438 THE FARMER 4T HOME. 



necessary in order to preserve the requisite level. The most extraor- 

 dinary work in tunneling of antiquity was under the bed of the Rhone, 

 below Avignon, undertaken by the Romans. A more splendid one, 

 however, has been made under the Thames, to connect the portions 

 of London on the opposite sides of this river. 



The Thames Tunnel was projected about the year 1825. The 

 enterprise required a long preparation. The excavation of the tunnel 

 was commenced in January, 1826, in a stratum of clay ; but several 

 interruptions of the river took place ; and the one in 1828 was so 

 serious in its consequences, that the company did not resume opera- 

 tions till 1 835. The tunnel is twelve hundred feet in length, between 

 the two shafts on the opposite banks of the river. It was not till 

 1843 that this tunnel was opened for foot passengers. But although 

 it was one of the grandest undertakings in the history of human 

 enterprise, in a commercial point it has by no means equaled the 

 anticipations of its projectors. It is truly a great curiosity of art, and 

 will remain so as long as its massive abutments and arches retain 

 their present firm position, which may be to the end of time ; but, 

 even as such it does not attract that observation and admiration from 

 the multitudes of foreigners visiting that proud metropolis, which 

 might be supposed. 



TURKEY. The turkey, for the table, is an universally favorite 

 bird. The finest and strongest are those of a bronzed black, as closely 

 as possible resembling the original stock, which is the wild turkey. 

 These are not only reared the most easily, but are generally the largest, 

 and fatten the most rapidly. Some turkeys are of a coppery tint, some 

 of delicate fawn color, while others are parti-colored, grey, and white, 

 and rarely they can be found of a pure snow white. All of the latter 

 are regarded as inferior to the black, their color indicating something 

 like degeneracy of constitution, if not actual disease. Some have con- 

 sidered the turkey a most profitable bird, inasmuch as it will provide 

 for itself almost wholly, if permitted to run at large during the season 

 when snails, slugs, worms, and grasshoppers are abundant. These, to 

 the turkey, are a great luxury, and the young birds, after two months 

 old, will grow on them better than any other food. The refuse meat 

 from the slaughter house, chopped up fine, is excellent food for them 

 However, they will sometimes, unless furnished with yards, (the larger 

 the better,) from which they cannot escape, be very troublesome to the 

 farmer. They will destroy double the grain they want to eat by tread- 

 ing it down ; and in locations to which they have access, it is impossi- 

 ble to raise cabbage. 



Notwithstanding turkeys are apt to provide feed for themselves, 

 they should be fed at least in the morning, as it will tend to attach 

 them to their home, and prevent them from wandering so far from it, 

 as they would do if not thus fed. They will roost out on trees during 

 the whole winter, but as their feet are tender, they will be likely to 



