124 



Vegetable or Root Cutter. 



Vol. IV. 



we see the science of agriculture neglected 

 by those who are capable of inveslioating 

 it as they should be; and every possible in- 

 ducement to engage in the improvement of 

 the soil, and to assist nature in what she is 

 wont to do for man, is but a feather in the 

 scale of reasoning. And through fear of 

 adopting some pursuit that is attended with a 

 little labor, and as some call it drudgery (but 

 which is the greatest conducive to good 

 health) resort is had to the study of some 

 profession — which has done and we fear is 

 doing great injury to our country. We wage 

 no war against professions of any kind ; on 

 the contrary, they are indispensable, but it is 

 a fact that it is considered an unpopular 

 step nowadays for a young man on completing 

 his academic studies to devote his time and 

 talents, if he possess any, to the advancement 

 of the cause of agriculture. 



We have before us an address, delivered 

 before the young gentlemen admitted to the 

 degree of Bachelor of Arts, at the first com- 

 mencement of the University of Nashville, 

 by its venerable President, Dr. Phimp Linu- 

 SKY — whicb deserves to be more extensively 

 circulated than we fear it has been — and 

 from which we make the following extract — 

 and sliall give more of it in future. — Southern 

 Cultivator. 



"I know not what are to be your future 

 professions or occupations. Every honest 

 calling ought to be esteemed honorable. I 

 address you as moral and intellectual beings — 

 as the patriot citizens of a great republic. — 

 You may be merchants, mechanics, farmers, 

 manufacturers — and yet be eminently distin- 

 guished and eminently useful, if you will per- 

 severe in seeking after knowledge and making 

 a proper use of it. The Medici — Necker— 

 Ricardo — were merchants or bankers : Frank- 

 lin was a mechanic; Washington was a farm- 

 er. Bj far the greater part of our country- 

 men are and must be farmers. They must 

 be educated ; or, what is the same thing, edu- 

 cated men must become farmers, if they 

 would maintain their just influence and as- 

 cendency in the state. I cannot wish for the 

 alumni of Cumberland Collogc, a more iiealth- 

 ful, independent, useful, virtuous, honorable, 

 patriotic employment, than tliat of agriculture. 

 Nor is there any condition in life more favor- 

 able to the cnlm pursuits of science, philoso- 

 phy and religion ; and to all that previous 

 training which ultimately constitutes wisdom 

 and inflexible integrity. Should our college 

 eventually become the grand nursery of in- 

 telligent, virtuous farmers, I shall esteem it 

 the most higlily favored institution in our 

 country. I have long tliouffht that our college 

 graduates oflen mistake tlieir true patli to 

 honor and usefulness, in making choice of a 

 learned profession, instead of converting agri- 



culture into a learned profession, as it ought 

 to be, and thereby obtaining an honest liveli- 

 hood in the tranquil shades of the country." 



Vegetable or Roof Cutter. 



Willis' Improved Vegetable Cutter for 

 cutting large or small roots. The great 

 objection to all other machines is, their cut- 

 ting the roots into slices, which makes it al- 

 most impossible for the cattle to get hold of 

 them ; this machine, with a little alteration, 

 cuts them into large or small pieces, of such 

 shape as is most convenient for the cattle 

 to eat. Tt will cut with ease from one to two 

 bushels of roots per minute. No farmer should 

 be without one of these machines. The im- 

 portance of the root culture in this country is 

 now fully established — the experience of the 

 last three years in the raisinfr of the sugar 

 beet, ruta baga, &c., and their peculiar excel- 

 lence as winter foo;l for cattle, is conclusive. 

 The result has more than realized che san- 

 guine wishes of the most jealous advocates 

 of root culture. The sugar beet appears, 

 now, to be the general favorite — but the ruta 

 baga is not far beliind. Tt sliould be remejn- 

 berod that a change, even of succulent food, 

 is not only beneficial, but necessary — the ju- 

 dicious farmer will not therefore cultivate one 

 member of the root family to the exclusion of 

 all the others. His main crop may be sugar 

 boot, or ruta baga, with a suitable proportion 

 of turneps, carrots, mangle wurtzel, potatoes, 

 &c. These roots all contain, as is well known, 

 a large proportion of saccharine matter; and, 

 if carefully preserved from the efiertsof cold 

 and frost, they will retain their native juices 

 tliroughout the winter, and even in spring (it 

 well preserved) they ^re found to he a most 

 eflicacious substitute for green crops of grass. 

 The advantages of the root crop to the farmer 

 are too apparent to require any notice — but 

 we wish to call their attention to the machine 



