276 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER 



FEB. la,- 184 



IVI I S C E L L A' N E U S 



THE MOLE. 



Tlie strong, short legs of the mole, the palmated 

 feet, armed with sharp nails, tlie pig-like nose, the 

 teeth, the velvet cost, the small external ear, the 

 sagacious smell, the sunk, protected eye, all con- 

 duce to the utilities or to the safety of its under- 

 ground life. It is a special purpose, specially con- 

 sulted throughout. 



The form of the feet fi.xes tlie character of the 

 animal. They are so many shovels : tliey deter- 

 mine its action to that of rooting in the ground ; 

 and every thing about its body agrees with this 

 destination. The cylindrical figure of the mole, 

 as well as the compactness of its form, arising from 

 the terseness of its limbs, proportionally lessons its 

 labor; because, according to its bulk, it thereby 

 requires the least possible quantity of earth to be 

 removed from its progress. 



It has nearly the same structure of the face and 

 jaws as a swine, and the same offics for them. The 

 nose is sharp, slender, tendinous, strong ; with a 

 pair of nerves going down to the end o( it. 'I'he 

 plush covering, which, by the smoothness, close- 

 ness, and polish of the short piles that compose it, 

 Tejects the adhesion of almost every species of 

 earth, defends the animal from cold and wet, and 

 from the impediment which it would experience 

 l)y the mould sticking to its body. From soils of 

 all kinds the little pioneer comes forth bright and 

 clean. Inhabiting dirt, it is of all animals the neat- 

 est. 



But what I have always r.ioet admired in the 

 mole, is its eyes. This animal, occasionally visit- 

 ing the surface, and wanting, fcr its safety and di- 

 rection, to be informed when it does so, or wlien 

 it approaches it, a perception of light was necessary. 

 I do not know that the clearness of the sight de- 

 pends at all upon the size of the organ. What is 

 gained by the largeness or prominence of the globe 

 of the eye, is widtli in the iield of vision. Such a 

 capacity would be of no use to an animal which 

 was to seek its food in tlie dark. The mole did 

 not want to look about it, nor would a large ad- 

 vanced eye, have been easily defended from the 

 annoyance, to which the life of the animal must 

 constantly expose it. How, indeed, was the mole, 

 working its way under ground, to guard its eyes 

 at all ? In order to meet this difficulty, the eyes 

 are made scarcely larger than the head of a cork- 

 ing-pin ; and these minute globules are sunk so 

 deeply in the scull, and lie so sheltered within the 

 velvet of its covering, as that any contraction of 

 what may be called the eye-brows, not only closes 

 up the apertures which lead to the eyes, but pre- 

 sents a cushion, as it were, to any sharp or protrud- 

 ing substance which might push against them. 

 This aperture, even in its ordinary state, is like a 

 pin-hole in a piece of velvet, scarcely pervious to 

 loose particles of earth. Observe, then, in this 

 structure, that which we call relation. There ia 

 no natural connexion between a small, sunk eye, 

 and a shovel, palmated foot. Palmated feet might 

 have been joined with goggle eyes ; or small eyes 

 might have been joined witli feet of any other 

 form. What was it, therefore, that brought them 

 together in the mole .■' That which brought to- 

 gether the barrel, the chain, and the fusee in a 

 watch, design ; and design, in both cases, inter- 

 ferred from the relation which the parts bear to 

 one another in the prosecution of a common purpose. 



COCOA NUT TREE. 

 The tree attains a considerable height in those 

 places which are best suited for its growth ; and it 

 grows on those sandy soils which are not so well 

 adapted for the culture of otlier useful vegetables. 

 Like the rest of the palm family, the cocoa-nut tree 

 is without branches ; but the trunk consists of a 

 tissue of remarkably tough fibres, that intersect 

 each other like net work, and thus the tree can 

 bear those violent storms and hurricanes which are 

 so frequent on the Indian shore. The middle rib 

 of the leaves is often ten, twelve, or fourteen feet 

 long, and is very firm and strong. The leaflets are 

 very numerous, of considerable strength and very 

 durable. These leaflets are not only used for the 

 manufacture of baskets, but are an important arti- 

 cle in Hindoo architecture, being plated together 

 to form the roofs and walls of houses, of which the 

 trunks, when split, compose the beams and rat\ors. 

 The flowers come out at the roots of the loaves, in 

 long sheaths, of which there is a considerable num- 

 ber upon a vigorous tree. When the flowers have 

 nearly attained maturity the sheaths upon the male 

 flowers drop off, the germs begin to expand into 

 nuts, and after they have attained a considerable 

 size, the sheath also shrinks up. The fruit, wlien 

 it approaches maturity, is very large, far larger 

 than the nut which is imported into this country. 

 It consists externally of a hard brown rind, which 

 is very thin and tender; within that, there is a 

 great quantity of brown fibres. This fibrous mat- 

 ter, which is known by the name of coire, is of 

 great use to the natives. When short, it is used 

 for the same purpose as bakeJ hair in this country, 

 and cushions stuffed with it are very elastic. It is 

 also spun into cordage of a very superior quality, 

 and there have been many instances of vessels rid- 

 ing out storms securely by coire cable, when the 

 best hempen ones, of European manufacture, have 

 failed. The use of the cocoa-nutshell, as a vessel, 

 is well known in this country. It is one of the 

 most firm and durable of vegetable substances, and 

 requires very little preparation to make it fit for 

 use. The pulp of the nut, though rather indigest- 

 ible when used alone, is a favorite ingredient in 

 many Indian dishes. It also yields a great quan- 

 tity of oil, which is used in India for the lamp. End 

 for many other purposes. — Picture of India. 



VEGETABLE CUTTER. 



A MAN WANTED. 



To do the work on a smnll place, a few miles from I 

 cily. He must understan.i ine cultivation of vegetabl 

 fruits, &.C., and the care of horse, cows, &c. A single mi 

 from 20 to 30 years of age, of steady and industrious habi 

 may inquire at this oiBce. J. B. I. 



January 15. 



Prince of Walks and Major North. — North 

 was an aid-de-canip to the I'aron Steuben, Inspec- 

 tor (iieneral of the Revolutionary Army. After 

 the peace, he made a trip to England, where, be- 

 ing a sensible, witty young man, he was introduced 

 into good company. At a party, where the Prince 

 of JWales was present, (the King then laboring 

 under his first malady) Major North was called on 

 for a toast. Forgetful, for a moment, of that pro- 

 priety which had distinguislied him, he unguardedly 

 proposed, " A speedy coronation to the Prince of 

 Wales." The Prince inunediately discharged hi.s 

 glass of wine in the Major's face; who, with great 

 self-possession and ready humor, threw his own in 

 the face of the next guest, exclaiming, " Pass it 

 round — 'tis the Prince's sentiment." Thus was a 

 serious beginning turned into a jocular end. 



" I was charmed,' said Lord Oxford, " with the Is published every Wednesday Evening, at S3 per annu 



answer nf a poor man in Bedlam, who was insulted ^^Z:':^:i^Z^^^^:^,:^,ffj::l 



by a boy because he would not tell him why he " ' " ' 

 was confined. The unhappy man at last said : — 



' Because God Almighty has deprived me of that tcttle, deknett and chishoi.m, printers, 



which you never had !' " „ jguny^ g.^^j^j-T boston 



Willis's New Improved Vegetable Cutter. This mach 

 is calculated for culling up vegetables and esculent roots 

 fodder, and is one of the most useful and economical n 

 chines thai the farmer can use. The subscribers feel gr 

 confidence in recommending this machine to the publ 

 they are aware thai it has been long wanted and they n 

 ofler a machine that cannot fail to give satisfaction upoi 

 fair trial. It will cut with ease from one lo two bushels i 

 minuie, in the best possible manner, and is not liable to i 

 out of order, being made in the most substanlial mann 

 No farmer should be without one of thi-m. For sale at ' 

 Agricultural Warehouse, 51 and 52 North Market Street. 



December 18. JOSEPH BRECK & CO 



Bo:yE niAjivRE. 



The subscriber informs his friends and the public, tl 

 alter ten years experience, he is fully convinced that groD 

 bones lorm the most powerful stimulant that can be appl 

 10 the earih as a manure. 



He keeps constantly on hand a supply of Ground Boi 

 and solicits the patronage of the agricultural communi 

 Price at the Mill 35 cents per bushel ; put up in casks and i 

 livercd ot any part of the city at 40 cents per bushel, and 

 charge for casks or carting. 



Also, ground Oj'ster Shells. 



Orders left at the Bone Mill, near Tremont road, in Ri 

 bury, at the New England Agricultural Warehouse a 

 Seed Store, No 52 North Market Street, orthiuugh the P^ 

 Office will meet with prompt attention. 



NAHUM WARD 



SCIONS OP FRUIT TREES FOR SALE. 



The collection of fruits cultivated at the Pomfelogi 

 Garden consists of more than 1400 varieties cf ihe Apf 

 Pear, Plum, Cherry and Peach. Scions of all those whi 

 have been proved are offered to nurserymen and others. G( 

 tlomen wishing lo send collections of American fruits 

 their friends in Europe can be furnished with most of th( 

 of first rale quality. They are warranted true to their nam' 

 and are m all cases cut Irom iruit bearing trees. 



Salem, January 2ii, 1310. ROBERT MANNING. 



AMERICAN SWINE BREEDER. 



Just published and for sale by JOSEPH BRECK & C 

 the American Swine Breeder; a Practical Treatise on t 

 Selection, Rearing, and Fattening of Swine, by Henry \ 

 Ellsworth: price 75 cents. 



January 16. 



ROHAN POTATOES, 



For sale at the New England Agricultural Warehouse ai 



Seed Store, No. 52 North Market Street, at »S per barrel. 



October 16. JOSEPH BRECK & CO. 



THE NEW ENGLAND FARRIER 



ductionof 50 cents. 



