142 



THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



September, 1842. 



able, and degrade them in the scale of being. 

 He then produced a paper cotitaiiiiug a pledge, 

 which was as follows: — 



"We, the undersigned, Captain, officers, and 

 seamen of the ship Hercules, having become con- 

 vinced of the sad destruction that is making in 

 this world by the use of intoxicating driuk — 

 having ourselves been slaves to the same, and 

 knowing it to be tlie great enemy of man, we do 

 now solemnly, in the presence of Almighty God, 

 our insulted heavenly fatber,denounce, and pledge 

 ourselves by our names to this instrument, that 

 we will not taste or drink, or cause to be drank 

 by ourselves, any ardent spirits of whatever 

 name, nature or kind, unless as a medicine, or in 

 case of sickness, God helping and sustaining us 

 in this resolution, which we this holy day make 

 in the cabin of the above named ship, August 

 8th, 1842. May Almighty God add his blessing 

 to the same, and assist us in our undertaking." 



He signed this pledge himself, and his officers 

 signed it, and the whole of his crew also signed 

 itwithout hesitation — for they were, one and all, 

 convinced that this was the only step which 

 would save them from ruin. And these men are 

 now seen ashore, well dressed, sober, in good 

 health and spirits, and with money in their pock- 

 ets — wliich no trafficker in poisonous drinks will 

 get hold of; by either flattery or fraud. — Boston 

 Mtr. Jour. 



A Touching Story.— The following harrow- 

 ing narrative is^-elated in the Philadelphia Ledg- 

 er of Friday : — 



It was but yesterday that we were made ac- 

 quainted with the history of a family of females 

 — an aged mother and three daughters — who, 

 before the failure of tho United States BankJ 

 were worth thirty thousand dollars. The who e 

 of this sum was invested in the institution nam- 

 ed, and from the whole of which they could not 

 now probably realize over one hundred or two 

 hundred dollars! They dressed and lived dur- 

 ing their prosperity as "their amount of property 

 seemed to justify, and without preparing them- 

 selves in any particular vocation with which to 

 struggle against competition for their living. 



When adversity came they could turn their 

 hand to no occupation with profit, even had labor 

 been offered them. The apparel they possessed 

 when their misfortunes fell upon them, enabled 

 tliem to attend their church and appear in the 

 street resjjectably clad, until within a short time. 

 It was known that they were among the victims 

 of the plunderers of the United States 15aiik, but 

 their friends and acquaintances supposed them 

 far removed from destitution. Within the last 

 few months it was first observed that one less 

 than the usual number appeared at the same 

 time at their place in church. Then, subse- 

 quently, it was noticed that two of their num- 

 ber were absent, though not always the same. 

 So, on receiving the calls of their friends, first 

 one, two, and three of the tiunily failed to make 

 tlieir .■i|ij)carance. This, at length, led to a press- 

 iiig inquiry as lo tho cause, and to n recital of 

 their wretched condition. Their wearing ap- 

 parel and every thing else that could be con- 

 verted into means for (irocuring nourishment, 

 bad gone, article by article, until dresses were 

 not left fit for more than one or two of their 

 iiiimbor to m.ike themselves public in — and for 

 the last six weeks bctl^ire the avowment of their 

 condition, they declared that not an article of 

 ti)od kind except potatoes, had passed the lips of 

 one of them! 



It would be impossible to describe the me.'ital 

 anguish that was experienced in parting with the 

 many links of former comforts, as they were, one 

 by one, handed over to the tender mercies of the 

 pawnbroker; |)erhaps, memcatoes of a dead hus- 

 band and fatiier; tokens of affection and love 

 that the mother would not have parted with for 

 her own sufferings, but which were yielded up 

 to save her children from want— and with those 

 cliildren reluctantly consented to share, for the 

 liurpose of saving the author of their being from 

 the gnawings of hunger. 



To be satisfied 

 thouifh ucciiiiiiian 



the acquittal of the world, 

 vith the secret condenma- 

 tion of conscience, is the mark of a litlle mind ; 

 lint it requires a soul of no common .><ta]np, to be 

 satisfied with his oivn acquittal.and to desiiise the 

 condemnation of the world.— iacoH. 



Grand Cattle Suow in Scotland. — The Ed- 

 inburg meeting this year, it is generally acknowl- 

 edged, has been the greatest that has ever taken 

 place ; the competitors are more numerous, and 

 the amount of stock much greater than on any 

 former occasion. The show for deciding the 

 prizes occupied two days instead of one, the first 

 being devoted to the exhibition of roots seeds, 

 grasses, butter, cheese, wool, agricultm-al iuq)le- 

 ments, machines, models, &e. The cattle, which 

 had been forvvarded as competitors for the prize 

 awarded by the society, was the grand day of the 

 show. The number and excellence of the stock 

 was beyond any conception previously formed on 

 the subject. Atone o'clock, by sound of trumpet, 

 the cattle were brought and paraded over the 

 raised platform before the judges' room. As they 

 appeared upon the platform, Mr. Trotter announc- 

 ed the name of the exhibitor, the prize awarded, 

 and the breed of the animal. We should say 

 that during the day nearly 30,000 individuals 

 must have visited the grounds. The great din- 

 ner took place on the 1st, in a temporary build- 

 ing erected on the Esplanade, Castle-hill. The 

 erection consisted entirely of wood, and occu- 

 pied an area of considerable extent, being calcu- 

 lated to contain not fewer than 2,000 persons. 

 The chair was taken at C o'clock by the Uuke of 

 Richmond, who was supported right and left by 

 the Lord Provost of Edinburg, Earl of Morton, 

 Earl of Roseberry, Earl of Mansfield, Sir N. 

 Douglass, Lord \V. Douglass, Sir P. Durham, Sir 

 J. M^ Brisbane, Mr. Trotter, of Morton Hall, the 

 Lord Provost of Glasgow, Rev. Mr. Grant. The 

 Duke of Roqburg acted as croupier, supported 

 by the Earl of Buchan, Lord Napier, Sir A. 

 Campbell, Bart., &c. From the excellent ar- 

 rangements of the committee upwards of 2,000 

 gentlemen were enabled to scat themselves with- 

 out the slightest coufiision. — Edinburg Jour.. 



Fulton's Stenm Boat, 1807. 



In December 180l>, Fulton arrived in New- 

 York, and in the following spring, notwithstand- 

 ing the pecuniary and mechanical obstacles op- 

 posed to his project, had completed his vessel, and 

 in August had the satisfaction of seeing her mov- 

 ed by her machinery from the East river to the 

 Jersey shore. 



" And nothing," says Colden, '•could exceed the 

 surprise and admiration of all who witnessed the 

 experiment. The minds of the most incredulous 

 were changed in a few minutes — before the boat 

 had made the progress of a quarter of a mile, 

 the greatest unbeliever must have been convert- 

 ed. The man, who, while he looked on the ex- 

 pensive machine, thanked his stars that he had 

 more wisdom than to waste his money on such 

 idle schemes, changed the expression of his ft;a- 

 lures as the boat moved from the w harf and gain- 

 ed her speed ; his complacent smile gradually 

 stiffened into an expression of wonder — the jeers 

 of the ignorant, who hail neither sense nor feel- 

 ing enough to repress their contemptuous ridicide 

 and rude jokes, were silenced for ilie moment by 

 a vulgar astonishment, which deprived them of 

 the power of utterance, till the triumph of Ge- 

 nius extorted tiom ihe incredidous multitude, 

 wliich crowded the shores, shouts and acdauui- 

 tions of congratulations and applause." Though 

 her performance far exceeded the eX[)eciation of 

 his friends, Fulton perceived that there was an 

 error in the construction of her water wheels — 

 he lessened their diameter, so that they did not 

 dip so deep into the water, and it was manifest 

 that the alteration had tended to increase the 

 speed. 



" This famed vessel, which xvas named the 

 Clermont, soon after sailed fbr Albany ; and, on 

 her first voyage, arrived at her destination with- 

 out any accident. She excited the astonishment 

 of theinhabitants of the shores of the Hudson, 

 many of whom had not heard even of the engine, 

 much less of the steamboat. There were many 

 descriptions of the effects of her first appearance 

 upon the people of the banks of the river. Some 

 of these were ridiculous, but some of tliein were 

 of such a character as nothing hut an object of 

 real grandeur could have excited. She was de- 

 scribed by some, who had indistinctly seen her 

 passijig in the night, to those who had not a view 

 of lipr, as a monster moving on the waters, defy- 

 ing tlie winds and tide, and lirealhing flames and 

 smoke." 



" She had the most terrific ajipearaiice from 



other vessels, which were navigating the river 

 when she was making her passage. The first 

 steamboats, as others yet do, used dry pine wood 

 for fuel, which sends forth a column of ignited 

 vapor, many feet above the flue, and w henever 

 the fire is stirred, a galaxy of sparks fly off, which 

 in Ihe night have an airy, brilliant, and beautiful 

 appearance. The uncommon light first attracted 

 the uttenlion of the crews of other vessels. Not- 

 withstanding the wind and tide were adverse to 

 its approach, they saw with astonishment that it 

 was rapidly coming towards them ; and when it 

 came so near, as that the noise of the machinery 

 and the paddles were heard, the crews, in some 

 instances, shrimk beneath their decks from the 

 terrific sight ; and others lefl their vessels to go 

 on shore, while others prostrated themselves, and 

 besought Providence to protect them from the 

 approach of Ihe horrible monster which was 

 marching on the tides, and lighting its path by 

 the fires which it vomited." 



Cattle Shows and Fairs, 184S. 



New York. 

 The Empire State takes the lead in improved 

 Agriculliu-e as she does in most other inq)rove- 

 ments. Her great State Society this year has 

 made renewed and vigorous preparation for the 

 annual exhibition which was to take place on the 

 last days of the expiring month. The several 

 meetings of State and County Societies aro as 

 follows :— 



New York Stale Agricultural Societv, at Al- 

 bany, Se;.L 28 and 29. 



American Institute, at New York, Oct. 12, 19 

 and 20. 



Cayuga, Auburn, Oct. 12 aud 13 



Columbia, Hudson, " 11 



Chemung, Fairport, " 19 



Chautauque, Westfield, Sept. 28 and 29 



C<jrtland, Homer, Oct. .5 



Dutchess, Washington, " 5 



Erie, Buffalo, " 5 and 6 



Genesee, Batavia, " 20 and 21 



.lefferson, Watertown, Sept. 15 



Livingston, Gencseo, Oct. 4 and 5 



Monroe, Rochester, " 13 and 14 



Montgomery, 1 1 and 12 



Niagara, Lockport, " 6 and 7 



Orange, Goshen, " 12 



Oneida, Rome, " 12 and 13 



Oswego, Mexico, " 5 



Rensselaer, Lansingburgh, " 4 and 5 



Saratoga, Ballston, " 4 



St. Lawrence, Canton Sept. 14 



Washington, Salem, " 11 



Massachusetts. 



Berkshire Co. Society, at Piltsfield, Oct. .5 



and G. 



Essex Co. Society, at South Andover, Sept. 28. 



Hampshire Society, at Northampton, Oct. 12 



and 13. 



Worcester Co. Society, at Worcester, Oct. 12. 

 Plymouth Co. Society, at Bridgewatcr, Oct. 12. 

 Mi'ildlesex Co. Society, at Concord, Ocl. 5. 

 Biistol Co. Society, at Tatmlon, Oct. 13. 



^jlk Convpution. 



A Convention of the silk growers and manu- 

 facturers ill New England, was holden at North- 

 ampton, Mass^ on the 28th of this mouth. The 

 increase of the silk nianuftcture in this country, 

 is such as to demand an united eftbrt on the part 

 of those engaged in the business, to extend iii- 

 formalion on the subject as well as to salisly the 

 pulilic of the entire practicability of making silk 

 here equal to the best Italian, and with a very 

 handsome profit, lo the producer. It i.s very de- 

 sirable that some of our silk growers in this re- 

 gion, should either be present or commimicale 

 siicii fiicts as they may have within their knowl- 

 edge to the convention, to aid them in their de- 

 liberations. 



For the Karmer's Monthly Visitor. 

 .1 ScheJule of the number of snou'S and also the 



depth of the snow in each of ihe last five years, 



and also the number of rains in each year ; and 



the frsl apple blooms. 



From the 1st of Oct., 1837, to thc2Clh of April, 

 1835, it snowed CO times, jind the depth of snow 

 4 feet 5 inclics; and li-om Jaiiu:iry 7tl), ia38, to 

 the 29th of the next Deccinlicr, it ruined 98 

 times. Apple trees beginning to bloom the 36tk 



