The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-11-06
asritulturul.
Work for Rainy Days.

A distinguished divine in New England
once preached sermon on the moral use.
Of rainy days. The heavens hiyo been
preaching 50 much in the same strain the
past three or four months, that the topic
will at least be seasonable. They have come
in season, and out Of season. 50 that the Ear.
mers who had not forecast to provide fOi
them, have had occasion to complain Of lost
time.
The farmer, Of necessity, pursues the most
Of his labors under the open skies; and un.
less he can supply his boys and men with
employment under cover, rainy days must
BE- lost. Some, indeed. work men and cattle
through all weather, but the practice is in
human and impolitic. Both teams and
men are often disabled where the practice il
persevered in. Rainy days, if rightly i'm
proved upon the farm, aside from their asen-
cy in watering the earth, will be recioned
among the farmers richest blessings. They
bring to the manager Of the farm lit,le
breathing spell, when he mas contemplate
the progress already made in his work, and
lay his plans for the future. At this season
when everything is pressing, they arc par.
ticularly important. Ola dozen things that
nOed to be done, 1t requires little time to
select tho piece Of work that will suffer by
delay.
But the boys must have something to do
on rainy days. Fishing should not bc the
invariable recreation. IL the farmer has \
toolshop, and workbench, both boys and
men will be furnished with profitable EN-
ployment when ii rains. A few tools are
quite common upon the premises ofs Yam
kee farm. and the number might be pro6ta-
bly, enlarged. The influence Of the frequent
use OF the saw, the hammer. the bit, and
the plane, in ma king boy happy, is meal
culable. One sees the contrast when the ig-
norant European laborer is put down upon
an American farm, He Knows that hind OF
labor to which he has been trained. and Is
extremely awkward at everything else. The
boy Of the American farmer, if he has n
workshop to grow up in, can adapt himself
TO any kind Of mechanical labor with the
utmost case. His arms and fingers are sup.
pie and he becomes an adept in all that he
undertakes.
This kind Of physical education which
makes boy ingenious in planning. and
skilful in the execution OF his plans, is worth
far more than any pecuniary fortune. II
makes q man comparatively independent, in
whatever circumstances be may bs placed
Put him down in the wilderness, and with
an axe, saw and auscr, he will construc
him comfortable house in few days, Il
shelter his family from the storm. IL h,
seeks his fortune in the city, he will be rca
DIV for any kind of business that turns up
and if tho best mode of conducting il is no
already adopted, he will quite likely disco'
er il.
Every farmer. then, who has boys grow
ing up around him, should have o snu.
workshop veil lighted, and, in winter. vel
warmed with stove. Tho building neet
not be separate ono. A room IN the crib
carriage house or barn may be 6ttcd mp a
small cost for this purpose. Some farmer
turn their kitchen into a workshop, snt
there, on rainy days, manufacture thei,
yokcs, OF whip and whifle,rees. But thi
isa heathenish practice which no good house
wife ought to tolerate, and we are quite sur,
no considerate husband will couutensnce il
Woman has her rights. and those which VI
a-s particularly disposed to rindicats are he
rights to rule in the house. The worksho,
should be by itself. and order should rcir,
throughout. There should be n tool.che.
for the smaller and nicer articles-,he BIT
stock. and the sets Of aurcr, and bin. f,
holes of all sizes. from one inch downwar
to the smalles cimle, hole: for the plano.
the fine saw. the screw. w.driyer. the tack han
mer. the screw. and taeks. .be chisels. N
spirit.lcvel. and the me..ur ng tape.
The larger tools, the are, saw and augers
which are more frequently used, shoul
have places TO hang or stand, 50 that the
may be found in tho dark, ir necessary
Neatncss and system in the care Of tools an
other articles are learned only in youth.-
Thew ara ;nvaIuabl, habit, and of,., Iso
70 .ucees. in M. Unon ON. aida or 4,
nom should Ia /. vort. bench ON vb;c
II should bo furnished with a v;cs or WOO