:some to cattle, the same muscles being always employed, whilst on a road having gentle rises and falls, the muscles are called into action, and rested alternately. If there be a thin stratum of soft soil where the road is to be made, pare it wholly off, but if it be deep, as in bog or moss, it will form a good elastic foundation, and may be left, cutting deep drains on each side to make it perfectly dry; then cover it over with a layer of turf, before putting on the gravel, or broken stone, which should be laid on pretty thick, excluding all stones above the size of an egg. All roads should be raised a little in the centre, giving them a fall on both sides, for the rain to run off freely. A width of fifteen feet will allow two carts to pass easily, and no more is required for common agricultural purposes. Dig open drains on the upper sides of the road, if it runs along a slope, and let them be carefully kept clean. Fill up all ruts and holes as soon as they appear, and if, when the road passes over bog, a hole bursts out, open it all round till you reach where the covering of turf appears sound; then join neatly a new covering of turf into the old part, and re-cover with gravel. Without laying on fresh turf, putting on gravel, or any other attempt at repair, will, in such situations, be useless, as the materials would sink into the bog. For the sake of your wives and daughters, there ought always to be a foot-path by the side of the road, raised at least eight inches above the general level of the ground, and kept dry by a back drain, where necessary. You will then have the pleasure of seeing those whom you love, enabled to walk in comfort, and undisfigured by dirt. AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. The implements most useful in agriculture, are, Ist,The Spade, which should be everywhere substituted for that old fashioned clumsy instrument, the "loy," or "flack," now in too general use in this country. The proper spade, is a handy well-formed implement, and available for any sort of work. It turns the soil more regularly and deeper than the plough. It forms roads, drains, and fences, and is adapted for the lightest and neatest work, as well as the heaviest trenching. In choosing a spade, do not judge of its strength by the thickness of the handle, but see that it is formed of the best wood, and clear of knots, and that the grain runs evenly from end to end. A middle-sized spade is best for general use, heavy strong ones are fit for trenching new lands, and shovels are well adapted for loose mossy soils, and road making. 2nd, A Pick-axe is indispensable when any trenching is required, for road-making, and for a variety of other purposes; but as it will probably not be always or often wanted, neighbours may club together, and purchase one to be used by two or three of them, alternately, as circumstances may require. 3rd, The Common Hoe is necessary for potatoes, turnips, garden work, and a variety of other purposes. It should not be the small round short sort of implement now often seen, but have the blade 7 inches long and 4 or 5 inches broad, with which you will accomplish double the work. 4th, Rakes and Forks-The latter are wanted for hay-making and stable work, whilst the former are necessary for covering in the seed, and other purposes. 5th, A Harrow, which is indispensable if horses are used, and which performs the work as well when framed of wood, as if made according to the more modern fashion of iron. 6th, The Plough, which in some shape or other, has been used in the cultivation of the land from the earliest period. The improved iron plough now made by most blacksmiths, is certainly the best, and the horses should be always yoked two a-breast. 7th, The Cart.-The best is the common single horse cart, proportioned to the size of your horses, and having a light movable frame to fasten at top, when carrying your corn and hay, &c. The draught upon the horse will depend upon the manner of loading the cart, which should be so that not above one-fifth part of the weight rests upon the horse's back. 8th, A Wheel-barrow and Hand-barrow are extremely useful, for collecting manure, carrying stones, and a variety of other purposes, especially in the absence of a cart. 9th, Sickles are now generally used, and always for wheat, but the scythe is in many cases preferable. By the Scythe the straw is cut closer to the ground than with the sickle, and it is said that mown corn dries more readily. The work is certainly performed more quickly, and advantage may therefore be taken of every fair hour. A good mower, with two followers, one to gather and make bands, the other to tie and stook, will cut as much in a day with a scythe, as seven persons with sickles, and the grain will not be so much shaken. The ground must, however, be well rolled when the crop is sown, otherwise the scythe may be broken by stones, or by the unevenness of the surface. LIVE STOCK. Having described the agricultural operations connected with the management of the farm, we will now speak of the stock to be kept upon it, and the proper mode of managing each kind: after which we will give a few brief directions for the dairy, the garden, and the management of bees; and then conclude with a summary of the work to be done in each month of the year. The Cow is the most useful of domestic animals. She supplies us with milk during her life, and there is no part, whether flesh, tallow, bones, hide, or horns, that is not made serviceable to our wants when she is dead. The variety of breeds is very numerous, but the following observations will apply to all; and depend upon it, the better they are treated, whatever be their kind, the better will they repay you. It is at present very common for you to be overstocked with domestic animals; and the consequence is barrenness in your cows, which often have a calf only in two years, miserable prices for your young beasts,-your sheep dying from disease, and your horses hardly able to drag through the spring and harvest work. Whenever this, or anything like this, is the case, you should immediately diminish your stock, by selling off the inferior beasts at any price. The best agriculturists always part with their over-stock every year, at the current price of the season whatever it may be, rather than hold on for a rise for by keeping an overstock of one or two heads, because they will not fetch within 5s. or 10s. of what may be considered their full price, you diminish the value of every other animal upon your farm; and if this is pursued for a few years, you must ruin your whole stock. The next object of importance with respect to your stock, is the selection of good males for the improvement of the breed. Without attention to this, all animals deteriorate, even in the most favourable situations. A constant infusion of good blood is absolutely necessary; and be particular in your choice, nor grudge additional expense for obtaining good males, for it will be repaid with interest. Thus on a farm, or townland of ten or twenty small farms, where there are as many as fifty cows, of middling quality, the stirks got by an inferior bull would not fetch above £1 each, or £50, whereas, if got by a superior animal, they would at least bring £2 each, or £100. It is the same with respect to rams, stallions, and boars; and as small tenants cannot keep good bulls or stallions themselves, they should search for the best in the neighbourhood, and pay for their use, rather than send to a bad one for nothing. As a general rule, always give a preference to the male from a stock of acknowledged excellence, even although he may not be so showy as another animal from an inferior stock; for good blood is sure to tell in the long run. Choose your males, also, of good size and shape; for there is no truth in what is sometimes said, that small cattle only are fit for steep hills. On the contrary, the finest and heaviest cows in Europe are reared and fed upon the mountains of Switzerland, which are higher and steeper than the most hilly parts of Ireland. A great deal may be done by proprietors in improving the breed of stock, by procuring bulls, rams, and boars, for their tenants, either gratis, or at a moderate rate; and in whatever way the subject is considered, the proprietor could not fail, in the long run, of being benefited by this practice. Calves thrive better suckled, than when fed by hand; but if sufficient milk cannot be spared, they should have whey and peasemeal, or oatmeal porridge and milk, which is extremely nourishing. A starved calf will never turn out well, however well fed he may be afterwards, or however excellent the breed may be. In selecting a cow, the points to be observed are: Breadth and length of back; short legs; length of side small head; fine soft green or yellow horns; a thick strong coat; the skin loose, soft, and silky to the touch; and the tail thin and fine. The following are excellent marks by which to choose a cow "She's long in her face, she's fine in her horn, "She's broad in her ribs, and long in her rump, "She's light in her neck, and small in her tail, She's a grazier's without, and a butcher's within." Pigs. Next to the cow, swine are the most useful animals to the cottager and small farmer,in fact, the pig, in some shape or other, constitutes one of the luxuries of the palace, as well as the cottage. The No animal is nicer, or more cleanly than the pig, if he has sufficient food, and clean bedding; and your children should be early taught to be useful in keeping him clean and comfortable, for upon that his growth and fattening will in a great measure depend. breed to be recommended is the small white kind, with the points of the ears turned downwards, short legs, compact body, and smallish well-formed head. It is extremely hardy, weighs well, and fattens easily; and is therefore well suited for the cottage, and the small farmer. Much depends upon the breed, for many of the long-legged, large, hang-eared kinds, are anything but profitable. Crosses with the Berkshire sort, are also valuable. |