No. 12. 



The Pleasures of a Country Life. — Root Culture. 



383 



The Pleasures of a Country Life. 



" I HAVE but one word more to add to the 

 advantages of husbandry, which is, that of all 

 professions, none is more mnocent or more 

 pleasant. The business of it goes on in a 

 known and certain course from season to sea- 

 son, from year to year; the gains from it are 

 most satisfactory to a scrupulous conscience 

 because our goods are sold in open market; 

 are set up together with those of our neigh- 

 bours, and of the same kind and species, 

 whereby the ignorant may make the better 

 comparison of their worth. We do not grow 

 rich by jobbing or by buying and selling 

 again, the profit of which too often consists in 

 outwitting and preying on one another, but 

 our advantages arise from the gifts of our be- 

 neficent mother the Earth, whose gratitude 

 generally requites the tiller's care, and by 

 whose increase we hurt no one. Our de- 

 pendence, next to God's blessing, is on our 

 own skill and industry, and though the season 

 disappoints us sometimes, yet that is neither 

 so often, so great, or so fatal as the disappoint- 

 ments of those in other professions, whose 

 trust and dependence is upon man. What 

 miserable calamities fall out from the neces- 

 sary trust in trade which one citizen must 

 give to another and to his customers ! where- 

 as, the farmer sells for ready money. He 

 may thrive also, without supplanting his bro- 

 ther, which the courtier or tradesman can 

 rarely do. And certainly, that person must 

 live a pleasant life, whose death every one 

 desires to die — and there are very f»w of 

 any art or employment but who propose to 

 themselves, if they are able, a country re- 

 tirement with at least some little of husband- 

 ry, in the last stage of their lives: if so, al- 

 though other occupations may be in them- 

 selves innocent, yet this almost universal de- 

 sire in men to quit them before they die, 

 looks as if they found it difficult to discharge 

 their consciences in them. — They must be 

 sensible that they can make no great figure 

 as husbandmen — but there is some delight, 

 even in negative virtue, in being awake and 

 doing no ill. And, as 1 have had some taste 

 and relish of these pleasures, I am desirous 

 to propagate the sense of them as universally 

 as I can ; and it would greatly add to my 

 satisfaction to have partakers with me in the 

 enjoyment of it." Edward Lisle. 



the weeds to vegetate, that they might be 

 destroyed by the harrow or plough, thus ren- 

 dering the soil loose and mellow and tho- 

 rouglily pulverized, and then soaking the seed 

 that the plants may be up before the weeds, 

 there will be little labour in the after culti- 

 vation of the crop. 



There are diflTerent opinions relative to the 

 value of the several crops usually raised for 

 stock ; the ruta-baga is not so generally raised 

 as formerly, as it is not now regarded as so 

 valuable for stock as the beet and carrot; the 

 sugar-beet being also a surer crop, less liable 

 to injury from insects and drought; it is equal- 

 ly productive, and excellent for all kinds of 

 stock, although some cases are cited in which 

 they have been considered inferior; but these 

 are exceptions of rare occurrence : yet the 

 ruta-baga claims attention, as it may be sown 

 later than any other root except the common 

 turnip, and has been found productive in sea- 

 sons when the longer tap-rooted plants have 

 suflfered from drought. But on light sandy 

 soils the carrot is one of the most valuable 

 roots; it is excellent food for all kinds of 

 stock; yields well, keeps in good condition 

 through the winter, and is one of the very 

 best kinds of food for milk-cows, never having 

 been known to disagree with any kind of 

 stock. This root has received less attention 

 than the ruta-baga and the beet, but its ex- 

 cellence is becoming known, and will lead to 

 a more general cultivation. The parsnep is 

 regarded as one of the most profitable crops 

 that can be raised, as well as attended with less 

 labour in the cultivation than the carrot, but 

 as it has hitherto received little attention for 

 this purpose, but few experiments have yet 

 been made. — Far, Jour. 



Root Culture. 



To make the raising of roots profitable, the 

 business ought to be conducted on a consider- 

 able scale and with the best and most careful 

 management. By preparing the land in sea- 

 eon — the first ploughing being given in the 

 autumn — and stirring it frequently to cause 



Pii orant taciti. 



The turf shall be my fragrant shrine ; 

 My temple. Lord, that arch of tliine ; 

 My censer's breatli, thy mountain airs, 

 And silent thoughts, my only prayers ! 

 My choir shall be the moonlight waves, 

 When murmuring homeward to their caves; 

 Or, when the stillness of the sea, 

 — E'en more than music — breathes of Thee ! 



I'll seek by day some glade unknown, 



All light and silence, like thy throne ! 



Anil the pale stars shall be, at night, 



The only eyes that watch my rite ! 



Thy heaven, on which 't is bliss to look, 



Shall be my pure and shining book. 



Where I shall read, in words of flame, 



The glories of thy wond'rous name. 



I 'II read thy anger in the rack. 



That clouds awhile the day-beams' track 



Thy mercy, in the azure hue 



Of sunny brightness, breaking through. 



There's nothing bright, above, below. 



From flowers that bloom, to stars that glow, 



But in its light my soul can see 



Some feature of the Deity ! 



There 's nothing dark, below, above, 



But in its gloom I trace thy love. 



And meekly wait that moment, when 



Thy touch shall make all bright again 1 



