LARIMERS' REGISTER— PLEASURES OF AGRICULTURE. 



425 



ed — new generations succeeded, or were renewed 

 from the niolher, and the Httle animals were on 

 tlie point of perisliing. I then took into my iiead 

 to sponge bolh ihc mother and the pujis with 

 Avarm water impregnated witii spirits oi' turpen- 

 tine; and soon iijund to my agreeable surprise that 

 every tarn of tlic comb brouglit out numerous 

 dead msscts. The httle animals soon acquired 

 vigor, and were saved by a single repetition of the 

 process during the course of the summer. 



I tried the spirit on various insects. Lice when 

 touched with it on the point of a pin, made a iew 

 rotary bounds and (ell down dead. Bed bugs 

 anointed with the same fluid, alter a few steps. 

 turned on their baclis and died. A green gilded 

 insect as large as a bean which attacks pear trees, 

 was touched and died immediate'}', although an- 

 other insect of the same kind, lived a long time 

 in warm quick lime. 



Butterdiea, flies, caterpillars, ISIay bugs, die 

 more or less promptly when attacked with it. 



Having learned these facts, I soon tbund occa- 

 sion do try its effects on some of my trees, which 

 were attacked by a nmltitude of worms. These 

 I destroyed entirely by nutting into a bowl a lew 

 handsful of earth on which I poured a small quan- 

 tity of the spirits — then adding water, and stirring 

 the whole together until it had a proper consistence 

 to be rubbed or brushed over the ends of tlie 

 branches. The insects perish with their germs; 

 and the odor remaining several days about the 

 tree, repels fresh mvaders. A mixture of earth 

 is necessary, because spirits of turpentine EVv^ims 

 upon pure water and will not mix with it; and if 

 used in too great quantities might burn the 

 leaves. 



The drought which occurred a few years ago 

 in the canton in which I live, produced a mange 

 in cattle and horses, verj^ extensive and injurious; 

 and those which escaped this infection were filled 

 with lice, from which they were jn'ompfly relieved 

 by sponging them with water impregnated with 

 the spirits. This infection caused horses fatigued 

 with labor to rub themselves so much against 

 their mangers and the walls of the stables as to 

 deprive them of much of the rest so necessary to 

 their comfort. 



I cannot therefore doubt from the trials that 

 have been made, that much benefit might result 

 from the use of turpentine in clearing fields and 

 trees from insects of diti'erent kinds; and that a 

 mixture of ashes with which a portion cf this li- 

 quid has been incorporated, would remove by its 

 odor, the ticks and other insects ^vhich infest tur- 

 nips. Its odor is more penetrating in the ojien air 

 than that of sulphur, and some other materials used 

 for this purpose. 



ON THE PLEASURES OF AGRICUI/rr RE. 

 To ihe Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Independent of the actual profits arising from 

 agricultural pursuits, there is something in the cul- 

 tivation ol' the soil, eminently calculated to dispose 

 the philosophic mind to serious and sublime con- 

 templation. With your permission, Mr. Editor, 

 as 1 have seen no communications of this charac- 

 ter in the Register, I shall endeavor to show where- 

 in consist the real delights which the philosophic 

 and man of science derive from, agriculture. And 

 I undertake this service the more AvilUngly, from 



Vol. II.— 32 



the fact that there are many young men, who from 

 tlie mere consideration of" gain, can never be in- 

 iluced to lay aside their prejudices and become til- 

 lers of the soil, but who might be induced to make 

 the experiment, and finally become good liirmers, 

 could the subject be presented to them under a 

 pleasing aspect. To those speculative young men 

 who desire amusement as well as profit in their 

 avocations, the present and succeeding numbers I 

 may find leisure to write upon this interesting sub- 

 ject, is respectfully dedicated. 



Although the desire of gain is a principal and 

 most necessary inducement to follow the plough, 

 yet all must admit that he who sees no other 

 pleasure in agriculture than that Avhich results 

 from the antici])ations ol" pecuniaiy profits arising 

 therefrom, is to say the least, a grovelling and pe- 

 nurious luretch. There is something really mean 

 and sordid, in overlooking all the beauties of the 

 vernal spring, and the maturing loveliness of au- 

 tumn, merely to contemplate the amount of cZo//ars 

 to be receiv^ed in return lor the daily toil and anx- 

 ious solicitude of the farmer. Such a disposition 

 reminds one of the folly a man would evince, who 

 should prefer a dark and loathesome cell to the 

 cheerful beams of day, and the pleasing aspect of 

 creation. But to him who looks from nature up 

 to nature's God, and who can recognize the Deity 

 in e\"ery expanding, opening flower, and purling 

 rill, agriculture ofiers charms, calculated to com- 

 pose the mind, and dispose it to tranquillity and 

 cheerfulness. To such a mind — 



" Not a. breeze 



Flies o'er the meadow; not a cloud imbibes 

 The setting sun's eiiu.lgence; not a strain 

 From all the tenants of tile warbling shade 

 Ascends, but whence his bosom can partake 

 Fresh pleasure unreproved. " 



Who can look upon a field of wheat, gradually 

 rising in vernal loveliness to the delighted eyes of 

 the contemplative beholder, and marli it in all its 

 different stages, until the ripe grain crowns the 

 hopes of the husbandman wiih a golden harvest 

 of plenty; and then have the heart to distrust the 

 protection of providence, or doubt the existence of 

 an all- wise intelligence, pervading and governing 

 all things; assigning bounds to the elements, and 

 transcribing the limits of nature? There is not a 

 blade of grass or ear of com, that does not afford 

 matter of curious and endless speculation to the 

 inquisitive and v^^ell cultivated mind. And al- 

 though upon philosophical i^rincij.-les only, no man 

 can ever understand the process of nature, by 

 which the eailh in spring is clothed with verdure, 

 and in the autumn filled with her bountiful pro- 

 ductions, gradually maturing for tlie sustenance 

 and pleasures of man; yet the heart by such in- 

 quiries must be ultimately greatly benefited. No 

 I man who sees, and contemplates the design and 

 wise contrivance of all the plants and vegetables, 

 that clothe and adorn a well cultivated farm, and 

 reflects upon the inexplicable nature of their exis- 

 tence, fructification, and preservation, under so 

 many adverse circumstances, can have the heart 

 to be a sceptic in regard to our holy religion — be- 

 cause many parts of it are surrounded with mys- 

 tery. He finds that mystery is inscribed upon the 

 face of all things, and what he cannot understand 

 upon principles of reason, he learns to adore as 

 the production of an infinite and incomprehensi- 

 ble Being. The man of reflection sees much to 



