DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE AND ITS KINDRED ARTS AND SCIENCES. CALENDAR FOR SEPTEMBER. just appreciation of her gifts which consists in the full enjoyment of them." Before the month closes, however, the general EPTEMBER, though face of the country will have undergone a very mathe first of the Au- terial change since we left it last month; and none tumnal Months, has of its individual features, except the woods and an average heat groves, have improved in their appearance. Fields scarcely less than where the small grains were cut, present a rough appearance of coarse stubble, and weeds which have grown and ripened their seeds since the grain plants were harvested; others show the new furrows of the that of June. For several years past, the severe summer droughts have extended even into Sep-plow, or, perhaps, if criticized carefully, the young tember, and the first half of wheat or rye, just penetrating the surface, to come the month, both day and night, out and warm itself in the soft sunlight, and take has been oppressively hot, the root and gather strength to resist the winter frosts. earth parched and cracked, and the foliage hard, dusty, and dry. This year is an exception, and vegetaIn other fields, milch cows and oxen are croption has more the appearance of ping the "fall feed," or quietly chewing the cud unthe vernal season, than der the spreading branches of some friendly tree. that of the season of de- But "the fields have no longer the rich luxuriance "And even now, whilst Nature's beauty dies, cay. The frequent of their Spring bloom, nor even the delicious scent summer showers which belonged to them when the vigor of youth have given great was upon them. They are the pale and feeble offand constant activity to the growth of plants, and spring of the declining life of their parent." kept them in a green and vigorous condition, so that Some of the summer birds have left us, both they now cover the earth with freshness and beauty. songsters and others. The chatty martins have Notwithstanding this, "the youth of the year is gone, and with the exception of here and there a gone. Even the vigor and lustihood of its maturity pair, the swallows have departed-"urged thereto by are quick passing away. It has reached the sum- prophetic instinct, which will not be disobeyed," and mit of the hill, and is not only looking, but descend- which makes them exact observers of times and ing into the valley below. But if SEPTEMBER is not so bright with promise and so buoyant with The vegetable garden "looks big with events," hope as May, it is even more embued with that while the fruit garden is more tempting than ever. spirit of serene repose, in which the only true, be- Crimson apples, golden pears, and luscious grapes cause the only continuous enjoyment consists.- more than repay the labor of cultivation in the And SEPTEMBER is the month of consummations- health they promote and the gratification they imthe fulfiller of all promises-the fruition of all part while sharing them with friends. hopes-the era of all completeness. Let us then turn at once to gaze on, and partake in its manifold beauties and blessings, not let them pass us by, seasons. SEPTEMBER will be like herself, after all. "Glittering dews at morn and fogs at eve, with the empty salutation of mere praise; for the The leaves begin to fall, the meadows turn brown, only panegyric that is acceptable to Nature is that frosts occasionally sparkle in the early sun, and the beautifully varied tints appear among the leaves of CORN-CARRYING ON THE RUSSIAN the trees standing in low grounds. STEPPES. So the month and seasons roll along, each pecu- In order to judge at what cost the most imporliar to itself, and each presenting aspects and fea- tant of those exports are thus brought, and in order tures more interesting at their own proper time to enable an inquirer to predict with any approach than they possibly could be at any other season; of the most extraordinary temptation from without, to certainty what could be done under the pressure and all proclaiming the benevolence of that Intelli- let us leave the sharp stones, deep mud, or clouds of gence which has spoken them into existence, and dust of Odessa, and examine the tracts along which which directs them all, even to the tiniest insect those long line of bullock wagons come creeking that dwells upon the dust of a flower. from more northerly directions. I have said that a vast belt of Steppe girdles this coast. We are upon a Steppe. The prevailing color, as far as the eye can reach over the immense plain, is a scorched In their succession and varied attractions, we must find sources of gratitude and joy; learn to avail ourselves of the opportunites which they pre- brown. The intense heat and drought have reduced sent for our improvement, and fully appreciate the advantages which they present as they pass along. "To me the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears." the Steppe to this condition, and far beyond the horizon line, and away, verst upon verst, is the same dreary looking and apparently waste expanse. Not that it is all flat-hills, barren and rugged, diversify the line, and add to its difficulties, in dry weather SEPTEMBER affords an opportunity for doing cer- considerably, in wet incalculably. For look at the tain things which no other month can-there is ground on which you stand. You are on one of such an opportunity. The farmer having secured the roads, as they are termed. Elsewhere, a road, his grain—all but the inimitable Indian corn har- good or bad, means something which has been made -a line, upon which has been gathered material for vest-his hay, his winter rye and winter wheat got binding and clasping, and below which there is some in, and his piles of loam or muck for winter haul- kind of draining; bad or good, the road is, as coming got out, can afford to visit others and see how pared with the adjacent land, dry, compact and elasthey manage their affairs. How wide and deep tic. Dismiss all such ideas from your mind, or rather drag your limbs for an hour behind that they plow, and what sort of implement the work is corn-wagon, and such ideas will disappear of themdone with-how crops are planted and tended; how selves. Dead and helpless seems that wo-begone orchards are set and pruned; how reclaiming track, creaking and drawling over which comes the and drainage are managed; how milch cows, horses, bullock-wagon-all wood, and built precisely as oxen and swine appear compared with their own, driver sits in front, occasionally lashing the gray wagons were built a thousand years ago. The and lastly, but by no means of the least consequence, bullocks more by way of form than with any idea how farmer Thrifty's wife manages her domestic of hastening them, and his massy heard hangs down concerns, and whether she has not a washing ma- over a species of censor, whence arise fumes of an chine, and several other exceedingly convenient and unsavory kind. But it is not in luxury, or in iminot costly articles of furniture, which his own has tation of his eastern neighbors, that the peasant not! Such a visit of observation as this, would be the contents are an abominable mixture for greasing keeps this odor-breathing vessel under his nose of a most pleasing as well as profitable character; and the wheels of his wagon, and by which you may the wife and daughters may profit by it just as trace it through many a yard of tainted air. Why much. We hope September will be greatly im- he has placed the reeking vessel between his legs I proved by our friends in this manner. If winter rye has been omitted, it may answer get it in early this month. Old grass land may be plowed and seeded grass, though it were better done in August. to know not, unless it be to remind himself more forcibly of the necessity of an operation, without the to incessant performance of which his clumsily built cart would be on fire in four places at once. Contrast this wretched machine with the well contrived, iron mounted cart of the German colonist, a few Swamps may be reclaimed and ditching done, and creaking along the unhelpful soil, and singing miles hence. But on goes the wagoner, jolting where the land is sufficiently dry to admit of oper- some of those old airs in which, rude as they are, ations. there is some melody, or saying prayers to one or Meadow muck in abundance should be thrown other of the multifarious national saints. On he out ready for winter hauling. goes, and so he and his predecessors have gone since All the crops should be carefully harvested as corn was grown in Russia. Ricketty carts, knotted rope harness, drowsy bullock, wretched roads-so they ripen: the potatoes sorted as they are collect-crawls the loaf towards the Englishman's table.— ed, and those intended for seed kept by them- Shirley Brooks, a Year in Russia. selves. Rank weeds that have been overlooked and gone The Lexington (Mo.) Express states, as the to seed should be pulled, dried a little and burnt, to result of a careful inquiry, that the hemp crop of prevent their seeding the ground for another year. Lafayette county is inferior in quantity if not in Cutting the stalks of corn is preferable to letting quality, and that it will perhaps turn out more than them stand. Cut when the spindle is dead, and than two-thirds or three-fourths of the amount the edges of the leaves begin to be dry. usually produced. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. For the New England Farmer. 395 front windows of those two stores. Reaching the first landing, where are we? Two more fiights, one Country people who visit the city for the first er "flights," while a passage-way directly forwards to the right, the other to the left, lead to still hightime, usually go to the Common, the Navy Yard, takes us through the front building into one in the the State House, the Monument, the Custom House, rear that fronts on no street, but is entirely surthe Wharves, and a few other prominent points rounded by and connected with buildings which do which their inclinations or their guides may suggest, front on two or. more streets, or "Places," as "headduring the day, and in the evening they visit the ed-in" streets are often called. But I shall not have Museum, or some other place of amusement, or time to describe these various shops and offices, if take a stroll in Washington Street by gas-light.- we visit them, so we will merely read "The DirecThis done, they return home well satisfied that they tory of this Building," as it hangs, in the shape of a have seen the city. And so indeed they have that great sign, right before us. "No. 1, John Doe, Atpart of it which is "on exhibition." They saw the torney and Counsellor at Law." "No. 2, Nathaniel streets filled with well-dressed people, and the shops Grinder, Dentist." These are the two front chamand stores they passed or entered, with genteel and bers, nicely carpeted, and away from the clatter of polite men and women, who appeared to have plen- the engine, which is puffing away in the basement ty of leisure and plenty of money. They looked in- of the building. Then we have a Tailor's shop, a to windows of clear glass and of wonderful size, Manufacturing Jeweller, a Printing office or two, a filled with gold and silver ware, rich crockery, costly Coffee-grinder, a Gold-beater, a Book-binder, a Carsilks, gay ribbons, gilded books, carved furniture, penter's shop, &c. &c., in all some ten or fifteen cutlery, carpetings, pictures-every thing that heart different establishments occupy the five stories of can wish or fancy conceive, until they wondered which the building consists, and employ perhaps where the money is to come from to pay for all some hundreds of individuals of both sexes. these things. They heard the noise and bustle of men and women ply their busy tasks, with almost the crowded streets, and looked upon the whirl of as little acquaintance with their fellow-laborers in Here the moving multitude, till the very stones of the other parts of the building, although passing and pavements and the bricks of the buildings, like the repassing the same threshold daily, as they have people on the side-walk, seemed conscious that they with people in other cities. And yet this swarming were city bricks and city stones, and proud of the hive of city laborers presents a crystal front to the part they were playing in this animating scene. street, and perhaps a half-dozen starched clerks are They gazed at the residences on Beacon Street or the only representatives of this busy multitude that Pemberton Square, with their swelled fronts and can be seen from the sidewalk. granite steps, and perhaps caught themselves contrasting their own humble homes with these prince-operatives are consequently crowded into the smallHigh rent necessitates the economy of room; and ly mansions, and really felt a few twinges of envy est space consistent with the nature of their emdown in some sly corner of the heart, or with a strange bitterness, suppressed the inquiry, Who maketh thee to differ from another? Working almost entirely by the job or "piece," and incited by the example and weekly bills In this way people generally see the city; in this of the fastest workmen, a spirit of emulation is way the city is made to be seen; and I am not sure harder in large than in small companies-harder in that it ought to be seen in roused, and as a general thing, I believe hands work any other way. The dark side, the opposite of all this glitter and business. The demand for money, likewise, to meet the city than they do in the country, at the same show, a degree of poverty and wretchedness as the higher rate of house-rent, and of almost every much below, as all this display of magnificence and thing else, in the city, as well as the contagion of wealth is above the real wants of our nature,-may an almost universal example by all classes of a desbe found hiding in the cellars and garrets of all perate effort to "keep up appearances, great cities; but is so loathsome an exhibition desi- the extra spurs which the city furnishes to move rable? would it do good? Is it not well that mis- the hands faster in the shop, and the feet faster in ery seeks retirement; and that the wretched and the streets, than they were wont to do in the counthe vicious are content to pine or revel in obscurity? try. ployment. are among But I must close this article. My yarn has spun A CITY MECHANIC. Without any disposition, then, to set out the dark side of city life as an antidote against the tendencies out beyond my expectations. I have not said any of its bright side, I have often thought it would be thing of how city mechanics live, and but little of an improvement on the usual style of city-seeing, what I intended to have said of how they work.— were visitors allowed to gain some little knowledge But perhaps enough to show that an opinion of city of the way in which city mechanics and laboring life and city employments, based upon what is to be people generally work and live. For seen in a day's walk through the principal streets, every well-dressed ing the gentleman and lady, during a day's ramble person that one sees play-may be a very incorrect one. in the streets of Boston, there are probably, at all Boston, July, 1855. times, within a stone's throw, a score or two of begrimmed mechanics of both sexes busy at work in shops "in the rear," "overhead," or "in the base- Nash says, take one barrel of lime, and one bushel HOME MADE CHLORIDE OF LIME.-Professor ment;" over the entrances to which is painted in of salt; dissolve the salt in as little water as will large letters, "Positively no Admittance, except on dissolve the whole; slack the lime with the water, business," an enactment, however, that, like other putting on more than will dry slack it, so much that "prohibitory" laws in Boston, is enforced or not, as it will form a very thick paste; this will not take the "proprietors" see fit. Taking our curiosity as all the water; put on, therefore, a little of the rethe "higher law," then, suppose we venture up that mainder daily, until the lime has taken the whole. dirty flight of stairs jetted in there between the The result will be a sort of impure chloride of lime, ކ but a very powerful deodorizer, equal for all out- (never beyond,) and I would suggest that instead door purposes, with the article bought under that of the forest, he select the various fruit trees to name at the apothecary's, and costing not one- form his pleasant shades. They are as beautiful twentieth part as much. This should be kept un- and fragrant in bloom, and as lovely to our vision, der a shed, or some out building. It should be when their rich fruit combine with their deep green kept moist, and it may be applied wherever offen- foliage. And many a blending and contrast can sive odors are generated, with the assurance that it be formed by the right arrangement and commingwill be effective to purify the air, and will add to ling of their lighter and heavier foliage. the value of the manure much more than it costs. It would be well for every farmer to prepare a quantity of this, and have it always on hand. But mankind have different tastes; they act differently, and think differently; and will build houses differently. Nature has different arrangements. On some farms she has undulations, and some she has plains; I would not for myself have all cloud or all sun; but one thing I would desire, a fair representation of country residences, if representation be required; and truthfulness and honesty in all. FLORA. Fairhaven, 1855. For the New England Farmer. LETTER FROM THE HOMESTEAD. BY H. F. FRENCH. MY DEAR BROWN:-Of all the days in the year, For the New England Farmer. THE BEAUTIFUL AND USEFUL. MR. EDITOR:-Sir,-It is natural to the human mind to love the beautiful, and appreciate true worth. A departure from this rule, is perversion of taste, not nature. For instance, let a child grow to maturity, its mind become fully developed, and taught only as Nature would teach; that mind would become complete in native loveliness. The wood, the lawn, the vale, and meandering stream, would lend their magic charms to tranquillize the mind and point through Nature's loveliness to give me a rainy day in haying time for attending to God, the originator, and beautifier of all. The neglected duties in the way of writing. After days ocean grand, the mountain bleak, the grotto wild, and deep ravine, with rocks of towering height, and of hurry and heat and hard work and dust, of rismighty chasms, which exhibit the convulsive throes ing at daybreak and swinging the scythe while the of Nature, in some momentous period, (a period dew is on the grass, of raking and pitching under a prior to the knowledge of puny mortals, and far burning sun, of stowing away half-smothered under too comprehensive for human conception,) evince the eaves, comes this quiet, soothing rustle of the to that mind a God of power, might and majesty; and leads to deep adoration, as well as love. rain-drops on the leaves, when we awake in the Nature to me is beautiful in her contrasts as well morning. We give a half-sigh for the hay-cocks, as harmonies. I love to walk among her scenes, but are easily consoled when we think of the corn and be taken by surprise at some unexpected freak and potatoes and the pastures; entirely resigned, of her playful wildness. How tame and common- when we recollect the scorching drought of last place would she seem, did she work with geometri cal precision; or with rule and compass always in summer, and on further reflection, quite rejoiced hand. Neither can I perceive the consistency of that we have not the responsibility of taking care of her swelling each side the road, about one hundred the weather, which is managed so much better withyards therefrom, for the seat of our country resi- out our help. dences, even to please so fastidious a taste as "Agri cola's." When such is the case, I shall likewise When I say we in these preliminaries, I intend to expect that the taste of every man will be so include a part of "the rest of mankind," for canchanged, as to paint his house a soft "warm stone dor compels me to admit that as a strictly personal color," and flowers be all a "dappled grey," and remark, there is a slight figure of speech in that alnature and art one harmonious blending. lusion to the scythe in the dewy grass, for though I I love to see a taste for the beautiful displayed have mowed a handsome swath in my day, I have in the selection of ground, the arrangement of shrubbery, and the intermingling of lovely plats of found it more consistent with other duties, of late, flowers, surrounding our abodes with scenes of gay to see other hands perform that labor. Still, the profusion; but the useful and the beautiful, it should rain brings leisure from out-door cares, and as dogalways be borne in mind, will only give permanent day weather is too hot for severe studies, even in pleasure. Or, in other words, we do not love to see a dwelling of rare loveliness embowered in the way of agriculture,we will lay aside the abstruser beauty and bloom, with "Sheriff's Sale" written in matters of soil analysis, of superphosphates and conspicuous characters thereon; or to know the chemical affinities, and discourse of familiar matters owner no longer calls it his. And should some better suited to the weather and the season of haste "golden dreams" of the modern El Dorado cross and heat. his imagination, as the means of retrieving his shattered fortune, he be obliged to sneak, and You see that I date once more at Old Chester, crawl to some secluded corner, lest his creditors and the Homestead, where we are seeking health destroy his golden hopes. and repose for one who has been almost overcome Far be it from my humble efforts to retard the in life's battle; hoping for strength in the clear progress of the beautiful. Let her go hand in hand with usefulness. Let the farmer or mechanic sky and pure air of an inland and hilly position. of moderate means, when he purchases his abode, A gentleman of much observation, whose wife or erects his cottage home, do so with a just inten- was suffering for years with some affection of the tion of beautifying it according to his means; lungs, who had travelled with her for her health |