122 Cabbages. [Part II. 



" Sir," said he, " how can that be?" " Because," 

 said I, " it depends upon the moon when AVhitsuntide 

 " shall come." " The moon!" said he: " M'hat sewse 

 " can there be in that ■? " " Nay," said I, " I am sure 

 " I cannot tell. That is a matter far beyond my learn- 

 " ing-. Go and ask Mr. Baker, the Parson, he ought 

 " to be able to tell us ; for he has a tenth part of our 

 " garden stuff and fruit." The Quakers here cast all 

 this rubbish away ; and, one wonders how it can pos- 

 sibly be still cherished by any portion of an eidightened 

 people. But, the truth is, that men do not think for 

 themselves about these matters. Each succeeding ge • 

 neration tread in the steps of their fathers, whom they 

 loved, honoured and obeyed. They take all upon trust. 

 Gladly save themselves the trouble of thinking about 

 things of not immediate interest. A desire to avoid the 

 reproach of being irreligious induces them to practise 

 an outward conformity. And thus have priest-craft 

 with all its frauds, extortions, and immoralities, lived 

 and flourished in defiance of reason and of nature. 



186. However, as there are no farmers in America 

 quite foolish enough to be ruled by the tides in sowing 

 and reaping, I hurry back from this digression to say, 

 that I cannot be expected to speak of precise times for 

 doing any Avork, except as relates to the latitude in 

 which I live, and in which my experiments have been 

 made. I have cultivated a garden at Frederickton in 

 the Province of New Brwiswick, which is in latitude 

 about forty-eight; and at Wilmington in Delaware 

 State, which is in latitude about thirty-nine. In both 

 these places I had as fine cabbages, turnips, and garden 

 things of all the hardy sorts, as any man need wish to 

 see. Indian Corn grew and ripened well in fields at 

 Frederickton. And, of course, the sunnner was suffi- 

 cient for the perfecting of all plants for cattle-food. 

 And, how necessary is this food in Northern Climates! 

 More to the Southward than Delaware State I have 

 not been ; but, in those countries the farmers have to 

 pick and choose. They have two Long Island sum- 

 mers and falls, and three English, in every year. 



187. According to these various circumstances men 

 must form their judgment i but, it may be of some use 



