AND HORTICULTURAL REGISTER. 



PUBLISHED BY JOSEPH BRECK &. CO., NO. 52 NORTH M.4RKET STREET, (AoBicntTURAi. Wabbhoube.) 



XXII.] 



BOSTON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 22, 1843. 



[NO. ai. 



N. E. FARMER. 



;ES as PROTECTORS FROM LIGHT- 

 NING. 



r J. E. Strong, of Boston, proprietor of the 

 oved lightning conductors, in a communication 

 e New York Observer, in reply to Prof. Olnn- 

 1*8 " Remarks on Protection from Lightning," 



Among the different kinds of trees, one of 

 est conductors is probably the t/m. In fact I 

 [hat the general impression among the coin- 

 ty is, that the elm is a very great protection 

 building, if standing near it; some even con- 

 it nearly if not quite as good a protection as 

 U constructed lightning rod. But of the num- 

 f trees struck under such circumstances, that 

 come to my knowledge, the greater propor- 

 have failed to protect the building ; so that, 

 ,e whole, I think they enhance the danger, 

 r than otherwise. 



A house in Springfield, Mass., was struck in 

 , with a tall elm standing near it. The 

 re, which was a horizontal one, passed into 

 ouse directly through the branches of the tree, 

 ng off two limbs about two inches in dianie- 

 Thence it passed through the whole length 

 e main building and L part, following a bell 

 part of the way, and killing Mr Starkey, the 

 rietor of the house, and found egress at the 

 end of the roof of the L, near the ridge, 

 l-e it tore off a ahingle and some lead. The 

 le was immediately afterwards furnished with 

 ning conductors ; and one great reason it was 

 lone before was, because great confidence was 

 sd in the protection of that tree. I will men- 

 one more instance, to which I was an eye- 

 ess. 



In the summer of 1834, a large two-story house 

 ng one chimney in the centre, was struck by 

 .ning, in New Hampton, N. H., with two tall 

 ar trees standing wiiliin about 12 or 14 feet of 

 The charge appeared to descend obliquely n 

 form of a ball, and when within a few yards 

 e tops of the trees, it appeared to divide and 

 end on them both. On e.taminalion, it was 

 d that a portion of the bark of both the trees 

 torn off about half way to the ground, below 

 ;h there were no marks of violence, where it 

 them both and entered the building in two pla- 

 From one tree, it entered the house immedi- 

 / under the eves, following the wall downward, 

 re two young men were sitting near the wall 

 le upper room: one was instantly killed, and 

 other at first was thought to be dead, but 

 iigh great exertions was resuscitated. Tlience 

 churge passed down through the lower room, 

 lering a looking-glass hanging on the wall, and 

 ng a man who was sitting by the window with 

 lild in his arms, the child remaining unhurt, 

 spent itself in the cellar beneath. 

 From the other tree, it entered the roof about 

 way from the eaves to the ridge, and passed 



through the garret, where a lot of stove funnel was 

 lying in a horizontal position, but which did not 

 seem to divert it from its course, as it passed trans- 

 versely through one piece, perforating a hole in 

 both sides about five-sixteenths of an inch in diam- 

 eter, and thence passing through a partition wall, 

 a part diverged and passed down the chimney, 

 tearing away some of the brick and wood-work. 

 The remainder passed down two or three feet fur- 

 ther, and again divided ; one part went directly 

 down to the cellar; the other part was received by 

 the hand of a lady who was just in the act of open- 

 ing the door to pass out, and was killed. Then it 

 passed across the floor of the room, where two 

 young men were standing, whose feet were badly 

 hurt; after which no trace of this part ot the 

 charge could be discovered. 



" No satisfactory reasons were perceptible why 

 the fluid should be diverted from the trees, as they 

 were both green and in a flourishing condition; 

 and also the ground around their roots must have 

 been very wet, as a great quantity of rain had al- 

 ready fallen. 



"I have been induced thus to particularize this 

 case, from the suggestion thrown out by Prof. Olm- 

 stead, expressing a doubt whether any such in- 

 stance ever occurred." 



AGRICULTURAL APHORISMS. 



Annihilate the implements of husbandry which 

 have been brought into existence in the course of 

 a few hundred years, and the recollection of their 

 uses, and starvation would be the consequence. 

 So in a few hundred years from this time, the then 

 inhabitants of the earth would starve on the prac- 

 tice of our present system of husbandry. 



We are all born in sight of the mountain of plen- 

 ty, and all desirous of reaching its summit; but 

 let me tell you, that you can only do this by hold- 

 ing on to a plow or hoe handle. If you attempt to 

 climb up by any other means, you will surely tum- 

 ble. He who never attempts to climb up this 

 mountain, is a brute ; he who attains half way, is 

 a man ; and he who reaches the summit, is a hero. 



With him who has " learned enough," I claim 

 no kin ; nor will I keep his company. 



Nature works for the agriculturist while he is 

 sleeping' : who else can claim the benffit ? 



Equally silly is he who is killing his land to fill 

 his purse, with him who killed his goose to get the 

 golden egg. 



We learn not so much by our own experience 

 as by the experience of others ; and it is much 

 easier to procure this by reading than by travelling. 



He who seeks more light the more he finds, and 

 finds more the more he seeks, is worthy to he call- 

 ed a sage. 



Prejudice and conceit are the offsprings of igno- 

 rance, and the great barriers to agricultural im- 

 provement. 



A cent expended in money or time, in the pro- 

 mulgation of agricultural knowledge, will add 

 many dollars to the public stock. 



If you treat your land badly, it will return the 

 compliment. 



Never plant on foul ground to save a plowing 

 or on wet ground to save time. 



The best way to convert an agricultural bigot, 

 is to put good examples before him and be silent. 



If we make large crops at the expense of our 

 land, it becomes every year more evident that our 

 apparent gain is real loss. 



Manure is to a farm what daily food is to nn 

 animal ; it must be procured at any sacrifice. 



It is necessary often to be reminded o( what we 

 already know. — Southern Planler. 



THE FARMER. 



In no other situation, perhaps, are to be found 

 more of the substantial goods and comforts of 

 life than centre around the fireside and homo of 

 the farmer. At this season of the year, when he 

 has got his harvest home, his fragrant crib of ap- 

 ples, his heaps of potatoes, and the corn house 

 showing the yellow ears through the crevices to 

 the very eaves ; his hay well secured, and his la- 

 bor, if he hired any, paid ; such a man has no 

 cause for envy ; he is happier than the President 

 of the Union. Numerous, we hope, are such far- 

 mers. No blessing is reached without toil and at- 

 tention, and the horn of plenty may be said to be 

 turned mouth downwards at the door of every in- 

 dustrious tiller of the soil. 



It has often occurred to me that our farmers too 

 often strive to obtain money rather than happiness. 

 What can money procure that we have not about 

 us? — wholesome food, and plenty of it; plain, 

 warm clothing, a welcome home, and a good con- 

 science — ay, a clear conscience, more valuable 

 than aught that can be purchased with money. If 

 we have but a sufficiency, let us rather rejoice that 

 we have little or no surplus cash ; for this species 

 of wealth is accompanied with care, apprehension 

 and anxiety. 



Most of us are desirous, in addition to supplying 

 our own wants, to give our children a start on their 

 journey. This is all right and proper; but if we 

 look around us for those in the enjoyment of inde- 

 pendence — those who are in comfortable circum- 

 stances — shall we not generally find them the mak- 

 ers of their own fortunes — self-raised — the children 

 who were left or sent out into the world without a 

 penny, and who are indebted for their success alone 

 to good coi>duct and good management.-' If this 

 be so, why then should wo be so solicitous — why 

 should we desire to leave our boys an ioheritanco 

 that turns upon them the designs of bad men, in- 

 duces a dislike for labor, and leaves them, too oft- 

 en, without any thing but bad habits ? Something 

 may be given to our daughters to set them up in 

 housekeeping when they get married, and especial, 

 ly if they are so happy as to get an industrious 

 man for a husband ; but is not the best fortune we 

 can give to our boys, a good, useful education, in- 

 dustrious "habTls, and the example of good morals? 

 — Far. Month. Visitor. 



There was excellent sleighing at Concord, N. H. 

 on the 13th inst. The snow was 8 inches deep. 



