654 



l<' A K M E RS ' REGISTER. 



[No. 11 



what was so courteously asked. This nobly de- 

 signed benefaction to agricuiuire was fully exe- 

 cuted by the publication of a second edition of the 

 essay, in a handsome Ibrm, under the direction of 

 Prolessor James Renwick of Columbia College, 

 and accompanied by an excellent general introduc- 

 tion from his pen, which was afterwards transfer- 

 red to the pages of the Farmers' Register. What 

 has been the etlect of this gift, which was as un- 

 ostentatious as it was patriotic and wise, we know 

 not ; but none other could have been better de- 

 signed, or, if availed of, belter calculated to pro- 

 mole agricultural improvement. It was the seed 

 sown, which, if not utterly neglected and unno- 

 ticed, would grow to a crop yielding a return of 

 ten thousand-fold.— Ed. Far. Reg.] 



SAGACITY OF THE LAND TORTOISE. 



From the Hartford Courant. 

 Some time in June 1828, an animal known by 

 that name was found in my garden, in the act of 

 treating himself to green peas, small cucum- 

 bers and melons, and which we had attributed to 

 the hens and chickens. Being unwilling to put 

 him to death on the first conviction, a small hole was 

 bored through the skirt of the upper shell, and a 

 amall cord oVtwo or three yards in length, was at- 

 tached to it, and he was tethered out in a conve- 

 nient place a liiw rods distant from the vecjetables, 

 and marked on his breast plate, ' S. H. VV. 1828.' 

 The next day it was discovered that he had made 

 his escape, having gnav/ed off his " tether string." 

 A liiw days after this he was again detected in 

 !hesame place of his firmer trespass, and to se- 

 cure him from committing further depredations, a 

 small ring of iron wire was linked into the hole of the 

 shell, a more substantial cord attached to it, and 

 the prisoner again placed upon his tether. This, 

 however, proved insufficient for his salij keeping. 

 The new cord was soon severed, and the vagrant, 

 carrying off with him his iron ring and a small 

 part oi'lhe cord, made a second escape. In June 

 1829, " Monsieur Tonson came again 1" and was 

 asain delected in his old line of business. A trial for 

 hTs crimes was instituted — the evidence against 

 him was too clear to admit of doubt — he was found 

 o-uiliy — the number of pea pods, cucumbers and 

 melons of dillerenl kinds which he had champed 

 and ruined was ascertained as nearly as might be, 

 whereupon the court, consisting principally of the 

 females of the family, sentenced him to be im- 

 mediately put to dea'th by decapitation. But the 

 the poor convict had one friend in the court ; that 

 friend exerted his influence, and finally obtained a 

 commutation of the punishment from death to 

 transportation, without limit of lime. Pursuant 

 to this order he was conveyed to a small pond 

 about a quarter of a mile from the garden, the 

 scene of his transgressions, but, not pleased with 

 his accommodations among frogs and other creep- 

 ing things soon found his way back to his old 

 friends and their garden. He was then carried 

 nearly half a mile in an opposite direction, and 

 thrown into a small nmddy brook, environed with 

 hogs and sedgegrass. 



In June 1832, who should appear but our old 

 visitor again, with his mark and iron ring? What 

 should now be done? The majority of the court 

 denounced him an outlaw and utterly beyond the 

 reach of mercy. His friend and advocate, how- 

 ever, urged in behalf of the convict that the sen- 

 tence of transportation was xoithout limit of time, 

 and assured the court that if a convenient oppor- 

 tunity should offer he should send him next to Bot- 

 any Bay — but if nol, he would pledge himself to 

 carry him to a place so distant that little fear could 

 be entertained of his returning again to his old 

 haunts. Upon these terms,a respite was obtained, 

 and his sponsor caused him to be transported to Suf- 

 field,and there left in a grass field a little north of the 

 meeting house. This expedient served that year, 

 but in June 1833, we had ihe pleasure of another 

 family visit from our old acquaintance. By this 

 time, the resentment which had been felt toward 

 him, had in a great measure subsided. He had be- 

 come a sort of a pet and as we had a plentiful sup- 

 ply that year of cucumbers and other garden vege- 

 tables, he was allowed the whole range of the gar- 

 den. But to fulfil my engagement as his surety, 

 and as no opportunity offered to ship him off to 

 Botany Bay, I wrapped him up in a piece of old 

 carpet, so that he could have no means of noticing 

 objects, carried him to Poquonoc, and threw hini 

 into a small stream in an alder swamp near Rain- 

 bow mills. But, " true as the needle to the pole," 

 so he renewed his visit in 1835, but manifesting 

 a desire to tarry with us longer than his company 

 was agreeable, he was carried to and left in a brook 

 near the loot of Turkey Hill Mountain. On the 

 20lh instant he obliged us with other call, and, as 

 1 suppose, is yet in my garden. 



He appears in fine health, plump and lusty, 

 but has no discernable increase of size, nor ap- 

 pearance of advance in age, since my first ac- 

 quaintance with him. 



He yet wears his iron ring — the initials and 

 date on his breastplate, though rendered somewhat 

 obscure, by abrasion, are, yet legible, and leave 

 no possible doubt oi' his identity. 



Samuel Woodruff. 

 Windsor, July 25th, 1839. 



ESTIMATES OF ACTUAL MULBERRY AND SILK 

 CULTURE. 



From the Northampton (Mass.) Courier. 



Mr. AlwellSW: If I can learn any thing from 

 the communication of Dr. Graham, in your last 

 number, it is that the silk growers have his entire 

 sympathy and good will, and that it is in the pre- 

 sent " mulberry speculation" that he has no confi- 

 dence. I am glad it is no worse, and I propose to 

 show that the doctor, and all others who have 

 similar doubts, may safely enlarge their sympa- 

 thies, till they embrace even the " sellers of trees." 

 I will here observe, (and I beg that it may be par- 

 ticularly noted,) that all I may say in the present 

 or future numbers on the subject of silk culture, 

 that I shall never mention or take into consideration 

 the profit on the sale of trees, but adhere strictly 

 to the culture of silk, to add another most impor- 

 tant staple to our agricultural productions. I fiilly 

 asrree with the doctor that " very many of those 

 engaged in the growing of trees for sale, have no 



