1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FAEMER. 



419 



has become intelligible to all who have attended 

 to the subject. But without a personal knowledge 

 of these kindred sciences, a competent knowledge 

 of geology may be easily obtained. By examina- 

 tion and careful observation, the different kinds of 

 soil may be easily distinguished and well under- 

 stood by farmers, at least for all practical purposes, 

 without their being able to make an accurate and 

 critical analysis of all their different constituent 

 properties. And it is this practical knowledge 

 which is most needed by farmers. They have not 

 time, the means, or the ability, to analyze, with 

 any degree of exactness, all the different kinds of 

 soil which they cultivate. But they have tlie time, 

 the means and the abihty, to examine them care- 

 fully, to note their differences, and to distinguish 

 accurately many of their peculiar })roperties. 



But it may be asked, what is the use of this 

 study? What is all this knowledge good for? 

 What practical purpose can it subserve ? It is a 

 sufficient answer to these inquiries to say, that it 

 has its uses. Besides those of an outward and 

 practical character, relating to the business of this 

 world, it has a mighty influence on the intellect, 

 the heart and the life. Whatever study tends to 

 raise our minds to the Supreme Ruler of the uni- 

 verse — to exj/and our views of his infinite knowl- 

 edge and wisdom— to excite our gratitude and ad- 

 miration — to guard us against erroneous concep- 

 tions of his cliaracter and providence — and to fur- 

 nish us with the means of intellectual and moral 

 improvement, must always be useful, and answer a 

 valuable purpose. John Goldsbury. 



"WEALTH OF THE BRITISH AEISTOC- 



EACY. 



In evidence of the wealth amassed by ancient fam- 

 ilies, the traveller is shown the palaces in Piccadilly, 

 Burlington House, Devonshire House, Lansdowne 

 House in Berkshire Square, and, lower down in the 

 city, a few noble houses which still withstand in all 

 their amplitude the enroachment of streets. The 

 Duke of Bedford includes or included a mile square 

 in the heart of London, where the British Museum, 

 once Montague House, now stands, and the land 

 occupied by Woburn Square, Bedford Square, Rus- 

 sell Square. The Marquis of Westminster built 

 within a few years the series of squares called Bel- 

 gravia. Stafford House is the noblest palace in 

 London. Northumberland House holds its place 

 by Charing Cross. Chesterfield House remains in 

 Audley Street. Sion House and Holland House 

 are i:i the suburbs. But most of the historical hous- 

 es are masked or lost in the modern uses to which 

 trade or charity has converted them. A multitude 

 of town i)alaccs contain inestimal)le galleries of art. 



In the country, the size of private estates is more 

 impressive. From Barnard Castle, I rode on to the 

 highv.-ay twenty-three miles from High Force, a fall 

 of the Tees, towards Darlington, past Raby Castle, 

 through the estate of the Duke of Cleveland. The 

 Marquis of Breadalbane rides out of his house a 

 hundred miles in a straight line to the sea, on his 

 own property. The Duke of Sutherland owns the 

 county of Sutherland, stretching across Scotland 

 from sea to sea. The Duke of ] )evonshire, besides 

 his other estates, owns 90,000 acres in the county 

 of Derby. The Duke of Riclimond has 40,000 

 acres at "Goodwood, and 300,000 at Gordon Castle. 

 The Duke of Norfolk's park in Sussex, is fifteen 



miles in circuit. An agriculturist bought lately the 

 island of Lewes, in Hebrides, containing 500,000 

 acres. The possessions of the Earl of Lonsdale 

 gave him eight seats in Parliament. This is the 

 Heptarchy again ; and before the Reform of 1832, 

 one hundred and fifty-four persons sent three hun- 

 dred and seven members to Parliament. The 

 borough-mongers governed England. 



These large domains are growing larger. The 

 great estates are absorbing the small freeholds. 

 In 17S6, the soil of England was owned by 200,000 

 corporations and proprietors; and, in 1822, by 

 32,000. These t)road estates find room on this nar- 

 row island. All over England, scattered at short 

 intervals among ship-yards, mills, mines and for- 

 ges, are the paradises of the noble, where the live- 

 long repose and refinement are heightened by the 

 contrast with the roar of industry and necessity, out 

 of which you have stepped aside. — R. JV. Emerson's 

 English Travels. 



For the New England Farmer. 



A WOED OF CATJTIOlir. 



For ten or twelve years I have been in the habit 

 — till last year — of purchasing trees, shrubs, Sec, 

 at Hyde's, or Winship's, near Boston ; and have 

 seldom, if ever, had reason to regret. 



But last year, a gentlemanly-looking man calhng 

 himself Stevens, came along, and said he Avas mak- 

 ing arrangements to supply ray neighbors and the 

 ])ublic generally with trees, &c., from Flushing, L. I. 

 On inquiry if tlie establishment at F. with which 

 he was connected, was the one that, a few years 

 ago, had a branch estabhshment at Brighton, he 

 said yes. On the strength of that assurance, and 

 that of one of my neighbors who knew him, that 

 he had a good reputation, I made a few purchases, 

 and among the rest engaged some buckthorn for a 

 hedge at an extra price, because, as he assured 

 me, they were of extra size. The trees were to be 

 delivered at the Auburndale depot in October. 



On meeting with Mr. Breck, of Boston, in the 

 cars, some little time afterwards, and telling him 

 what I had done, he smiled, and asked me why I 

 did not purchase of him, or of somebody with 

 whom I was acquainted, rather than of strangers, 

 and said, that though he knew nothing of Mr. S. in 

 particular, yet one was very apt, in these circum- 

 stances, to get bitten. 



Subsequent to the first engagement I changed 

 my order somewhat, requesting a few new trees, 

 and a reduction of the buckthorn from one thou- 

 sand to eight hundred and fifty. 



When the trees arrived in October at Auburn- 

 dale, our bills came with them, in the name of 

 Messrs. Parsons & Co., of Flushing— Mr. Stevens 

 being their agent — accompanied by a request that 

 we would pay them at the depot. I paid mine at 

 once, but finding from the bill that while the addi- 

 tions I requested had been made, the subtractions 

 had been forgotten, I asked for a reduction of the 

 price ; accordingly, a few shillings were allowed, 

 and Mr. S. promised to come around and see me 

 further by-and-byc. I saw him about half an horn- 

 afterwards, but as I expected he would call at my 

 house, the final adjustment was not made. 



When I came to unbind my parcels in order to 

 set them, I found to my great mortification, that 

 besides other mistalces, some small buckthorn, 

 worth here and at Flushing only $10 a thousand, 



