208 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



JANUARY », 1834. 



MISCELLANY. 



From the Maine Farmer. 

 RURAL PLEASURES. 



The beauly of ihc jear is past, 

 And all around looks sad and dreary. 



E'en vernal pleasures, could Ihey last, 

 Would lose their charms and make us weary. 



Now nature's shrouded all in white. 

 O'er lakes and streams are icy ,bri<lgcs, 



Now earth no more afl'oids delight, 

 The drifting snow is pil'd in ridges. 



The flocks and herds now seek the stall, 

 In watchful care of man confiding. 

 They suicly now must perish all, 

 Had it not been for his providing. 

 If winter should but last a year, 

 O how our with'ring hearts would fail us ! 



We trust in God, we do not fear, 

 Another smiling spring will hail us. 

 But winter's welcome in its time. 

 Is full of social mental gladness ; 



To sounds of joy the sleigh bells chime, 

 Tliere's plenty now, no cause for sadness. 



We tend our flocks and get our wood. 

 And visit social friends and neighbors : 



Wc still have bouul'ous nature's good, 

 And reap the fruits of all our labors. 



We now with rapture view the skies, 

 And see the stars and glories yonder ; . 



From earth we turn away our eyes 

 Wilhjoy; with ecstacy acid wonder. 



When age and pain our pleasures blight, 

 From earihly things our hearts they sever, 

 Through faith a heavenly land's in sight. 

 We wish not here to live forever. 

 A day without a night is there. 

 And pleasant trees of life are growing, 

 And many precious fruits they bear. 

 There's streams of gladnessever flowing; 



The glorious sun docs ne'er decline. 

 All things are lovely bright and vernal, 



There'sjoys that earth can ne'er define, 

 They're ever new and yet eternal. 



Wintliroj). 



exampie.anu im-tjia inc , .„„i .„„,.^ fiiu.llv In.l to make a dip into tlie pot u 



or three lives are sacnlieed. 



Philomel. 



From the Maine Farmer. 

 CARBONIC ACID. 



A circumstance recently occurred in a neigh 

 l)oring town, wliicli canic well nigh being a seri 

 (lus accident. A man descended into a deep well 

 for the purpose of cleaning it. After being there 

 a short time, he signified to those above that lie 

 felt singularly, and that it was so dark that he could 

 accomplish nothing. An attempt was made to let 

 down a lighted camlle, but it was extinguished be- 

 fore it camo near him. No one suspected any 

 danger, and the man was suftered to remain; but 

 beginning to feel still more unpleasantly, he re- 

 fused to stay mitil the candle could be relighted, 

 and insisted on being dniwn up. This was im- 

 mediately done, aii<l no doubt was the means of 

 saving his life. 



This siilij(;ct may appear trite, but a few words 

 will not be .-iiniss, since there are always the young 

 to learn, even if the old are not ignorant. It is 

 the more imi)0rtant that it be thoroughly under- 

 stood, because if one person is so tmforttmate as 

 to be struck lifeless at th^e boitoiii of a well, he 

 rarely sntTers alone. In the excitement of the mo- 

 ment, prompted by philanthropy or friendshi]), 

 and suspecting no datiger, a second descends to 

 render assistance, ;ind falls ; a third, still iTiore ex- 

 cited by the melancholy catastrophe, follows his 



It is generally known that a noxious gas is gen- 

 erated, during the combustion of charcoal ; that 

 the same substance exists iii certain mineral springs, 

 and is often so abundant as to lie upon the surface 

 of the waters, where it proves deadly to all ani- 

 mals that are let down within its influence ; and 

 also that the same gas is occasionally found in 

 wells, particularly such as are very deep and foul, 

 and have been long disused. This is known in 

 common life by the'appellalion of "choke damp.'' 

 Its origin we need not stop to discuss. It is suffi- 

 cient for our purpose to know, thtU it is nearly as 

 heavy as common air— that it will not support 

 combustion, and is eminently destructive to life. 

 It is on the first named principle, that when it ex- 

 ists iu wells, it is found near the surface of the wa- 

 ter ; and on the second that a lighted candle low- 

 ered into it, will always be extinguished and thus 

 detect its presence. No person, therefore, should 

 ever so ftir risk his life, as to descend into a well 

 without having first made use of this test. If 

 combustion cannot be supported, neither can ani- 

 mal life. 



But supposing it be discovered that there is an 

 atmosphere of carbonic acid on the surface of the 

 water, is the well henceforth to be abandoned be- 

 cause it cannot be cleansed ? Various expedients 

 have been proposed for the purpose of removing 

 the deleterious gas. One of the best means con- 

 sists in drawing it out by means of buckets. These 

 are to be let down, and filled with water as usual 

 to dispossess thein of common air— they are to, be 

 raised a little above the surface, and by means of 

 a string attached to the bottom are to be overturn- 

 ed the carbonic acid will take the place of the 



water, and being heavier than common air, it will 

 remain, and may be drawn up and poured like 

 water tipon the ground, care being taken that it 

 does not flow back into the well. 



The following method, it is believed, will prove 

 equally successful. Every one conversant with 

 Chemistry knows the power possessed by recently 

 burnt charcoal of absorbing almost any gas with 

 which it is brought in contact. A piece of the best 

 kind, the size of a gill measure, absorbs of car- 

 bonic acid, about one gallon, or by volume, in the 

 ratio of 1 to 35, and of other gases, some iu a less 

 and some in a greater jnoportion. On this prin- 

 ciple, then, it is recommended to let down into the 

 well, kettles of ignited charcoal, of the hardest 

 and most compact kinds. On reatliing the atmo- 

 sphere of carbonic acid, it is extinguished, and 

 immediately begins the work of removing it, which 

 it accomplishes in the cotirse of a few hours. 



At first sight it may appear singular, that igni- 

 ted charcoal, which generates this same gas, slionhl 

 be the agent employed to remove it — but such at 

 least is the theory founded on the above reasoning. 

 It shows how near together poison and its remedy 

 may grow. — JVtw London Gaz. 



rid were finally led to make a dip into the pot to 

 ascertain the character of the dregs, when behold, 

 the si)oon brought up about equal proportions of 

 ka and coffee ! The help being asked how the tea 

 came into the cofiee-pot, — " and sure inarm," said 

 she, " I jist put in a bit o'tea to give it a higher 

 color ; and I hope its no harm I've bin doin." — 

 Bunker Hill Aurora. 



AuGDSTUS gave an admirable example how a 

 person who sends a challenge ought to be treated. 

 When Mark Anthony, after the battle of Actiuni, 

 sent him a challenge, his answer to the mes.senger 

 who brought it was, ' Tell Mark Anthony, if he 

 be weary of life, there are other ways of despatch. 

 I shall not therefore take the trouble to be his exe- 

 cutioner.' , 



CATALOGUE FOR 1835. 



Jusr published, a Catalogue of the NEW 

 ENGLAND SEED AND AGRICULTLRAL 

 WAREHOUSE— comprising an unusual choice 

 collection of Garden and Flower Seeds, raised 

 in the Gardens connected with the Establishment. 

 The loilowing from the preface explains the principles ui 

 reference to which the business will be conducted. 



When the .Uricnlinral Warehouse and A'eic Eiigland Seed 

 Store was commenced, it was altogether problematical whether 

 those engaged in the ddierenl branches of rural economy would 

 give .support lo such an establishment, and the propiuiors in- 

 curred very considerable expense, as well as besto«ed mucli 

 time and e.xertion to make it what the Farmers and Gardeners 

 of Nciv England very much needed, to wit, a Repository Irom 

 which could be obtained Seeds, &c. which might be relied on 

 as true to their kind and of the best quality. The e.V;jerience 

 and experiments of a series of years, enable us uov. to givf 

 assurance of satisfaction to those who may commenn: or wil. 

 continue their patronage. We have completed our aiiicipatct 

 arrangements in the seed department m such a manmi diat w< 

 arc well assured of a full supply of seeds, raised miclei our owi 

 direction. We are thus placed in a condition to supily seeds 

 of warranted good quality ; and arrangements have bica mad. 

 to import from Europe those kinds which bid lairest u be mos 

 uselul, best adapted to our soil and climate, and on wiiich reli 

 anco can be placed ihat with proper treatment they will not tai 



to germinate. , i i ., 



bi a business of this description, It cannot be expected bu 

 that complaints will sometimes bo made of seeds not vet,eialing 

 but candid men will allow that the fault is not alwa\ . in tfr 

 sad. The best seed may fail of coming up, on several a.counts 

 some kinds may be sown too early, and be chilled in th. gruun' 

 in dry seasons, by the burning rays of the sun— they are olte 

 eaten byworms'and insects, and are frequently co\ered to 

 deep in the earth, particularlv delicate flower seeds. I he be! 

 method of proving the quality of the seed is lo sow a lew in 

 box of loose earth, placed in a warm room, keeping i le ear 

 moist. If the seed is good, it will vegetate in a rc.soiiabl 

 time. A quicker method is to roll up a lew seeds lU a quanlil 

 of ii'rf moss, which will soon determine their character. 



It was long before the business would warrant the . xpcns< 

 now incurring; and it is for the public to decide lo wli.ii extcl 

 Ihey will give their patronage to an establishment c.aiouctt 

 on the principles, enjoying the advantages, and fa\o.edwii 

 ihe prospects above mentioned. 



This Catalogue contains SO pages; will be senl C.'ratis 

 dealers, patrons and friends of the Establishment, and Urdei 

 for articles contained therein will meet with prompt ami laithi 

 attention. GEO- ?• "ARRETF, 



Neiv Englaivd Seed Store, Iwslvn. 



IRISH WIT. 



Our readers have probably heard of the Irish 

 help, who, when told to prepare some string-beans 

 for cooking, actually with a needle, put them all 

 upon a thread! VVc have to relate quite as in- 

 genious a contrivance in another case, which re- 

 cently happened in this town. The master of the 

 house inadvertently neglected to gel a supply of 

 coffee, and there was not enough to answer for 

 breakfast. When the family were sealed, they 



NEAV AVORK. 



Just received from the Publisher a new work entiilod Ca. 

 CAREOUS BliNi'REs, treating upon the difl'erent cap. cities 

 soils for imprn\einent &,c. by E. RulBn, Esq. Edi i ol I 

 Farmer's Register. GEO. C. B.\RK1 T 



New-England Farm i Offu 



THE NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



Is published every Wednesday Evening, at gS | r aiiiiil 

 payable at the end ol the year— but those who p ,\ wil| 

 sixty days from the time olsubscribing,areentitledt. a ded 



tion of tifty cents. 



Qj*Noi)aper will be sentto a distance withoii payiU 

 being made in advance. 



Primed for Geo. C. Babrktt by Foi;i. iV . mrI' 

 who execute every description of Bovh and liii i, l^r 

 tjjn-ingoodstyle.and.withpromptness. Orders r pr 

 in" may be left with Geo. C. Barrett, at tbi igm 

 tural Warehouse, No. 52, North Market Street. 



