156 



Report on Swine. — Industry. 



Vol. VIII. 



samples when planted, without being itself 

 the reason of the greater or less amount of 

 failures. Witii the increase of the starch, 

 it is probable that both the albumen and the 

 saline matter of the potato, will in some 

 degree diminish, and both of these are ne- 

 cessary to its fruitflilness, when used for 

 seed. 



"The value of the saline matter is beauti- 

 fully illustrated by the observation of Mr. 

 Fleming, tliat the potatoes top-dressed with 

 sulphate and nitrate of soda, in 1841, and 

 used for seed in 1842, ' presented a remark- 

 able contrast to the same variety of potato, 

 planted along-side of them, but which had 

 not been so lop-dressed in the previous sea- 

 son. These last came away weak, and of a 

 yellowish colour, and under the same treat- 

 ment, in every respect, did not produce so 

 good a crop by fifteen bolls (3^ tons) an 

 acre.' This observation, made in 1842, is 

 confirmed by the appearance of the crops 

 now growing (July, 1843,) upon Mr. Flem- 

 ing's experimental fields. The prosecution 

 of the inquiry opened by his experiments, 

 promises to lead to the most valuable practi- 

 cal results. They may teach us how to se- 

 cure, at all times, a fruitful seed, and thus 

 to dispense with supplies of imported pro- 

 duce." 



get him into " hot water,'''' and he is cut off 

 "in the midst of his usefulness," by the hand 

 of the executioner. In his dealings with 

 the hog, man reverses the simplest rules of 

 justice, as he hangs him first, and tries him 

 afterwards. 



" There is something in the name of the 

 animal we are considering, which is associ- 

 ated with literature and science in their 

 highest walks. The Ettrick Shepherd, 

 whose simple poetry has beguiled many an 

 hour on this side of the water, as well as in 

 his native Scotland, rejoices in the name of 

 Hogg; and the mental food of many an ur- 

 chin in the long winter evening, is derived 

 from Hogg''s Tales. In science and phi- 

 losophy, how much would have been lost to 

 the world if no light had been shed upon it 

 by Bacon ! and what streams of forensic 

 eloquence at the Senate and the Bar, have 

 proceeded fi^om a Choate .'" 



Report on Swine. 



The Report of the Committee of the Esses, Mass., 

 Asrricultiiral Society, on swine, is quit(? a ludicrous 

 affair. Some of the puns perpetrated, are tolerabl}' 

 fair specimens of hog-latin, and certainly do no dis- 

 credit to the calculating powers of a race, who, all 

 will agree, are adepts in "tAe extraction of roots." We 

 give the two following paragraphs as a specimen of 

 the vein that runs through the paper. — Ed. 



" The hog has much reason to complain 

 of his treatment from the hands of man. 

 Not only is he deprived of his liberty, but 

 he is exposed to violence and assassination, 

 and seldoin lives to old age, or dies a natu- 

 ral death. No sooner does the youthful 

 porker arrive at adult swinehood, and ex- 

 hibit the fine proportions of his sleek and 

 portly form, than his brutal master begins 

 to show a most unaccountable disposition to 



near Paisley, which has been almost constantly under 

 crop for the last thirty years, I obtained nearly seven 

 lbs. of flour or starch; and from the other peck, grown 

 on my bleach green, the quantity obtained was under 

 four lbs., from which it would seem that as the vegeta- 

 tive principle of the plant is strengthened, the farina- 

 ceous principle is weakened, and vice versa. 



" James Stirrat. 

 " Paisley, 22nd November, 1842. 



Industry. — The following anecdote, fi-om 

 an English paper, may give encouragement 

 to the industrious: 



" Not long ago, a country gentleman had 

 an estate of £200 a year, which he kept in 

 his own hands, until he found himself so 

 much in debt, that to satisfy his creditors, 

 he was obliged to sell the half, and let the 

 remainder to a farmer for twenty years. 

 Towards the expiration of the lease, the 

 farmer coming one day to pay his rent, 

 asked the gentleman whether he would sell 

 his farm. 'Why, will you buy if?' said the 

 gentleman. ' If you will part with it, and 

 we can agree,' replied the farmer. 'That 

 is exceedingly strange,' said the gentleman. 

 ' Pray tell me how it happens, that while I 

 could not live upon twice as much land, for 

 which I paid no rent, you are regularly pay- 

 ing me a hundred pounds a year for rent, 

 and are able in a few years to purchase the 

 farm'?' 'The reason is plain,' replied the 

 farmer. ' You sat still and said go — I got 

 up and said come; — you laid in bed and en- 

 joyed your estate — I rose in the mornmg 

 and minded my business.' " 



Preservation of Apples. — Apples may 

 be preserved a long time, by packing them 

 in plaster of Paris, which preserves them 

 with all their freshness. It is also suggested, 

 that powdered charcoal would be excellent 

 for this purpose. The antiseptic qualities 

 of this substance are familiar to all. We 

 have known grapes and other fruits kept till 

 the middle of winter, by being packed close 

 in cotton, and excluded from the air. — Mas- 

 sachusetts Ploughman. 



