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EMPLOYMENTS OF NOVEMBER.

any other month in the year; for we have to prepare all for the next spring.

After a day of wheeling out manure and of digging, in the evening, Adam, at his father's desire, produced his book of instructions, and proceeded to write the following:

"In the first week we must plant some more mazagan beans in a warm border under the south wall.* These will, in all probability, succeed, if the early frosts should cut off those which we sowed last month. They must be planted in the same manner as I before directed.

"A few rows of hotspur peas, also, must be sowed in the same warm border. We will prepare for them in the second week of the month. If those we sowed in October should fail, these may chance to succeed; and, if both escape through the winter, we shall have crops in succession next spring.

"If you are inclined to run the chance, you may sow some radish seed in a warm corner, but I cannot give you much prospect of success.

"Small salad, too, you may sow in small patches and cover them with hand glasses, giving them plenty of air during the day, and in mild weather.

"Give the lettuces, also, that you planted out under handglasses, free air both day and night while the weather is mild, but cover them when the nights become frosty.

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Carefully earth up

the celery whenever the ground is dry, and do not lay the earth on too hastily or too high, lest you force it into the hearts of the plants, which will rot them.

That is, the south side of the northern wall.-EDs.

EMPLOYMENTS OF NOVEMBER.

193

"On dry days, tie up the finest endive plants with strings of bass to whiten them.

"About the middle or latter end of the month, we must cut down the leaves of the artichokes, and earth up the plants, leaving the young shoots in the centres free. When the frosts come on, the whole must be covered with litter.

During wet weather, and when there is no frost, let the glasses over the cauliflower plants be kept raised. Clear them from dead leaves and weeds. And where any of the plants have run too long in the stems, lay some dry earth about them.

"In dry weather dig up the potatoes, and carry them into the cellar which has no window in it.* Those which have in them any specks of rottenness should be laid aside, as they will infect the sound ones.

"Wheel out manure, and dig and trench all the vacant pieces of ground. The soil will be greatly improved by this in the spring; for the frost, the sun, and the air, all contribute to render it fine and mellow for the spring crops.

"You may make the experiment of sowing some carrots in a warm border; but there is no dependence upon its proving a successful one.

"Carefully weed the spring-onion beds.

"During any time of the month prune and nail up the vines; also, peach, nectarine, pear, and other walltrees; and prune espaliers and standards: we may also transplant seedlings and other trees.

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Clean, dress, and plant out those strawberries which were left unfinished last month. I have given

Exposure to light, it is well known, is injurious to potatoes, and for this reason many farmers choose to dig them in cloudy or even in rainy weather.-EDS,

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NONE NEED BE IDLE.

you the directions for performing this task; you have, therefore, only to look back at them.

"Remember, also, to look at my instructions for transplanting; and in pruning the standard-trees, we must cut out all dead, worn-out, and great rambling branches, that give but little sign of production: also clean the trees well from moss, and wash their trunks all over with quick-lime and water. They will repay our trouble next year in fruit.

"In the flower-garden, clear all the beds from dead annual plants, pulling them up by the roots.

"Cut down, too, all the dead stalks of perennials, then hoe the borders on a dry day; clear away the weeds; and rake the whole smooth.

"We may plant out in vacant places young perennials; such as sweet-williams, wall-flowers, and stock July-flowers. All bulbous roots, too, as tulips, hyacinths, tuberoses, crocuses, and narcissuses.

"Prune and transplant flowering shrubs; also, suckers. The young trees that have lately been removed should be propped and supported against the winter storms: for the wind rocks their roots and prevents them from striking.

"Clean the gravel-walks, and roll them and the lawn, to crush and clear away those unsightly worm-casts."

"You perceive, Adam," said his father, "that if we fulfil all our duty, we shall find enough work laid out for us this month. Every one, however, who performs all that is required at his hands, whatever may be his station in life, need not be idle for one hour. If the rich, and those who have no calling in the way of mercantile or other occupation, were but instructed in their duty, and did they honestly pursue it, their hours would be as actively employed as those of the me

DUTIES OF THE RICH TO THE POOR.

195

chanic. Every wealthy person owes a large debt to society; 'much is given to him, and much will be required.' The debt he owes is, to seek out and endeavor to promote the happiness of his poorer and less fortunate brethren; for all mankind are brethren; and that nation, like that private family, is in the most flourishing and happy state, where the successful and opulent members of it strive with the less prosperous and feeble to keep away want and misery. No man or woman ought to be in want; and no man ought to be idle, whether rich or poor. Employment should be provided for all; and it should be the business of the rich, and those who have most leisure, to provide labor for those who can work. This, of itself, would form a sufficiently active occupation for the wealthy; and even though the employing of their poor neighbors cause them unnecessary expense, they will be gainers in the end. They will first receive the approbation of their own hearts, and this alone will be no small gain; they will diminish the wretchedness of mean, unworthy dependence; they will improve their own and the public works; they will diminish crime; they will make their fellow-creatures happy; and they will insure the prosperity and tranquillity of their own possessions. As knowledge increases, and as men acquire the wisdom of seeking and procuring true happiness, excessive wealth and excessive poverty will be unknown; for they will learn that the one always causes the other, and that there can never be real prosperity in a country where it is divided into very rich and very poor; for the two classes become jealous of, and hate each other, while both feel that they are in danger." "But, papa," said Adam, there are rich people who are very idle, and there are poor people who

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196

DISHONESTY IN BUSINESS.

are so idle that they will not work when they can. And there are poor people who would rather steal than work."

Yes, my dear boy!" said his father "and there are many very rich people who will steal; for there are many ways of thieving. Every rich man who deprives a poor one in his employment of a fair proportion of that which would be his gain from labor, is a cheat, and a cheat is only a cowardly thief. The man who will cheat, would rob if he were not afraid of punishment. People in general, particularly those who are in trade, unfortunately, do not hold in sufficient hatred the crime of cheating; they give it another name; they call it 'sharp dealing.' As education, however, improves, and becomes more generally diffused, I am sure that men will become more honest; in other words, they will be more wise: and the rich cheat, or thief, for you may call him which you please, will receive sufficient reward for his baseness in the contempt of his fellowmen. As for the poor man who will not work, and who will steal, he must be punished for his offence against his brethren in society; and I think, that if every man who has unjustly deprived his neighbor of his property, were put into prison and confined to hard daily labor till his earnings had paid the person whom he had robbed, we should have fewer thieves; for the crime of thieving, in poor people, almost always arises from one of two causes-inability to procure employ. ment, or idleness. Now, as I said before, every poor person who is willing to labor for his bread, should have the means of occupation supplied him; he will then be providing his own maintenance, and will have the less leisure to do evil; for, as your little hymnbook truly says—

'Satan finds some mischief still,

For idle hands to do.'