THINGS A FARMER SHOULD NOT DO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 824, 9 May 1868, Page 4

THINGS A FARMER SHOULD NOT DO.

A farmer should never break np more land than he. can cultivate thoroughly ; half-tilled land is always growing 1 poorer, while well-tilled land is constantly improving. A thrifty and prudent farmer will not devote his sole attention to the improvement of certain fields on his farm, because the land is " easy to work at," and let other portions of his premises go uncultivated, and grow nothing- but brush, bogs, briers, and stones. A farmer should never have more cattle, horses, or other animal stock than he can keep in good order. An animal in good ordqr at the beginning of winter is already halfwintered. Nor should he let his cattle endure the chilling storsns of winter in an open yard or field, whilst a few dollars expended in the way of making comfortable stables would amply repay him in saving of fodder, and afford a greater amount of milk. A farmer should never depend too much ou his -neighbours for what he can by careful management produce on his own land. He should not make it a common practice to either bny or beg fruit while he can plant trees and cnltivatc them on his own ground, nor

annoy his neighbours by borrowing" tools to work with, while he can make or buy them. " Tho borrower is servant, to the lender." A farmer should never be so immersed in political matters as to negleci doing his various kinds of work in duo season, and to snug up matters and things for winter ; nor should he be so inattentive to politics of national and State policy which will always agitate inoro or less n free people. A farmer should not be continually borrowing his neighbour's newspaper, while he can easily save money enough, by curtailing some little extravagance, to subscribe and pay for one or more of his own. A farmer should never refuse a fair price for anything he wishes to sell. I have known men to refuse a dollar and a half for a bushel of corn, and after keeping it for five or six months they were glad to get a dollar for it. I have known farmers refuse to take a fair marketable price for their dairies of butter, and after keeping it thi'ee or four months they concluded to sell the butter for only two-thirds of the prico which they were first offered. " A bird in hand is worth two in the bush." A farmer shonld not allow his wood-pile to be reduced down to the "shorts," merely drawing a little by piece-meal, and green at that. He must expect to encounter the sour looks of his wifo and family, and perhaps bo compelled (in a series of lectures) to learn that the man who provides green wood to burn in the winter, has not mastered the first rules of domestic economy. Nor should ho employ some "botch" mason to build his chimney " upside down," so that his family will be nearly smoked out of tho house, and the walls of the room become as yellow as saffron. A farmer should not let his buildings look as old as the hills, and go to decay, while he can easily afford the means to keep them in good repair ; nor should he allow tattered cloths and old hats to be stuffed in the windows, in the place of glass. If he does, he need not be alarmed if he acquires the reputation of a mean man, or one who tarries long where liquor is sold by the glass. A farmer should not be contented with dilapidated looking fences on his fai'm, so as to tempt his cattle to become unruly and destroy his crops, while ho has plenty of opportunities and materials to make or keep them in repair. — American Working Farmer.

A Description of Wellington is lbrwarik d to the Sydney Morning Herald by its curruspoutluut. Tho writer says :—": — " lam quite iv earnest when I say that for many days recently it has beon a risky busiuess goiug off Co a vessel iv the bay, in a boat. A thorough soakiug was the least to be dreaded ; and when once ou shore, going out of doors was a very undesirable performance. 1 muse uot say too much about Wellington weather. It is a tender subject with the " identities," as the old residents are oftentimes factitiously termed, aud wheu it does not blow, the weather and climate are alika delicious and enjoyable, aud a vast contiast to Sydney jusc now. The wharf accommodation at Wellington is good, but iv consequence of some slight misapprehension as to its whereabouts 011 tho part of tno master of a local steamship, and a consequent trial of strength between the vessel and the wharf — in which the lattor of a certaiuty gave in — the larger and more come-at-able portion is not at pivseut available to tho steam public. Tho Wellington ites have, much to their credit too, already reclaimed some fifteen acres of harbour, fronting the principal portion of tho tovvn, which adds very considerable to its appearance aud importance, and vessels of small tonnage can lay alongside the outer wall with security and convenience. Wood is the prevailing element iv al] additions to the city, and day after day sees some new house or store commejneed. The Wellington of 18GS shows, I am told, a wonderful contrast to the little town of IS6O even, and it is evidently a thriving City, and worthy its selection as the metropolis. Churches are numerous, and well filled. The Cougregatioualista are buildin" a very commodious church. The Athenaeum and Library are well Btippliod with periodicals and books, aud equally we'd patronised. The formation of r»ew streets, &c, is rapidly being proceeded with. Useless hills, &c, aro bein« levelled, and on tho principal streets, in many places, curbing has seen laid down. I can hardly ever iraagino Wellington a really btisy place, there is so little to back it up ; nevertheless there is an evident determination on tho part of its principal inhabitants not to let it deteriorate from lack of energy on their part. Indeed, if it wouldn't blow bo much, so powerfully, so pertinaciously, I know of more undesirable residences than the present metropolis of New Zealand. Provinciausji. — Undrr tho above head the Evening Herald says :—": — " We arts informed that persons who have driven sheep ncross tho Patea river, are threatened by the Provincial authorities of Taranaki with a fino of Is. per head." The 'Alabama' Claims.— The Tribune of Ist February contains the following important announcement in a Bpecial despatch from Washington :— " All negotations for a settlement of tho ' Alabama.' claims having been closed by correspondence between our government and that of Great Britain, the matter stands as though nothing had beon done by either government tending to an adjustment. There is authority for saying that theso claims will at once be pushed to a fiuality with vigour, and that if not ratified at the time regularly prescribed the government will demanl immediate reparation for the wrongs suffered by onr citizen at the hands of the Alabama and other vessels fitted out in England, under like circumstances, during the rebellion." Tho World in another special despatch confirms this intelligence as will bo seen by the following from itR regular telegraphic correspondent in Washington who says : — I am authorized to state, mosr confidently and decisively, that tho legitimate demands which have been bo meekly urp. j d by the Secretary of Suite noon the British Cabinet are to be enforced ac whatever hazard. Sunz Caxil. — Tim GoT-^i-nment rag ' Prompt,' recently des;mtchev.l from England to a?sist in tho embarkation of the Indian troops at Suez, was conreved through the new Sue.? Cnnal to tho Red Sen. After hnviusj been lightened as njnch as possiblp, even to the removal of Ihe pudJie-wheels, a number ! of empty cn«ks were place i under her, and in this manner she readied Suez. TJollovay's Pilh. — Easy digestion. — These admirable Pills cannot be too highly appreciated for tho wholesome power they exert over all disorders of the stomach, liver, bowels, and kidneys. Thoy instantaneously relieve and steadily work out a thorough cure, and in its coni-aa dispel heudnchc, biliousness, flatulence and depression of spirits. It is wonderful to watch tho daily improvement of the complexion, as Holloway's Pills puril'y the blood and restores plumpness to the fnce, which had lost both flesh and colour. These Pills combine every excellence desirable in a domestic remedy. The most certain and benoGcial results flow from the occasional use of this reuulatiug medicine ; even pen>ona in health, < p when following sedentary occupations, will fii.d it an invaluable aperient. A Weather Item. — The coart w«s called. There was a clnid upon the brow of the jidge. Silence rained. William Mulligan was hai'ed, bat William was mist. The judge thundired. Tho prosecuting attorney stormed. Tho jur> J 8 labours lightened ; William Mulligan had mizzled. i

mated at £373 10s. Tho bullocks and cart horses were used for bringing out provisions and other requisites for tho troops, and the riding horso was used by the officers. The sheep were running at Hurford's farm when they were taken away by the natives. I havo prefered this claim before, for which no award was in ado. On reference to tho supplementary claims, I find that £06 ss. ha 3 been awarded to me for sheep about tho year 1801, aud 1 withdrew this part of tho claim. Tho cattle and horses wore includod in my claim above mentioned as having boon previously preferred.

John Bermdge : Claim £96 10s. This case was resumed to-day, it having been adjourned to enable Mr. Wm. Berridge to appear. William Berridge, sworn : I am son of John Berridge, tho claimant. I was in tho bush rangers in August, 1563. I remember accompanying an expedition, consisting of an escort to Mr. Parris and others, in search of sheep, when we came across the skins of several of my father's sheep. We afterwards found a flock from one dozen to a scoro, of which several were my father's. My father lost 61 ewes and 1 ram. The ewes were worth 30s. a head, and the ram £5. The sheep were driven away by the rebel natives.

Mary Ann Roebuck : Claim £ Mr. Standish appeared for the claimant. Mary Aim Roebuck, sworn : lam the widow ofStephen Roebuck. My husband was killed ou the 23rd January, 1865, at Mataitawa. At that time he was in the Military Settlers on active service. Ho left me quite destitute. I had six children, the}' were between ihe ages of four and seventeen. lam to get 50 acres of land. That is what was due to my husband for his services. The land is worth from £40 to £50. Tho person who shot my husband was tried and sentenced. I am unable to support? myself and family. At present I derive no benefit from the land. My husband was killed by one of his oomrados. He was on outpost duty when he was killed, I believe. His ran £ was a private. Tho only beuefit I receive from my children is 3s. a week, which I receive from my eldest daughter who is out at service. I have been receiving 6s. a week from tho Provincial Government, but they say that it is the General Government who ought to provide for me ; that is why I make this petition. The above mentioned aid which I receive from the Provincial Government may be withdrawn any minute. — Robert Collins, said : I am staff sergeant of the Taranaki Militia. On reference to the record in the regimental order book, "whioh I have here, I can say that Roebuck was on outpost duty at the time when he was killed. Roebuck received 2s. and 6d. per diem, and rations when on active service.

Joseph White : Claim £ Joseph White, sworn : iv October, 1858, I left; Wangauui with a herd of cattle, consisting of 100 cows, 100 calves, and 9 ptcers. The herd cost me £545. I drove them as far as Weraroa. In the night the natives deprived me of 60. The remainder I got to Taranaki. I never have received any of those cattle back again. This part of the olaim has been investigated before by Mr. Sewell, but no award was made. In 1860 1 was a contractor to supply Mr. Lethbridge. Mr. Lethbridgo was a contractor to supply the troops. In January and February I purchased 40 head of cattle and 1 horse. Tho cattle I valued at £10 a head. I got the cattle as far as Patea, when the/rebel natives took them from me. I have ndver received any of those cattle since. Hostilities had nod commenced at the time. The average weight of the cattle was 800 lbs. The horse was worth £30. I lost a great coat aud a blanket, valued at £5, aud my saddle and bridle £0, which were taken by tho natives.