^arm  ^coitoma. 
“CURSED  BE  HE  THAT  REMOVETH  HIS 
NEIGHBOR’S  LANDMARKS!” 
When,  afk-r  thf  ir  forty  years  of  waudoriiig  in 
the  wildomcBH,  the  children  of  Israel  had  at 
length  roHchod  the  river  Jordan  and  the  prom¬ 
ised  land  was  in  sight,  Moses,  that  model  law¬ 
maker,  called  them  to- 
gether  and  cxpmiudcd  , 
to  tliom,  in  the  name  ^ 
of  the  Loun,  the  ”  Stat^  ^,,—4^ 
ntes  of  J  ndgments  ” 
that  were  to  govoni 
then'  lives  and  conduct 
when  they  should  have 
entered  npou  their  in- 
.heritance.  Those  laws, 
on  the  day  when  they 
crossed  tlie  river,  they 
were  to  write  very 
plainly  upon  stones 
that,  he  directed  should  — iU 
he  properly  prepared  • 
for  the  puriiose.  jr 
To  imjH'css  more  ef-  "  •— '• 
fectually  ui)on  them 
minds  the  duty  of  keep- 
ing  these  laws,  certain 
Levites  wore  ai>|>oiuted 
who  should  stand  upon 
Mount  Ebal  and  pro- 
iioimce,  ina  loud  voice,  -JsBr 
curses  ui)on  the  violat¬ 
or’s  tliereof  ;  and  so,  in 
the  hearing  of  all  the  people,  they  were  to  say, 
“  Cursed  bo  he  that  removeth  his  neighbor’s 
landmarks!’ 
M'o  Itnow  of  nothing  that  engenders  more  bit¬ 
terness  of  feeling,  auger,  hatred  and  contentions 
among  neighbors  than  boundary  lines.  The 
value  of  the  premiaes  in  question  is  often  insig- 
nificimt ,  and  it  is  only  the  right  of  way  of  tlio 
matter  that  is  considererl,  while  at  other  times 
the  J’omoval  of  a  line  a  few  feet,  and  sometimes 
a  few  Inches,  is  a  matUu’  of  considerable  mo¬ 
ment. 
Wo  are  not  willing  to  believe  that  many  of  our 
fellow-dtizens  are  so  lost  to  every  feeling  of 
justice  and  self-respect  as  to  do  an  act  that 
Avon  111  BO  lower  them  in  the  estimation  of  their 
neighbors,  and  the  few  exceptions  that  have 
come  to  our  knoAvledge  are  not  suffleient  to  shake 
our  faith  in  tho  general  rectitude  of  the  com¬ 
munity. 
But  the  fact  remains,  ncverl heless,  that  there 
is  constant  quarreling  among  neighhors  as  to 
boundary  lines,  and,  particularly  iu  tho  older 
States,  it  is  often  very  difficult  U>  tell  who  is 
right  and  who  is  wTong.  Tho  proportion  of  con¬ 
veyances  of  laud  in  these  States  (and  pariiciilai’ly 
iu  New  England)  in  Avhich  delinito  bouudario.s  are 
stated  is  very  small.  Tho  description  is  usually 
quite  as  vague  as  to  say,  “Nortlion  John  Smith’s 
land,  east  on  highway,  south  on  Thomas  Bj’owu’b 
and  west  on  William  Jones',  containing  00  acres, 
‘  more  or  less.’’  This  more  or  leas  is  a  saving 
clause,  and  in  a  majority  of  cases  it  douhtless 
ought  to  be  more,  the  number  of  acres  in  an  un- 
surveyod  farm  having  a  natural  tendency  to  de¬ 
crease  as  taxes  increase. 
We  heard  a  conversation  last  year  hetAveen 
neighbors  the  lauds  of  Avhose  aucosUirs,  now  in 
their  possession,  had  been  '.separated  by  a  high- 
Avay.  Avhioh  fomod  their  landmark.  This  liigh- 
Avay  had  been  closed  for  fifty  years  or  more.  No 
record  of  it  had  been  preserved,  and  in  the  words 
of  one  of  tho  pai’ties,  "  thi-rc  is  not  a  surveyor 
in  tlie  State  Avho  can  locate  it.”  During  the  fifty 
years  trees  had  grown  rajiidly,  and  the  sUip  of 
land  Uirec  rods  vide  and  forty  rods  long  which 
fifty  .vears  ago  aa’Hs  not  Avonh  live  dollars  is  now 
Avorth  five  hundrciL  I’rohably  every  reader  may 
know  of  similar  instances. 
Noav,  the  Avay  to  get  out  of  those  dilliculties 
may  not  he  clear,  but  hoAV  to  keep  out  of  them  is 
plain.  Neve)'  buy  a  piece  of  land  except  it  be 
described  by  metes  and  bounds  by  actual  surve.A', 
and  make  an  examinatiou  to  see  that  the  bound- 
marks  are  where  tliey  should  be.  You  ai’e  cu- 
titled  to  Avhat  you  pay  for  and  no  more,  neither 
should  you  be  content  Avith  less. 
Many  have  a  mistaken  idea  that  if  their  fence 
encroaches  upon  a  neighbor’s  land  and  has  stood 
there  a  numhei’  of  years,  it  must  bo  alloAved  to 
stay  there  thereafter,  and  that  a  title  by  posses¬ 
sion  has  been  gained.  Any  comixdent  lawyer 
could  soon  convince  them  that  it  is  not  posses¬ 
sion  only,  hut  adverse  possession — that  is,  pos¬ 
session  Avith  some  published  claim — that  is  nec¬ 
essary  to  give  title. 
There  are  many  causes  of  diffioulty  which  ai’ise 
Avhenc  neither  pai-ty  is  in  fault.  Perhaps  a  fence 
blows  over  in  the  fall.  A  laborer  is  sent  in  the 
spring  to  repail’  it,  Avitliout  definite  instructions. 
The  old  post-holes  are  obliterated,  and  if  he  uses 
his  best  judgment,  it  is  usually  poor  enough  to 
make  an  error ;  or  if,  to  aA'oid  a  stump  or  a  stone, 
he  varies  the  line  two  or  three  inches,  which 
may  iu  tho  eud  make  as  many  feet,  he  gives  it  no 
thought,  and  the  mistake  remains  undiscov- 
ere<l. 
It  Avill  Avell  ]>ay  tlio  oAvner  of  a  fam  to  have  a 
sui’A'cy  made,  not  only  of  the  boundaries  of  the 
Avhole,  but  of  the  different  sub-divisions  as  well, 
and  a  map  made  of  tho  whole ;  and  if  the  topog¬ 
raphy  Avas  well  delineated  on  tho  map,  it  Avoiild 
be  of  essential  service  iu  many  Avays,  particularly 
amount  saved  in  the  way  of  fencing,  would  more 
tliau  ])ay  twice  the  amount  of  any  farmer’s  taxes. 
Some  will  ask  whether  “  soiling  ”  is  consistent 
with  tho  he.aJth  of  tlie  animals?  “No  couflue- 
inont  jtrcjudiciol  to  the  auimars  healtlj  is  ueces- 
fiary.  We  liaA’c  animals  that  have  been  “  soiled  ” 
from  six  to  thirteen  years.  One  cow  uoav  six¬ 
teen  years  old,  has  Iacch  thus  fed  for  thirteen 
suuuners,  and  has  always  bceu  healthy.  We 
haA’C  raised  colts  in  this  way,  and  thought  them 
'PliJfl  “  THR KSIiEK. 
as  a  guide  to  drainago. 
after. 
But  of  tliis  more  hero- 
SOILING  STOCK. 
Much  has  been  Avritten  on  the  economy  and 
ailvaiitagos  of  soiling,  comparatively  few  farmers 
can  bo  persuaded  to  give  the  H.vstcni  a  trial.  A 
con’cspoudeul  of  tlie  Southern  PlautiT  and 
Parmer  Avrites : 
This  is  a  subject  tliat  will  engage  the  special 
attention  of  fitriiiers  and  breeders  for  some  years 
to  come.  I  do  not  say  that  tlie  system  Avill  be 
generally  adopted ;  but  I  believe  that,  as  it  be¬ 
comes  hotter  knoAA’u,  it  will  meet  with  more  favor, 
and  ho  fouud  to  exactly  suit  tho  circumstances 
and  Avants  of  a  largo  class  of  the  farmers  and 
breeders  of  this  countr.v.  By  “  grtam  .sullirig,” 
or  “  soiling,”  I  moan  the  practice  of  keeping  ani¬ 
mals  hi  pens  or  liaruB.  and  fecdiij^^^fm  on 
green  food  grown  and  cut  for  the  imrixiae,  in¬ 
stead  of  alloAving  them  to  run  in  pastures.  Tho 
advantages  of  tliis  plan  are  being  fi’ecly  diaenss- 
ed  among  the  most  enterprising,  practical  farm¬ 
ers  and  breeders,  as  well  us  by  the  leading  agri¬ 
cultural  Avriters.  I  liuvo  hefnro  me  a  valuable 
httlc  Avork  by  Josiah  Quiney,  Jr.,  of  Massachu¬ 
setts,  who,  with  his  father,  may  he  considered 
the  pioneers  of  this  practice  in  New  England.  I 
Avill  make  a  few  extracts.  Mr.  Quincy  says  : 
“My  farm  being  compact  tlie  ann(j.yanco  of 
having  fifteen  or  twenty  head  of  cattle  driven 
niglitand  morning  to  and  from  the  jjasture  ;  tho 
loss  of  time  in  often  tnrnitig  the  team  and  jdow, 
owing  to  the  nnmhor  of  interior  fences  and  tlie 
loss  of  surface  of  good  land  capable  of  being 
plowed  5  owing  to  tliom  and  the  many  head  lands, 
all  drew  my  attention  to  (he  subject  of  ‘  soiling ' 
and  its  effects,  A II  the  European  Avriters  main¬ 
tained  that  six  lUstinct  advantages  were  to  be 
obtained  by  the  practice  of  ‘  soiliug  ’  over  that  of 
pasturing  cattle  iu  the  summer  season : 
“  1st.  It  sttA'cs  land. 
"  2d.  It  saves  fences. 
“  3d.  It  economized  food. 
“  Ith.  It  kept  cattle  in  better  condition  aud 
greater  comfort. 
“  5th.  It  lu’oduccd  more  milk. 
“  Gth.  It  increased  the  quality  and  quantity  of 
manure. 
“Satisfied  in  my  oaa'u  mind  of  the  beneficial 
effects  of  the  practice,  1  adopted  it.  keG])iug 
some  fifteeu  or  twenty  head  of  milch  coavb,  Avith 
some  other  stock,  and  Avith  eutu’cly  satisfactorj’ 
success.  Since  then  I  haA’c  kept  from  thirty-five 
to  fifty  coAvs  in  this  Avay;  so  that,  in  my  mind, 
my  experiouco  is  concluBivo  on  tho  subjoct.” 
lie  says  that  one  aero  “  soiled  ”  from  Avill  pro¬ 
duce  at  least  as  much  as  foiu-  acres  pastured  iu 
the  usual  Avay.  aud  that  “  there  is  no  proposi¬ 
tion  in  Nature  more  true  than  that  any  good 
farmer  may  maintain  upon  thirty  acres  of  good, 
arable  land  twenty  head  of  cattle  the  year  round, 
iu  better  condition  aud  greater  comfort  to  the 
animal,  Avith  more  profit,  loss  labor,  less  trouble 
aud  less  cash  advanced  for  himself  lliau  he,  at 
the  present  mode,  expends  njiou  a  hundied 
acres.”  He  fm’ther  says: — “My  OAvn  experi¬ 
ence  has  ahvays  been  less  than  this,  never  hav¬ 
ing  exceeded  seveuteeu  acres  for  twenty  head.” 
Most  farmers  could,  by  this  process  of  feed¬ 
ing,  soon  make  theii’  farms  rich  by  tho  applica¬ 
tion  of  the  manui’e  accimmlated  from  their 
stock,  aud  there  would  be  no  necessity  of 
purchasing  ai’tificial  fertilizers.  That,  and  the 
more  thrifty  and  quite  as  healthy  as  those  raised 
on  pasturiA,  We  regard  It  asproinotiveof  health, 
as  the  animal  has  more  equal  diet — not  suhjoct- 
ed  to  sueli  lliictuations  of  abundance  and  scarci¬ 
ty,  as  in  pasture.  It  requires  less  food,  hccauso 
tho  animal  gets  all  it  wants  without  foraging 
sixteen  liours  a  day  over  sliort  {lasliircs.” 
I  fool  confident,  if  more  of  our  Virginia  farm¬ 
ers  Avould  iwlopl  this  mode  of  “  soiling"  (if  only 
for  a  short  time),  they  would  never  Avant  to  go 
hack  to  pasturing  theii’  lands  again. 
Owing  to  the  scarcity  of  timber  iu  many  jior- 
tions  of  Virgina,  aa’g  will  ultimately  have  to  re¬ 
sort  to  some  mode  of  enclosure  other  than  tho 
old  fence  system.  Aud  the  sooner  we  make  this 
change  tlie  sooner  prosperity  Avill  reign  triumph¬ 
ant. 
- - 
HOW  MUCH  LIME  PER  ACRE? 
Another  con’cspondent  asks :  “  How  much 
lime  can  I  apply  on  an  acre  of  sandy  soil  with 
benefit?”  This  question  admits  of  no  more 
definite  ansAver  than  the  one  published  last  week 
in  regard  to  the  application  of  ashes,  although 
tho  tAA’o  uiateriuls  arc  cutirely  differout  iu  tlidB 
nature  and  action  upon  the  soil, 
Liiuo,  in  itself,  is  not  generally  considertiJ  a 
fertilizer  or  food  for  plants,  Avhile  jAotash  is. 
Cai’bonate,  or  quicklime,  as  it  is  usually  caSed, 
Avhen  applied  to  sandy  soils,  does  little  more-thiui 
hasten  the  decorajiositiou  of  AA’hatever  vegetable 
matter  it  contains,  rendering  every  particle  use¬ 
ful  to  tho  plants  groAA’ing  therein,  and,  a.s  one 
of  oiu"  noted  agricultm’al  Avriters  long  ago  re¬ 
marked,  “tlie  principle  functions  of  lime  as 
a  maniu’e  appear  to  regulate  the  condilion  of 
tho  organic  matter  in  the  soil,  and  to  facilitate  its 
healthy  decay.” 
Good  judgment  is  requu’od  in  all  cages  where 
lime  is  applied,  else  it  may  do  more  hai-ni  Dian 
good ;  but  upon  a  light,  sandy  soil,  coutaiuing  a 
moderate  amount  of  vegetable  matter,  five  bush¬ 
els  of  I’l’eshly -slaked  stouo  Ume  would  he  sufli- 
cieut,  or  ton  to  fifteen  of  au-Blalced  or  gas  Ume, 
evenlj  distributed  over  the  surface.  It  is  better 
to  apply  lime  in  small  quantities  aud  frequently, 
than  in  large  doses  and  at  long  intervals. 
THE  “SWEEPSTAKES  THRESHER.” 
If  a  man  candudea  to  adopt  threshing  as  an 
oocupatiou.  Ave  must  say  Ave  do  not  enA-j’  his  lot 
when  he  falls  into  the  bauds  of  the  Phillistiues, 
or  tliresher  manufacturers,  as  by  the  time  lie 
careful  Iv  Aveighs 
ai’gumeuts  for  aud 
against  various  patterns  he  Avlll  have  arrived  at 
a  state  of  mind  bordering  on  lunacy,  and  almost 
ready  to  buy  a  wheelbarrow  if  au  cuterprisiug 
agent  should  chance  along.  Se\ring  machines  are 
mere  cliild's-play  by  comparison,  aud  just  here  is 
Avhoro  his  journal  comes  to  Ids  partial  relief  by 
reminding  him  that  there  are  five  points  that  go 
to  make  a  good  implement,  and  they  shovild  be 
constantly  kept  iu  mind,  viz.  t — fast  threshing, 
thorough  cleamng,  superior  separation,  dm-a- 
bihty  and  adaptation.  Farmers  of  the  present 
generation,  unlike  then-  fm’efathers,  don’t  seem 
to  have  been  horn  Arith  a  hinge  in  the  middle  of 
their  backs,  and  consequently  look  on  a  Hail  Avith 
that  lofty  pity  that  seems  to  say :  “  You  might 
haA’e  been  A'ery  good  in  your  day,  but  the  world 
moves.” 
The  advantages  gained  by  thorough  threshing 
and  cleaning  of  grain  are  so  great  that  tlie  avoii- 
der  is  termers  for  a  moment  entertain  the  idea 
of  using  any  but  tho  most  improved  methods. 
They  must,  at  no  distant  day,  wheel  into  line  and 
utilize  all  improvements,  in  order  to  hold  their 
own  Avith  more  progressive  neighboi’s.  To  do 
this  a  liberal  pati’onage  of  good  threshers  is  im¬ 
perative. 
We  give  in  this  issue 
an  UluBtratiou  of  the 
“  Old  Itcliahle"  Sweep" 
stakes  Thri’shcr,  man¬ 
ufactured  by  C.  Ai  ET- 
MAN  A  Co.,  Ciuiten,  (X 
This  firm  has  bt  en  es¬ 
tablished  since  1S50, 
and  during  this  period 
''!  '''.'i  given  the  elosoHt,  at- 
w*  teiition  to  the  raanu. 
factnre  and  improve- 
Nv  ment  of  agricultura 
^  implements.  The  mo. 
\.  N.  chanical  parts  of  the 
\  *  I  *'  SiA’cepstakes  ”  are 
■— made  most  Dioronghly 
H  ~  aud  substantially,  and 
the  makers  claim  tliat 
L its  utiUty  and  iiractica- 
hility  place  it  among 
Tho'’oylinilei’s  are  so 
spiked,  tliat  in  connec¬ 
tion  wilh  the  spiked 
and  adjastable  concaA’es,  every  grain  is  de¬ 
tached  from  Ite  connection  with  head  and 
straw,  leaving  the  grain  ])eifect  and  unin¬ 
jured.  To  aocompliiili  tlii.s,  a  very  im|Aortant 
improvement  has  been  umle  in  tho  concave,  by 
which  it  eiui  Vie  raise*!  or  loAvered  at  pleasure  by  a 
crank  moving  and  Jiolding  it  at  all  points  equi- 
dist.-uit  from  (he  cylinder.  Separating  the  grain 
from  tho  straw  aud  ohalf  witliout  loss  of  grain,  is 
one  of  its  merits.  The  fan  mill  of  the  “  Sweep- 
stakes”  possesses  changeable  Ai’iud  -  board,  by 
which  Avith  a  thumb-screw  the  direction  of  the 
blast  can  bo  changed  at  pleasure,  adapting  it  to 
tho  different  coii.htious  and  kinds  of  grain  and 
seed. 
By  moans  of  a  Avindlass.  rope  aud  rollers,  tho 
Stocker  can  ho  hoisted  aud  lowered  at  Avill.  In¬ 
stead  of  disconnecting  the  second  I'arricr,  and 
laj-iug  it  on  the  top  of  Die  machine,  or  elsoiA’hore, 
it  is  noAV  ai’raugoil  to  hi*  stationery.  Ho  also  of 
tlie  Blacker ;  instoad  of  dctaidiing  it  and  carrymg 
it  in  some  other  way,  it  in  now  foltUsl  up  and 
cai’ried  in  a  leaning  position  ag.ainsl  tlie  »econd 
Carrier.  Tiio“  Carey"  niouutetl  jiower  is  nsed 
in  comiectioii  with  the  “SwiH-pstakea.” 
Ill  eonclu.sioii  we  may  add,  that  many  Avho  are 
fond  of  au  agriciiltnial  life,  but  iiave  more  me¬ 
chanical  tlian  fiu’iniug  genius,  will  find  that  man¬ 
aging  a  tliresher  is  not  only  a  tescinating  pursuit 
in  itself,  but  it  amply  rewards  Uie  time  and  labor 
expended.  Not  infrequently  the  profits  of  a 
single  season  m.ake  up  tho  whole  original  outlay. 
(bljc 
BEARS  AT  HOME. 
A  AVRiTEK  on  the  Zoological  Gardens  in  Lou¬ 
don  AiTites : — ‘  ■  A  pretty,  Avinding  path  through 
the  slirubbery  at  the  left  of  tho  terrace  brings  us 
doAA’u  a  sloije  to  the  place  Avhere  the  pair  of  Avliite 
beai’B  hvo.  They  have  a  heantiful  stone  house, 
covered  Ai’ith  floAvoriiig  vinos,  aud  in  front  a 
pond  Avith  a  llagged  path  around  it,  on  AA’hich,  as 
Ave  approach,  the  huge  creatures  are  pacing  up 
and  doAvn,  Availing  for  dinner,  groAvling  sav¬ 
agely  every  now  and  tlien  at  tho  visitors  aaIio 
stand  iu  tantalizing  nearness,  just  out  of  theu 
reach.  Their  Avliole  domain  —house  gai’dcu  aud 
pond — ^is  not  only  fenced  in  hut  roofed  over  Avith 
the  strongest  iron  bars.  Oiicti,  tliey  say,  it  Avas 
only  fenced  :  but,  though  the  top  of  tho  fence  was 
made  of  pointed  spikes,  turned  Inward,  one  of  the 
hears  got  out  early  one  morning  and  nearly  killed  a 
hlacksmitli  avIio  happened  to  cross  his  path ;  and 
after  that  they  Avere  roofed  iu,  Tho  Avhite  bear 
aud  his  Arife  once  had  two  little  ones,  soft,  pinky 
creatures,  but  the  unnatural  mother  killed  her 
o\ni  childi’eu,  much  to  everybody's  chsapiioint- 
meiit.  Tho  mother  bear’s  fur  is  purer,  softer, 
Avhiter  than  tho  fatlior’s,  whoso  hair  looks  rather 
yelloArish  Avhon  he  stauds  close  to  his  great 
snoAY-hall  of  a  wife,  and  she  seems  to  hegeJicral- 
ly  iu  a  fit  of  sulks,  Avliilo  he  tramps  about  in  a 
Chronic  state  of  active  fury.  They  suffer 
terribly  from  the  heat  of  au  Euglish  summer, 
and  great  blocks  of  ice  are  constantly  kept  iu 
the  pond  to  make  tlie  water  cool  enough  for 
their  bath.” 
SF.UUIOAVS. — A  note  in  the  Gardeners*  Chi’on- 
icle  says  that  London  spairoAVS  are  proverbially 
amongst  tlie  most  “cheeky”  felloAVs  iu  existence, 
aud  to  keep  them  from  eating  up  uewly-soAA'u 
grass  seed  is  an  ahnost  hopeless  task. 
