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1851. 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



181 



be well expended. From the samples I have occasion- 

 ally received of Patent Office seeds, I have been com- 

 pelled to believe that the selections were not generally 

 made by compete^it persons. I do not see that Mr, 

 Kkn?;kdy has any knowledge upon this subject, and 

 therefore he will be under the necessity of relying 

 upon the advice of European seedsmen. If our gov- 

 ernment will expend money in seeds, as it does annu- 

 ally, it should like all other matters, be done under 

 the direction of well qualified parties. 



So much for our passengers. I must now tell you 

 something of our ship. This " Arctic" is really a 

 noble and beautiful ship, about 300 feet long, and 50 

 wide, with two cabins one above the other nearly all 

 the length. The upper cabin is furnished and fitted 

 up like the state rooms of a palace, with rich and 

 beautiful carpets, marble tables, luxurious chairs and 

 divans, magnificient mirrors, with such a profusion of 

 carving, gilding, and polishing, as dazzles one's eyes. 

 There are seats in the dining saloon for I suppose 

 200 persons, and the tables are supplied with every 

 luxury that one could have on land. We have had 

 letture every day on table as fresh and crisp as 

 though it had just been brought from the garden ; 

 beefsteaks and poultry as fresh almost as if brought 

 from the market every morning. * 



There are employed on the ship about 130 persons 

 in various capacities, all well paid. There are no 

 less than tive or six engineers. She consumes about 

 60 tons of coal per day — what a huge powerful thing 

 the engine is, and yet without a prodigious power it 

 would be useless. When the sea is running as high 

 as mountains, and the great paddles become com- 

 pletely submerged in the water, the force of the en- 

 gine is necessarily so great as to make every joint 

 creak and groan, and everything on board quake and 

 quiver like aspen. If I am to go to sea in a frail ves- 

 sel, which God forbid, let it be a sail and not steam. 

 There is a vast deal of superfluous exenditure in the 

 embellishment and management of these ships in 

 such an elegant and sumptuous manner. It is very 

 well for people who require it, and prefer paying for 

 it, but by and by there must be plainer finish of fur- 

 niture and living for plain business people, and the 

 cost of travel be much less ; but let there be no 

 economy in strength and safety. 



Mr. TuPVER has writen the following which sets 

 off the Arctic poetically : 



ARCTIC REMINISCENCES. 



A floating palace of luxurious ease 



Mirrored and cuskion'd, suinpluously built 



With precious woods, polisficd and carved and gilt, 



Full of the richest rare appliances 



That wealth could wisli, or curious skill invent, 



Body and mind to pamper and to please, — 



Such was our ship ; — and, for the way she went, 



A magic race across the slumbering seas, 

 As if some giant cygnet, black of breast, 



But snowy-winged, to catch the welsome breeze, 

 Gracefully skimm'd the waters : — for the rest. 

 Fair woman, with good natur'd merriment. 

 And frank fraternal manhood, did their best 

 To make our mem'ries of the Arlic blest ! 



Martin F. Tupper. 



Steamer Arctic, on the BmlIcs, May 28, 1851. 



This is ci'ie fifth voyage the Arctic has made. — 

 The following lo the time run each day from my note 

 book ; 1st, 251 mue^j 2d, 272 do.; 3d, 274 do.; 4th, 

 281 do.; 6th, 270 do.; 6t.h, 24. b.: 7th, 273 do.; 8th, 

 271 do.; 9th, 306 do.; 10th, 280 uo.; 11th, sailing in 

 sight of land, did not note distance. During the 4th, 



5th, and 6th days, we had considerable head wind, at 

 least all the wind there was was nearly ahead. — 

 Capt. Luce is a most gentlemanly agreable man, and 

 servants on board, could not be more attentive or 

 watchful of people's comforts than they are. I could 

 not wish any one crossing the ocean better fare than 

 they will find with Capt. Luce. 



A RHYME ON RETURNING. 



Hurrah for old England ! the happy '• Fair Haven" 



We wish'd for by day, and we pray'd for by night,^ 

 Hurrah for dear England ! that name ever graven 



On hearts of her children in letters of light ; 

 Hurrah 1 for we honor, and cherish, and love her. 



And count her the praise and the bl.3ssing of earth, — 

 With no one but God and his angels above iier, 



And rich with the best of humanity's worth. 



Yes, heartily join, my American brother, 



In echoino; back to your iioine in the west 

 Our patriot love to this Glorious Mother, 



Whose conquering sons in two Vv'orlds are so blest ! 

 Hurrah ! as we near her v^'e'U heartily cheer her, — 



America, England, together rejoice ! 

 The better you know her, you'll love her the the dearer, 



Then give her three cheers at the top of your voice I 



And, thanks be to God for the homes we are longing 



Soon to behold, and to know tltat all's well, 

 With dear loving wives, and the little ones thronging 



To hear of the wonders that travelers tell ! 

 Yea, — thanks from us all ; for His bounties and mercies 



Kept us, and help'd us, and blest us ahvay ; 

 And glad shall we be when remembrance rehearses 



How God hath been with us by night and by day. 

 Steamer Arctic, June 2, 18.51. Martin F. Tupper. 



Liverpool, June 5th, 1851. 

 We arrived and got through the custom house late 

 last evening. I am astonished to find vegetation so 

 backward. The v/eather has been very cold, the 

 thermometer stood at about 30 deg. when we landed, 

 overcoats and good fires were in demand. Most of 

 the vegetables in market are forced. New potatoes 

 at 6 cents per lb., small insiped cucumbers 12^ cents 

 each, green gooseberries as large as peas 5 cents per 

 quart, forced grapes !$1.25 per lb. Rhubarb, aspara- 

 gus, lettuce, cress, parsley, and all such things, good, 

 abundant, and cheap, about the same price as in our 

 market. I notice in the gardens and ])leasure grounds, 

 that lilacs, laburnums and thorns, are the most con- 

 spicuous articles in bloom at present, and 1 suppose 

 it is the same with you. The laburnums seem to be 

 especial favorites here. In almost every place where 

 trees are planted, 1 observe them loaded with their 

 gay golden tresses, and people of all ages and condi- 

 tions stop and look at them, and exclaim " how beau- 

 tiful." The taste for flowers seems to be increasing 

 in England. In a few minutes this morning- in the 

 market, I saw upwards of 20 young men buy bunches 

 of "■eranium flowers. P. B. 



FETE AT LONDON HORTICULTURAL GARDENS. 

 London, June 7, 1851. 



My Dear Sir : — I was fortunate enough to reach 

 London the afternoon before the great Floral fete at 

 the Horticultural Society's Gardens, Chiswick, and 

 never before having had an opportunity of attending 

 one, I very willingly postponed my visit to the Crys- 

 tal Palace. 



A brief account of the more prominent and impor- 

 tant features of this beautiful floral show may be 

 interesting to those especially who take an interest 

 in horticultural matters. 



The time fixed and specified on the cards, for the 



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