Year: 1868

The Iafe Spring.


1t must be confessed thai the month of May
has not been so full of ethereal mildness' as
it has often been in years past. The winter
was so severe that almost everybody prophe-
sled an early spring, and no doubt this proph-
esy was based upon the old saying that one
extreme follows another Almost every one
feels confident that he is as good judge OF
the weather as any body else, and perhaps he
is. There are none of us very weather-wise.
The winds blow where they list and we hear
their sounds, and that is all We know about
them. The people in the country have been
propheSying all winter that the roads in the
spring would be exceedingly muddy and con-
tinue so longer time than usual because the
ground was fiozen so deep. 1t is very seldom
that the frost penetrates the ground so deep
as it did last winter, and yet the roads be-
came settled much sooner than most people
expected. And how happened it? That
may be question more easily asked than
readily answered. One thing is certain. The
more the ground is frozen the deeper the soil
will be loosened as the frost comes out, and
the more readily it will absorb the moisture
in it. Perhaps the early settling of the roads
may be accounted for in part on this princi-
pie.


But be that as it may, the deep fiost has
done good thing TO the soil. 1t has been as
beneficial as a subsoil plow and the ground is
loosened and broken up to a greater depth
than our farmers usually plow it. So far so
good. And although the season is late, yet
our farmers must not be discouraged, but pre-
pare the ground and put in the seed as soon
as the condition of the soil will permit it
Late planting is often followed 10y abundant
crops. The summer months may be unusual
ly warm, and autumn give us beautiful "In-
dian summer"


A writer in a Vermont paper is full of hope
and encouragement as all farmers ought to
to be; for there is special promise for them
and from source too that never fails. This
writer says: Notwithstanding the late
spring, confidently predict that the coming
season will be fruitful one and that the
earth will this year yield bounteous crop, at
least, in all this region" If his prediction
PAOfOo W pC u IuC III NcIIuOuJ we SEE no Tcd-
son why it may not prove true in Maine
The writer is, no doubt, farmer and good
one; for he reasons well upon the subject and
bases his prediction on facts which he has
learned from his own experience in cultivat-
ing the soil. The deep frost in coming out of
the ground loosened it and dissolved all the
hard places, thus managing and mellowing
the soil as he expresses it and preparing it
for the growth OF vegetation.


No doubt there are many things in heaven
and earth that farmers have not dreamed OF
in their philosophy. Even severe drouths
are said to be beneficial to the soil, and a.
though they may injure the crops one season,
yet they so work on the soil that the farmers
losses are more than made up the next sea-
son. Frost too, may njure his potatoes in
his cellar; not well and wisely guarded
against it, at the same time it is preparing
the ground for more bounteous crop the
ensuing season. The truth is, our vision is
quite limited, but that is no reason that our
faith should be confined within narrow
bounds. No class of earth's inhabitants have
reasons for stronger and firmer and more
joyful faith that all things are done well
than the farmers. We then say to them:
"Be not discouraged because the season is
late and seed-time delayed, but go ahead and
put seed into all the ground You can properly
prepare to- receive it. The earth is your
bank and it never fails to discount wien you
properly ura" uPo-- Tho severe frosts of
the past winter have been at wvrh - Sc "a.
benefit. They have pulverzed and mellowed
your lands deeper down than some of you
have ever done, and the late spring may be
essential in the order of a wise Providence,
to bounteous harvest in the autumn.


AGRICoLA.