THE FARMER AT HOME. J09 



abundance in the Nile and the Niger of Africa, .it is sometimes 

 found thirty feet long ; its strength is prodigious ; it seizes even the 

 tiger, and draws him into the water. She lays her eggs, in vast 

 numbers, in the sand, and leaves them to be hatched there in the 

 sun. Providence, however, has provided means to check the increase 

 of this destested race. The crocodile's eggs are greedily destroyed, 

 not only by the ichneumon, but also by the vulture. Flocks of vul- 

 tures hide themselves within the thick branches of the trees that 

 shade the banks of the river, watching the crocodile in silence while 

 she is laying her eggs ; and when she has retired they rush on with 

 loud cries, and tear up the eggs out of the sand, and devour them. 

 This monster is tameable ; the Siamese take the crocodile young, 

 breed it up in subjection, put a curb in its mouth, and manage it like 

 a horse, the rider directing it as he thinks proper. 



CROCODILE, FOSSIL. One of the greatest curiosities in the 

 fossil world which the late ages have produced. It is the skeleton of 

 a large crocodile, almost entire, found at a great depth under ground 

 bedded in stone. This was in the possession of Linkius, who wrote 

 many pieces in natural history, and particularly an accurate descrip- 

 tion of this curious fossil. It was found in the side of a large moun- 

 tain in the midland part of Germany, and in a stratum of black fossil 

 stone, somewhat like our common slate, but of coarser texture, the 

 same with that in which fossil fishes in many parts of the world are 

 found. This skeleton had the back and ribs very plain, and was of a 

 much deeper black than the rest of the stone ; as is also the case in 

 the fossil fishes which are preserved in this manner. The part of the 

 stone where the head lay was not found ; this being broken ofFjust at 

 the shoulders, but that irregularly ; so that in one place a part of the 

 back of the head was visible in its natural form. The two shoulder 

 bones were very fair, and three of the feet were well preserved ; the 

 legs were of their natural size ; and the feet preserved even to the 

 ^Ytremities of the five toes of each. 



CROP. This term in agriculture signifies the quantity, or pro- 

 duce of any sort of field crop, as of grain, roots, plants, grass, or any 

 similar kinds, raised by the farmer on any portion of ground at one 

 time. And from this diversity, they are likewise further distinguished 

 into corn, root, and green crops, according to the circumstances of the 

 case. The culture and utility of the two last sorts have been greatly 

 increased within these few last years, in consequence of their applica- 

 tion, as cattle food, being more perfectly understood. It is indeed to 

 this circumstance that much of the modern improvement in husbandry 

 is owing, and from which a great deal of the increased profit of tho 

 farmer has been derived. 



CROUTE, SOUR-CROUT, or Kroute. As this preparation of cab- 

 bage has been found of sovereign efficacy as a preservative in long 

 voyages from the sea-scurvy, it may not be unacceptable to give a 



