DEVOTSD TO AG-RICULTURE AND ITS KINDKHD ARTS AND SCIEHTCES. 



VOL. XIII. 



BOSTOK, DECEMBER, 1861. 



NO. 12. 



NOURSE, EATOX & TOLMAX, Proprietors. cttv/tow tjtj r,i!!7-T\T •c-mTr.-o FRED'K HOLBROOK, ) A; 



Office.... 34 Merchants' Row. bLMUN BUOWN, EUirOR. HENRY F. FRENCH, } E 



, i associatb 



Editors. 



\r 



m 



CALENDAH. FOB DECEMBEB. 



* * * Low the woods 



Bow their hoar head ; * * * 



Earth's universal face, deep hid and chill, 

 Is one wide dazzling waste, that buries wide 

 The works of man. Drooping, the laborer-ox 

 Stands covered o'er with snow, and then demands 

 The fruit of all his toil. The fowls of heaven, 

 Tamed by the cruel season, crowd around 

 The winnowing store, and claim the little boon 

 Which Providence assigns them.— Thomson. 



ECEmber, the last of 

 the annual train 

 of months, has at 

 length arrived. — 

 ^ ^ The golden gates 

 ■^ of autumn are 

 =ri closed. T/inter is 

 spreading his fros- 

 " ty mantle over the 

 earth, introducing 

 to the view new 

 _p. _ landscapes, and 

 ^-^^^"^ new forms and co- 

 lors, and establish- 

 ing a realm of its 

 own. Vegetable life is fast 



becoming extinct : it sprang 

 gladly into existence under 

 the kindly influences of spring, was 

 strengthened and sustained by sum- 

 mer dews and showers, and perfect- 

 ed by the genial suns of autumn. But it is all 

 just as glorious in its decay, as it was in its 

 progress to perfection ; it has fulfilled tha ob- 

 jects of its existence, in its youth, in its strong 

 and lusty maturity, and in age, and now bows 

 in obedience to that unvarying law of change 

 which controls all that composes this transient 

 earth. Is not this one of the rich lessons that 

 autumn affords to intelligent beings, — to bow 

 in filial submission to the laws of nature, and 

 come to the later period of existence laden 

 with heavenly affections and the good purposes 



of life, as the plant is laden with the shining 

 and perfect seed ? The feathered tribes have 

 hied away to sunnier climes. The denizens of 

 the forests have sought shelter in the caves and 

 fas'-nesses which nature provides, while domestic 

 animals are hovering about the habitations of 

 man, and dependent upon him for that shelter 

 and sustenance which their own instincts would 

 fail to secure. The busy hum of insect life has 

 ceased, and during some entire days a calm and 

 impressive stillness everywhere prevails. 



In the aspect of the external world during this 

 month, there is much that is striking. The ex- 

 change of autumn's gay livery for the sombre 

 drapery of winter, the passing away of most that 

 is attractive and especially pleasing to the eye 

 and the ear, and the ushering in of the stately 

 storm-king, with all the chilling paraphernalia of 

 clouds and tempests, is calculated to chasten our 

 desires, and awaken feelings tinged with the more 

 sober views of life. 



But December is not without its charms, by 

 any means. It depends much, however, upon our 

 habits of thought and observation, whether we 

 are attracted towards external nature., and pleased 

 with her aspects or not. All may be barren and 

 uninteresting to one, where another may find 

 beauty and instruction in all his paths. There is 

 certainly nothing from the hands of the Creator 

 but is filled with lessons of wisdom and love, and 

 he whose heart is properly attuned, and beating 

 in unison with nature's works, may find in every 

 season much to awaken emotions of pleasure, and 

 more that is mysterious and incomprehensible to 

 excite his wonder and admiration. 



December is the month of plenty, literally, the 

 liarvest-Jiome. The store-house, the granary, the 

 cellar and the larder being filled, there seems to 

 be propriety in regai-ding it as a fit time for feast- 

 ing, and enjoying the fruits of our labors. 



The Jews had a festival, commemorating the 

 ingathering of their crops, when, with most lib- 



