THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



261 



lands and left there, were surely extirpating 

 the Tussock, when man returned, and by pro- 

 tecting, perpetuating, and transporting it to 

 other countries, he has wisely dispersed it. 

 It appears singular that so striking a grass 

 should abound where there is no native her- 

 bivorous animal to profit by its luxuriance; 

 but it is no less certain that had not civiliza- 

 tion interfered, the Tussock might have waved 

 its green leaves undisturbed over the waters 

 of the stormy Antarctic Ocean, forever per- 

 haps, or until some fish, fowl, or seal, should 

 be so far tempted by the luxuriance of its fo- 

 liage as to transgress the laws of nature, and 

 to adapt its organs to the digestion and enjoy- 

 ment of this long neglected gift of a bounteous 

 Providence." 



In conclusion it may be added, as a singular 

 fact, that the Falkland Islands are entirely 

 destitute of trees, while several farther south 

 have tolerably extense forests; but as a sub- 

 stitute they had consigned them the majestic 

 Tussock that bids fair to rival our most vigo- 

 rous grasses, with which it compares as the 

 towering pine with the humble shrub. 



J. R. P. 



Chatham, Ncvj York. 



FINE SHEEP. 



An object of considerable notice in our 

 streets, on Thursday last, was a lot of Cots- 

 wolds, from the flock of Col. J. W. Ware,, near 

 Berryville, Clarke county, Virginia, on their 

 way to M. G. Booth, Esq. Franklin county, 

 Va. They consisted of a buck and five year- 

 ling ewes— two of the latter, part bred — the 

 first was a magnificent animal, weighing near 

 three hundred pounds; the others in proportion. 



The following are the weights of fleeces, we 

 are informed, obtained from some of the flock 

 of Col. Ware, at his late shearing — they were 

 washed on the back, and rated 8, 9, 9§, 10, 11, 

 1U, 12, 13, 13|, 16, 18$ lbs. The last uncom- 

 mon fleece was taken from the buck, which 

 at the shearing last year yielded 18f lbs. — 

 making 37i lbs. in two years. — Winchester 

 Virginian. 



FARMERS, READ! 



The harvest will soon be over; the yield 

 generally throughout our favored land has 

 been unusually good. The Goddess of Agri- 

 culture has smiled upon the labors of the hus- 

 bandman, and a munificent Providence has 

 been most bountiful to the tiller of the soil. 

 The reward of the farmer's honest industry 

 is an abundant harvest, and happy are we to 

 know that the most anxious expectations and 

 devout prayers have been so generally verified 

 and fulfilled. Agriculture is the basis of every 

 country's position and pennanencj r , and in no 



part of the world has the success of this great 

 national industry so powerful an influence as 

 in the United States. Without a successful 

 agricultural community we could never main- 

 tain our proud position as manufacturers, and 

 our commerce, the pride and boast of Ameri- 

 cans at home and abroad, would virtually 

 perish! How necessary is it then to render 

 all possible aid to this "first cause" of our 

 national greatness and renown ! Our govern- 

 ment, which has fostered and protected every 

 other branch of industry, has sadly neglected 

 the first and most important. The manufac- 

 turing and commercial interests are ever and. 

 anon urging their claims of protective legisla- 

 tion upon Congress, while the very foundation 

 of these minor interests is forgotten or ne- 

 glected. It is true the farmer requires no di- 

 rect aid from government; his indus.ry and 

 economy protect him, but when a bill is 

 brought forward, the object of which is to be- 

 nefit or farther the cause of agriculture in 

 general, it is treated with as little attention as 

 if it was the most insignificant subject extant. 

 The "Agricultural Bureau" is slumbering on 

 the tables in Washington, and unless a speedy 

 and powerful effort is made, we fear it will 

 slumber until beyond the power of resuscita- 

 tion. 



We would respectfully call the attention of 

 our friends in Congress to this truly national 

 subject, especially as the exciting question of 

 slavery is about to be disposed of. To our 

 farmer friends, in all parts of the Union, we 

 can give no better advice than to direct them 

 to the importance and necessity of education. 

 Educate your children, and you will, in truth, 

 bring them up in the way of the Lord. We 

 have often heard, and with sincere regret, 

 that our agricultural population is sadly defi- 

 cient in this most necessary requirement. — 

 We believe a brighter day is dawning, and 

 the people of the country will "shake the 

 dew drops from their armor," to bring about 

 that era when every tiller of the soik can in 

 reality be called an intelligent farmer. The 

 increasing circulation of newspapers will do 

 much to enlighten and instruct the rising gen- 

 eration, as well as to benefit the fathers and 

 mothers of the land. There are quite a num. 

 ber of papers and periodicals published now, 

 specially devoted to the interests, tastes, and 

 requirements of the farmer, and resident of 

 the country. We speak of this matter as one 

 of serious moment to every citizen in the in- 

 terior, and not simply as a recommendation 

 of our own paper. Any good, well conducted 

 moral journal or book, is deserving of pa- 

 tronage, and should form a part and parcel of 

 the necessities of every household. The be- 

 nefits ensuing from the perusal and study of 

 the instructive and dignified editorials, and 

 brilliant moral essays with which many of 

 our publications abound, are of incalculable 

 value, as many intelligent, well informed per- 

 sons in various parts of the country can testi- 

 fy. The approaching fall and winter seasons 



