318 



InEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



the weight of the leases, or dead branches, which 

 in five years fell from the tree. 



Now came the application of the test. Was all 

 this obtained from the earth? It had not sensibly 

 diminished ; but, in order to make the experi- 

 ment conclusive, it was again dried in an oven and 

 put in the balance. Astonishing was the result— 

 the earth weighed only two ounces less than it 

 did when the willow was first planted in it ! yet 

 the tree had gained one hundred and sixty-four 

 pounds! Manifestly, then, the wood thus gained 

 in the space of time was not obtained from the 

 earth ; we are therefore compelled to repeat our 

 question, "where does the wood come from?' - 

 We are left with only two alternatives ; the water 

 with which it was refreshed, or the air in which 

 it lived. It can be clearly shown that it was not 

 due to the water; we are consequently unable 

 to resist the perplexing and wonderful conclusion 

 — it was derived from the air. 



Can it be ? Were those great ocean spaces of 

 wood, which are as old as man's introduction into 

 Eden, and wave in their vast and solitary luxuri- 

 ance over the fertile hills and plains of South Amer- 

 ica, were all these obtained from the thin air 1 

 Were the particles which unite to form our battle 

 ships, Old England's walls of wood, ever borne the 

 world about, not only on wings of air, but actual- 

 ly as air themselves J Was the firm table on which 

 .1 write, the chair on which I rest, the solid floor 

 on which I dwell, once in a form which I could 

 not as much as lay my finger on, or grasp in my 

 hand? Wonderful truth! all this is air. — Ex- 

 change. 



For the Ifeiv Em/and Farmer. 

 A PEACEFUL WORK. 



Friend Brown : — As you and my old friend 

 French are now associated with a much loved rel- 

 ative of mine, in the noble work of improving the 

 agriculture of New England, and elevating and 

 purifying the moral and intellectual condition of 

 the industrial portion of the community in gener- 

 al, and of the farmers in particular, I have been 

 thinking I should like occasionally to join your 

 company, and contribute my mite towards the ac- 

 complishment of the end proposed. 



The political press aims at controlling the mass- 

 es, and shaping them to its ends, — and its con- 

 ductors, what satisfaction can they derive from a 

 review of the course over which they have passed 

 — of the means to which they have resorted — or 

 the ends which they have reached, even when 

 they have been successful? But you — you are 

 telling simple truths, in the most direct and ear- 

 nest way, in the kindest spirit, and with the best 

 inteutions. You are aiming to promote domestic 

 peace and comfort, social enjoyment, industry, 

 economy and every virtue. You awaken no jeal- 

 ousies, you kindle no hatreds, you plant no roots 

 of bitterness, and when you review your labors 

 you do not sec the peace of society disturbed, bit- 

 ter animosities rankling in the minds of men, and 

 discontent and envy pervading the community, as 

 the result, directly or indirectly, of your work. 

 But you behold broad fields growing broader, 

 <j;recn fields growing greener, "two blades of grass 

 growing where but one grew before," the fruit of 

 the earth increasing in variety, in size and rich- 

 ness, domestic conveniences and comforts rapidly 

 increasing, implements of labor everywhere mul- 



tiplied and improved ; you see on every hand the 

 spirit of invention, of progress, at work; brute 

 force guided by science and skill, and results 

 achieved, which a few years ago would have been 

 deemed incredible ; and you feel that you are iden- 

 tified with it all, that you are laboring to promote 

 it all, that if it is not all your work, yet that you, 

 co-working with others, have brought it ail to 

 pass. 



You can lay your head upon your pillow at 

 night with the consciousness that you have slan- 

 dered no man, misrepresented no rival, perverted 

 no truth, and put forth no effort or ingenuity to 

 make "the worse appear the better reason;" but 

 at peace with all the world, and with a kindly 

 feeling towards even the beasts of the field, and 

 the fowls of the air, you can commit yourself and 

 all that is dear to you to the protecting care of 

 the Common Father, and sleep in quiet until the 

 birds, carolling forth the praises of their Maker 

 from the fulness of their glad hearts, awake you 

 from your slumbers. 



If you are not among those who are turning the 

 world upside down, yet the genial dew of your in- 

 fluence goes forth to fertilize the soil — and to 

 rjuicken into life in the minds of thousands, intel- 

 lectual and moral germs, which, developed by the 

 culture that perhaps originated in words spoken 

 by you, shall yield rich harvests, not only for them- 

 selves, but for the world. But though you are 

 cheered by the consciousness that you are doing 

 good, and 1))' the faith that happy results always 

 follow good thoughts, good words and good acts, 

 yet you need all the patience of that charity which 

 casts its bread upon the waters, relying upon t! e 

 promise that he shall find it after many days. In- 

 deed, we cannot expect to see any great and 

 marked results follow in the immediate wake of 

 any reformatory measure. He must be contented 

 with a slow and gradual growth even of that which 

 is good, so that the principles on which it rests 

 may be understood, and incorporate themselves 

 with the habits and the feelings of men. Thus the 

 slow growth of the oak enables its roots to strike 

 deep, and take a firm and enduring hold of the 

 soil. This seems to be the order of Providence ; 

 and thus any sudden changes that do great vio- 

 lence to the established feelings and usages of 

 men, however Avell intended, are of doubtful utili- 

 ty. Reformers would do well to remember this, 

 if they would not have their work to do over 

 again. 



My dear sir, when I took up my pen, it was 

 with the intention, after a short preamble, to say a 

 few words on another subject ; but I have run on 

 almost unconsciously, until I perceive that it would 

 be quite unconscionable to say more at this time ; 

 and I will close with an intimation, that for the 

 sake of renewing old acquaintance and having a 

 chat with old friends, I may send you now and 

 then a short article, if it will be acceptable. 



Yours, &c, J. n. 



Gloucester, May 24, 1852. 



Remarks. — This communication from an old 

 friend is received in thankfulness — may many oth- 

 ers follow it. We are aware that "all arc not 

 Israel who arc of Israel," and suppose it is so 

 with political parties. They are not all patriots 

 who talk loudly of the virtues of patriotism upon 



