N.. !». 



ubjccte directly ami indirectly bearing upon ngri- 

 "re, ia to bo regnrdod. 



conlinuniion ol" this mibject, wo ehall endeavor to 

 t out a good motliod to pursno, to enable na to 

 It a natural eyatoni of ciiltivnti.in. We mast lay 

 tbundntion well, comwienco with primary princi- 



and the results must hi- sucocsslul. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



135 



The Workli»s-Mim's Home Plciisnrcs. 



"I crown tlicc king of iutiinale iloli)!li'9. 

 Fircstdr 



iljnynleilts, hon)6-born happiness, 

 AnJ hII the comforts thnl the lowly roof 

 Of utulistiirtiM rclircinenl' and tlic houra 

 Of long uuinterruiitcl evening know." 



COWPER. 



lio fTinily relation implies community of interest; 

 lere iao common stoos, ao there are common Bor- 

 ? and common joys. I'ut a dozen of people to- 

 cr in a house, and let each lead tb» life of a her- 

 this would be no family, even though they might 

 lood relations. There ia more of domestic life 

 1 iii tlic steerage of a packet-ship, where like seeks 

 kr, Qiid little congenial groups are formed before 

 .'oyiige iaover. The true glory of homo is in the 

 ill, region of civilization: it is absent alike from 

 lighrsi and the lowest. What can be more clieer- 

 ihnn the sullen selfishnoea of the Indian wigwam; 

 re the relentless savago wraps himself up in indo- 

 iignily, while the sqaaw and ehildrcd are spurn- 

 to unworthy of a look — nnless it be the elegant 

 fashionable household of the prince or noblfl^ 

 re each is independent of the other, and has his 

 rale equipage and peculiar friends. Compare with 

 the CLittnge of the poor laborer, who returns at 

 ght to be welcomed by every human being, and 

 y domestic animal; who tells over, or hears, all 

 rrcncoe of the day, and who feels that there 

 jrcot wbich he does not share with every one 

 nd him. 



here ia more value than all believe, in the simple 

 m, let family enjoymenis he common to all. If 

 3 ore few who deny this, there are still fewer who 

 ipon it in its full extent. Something of it, as I 

 •■ said, there must be, to make a family at all. 

 occupy tho same house, sit around the same fire, 

 eat at the sr.me table. It would seem churlish, 

 ttlmoat inhuman, to do otherwise. But I am for 

 nng the matter much farther, and for knitting 

 3 closely together those who cluster around the 

 ! hearth; believing that every influence ia evil 

 :h severs father from child, and brother from bro- 

 Tho morsel that is eaten alone becomes sooner 

 ter a bitter morsel. 



embers of the same honsohold should feel that 

 are dependent on one another, and shouM be as 

 to ask, as ready to give, assistance. Each should 

 in tho morning with the impression, that no duty 

 e day is more urgent than to make every indi- 

 al happy, with whom he is bi ought into contact, 

 this conuict should bo sought not sliunned. It is 

 1 sign, when members of the same household are 

 of one another. I do not, of course, allude here 

 loae horrid instances of unnatural, brutal temper, 

 re persons of the same blood, daily gathered 

 nd the same board, refuse to sponk to one nnoth- 

 maliceand envy must rankle deeply where this 

 be the case. I refer to a more common fault, 

 ;h sometimes c.\ists where there is a degree of 

 affection, but where the members of a family 

 separate pursuits and separate pleasures. The 

 y morning meal is swallowed with little inter- 

 se. When it is done, each hurries to his or her 

 liar line of employment. Tho mother ia busy in 

 ki'.c'aen, the father in the shop, the sons go 

 ■ several ways. This might do well enough, if it 

 B confined to business, but it becomes the habit of 

 hours of leisure. Tho father has his evenings 

 lad; the sons are seldom with'n doors till a late 

 r, and too often, aho who most needs the cheering 

 lencea of the family circle, the mother, is left to 

 :h or darn by a dim candle, with the cradle mov- 

 at her feet, during those hours in which her 

 ghtera are laughing or singing among their young 

 ipany. All this is highly undesirable. The eve- 

 ga of the industrious family may be, nnd ought lb 

 delightful seasons of joint s.T.ifaetions. If wo 

 St have evening parties of friends, let there be a 

 per mingling of sexes and ages. The presence of 

 old may to a degree moderate the mirth of the 

 ng, but in the same proportion the aged will be 

 vened. This parcelling and assorting society, like 

 jlled packages in a shop, is becoming too common 

 . in my judgment injurious. The young folks 

 St bo all together; and the children must be all to- 

 bcr; and if matters go on thus, we may live to see 

 ties of greybeards and parties of Bticklinge. No! 



wherever it ia possible, let the family chain bo kept 

 bright and whole. In theihnusea of tho industrious, 

 it is Burely broken often enough by aeparalion at work 

 duVing tho day. 



Instead of thus living apart, which engenders eel- 

 fishnrso nnd raorosenes.'^, I love to aeo tho members 

 of families flowing together, like congenial drops. 

 There are some bnusca in which no ono makon a con- 

 fident of another: if one would learn the secret of his 

 brother, he must go abroad tor it. This is unnatural, 

 and wholly evil; incompatible with tho I'rnnkness of 

 simple love. Show me the father often walking with 

 hie sons, and these eons often with one another, not in 

 business merely, but in sports; nnd I shall think I 

 see a virtuous nnd happy household. 



I'her* is one particular in which the principle 1 

 hnve laid down may havo a very important applica- 

 tion. I mean the cause of mental improvement. The 

 rule should here bo, so far as possible, let the pursuit 

 of knowledge in every family be a joint pursuit. For 

 many reasons this is desirable in every hiuise, but it is 

 almost indispensible in the house of the working-man. 

 It wakes up the spirit of improvement; it saves time 

 and expense, and it gives tenfold zest to the refresh- 

 ments of leisure. To take ono of tho simplest inston- 

 res, I would, in two words, say to every working- 

 man. Read (ilmiil. Tf tho book is borrowed, this is 

 often tho only way in which every one can get his 

 share. If tho family is very busy — and the female 

 members of all industrious families are as much so in 

 the evening ns in the day — tho reading of one will be 

 as good ns tho reading of all, and while one reads, n 

 dozen may knit or sew. There are many persons 

 who enjoy much more nnd retain much better what is 

 read to ihom than what they read themselves: to the 

 reader himself, there is a great difli;rence in favor of 

 reading aloud, ns it regards the impression on his 

 own mind. The mcm.bers of the circle may take 

 lurns, nnd thus each will have a chance of learning, 

 what so few leally attain, the art of correct and agree- 

 able reading. Occasion is thus oflered fjr questions, 

 remarks, and general discourse; and it is almost im. 

 possible for eonvercalion to flag, where this practice 

 is pursued. With this method, the younger members 

 of a family may be saved in a good degree from the 

 perusal of frivolous and hurtful books ; and, if a little 

 foresight be used, a regular course of solid or elegant 

 instruction might thus be constantly going forward, 

 even in the humblest family. 



But the moral and social effects of such a practice 

 are not less to be regarded. Evenings thus spent 

 will never be forgotten. Their influence will be 

 daily felt in making every member of the circle more 

 necessary to all tho rest. There will be an attractive 

 charm in these little fi.'osidc associations which v.'ill 

 hold the sons and daughters back from ntuch of the 

 wandering which ia common. It will be a cheap, 

 wholesome, aafe enjoyment, and it will be all this, al 

 home. 



Tho gains of an affectionate family onght to be 

 shared nnd equolized; the remark is true of all de- 

 grees and kinds of learning. Study has a tendency 

 to drive men to solitude, and solitude begets selfish- 

 ness, whim, and moroseness. There are some house- 

 holds in which only one person ia learned; this one, 

 however amiable, has, perhaps, never thought of shar- 

 ing his acquisitions with a brother or a sister. How 

 seldom do men comraunieatj what they havo learned 

 to their female relations: or, as a man once said in 

 my hearing, ** Who tells news to his wife? " And 

 yet how easy would it be, by dropping n word here 

 and a word there, for even a philosopher to convey 

 the chief result of his inquiries to those whom he meets 

 at every menl. I havo been sometimes surprised ti* 

 see fathers, who had made great attaimuents, and 

 who, therefore, knew tho value of knowledge, ab- 

 staining from all intercourse with their sons, upon the 

 points which we.'o nearest their own hearts. In fam- 

 ilies where the reverse of this is true, ihnt is, where 

 the; pursuits of the house have been a joint business, 

 it is common to see a succession of persons eminent 

 in the same lino. Thus, among linguists, the Bux- 

 torfs; among paintero the Vernets and the Peales; 

 among musicians, the Garcias; in literature, the 

 Edgeworths, the Taylors, .'uid the Wirta. 



Thee are aome pleasures which, in their very na- 

 ture, are social; these may he used to give a charm to 

 tho working-man's home. This is more true of no- 

 thing than music. Harmony implies a concurrence 

 of parts, I have seen families so trained that every in- 

 dividual had his allotted part or instrument. Lot tho 

 thing, however, bo conducted by some rule. If pro- 

 per pains be taken with children, while they are yet 

 young, they may all be taught to sing. \Vhero cir- 

 cumstances favor it, instrumental music may b« ad- 



ded, (l is somewhat uufortunate that American wo- 

 men practice almost entirely upon the more expen- 

 sive instruments; and it is not every man who can or 

 ought to give two hundred nnd fifty dollars for a pi- 

 anoforto. In countries where tho guitar is a com- 

 mon accompaniment, it is within tho roach ol iho 

 poorcHt. There may be lovely music, however, with- 

 out any instrument. The most exquisite mnsic in 

 the world, I mean that of the pope's Sistine Chapel, 

 js known to be such. There is great room for aeleo 

 tion, however, both as to music nnd words. It ia tho 

 height of fully to l.iiy every new thing which comes 

 from the muaic-soller.s. So far as words arc concern- 

 ed, a full hnlf of what they publish ia nnnvcnso, or 

 worse; and I have blushed to see a young hidy turn- 

 ing over what she very properly railed her " looso 

 music." Those persons, therefore, deserve onr thanks 

 who from time to time arc publishing in a cheap form 

 such secular music as is proper fiir families. I here 

 refer chiefly to such works nsKingsley'e Social Choir, 

 Mason's Odeon, and tho Boston Glee Book. 



But, after all, and without any reference tojeligiou, 

 the best music is sacred luusic. It is on this that tho 

 greatest masters have laid out their strength; it is this 

 which most suits the chorus of many voices. Secu- 

 lar pieces, as commonly published, are intended to 

 be sung by few, or by a ainglc voice; but sacred com- 

 positions admit of the strength of a whole company. 

 And it ia truly delightful to drop into one of those 

 families where the evenings are sometimes spent in 

 this way. There is tho eldest daughters at the piano- 

 forte, accompanied by the eldest eou upon tho violin. 

 Another son and two daughters lead oH vocally, with 

 the principal melody, while a neighboring youth 

 plays the tenor, and sings the same part. "Tho old 

 gentleman in spectacles labors at his violincello, and 

 two or three flutes cotiio in modestly to complete the 

 orchestra; while neiccs, nephews, cousins, friends, 

 and, perhai-s, suitors, fill up the s<ounding chorus 

 with right good will. This is, indeed, something 

 more than a mere family meeting, but it is what 

 grows out of it; nnd when the evening ends, and 

 some little refreshments have gone around, the transi- 

 tion is not abrupt from this to tho social worship, 

 when all voices join once more in a happy evening 

 hymn. — Tlic Workmgman. 



For the New Genesee Farmer, 

 Morn> 



»y D. W. C. ROBERTS. 



Whistling far through ether, springs 

 The early lark on soaring wings; 

 The sombre mists of midnight lleo 

 With the dews oH" grass and tree; 

 As Morn, all docked, and smiling led, 

 Poors o'er the mountain's distant head. 

 Lo! her chariot's joyous train 

 Sweeps the heavens' cerulean idainl 

 Flowers, gemmed with diomond dew. 

 All the crystal pavements strew; 

 Airs of richest fragrance blow. 

 Floods of rarest music flow; 

 The merry song of chanticleer, 

 And loo of kino, fall on the ear: 

 Tho milkmaid, singing, seeks her cow; 

 The Fanner hastens to tho plough, 

 Thus life and joy, on every hand, 

 Prevail when Morn comes o'er the land! 



: Buckthorn Hedge. 



If any gentleman wishes to see a beautiful buckthorn 

 hedge, he moy bo gratified by stopping at the residence 

 of the editor, in Cambridge. We are satisfied, from 

 our own experience, that farmers might adopt this 

 mode of fencing enclosures with success. It would 

 be a perfect protection against all animals that usually 

 trespass on their grounds. The plant is not only use- 

 ful for this purpose, but is highly ornamental. No 

 worm or borer altncka the root or the stem; no insect 

 preys upon the foilage. It is also of rapid growth; 

 and in six years it may bo raifod from the seed to a 

 state of maturity suflicicnt to aflbrd the protection re- 

 quired. And the best recommendation of all is, per- 

 haps, that it will last as long as its owner or his heira 

 may need it. Our plants were procured six years ago, 

 from Ml. Uerby, ofS.-iiem, who it is well known, baa 

 a specimen of tho hedge which surpasses any thing of 

 t'nc kind in Masanchitsctfj.— iJosfon Ccniricr. 



