48 



^l)C iTarmcr's itTontl)lii llisitor. 



own raiiihies in the State of Maine, are continued 

 in this nnmber,anrl (•ontiniie to he as interestinj; as 

 ever, and they show «hal a vast amount of in- 

 formation can he jraincd hy one in travelling in 

 tlie different States, who gives his whole atten- 

 tion to the cause of Agriculture and to the hap- 

 ))iness of mankind. Since we liave read the 

 V'isitor we have lieen more than ever convinced, 

 that the farmers of cold am! "sterile" New Hamp- 

 shire and Maine are ahout, if not <jiii;e as well off 

 as those of old Connecticut, who live farther 

 south. In fact, we would say to our farmers, both 

 old and young, that instead of leaving our own 

 native soil, and looking with an anxious eye to- 

 wards the rolling Prairie of the '• far West," we 

 ■would say to one anil all, slick to our New Eng- 

 land soil. And now, Mr. Editor, if you think 

 these few "notices" worth noticing, you can pub- 

 lish them in your valuable Visitor. 

 Yours truly, 



■ L. DURAND. 

 Derby, Conn., March 24, 1 84.'3. 



they lay down in a circle, their heads being ar- 

 ranged toward the circumference, as if to Ijjce a 

 common danger. 



The darkness influenced eveu'the smallest an- 

 imals. M. Fraissc observed a number of mice 

 which were luniiing briskly, became suddenly 

 still when the eclipse began. 



For the Farmer's ISIonthly Visitor. 

 Tools, <fcc. 

 In the winter, and in rainy, weather, old and 

 successful farmers look to their tools, and put 

 them in order for use, and in place. Tools kept 

 in good order last longer and of course accom- 

 plish more than those that are unattended to. — 

 When the season for using them has arrived, and 

 the we&ther pro|)itious, how much finie is lost if 

 they require grinding or mending. " Time is 

 money," says the great Franklin, and many oth- 

 ers, and there is a great difierence in the value 

 of time. If our seed is sown in season, the har- 

 vest secured in season, why, we have the fruits 

 of oiu' labor. But if the harness is to be mend- 

 ed, and the plough shirpened before we begin, 

 half the day or more is spent in preparing, when 

 we should have been ploughing, and the rain 

 may catch us before we arc ready, and here is 

 the first loss. 1 hen we have to prepare our tools 

 when the harvest is ready, and great loss is sus- 

 tained in not getting it cut in time or secured. — 

 Almost every farmer has experienced the loss 

 that arose from want of care to be prepared in 

 time. One hour earlier in the liay field, and the 

 hay would not have been overtaken by the storm, 

 that half mined it, and made the horses sick into 

 the bargain. There is no better lime to do things 

 tlian the earliest time. It may do in diplomacy 

 in the affairs of nations to postpone to to-inor- 

 row that which can be done to-day ; this is said 

 to have been the motto of Tallyraml, the great 

 minister of Napoleon — he never did to-day that 

 which could wait till to-morrow; and that may 

 be from the great truth that irien are governed too 

 nuich, and that in laws or conventions it is often 

 better to do nothing than what is frerpiently 

 done. But this will not do in laney ; we must be 

 up and doing, "and he that by the plough would 

 thrive, himself must either hold or drive ;" it is 

 better to be too soon than too late, and it is pru- 

 dent and wise not oidy to be all ready with onr 

 bowls up when it rains porridge, but to have them 

 well shaped so that we may catch our fidl share. 

 Our farming tools are of an excellent kind, and 

 if we apply ourselves the soil will repay our ef- 

 forts, and if we keep steadily lo our purjiose, and 

 avoid debt in these hard times, we shall he able 

 to grq£t the next tliaid\sgiviiig with a new coat, a 

 good dinner, and above all, a gratelid heart. P. 



Influence of Solar Eclipses on Animals. 

 ■ — i\l. Arago, in his account to the Acadeiijy of 

 Sciences of the solar eclipse of 8lh July last, 

 stated that he had often heanl accounts of birds 

 dying from the mere influence of an eclipse of 

 the sun ; but could scaicely credit (he siateinent, 

 as they could only die from fear; and the dis- 

 cliarge of a gnn ought to frighten them nmcb 

 more, and yet it is certain that it does not kill 

 them, unless they are actually hit. One of M. 

 Arago's friends nuiile the follow iug experiment : 

 He ]. laced five limiets in a cage : they w<'re lively 

 and active, and fi>d U[) to the moment of the 

 eclipse: when the eclipse bad terminated three 

 "of them were dead. 



A dog was kefit lasting from moriuug; inurie- 

 diately before the eclijipe he was offered food and 

 fell on it greedily ; but w hen the dnsk couunQiic- 

 ed he suddenly ceased eating. 



The horned cattle in the fields seemed affected 

 with a kind of vague lerrni-; during the eclipse 



F'or the Farmer's Monthly Visitor. 

 Lime. 

 If any one doubts the paramount benefits of 

 this article in any soil or situation, let him try 

 half an acre, lime it well, and we think that in 

 four or five years he will extend the application. 

 One well done is forever done with this great 

 fertilizer. Who ever saw the ruins of a house, 

 where the plastering and mortar is found, hut 

 has seen the rich strong gr.-iss, at all seasoii.s, wet 

 and dry? What produces this? The fertility 

 that gathers to the residence of man cannot thus 

 last. Can it be any other than the lime in the 

 mortar? Lime acts more decisively upon some 

 soils than upon others, but limestone land is ever 

 fertile wherever found, and where it is deficient, 

 if we add it, it will remain. It seems to act in the 

 manures as a kind of condiment, preparing them 

 for the appetites of the plants. A small por- 

 tion of lime or alkaline matter is found in all veg- 

 etables, grasses and trees ; lime supplies this, and 

 hence the vigorous growth wherever it is found. 

 It is much more advantageous to double the pro- 

 duce of one acre, than to work two acres for the 

 same return. Let ns try this article. If we see 

 no marked advantage the first year, and but little 

 the second, doubt not: tor it reciiures time to get 

 this material fairly under way. But when it does 

 act, its operation is steady and durable, and an- 

 nually returns the cost of the application. F. 



Rebellious Hens. 



A neighbor of ours states that hog's lard is 

 the best thing be can find to mix with the dough 

 he gives to his hens. He says one cut of this fat, 

 as large as a walnut, will set a hen to laying im- 

 mediately after she has been broken up from her 

 setting; and thus his hens lay through the whole 

 winter. Will some more experimenters try the 

 virtue of hog's lard ? — Massachitsetis Ploughman. 



Professor Jackson has presented to the Nation- 

 al Institute at Washington, an ingot of pure tin, 

 from a lot of ore discovered by hiin in Jackson, 

 N. H. The compact tin ore of this tnine yields 

 73 per cent, of pure tin. 



We believe the tin ore at Jackson is the first 

 discovery of the kind in the United States. 



Constitution and Gnerriere. 



To the Editor of the Pennsylvanian : 



DfAR Sir : — Since the death of my late esteemed 

 tViend. Commodore Hull, tlie periodicals of the day seem 

 to vie with eacli other as to \vhich siiall give to tlie late 

 veteran, that praise to which his chivalrous and meritori- 

 ous achievements, due to his memory, and fully acknowl- 

 edged by the country, entitle him from a grateful and free 

 people. His capture of that noble frigate the Guerriere, 

 which vessel came out from Halifax fully prepared for 

 action, cannot be too highly appreciated, more especially 

 when It is considered, that it was the Jirst contest with 

 the enemy since war was declared, and near one-third 

 of the crew of the Constitution were foreigners, born 

 under the pr'jtection of a flag, which was now seen for 

 the first time iloating in the breeze in proud defiance of 

 the stars and stripes under which they h.id so recently 

 sworn allegiance. This circumstance weighed strongly 

 on the inmd of Commodore Hull as the Constitution was 

 preparing for battle, and although the men were active and 

 quick in obeying the hurried orders of their officers, and 

 seemed impatient for The order to bear down for the ene- 

 my, vet, the mind of Commotlore Hull fcwas still under 

 the niost painful an.xiety and doubts, as lo the aliejis on 

 board proving faithful in the expected battle, nur were 

 his doubts fully luik-d on this subject, and at this must 

 important crisis, until the first Lieutenant (Morris) np- 

 pr.iached, to say, the ship was ready for action. The 

 time had now come to test the fidelity of his men, and to 

 relieve his intense anxiety. The order ^vas passed to 

 bear down ti:tr the enemy, at the same moment, as the 

 noble frigate fibeyed her helm and came round majestically 

 with her head tu'the foe, and the stars and stripes were 

 thrown to llie breeze from the mizen peak, at that insfiiit 

 three deafening huzzas resounded through the ship from 

 her gallant crew. The sudden and une.xpected shout 

 of allegiance to the flag and proud defiance lo the ap- 

 proaching enemy, so thrilled through the heart of the 

 Commodore, that he could no longer subdue his hitherto 

 pent up feelings. He thanked his God, turned his lace 

 toward the lafl'rail, and gave vent to his feelings in tears 

 of joy. At that momen't, as he inlormed me (on relating 

 the iccnunt of the battle) he felt sure of victory, and, 

 continued the Commtdnre, had the Guerriere proved a 

 Lint of Battle Ship, 1 ivonid not have shown her the 

 stem of Old Trontides. Ho.ung the above may add to 



the already high encomiums on the character of the late 

 gallant Hull; 



I am in haste, and with the highest respect vour obedi- 

 ent servant, JOHiN H. SHERBURNE, 



Circumstantial t^viDEScE. — The Manchester Cou- 

 rier supplies an addition to the list of cases which prove 

 the terrible risk of actinu on circumstantial evidence. 

 On the 26th April, 1817, Margaret Marsden, aged Ih, 

 housekeeper to Mr. Litllewood, a gr'icer in Salford, and 

 Hannah Partington, aged 20, his servant, were found bru- 

 tally murdered at his house in Pendleton, and cash and 

 properly to the amount of more than £160 were stolen. 

 From various circumstances of strong suspicion, five men, 

 named James Ashcrolt, the elder, David Ashcroft, James 

 Ashcroft, the younger, William Holdcn and John Robin- 

 son, were apprehended, and tried at Lancaster, before 

 Baron Richards, at the .\ugust assizes, Friday, September 

 5th, 1317. Although not direct, the evidence was strong- 

 ly circumstantial, and the jury found the three .^shcrofis 

 and William Holden guilty, but acquitted Robinson, On 

 the follo\k'ing Monday (September 8tli) the Ashcrofts and 

 Holden were executed ; but every one of them, "calling 

 their God to witness," died protesting their innocence 

 and singing a hymn. Nevertheless, the public were per- 

 fectly satisfied of their guill, about which there never 

 seemed to be a doubt, until Thursday, Ihe 9lh inst., when 

 an old man. aged 74, named John Holden, (the uncle, we 

 believe, of the man who was hung,) living at a very dis- 

 reputable place called Fgypt, on the road between Leigll 

 and Chowbent, finding himself on the point of death, 

 confessed to two women whom he called lo the bedside 

 for the purpose, that /tp was the perpetrator of the mur- 

 der referred to, but that he did not commit the robbery. 

 On the following day he died. 



THE MARKETS. 



DOMESTIC MARKETS. 



New York Market, March 29. — .\shes — Both 

 sorts remain dull ; slow sales of Pots at JJ5 12^ ; Pearls 

 held at ^6 75. Cotton — There is not so much activity 

 within a day or two. The market, however, is very firm j 

 sales aboutUOO bales a day ; Uplands, i| a f,| ; Mobiles 

 and New Orleans 5 a 7^c. Provisions — The market for 

 new Pork is diill ; sales of Ohio new at S8 25; old ^7 75 ; 

 Prime is in more demand than Mess ; sales of old at J^5 75 

 a g5 81 ; new J^6 87A a $1. Beef is in fair demand; 

 country mess JJG 62f a ,$6 75 j city 7 ; prime $iZl^ a 

 ^4 50; city §4 75 a ,^5. Lard is rather quiet; steady 

 sales of Western at $o^ a ,g5^. Smoke Hams 6^ a 7^0 ; 

 Shouldetk 3c. Smoked Beef 6 a 6^c. Seeds— 150 tierces 

 rough Flax-seed sold at ^9 for crushing; but little doing 

 in Timothy ; sales at ,gl6. drain — There is nothing do- 

 ing in Wheal, and none here tor sale ; last sales at 90c. 

 Rye is scarce ; sales to arrive at 56c. Oats scarce ; North- 

 ern 33 a3!c. But little Corn here ; sales at 50 a 53c. em- 

 bracing measure and weight. Flour — Holders of Genesee 

 all ask ^3, and sales are made at that. No New Orleans 

 afloat; irom the store it is selling at ;J4 75. Southern of 

 the common qualities is selling at ^4 25. .Oils — Within 

 a few days two parcels have been sold — 2200 bbls. Whale 

 and 400 Northwest coast — at 3Ic. Sales of English Lin- 

 seed at 90, and American at 85 a 88c. Hemp — Sales of 

 Manilla at ^130. 



BOSTON MARKET— March 28,1843. 



GR.\1N — Corn, southern, 49 to 52 els. ; Northern, 55 to 

 57 ; Northern Rye, 58 a GO ; Southern Rye, .35 ; Southern 

 Oats, 27 a 29; Northern Oats, 30 a 31 ; Beans, bushel, 1 

 a 1 62. 



FLOUR— Baltimore, Howard St., ,94 12 a 4 25 ; Phila- 

 delphia, 4 12J ; Fredericksburg, 4 12.j ; Georgetown, 4 25 

 a 4 37; Richmond, 4 25 ; Petersburg, i 75 ; Genesee, 4 81 

 a525; Ohio, 475; Indian meal,bbl. 2 75 a g3. 



HOPS— Per lb. 10 a 12. , 



HAV— Perton, 10 a g^^- 



EGGS— Per doz., 16 a 18 els. 



PROVISIONS— Beef. Mess, per bbl. K4 50 a 8 ; Pork, 

 6 00 a 1 1 ; Butter, lb. 9 a 17 : Lard, G ; wfins, 7 ; Cheese, 

 3 a 6. 



WOOL— Prime or Saxonv. per lb. 35 a 37; Am. full 

 blood. 32a33; J blood, 32 ;'.i blood, 28 a 30 ; :' and com, 

 25 a27 ; Smyrna, washed, 20 a 23 ; do. un^vashed, 10 a 

 13; Bengasi, 8 a 10 ; Buenos Ayres, 7a 10; Superfine 

 mrthern pulled lamb, 26 a 30 ; No. 1, do. 23 a 25; No. 2, 

 (lb. 15 a 20. 



NEW YORK C.\^TTLE MARKET— .March 27. 



At market, 000 Beeves, (650 from Pennsylvania,) 100 

 Cows and Calves, and 300 Sheep. 



Prices — Beef Cattle. — The advance of last week is 

 fully sustained, and we quote to correspond. Ret-iiling 

 Cattle ,95 75 a 6 75, with a very few exlr.i at 57; inferior 

 to fair S3 50 a 4 75. 100 unsold. 



Cows AND Calves- Sales of 90 at $\b a 20 t:. jJ25 a 

 30. 



Sheep— All at market taken at .^fl 25 a 2 25 lo ^3 50i 

 6 50 for a few extra Wethers, 



BRIGHTON MARKET— Mo-NDAV, March 27, 1843. 

 Reported for the Boston Daily .VUvertiser. 



At market, 475 Beef Cattle, and 870 Swine. 50 Beef 

 Cattle unsold. 



Prices — Beef Cattle — The prices obtained last week 

 fora like quality were hardly sustained. .\ small num- 

 ber extra at ,§5 12 a ,§525. First quality. S4 75 a ,95 ; 

 second quality, g4 25 a ,9450; third quality, iJ3 75 a 

 S4 25. 



Sheep. — IS' one at market. 



Sivine. — A lot to peddle prime quality. 4c for Sows, 

 and 5c for barrows; also, lots at 3j and 4^c. .\ lot old 

 Hogs 4^c. At retail from 4A to 6c. 



