340 THE FARMER AT HOME. 



varieties, which they have procured at considerable expense, are but 

 little better than the old-fashioned kinds to be found on the roadside. 

 The reason is obvious ; the bushes are set perhaps in the most unfavor- 

 able part of the premises, and then allowed to take care of themselves. 

 To expect that they will yield fruit in abundance, and of the best 

 quality, is about as reasonable as it would be to suppose that a boy, 

 left to follow his own headstrong will, arid allowed to run wild with 

 all kinds of associates, can become a respected member of society. 



The ease with which raspberries are produced in the garden, 

 is a sufficient inducement for every family to pay so much atten- 

 tion to the culture as to be furnished with an ample supply for 

 its own use, if nothing more. The use of tbis fruit is not only harm- 

 less, but is favorable to health. It ripens at a season of the year when 

 something of the kind is peculiarly needful to assist in creating an 

 appetite without impairing the digestive powers, or deranging the 

 other organs of the animal system. Succeeding the strawberry in 

 quick succession, the raspberry seems designed by Providence to answer 

 a valuable purpose in supplying us with such a delicious fruit. 



RAY. Rays are defined, by Sir Isaac Newton, to be the least 

 parts of light, whether successive in the same line, or contemporary 

 in several lines. For that light consists of parts of both kinds is evi- 

 dent, since one may stop what comes this moment in any point, and 

 let pass that which comes presently after ; now the least light, or part 

 of light, which may be thus stopped, he calls a ray of light. It has 

 been found by experiment, that there is a very great difference in the 

 heating power of the different rays of light. 



It appears, from the experiments of Dr. Herschel, that this heating 

 power increases from the middle of the spectrum to the red ray, and 

 is greatest beyond it, where the rays are invisible. Hence it is 

 inferred that the rays of light and caloric nearly accompany each 

 other, and that the latter are in different proportions in the different 

 colored rays. They are easily separated from each other, as when the 

 sun's rays are transmitted through a transparent body, the rays of 

 light pass on seemingly undiminished, but the rays of caloric are inter- 

 cepted. When the sun's rays are directed to an opaque body, the rays 

 of light are reflected, and the rays of caloric are absorbed and 

 retained. This is the case with the light of the moon, which, how- 

 ever much it be concentrated, gives no indication of being accom- 

 panied with heat. The solar rays pass through transparent bodies 

 without increasing their temperature. The atmosphere, for instance, 

 receives no increase of temperature by transmitting the sun's rays, till 

 these rays are reflected from other bodies, or are communicated to it 

 by bodies which have absorbed them. This is also proved by the 

 sun's rays being transmitted through convex lenses, producing a high 

 degree of temperature when they are concentrated, but giving no in- 

 crease of temperature to the glass itself. By this method the heat 



