what was early done, and the 
pride and interest the ladies took in embellish¬ 
ing and exhibiting their country homes, I can¬ 
not but extract. 
“At the Frederick Springs,” she says, “we 
became acquainted with General Washington’s 
family, and with Mr. ——— and Mrs.-. 
Mrs. -was a very amiable woman, and 
notwithstanding her attachment to her country, 
we became great friends. I visited her; the 
garden was splendid, and the day after our 
arrival she took us in her carriage to her vine¬ 
yard, which was still more beautiful and tasteful, 
and much exceeded my expectations. We 
walked to the Orchard, at the end of which we 
ascended the slope by a winding path to the 
top, and all along the vines were gracefully 
intertwined with rose bushes and amaranths. 
From the top of the slope the prospect was 
charming, and such as I have not seen in any 
other part of America through which I have 
traveled. Not far from this place is Baltimore, 
which I am told is a very beautiful town, and 
the residence of many interesting families.” 
As showing the interest English ladies take 
in Agriculture, I cannot but relate a casual 
interview I chanced to have with an English 
lady, in going up in the Express train from 
London to York. Her husband had bought a 
book at a stand as we were about starting, and 
remarked to her that “it was one of her fa¬ 
vorite American authors—Hawthorne.” I casu¬ 
ally observed, “I was pleased to see young 
American authors find admirers with English 
ladies,” when the conversation turned on books 
and authors. But I said to myself pretty soon, 
“ this is a literary lady—probably her husband 
is an Editor or Reviewer, and she uses the 
‘ scissors’ for him; at all events, I must retreat 
from this discussion about authors, modern 
poets, and poetry. What should a farmer know 
critically of such things? If I was only in those 
fields—if the conversation could be made to turn 
upon crops, or cattle, then I should feel quite at 
home.” I finally pointed out a field of wheat, 
and remarked it was very fine. The lady care¬ 
fully observing it, said: “ Sir, I think it is too 
thin—a common fault this season, as the seeding 
was late; those drills,” she added, turning to 
her husband for his confirmation, “ cannot be 
more than ten inches apart, and you see, sir, 
the ground is not completely covered—twelve, 
and even fifteen inches is now preferred for the 
width of drills, and two bushels of seed to the 
acre will then entirely cover the ground, on good 
land, so you can hardly distinguish the drills.” 
If the Goddess Ceres had appeared with her 
sheaf, or her cornucopia, I could not have been 
taken more by surprise. A lady descanting on 
the width of Wheat drills , and the quantity of 
seed ! 
“ I will try her again,” said I, “ this may be a 
chance shot,” and remarked in reference to a 
field of plowed ground we were passing, that it 
broke up in great lumps and could hardly be 
put in good tilth.—“We have much clay land 
like this,” she replied, “and formerly it was 
difficult to cultivate it in a tillage crop, but 
since the introduction of Crosskill’s Patent Clod 
Crusher they will make the most beautiful tilth 
on these lands, and which are now regarded as 
among our best wheat lands,” 
The conversation turned on cattle; she spoke 
of the best breeds of Cows for the pail, (the 
Ayrshires and Devons,) told me where the best 
Cheese was made—Cheshire—the best butter 
—Ireland—where the best milk-maids were to 
be found—Wales—“ Oh!” said I, “ I was mis¬ 
taken ; this charming intelligent woman, acting 
so natural and unaffected; dressed so neat and 
so very plain, must be a farmer’s wife, and what 
a help-mate he has in her ? She is not an ex¬ 
travagant wife either, not an ornament about 
her—yes a single bracelet clasps a fair rounded 
arm—that’s all.” The train stopped at York; 
no sooner had my traveling companions stepped 
upon the platform than I noticed they were 
surrounded by half a dozen servants—men and 
maids—the men in full livery. It turned out to 
be Sir John and Lady H. This gentleman I 
learned was one of the largest landed proprietors 
in Berkshire, and his lady the daughter of a 
Nobleman, a Peeress in her own right; but her 
title added nothing to her, she was a noble 
woman without it. 
It is a part of our task to excel in Horti¬ 
culture, in which female taste and skill must 
aid us. We must embellish our homes; we 
ipust make them sweet and pleasant homes. 
The brave old oaks must be there; the spacious 
lawn with its green sward—and the fruit orch¬ 
ard, and the shrubbery, and the roses, the vines 
festooned and trained about the walls and bal¬ 
conies—even the birds will think that a sweet 
home, and will come and sing and make melody, 
as though they would “ teach the art to imita¬ 
tive man.” 
Such a home will be entailed to our children, 
and to their children—not by statue laws of 
entail, but by a higher law, the law of nature— 
through the force of sympathy—the associations 
of childhood, 
lL Tlie orchard, the meadow, the deep tangled wild-wood, 
And every loved spot which our infancy knew,” 
These will hold them to it—these early memo¬ 
ries—which we should take care to deepen 
with a binding and indissoluble tie. 
Talk not, then, 0 you fathers and mothers! 
to your sons of forensic fame—of senatorial halls 
—of the distinction of professional life, or of the 
gains and emoluments of commerce. It is not 
for our class, surely, to furnish more recruits to 
this hazardous service in which so many of the 
youth of the country have already been lost— 
lost to any useful purpose of living—themselves 
miserable from that hope deferred that makes 
the heart sick—or disappointed of the objects of 
life, have become overwhelmed by bankruptcy 
and ruin. Give to your Sons the pursuit of 
Washington , who gloried in being a Farmer; 
the field and the council chamber he sought 
from duty, but his Farm at Mt. Vernon, where 
he wisely directed the plough from choice and 
pleasure. 
“ Wide—wide may the world feel the power of the plow, 
And yield to the Sickle, a fulness delighting. 
May this be our conquest, tile Eartli to subdue, 
Till all join the song of the harvest inviting, 
The sword and the spear 
Are only known here 
As we plow, or we prune—or we toil void of fear, 
And the fruit and the flower all smile in their bir h, 
All greeting the Farmer, the Prince of the Earih.” 
-s ® •—- 
Clergymen.— Some people talk a great deal 
about ministers, and the cost of keeping them, 
paying their house-rent, table expenses, and 
other items of salary. Did such croakers ever 
think that it costs thirty-five million dollars to 
pay the salaries of American lawyers; that 
twelve millions of dollars are paid out annually 
to keep our criminals, and ten millions of dollars 
to keep the dogs in the midst of us alive, while 
only six millions of dollars are spent annually to 
keep six thousand preachers in the United 
States ? These are facts, and statistics will show 
them to be facts. No one thing exerts such a 
mighty influence in keeping this mighty Repub¬ 
lic from falling to pieces as the Bible and its 
ministers. 
. . 'HA M ■— 
How* TO Hoax Punch.— Pay threepence a 
week, and you may take Punch in. 
