366 



Science. 



Vol. IV 



true a portrait of him in our beautiful and 

 unfortunate peach-tree ! 



Father. — But here is one more soil for ex- 

 amination. 



No. 10. It is, to appearance, a happy mix- 

 ture, and in the highest state of cultivation ; 

 but the tree which is planted in it makes no 

 progress. It is not diseased, but can scarce- 

 ly be called healthy ; it blossoms in season, 

 but seems not to possess energy sufficient to 

 bring its fruit to perfection; and although 

 when produced it is fair to the eye, it has 

 little flavour, and soon perishes. Its shoots 

 are not deformed, nor do they require much 

 pruning; but the foliage has a w^eak and ten- 

 der appearance, although it cannot be de- 

 nominated sickly. Its bark is thin and clean ; 

 and its foliage does not fall or change colour 

 prematurely, but it makes no progress — 

 there is no strength in its growth, and yet 

 there is no sensible defect — an ornamental 

 tree, but of very little value, although of the 

 choicest fruit-bearing species. 



Frank. — Why, what can be the matter 

 with the tree, then 1 



Father. — Nothing — the matter is in the soil, 

 which has been too highly manured, and 

 made light and porous by such frequent 

 dressings — in fact, this tree might be com- 

 pared to a rich, indolent, unemployed young 

 man, eaten up with ennui! no disease, but 

 no health — no pain, but no pleasure — with 

 energy sufficient to put forth a blossom, but 

 not enough to bring it to perfection — no fear 

 of dying, but no hope in living — blameless, 

 but praiseless — does no harm, nor any good, 

 and may as well be dead as alive ! 



Frank. — Well, I would not be a gentleman 

 if I could ! But how would j^ou set about 

 curing such a nameless disease "? 



Father. — / would try it with affliction. I 

 would open the ground about the roots, am- 

 putate some of them, and mix clay and lime 

 with fresh strong loam for filling in ; and 

 then I would prune close and hard, shroud- 

 ing the branches pretty close to the body of 

 the tree, and await the result with confidence. 

 ^ Frank. — Well, these would he pretty hard 

 lines, as Grabb says. 



Father. — Yes, but I have known many 

 such characters, who have had abundant 

 cause to exclaim, " It is good for me that I 

 have been afflicted." You know there is 

 the son of old Judge Thomson, who, while 

 his wealth remained with him, has often 

 complained of the trouble of eating, and 

 could not bear the idea of walking abroad, 

 even on the score of health ; was charitably 

 disposed, but could not prevail upon himself 

 to use the least exertion, even were it to save 

 a fellow-creature from starving: it is even 

 said, that, when in a passion with his ser- 

 vants, he has declared that he would kick 



them if it were not so much trouble ! But 

 the fire which destroyed his wealth, purified 

 and sanctified his soul ; — he is now happy 

 because he is industrious ; cheerful because 

 usefully employed ; and finds it no painful 

 exertion to walk miles to render service to a 

 suffering neighbour. He is now rich in good 

 works and sound bodily health ; and often 

 exclaims "it is good for me that I have been 

 afflicted !" 



Let us close by reading Dr. Drennan's 

 beautiful hymn, 



THE FRUITS OF BENEVOLENCE. 



The husbandman goes forth a-field, 



What hcipes his heart e.xpaiul ! 

 What calm delight his labours yield, 



A harvest from his hand ! 



The nobler husbandry of mind, 



And culture of the heart — 

 Shall such with men less favour find? 



Less genuine joy inijiart ? 



Ah ! no — your goodness strikes a root. 



Which dies not, nor decays ; 

 And future life shall yield the fruit, 



That blossoms now, in praise. 



The youthful hopes, which now expand 



Their green and tender leaves. 

 Shall spread a plenty o'er the land, 



In rich and yellow sheaves. 



Thus, a small bounty well bestow'd. 

 May perfect heaven's high plan; 



First daughter to the love of God, 

 Is charity to man. 



'Tis he, who scatters blessings round. 



Adores his maker best ! 

 His walk through life is mercy -crown'd. 



His bed of death is blest. 



J. P. 



Science. 



The application of science to practice has 

 convinced our most intelligent farnners of the 

 great importance of mixing soils of various 

 kinds — of the advantages of dressing sands 

 with clay, and vice versa. They have been 

 taught the great utility of conveying to the 

 cattle-yards those soils which consist chiefly 

 of vegetable matter, and of neutralizing their 

 acid properties by mixing the same with 

 lime; and no good farmer will neglect to 

 have a plentiful supply of compost manure 

 in his yard, or in large heaps in his fields; 

 for this purpose he will collect all animal 

 and vegetable substances within his reach. 

 The profits of farming depend much upon 

 the quantum of the nutriment judiciously 

 mixed in the soil. By scientific investiga- 

 tions he may have the peculiar food which 

 the several species of plants require. The 

 composition of soils in the different parts of 

 the Union, and even in different sections of 

 the same state, present a great diversity, 

 and this, although in all the same simple 

 elements may be combined, the simple ma- 

 terial elements being variously compounded. 



