1858. NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 397 



bled around the stalks and fastened to the fence 

 with small nails. 



Tomatoes are also benefited by shortening in. 

 Three-fourths of the mature fruit is produced 



lar as it was before the fall ; but is grown more 

 rebellious and uneasy and diseased, as the body 

 is ; and therefore it is now much more unfit to be 

 our measure than it then was. You see it even 



upon a small part of the vine nearest to the root, I in swine, (?) and many greedy children, that 

 say one-third or one-fourth of its length. It is [would presently kill themselves if they had not 

 recommended to stop the further development | the reason of others to rule them, 

 of vines after a fair supply of fruit is set, by "Finally, poison itself may be as delightful to 

 clipping off the vines growing beyond. The | the appetite as food, and dangerous meats as 

 clipping should not be carried too far, as a sup- those that are most wholesome. So that it is 

 ply of foliage is required to gather food from the most certain that appetite is not to be the meas- 

 air. One of the most successful cultivators in j?<re (as appetite regards g;/a?t^)7?/ of a man.) Yet 



this is true withal, than when reason hath noth- 



our acquaintance made it a rule to let no vine 

 extend be}'ond four feet from its root. — Am. Ag- 

 riculturist. 



For the New England Farmer. 



BAXTEB ON EXCESS OF FOOD, OR 

 GLUTTONY. 



ing against it, then an appetite showeth what 

 Nature taketh to be most agreeable to itself, and 

 Reason, therefore, if it have nothing against it, 

 hath something for it." 



Nowhere, in the whole compass of my reading, 

 have I met with sounder views — more in accor- 

 dance, I mean, with the laws of man's constitu- 

 "Living like a beast," says Richard Baxter, tion, as interpreted by science and experience— 

 "will at last make men judge like beasts ; and I than those of Mr. Baxter. His position that "liv- 

 will brutify their brains as well as their bellies." ting like beasts makes us judge like beasts," is not 

 And hence it is, as he very fairly infers, that j more striking than it is tenable ; and perhaps his 

 to say, "I feel it do me no harm, and therefore jt| broad statement that "God never gave man his 

 is no excess, is the saying of an idiot. Or it is; appetite to be the measure of his eating or drink- 

 like him who would go into a pest-house and say, ing, but to make that grateful to him which 

 I feel it do me no harm. But within a few days Reason biddeth him to take," may have much 

 or weeks he will feel it. It is as if the beginning | more of truth in it, than we are wont to suppose, 

 of a consumption were no hurt to people because in any event, nothing can be clearer to my 

 they feel it not." "Most people," he adds, "have own mind though nothing should be more para'- 

 no considerable knowledge what measure (3W«'^- doxical to others, than that we are to be guided 

 tity) is best for them; but the common tule that by our appetites as regards "quantity, quality or 

 they judge by is their appetite. They think they time." This doctrine of Mr. Baxter is certainly 

 have eaten enough when they have eaten as long I sound and defensible. And there is a plain rea- 

 as they listed, and not before. If they could eat [son for this. While the animals below man are 

 more, with an appetite, and not get sick after it, 'left to the direction of mere instinct, this iu man 

 they would never think they had been guilty of I subserves his purpose no longer than till his rea- 

 gluttony, or of excess." _ son is developed and has an opportunity to be- 



He next proceeds to lay down some general di- [ come its substitute. As reason takes possession, 

 rections for our conduct in this matter, which are; instinct dies out. In the fully developed adult, 

 so striking that I copy them, with merely a few [instinct is powerless. 



passing comments in parentheses. As adults, therefore, as creatures of reason 



"First, therefore, you must know that appetite and not of instincts we are to ask our heads 

 is not to be your rule or measure, either for quan- and not our stomachs or any of our inferior or- 

 tity, quality, or time. For it is irrational ; and gans what we should do. These latter have nei- 

 reason is your ruling faculty, if you are men. In- ther eyes nor ears; but the former has both, 

 deed it (appetite) dependeth much on the tem-| Besides its elevated position in the physical hu- 

 perature of the body and the humors and dis-: man domain is favorable to their exercise. In 

 eases of it ; and not merely on the natural need 'other words, we are never, as mature reasoning 

 of food. A man in a dropsy is most thirsty that I men and women, to ask, first, what is agreeable 

 hath least cause to drink ; though frequently, in [to our instinctive feeling— our perhaps perverted 

 a putrid or malignant fever, a draught of cold tastes— but simply what is right. The question, 

 drink would probably be death, yet the appetite [to young or old, what do you like, or do you like 

 desireth it, nevertheless. Stomachs that have ac-jthis or that, should seldom, if ever, be heard; 

 rid humors have commonly a strong (active, rath- land never in the first place. The first question, 

 er) appetite, be the digestion never so weak ; and : i repeat, is what is right. That being ascertained, 

 most of them could eat with an appetite about the full measure of mere agreeableness. Heaven's 

 twice as much as they ought to eat. And, on the [own measure— is sure to come in its train, 

 contrary, some others desire not so much as is Yet the great mass of mankind persist in ask- 

 necessary to their sustenance, and must be urged ing as the first question in all these things— who 

 to eat against their appetite. [ will show us any good, or what is most agreeable. 



"But, again, most Iiealthful people in the world j Pi-ofessed disciples of Christ, in instances almost 

 have an appetite to much more than nature can! innumerable, ^sk their own appetites, their fallen 

 well digest; and would kill themselves if they [appetites or stomachs, as Mr. Baxter calls them, 

 pleased their appetites (('. e., made it there busi- v,'hat is liked or what is relished, not what God 

 ness to please their appetite.) For God never [would have done. They seek to please them- 

 gave man his appetite to be the measure of his selves, not to please God. Is this Christianity ? 

 eating or dnnknig, but to make that grateful to is it favorable to our growth in grace, supposing 

 him, which reason biddeth him take. Man's ap- us to be Christians ? What ! Growing in grace 

 petite, you know, is not now so sound and regu- and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, 



