316 



Root Culture. — The Stream of Death. 



Vol. IV. 



&c., in all their native varieties, and entrraved 

 in such a style as would he creditable to 

 themselves, and to the work, especially if it 

 were known that the individuals were real 

 portraits — not mere prints; this is of the 

 greatest importance, and would, I am con- 

 vinced, bring to the ranks of its subscribers 

 tens of thousands ; and I would suggest that 

 at the foot of each print be placed the name 

 of the particular breed, and it may sometimes 

 happen, notice of the individual also. From 

 the plates of these, may be struck off prints 

 of the different animals, male and female, 

 which might be disposed of as engravings 

 for ornamenting the house of the farmer, every 

 one of which would act the part of an "agent," 

 and of the best kind too, in procuring an ad- 

 dition to the subscription list of the " Cabi- 

 net;" engravings of agricultural implements, 

 architectural drawings, entomology, &c., 

 might also follow at intervals. 



Now, I am aware that to carry this plan 

 into execution, will require energy, and capi- 

 tal, without which the energetic spirit alone 

 would be but of little avail ; fortunately, 

 however, we are assured that both these re- 

 quisites are in the possession of the present 

 proprietors, and it is only for the agricultu- 

 rists to determine to make the work their oion, 

 and the subscription list will soon render easy 

 the most sanguine wishes and the highest ex- 

 pectations of its friends. Respectfully, 



J. S. 

 Gloucester County, N. J. 



Root Culture. 



If the representations made by the friends 

 of root culture are to be relied on, a great 

 change is to be made in our crops by it. 

 Some say these things do very well for the 

 *' little truck patches " of the North, but 'tis 

 all idle for a large farmer to think seriously 

 of making roots a part of his crop. This 

 may be so, but if, with the same labour or 

 more, an acre of ground can be made to yield 

 in roots thrice the quantity of food for cattle 

 that it produces in grain, the " truck-patch" 

 cultivators will soon become the most pros- 

 perous, if not the largest landholders. — All 

 are aware of the value of succulent food for 

 stock in the winter season, particularly the 

 young and milch cows. Look at the effect 

 of our early rye pastures upon every thing 

 that feeds upon them. Our cattle are fed in 

 winter upon food which has lost much of its 

 nutritive matter, and the juices of the rye 

 pastures are very nourishing to them. It is 

 very essential to the full perfection of cattle 

 that they should be constantly fed upon food 

 of this character. The superior keep of the 

 English cattle is from their roots. The pro- 

 cess of drying, to which much of our com- 



mon winter food is subjected, takes away 

 a large quantity of nutritive matter, and 

 nearly all that water which certainly enters 

 largely into this nutritive matter. In Eng- 

 land, grapes lose in weight by drying 66 

 to 70 parts out of the 100, in this country 

 more, 70 to 75 out of 100. Roots retain 

 their juices, and if they can be raised suc- 

 cessfully, must form an admirable substitute 

 for green grasses. It may be that turnips do 

 not answer a valuable purpose here — they 

 may be uncertain ; we have known two hun- 

 dred bushels gathered from half an acre in 

 this county, with no more labour than was 

 applied to acorn crop ; and though they have 

 some seasons fiiiled entirely, in places, yet 

 not ten miles off good crops have been made 

 by others the same year. We would not 

 recommend to any one to do more than make 

 an experiment upon an acre or two. We 

 have great confidence in the value of the 

 sugar beet, and are pleased to learn that a 

 number of judicious farmers in onr county 

 intend to plant from one to three acres this 

 season. Carrots are cultivated in some parts 

 of the country, particularly for colts, and are 

 very highly esteemed. — Franklin Farmer. 



The Stream of Death. 



riierp is a stream, whose narrow tiile, 

 Tlie known anil unknown worlds divide ; 



Where all must go; 

 Its waveless waters, dark and deep, 

 'Midst sullen silence downward sweep, 



With moanless flow. 



I saw where, at the dreary flood, 

 A smiling infant prattling stood, 



Whose hour was come ; 

 Untaught of ill, it neared the tide, 

 Sunk, as to cradle rest, and died, 



Like going home. 



Followed, with languid eye, anon, 

 A youth diseased, and pale and wan; 



And there alone 

 He gazed upon the leaden stream. 

 And feared to plunge— I heard a scream, 



And he was gone. 



And then a form in manhood's strength, 

 Came hustling on, till there at length 



He saw life's bound ; 

 He shrunk, and raised the bitter prayer 

 Too late— his shriek of wild despair 



The waters drowned. 



Next stood upon that surgeless shore, 

 A being bowed with many a score 



Of toilsome years ; 

 Earth-bound and sad, he left the bank, 

 Back turned his dimming eye, and sank, 



Ah ! full of fears. 



How bitter must thy waters be, 



U death ! flow hard a thing, ah, me I 



It is to (li(!! 

 I mused — when to that stream again 

 Another child of mortal man. 



With smiles, drew nigh:— 



" 'Tis the last pang," he calmly said — 

 " To me, O Death ! thou hast no dread ; 



Saviour, I come ; 

 Spread but thine arms on yonder shore— 

 1 SCO I— ye waters, bear me o'er I 



Tiiere is my home 1" 



