154 



i^\)c faximx5 iUcintl)lij lliriitov. 



wheicliy iinture, manufactures thtse articles froii) 

 year Id year, <lo I not dirive nl least as fjreat a 

 benefit from them as 1 (li> wlien I use them for 

 food ? Is not ihe mhid of as jirv.al irnporlance as 

 the plomach ? Is it not heller tljat the hody 

 shonhl he lean anil himf.My ihan the soul ? Or if, 

 ajiain, ihe study of a coHon-|/lant from the planl- 

 ing of the sued to the jialheriiif,' of the crop is a 

 means of |iroini)linL' the eihicalioii, of inrreasiii}; 

 the |)Ovver of jour iiitelleel, do yon not ohiaiu a 

 lii;;hcr, a more lasting good frorn sni-h a use ol 

 the plant lliaii from the wearing of ihe cloth 

 which it makes? That these sindies «(c useful 

 to ihe mind, all who have ailended to iheiii will 

 testily. The science of Botany calls into adive 

 exercise, im|iroves and sirenglhens almost every 

 faculiy and power; il gives keenness to ohscrva- 

 tion ; it makes the jndgniiMit vigorous; it causes 

 the memory to hecome ready and relenlivc; il 

 enlarge.-, the power of comparison, of discover- 

 ing uiinule resemhlances and ditrcrences ; it 

 tenils to make one clear in his perceptions and 

 nccurale in his descripiiuns ; it imparls a knowl- 

 edge of many wondeifnl and heanliful ohjecls 

 that are scallered over the face of the earth: if 

 the sliidy ol words and laminages enliglilens and 

 enlarges the soul, how inncli rather the slndy ol 

 tilings; if iheai'ipri.-ilion of ancient and modern 

 tongues is a part of cdncniion, why iiol an exam- 

 ination of the trees and Howers which are old as 

 the ghihe ami new every year. It may he and 

 douiitless is a profilahle employment for the men- 

 tal faculties to explore the roots of verhs, and 

 sefiurale sentences into their simple eleineiils: 

 hut il is at least erpially profilahle to search inio 

 the roots of herhs and dissect the different parts 

 of a growing living plant. History is rcgaided as 

 an imporlaiit liraiich of knowledge ; why then 

 should luilural history he neglected ? Astrono- 

 my, the science that discourses of distant worlds 

 and stars llial the naked eye caiinol discern, has 

 its feivciit and zealous devotee.*, men who will- 

 ingly pass sleepless nights in making their oliser- 

 vations and discoveries: is the Botanist who de- 

 ntins lo invc.-tigate ohjecls that have lieeii placed 

 here in onr ov\n world, who gives his lime and 

 lulenis to things whicli In' can see and handle 

 and Ihoriinghly analyze, is he more foolish oi iu- 

 tane ? And how many of those employmciiis 

 that occupy the time and engage Ihe inieresi of 

 mankind are less piidiiahle ami less worihj of ra- 

 tional hi-iiigs than ihe slndy of plants: how ma- 

 ny hours lliai might he devoled to a pursuit thai 

 exercises and invigorates the inlellect are spent 

 in the reading of silly romances, trashy maga- 

 zines and pailisan papers, or slill winse, in vain 

 disputes anil idle gii>siping. Il is heller to he- 

 Coiiie emhn^iaslic over a heanliful flower than 

 over an impi'ohalile and nniialnral ticlion : il is 

 liuHer lo pull in pieces a plant than a neighhoi's 

 characler. 



.^inl this reminds us of a still higher henelil 

 resiilling from the sindy of Bolaiiy : it has a uiil- 

 ity ul yet more impoiiimce than that which con- 

 cerns eillier the hody or the intellecl: food, ray- 

 fuent and s'helier are good: knowledge and 

 niental power are good: hut lighuousness, 

 the love of Ood and iniiu, is heller than all. — 

 WhalMieiei" lends lo niaki:; men devout, revererit 

 and ohediehl lo llieir ("lealin, and cliarilahle, jiisl 

 and kih<l in mch other, wh.ilMicver is adnpli d lo 

 Eulieii ihcir hearts, expand liieir alliciions anil 

 regnlale their actions, Ihrit is indeed wcnlliy to hi> 

 ca'led useful in the most exalli'd sense. And 

 such is iIk' lendency of the science of which wi' 

 inr t-p'aking. Like every other branch of Nat- 

 ural 11i«liny it teaches in the clearest and lll0^l 

 imprei<»ive manner the wisilom, greiiiness and 

 goodnesBof Go(i : il piesenlslo our notice ihoii- 

 fiuiids of prooli: thai ihere is an iidiniie, a perfecl 

 Being hy \\liom all Ihings \M*re made: trees, 

 herhs and lilllc Mowers, no less than onr own 

 liodies, or those id' heiisis, hiids and insecis, or 

 the rolling worlds imil suns on high dcidaie his 

 <^xi.-leni'e and maiiili'st his omnipntenci' ; ijie 

 vilest weed that grows hy the roail-sii|ii, irampled 

 miller the feet of nieii,wlimi carefully examined, 

 <liscloses many marks of ingenious contrivance 

 •!(iid admiiihle desiirn ; the seed whence it slarl- 

 «il in ihe e.'iiih, llie root that holds it in its place, 

 the stem wllli ils apparatus hir drawing lip from 

 'tint &;ronnil the water and other stihslalices lliat 

 nil' ils luoil iinil jil'e, ihe hMVes that are iK lungs, 

 il'.haling and hrealhing out ihe ail', ihe corolla 1 1 lal 

 ■ etwlonPH iind proiectH lh« delicate stamens and 



pistils, the reproiliictioii of the .^eeil which in its 

 inrn is ilistmeil lo peipeluale tli*' plant, ils pres- 

 ervation ilnoiigh all ihe sioriny ilays and trei z- 

 iiig nights of winler, and ils le ppearance wiili- 

 oiit lad 111 liie succeeding summer, are not these 

 plain traces ol a contriving cieatiag minil : are 

 lliey not enough to ^how be\oiiil all ipiestloii that 

 the plant is not the work of hllnd chance, ihai it 

 did not spring up of iisellj without plan or pur- 

 pose; canyon not re.-.d ihe Alakei's name slump- 

 ed upon ils every leaf and tilire ? And If the 

 most common plains thai grow in the fields, if 

 e^eii grasses and mosses ure thus wofiderlid in 

 siruclnre, ihiis lull of priiols of (Jod's existence 

 and perleciion, what sh.-ill we say of ihe more 

 coiiipllcateil and he.iuiilid proiliiclions, the fra- 

 grant anil rich colonil finwers, ihe stalely trees, 

 and the Iriiiis of every fnrm and llavor; those 

 who love to search into ihese things tiiid ne\er- 

 ceaslng causes of aiiiazeiiieiil and admiration ; 

 new iiislances of Ihe skill and power <if ihe di- 

 vine Archilecl are conliiiually ottered to their 

 view ; ihe variety exhihileil in this poi lion of the 

 Creator's works seems endless; tie seems lo 

 have lavished all the lieasiires of liis eiernal 

 mind on ihe lorination and adornment of phmis. 

 Now ihe contemplalion of these iiiiienions and 

 elegant spi^ciiiiens ol God's workinanship lends 

 lo awaken within the lieiirl It-elings of lever 

 ence and ailoralion: .-is ihe exaoiinaliou ol a 

 curious macliini.' of hniiian inveniion leads us lo 

 respect the contriver and maker of il, as lliesi;;ht 

 of a heanliful slaliie or painiinu excites a pro- 

 Ibiniil regard for the L'enins of ihe artist, even so 

 the study of trees and flowers, dlsplaj iiig as they 

 do a more wouderlid machinery and more exipii- 

 site painting and scnipinre than any works of 

 man, is titled to produce and deepen emotiinis ol 

 awe, gralitiiile and love. It stieii;;lhens onrliiilh 

 and ti ustlnliiess, impressing on the liemi the 

 comliirting docnine ol Scriplure thai the Almigli- 

 (y is every where and liiat nolhing is ino small <»r 

 mean lo receive his Wiilchtiil care. An Eimli>li 

 traveller was mice ioejiily cheered as he was 

 wandering.', lonely ami home.-iek, over an African 

 deseM, hy the ili>co\ery ol' a lillle hlooinin;^ fiow- 

 er: il seemed lo he growing there on pin pose to 

 lei him know that God was not far from him, to 

 make him feel that ihere is no place so solitary 

 that il cannot he visited with Ihe presence and 

 hh'ssed with the prolei lionof ihe sii) reme spirit. 

 Therefore, lie who spake as never man spake, 

 when He would leach us to confide in our Heav- 

 enly F'atlier, hills iis " consider the lilies ol ihe 

 field, how they grow ; they toil not, neillier do 

 the\ spin : and \el I sa\ unto yon, lli:it even Sol- 

 omon, in all his glory, was not iorayed like one 

 of these: wlieiefore if (jod so clothe ihe grass 

 of the field, which to il.iy is and lu-moiiow is 

 cast into the oven. >hall he not much more clothe 

 you, O _\e ol hlile lailh ?" 



As pieiy or ihe love of God is the source of 

 morality or the hive of man, ihe study of flow- 

 ers which lends lo produce ihe fiirmer afliclion, 

 iiilist also call lorih ihe latter ; he that loves God's 

 most heaulilnl wiirks will he inclined to love ihe 

 in.ikei of lliem, and In; who luviih (joiI will love 

 his liroiher also. We can hardly conceive il pos- 

 .-■i tie Iluil a person who is an ailmirer of flowers 

 .-honlil he a haler of mankinil, llial one who de- 

 lights lo iili>ervi' the graeelni lot nis and heanliful 

 colors, lo inhale the fraurant odors, and to exam- 

 ill the elahnrale construction nf ihe various 

 plains wiih which ilie earili is em idled and 

 adorned, should take pleiisiire in any iiijiistice or 

 cruelty lowaids his lellow cieatnies. Who can 

 imaijliie that ihe emiiienl Bolaiiist Liniin'iis was 

 a hiird-hearied, miserly or selfish man? No, Ihe 

 lair science nl the flowers w ill noi have such 

 person>i tin' her pupils; she wants in her shady 

 howers and hloomiiig gardens ihose only who 

 have clean hands and a pure lieari : she iihhors 

 all wickedness and loves only what is lovely, 

 whether in (iiriii and culor or in liearl and char- 

 acler. It has heeii said that no man who laughs 

 lieailily can he very vicious, ihat one whose soul 

 is full of envy, hatred and malice never gives 

 way lo all open, geneions, genniiie fit of laiighler. 

 Whether this lie true or iiol, I feel certain that he 

 caiinol he III! exceedingly had man who is liiinl 

 of flowers; whalsnever may he his limits there 

 iniisl he in him a reinnani of innocence, a hlos- 

 soiii of unwilhered gondness. That evil spirit, 

 ihe enemy of Gml and man, who wanders lo and 

 lio over the liice of the earlh, doubtless, ne'ver 



turns aside from his wicked purposes, to gaze on 

 the green leaves and admire the divine flowers; 

 hill the holy aii:rels who wing their way to our 

 world on errands nf love cannot hut pause some- 

 limes and look wiih pure deliglii on iliese wotl- 

 derfiil marks of the blaster v^hoiii lliev serve. 



The Farmers of Bedford. 



It had heen our inlenlioii to say soiUPlhinir of 

 the day's visit lo the liirmers of Bedford who 

 have (iirmed the first Town Agricnilnral and 

 Mechanical Association in ihe Slate, an exam|>le 

 worthy lo he fnllowed hy oilier town.-'. We had 

 .something to say of what^we saw as well as 

 what we know of tiait fine aLoiridlnral town and 

 ils fiirmers. But ihe unwelcome prostralion, just 

 at the point ol'tiine we winilil he making the last 

 prepiiriiiion (iir the press — a proslration from n 

 chronic coinplailil, which in ihe lasl four \ears 

 has oflen all hut siispendeil powers hoili physi- 

 cal and iiieiind — has alone prevented this accuiii- 

 puniaiiient to the fiirui reporli. 



The rcillnwing Hyinii iif Gr.iiiiuilR to the God of the 

 Sea:^iiiis. wrilleii ami |iulihiihpj iwenly-lwn ye.irs ai*"!, is 

 iinw auMlli niiMlluniralrd by lis author liir the Vl^llo^ 

 whri, we rejjrel In hear has, jilte the edilnr. in the last 

 vearn been ■' inii-^t i;riovi)ii>ly alfltcle:] *' with lb it st ile of 

 health htrbitliliiii; ordinary alleiilli'ii to biisiiies!,, bul wlin 

 williin Ihe lasl Iwo iii"iilhs h is been so restored as lo "'en- 

 tertiin the hope ol evuiiUMl recovi ry." Reci-llectin;; 

 him as the ze ijnii- advnc ir>' and lover of a.'rn-ulluril iin- 

 jirovt nient at the B 'sl"ii Stale Hoii-e six years ago, syill- 

 palhy would inouee us In pray to the (!od ol' the scat^uiis 

 that his best hopes iiiay be realized. — Ed. Visitor. 



For the Kariner's iMniithly Visitor. 



The Farmer's Hymn iu the Autumn. 



BV J. ATHl:AR.N JUNES. 



j\o\v we rest Trom our toils. Lord, onr I.ibors are done ; 

 The b' unlieu Thou givesl lo labor are won ; 

 We have uariiered our firain — well our toil it reoays, 

 And our cattle are croppin^j the grass on Ihe braes. 



We ;:alhered our harvests Willi pulse beating high; 

 The mower toiled on with a I.iui^ll in his eye, 

 And the reaper, as nimlily he felled the proud i;rain, 

 Was biiUier than those who wield sceplres and reiyn. 



AnrI the wheat stalk I'rew lall. and the lull, golilen ear 

 Pioclaimed thai Ihe iiioinhs of rejoiciiii; were near j 

 The ijrape in rich i lusters Iiuiil'. promisinc niiriii. 

 And lite boughs ol the apple-tree slept on the earltl. 



Did we thank Thee then. God of Ihe seasons ? Oh no ! 

 We were quick to necepl id' thy I'.ivors, bul slow 

 Were our liiis to ^ive ihanks for the rich gills 'I'hy hand 

 bhowered down on the corii-jillereit vales of our land. 



Thou hast rained on us maniia, Lord ! yet we are mute j 

 Thou givesl us sinniner* e:icli producl lo suit ; 

 Sprmiis and autumns as fair as It. ilia bo is Is 

 U .wn on Us, yel lainl are our loiigues, Lord of Hosts ! 



Now we raise onr ulad voices, in gratitude raise; 

 And « e waft on I lie beams ol Ihe morning our praise ; 

 We IhaiiU Thee lof L'rain we have glthercil 111 shock, 

 .And the milk of tne kine, and liie ilcecc of the flock. 



And we Ihank 'f'hcc for limbs wiiicli move light lo the 



task, 

 And Thy Cjrace for the spirit which bids us to ask ; 

 Kill Us. Lord, Willi jnsl seise of Thy bounty, and give 

 fle.illh to US, and to all in Ihe land where wc live. 

 West Tisbury, Mass., Oct. II, ISIC. 



Horticultural Repot t of the Concord Society 

 or Aalural History. 



IlEPOnr ON KBi'IT. 



The coii.niillee on Fruit has exaniined each and ev- 

 ery speciii.eii uf fiiiil presGiiIetl to tlietii; nud it' there 

 were any lliat esc.iiad llieir iioliee it was accidental 

 and not iiileiilioiiiil; but where tlieie are so a. any spe- 

 ciiiii'iis to be e.vniiiiiietl, and where it is so dillicult to 

 avoid coiil'iisioa, it will not apjiear slr.uige if some, 

 even itiipnrlaiit specimens, should escape the notice of 

 the eoiiitnnlee. 



'I his is llie first exhibition held by this society, .in<i, 

 so I'.ir as your coiiiti.illec arc iiil'orii.cd, the lirsl of iho 

 kind ever held in this Slate; and it need not be told lo 

 nay niember of this soriety that this, ilslirst ellbrl, was 

 eiiiineallv successful, far exceeded the most sanguine 

 ex pei 1,1 1 ions of all concerned, and was highly credita- 

 ble to those who were instruii enlal in gelling il up and 

 ellii'ieiit 111 i>iosei'uting it In a snccessful teriiiiaalion. 



It will he gratify tag to le rii, lli.it persona fiiniaar 

 W'illi similar exiiibilioiis la l!ostoii and Lowell, and who 

 were present nl our colledion, expressed both a sur- 

 ptise and a gratilicnlioii at llie result; tli.it it exceeded 

 nay thing they did or couhl lane anticipated, and w.is 

 highly creditable lo llie sorii ly. 



llie whole nuiiilier id .specimens of fruit presented 

 and examined v.at> lyj; p(' these tlieio wore 143 spe- 



