^ 



^\)t farmer's illcintl)li) tJisilor. 



*ake the advantage of the presence of company. 

 She was very willing to answer her questions, 

 and williiifi to do what I wii^lied her to do. At 

 seven, I told her she could go to bed, and she 

 went, without an^ ohjeetion, Ixit still with the 

 same expression of coiinlenance. 



Sunday, Feb. 4th. — As Laura proposed that she 

 should sit alone to-day, I left htr this forenoon 

 in the basement, wliere she had seated herself 

 When I returned froin church, slie did not ap- 

 pear to be troubled at all. I led her to dinner, 

 and then of her own accord she returne<l to the 

 same place. At tea-time she seemed much more 

 sad, and after tea I sat down by her to try what 

 effect I could produce then. J coidd now per- 

 ceive a great difference, and after I had told her 

 how wrong it was that she diil not feel more sad 

 for doing wrong, she said, " I do feel very sad 

 now — I was Bad and cried lliis afternoon, and J 

 thought that I was very wrong, and 1 asked God 

 to forgive me, and send me good ihoughis, and 

 to love me." S\>e then asked the old question — 

 " What shall I ask God first, when I ask Him to 

 give me good thoughts.^ Must 1 say. Lord, Fa- 

 ther, my Heavenly ?" I answered her that she 

 could say just what she thought first, and that 

 satisfied her. I told her that I was glad that she 

 felt better now, and that I would forgive her, and 

 1 hoped she would never he angry again. She 

 said, "I think i never shall do so again. Why do 

 I feel so very sad after I ask God to forgive me, 

 and when you forgive me ?" 1 told her it was 

 because she felt sorry that she liad done wrong 

 at all. 



Every reflecting person must see and lament 

 this mode of treatment, hut the best might have 

 fallen into it. It niay he good, it may be neces- 

 sary, " to break the will of a child," but never uji- 

 less we have vainly tried to make it break its own 

 will. 



A curious feature of Laura's organization is 

 that she seems to have an excess of animal en- 

 ergy, which caimot always be worked off in ex- 

 ercise or motion, and finds an iinpertijct vent in 

 attempts at vocal utterance. Of this the report 

 says — 



" When Laura feels any strong emotion her 

 chest is inflated, the air is retained a momenl, 

 and then expelled with quickness and force, and 

 is interrupted in its passage by the glottis, tongue 

 or lips, lUus producing a variety of interjec lions. 

 The fart of these broken soimds will be inierest- 

 ing to the philologist, because they form the con- 

 neclinglink between the natural language and speech; 

 two things sometimes conlbnndedi hut which 

 differ widely from each other; natural language 

 is the servant of the heart— speech is the handmaid 

 of the intellect." 



" Pains have been taken with Laura to suppress 

 her disposition to make these disagreeable objec- 

 tions, for although they maybe considered as 

 parts of nalm-al language, it is hmgu.ige nalmal 

 only to the rudest stale of society— in the lowest 

 developement of intellect - and she is to live in 

 a society where they would l)e disagreeable." 



" Her teacher was one day talking with her on 

 the subject, and shosving her the propriety of re- 

 pressing these noises, when she said, " she did not 

 always try not to make them." Miss Swift mged 

 her reasons lor wishing her to du so, when Laura 

 said, " but I have very much voice." This «,is tin' 

 truth of the matter; the neivous energy, which 

 rapidly accumulated within her while sitting still, 

 found in this way a partial means of escape; and 

 it was as hard tor her to restrain it, as it is for 

 little boys who have "very much motion in them," 

 to sit still in school when unoccupied ; the fluid 

 accumidates within them until it makes them im- 

 easy, and they relieve themselves trom the press- 

 ure by suddenly pushing or kicking their neigh- 

 bors, or by some move of the body which acts 

 like the opening of a safely valve, anil leaves ihem 

 quiet for a while. 



She was not inclined to give nj) the argunient 

 entirely, and said in her ilifencc, " God gave me 

 much voice." She yielded, however, and saw 

 the reasonableness of the recpiest, •specially as 

 she had particular hours when she could make 

 as much noise as she wished to do. At such 

 limes she often goes into a closet, and shutting 

 the door, iiuliilges herself in a surfeit of sounds." 



The activity of fier mind in sleep presents 

 some curious phenomena, among whiih is the 

 fact that her dreaming conceptions seem to he 



independent of her physical incapacilie.». Dr. 

 Howe sjiys' 



One tnorning she asked her teacher what she 

 dreanie<l about, and said, "I sometimes iheam 

 about God." Her teacher asked, what did you 

 dream about last night ' she said, " I dreamed 

 that I was in the enlry — the round enliy, and Lu- 

 reiia was rolling afxait in her wheel chair to ex- 

 ercise, and I went into a good place where God 

 knew 1 could not fall off the edge of the floor." 

 Soon alter she said, " 1 dreamed that God look 

 away my breath to heaven," accompanying it 

 with the sign of taking something away lioniiier 

 mouth. 



On another occasion her teacher Kays : in the 

 hour <i:)r conversation she conmienced the sub- 

 ject of dreaming again, and askeil, "Why does 

 God give us dreams? Last night 1 dreamed I 

 talked with my mouth; did you hear me talk?" 

 No, 1 was asleep. "I talked with my mouth" — 

 and then she made the noise which she generally 

 does for talking. 1 asked her how she talked — 

 " I talked as any people in dreams." To the ques- 

 tion, what words did yon dream? I could get no 

 answer. She asked, "Dn Spanish Jieople dream 

 like us? do they dieain words like us?" 



She sometimes is frightened in her dreams, and 

 awakes in great terror, and says she dreamed 

 there were animals in the room which woidd hurl 

 her. She has still innch fear of animals, and can 

 hardly be induced to touch the quiet and harm- 

 less hou.se dog. 



Agricijltural Musecm. — The agricidlnral 

 museum, lately opened under the auspices of I lie 

 Royal Society of Agriculiure, will well repay a 

 visit lo the rooms ot I he society in Hanoversquare. 

 For the informaiion of persons visiting London 

 we supply an imperfect catalogue, which will di- 

 rect the visiter to what are certainly the lions of 

 the museiini. 



Case 30. Very curious, containing specimens 

 of "The English laborer," (vulg. " The country's 

 pride,") natives of tin' various agriculiural coun- 

 ties, presented by different boards of guardians. 



No. 1. A Buckinghamshire labnrer. Stands (j 

 feet high, weight, 9 stone, color, sallow — eyes 

 sunk, bones very prominent. Tlie smocii-frocU 

 9 years old, breeches ragged, boots very bad — 

 found in damp cottages. Fed upon bread and 

 water, with a little bacon. When taken attempt- 

 ed 10 destroy hin)self in the liouse. Mind uncul- 

 tivated. Habits sullen and brutal. 



No. 2. A Norf<)lk laborer. Characteristics as 

 above. This is one of the incendiary sjiecies. 



Nos. 3, 4, 5. Essex, Wiltshire and Somerset- 

 shire laborers. The cmions visiter is requested 

 to observe the clothes of these interesting speci- 

 mens. The cases by the side of each contain 

 portions of their usual food and a week's wages. 



Case 40 contains a treasure, which is indeed 

 nniqni,', and which the society (eels justly prond 

 of— 



A new coat! purchased by a laborer with a 

 family on 7s. a v.i'ek wages! As far as the soci- 

 ety can learn, the only one ever exhibited. 



Case .54. The idenlieal bat used by Lor<l Con- 

 ingsby in the game at cricket played by his Lord- 

 ship with real laborers. There is always a crowd 

 round this case, and no wonder. 



Case (iO. A sovereign, returned by Lord Rad- 

 nor lo a poor tenant, on quarter day; sent from 

 Highworlh. By many considered the gem of the 

 coiled ion. 



Case 100. Very old "duties of properly," dis- 

 covered lately in Holderness-house by the Mar- 

 quis of Loiiilonderry. When furbished they have 

 a very inqiosing appearance, and were brought 

 out with great ellict by the noble owner at a re- 

 cent dinner given to his tenantry in Ireland. 



Case 120. Numerous specimens of n new in- 

 vention called " the righis of hibor." The in- 

 genious patentee declares that these rights were 

 known lo our fiirefilhers, though the secret has 

 been lost. He expects great resulls from their 

 re-inlroduclidTi. — Punch. 



Potatoes. 



The malady which has prevailed foi- ;i year or 

 two, among polaloes, may operate as a dis<-our- 

 agement lo planting ihem as extensively as for- 

 nrerly. We venture not logive an opinion, from 

 the hull' that is yei known, in regard lo iIk^ ori- 

 gin of this <lisease, or lo recommend any specitic 

 remedy ; but from what we have seen, shonlil 



not hesitate to adopt the following rules in plant- 

 ing, cultivation, &c. 1. To plant on loamy soils, 

 of medium dryness. 2. If stable manure is used, 

 let it be well mixed with the soil, and not left 

 (especially if imfitrmented,) in too great quantity 

 in the hill. 3. Plant good sized, sound potatoes, 

 cutting only the largest ones. Very small pota- 

 lf>es, or small pieces, are not likely to sprout so 

 vigorously as large ones. The first food of the 

 young plaol is the substance of the old potaloe, 

 and the greater the supply of this food, the more 

 rapid, of course, is the early growth of the shoot. 

 Il is true that under entirely fiivorahle eircumslan- 

 ces of soil, season, ktc\, the shoot from a small po- 

 taloe or fiom small pieces, may succeed, and the 

 product from them in such cases, may not he 

 much less ; but it is reasonable that the shoot 

 from a good sized and soimd polatoe would he 

 stronger, and less predisposed lo .suffer trom any 

 imlavoiiible influences belonging either to the 

 soil oraUnos|)lieie. 4. I'hmt as early as the ground 

 is in a proper state. Many cases might be cited 

 where early plante<I potatoes escaped the blight 

 or disease, and produced a good crop, when the 

 same variety, [ilaiited later on a piece immediate- 

 ly adjoining, were much injure<l. 5. Plant oidy 

 varieties of known hardiness. Much depends 

 on this. Some kinds have always l)een retnark- 

 ble for their healthy, hardy constiliitions ; at the 

 same time producing more than others under the 

 same circumstances. Of the feeble sorts, there 

 is the Mercer, called also Chenango, Meshanic, 

 (corrupted from Neshannock,) which from its 

 supposed or acknowledged good qualities ti)r the 

 table, has been widely cultivaied toi' several years 

 past; but which has always been subject to blight 

 — more so than most oilier kinds. We are not 

 aware of any good qualities possessed by this 

 potatoe that are not to be had in several other 

 kinds, which have the advantage of greater hard- 

 iness and piodnctiveness as well as soundness, 

 f). In cultivation, keep the crop clean fiom the 

 "first start," but avoid ploughing or working it 

 when the ground is so wet as to he in the least 

 muddy, and do not use the plough or cultivator 

 after the blossoms appear ; asa mutilation of the 

 roots after this, may damage the setting of the 

 tidiers. Having used all these, and other reason- 

 able precautions, we may say in the language of 

 a witty disciple of Esculapius, 



" IC after that they chonse to die. 

 Why. verily, I lets 'cm." 



— ^'Jlbam/ Cultivator. 



SticcEssrci. Culture of Turnefs. — It Is a 

 fact, fVimlliar to most lin-mers, that wlien the soil 

 is heavy, new ly cleared laud is finely ad.ipled to 

 the raising of the common flat turncp ; but that 

 after a few year.s, this quality seems to disappear, 

 owing chiefly, as is generally supposed, to the 

 ravages of the turnep fly. 



A fanner in the western part of this State en- 

 tirely obviates this difficully by a very simple ex- 

 pedient. His farm is a heavy tiirtiie soil, and 

 though well adapted to most tiirm crops, it ap- 

 peared to be entirely unfilled lo ihe lurnep, like 

 all others of a similar character. The success- 

 ful mode he adopted, is as liillows: — After hav- 

 ing ploughed aiul harrowed his ground, and re- 

 duced il to a tine tilth, he spreads over the surliu'C 

 several inches of old straw, which is suflered to 

 lie a few weeks. Just before sow ing time, it is 

 burned, the surface is harrowed, the seed sown 

 brushed in. In ihis way, he uiuti)rinly obiaiiis 

 the finest crops. He ascribes his success to the 

 destruction of the insects by fire ; but whatever 

 rn.iy be the cause, the practice is well worthy of 

 trial by all possessing land of a similar character. 

 — ■Itbuny Cult. 



From the Albany Cultivator. 

 Agricultural Meetings in .\lbany. 



These meetings hav(! been conlinued weekly 

 llom the first, on the Kith Jan., of which we gave 

 a brief notice in the Feb. immber. We have 

 linnisl.(!il full reports of the discn^sions tc)r the 

 <hiily (lapers here; hut for our own pages we are 



under ihe in ssily of greatly abridging them, in 



order to lind room for a sketch of all in our col- 

 uiini.s. 



At the second meeting, Jan. 23d, the subject 

 li)r iliscussion was 



" The best means of advancing the ,'lgiicultural in- 

 terest."' 



Mr. Howard, nssistanl editor of the Cultivator, 



