To breed Males or Females—Early Spring—National Agricultural Society. 
i 
To breed Males or Females.— We have 
heard it asserted by distinguished breeders, that 
in seven cases out of ten, when the progeny 
was single, they could produce a male or fe¬ 
male offspring as they might wish. We have 
had some experience in this matter ourselves, 
but never obtained any thing like the certain re¬ 
sults above expressed. But we will give the rule: 
Should the sex required be represented in the 
intended parents by the most stout and robust, 
or the one possessing the highest condition, the 
rule would require them to be coupled in this 
condition, increasing their relative diversity per¬ 
haps for the occasion, by exhaustion on one side, 
and augmenting the vigor on the other. If the 
weakest or lowest in condition possess the sex 
sought, the physical superiority of the most ath¬ 
letic, should be temporarily changed so far as 
possible for the occasion, by partial exhaustion 
or fatigue, as might be done in a variety of ways, 
especially if in the male, by sexual exertion. 
Some learned writers have contended, that 
the sex of human progeny is determined by the 
advanced age of the parent, the one decidedly 
(relatively) the oldest, controlling it, and though 
true enough frequently, may yet be considered an 
accidental result. Walker who has written la¬ 
test and fullest on this subject, we never consid¬ 
ered as any reliable authority, and we have pe¬ 
rused his works more for the purpose of noticing 
the development of his startling theory, than 
any established or well authenticated principles. 
The matter is, however, worthy investigation, 
and we shall be glad of the experience of such 
gentlemen as have made sufficiently extended and 
accurate observations from which to draw gen¬ 
eral and incontrovertible conclusions. 
Llangollen, Ky., April 22,1842. 
Gent. —We have had no winter in Kentucky, and 
vegetation is three weeks earlier than usual this 
spring, as you will perceive from the following mem¬ 
oranda : 
March 10. Erythronium in flower. 
14th. Sanguinaria Puccoon do.—Flower buds of 
the Sugar Maple swelling. 
20th. Open—Leaf buds swelling. 
April 1. Open—Leaves full grown 22d. 
Acacia, black locust, in bloom 22d April. Leaf 
buds of the black walnut (the latest tree here in ac¬ 
knowledging the influence of spring,) swelling 10th 
April. 22d. Leaves expanding, but not fully grown. 
April 15. The white bractes of the Dogwood (Cor- 
nus Florida) expanded. 
17th. Judas-tree (Cercis) in bloom—Strawberry, 
cherry, peach-fruit set 12th. 
22d. Flower buds of the vine appearing—many of 
the leaves full grown.—Panicles of Kentucky blue 
grass and of orchard grass coming out 16th April, 
and Dandelion seeds ripe and flying off. 
The early influence of spring is felt too in the wa¬ 
ters. In the smaller streams the fish were spawning 
on the 1st April, and the crayfish are now, 22d April, 
all in a soft state. The snakes, both of the land and 
water, were out and as brisk as in midsummer, on 
the 8th and 10th April. 
What are the accidental or rather occasional causes I 
which produce such remarkable differences of tem¬ 
perature in the same latitude, and on the same iso¬ 
thermal line in different years 'l Does the earth, in 
its revolution on its axis, affect the position' of the 
internal, or as it is called, central fire so as sometimes 
to bring it nearer to the external crust on one side 
than on the other 1 Is this going too deep for the 
cause 'l* Perhaps it is, but I do not know it; and I 
do believe that there must be and are other causes 
than those usually assigned for the variations of tem¬ 
perature so great and extensive as do occur. 
I have just received ihe first No. of the “ American 
Agriculturist,” and congratulate you on its contents 
and form. The book form is decidedly the best for all 
periodicals worth preserving, and none are worth tak¬ 
ing by a farmer which are not worth preserving. But 
their preservation is not all. The form of large pa¬ 
pers renders them very inconvenient and tiresome to 
the arms to read, if you keep them expanded, and if 
not, you are constantly folding and unfolding to get 
at the contents. 
With sincere wishes for the success of the Agri¬ 
culturist, I am, gentlemen, very truly, your obedient 
servant, " John Lewis. 
P. S. In walking out this evening I find the May 
apple (Phodophyllum) in full bloom. 
The following was handed us by an intelligent 
friend and correspondent who was present at the 
meeting. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
National Agricultural Society. 
Gent.—I drop you a line for the purpose of 
informing- your readers that the anniversary of 
this Institution was held in Washington on the 
4th and 5th intstants. The numbers in attend¬ 
ance were small, and the delegates, principally 
from New-York and New-Jersey. The meet¬ 
ing took place in the beautiful building recently 
completed for the Patent office. The President, 
the Hon. Mr. Garnet of Virginia, took the chair: 
* In opposition to the suggestion of our esteemed correspon¬ 
dent, we are compelled to believe from extensive observations 
that have been made to test the influence of internal heat, that 
it never approaches sufficiently near the surface, to affect the 
temperature of our atmosphere. The only way internal fires 
can affect external temperature, in the present condition of the 
earth, is through the influence of volcanoes. These, when gen¬ 
erally in a very active state, will doubtless produce an effect on 
the atmosphere, that may be felt over the entire Globe. But we 
are not aware that this cause has operated in producing the 
mild weather during the past winter. There is no doubt, from 
the rapidity and extent of atmospheric currents, that the causes 
of variations, from an ordinary condition of temperature in any 
given latitude, may exist thousands of miles from the region af¬ 
fected. Indeed, we conceive this to be the solution of the whole 
question. We believe sufficiently extensive observations have 
never yet been made to test this matter fully, but we have no¬ 
ticed the fact, that frequently when a season has been unusually 
warm in one longitude, another has been at the same time, as 
remarkably cold. Now, may it not be, nay, is it not in the high¬ 
est degree probable , that in the region of’unusual warmth, un¬ 
wonted currents of atmospheric air, elevated in their tempera¬ 
ture, are wafted to it from the torrid zone, and other regions are 
fanned by breezes from the frozen North ? That the force of 
these winds is not strong, and always indicating the heat or cold 
by the direction from which they come, even if accurately no¬ 
ted, and exhibiting a result different from what is to be expect¬ 
ed, would not be a conclusive objection, when we reflect that 
the atmosphere possesses considerable density 40 miles above 
the surface of the earth, and that it is a sufficiently well attested 
fact, that numerous currents of air are constantly passing in 
every direction at the same moment, over the same point; and 
the checks and counter currents coming in contact with any- 
given one, may alter its direction and cause it to impinge upon 
the earth in a direction contrary to its natural (usual) course. 
Clouds, by intercepting the sun’s rays; and evaporation, by ab¬ 
stracting radiating heat, and locking it up in a latent state; and 
rains by condensing vapor and liberating it, (the latent heat,) 
are all operating causes in affecting the temperature. But the 
subject opens a wide field for observation, and our limits will not 
permit us to pursue it. a. 
