AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
313 
clear and attractive, and evidently tells what he himself 
knows and thinks, and not merely what he has found in 
other men’s books. The admirable illustrations with 
which these volumes are profusely supplied, are chiefly 
original at (drawn from nature. We heard the other day 
of an auth. r, who had compiled several books for children, 
but who was greatly puzzled to determine the name of a 
curious insect he had found in his garden. He asked one 
and another without gaining the desired information, but 
was somewhat confounded when a third gentleman took 
up from the table one of his own works for children and 
showed him there a picture of the insect with a full de¬ 
scription. We venture to say that the author of the vol¬ 
umes before us is better informed on the subject about 
which he writes. 
The first of these volumes, “ How Plants grow,” is one 
of the most attractive elementary books. It is a good 
study book for common schools, and a good reading book 
for vacations at home; and wherever it finds its way, 
some persons older than children will not be ashamed to 
be reading it. A few weeks since, we saw a lady at the 
White Mountains pouring over it's pages for a whole 
evening. We know a minister in this city who was so 
much pleased with it that he took it home and at once 
began to teach his children botany; and one young girl, 
not over fond of hard study, was quite won by the author’s 
sympathy for scholars expressed in the remark, “it is a 
pity that these three words are so long, for the pupil should 
fix them thoroughly in his memory.” This volume is 
designed for young beginners and contains a classification 
and description of the common plants of the country both 
wild and cultivated. 
The second book of the series goes into the subject 
more fully, and is suited to scholars somewhat more ad¬ 
vanced. Treating as it does of common things, and giv¬ 
ing illustrations of stems and roots and leaves and flow¬ 
ers, suchas every boy and girl who lives beyond the lim¬ 
its of city pavements can find at any time, it is admirably 
fitted to foster habits of careful observation and of the 
study of nature. The same clearness and simplicity char¬ 
acterize this volume, and a knowledge of its main facts is 
essential to one who would be a thorough practical agri 
nuiturist. 
The third volume of the series contains a descriptive 
account in scientific language of the peculiarities of the 
plants of the Northern part of the United States, includ¬ 
ing the Ferns, Mosses and Liverworts. This is full 
and satisfactory, and is prepared with constant reference 
o the wants of students. It is intended to accompany 
the preceding volume. Those who do not care to study 
the mosses and flowerless plants, can also procure for 
$1.50 an edition of the Manual, in which a hundred pages 
devoted to the Cryptogamia are omitted. 
The fourth work of the series is designed for a college 
text book, and treats of the structure of plants, external 
and internal, through the whole process of growth from 
the seed; and also of the relations of plants to each other, 
in accordance with which they are grouped into classes 
and families Though it is profound and scientific, it is 
not unintelligible. Words of course are introduced into 
such a treatise that are not familiar and commonplace ; 
the use of them is necessary in order to secure brevity, 
accuracy and definiteness : but such words will soon be¬ 
come easy to one who will consult thedictionaryofterms, 
at the end of the volume The whole series we are glad 
to commend as one of great value, exceedingly instruc¬ 
tive, and especially interesting in unfolding the wonders 
of creation and of providence. 
A Whole Library In One Work. 
We have examined with much satisfaction the first 
three volumes of The New American Encylopedia, 
now being published by D. Appleton & Co., New York 
City. It is justly styled a “ 1-opular Dictionary of Gene¬ 
ral Knowleedge, for when complete, it wiil contain about 
all the information in every department ol science, art, 
history, biography, etc., which will be desired by the 
great mass of readers. Indeed, we doubt whether one 
person in a thousand w ill care to learn more on any sub¬ 
ject than can be found in this work. The first three vol¬ 
umes go down the alphabet only to BRO, and as a test, we 
called to mind a dozen topics, including matters relating to 
agriculture, horticulture, geography, biography, etc., and 
we found upon each topic alarge amountof the most con¬ 
densed, yet full information. There are some things, such 
as the articles on scientific agriculture, agricultural chem¬ 
istry, etc., which w e would have changed somewhat, had 
we written them, but taken as a whole, the work is as 
perfect as could be expected in one of so comprehensive 
a character. It is as we have styled it, a whole library in 
one work Take the first volume as a sample of the 
others. This begins with A. goes to Arag.—not through 
one letter—and treats of 2,740 topics, in 752 large, closely 
printed, 2-column pages. This gives an at erage of over 
half a column to each subject, though some of the more 
important topics occupy several pages, and others, less 
important, are condensed into a brief space. From this, 
any one can gather an idea of what will be contained in 
the entire"15 volumes. We are informed in the introduc¬ 
tion, that in addition to a free use of all former encyclo¬ 
pedias issued in. this country and in Europe, about a hun¬ 
dred gentlemen assist in the preparation of the different 
departments. It is under the editorial supervision of Geo. 
Ripley and Charles Dana. 
We have spoken thus strongly of the work, because we 
deem it an important one—such an one as all will desire 
to possess who can possibly afford to do so. It is pub¬ 
lished at $3 a volume 
UM ©(DMjTMMS 
“ Uncle Frank,” whom we introduced to you last 
month, makes his appearance promptly in this number— 
he is a prompt old gentleman we believe—and hereafter 
he will have many interesting chats with the boys and 
girls we hope. By the way, we see he has been telling 
you some of our private talk, for which we were disposed 
to scold him a little, but we did not wish to fall out with 
him at the first start; and besides, he claimed that when 
introduced into so large a crowd, a bashful man like him¬ 
self ought to be allowed to pay his respects and make 
his apology for his appearance, in his own way. 
neither money, honor, office, nor any oil er thing shall 
ever induce you to do wrong, and that you will die doing 
right, rather than live by doing wrong. Let your motto be 
Duty with poverty and death is belter than u ickedness with 
wealth and life. 
A Sliuttle-L’oclc. 
A little boy “out West” (in Minnesota), wishes the Edi 
tor would tell him “ what is the Shuttle-cock anti Battle 
door which we frequently see mentioned in the Sab¬ 
bath School books and papers 1” We have had 
the accompanying picture made to illustrate the 
shuttle-cock, which is simply a cork made in the 
shape of half an egg, with feathers or very small 
quills stuck in the flat side. The battle-door is 
somewhat afterthe shape of a boy’s 1 bat,”or wick¬ 
et ball club. In a regular battle-door, the s ick or 
handle, is about as large as a brocmstick, say t wo 
feet long, and upon the end of this is a hoop six or 
eight inches in diameter, upon which is stretched 
a piece of parchment or thin leather. When the 
cork ofthe shuttle-cock is struck by one girl with 
a battle-door, it flies through the air, the lighter 
feathers keeping the cork forward. Another girl 
standing at a little distance hits the cork and sends 
it back again, when the first girl hits it again. We 
have seentoo little girls keep a shultle-cock thus 
flying forward and backward between them a long 
time, without its once falling to the ground 
It is a very pleasant and healthful exercise for 
girls. 
A Boy not Afraid of a Dog. 
The following account of a brave boy—one truly brave— 
we take from the Sunday School Advocate. It imparts a 
good lesson, for though none of our young readers may be 
placed in such circumstances as are here detailed, yet 
all of them, both boys and girls, will often be tempted to 
waver from the true, the right course, by fear, or by hope 
of profit. Remember this story, and let it be your fixed 
principle to do right, without regard to circumstances. 
Two wicked men told a good bov that he must swear, 
or they would let a savage dog loose upon him. 
“ I can’t swear,” said the boy, “ it would be wicked.” 
“You shall, or the dog shall tear you to pieces!” 
“No,” said the boy. “I won’t swear ! God forbids it!” 
“ At him then !” said one of the men to the dog. 
“ Seize him ! seize him !” shouted the other. 
Now these men did not mean to let the dog bite the boy. 
They only meant to frighten him into the sin of swearing. 
But the dog, being set on. sprung suddenly from the man, 
w ho held him, and fastened his sharp teeth in the noble 
little fellow’s arm. Before those wicked men could make 
the savage dog let go his hold, the boy's arm was badly 
mangled. Fainting with fright and loss of blood, he was 
taken into the house of his master, (who was a farmer’s 
servant) and put to bed. A feyer set in, and after some 
days the boy died, forgiving his cruel persecutors. 
I admire the conduct of that brave boy. He could not 
be made to do wrong. He had the stuff in him of w hich 
martyrs are made, and I doubt not that he wears a mar¬ 
tyr’s crown in heaven. Glorious boy ! 
Children, cherish that boy’s spirit. Settle in your 
hearts at once and forever that you will always do right, 
cost what it may ! Resolve, by the help of God, that 
Microscopes at Last!— Ever since the July 
number was issued we have been trying to get 
some ofthe microscopes referred to in that num¬ 
ber. Only two or three were to be found in this 
city ; then a lot ordered from Paris were lost on 
the way; and then another lot were poor. But we 
have at last got some good ones, w ith the genuine 
“ Coddingtonlenses.” Wehoped tohaveob'ained 
some in German Silver cases, hut these we have 
are all like fig. 4, on page 219 of July number, and 
in pure silver cases. The present retail price is 
$4, though a free demand and larger importations by 
dealers will probably reduce this price. Those we have 
were not obtained for sale, but to give for premiums, as 
described on the last page. 
Uncle Frank’s Chat with the Boys and 
Girls 
One day last month, I received a note from Mr. Judd, 
stating that he would be happy to see me a few minutes at 
hisoffice. I always like to make my friends happy, when 
I can; so I lost no time in eallingupon him. It is bare¬ 
ly possible that I might have had another reason for call¬ 
ing so promptly ; I well knew that agricultural editors, 
at this season of the year, frequently have some choice 
specimens of fruit sent them ; “ and who knows,” I thought 
to myself, “but Mr. Judd wishes me to discuss with him 
the comparative merits ofthe New Rochelle Blackberries? 
or perhaps,” Iwenton with my pleasant musings “there 
is a new variety of peaches to be tested. Something o 
that sort is in the wind, no doubt. Well, I trust I am ad 
equate to any such performance. I believe I am a man of 
taste, at all events.” With these thoughts, I entered the 
private sanctum of the editor of the Agriculturist. 
There sat Mr. Judd, at his desk, driving a steel pen of 
some thirty horse power, more or less, and so busy that I 
had to hail him twice before he looked up. lie did look 
up, though, after a while, wh»n something like the fol¬ 
lowing dialogue took place : 
M r. Judd —“ I want to make the' Agriculturist the bpst 
farming paper in the United Slaves of America,” 
Uncle Frank—( somewhat crtts^ily, perhaps, t^ipkip^ 
