Sl)c iTarmcv's iUontl)!!) lUsitor. 



53 



nmine the iiests,^ wliich it is lier ditty to do every 

 d;iy ut leai^t once, and in tlie allenioon. Tlie 

 lii^hest of these she can reach by standing on a 

 stool, or step-ladder. By this contrivance tlie 

 liens, when desirous of reaching the nests, have 

 no occasion to fly, hut merely to pass (ioin one 

 stick or perch to another. II the size and form 

 of the house permit, a similar construction may 

 be made on the opposite side, care being taken 

 to have an open space in the middle of the room, 

 and a snlliciently wide passage for the attendanl 

 to pass along the walls. It is not at all required 

 to have as many nests as hens, because they have 

 not occasion to occupy them at the same time ; 

 and besides, they are so (iir from having a repug- 

 nance to lay in a common receptacle, that the 

 sight of an egg stimulates them to lay. It is 

 liowever true that the iiiost secluded and darkest 

 nests are those which the hens prefer. 



The nests, if built in the wall, are in tiers from 

 the bottom to the lop, the lowest being about 

 three feet from the ground, and a foot square. If 

 the layiiig-chatiibers consist of wooden boxes, 

 they are nsnally furnished with a ledge which is 

 very convenient for the hens when rising. But 

 the best receptacles for the eggs are those of 

 basket-work, as they are cool in summer, and 

 can easily be washed. They ought to be faslen- 

 ed not directly to tlie wall, as is generally the 

 case, but to boards fixed in it by hooks, well 

 clenched, and with a little roof to cover the rows 

 of basUet.s. They will thus be isolated, to the 

 great satisfaction of the hen, which delights in 

 the absence of all disturbing influences when 

 laying. All the rang<!3of nests should be placed 

 chccipie-wise, in order tliat the inmates, when 

 coining out, may not startle those immediately 

 under. Those designing to hatch should he near 

 the ground (where instinct teaches the ben to 

 choose her seat) and so arranged that the hen 

 can easily enter them without disturbing the 

 eggs, Wheaten or rye straw is the most approv- 

 ed of for the bedding, being cooler than hay, and 

 less subject to produce lice in the hens, which 

 often annoy them." — British American Cultivator. 



From tlie Farmer e Cabinet. 

 Sabsoil Ploughing. 



Subsoil ploughing, which has attracted the al- 

 tention of lininers lor a tt;w years past, and has 

 been attended with successful results, it seems 

 was put in (nactice in Maryland in 18'^, as will 

 appear by the following extract from the Ameri- 

 can Farmer, of April, 18"23 : 



•' This is to eeriily, that in breaking my land 

 for corn last spring, (about (iO acres,) I followed 

 the barshare plough wiih a substratum (subsoil) 

 plough, until 1 had broke about 2.5 acres. I be- 

 lieve the average depth of my ploughing with 

 the barshare was about five inches, and that the 

 substratum plough worked about seven inches 

 deeper in the same furrow — making the whole 

 12 inches deep. That otherwise, in the planting 

 and tillage, the management was just the same, 

 and the land of about equal quality throughout 

 the field. Tliat the corn on that part where the 

 substratum plough was used grew about twelve 

 inches taller, kept its color through the season, 

 and produced at least 50 per cent, more corn. 

 That the corn on the other part of the field suf- 

 fered very much with the drought, and fired 

 considerably. 



JO.^EPH DfXAPLAINE. 



MoiUaiomcnj Co. J\Ll. Feb. 18, 1823." 



It is hoped the above snccessfnl experiment, 

 together with similar results within the last year 

 or two, ill oilier sitnalions, will induce mo|;e liuni- 

 ers to try their bauds at subsoil ploughing the 

 coming spring. The trials, so far as ihey have 

 been heard from, confirm the good results that 

 were aiitii-ipated from stirring the subsoil, with- 

 out bringing it to the surface, as is the case in 

 trench ploughing. The subsoil plough introduc- 

 ed by Prouty, is a very [lerfect agricultural iiii- 

 plemem, and fiilly answers the purj)ose for which 

 it was constructed, lie has them mannliictmed, 

 adapted to one, two or three horses, to suit cir- 

 cumstances. They would be a valuable thing to 

 rouse up a garden with. They are nothing more 

 than a plough willioiit a mould-board, rather nar- 

 rower and higher than a common plough, and 

 can be made by any common plough-makor. 



Qnere.— Would not subsoiling bo capital in 

 potatoo ground ? X. 



Somnambulism. 



This singular aberration from our natural hab- 

 its may be considered an intermediate state be- 

 tween slee|iing and being awake. This infrac- 

 tion of physiologic laws may, therefore, be look- 

 ed upon as a morliid coinlition. Physicians have 

 given it various denominations, founded on its 

 phenomena, nodi-va<j;alio, nocli-surgium, nocti-am- 

 hidatio, somnus viu:iUtns, vigiiia somnans. Soni- 

 namhulism was well known by the ancients; 

 and Arislotle tells lis, " there are individuals who 

 rise in their sleep, and walk about, seeing as 

 clearly as those that are awake." 



Diogenes Laertus slates that Theon the philo- 

 sopher was a sleep-walker. Galen slept whilst 

 on a road ; and pursued his journey until he was 

 awakened by tripping on a stone. Felix Plater 

 fell asleep while playing on the lute; and was 

 only startled from his shimbeis by the fall of the 

 instrument. There is no doubt but that, in som- 

 ambulisi.s, the intellectual functions are not only 

 active, but frequently more developed than when 

 the individuals are awake. Persons in this state 

 have been known to write and correct verses, 

 and .solve difficult problems, which they could 

 not have done at other times. In their actions 

 and locomotion they are more caution.", and fre- 

 qnenlly more dexterous, than when awake. They 

 have been known to saddle and bridle horses, 

 alter having dressed themselves; put on boots 

 and spurs, and afterwards tide considerable dis- 

 tances flom home, ami back again. A sleep- 

 walker wandering abroad in winter, complained 

 of being frozen, and asked for a glass of brandy ; 

 but expressed violent anger, on being oflered a 

 glass of water. The celebrated sect of Tremblers, 

 in the Cevennes motmtains, used to rove about 

 in their sleep; and, although badly acquainted 

 with the French language, expressed themselves 

 clearly, ami put up prayers in that tongue, instead 

 of the Latin Pattr and Credo, which they had 

 been tanglil. A singular phenomenon, in some 

 cases, of this affection, is that of walking about 

 without groping, whether the eyelids are closed 

 or open. Somnaiiibulistn has been known to be 

 hereditary. Horstiiis mentions three brothers 

 who were affected with it at the same period. 

 Willis knew a whole family subject to it. It is 

 not generally known that the subject of the 

 French dramatic piece called "La Soinnambule" 

 was founded on fact. 



The faculty of conversing in a state of som- 

 nambulism is too well authenticated to be doubt- 

 ed, although, in many instances, it was a fradii- 

 lent trick of animal magnetism. This singular 

 power has been recorded by several of the an- 

 cient writers, many of whom pretended that di- 

 vine inspirations illumined the sleepers. Cicero 

 tells us that when the Lacediemonian magistrates 

 were embarrassed in their administration, they 

 went to sleep in the temple of Pasipha', thus 

 named from Pasiphainein, or "communicative to 

 all." Stiaho mentions a cavern sacred to Pluto 

 and .Inno, where the sick came to consult sleep- 

 ing priests. Aristides is said to have delivered 

 his opinion whilst fast asleep in the temple of 

 -i3scuhipius. It would be endless to quote all 

 the authorities on this subject. Modern mag- 

 netisers, however, outstrip the ancients in the 

 wonders lliey relate in regard to somnambnlent 

 faculties developed by magnetism. In 182!), Clo- 

 quet, a very distinguished Parisian surgeon, ns- 

 sisted by Dr. Chepelain, removed the cancerous 

 breast of a lady in her magnetic sleep, during 

 which she continued her conversation, uncon- 

 scious of the opeiation, wliich lasted twelve 

 minutes. 



The faciilly of seeing through the clo.sed eye- 

 lids, was Hilly substantiated iii the presence of a 

 commission of investigation appointeil by the 

 Academy of Medicine of Paris, and in the pres- 

 ence of fifteen persons. They found a soniimm- 

 bnlist, of the name of Paid, to all iqqiearance 

 tiist asleep. On being requested to rise and ap- 

 proach the window, he complied immediately. 

 Mis eyes were then covered in such manner as 

 not to awaken him ; and a pack of cards having 

 been sliiit>led by several persons, he recognised 

 them without the slightest hesitation. Watches 

 were then shown him, and he named the hour 

 and minute, though the hands were repeatedly 

 altered. A book was then presented to him, (it 

 happened to be a colleciion of" operas.) and he 

 read Cantor el instead of Caslnr cl Polh'r, Tragc- 

 dif Tji/rirpic. .\ volume of Horace was then sub- 



mitted to him, but, not knowing Latin, he return- 

 ed it, saying, " this is some church book." Tlie 

 celebrated Dr. Broussais laid before the same 

 .somnambulist a letter he had drawn from his 

 pocket ; and, tu his utter surprise, he read the 

 fir.st lines; the doctor then wrote a kw words on 

 a piece of paper in very small characters, which 

 the somnambulist also read with the utmost fa- 

 cility. I5ut what was still more singular, when 

 letters or books were applied to his breast, or be- 

 tween the shoulders, h(^ also perused them with 

 equal accuracy and ease. In one instance, tho 

 cpieen of clubs was presented to his back ; after 

 a moment's hesitation, he said, " This is a club — 

 the nine;" he was informed that he was in error, 

 when he recovered himself, and said, " No, 'tis 

 the queen." A ten of spades was then applied, 

 when he hastily exclaimed, " At any rate, this is 

 not a court-card; it is the ten-of-spades." 



The many astute tricks played by animal inag- 

 nelisers, and frequently detected, naturally in- 

 duced most persons to doubt the veracity of 

 these experiments; but when we fin<l they were 

 witnessed by seventy-eight medical men, most of 

 them decidedly hostile to magnetism, and sixty- 

 three intelligent individnuls not belonging to the 

 profession, and in every respect disinterested, 

 what are we to say ? — perhaps exclaim with 

 Hamlet, 



" There are more tilings in fieaven and eartli, Horatio, 

 Tfian are dreamt of in your ptiilosopliy I" 



Dr. Millingen. 



Gentle Means the Best. — The best tamer 

 of colts that was ever known in Massachusetts, 

 never allowed whip or spur to be used; and the 

 horses he trained never needed the whip. Their 

 sjiirits were tmbroken by severity, and they obey- 

 ed the slighest impulse of the voice or rein with 

 the most animated promplitiide. He said it was 

 with hor.ses as with children — if accustomed to 

 beating, they would not obey without it. But if 

 managed with untiring gentleness, united with 

 consistent and very equable firmness, the victory 

 once gained over them was cained forever. 



In the face of all these facts, the world goes 

 on inanufiictnring whips, spurs, gallows, and 

 chains ; while each one carries within his own 

 sonl a divine substitute for these devil's inven- 

 tions, with which he might work miracles, in- 

 ward and outward, if he would. — .V. Y. A. S. 

 Standard. 



For the Farmer's Monthly Visitor. 

 The Potatoe Root. 

 This vegetable, now so indispensable at our ta- 

 bles, has been in use less than three hundred 

 years. It resulted from the discovery of America, 

 as it was unknown to Europeans prior to that 

 time, and it was a long time after that event be- 

 fore it was either known or noticed. All vegeta- 

 bles as well as fruits are changed by culture; 

 some of them to such an extent as to almost de- 

 part from the identity of the original, and most 

 of them as to retain only a resemblance in kind 

 rather than in appearance. This is said to have 

 been the fact w itii the potatoe. Like the ground 

 nut it was indigenous to South Ameri'-a, in a 

 temperate climate, where the roots of the growth 

 of summer were not killeil by the frost of the 

 following winter, and where in this way only or 

 by the seeds from the balls the plant was con- 

 tinued. Under these circumstances the roots 

 must have been small in size, growing as they 

 did upon the same spot from year to year, anil 

 with no encouragement from the hand of culti- 

 vation. In this condition the potatoe was noticed 

 by the botanist of that day ; and observing that 

 the tinlives used the root when washed as food, it 

 was taken and carried to England. Here it was 

 slow, very slow in its progress to public estima- 

 tion. Like tobacco in this respect, but unlike it 

 in every other, the prudent and wary refrained 

 lest there should be something pernicious in this 

 new article of liiod, that required only time to 

 develope itself, upon the human system. Like, 

 however, the deeds of a good man, what was 

 gained was not lost ; the root produced moi e and 

 more from year to year, and those who used it 

 grew more and more fiind of it. It was especial- 

 ly deemed valuable to accompany the gross and 

 harsh fboil of salted provisions. It also bat! 

 medicinal properties claimed for it, that for a time 

 no doubt produced customers, such as have since 

 become fond of the tomato under the idliiiing 



