304 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



APRIL, 2, 183*. 



MISCELLANY. 



From the Collegian. 

 THE HEIGHT OP THE RIDICULOUS. 



I wrote some lines once on a lime 



In wondrous merry mood, 

 Anil thought, as usual men would say 



They were exceeding good. 



They were so queer, so very queer, 



I laughed as I would die, 

 Albeit in the general way 



A sober man am I. 



I called my servant and he came — 



How kind it was ol" him 

 To mind a luile man like me, 



He of the mighty limb ! 



" These to the printer," I exclaimed ; 



And in my humorous way 

 I added — for I love a joke — 



" There 'II be the devil to pay." 



He laughed — your footmen always laugh 



When masters make a pun ; 

 And well he might — I've Hied enough, 



And never made but one. 



He look the paper and I watched 



And saw him peep within; 

 At the first line he read, his face 



Was all upon a grin. 



He read the next, the grin grew broad 



And shot from ear to ear ; 

 He read the third, a chuckling noise 



I now began to hear. 



The fourth — he broke into a roar, 



The fifth — his waistband split; 

 The sixih — he burst five buttons off 



And tumbled in a fit. 



Ten days and nights with sleepless eye 



I watched thai wretched man. 

 And since I never dared to write 



As funny as I can. 





THE MIRROR AND THE WINDOW PANE. 

 A mirror and a window pane were once des- 

 perately enamoured of a beautiful young girl, who 



had been brought up without ever seeing herself 

 either in the gilnssy surface of the stream, or the 

 polished looking glass. They agreed to refer their 

 claims to her decision. The innocent damsel first 

 looked through the pane of glass on one of the 

 most lovely prospects of nature. Rich meadows, 

 spotted with sheep and cattle, copses of wood 

 whose fleecy foliage as it waved to and fro in 

 the sweet south breeze, presented, endless varie- 

 ties of sprightly green ; little; brooks stealing their 

 way in a thousand devious meand'erings through 

 the grass and flowers ; hills arising gently one 

 above another in graceful lines of beauty, until 

 they ended iu a cloud capt mountain, whose soli 

 azure tints blended harmoniously with the skies, 

 all mingled together in nature's matchless harmo- 

 ny, presented a scene of enchanting beauty. 



^he gazed so long at this landscape, that the 

 mirror began to imagine it was all over with it, 

 and turned dim with envy. At last the damsel 

 placed herself before it, and became riveted to the 

 spot enamored of the angel she saw reflected there. 

 She beheld in its pure bosom a figure graceful as 

 the sportive kitten ; eyes that sparkled like jewels ; 

 lips like twin cherries ; cheeks showing the open- 

 ing roses ; teeth of pearl; and neck and bosom of 

 3tio w. She stood motionless with admiration, and 

 when called upon for a decision between the ri- 



val glasses, blushed and was silent. But from that 

 day it was observed, that the window pane, was 

 deserted fur the mirror, and the former at length 

 broke its heart in despair. 



LUMINOUS PLANTS. 



l.\ the case of the rhizomorphte there can be no 

 mistake. These curious plants air found in subter- 

 ranean cellars and mines, and illumine the dark- 

 ness which surrounds them with their magic 

 light. In some of the coal mines of Dresden they 

 ate singularly beautiful and brilliant. Mr. James 

 Ryan once informed me that he was accidentally 

 shut up in a mine, and the light of one of the rhi- 

 zomorphse was so brilliant that he could see dis- 

 tinctly to read a letter by it, as the rhizomorphse 

 prey on dead wood, they impart to it a phosphor 

 escent light. The rhizomorphae phosphorentia is 

 found iu the mines of Hesse, and yields light in 

 the dark, but ceases to be phosphorescent in Hy- 

 drogen and some other gases : the rhizomorphae 

 subterranea and accidula have also been found to 

 illumine the mine with their fairy light. Mr. Ei 

 man thus describes the luminous appearance of 

 the rhizomorphte in one of the mines of Dresden, 

 "I saw luminous plants her/; in wonderful beauty; 

 the impression produced by' the spectacle I shall 

 uever forget. It appeared on descending into the 

 mine as if we were entering an enchanted castle. 

 The abundance of these plants was so great, that 

 the roof, the walls, and the pillars were entirely 

 covered with them, and the beautiful light they 

 cast about them almost dazzled the eye. The 

 light they gave out is like a faint moonshine, so 

 that two persons near to each other, could rcadih 

 distinguish one another. The light appears to be 

 most considerable when the temperature of the 

 mines is comparatively high." That the light is 

 electric seems most probable, when we consider 

 that an electric discharge imparts phosphorescence 

 to Canton's phosphorus, (calcined shells,) and that 

 heat enhances the light. — Murray's Physiology oj 

 Plants. 



PHYSICAL EDUCATION. 



Dr. Durkee's Lecture before the Portsmouth 

 Lyceum last Tuesday evening, on this subject, was 

 Hell attended considering the inclemency of the 

 evening, His anatomical illustrations of the effect 

 of tight lacing, and his exhibition of the structure 

 of the spine and the means by which its curvature 

 is frequently induced, we were much gratified to 

 see displayed before so large an audience — to 

 whom it was both useful and interesting. 



After listening to the alarming fact that sixty 

 thousand females are annually brought to a prema- 

 ture grave in our country by the use of the corset, 

 while intemperance claims only thirty thousand, — 

 the fair part of the audience have begun to talk of 

 an Anti-Corset Society. We hope the spirit will 

 not subside — but that it will spread through our 

 town, and State, and go hand in hand with the 

 inarch of Temperance, throughout the country. 



As the subject of Physical Education is one of 

 great interest to every individual, we shall in some 

 future paper advert again to it. — Ports. Journal. 



DOG POWER. 

 John Farley, of Danville, Vt. advertises a [la- 

 tent "Dog Churn." He says, that churning is per- 

 formed by the labor of dogs ; and that the machine 

 may be applied to other uses, such as turning grind- 



stone and washing clothes. Women may now in- 

 troduce " dog power" into their kitchens and dairy 

 rooms, and seat themselves in the parlor. 



REDUCTION IN PRICES OF TKEES, it, 



\Y.\I. PRINCE & SONS have determined in consequenre 

 of the pecuniary pressure, to reduce die prices ol a great vai ic- 

 ty of Trees and Plains, where orders ate sent for a coiisidera. 

 hie amount : and all persons who desire Fruii and Ornamental 

 Trees; Flowering Shrubs and Plants; Greenhouse Trees and 

 Plants; Splendid Dahlias ; or .Seed- — will mi applying in th< in 

 direct bi/ mail, with a lisl of the articles wanted, lie promptly 

 furnished with a printed sheet explaining the reduced rales — 

 The Chinese Mulberry, or Moms multicaulis aie now reduced 

 to #25 per 100, and ,SU ]>' i dozen. — Apple trees in gre.it va- 

 riety ,S Ji ) i.. g 5 pel ii J ' —Pears g37J per 100. and extra laige 



[o 50 cents each ; and 50,000 are two, three, and four years 

 grafted. — Peaches $20 and l Zb per 100 ■ — Large Orange Quinces 

 p i 100.— English and Spanish Filberts #25pi i 100 —Fine 

 I; spberries #6 per 100 — Large Red and Yellow Antwerp 

 per 100. — Gooseberries, finesl Lancashire varieties £20per 

 in d Largi Red White and Black English Currants ^lli per 

 100. — Isabella Grape, 3 years old vines $-5 per 100, and 2 



years diuo $20 per loo. — Caiawl.a, Alexander, M e, York 



Clarei. York .Madeira, am! Scuppernoug, #25 per Id". — Her- 

 hemom's Madeira, Tins and Elsinidiureji. ,s'.n per 100. — Nor- 

 lon's Virginia Seedling #35 per 100 — -The collection of choice 

 European Grapes is unrivalled. — Chinese Ailantlius, 4 feet 

 high, $11 per dozen and larger sizes in proportion.. — A reduc- 

 tion is in. ele on a great many kinds of Roses, Pceonies, Chry- 

 santhemums, tfec.. — Double" Dahlias of such line assorted kinds 

 as have been most increased; will be supplied ai #3, g u and 

 s'll per dozen, according to excellence, anel selected by our- 

 selves. The roots can be sent to any distance. — The new va- 

 rieties of Flemish and English Pears having been introduced by 

 us and greatly increased, the prices of the greater pan have 

 been reduced, and the trees arc mostly of tine size and three 

 years ingrafted. — The Ornamental Trees and Shrubs of mosi 

 kinds are large and Ihrilly, and of double or trebie the value of 

 smaller ones, which is a most decided advantage, being a gain 

 of several years in embellishment. 



N. B. Having no Agent ai Boston, the Commission of 10 

 per cent, usually allowed foi Agency, will be credited to the 

 purchasers, and be deducted from die amount of die bills ren- 

 dered. The slock of Dahlias being s<. vers large, lliey will be 

 furnished on the most favorable terms possible. 

 Lihnsean Botanic Garden and Nurseries. ) 



Flushing 1 , near New- York, Feb. 10, 1834. S 



FRUIT TREES. 



33 Ornamental TREES. ROSES, FLOWF.R- 

 Hi ING PLANTS, &c. Nursery of WILLIAM 

 KENRICK in Newton, 5^ miles from Boston, 

 by the City .Mills. 



This .Mirserv now comprises a rarcand extraordinarycollec 

 tion of fruit tries, Toes and Shrubs of Ornament, Roses, &e. 

 and covers the most of 18 acres. Of new celebrated Pear s alone, 

 1.30 kinds, a part of which, having already been proved in our 

 climate, are specially recommended. — in Apples 200 kinds — 

 Peaches 115 kinds— Cherries. 55 kinds — Plums, Nectarines, 

 Almonds, Apricots, Quinces, Grape Vines, Currants. Raspber- 

 ries, Gooseberries, Strawberries, Figs, &c. &c.< — selections 

 from the best varieties known — a collection in unequal propor- 

 iionsol'800 varieties ol Unit. 



White mulberries for silk worms — the fruit poor. Also the 



MoRUS Mci.rie \i i is or Afew Chinese MiUberry, a beauti- 

 ful fruit tree, so superior lor silk worms to all oil ei -. 



Of ROSES. A superb collection of from 31 in 400 hardy 



and China varieties; selecl - from numerous importations, 



and first rat" sources. White Flowering Horse Chesnuti 

 Weeping Willows, Catalpas, Mountain' Ash, Silver Kirs, Ve- 

 netian Sumach, Aliheas. Honeysuckles, Azaleas, &c. &c. — 

 in all, of Ornamental trees, and shrubs, 650 varieties. Ol 

 Herbaceous flowering plants, a choice selection ol 280 varieties, 



including the Pi s. Mouian and Papaveract a — and 24 other 



kinds — and 8:3 splendid varieties of double Dahlias. 



Gentlemen are iuvite<tto lorward their ordersearly Address 

 to WILLIAM KEN'RICK, Newton. Trees, fee. delivered in 

 Boston free ol charge for transportation, and suitably packed, 

 and from thence when ordered duly forwarded, by hi ml or sea., 

 i >i urders will receive die same attention if left wiih Geo. C. 

 Barrett, who is agent, at Ins seed store and New England 

 Farmer Office, Nos. 5\ & 52, .North Market Street, Boston. 

 Catalogues gratis on application. Jy 17 



GOOSEBERRIES. 



A new importation of superioi kinds; just received, of all 

 colors, by WM. KENRICK. Newton. 



THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



Is published every Wednesday Evening, al #3 per annum, 

 payable at the end of the year — but those who pay within 

 sixty days from the time of subscribing, are entitled to a deduc- 

 tion ol' nfly cents. 



fTJ 3 No paper will be sent to a distance without payment 

 being made in advance. 



Printed for Geo. C. Barrett by Ford & Damreii. 



