374 



THE FARMi:Rb CABINET. 



VOL. I 



which time it remained in a state of perfect 

 preservation. This, ho thinks, is owing to 

 three circumstances. 1. Tlie pumpkin be- 

 ing fully ripe, and uninjured by frost when 

 brought in. 2. A tire bemg kept in tlie 

 room during tlie winter, and 3. The air be- 

 ing allowed a free passage during tlie warui 

 weather. Subscriber, is of tiiu opinion, that 

 great protit may be realized by cultivating 

 this article as tood fur bwineanu cattle — and, 

 he would respecltully solicit through tlie 

 pages or the Cabinet, information as to the 

 best kinds of pun>pkins, and the most im- 

 proved method of raising them. 



P'or the Farmtis' Cabinet. 



Cement. — Four parts chalk, mixed with five 

 parts fresh clay, is said to have an adhesive 

 property equal to Hve thousand pounds. 



Fur tile Farintis' I abiuui. 



Gas from Resin compared with that from 

 Oil, is said to possess valuable properties in 

 the proportion of nine to live in favor of that 

 from Resin. 



A Pictwrc. 



BY CHARLES MINER, ESQ. 



It would seem hard to say that we are an 

 ungratelul people. But listen to tlie language 

 of complaint. Our newspapers are weekly 

 pouring forth the most melancholy notes, ap- 

 proaching almost to despair; yet what is our 

 Bitnation ? Is it one demanding the liveliest 

 expressions of gratitude and joy, or of queru- 

 lousness and discontent ! Rouse yourself, my 

 friend, if you have any doubt, — come, go 

 with me — let us clamber yonder hill — look 

 abroad — Is not this a goodly prospect"! The 

 (stream that we see to llie east and south, is 

 the Delaware — the river far to the west, is 

 the Su.squehanna. The clear waters which 

 fertilize that valley of the north, are the 

 French Creek and the Sciiuylkill. Behold 

 these numerous brooks which run east and 

 south to the Delaware, they water, and in 

 their course impart health, lertility and 

 wealth to Delaware county — those which 

 flow west and south into the Susquehannu, 

 are the Conestoga and Octoraro, which, with 

 their tributary rills, pass through Lancaster; 

 and the lovely stream that murmurs at our 

 teet, is the Brandy wine — I need not say, that 

 yonder ciiarming city is Piiilndelphia — nor 

 need I mention to you the names of towns 

 and villages wliicii lie within our view — but 

 the eye now embraces a population of more 

 than 300,000 inhabitants. Look closer — if 

 you can withdraw your eye from gazing on 

 60 delightful a prospect aa the whole presents 

 — look closer — separate the parts from the 



whole — take a single plantation, the one on 

 our right, for instance — do you see that stone 

 house — that large barn — il.ose meadows spot- 

 led and enlivened by those nnlch cows, those 

 tatteiiing cattle and sheep — observe the fields 

 yellow with grain — could you see the inside 

 of the mansion, you would find the drawers 

 lull of those things which render a family 

 ne.;t and comfortable — the cellar stored with 

 plenty, and the table crowned with abun- 

 dance. ".And what of tliese?" I reply, that 

 the jiicture of this farm is the likeness of the 

 thousands and tens of thousands that lie un- 

 der our view. The fanner is the lord of the 

 soil — he has no proud duke or marquis to 

 come annually to show his superiority and de- 

 mand the evidence of his vassalage — the 

 lythe pii;' he roasts for his table, and he snaps 

 his fingers at the taxgatherer. In truth, he 

 knows nothing of want or oppression, but by 

 name. 



Under this blue sky — with these clear 

 waters — in this lovely clime — with a govern- 

 ment of his own choice, enjoying the most 

 perfect freedom ; where on tins earth is there 

 now, or was there ever, a people who had so 

 many causes for joy and thanksgiving — and 

 so few for repining. Our cup is lull and over- 

 flowing with blessings. We are like a pam- 

 pered child, fed so piofusely that we do not 

 know how to enjoy the lu.xuries that are 

 crowded before us. 



A Suggestion for tliv coming year* 



A gentleman of high respectability informs 

 us, that the tbllowing mode of sowing winter 

 wheat in the spring, has been partially adopt- 

 ed in Tennessee with the happiest »ucce.-^s. 

 In early winter the seed grain is put into 

 casks, and water enougii added to soak and 

 cover it. It is then e.xposed so that the water 

 becomes frozen, and it is kept in this state as 

 far as practicable until the soil is fit tor its re- 

 ception in the spring. It is well known that 

 the operation of frost upon the seed of winter 

 grain has the same ollect as if it is sown in 

 autumn — as wheat or rye sown at the setting 

 in of winter will grow and mature. The ad- 

 vantages which are e.xperienced from sowing 

 in the spring, are, 1st, that the grain i.s not 

 subject to be winter killed ; 2d, it escapes the 

 Hessian fly in autumn, and possibly it may es- 

 cape it in the spring; 3d, the ground being 

 fresh stirred for spring- sowing, the growth 

 will be more vigorous; and 4th, as it will 

 come into ear late, there is at least a proba- 

 bility that the crop may escape the grain 

 worm. The advantaires are so manifest, that 

 the experiment is worth a trial ; and we shall 

 feel obliged to some Tennessee correspondent 

 who will give us the details and result of 

 the practice in that state. 



