The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-05-05
For the Guardian.
Agriculture.

smaller grains. And who more joyfully
halls its approach than the farmer. or
watches with greater interest the appear !
ance of the first prairie flower, or listens
more delightedly 10 the carols of the
hooking bird, and "the voice of the
turtle as it is heard in the land" The
very name of Spring is associated with
green fields, "the flower enameled," the
kernel of corn, the tender blade, in short.
the general resurrection of vegetable
life. While all nature is thus proffering
its aid to him who is dependant upon its
hidden mysteries for a bountiful harvest,
shall it not be met at the vestibule with
all preparation possible? f-
AS March is the month of preparation,
so is April of seeding. The wood for
the year, trust, is at the door, and al
ready cut for the stove, that it may dry
sufficiently to pack under the rude shed
that is to be prepared this season. l say
rude, because there are but few of us,
these hard times, that are able to build
expensive ones; but who is so hard
up" that he cannot do thus much to add
to the :" home comforts of the family,
and thus do something to prevent that
greatest of all banes, "a scolding wife"
A scolding wife ! If | were woman,
and habitually had to use green and wet
wood every stormy day, the house should
be too hot for my husband, whether the
wood burnt or not
said this was the month of seed time.
Every farmer now, under the dispiriting
influence of the financial crisis of the fall
of 1857, crowned with the almost total
loss Of the crop of 1858, is in danger Of
feeling that there is not much encourage
ment to sow or plant. But there never
was season when it was of so much i'm
portance to every individual of our com
munity that large crop should be raised,
as this year. With railroad almost to
our door to carry our surplus products to
the east, where money is already a pleth
ora, and every reason to believe that work
will be resumed on itat an early period
of the summer, how vital is it for the
interests of the farmer that he should
have the wheat. the corn, the potatoes,
and the meat, to feed the operatives, that
the money may be circulated here among
us. Let a benefcent Providence give
the farmers Of Buchanan county fruit
full season for 1859, and if the cry of
" hard times" does not die away, it will
be because they are not true to them
selves and trustful of the blessed prom
Use that seed time and harvest shall re-
main till the end Of all things And in
all your efforts to lay the foundation of
bountiful harvest, which is &C the stat"
of prosperity, forgot not that this Is the
time TO add to the attractiveness of home.
This is the month to get few cuttings
from the currant bush, the gooseberry,
the raspberry, and the grapevine, of
your neighbor, if you have not already
set them in your garden. 1t is one of
the :" sunny sides" of new country,
that every one seems ready to impart
freely to every other one. part OF the
Injuries they themselves enjoy. And
let not the beautiful be forgotten. The
violet, the pink, the morning glory, the
pride of the meadow, slip from moss
rose. the white, and the queen of the
prairie-all common and easily obtained
with little attention at this season of
the year-can make these prairie homes,
if not paradise, the abodes not merely
of comfort, but of beauty, luxury, and
love-. Live in the log house. brother
farmers, as long as you choose let your
wives and your daughters ride in the
OK wagon to church and to town; but ne
glect not, through another Spring. to
plant around where the new house is to
arise, trees, and vines, and bushes +" that
are good for food" and flowers that
are plea SAINT to the sight" which under
the vivifying influence of rain and sun
shine, will multiply, replenish, and yield
fruit and fragrance IN their season. The
cultivators of the soil, of all others,
should take the lead in fruit growing,
and not be behind in identifying our
western homes. A. z.
April, 1859. S..
A SENSIBLE SUGGESTION ST.
Louis Democrat notices the fact that a