Part 3

Here I need not discuss the value of cabbage, for the oldest inhabitant knows fully of its value as a vegetable, and with the two simple and accessible compositions, mentioned in the foregoing pages, used in transplanting and heading, they are very profitable, for with these two compositions, I aver that I will make twice the bulk of heads per acre to the man who does not use them, providing he does not bestow any more labor than I in tilling.

_To make plenty of manure for these vegetables._—This is a great desideratum in raising vegetables. In gardening five acres I think I could make my own manure from that alone, and surely if I could have access to muck, I would plant say four acres to carrots and cabbage (say I will raise only these vegetables for my selling crop). Now, I should want for mine and family’s use, a horse, cow and hog, which I should keep in the following way: I would sow in drills a half acre of corn thickly for fodder, running through it a little with cultivator and hoe, to get some ears for to boil with some carrots for my hog, and some for other uses, perhaps. Now I shall have to buy but very little hay and grain. I have left one half acre for house, garden and some potatoes. Now I will keep my horse and cow in stable and yard. Put in twenty loads of muck under my stables, in my hog pen and barn yard, to catch those valuable juices which are generally lost (and these are the vitals of the soil), throwing in all my waste mould, and thereby make about forty loads of manure, which, applied to the five acres every year, will make it quite rich enough. How many industrious but poor men, with families, are cleaving to New York trying to start some little business in which they may prosper, but can get no chance from the fact that every conceivable opportunity is taken up. How much better to start out and lease (if they cannot buy) even a five acre plot, and go to raising vegetables according to the foregoing pages. Methinks the highway to success and wealth, with economy and health, would surely appear.

_Every man his own Barometer._—In connection with gardening, it is very essential that we be able, with a degree of certainty, to foretell the weather, which, in nine times out of ten we may do about as accurately as the mercurial barometer, by philosophizing with nature’s laws, and certain time-honored observations called signs of the weather. I will notice some of the indications of a storm. The clouds look heavy and red in the east at early morn. The smoke settles to the ground. You smell what they are cooking in yonder house. The sun comes forth at sunrise, giving a white light, and soon disappears in the clouds. “Thunder in the morning, sailors take warning.” The fowls get on the fence and pick themselves. The ducks skip in the water. Stock is dainty about eating. “The fog runs up hopping—the rain comes down dropping.” Tobacco leaves are limber. Circle around the sun or moon—however, if stars can be seen in the moon’s circle the storm is in the distance. The sun draws water. A rainbow in the morning. If it rains when the sun shines, look for a three days’ rain, and of a surety the next day. The dog eats grass. The stones under the grass and in the cellar are moist. The outside of the tin pail or jug sweats, as we say. You observe the smallest cloud to magnify and grow large rapidly. The leaves of the poplar and cherry trees turn bottom up. Plenty of snakes are seen running about. The partridge drums. The mountains look black. You hear voices and noises unusually plain at a distance. The noise of the car is plain at a distance. Smoke ushers from the stove into the room. After a storm, if it clears in nighttime, we may expect a storm soon again. If the swallows fly near the ground we may expect a storm near at hand. Fish jump out of the water. Water boils away rapidly. The hair of stock looks smooth. We smell the skunk—smell the sweat of horses when riding along. The tree toad hollows. But the best indication of all is the following. If, upon blowing out your candle at night, the spark goes out quickly, prepare for a storm and vice versa. With the majority of these signs before us, and the wind in the South, we had better prepare for a storm. However, all signs fail in a drouth. But drouths are few and far between. It is not necessary in this place to philosophize upon these indications. Yet if the reader is somewhat posted in natural philosophy, he will have no difficulty in making these indications harmonize with the laws of nature.

With the supposition that we are now in the midst of a storm in summer, we will look about to notice some of the fair weather signs. The sky and sun look red at night. If it rains very early in the morning (not having rained during the night) generally look for a good day. “If it rains before seven it will clear before eleven,” is quite a _reliable_ saying. Whirlwinds are almost sure signs of dry weather. Now the wind gets in the north, the fog moves southward, and the sun appears but not drawing water. The lark comes forth with her song, and every piece of nature’s handiwork seems, as it were, to throw off its shackles of solitude; cognizant that the king of day will reign, however terrible may have been the storm. We need not expect much rain when the moon is overhead, however severe may appear the storm. Thus, by a little careful observation, we may have a miniature barometer in reason’s temple, better to be relied upon than all the barometrical mechanism conceived by the wisdom of man.

_Weather Sayings._—The direction of the wind at the vernal equinox, thus it will be most of the season. Long icicles indicate deep snows. Three frosts and then a rain. When the wild geese go north spring is about to open, a saying only worthy of notice above the 42d° of latitude. A dusty summer, a snowy winter, which will only appear in northern latitudes. If winter comes in quietly it will go out boldly. If it storms the first Sunday of a month it will storm every Sabbath but one, and so with any other day of the week. Choose full moons for fairs and concerts, &c. Our heaviest snows come from the northwest. If the first snow goes off with a rain, all will. So many fogs in February, so many frosts in May, and about the same day of the month. A winter fog will freeze a dog—that is, in a few days. A storm will not amount to much when the moon is overhead. A cold, wet May fills the barn with grain and hay. Thunder in spring is indicative of cold weather. If chanticleer crows on his roost at evening, there will be a change in the weather before morning. In winter, after a storm, the second clear day is the coldest. If grass grows in March, it will be frozen in May—applicable to northern latitudes. When the whippoorwill hollows, expect warm weather. The second of February is Candlemas day. So far as the sun shines in so far the snow will blow in—applicable to northern latitudes. If it clears off near two o’clock P. M., we may expect a fair day to-morrow, if at two o’clock A. M., we had better prepare for another storm. Make ready for a severe storm at the vernal and autumnal equinox. Weather calculations are subject to so many variations that no invariable rule or theory can be established. Yet with a close observation of the foregoing signs and sayings, we may predict the weather with quite a reliable certainty. With such a strict observance the farmer and gardener may often save himself much labor, and save his crops from the exposure of the storm.

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COOK’S PATENT

SPRING WHIFFLETREE

AND

OX SPRING,

BOTH UNDER ONE PATENT.

[Illustration: A spring with a ring on one end and a hook on the other as well as a bar with a pivot in the center and hooks on either end]

Very useful for balky or discouraged animals, or to prevent breakage of harness, plows, drags, mowing machines, or any farming implements; useful for cars, canal boats, &c.

Young horses can now work among rocks as well as old ones.

The driver does not get hurt with the plow handles.

A horse will draw fifty times without being discouraged.

It serves as a cushion for the horse’s breast.

Springs only when striking an obstruction.

Very durable.

This appears like a good improvement.—_Scientific American._

=H. A. COOK=, Patentee. HILLSDALE, COL. CO., N. Y.