'"■^Wfft^v' 



W 



americana), destroys mftoyinsscts. He appears 

 to be particularly food of beetles and crickets 

 bat eats the larrse of yarioas insects. The May 

 bu|f, or Juae bay, {Melolontha vulgaris,) both 

 ij the lafTSB (in which it is called the "white 

 ^rub") and perfeet state, is much couj^ht after. 

 The skunk dig;B oat the insect, and the slight ex- 

 carations it makes in tloinf this are frequently 

 seen. It is doabtful whether this animal would 

 ereo commit depredations oa the poultry yard, if 

 he could obtain insects euoagb. Xi any rato 

 in situations renaote from the farm buildings, he 

 is Tery useful in his ordinary mode of life. 



Bats lire on insects, taking tbera like the 

 swallow, on the wing. So far as we hare ob- 

 serred. they feed chiefly on small flies and moths 

 which art) in the air "between sunset and dark." 

 — Boston Cultivator. 



The Faramouat Importanci of Agriculture. 



Without derogating from the importance of 

 any of the other pursuits, and occupations we 

 may safely, I think, claim for Agriculture, in 

 some respects, a eertain precedence before them 

 all. It Las beea said to be the great and final 

 object of governmsnt to get twelve impartial 

 and intelligent men iito the jury box: by which 

 of course, is meant, that the administration of 

 equal justice between man and man is the pri- 

 mary object of civilized and sotial life. But the 

 teacher, secular or spiritual mifht plausibly 

 urge that it xS of prior importance that the 

 coaamanity thoald have the element*, at least of 

 mental and moral culture, and be taught the ob* 

 ligations of an oath, before sny twelve of its 

 members should take part in the administration 

 of juHtiee. The physician might contend that 

 health is of greater importance than the trial by 

 jary and with greater reason it might be claim- 

 ed for agricultare that it supplies the first want 

 of our natnre — the daily call of the great family 

 of man for hiadaily bread — the call that must be 

 answered before the work of life, hia;horlow, can 

 begin. Plaintifi'and defendant, judge an3 jury 

 must break their fast before they can meet in 

 court, and .if the word of a witty poet can be 

 taken, cerruin very important consaqaencps 

 sometimes happen to culprits, in order that jury» 

 men may got to their dinners. 



But to speak in a more fittiag and serious 

 strain, I musk confess that there has always ap' 

 peared te me something approacbiag the sub- 

 lime in this view of jLgriculturo which (such is 

 the eff«et of familiarity ) does not produce an 

 impression on our minds in proportion to the 

 grandeur of the idea. Thehumanraceis usually 

 estimated at one thousand millions. IftheB«B<- 

 tenance of a portion of these multitudinous mil- 

 lions is derived from other sources than Agrical- 

 ture, this circumstance is balanced by the fact 

 that there is a great deal of agricultural produce 

 raised in excess of the total demand for food. — 

 Let then the thoughtful husbandman who de- 

 sires to form a just idea of the importance of his 

 pursuit reflect when he gathers his little flock 

 about him to partake the morning meal, that 

 one thousand millions of fellow men have 

 awakened from sleep that morning craving their 



daily bread with the same appetite which reigns 

 at his family board, and that if by a superior 

 power they could be gathered together at tke 

 same time for tbesamemeal, they would fill both 

 sides of five tables reaching all round the globe 

 where it is broadest, seated side by side allow- 

 ing eighteen inches to each individual, and that 

 these tables are to be renewed twice or thrice 

 every day. Then lei him consider that in adr 

 dition to the food for the human race that of all 

 the humble partners of man's toil — the lower 

 animals — is to be provided in like manner. — 

 These all wait upon agriculture as the agent of 

 that Providence which giveth them their meat 

 in due seasen, and they probably consume ia 

 the aggregate an equal amount of produce; and 

 finally let him add in imagination, to this mntold 

 amount of daily food for man and beast, the 

 various articles which are famished directly 

 or indirectly from the soil for building mate- 

 rials, farniture, clothm? and fuel. 



EDWARD EVERETT. 



Progressive Agriculture. 



The N. Y. Observer says the following good 

 things of progressive agrieulture : 



"Under its influence spring up tasty and con- 

 venient dwellings, adorned witb shrubs and flow- 

 ers and beautiful within with the smiles of happy 

 wives, tidy children in the lap of thoughtful age 

 — broad hearths, and acts as well as words of 

 welcome. Progressive agriealture builds barns 

 and pats gutters on them, builds stables for 

 cattle, and raises roots to feed them. It grafts 

 wild apple trees by tke meadow with pippins or 

 greening's — it set out new orchards, and takes 

 care of the old ones. 



It draiis new lands, cuts down bushes, buys a 

 mower, house-tools and wagons, keeps good 

 feaces, and practices soiling. It makes htm lay 

 and chickens live, and prevents swine from root- 

 ing up meadows. Progressive agriculture keeps 

 on hand plenty of dry iuel, and brings in the 

 oven wood for the women. It plows deeply, 

 sows, plentifally, hanows evenly, and prays for 

 the blessing of Heaven. Finally, it subscribes 

 for good religious, agrieultural, and family jour- 

 nals, and pays for them in advance, advocates 

 free schools, and always takes semething besides 

 the family to the county fair. 



-f— 



Jurying potatoes in the ground with 

 rafters and boards so placed as to leave a little 

 space between the potatoes and the boards, and 

 to keep the weight of the earth from resting on 

 the potatoes, is said by those who have tried it, 

 to ba an excelleat method of preserving them. 

 It keeps them dry, requires less earth to protect 

 them, and diminishes the liability to rot. This, 

 of course, is to be practised oofy when good eel* 

 lara are not to be bad. 



-•e^ 



j|®*The total number of children in the St. 

 Louis Public Schools is 5,341, average atten 

 dance 4,785. Of the number 2,925 are boys, 

 and 2,410 are girls. 



