973 
[September, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
FARM HOUSE PORCH—From a Painting by Walter Goodall. 
{Engraved for the American Agriculturist.) 
tiresome at first, and the beginner should ride 
but a short distance at a time, until the muscles 
are accustomed to the use required of them. 
Horsemen differ as to the propriety of using one 
or botli hands for the bridle. A horse properly 
trained, can easily be guided with one hand. For 
this purpose the reins should be drawn just tight 
enough, to feel the horse’s mouth, then a slight 
turn of the hand to the right or left will be suf¬ 
ficient. An animal soon becomes acquainted 
with the peculiar manner of one who uses him 
frequently, and may be taught, in a short time, to 
turn at the increased pressure of the leg upon 
either side, and to take a different gait at the 
mere touch of the bridle. 
Where there is danger from stumbling, it is 
safest to ride with a rather loose rein ; the horse 
can recover himself much more readily, if he 
have command of the muscles of his head and 
neck. He will also more easily discern and 
avoid obstructions, if his head be left in its na¬ 
tural position. To bring a horse’s head and neck 
into a painful position by a standing martingal, 
is both cruel and dangerous ; he will fall upon a 
slight stumble. 
----■» - ■ ■■ 
Absence of Mind.— A lough one is told of a 
clergyman who went jogging along the road unt il 
he came to a turnpike. “ What is to pay !” 
“Pay, sir! for what 1” asked the turnpike man. 
“ Why, my horse, to be sure.” “ Your horse, 
sir I what horse 1 Here is no horse, sir!” “ No 
horse ! Bless me,” said he, suddenly looking 
down between his legs, “ I thought I was on 
horseback.” 
This beautiful Picture, the production of one 
of England’s most gifted artists, presents a scene 
that cannot fail to give pleasure. The painter 
seems to have caught the very spirit of rural quiet 
that surrounds and gives a charm to country life. 
From the mother bending over her child, down 
to the little chick drinking from the pan, every 
part is true to nature. How much more attrac¬ 
tive is such a picture than the representation of 
the most splendid pageant. Painters well under¬ 
stand that there is no beauty like that of nature, 
and their highest success is attained by faithfully 
copying her. Is it not singular that those living 
in the midst of such scenes should so little ap¬ 
preciate them! and that they should find greater 
attractions in the gaudy shows of city life! It 
would be strange, were it not that an apprecia¬ 
tion of, and love for the beautiful, are greatly de¬ 
pendent upon culture and intellectual refinement. 
It is not merely the landscape, nor the eye, that 
are concerned in awakening the pleasing emotion 
of the sense of beauty, the mind is the canvas 
on which the tints and grouping must be thrown 
to give the “ sweet satisfaction.” 
The study of the works of such masters of art 
is one of the surest means of developing and cor¬ 
recting taste. After examining such a print, one 
turns almost with contempt from the coarse, 
cheap engravings that are spread upon the pages 
of many of the flashy papers of the day. 
It is greatly to be desired that the love of the 
beautiful should be increased. When it is fairly 
awakened, its effects will be seen in the improve¬ 
ment of the dwelling, the cultivation of flowers, 
the planting of trees, and in the more genial spir¬ 
it which a home so adorned, brings to its occu¬ 
pants. We have repeated this sentiment again 
and again, and still continue to urge it, for it has 
much to do with the happiness of the household. 
We instinctively associate the beautiful with 
the good and virtuous, and not without reason. 
There is little room and less desire for the ex¬ 
citements of vice, when the mind is entertained 
with more pleasing images, and hence it is that 
we are not disappointed in our expectations of 
finding a higher moral tone prevailing in the 
country, where nature’s gifts are bestowed with¬ 
out stint. He who surrounds his dwelling with 
objects of taste, erects a strong barrier against 
many temptations to evil—a hedge of roses will 
more effectually keep boys from straying from 
the homestead, than a hedge of thorns, and girls, 
who find satisfactory pleasure in the cultivation 
of flowers, will care little for fashionable display. 
Facts that Bear Repeating;. 
SOURCES OF NOURISHMENT—COLD AND WARM SOILS. 
Plants have very litl le locomotive power. They 
can send abroad their seeds on the wings of the 
wind, they can stretch their roots out on every 
side, but the plants themselves must remain 
where they are set by chance or the hand of 
man ; they cannot go about in search of food. If 
our fields and gardens do not contain the kind of 
soils which our plants need, they must die or lead 
a miserable existence, unless we come to their 
aid. As plants are quite different in their habits 
and wants, they must be treated to different 
kinds of earth and exposures. And it is no sma)' 
