Agricultural.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 89, 23 March 1876, Page 7

Agricultural.

.^HEyDIGNIT-Y OP-THByFARJitER,S LIFE. There is a hig-jier dignity than thjit of poetry or painting* that attaches to the farmer's profession — a dignity which . should make him walk erect, and look . .the blue heavens as proudly in the face '"' sis any man who treads the «arth. No industry lb which human hands were set since the first pair were made iis deserving of higher estimation than his •for of all the. toilers pf the earth he -stands in the closest co-partnership; with- Divine Providence in the realm of nature. See the conditions of this co-partnership, the capital which each invests in one summer's crop. Here, for? example, is a cultivated farm of ■one hundred acres. The Creator might have made that land bear stout crops ■of wheat and other corn, all of itself, without man's. help ; - but He did not, and would not, He condescended to admit man to a partnership with Him, in '.negating the verdure of thojse »,_Aes,^ in covering them with waving 'grain and yellovy harvests. He would not let nature v produce any -crops for human sustenance without the coworking of human sinews. The wheel of seasons might turn on for ever

scattering rain, dew, light, and heat, and every germinating influence; but •unless it was belted' on to. man's in- ] dustry it would not turn out a. sheaf or " a loaf of bread. But see what comes of the connection when a pair or two •of hands and "hoping hearts join their activities to the revolutions of that wheel— generously nature divides with man the honor and joy of the crop! How she works with all the sublime mute economies of the seasons in this partnership of toil ! The very shape of -the earth's orbit, and all its millionmiled many stages around the sun, as well as the dew distillery of the evening's sky, are brought to bear upon the production of the fields. See how the light and heat are graduated to the growth of these acres of Indian corn. . See the temperature that nursed it into the blade, then into the stalk, then into the silken setting of the ear. See'what jpurple curtains are hung around the ijhorizoh — what drying, jocund, full winds blow ; what a ruddy faced hue r glows upon the ripening ears, reddening them to Indian summer tints, as they peer from the white lace drapery that enfolded them! Look at the sight, and never let a murmur -of discontent Stir your lips when you talk of merchants, -manufacturers, or joint stock companies, or any occupation or profession whatever.' Joint stock companies, indeed! "What company of - -that sort ever formed on earth can -compare with the joint stock company that carries on -the smallest farm? What a diversity of capital is invested in the enterprise. , What sympathy and Where falls one drop from the moistened brow of the farmer, there fall a thousand germinating. dews from heaven; and .the combination 'touches 'the life of every plant and j Made with a new vitality and verdure, j CHrjj&NING. ''"'■: ] Dairy fanners will be interested with ? the following account of how things : are done in Chester, U.S., which a correspondent gives 'in the ' Californian 7 He says:— " The accounts that, from time to "time 'get into print of the different devices Tor 'churning cream are very amusing reading tb a Chester County dairyman. With us, almost everyone owning a half-dozen or more cows does 'tbe churning by horse-power. The •churns, of which there are several patterns,;' all Chester ' County productions, costing; with power 65dcl. to 70doL, will churn any quantity of bntter from 15. to, 125 pounds. The^. ; afe.7rotated slowly by a;■ sweep-power : ., operated by one i horse, ahd^ bring shutter in 'from 40 . to BQminutes generally. A. revolving «hum will certainly produce more butter Ifrom the, same quantity of cream than one. in which the dashes alone turn -round.- -In -the formev alt-the cream is equally; agitated* while" in the latter portions adhering to 'the sides and in the angles remain undisturbed till washed doyyn by the buttermilk. After tfie milk is . drawn off water is added to the butter, and tbe churn revolved a rfew times to Wash it (the butter,) after'^ which it is removed to a " worker," most generally a:revolving one^another 'Chester :County patent; &nd< costing 2pdql.--rrby wliich it .is worked till no milk runs, when it is salted, worked again, and then allowed to stand a^ while for the salt to dissolve, after which it will get the final working, and is print ed'in pound lumps mostly by hand but occasionally in! rectangular moulds. Some, dairymen.do not use: the worker, . but instead the butler receives a second washing -in and is then, salted; and the ;6h'urn made, to revolve: very : slowly, - hy. which the salt seems to be as thoroughly incorporated with the ■fc utter; as by any other process. It is then removed to i a cool plape^aß'd when the salt has.had time to dissolve, worked ,/over by hand ; a; paddle, and then as usual. That is. about the routine, with slight variations, by. *>yhich our butter is made. : The idea of using such curious contrivances a^,. we reati =ef ,never::enterythe_ head of a' substantial --ydairynaan.-s Perhaps a spooney^ may be tempted to ows:i*£j^ 'ware, but," by .^oing^so^ "makes^ himseljf vtbe Mtt of AJSisAA^&io^off.A~X^KeA Yqteran :./;'<'Mjfj;iti^^!iroD^-..xi(j jnore lie caught by . r siv?Ja.;Wmms than be-wpttld-exchange his • ichoica Jersejs 'for' a ' heard : of- Texan. 'ionghottiß. o'.'0 '.' A J ilioi .'"•"•' * !