1838] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



283 



•—or we will grndimlly, but irrocoverably lose 

 their services. Willi' these relleciions Ave are 

 brought to the reiuaiiiiiiir part of our subject — is 

 there no remedy lor the evils we Iiavc described? 



And lir^it we would propose the attainment ol' 

 this ^reat object, to the parents, guides and jire- 

 ceptors of the young— they are the great Ibuntain 

 head of eflbri. "the sources of deep and well direct- 

 ed endeavor.' We would propose it to them as 

 patriots, as li-iends and upholders of the stalwart 

 flirmers ol' our country, the strength of llie com- 

 niuniiy, the honor of our government, and espe- 

 cially as atiectionate well-wishers to the youth 

 over whom they liave tlic charge and oversight. 

 They must liiel its importance; let the feeling 

 guide them in social counsel, training and govern- 

 n)ent. Let them teach, with other more usual 

 branches of instruction, the sin and lolly of the 

 species of cruelty which constitutes the injury 

 complained of; and we need not look beyond their 

 labors for the remedy of this evil. They are su- 

 preme, each in his own circle. Let them in kind- 

 ness, but with unyielding steadiness, perlbrm to- 

 ward their otispring, this wiih other lamily duties, 

 and the work is done. But we are not over san- 

 guine ill this view of the subject. United and 

 combined effort in this quarter, cannot be reason- 

 ably expected. Truth may take root and flourish 

 here and there; but as for a general and immedi- 

 ate attention to the object proposed — it is scarcely 

 thought possible, at least it is improbable. 



Again we would appeal to the self-interest of 

 owners and cultivators of land. They must, sure- 

 '}'' '^s ignorant of the injury which is in progress, 

 when they allow it to go on unreproved before 

 their eyes. We would appeal even to their own 

 selfishness and love of gain, if no higher motive 

 will reach them, and entreat them as their influ- 

 ence gives them opportunity, to give themselves 

 to a work, the first consequence of whose success 

 will be their own welfare, the second the welltire 

 of their country. They are supreme, each one 

 over his own territory, be it large or small. Let 

 them resist and punish every trespass of the wan- 

 ton slaughterers of birds — let them declare war 

 against the whole tribe of truant murderers, whose 

 daily sport is the spoiling of the nest, the inven- 

 tion of new and the use of their old and destruc- 

 tive snares, and the more immediate devastations 

 of gun and bow, and missile. Let our sturdy fiu'- 

 mers hold themselves forth as steadfast resisters of 

 every such act, and more particularly of every 

 entry, for this purpose, upon the lands for which, 

 as stewards of our country's prosperity, they are 

 more immediately responsible ; let them do this 

 work with all their might, and again we say ive 

 look not beyond them for ultimate success. To 

 encourage such an action, to make it more uni- 

 versal and more stronij, to embody public senti- 

 ment, to warm to feeling and exertion by compa- 

 rison of views and mutual counsel, to reciprocate 

 alarm and warning, to give a salutary tone to 

 public aim, and to throw a greater light upon the 

 subject, the assembled strength of our agricultu- 

 ral community might do wonders. Let them 

 meet in their power and give a start to the object 

 in view, a fair experiment to the means which lie 

 in their own power as teachers of the young and 

 possessors of the soil, and some good may be 

 done — the ball of reform may be set in motion. 

 But as we have said before we are not over-san- 



guine in our hope concerning the success of any 

 or all these schemes and appeals ; we look high 

 for the source of assistance and icmedial action, 

 lo which we think the way lies clear, our readers 

 will pardon us if we retrograde in presenting it. 



To foster and protect the agricultural interests 

 of the community is a high and sacred duty of 

 every government, but especially of one which 

 boasts itself republican. Agriculture, to use the 

 language of another, "is the breast from which 

 the" state draws its support and nourishment;" 

 and we may add, it is tlie great index of prospe- 

 rity and refinement. It is the great popular pur- 

 suit. The resource of indigent, but enlightened 

 industry ; the reservoir of large and busy, but 

 stable capital ; the mild seducer from idleness and 

 worthlessness ; the quiet and honorable retreat of 

 reformed or high-minded poverty, the first love of 

 those who grow weary of the crowd and hum of 

 a city, the last love of those who retire upon 

 wealth or a competency. It should be the pro- 

 tege of those in power, the representative of con- 

 stituents who arc its zealous votaries. 



We look then to legislative enactment for our 

 remedy. It protects game for sportsmen, who 

 disregard all fear of trespass in its pursuit. In 

 many states it offers a lai'ge reward for the de- 

 struction of the noxious birds, whose numbers 

 are small, but whose paid destruction is of evi- 

 dent injury to the farmer ! Those who take ad- 

 vantage of the bounty offered being, usually, mis- 

 creants who care no more for the laws cf proper- 

 ty, than lor the lives of the myriads of servicea- 

 ble birds which fill in common with the proscribed 

 species. We look to legislative power lor the up- 

 rooting and extermination of this evil. Will not 

 our representatives protect their constituents and 

 their country? 



We will not stay to specify the particulars of 

 the law which we would wish to be fulminated 

 against this evil. We would only say that with 

 half the ingenuity which is yearly expended upon 

 more lavorite enactments, the power of ofiended 

 government might be readily brought to bear 

 upon offenders, by a well-contrived system of re- 

 wards to discovery and prevention, and punish- 

 ments to transgression. This, united with and 

 enforced by the labors of possessors of the soil, 

 and trainers of the young, would scon be effectu- 

 al, in the attainment of our object. 



In concluding these remarks will the reader par- 

 don us in again reiterating the importarice of the 

 subject. The evil done by insects is often unseen 

 and unknown, but enormous; the number of their 

 destroyers is fast decreasing, and can never be re- 

 newed; without them we are helpless; and agricul- 

 ture deprived of servants and services which can- 

 not be replaced. 



From the Journal of tlie Franklin Institnte. 



ox THE INCREASE OF TEMPERATURE IN THE 

 INTERIOR OF THE EARTH. 



M. Arrlgo has lately communicated to the Aca- 

 demy of Sciences the result of the thermometrical 

 observations which he made, on the first of May 

 last, in the well which is now being sunk at the 

 slaughter-house (Abattoir) of Grenelle. The 

 boring has now reached the depth of 1312 Eng- 



