178 



®l)c laxmas inontl)lu iHsitof- 



I... the l.un.in- of a coal-pit ll.e air is excluded 

 more or less co.ni'letely, \>y a covering ol straw 

 and carlli, and the result is that instead ot ashes 

 hein'Mho prodiRt, as is the ease when eonibiis- 

 tioii takes place in the open nir, eharcoal js tormec , 

 tlie cari)on ol" the wood renvaining iiivronsunicd. 

 Now a process analogous to this occurs ui Ihe 

 "nulual deconiHiosilioii <if vegelahle matter where 

 the air is excluded— r.)r deconiposilion is only a 

 slow combustion. A<iualie plants annually leave 

 their remains in the water, where they decom- 

 j>o«e without ac.'cw- to air. In the pror.'fis cer- 

 tain gases are thrown olf, which probably are the 

 means of yivini; to the clin,ate of the country 

 where extensive tracts of that description are 

 fonml, /itti peculiar character, an-l, m the en.l, 

 there is left behind a black deposit in the bottom, 

 which is, ill fact, the charcoal of the p ants 



Thefolluwi.it! extract Irom Pelitholdts Agil- 

 «ultural Chemistry coidimis these views: 



^•Oarhoiiizalion, then is .■liararlerized and (lis- 

 itin"uislied from ordinary combustion hy its pro- 

 ducts differing from those of combustion, in con- 

 sennence of th.; exclusion of atmospheric oxy- 

 gen Neverlheless it has much in common witb 



still more gallant captain, who won .1 not be 

 harsh when it could he possibly avoided, teeelivg 

 Mr Uichlle slaudin:,' on iho haiiU, the very mcar- 

 naliun of nieeUness and resignation, he again 

 addressed him— . , 



•'Stranger, you tnay come aboard again, ii 

 you'll pay vour passage." ,,,11 



"All right, captain, all right: thankee.— Im 

 jusl.iil home .'" 



^condaistion, where the latter process goes on 

 with the presence of only an insufficient amount 

 ^f oxygen,, especially in leaving a carbonaceous 

 residue, which in carbonization is called char- 

 coal, and in combustion, soot. 



"Now let us imoaine vegetable fibre under- 

 going .spontaneously the slow process of decom- 

 Tiosit^ion under circumstances which exclude com- 

 .detely the oxygen of the atmosphere, and it 

 ■must be evident that the phenomena occurring 

 ■will be essentially the same as i« -carlwnrza- 

 tion. Compounds of liydivsg«« and carbon 

 will be formed principally, together with small 

 quantities of water and carltoiuc acid, atid a car- 

 bonaceous substance will <-.emaiii, appixjachiug 

 more or less to iwre carbon, just as is the case m 

 carbonization. I need only remind you ot what 

 takes place in marshes aiul in pools ol stagnant 

 water, at the bottom of which is a number ol 

 vegetable matters, consisting cliiefly ol vegeta- 

 ble fibre, putrefy under cover of water, vvhic.h 

 completely precludes the access ot atmospheric 

 oxyen. IJubblcs of water are seen constantly 

 ascending from the bottom of these marshes or , 

 pools: tliese bubbles will, upon examination, be I 

 found' to cniisist of carbonic aci.l, or carburette. 

 by<lrogeii gas, which are the gaseous products ot 

 the decomposition of plants hy the process ot 

 putrefaction. And if you examine the mud ot 

 pools and marshes you invariably meet with a 

 (.bck carbonaceous suljslance ; this is the other 

 i.roduct of decomposition, corresponding to the 

 charcoal remaining after the completion ot the 

 process of charcoal burning." 



'* "AllR^ht, Captain."— It is well known to 



every body, that the captains of steamboats on 

 the Western waters are troubled occasionally 

 with specimens of a fralernity, whose highest 

 i'unbition is to tru.st to die awful sublimity ot uck, 

 and float on the surface of the " occasion —in 

 other words, the gemis " s/wngf." On a certain 

 trill from Mempliis, upwards, it was the tortiine 



of Captain G to be indicted with one ot 



" this sort" The boat being fairly under way, 

 the clerk, as usual, went bis rounds to collect the 

 passage money, and, among oUicrs, ad.lressed the 

 subject of our anecdote. 



"Your fare, if you idease, sir.' ^^ 



"All rijjht, idl right, clerk ; I'll altend 10 il, 

 said Diddle. 



A short lime ie pertnitted to elapse. 1 he clerk 

 again makes an attempt to collect tho"nippeii- 

 ces," and again iie fiiils. 



"All right! I'll attend to it,'' was the only 

 answer. 



Mr. Middle was forlhwilli reporled to the caj*- 

 tain as incorrigible, and th(^ captain uppioaclied 

 him, and, with an emphi'tic d— n, told him he 

 must |)ay before he got to the next woo<l yard, or 

 ashore he iiiiist go. ^ . 



"All right, all right! ciiplain; I'll attend to it. 

 uas ibe [rrovoking answer. 



1?V times they arrived at the wood yard, and 

 Mr,"l)iildle, !.'iviiig liis usual answer instead ol 

 the mon<:v, was politely handed down the plank 

 and put ashore. In a h;w minutes thi^v heave in 

 a full siipplv. The engineer tinkles his hell, the 

 ..rate doors'are closed, and the gallant steamer 

 U ready to lake her departure. I5nl she had a 



A Picture of Ouk Cou.ntkv irs ns Business 

 Aspect.— We copy the following truthful picture 

 of the business aspect of the country at the pres- 

 ent lime for the purpose ui' showing our readers 

 the fact of the general prosperity of business, 

 and as a matter of reconl to be reterred to il 

 need be in tiiture. The IJoston Mail makes the 

 slatement by way of contrast between the jear 

 1837 and the present time, and its facts cannot 

 well be denied : 



Instead of hiiving ti)reign gram, we have a 

 surplus of fifty niilllons, and a goo I market for it. 

 Instead of speculating in lands people have 

 bought lands and paid for ihem in the products 

 of those lands. Instead of a balance against us 

 of foreign trade, the balance is really and truly 

 in ourlavor, for that we have exported more than 

 we have imported. Instead of a call lor specie 

 from abroad, the specie is coming Irom abroad 

 to pay for our proilucis, besides the great ipian- 

 tity of specie brought by tiireign emigrants. We 

 luu/.e speculated some in railroad slocks, if 's 

 <rue; hut then railroads give employment to 

 labor, create a market for produce, and l.iciliiate 

 the conveyance of produce to market. 'I hey are 

 therefore productive. Every branch of industry 

 is active ; there is a healthy demand for every 



species of goods; labor is in full employment, 



and productive industry every where finds an 



adeipiale reward. 



than KiUO pounds, has Ibund its way lo our City' 

 and mav be seen for a few days at 'M Chapel 

 street, n'ext door to the New Haven ]?ank, at the 

 store of Messrs. Walker &i Wadswortli. This 

 specimen is said 10 liu- .surpass in beauty of torm 

 and rich display of silver on its surliice the one 

 removed tiom the West fork of Onlonogon iiver, 

 a tijw years since, hy Mr. KIdred, at an expense 

 of .■^.'ibOO. It «as discovered by an Indian, 

 named Ton.saiit I'hpiel, in the employ of Major 

 J. J5. Campbell, a few miles eastward ol Klin 

 river, on the Lake shore, where it ha?, no doubt, 

 for many years, biifleled the waves of this inland ^ 

 ocan. We are informed by a gentleman who , 



ocan. *ire jiic iiiiuiiii»-n .-j " ^^. ....>.. . 



lias carefully explored the copper region, that | 

 tliCM' loose masses of copper may be traced lo 

 their jiarent veins of calcareous spar and an;il- 

 cinie ill the conglomerate and red sand sioni;, 

 and of I'hrenile, Luumonite and Datholilc m the 

 Trap. In this way ihev become leaders or guides 

 to the mineral cou;eiits of this region, which 

 promises soon to be to the United Stales w hat 

 lliB Ural is to Russia— the seal of prodigious in- 

 dustry, anil the sources of inexhnslibh; mineral 

 treasiires.— A^fiB Hnven Courier. 



The Mariner's Dream. 



iM slumbfis of midnight, the sailor hoy lay. 



His linmniock swung loose to Ihc sport of tin- wind, 

 tVlnh watch worn and wi-arv, Ills tares flew away, 



And visions of happini-ss ilanccd o'er his niinil. 

 Ill- dnanipt. of his homo— of his duar nativi; bowers, 



And pleasures tliat wailed on life's merry morn, 

 While W< iiiory stood side ways^balf covetfd w ah llowcrs 



Restored every rose, but s<croted its thorn. 



Then, Fancy her magical pinions spread wide, 



And hade the vonns! dieainer in extacy rise : 

 Now far, far behind him, Ihe green waters glide, 



And Ihe tot of his forelather blesses Ins eyes: 

 The iessaniine clambers in liowers o'er the Ihatch, 



Tlie swallow sings sweet, from her nest in Ihe wall : 

 All trembling with transporl, he raises the latch ; 



And the voices of loved ones reply to his call. 



'\ father binds o'lr hini with looks of delight : 



His cheek is empearled with a mother's warm tear, 

 Whih- the lips of the boy in al.ive kiss unile. 



With the lips of the maid, wlnmi his bosom holds dear. 

 The heart id" the sleeper beats high in his breast, 



Joy quickens his pulse, all his hardships seem oer: 

 And a munnur of happiness steals through his rest ; 



" Oh God I thou hasl blest nic— I ask for no more," 



Ah ! whence is that tiame thai how bursts On his eye 



Ah whence is that sound, Uial now starlles his ear.' 

 ' 'I'ls the lightning's leil glare, iminling Jlell on the .■.;.•!/— 



'Tis the crashing of thunders— the groans ol the sphere, 

 lie springs from his hanunock ; he Hies lo the deck— 



Aiuaxenient comfrouts him with images dire : 

 Mad winds, and wild waves drive the vessel a-wrecU, 



Tile masts lly in splinters- the shrouds are on fire. 



Ijik.- monnlains, the billows Iremcndtlonsly swell ; 

 Iji vain the hwt wreu h calls on Miinj, to save : 



Unseen hands of spirits are ringing his knell, 

 And the death angel Haps his broad wings o'er tlii- wave. 



Oh sailor boy! woe lo thy dream of delight- 

 In darkness dissolves the gray frost work of bliss— 



Where now, is the picture thy liincy touched bright, 

 Thy jjarenls' caresses and love's liouied kiss. 



Oh ^ail"r hoy, sailor boy 1 nev.i again 



!<liall hunie, love, or kindred, thy wishes repay ; 

 Unblusl, and unhonored, down deep in the liiain. 



Full many a score fathom, thy form shall decay : 

 On lieds of green sea liowers, thy liiubs shall lie laid, 



.Uound thy whin,' bou.-s, the reil coral shall grow— 

 Of Uiy fair yiUow locks, threads of aodier be made, 



.Vud every pan suit lo thy mansion below. 



Nti louili ^Jlall e'er plead in remembrance of Ihee. 



or redeem form, or fame, Irom the merciless surge i 

 lint the white foam of wnve.< shall thy winding sheet be 



And the w iiids in llie midnight of winter, Ihv dirge. 

 Days, months, yeifl-s, and ages, shall tirele away, 



And .still, the vast waters above thee, shall iidl : 

 Earth loses Uiv pattern, for evir and aye : 



Oh sailor boy I sailor boy ! peace to thy soul. 



The foregoing (by Dimond,) appi^aied in the prints inor 

 than thirty years ago, and arc worthy ol republication. 



Yours .Stc. V. 



U\Kor Mass of Nativk Copper and Sii.vKa. 

 —While the rich ores of Lake Superior are al- 

 most dailv freighted to Boston, a rock of Metal- 

 lic (Nipper and pure native Silver, weighing more 



Northern Avrricullure. 



A mercantile friend, who is an ainaUur it' not a 

 coiiiiossi'eitr in farming, being about to make a 

 Northern tour, we retpiested him to jot down lor 

 the Planter the iinpressions ibat be might derive 

 from his observations of Northern larming. Ac- 

 cordingly, we received from him a few days since 1 

 a leltei", irom which we make the liillowilig ex- 1 

 uaci!^.— Southern Plimlir. „, ^o.- 



Saratoga, July 24, 184o. 

 Monday was an enjoyment to us; Mr. Heiiient, 

 ihe laiidliird of the An'ierican Hotel, (Albany) at 

 which we staid, who is ahso an enthusiaslic, as 

 well as a practical and .scientific agriculturist, to 

 whom 1 had a letter of iniroiluction, immedialely 

 after hieakfiist brougbi out bis buggy ami ilrove 

 us to his farm, called "Three Hills Farm,' about 

 three and a half miles lioni the city. It may he 

 considerc.l. 1 suppose, a premium specimen ot 

 a grass, grain and slock farm. The sod by a well 

 conducted system of experimental cultivalion, 

 has been made botli most agreeable to the eye, 

 and in a high degree produclive. It has an ex- 

 tent of only one huiulred and eighty acres, which 

 here is consiilered a large farm: and after seeing 

 one such, you would he sali.sfied that the radical 

 defect in our agricultural system is the too great 

 extent of land taken into management. Man- 

 agemenl! To call the slovenly, bungling ot Vir- 

 '■mia farmers management, contrasted with the 

 exactness and precision of Northern farming, is 

 like calling a regimental militia muster a perfect 

 drill in comparison willi the movements ofa crack 

 corps. Every foot of land is made to tell ; Ihe 

 fields swell uilli limothy, red-top, or clover ; corn, 

 oats, and potatoes stand with the closeness and 

 stiffness ofa caiiehrake. Tliereare poultry yards 

 and poullr\ houses, sheep yardsand sheep houses, 

 cow yards"aiMl cow houses, pig yards and \ng 

 lioiises,— the buildings all frame.l, shingled, and 

 .rlass windowed. It is true, Mr. BemeiitV prcin- 

 fsesshow non-resitlence of the masterspirit ; but 

 what is out of Older at hi.-=, you find m others;— 

 and then the stock ! ,1 shall never be able again 

 to behold with jiaticnce the dry, crank-suh'ti, 

 lioiiv thini;s that we *:all cows. Why, sir, it is a 

 delight 10 look at Iheiii here. They are treated 

 with the delicate atteiuiuns of a racer's stable; 

 cv.'iy one has her parliciilar slall,-every one' 

 shows blowMike point.- prominently and beauti- 

 fnllv dcvehiped, every one has a coat ot deep, soft' 

 ricli chestiinl. or else an interspersing ot inaliog- 

 anv and pure white -and a glossiness like a young 

 .-ii"|\ will sinuolhed bair. Their gentleness, 

 Uieir cMialities and appearance make them Irea.s- 

 ure- Mr. Bemeiit, as many others do, employs 

 a larnier to reside 011 the place aii.l manage tor 

 him. He ttirnishes him a house, and pays two 

 |,mu!re.l dollars a year, "idi ihe use ol wootl,^ 

 veoelablesand milk for himselt and lamily.— 

 Two other iiicii, at a hire of one hundred and 

 twenty dollars and their board, which costs one 

 •lollnr and .seventy-five cents per wc;ek, each, con- 

 stitute his regular force. In ad.lition to which 

 two men for two or three months during be 

 summer, foi haying and harvesting, at twelve dol- 

 lars per month ami their board, are all that lio 

 |,„. So that his whole tiuce for farming and at 

 tcmling to the stock, is lliree men the year round,| 



1 



