Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-05-07
PARIS, ME-,

ripe, and a small lot OF pumpkins vi the
fty dollars which he had left after paying
TOR his house he pays fifteen dollars for a
breaking plow, and the balance for sundrios
OF various kinds for his family. When the
year comes round, Mr.. Smith finds $iTj
due on hi. land contract. $3.50 due for his
horses and wagon, besides, with the STREET
est economy about 500 to the storekeepcr,
blacksmith, and doctor In this dilemma,
IL possible, he gets a remittance from his
friends at the East, pays the first paymen,
on his farm, and pays Tor his horses. Tho
next year, he raises crop Of wheat. Tor
which be gets, perhaps, $500, and breaks
80 acres more new ground. Bot with this
apparent prosperity, he is obliged TO in.
crease hls stock in trade by the purchase Of
a Manny's Reaper aud Mower, tanning
mill, perhaps, and thrcshine machine, fen.
cling material, plows, harrcws, forks, spades.
hoes. &c. We will not, however. follow
him through his entire experience for three
years. But if you will 90 with me, we will
take peep at Mr.. Smiths premises in Mo-
vcmber, 1857. last fall, an unilyorablc sea-
son, in which farmers raised great crop Of
straw, but only halt a crop Of wheat.
We sholl 6nd the hous' very much as be.
tore described, cIccp; that it issalllc roorcd
in consequences Of the sinking OF the block.
alorcslil, and externally Drowned BY tho
weather. We shall probably find an out
door cellar constructed OF prairie sods or
turf near the hous', from SIX to twenty hog,
from variou, agcs. all dimensions, on tho
premises, moro or less under the house, in
the low plic, aforesaid. you will still dnd
the hole ia th, grlund without stone or
curb, but with several rails thrown across
t. keep ou, hogs and other animals, from
which the family have drank asuo fcvcrs
(lnd perhaps 10 slms one of them dclth,)
Tor three years. In u short distance in ano.
,hcr direction you will s'c wha, 70 s,ran.
ger would b, taken lor an old straw heap
slrrounisl by six 70 ten, perhaps twenty
stacks Of hay and grain. On close examina.
ton YOU will fui the old straw heap to be
as,ltlo fr horses and calves (oihcr stock
mus, curl aud shivcr under the lee Of the
stable in straw heap, through a winter as
severe. though m, quite as long, as the
New Enshnl winter,) constructed by set.
tins crutchc, ia the ground, and laying
poles from one u another close enough to
hold up straw which i' piled over and
around, several feet In thickness, except a
door or hole more properly, on the southeast
side ior ingrcs and esress. This makes u
very warm stable, ihonsh in long rain
storms rather lcaky. Close by, you will
probably End an clsh, horso power thrcsh-
ing machine, which est $500, (b,ught on
time OF cours',) partially covered with
straw, where i, has been twelve months
alternately siakins aud drying, and going
O. destruction after the rata OF one machine
ev'ry three or four years. Near by will 10
found the " Minuy's Reaper" T." which cos,
SI2j, in parts scattered about on the ground
exposed q the weather, together with a
tanning mill, plow', wagons, &C.. all going
10 destruction after the same rate OF speed
with th, thrc.hins machine. II the grain
stack. .hould happen to be thre-hcd but not
marketed, you would dnd the grain IN rail
bins, Laid up c1b.houss fashion, the spaces
between the rails, botiop and sides stuffed
with straw. and lined and rooted with the
sane material. II the corn is huskod You
will find it in the same kind Of bins, minus
the sluting, living and roofing, completely
exposed to sun and rain aud snow, there to
remain till the June following. The potato
crop you will fpd buried IA some half dozen
c1uic,l mounds Of earth in the patch where
they grew. They are buried in thi. way,
frst, because people have no cellars. Sec
oudly, because t. dix hole for their reecp-
tiou, as you DO East, would be to bury them
in water. No, a chip or stick Of FIRE wood
is to bc seen about the house, and no fuel,
except a small heap Of the coal before de-
.cribcd. Probably Mr.. Smiths effects and
indebtedness would schedule at this date
abJut As follows: