14 



^l)c iainicr's llloiiti)lp bisitor. 



If it \vi!ie not for llie indifil'ieiicc of laiiiiers 

 to ihu i^pre.-ul of ;i;;rifulHM-:il knowleilijc, niial 

 iiidiitili'v ttcHilil r.i)s(^ ill once r>0 |)i;r rKiit. Id pio- 

 (liii-tivfiie.-is aiui value. So Ion;; as tljo lillf.TS ol' 

 tin; carll) shall work \t> or 15 hours in 2-1, to make 

 soniethiu".' out of nothing, the balance of (he 

 world will <;ivi; them lint a pn^iious litllo for their 

 service. And why shoiihl thi'V.' If a farmer 

 1,'ives as much labor for one huslicl o(" corn or 

 wheat as he should ti)r three, ought be not to 

 c.\chani.e bis badly directed industry, by ^ivinjr 

 three d.iy.s wcirk for one with tho.se that stud;/ 

 their l)usines, and make every hour's work tell to 

 the best advantage? We cannot blind our rea- 

 soning i'acidties, and thi-n plead ignorance of the 

 things th:it foi'rn our annual ciiip.s, as a reason 

 why we should bavi; more than the market value 

 for onr projiuce. 



Theie is no allei'nntive but to lessen the bard 

 work now expended in growing all oiw agrieul- 

 tuial staples, by ibe itid of hxowlcd-gc. ] f we ci'u- 

 elly wjlhbold this knouh;dge from our sons, we 

 indirecllv lli^'<' " bond that they shall be the hew- 

 ers of wood and draueis of water for the better 

 itdin'iiii'd, and that, too, at the smallest wages, all 

 their d.iy.s. 



Kind readei', if you have a .son, and believe 

 v/'uli n.s, that the study of the laws of Nature 

 will do him no h.Mrm, purchase (or bim Mr. Ja.s. 

 F. W. .Johnston's " Lectures on Agricultural 

 Cbemisiry," latest edition, which will cost you 

 hilt SI -•">• Let bim buy, as soon us he has 

 thoroughly studied .loiinslon, Boiissinganlt's "Ru- 

 ral Economy," which will cost a dollar and a 

 qu.'U'ter more. These invaluable works should 

 be in every common school library in the State. 

 We commend them to the ailenlion of all teach- 

 ers of young men in academies and other semi- 

 naries. .'\s text book.s, they may be regarded 

 as stanilani works in all debates; although they 

 ddfer in I heir respective analyses of ceriain |danis, 

 such as wheat, potatoes, and a iinv others. IJiu 

 |)lants diffijr in the proportion of their elemenls, 

 in dilTerent soils. The analyses of both are 

 dnnbtUss correct in the particular cases to which 

 ibey refer. 



There is scarcely ten farmers in the whole 

 State, Ihat feiul all ibeir cnltivaled plants, includ- 

 ing fruit tree.-i, grape vines, and strawberries, as 

 they should be fed. I'lie same is true, to some 

 e.xtent, in regard to feediiiu', with the most ap- 

 propriate and econoniinal Ibod, all domestic ani- 

 mals. How impiu'taat, as well as intercsling, 

 is the study of the organic strnclure of all the 

 living tilings kept on tlie'farm! Tbes(M)rsaii- 

 ized vegetable and animal beings posse.*.^ many 

 organs, and each org.in has its peculiar ollice to 

 perforin. 



Do We work unlh or against Ibe purpose of 

 Nature, in our treatment of all these vital fimc- 

 tioiis!' Are we sure that we obtain the largest 

 possible crops of peas, potatoes and corn, from 

 any given amount id' land and labor.- or the 

 largest return in good pork, for the corti, peas, 

 and potatoes, consmned by our swine.' How is 

 it in regard to the production of grass, carrots, 

 beets, beei; biilier, cbei^se and wool? Whose 

 wool, worth 00 cenis the pound, costs bim the 

 least money in land and labor? Whose cheese 

 and butler yield bim the largest profit or com- 

 pensatiiin for bis industry? When we o.\|iort 

 1(100 tons of cheese to Faigland this fall, how 

 much truly valuable nii;tlr-r hii"e we. drawn from 

 our pastures? Where are Ibe precise things in 

 boundless quantity, that make cheese, wheal and 

 wool ? 



What madness In resist the sludij of these 

 tblnirs. The gn.-iit " ICmpiie State," witbitsdve 

 hmidreil ihoiisand lield laborers, can not support 

 (lite agricultural school! "O! shame, wheie is 

 thy blush?" — (lencsce Farmer. 



We pidilisb ibe above by partii-nlar rctpiesi, 

 nnd we di> so very cheerfully, beitanse we enlei- 

 tain a very high opinion of iIk; agricultural ^'cal 

 of Dr. Lee. Wo unite most cordially with the 

 Doctor ill Ids commeiidalion of Joluislon and 

 l5oussing.-uill, the former especially, and we hope 

 ihe day will come when the full developement of 

 the science of agriculture may lead to ibe most 

 jir.icticid results. But we woulil have this pur- 

 suit divided, as every other i.s, into ibe study of 

 the science, and the priiclicn of Ihe art, and we 

 woiilrl no more reipiire every fiiriiier to under- 

 stand the scienrr of iigi icidture, than we would 

 expect the prncticnl drugirisl to investigale llm 



chemical laws by which the directions in his dis- 

 pensatory have been oblaiiied. Let those who 

 liave the opporiiinity, make the .science of agri- 

 ciilliire their pursuit; whenever lliey have arriv- 

 eil at a pr.ictic.d result by which they can increase 

 bis profits, the momty-making (iirmer will be rea- 

 dy to adopt it wiihoiit enipiiring loo closely into 

 the means by which it has been oblained. Have 

 these lesiibs been obtained by the scientific iii- 

 vi'Stigations that have lately occupied the minds 

 of Liebig .-md other distinguished chemists ? To 

 a small e.Meiil we believe lliey have, and to that 

 extent their views have Iieen difiiised and ado|it- 

 ed. Let us see. Dr. Lee is probably one of the 

 most scientijic ngrieidtiirists in America; he is 

 billy possessed of the views of Sprengel, Davy, 

 Chaplal, Liebig, I5ou.-singaiill, Johnston, &c. &c. 

 Does be make twice as much wheat to the acre 

 with the same means as bis more ignoianl neigh- 

 bors? ll" he iloes, we will warrant they will 

 Hock aroimil bim lo inquire into the modus ope- 

 randi, and he will have no cause to complain of 

 their indilfereiice to philosophical iiivestigalioiis. 



We do !iot wish lo discourage scieniilic inves- 

 tigations in agriculture; on the contrary, we 

 consider the world deeply indebied lo Ihe philan- 

 thropic and disinterested men who have under- 

 taken them; but we would have the practical 

 firuier consider that |diilosophical invesligalions 

 into one science requires a very protiiimd knowl- 

 edge of many others, and our advice lo bim 

 would be, whilst he keeps his eyes wide open to 

 the practical results \vliicli otber.s, Iiy the investi- 

 gation of natural laws, are seeking for bim, to 

 pursue diligently the rides that the experience 

 of mankind has already established. Let tliese 

 pbilo.sophers experiinent and prove the truth of 

 their closet deductions by the crop they make in the 

 JieUL 111 the meantime, we would have every 

 eidigbtened firmer know even the discoveries lo 

 w hich lliey pretend, and where they are plausible 

 he might try a few of thcui in a small way; but 

 ill (iirining, as in itiannfaclmliig, he who is con- 

 tent to pursue his business upon principles alrea- 

 dy established, will get riidi, whilst his competi- 

 tor, who seeks by experiments to find a shorter 

 road to wealih, will die poor. 



It is the business of the philosopher to inves- 

 tigate, and it is the privilege of mankind to avail 

 themselves of the result of his investigations; 

 which they will certainly do, whenever these iii- 

 vestigalioiis lead lo a practical result. — Southern 

 Planter. 



Makixg Articles i.n Horn. — The handles fiir 

 knives, razor.s, and oilier articles moulded in 

 born, are lliiis made: the born is first^cut iiiio 

 appropriate pieces with the saw, and when heat- 

 ed, these are piepared with a knife or spoke- 

 shave, to the general (brni and size required ; af- 

 ter whiidi the pieces are pressed into monld.s 

 All idea <d" the mould will la; conveyerl by im- 

 agining two dies or pieces of mi'tal, parallel on 

 their outer siirliices, and with a I'avity sunk (ui- 

 tirely in thi! one, or partially m each, according 

 lo circumstances: it is made either str.iight, cur- 

 ved, twisted, rounded, bevelled, &c., or it is en- 

 graved with some device, .■lecording to ihe pat- 

 tern of the work to be |irodiiced. 'The pressure 

 is applied lo ibe dies by enclosing them in a kind 

 of clamp made with a strong pair of nut crack- 

 er.", but with !i powerful screw tit tlii^ end oppo- 

 site 10 lb' joint; the mould, dies, and horn, are 

 dipped into boiling water for a few minute,-', and 

 then screwed as fast as possible immediately on 

 reinoving Ihe .^aine, and in iiboiit twenty minutes 

 the work is ready (iir finisbing. Some htimlli'S 

 are made of two pieces joined together. — Se- 

 lected. 



What food will produce the most Wool ! 



I'eas, beau.--, vetches, &c., are iisidiil for ihe 

 purpose of eiuicliing the blood, by liirnishing il 

 with larg'e supplies of albmnen, which is its prin- 

 cipal constituent. It will be remembered that in 

 the analyses of llesli and blood the reljilive pro- 

 portions of their constituents are nearly id'iiti- 

 cal ; coiisccpieinly, whatever l()o(l coiitiiins nitro- 

 gen, anil the gieiilesl amount of albiiinen, is best 

 adapted lo the developement of tlesh or muscle, 

 and is therefore the most nulrilions. Wheal, rye, 

 barley, and bmdiwbeal, contain large (pianlilies 

 of albumen, especially the first two; while oats, 

 it will have been seen, contiiin lOi per cent, of 

 its organic elements of albmnen, and peas and 



beans no less than "20 per cent. Wliat conclii- y 

 sion, then, is lo be drawn from this? In Chap- 

 ter 1. it is .seen that the idiemical composiiion (d' 

 horn.s, hools, hair, U'oo/, and even feathers, is siili- 

 stanlially ihe same; their organic elemc'iits are 

 coairnhited albumen and gelatin, and iheir inor- 

 ganic, silic,-i, carbonate, ami phospbale of lime, 

 anil the oxides of iron and manganese. Hence il 

 will readily appear that the food given lo ihe 

 sheep which will supply ihe greatest proportion 

 of albumen, in the same ratio will increase the 

 wool .secretions, and consequently be productive 

 of the most wool, provided, bowi!ver, lliey al.<o 

 hold in suitable combination the inorganic, sub- 

 siances of wool, wiihonl which they assimilate 

 mostly for the Icirmation of flesh and fit. This 

 may be exemplified lliiis — a soil may be highly 

 productive of corn, as well as a li^w of the cereal 

 grains: yet for the production ol' wheat it in;iy 

 lack the proper proportion of the phosphaie and 

 carbonate of lime, and consequently the berry 

 will not only be deficient in quantity but ipiality. 

 The liillovving table exhibits the icaills of the 

 expeiimenis of ihe distinguished iigricullurisi, 

 De li.imner, on the etVects produced by an equal 

 qiiaiitiiy of several snbslances in increasing llie 

 fiesh, tallow, and wool of sheep: 



1000 lbs. potutnes, raw, wiUi salt, 

 do. do. wiiliiiui salt, 



do. nmiic*-! wurtzel. raw, 



do. wheal, 



dit. oals. 



do. bark-y, 



do, peas, 



do. r)c, with salt. 



do, do, without saii, 



do. meal, wet, 



do. buckwheat. — 



These results arc said lo agree witli those of 

 De Diimliale.and vvlili those of a mimiierof oilier 

 agriculturists. 



it will be perceived by the above table, that 

 wheat produces the greatest increase in Ihe flesh 

 of llw sheep, ihoiigb bul little greater llian oat.s ; 

 ihiit pea-, wheal, and rye, produce the greatest 

 increase in wool ; and that barley and wheat 

 cause the greatest increase in lullow. That, sis 

 an average, grain generally gives about thretr 

 limes llie increase in the (lesli, that roots do when 

 in equal weight; that grain [iroduees about twice 

 as niiicli wool as is caused liy an equal weig-hl of 

 roots, and sevei;il limes the amoiini of tallow. 



The legiliinale conclusion from the foregoing 

 is, tlial the flock-master, whose object is woid 

 only, must rely on good bay and some straw, 

 whose constituents Jire admirably adapted fiirlbi: 

 growth and perfection of wool, with a niodenile 

 allowance daily of ground peas and outs, iiiid 

 some potatoes as green food, (or the greatest 

 amouni of wool ; and those gross substances, oil- 

 cuke, corn-meal, and rntii-baga, may be turned 

 over lo Ihe production ot (in million. — .hnciican 

 Shepherd. 



I-'ruiii IJie Lniulon Gardener and Chronicle. 

 Icc-IIonses. 



A slum lime beliire I left l^nghmd, yon pub- 

 lished ill the Gardeiier.s' Chronicle a number of 

 letters and pk'in.s for the conslrnclion of ice-bou- 

 ses, bul, as t'»v as I can remember, nothing at all 

 reseinbbiig the Chinese one, which I shall now 

 describe lo \ou. On the lefl bank of the Niiigpo 

 river, procpcding upwards from the town and 

 (iiris of Cbiniihai, and in various other parts in 

 the north of Chitia, 1 have met with lliese ice- 

 houses. When 1 inspecteil them fi>r the first 

 lime, last winn-r, (18-11!,) their constriiciion and 

 silnalion difl'eied so much liom what 1 had been 

 acciislonuil to consider the essentials of an ice- 

 house at home, that 1 had great doubts of their 

 efiicicncy; but iii the presenl lime, which is tbi! 

 end of .\i.gnsl, 184-1, many of these houses iiro 

 yel full ol ice, and seem lo answer tie end most 

 admirably. You are probably iiware, (iom my 

 (hrmer discriplions of Ibe coimlry, that ibe town 

 of .\ingpo is built ill ihe iiiiilsl of a level plain, 

 from '20 lo 30 miles ncros.s. 'I'bcse ice-honse.s 

 stand on the river sides, in the centres of this 

 plain, completidy exposed to the sun — a sun, loo, 

 very dillircnl in its eflccis (iom what we experi- 

 ence in England — clear, fierce, and hnri.ing-- 



