the louians were once visited with new calam- 

 ities from Miletus and from Naxos. Of all the 

 islands, Naxos was the happiest, but Miletus 

 was at that time in the hight of its prosperity. — 

 In the two preceding ages it had been consid- 

 erably weakened by internal factions, but its 

 tranquility was finally restored by the interpo- 

 sition of the Parians, whom the Milesians had 

 preferred on this occasion to all others, and who, 

 being called on for their good offices, applied the 

 following remedy : They sent as ambassadors 

 men of the highest distinction, who, perceiving 

 on their arrival at Miletus that the whole State 

 was involved in extreme confusion, desired per- 

 mission to examine the internal condition of 

 their territories ; and whenever, in their progress 

 through tliis desolate country, they observed a 

 farm we/l cultivated, they vvTote down the name 

 of the owner. In the whole district, however, 

 they foand but fe^v estates so managed. Re- 

 turning to Miletus, they called an assembly of 

 the people, and placed the direction of affairs 

 in the hands of those who had best cultivated 

 their lands ; for they concluded that they would 

 be most watchful of the public interest who had 

 taken the best care of their own. They enjoined 

 all the Milesians who had before befe turbulent 

 and factious to obey these successful farmers, 

 and the general tranquility was speedily re- 

 stored. 



These good farmers were in all probability 

 educated men, who, disgusted with the corrup- 

 tion of trading politicians and the sway of impi- 

 ous men, had withdrawn from public affairs, to 

 find quiet if not consolation on their own well- 

 managed farms. But look at onr legislative as- 

 semblies, and all our public trusts, and mark in 

 what small proportion those who fiU them are 

 usually taken, from the ranks of practical hus- 

 bandmen; and this is more especisdly the case 

 in States where education is the least diffused. 



The July number of the Cultivator contains 

 a fine specimen of American Engra^Tng, in the 

 Portrait of a Bull, the property of Robert 

 Donaldson, Esq. 



Entomology and Botany. — The sciences of 

 Entomology and Botany are cultivated with ex- 

 emplary assiduity by so few, that we feel in a 

 measure called on to mention the names of G. 

 B. Smith, M. D., of Baltimore, and Doctor Jo- 

 seph E. Muse, of Cambridge, Maryland, who 

 have successfully associated these with other 

 useful and liberal studies. We have been 

 favored with a recent discourse by Dr. Muse, 

 addressed to the Dorchester Farmers' Club, 

 containing observations of much interest on 

 various subjects, and, among others, on a new 

 variety of insects *hcn IhreaUning the Wheat 

 (317) 



crop ; and on experiments in the application of 

 Electricity to Agriculture. We can only take 

 room now for what he says, we are sure in just 

 praise, of the "American Journal of Agriculture 

 and Science," lately established at Albany, N. 

 Y., and conducted by Doctors Emmons and 

 Prime, gentlemen of eminence in science. — 

 Of tliis Journal the Doctor further says — and 

 there need be no better judge — " it has com- 

 menced, in its second number, a series of arti- 

 cles upon insects injurious to vegetables, with 

 descriptions and colored figures of tlie insects. 

 Price, S3 per year. This Journal should have a 

 place in every Farmer's library." We shall 

 ask of the publidiers the favor of an exchange. 



Agricultural Conventions. — Among other 

 sensible resolutions, adopted by one lately held 

 at Columbus, Ohio, was one to petition the Le- 

 gislature to pass a law to tax dogs, in the hope 

 of diminishing the great number of worthless 

 curs that infest every part of the country, and 

 by their ravages present gi-eat obstacles to the 

 successful progress of Sheep-husbandry in Ohio. 

 The same reasons exist for similar acts in many 

 other States. Such resolutions sound well on 

 paper; their expediency is obvious to every 

 man of common sense. It is safe to assume 

 that millions of dollars are annually lost to the 

 nation, not so much by the number of Sheep 

 killed as by restraining many from breeding 

 Sheep, in the fear of their being thus destroyed. 

 But, alas ! these half starved, hungry dogs are, 

 in many cases, kept in great numbers as com- 

 panions, by loafers yet more worthless, who, if 

 tliey have nothing else, have votes ! 



Hon. Zadoc Pratt. — W^ith his usual muni- 

 ficence in the encouragement of all usefiil insti- 

 tutions and enlerprizes, this gentleman, who 

 retired from the public service too soon for the 

 public good, has sent his check for $250 to the 

 Greene County Agricultural Society, (which 

 has the benefit of his Presidency,) to be distri- 

 buted in premiums. This liberal donation was 

 accompanied w^ith sagacious and patriotic sug- 

 gestions as to objects most worthy of being fos- 

 tered by the Society. For these we have not 

 room, having previously given out enough to fill 

 the September number. But if ever this worthy 

 gentleman should die — which we hope never 

 to hear of — we will assuredly endeavor to pre- 

 serve, in the Farmers' Library, the striking 

 features of his physiognomy and character — 

 Let others pay their homage to those who are 

 succes.sful in the Forum and tlie Battle-field; 

 we go for honoring \h& friends of the ploto ! 



