74 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Feb. 



For the New England Farmer. 



CLIMATE MAKES THE PEOPLE. 



Messrs. Editors: — In passing through one of 

 our American cities, especially the more southern 

 ones, the traveller will be struck with the great va- 

 riety of features he meets with in the streets ; he 

 ■will see every hue of complexion, from the ebony 

 to the pallid white, as well as every degree of ugU- 

 ness in features and form, up to fine symmetry and 

 beauty ; on inquiry, he will find that every nation 

 on the globe has its representitives among the busy 

 throng, which, rushing through the streets, pass 

 each other unnoticed ; also he will find the darkest 

 colored ones are Africans, or descendants of Afri- 

 cans, from the hottest climate in the world, where 

 the white race cannot propagate, and the others 

 from climates corresponding to their complexions. 

 The Africans show the effects the torrid climate 

 they occupy has upon them, by their dark skins 

 and frizzled hair which grows from their heated 



The weather of the southern climes operates up- 

 on the natives like an anodyne, and by its debili- 

 tating effects unnerves them from undertaking mer- 

 cantile or warhke expeditions in foreign lands, 

 like the roving, restless, go-ahead people of the 

 North, where the climate has fitted them with an 

 instinct for rambling enterprises, and a curiosity to 

 see "all the kingdoms of the woi'ld and the glory of 

 them." The climate makes a difference in the peo- 

 ple of our owa country. AVe hear of the hardy 

 sons of Maine entering the forests of the South and 

 selecting and felling their better oaks for naval pur- 

 poses, then transporting them home to be formed 

 into ships, thence sent back again to the original 

 owners of the forests to transport their rice and cot- 

 ton to market. Why not build their vessels at 

 home, without so much expense ? The want of 

 elasticity in the climate produces languor and a 

 want of energy to accomplish such work. The peo- 

 ple of southern latitudes can boast of their heroic 

 exploits in war with nations enfeebled by climate 



skulls. They, like the inhabitants of all warm cli-jlike themselves, but how easily, generally, is their 



mates, naturally feel that languor and lassitude 

 which produces a dread of labor, and like savages, 

 live on the spontaneous productions of the earth, 

 and what chance throws in their way. The inhab- 

 itants of the south of Europe, the warmer parts of 

 North and South America, Syria, and many other 

 portions of the globe, from the same cause, lack 

 that energy which is necessary to excel in agricul- 

 ture, and if we may credit travellers, they are far 

 behind the people in temperate latitudes in all that 

 pertains to neatness, convenience, improvements in 

 agriculture, and gardening, and, rather than stren- 

 uously assert their rights, tamely submit to the dic- 

 tation and oppression of the most odious tyrants. 

 The tendency of warm climates upon the constitu- 

 tion of man, is to lessen the energy of the physical 

 faculties, and produce a sensitive irascibility, espec- 

 ially among the people of the United States, which 

 is not always kept under that prudent control 

 ■which would give the greater lustre to the char- 

 acter of the gentleman. The true determinate spir- 

 it of Hberty never can be extinguished in the minds 

 of the people of the temperate cUmates who have 

 once enjoyed it. History tells us of the struggle 

 between this and the mother country of a like peo- 

 ple, which lasted for years, and subjugation ■vvas 

 abandoned in despair. 



Now let us ■view the contending nations of Eu- 

 rope, in a war between people of a like climate, of 

 like knowledge, and a like determination of charac- 

 ter and purpose, 'and who can help shuddering at 

 consequences, that has not been familiar with atroc- 

 ities. The struggle between such people bodes 

 nothing short of a prolonged disastrous war ; 

 "where reason to restrain" is out of the question, 

 and the unbridled passions of such people, let loose 

 upon each other, -what have we reason to expect 

 but consequences of the most fearful kind ? Here 

 are people, equally yoked, contending; not the 

 white man with the crouching black, modified by 

 climate to become the supple slave, but people by 

 reputation highly civiHzed and advanced in the im- 

 provement in every art relating to peace or war, 

 and unless the spirit of the God of peace shall op- 

 erate upon the minds of the people of those nations, 

 to induce them to stay the improved diabolical mis- 

 siles of destruction, the present winter, death and 

 carnage will claim their \'ictims in unprecedented 

 slaughter. 



renowned valor and fight bragging put to check 

 by a nation from the bracing skies of the North. 

 Thus we see the people of the North more hardy 

 laborers, more powerful warriors, more industrious 

 farmers and mechanics, more enterprising mer- 

 chants, and certainly, on an equality, if nothing 

 more, as literary characters and statesmen. 

 Wilmington, Mass., 1855. Silas Brown. 



THE 



OLD OXEN. 



nearly 20 



A yoke of oxen, nearly 20 years old, were 

 slaughtered by Madison Tuck, of Hallowell, on 

 Wednesday, the 14th inst., (Nov.) an account of 

 which may not be uninteresting, as they have been 

 noticed by the press several times heretofore. 



They were raised and kept on the same farm 

 during their lifetime, and were, in course, the prop- 

 erty of three successive generations. They were 

 originally owned by Dea. Joseph French, of Ches- 

 terville, himself one of the pioneers of that region ; 

 were nearly 6 years old at the time of his death, 

 and outlived him fourteen years. From him they 

 descended to his son Isaac French, by whom, in 

 connection with his son E. R. French, they were 

 owned till the time they ■were driven to the mar- 

 ket. 



The latter, when a boy of eight years old, used 

 to yoke the then year old calves, hitch them to his 

 hand-sled, and drive about the barn-yard, and up 

 and down the road, and has driven them more or 

 less ever since. 



They were calved the 7th and 14th of February, 

 1836, and consequently were 19 years and 9 months 

 old at the time they were killed. They were what 

 is called high-strung, high-mettled steers, hard to 

 break, but when once broken, tractable and kind to 

 labor, quick in their movements, and ready in an 

 instant when the word was given. They were be- 

 low the medium size, not girting 7 feet till some 12 

 or 15 years old, yet strong ; the nigh one in partic- 

 ular never failing, when put to it, to either open his 

 yoke or break his bow if the load did not go ; thus 

 breaking 6 yokes and several bows in 3 consecutive 

 years. 



The amount of labor they performed ■was im- 

 mense. They have been from Chesterville to the 

 Kennebec with masts, spars, or other ship timber, 

 345 times, averaging 50 miles to a trip, besides 



