346 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
pared to the loss of time, the waste of ener¬ 
gy, and the destruction of business-capacity 
produced by such indulgence. 
If we were to urge another reason against 
this pernicious practice, it would be its filthy 
nature. We saw a woman once chewing to¬ 
bacco, and though it was years ago, we still 
retain a vivid impression of her disgusting 
appearance. The practice is essentially as 
revolting in men, and the only reason why 
it does not appear so, is its greater frequen¬ 
cy, by which we become somewhat habitu¬ 
ated to it. The smoker carries an odor about 
his person so offensive that, were it not 
known to be the result of so prevalent a cus¬ 
tom, he would not be tolerated in decent 
society, while that of his breath is intolera¬ 
ble, even to other smokers. The tobacco 
chewer is an outcast from the company of 
ladies and the regions of carpets. Com¬ 
pelled to pass an hour in civilized society, 
he is uneasy, and suffers from the lack of 
his accustomed stimulant; or, if he should 
venture into the parlor without throwing 
away his quid, wo betide him! When ad¬ 
dressed, he wanders up and down seeking 
some corner into which he may eject the 
foul accumulations of his mouth, and re¬ 
mains dumb or answers in a gurgling voice, 
like a frog from the bottom of a well. Un¬ 
able to find a spittoon, he coughs for an ex¬ 
cuse, and ejects the contents of his mouth 
into his handkerchief, and perhaps wipes the 
perspiration from his forehead with the same 
article, and is horrified to feel the muddy 
liquid trickling down his temples. He mut¬ 
ters something about being unwell, and bolts 
for the door, vexed with the absence of spit¬ 
toons from his friend’s parlor, but most of 
all, with himself for being the slave of such 
an inconvenient and degrading habit. And 
yet he continues to use the vile stuff. 
Some idea of the power of the habit that 
enthralls him may be derived from the remark 
of an old physician, who had once been a 
tobacco chewer, and who informed us, after 
the lapse of twenty years, that he still 
dreamed of his quids. 
We hope that none of the boys who read 
our paper will form a taste for this poison¬ 
ous plant. Such an appetite once created, 
is like India-ink marks on their hands, and 
will always stay there to plague them, how¬ 
ever badly they may wish to be rid of it. 
Many persons we know are old tobacco eat¬ 
ers, nervous and lean and bilious, with 
very watery stomachs, while some of 
them have worked so long at the end of a 
pipe that they are dried up, ready to blow 
away like a thistle seed. It would be 
strange indeed if, among our readers there 
were not such. But we have no apologies 
to make. Those who use tobacco most, 
know best the truth of what we say; and 
there is not one of them that does not wish 
himself free from this slavery, and that to¬ 
bacco might taste as nauseous to him again 
as it did when he was a boy; and, excuse 
us if we add, there is not one of them but 
might be free, by a strong enough effort of 
the will. We know what we say. 
Make yourself a sheep and wolves will 
eat you. 
BOOK NOTICES. 
A VISIT TO THE CAMP BEFORE SEVASTOPOL. 
By Richard C. McCormick, Jr. D. Appleton & Co., 
New-York. 
It would be pleasant and instructive to any 
one to sit down with a reliable friend who 
had passed six weeks in the camp at Sevas¬ 
topol, mingling freely with the officers and 
soldiers in their tents and trenches, &c., and 
to hear him describe in a plain but lively 
manner his observations and experiences. 
Such a privilege we have just enjoyed, in 
perusing the book named above. Mr. Mc¬ 
Cormick is young in years, and compara¬ 
tively unpracticed in the use of the pen, but 
he has made an admirable selection of just 
such incidents as almost every one will de¬ 
light to hear about. His style and descrip¬ 
tions are lively, and have all the freshness 
of a familiar conversation. The author has 
occasionally contributed to the pages of this 
journal, and knowing his candid and truthful 
character, we expected to be pleased with 
the book, and we are free to say that it more 
than meets our expectations. It is neatly 
got up by the Appletons, and has several 
very appropriate illustrations, including a 
bird’s eye view of the seat of war, and a por¬ 
trait of Miss Nightingale. No one who 
takes any interest in the progress of the 
Eastern war, can well dispense with this 
book. 
From the. N. Y. Tribune of Aug. 1. 
ALLEN’S MOWING MACHINE. 
Sib: I noticed in the Tribune of July 13, 
an extract from what purported to be “ a 
Report” on Allen’s Mowing Machine, at the 
trial in Dedham, Mass. As this alleged re¬ 
port was in the highest degree unfavorable 
to my machine, and as the comments with 
which the extract was prefaced and follow 
ed, were, if possible, more so, I wrote Col. M. 
P. Wilcffer, President of the Norfolk Co. 
Agricultural Society, under whose auspices 
the trial was held, as to the quoted report. 
As I expected, it turned out to be no report 
at all, but simply a newspaper article got up 
for the occasion by the editor or some one 
else, whether for a consideration or other¬ 
wise doth not appear. 
In his reply to me, Col. Wilder expressed 
the opinion of the highly intelligent Com¬ 
mittee appointed for the occasion, that the 
machine had not had a fair trial, from the 
fact that a person had the management of it 
who was wholly unused to any mowing ma¬ 
chine, and who had never but once before 
seen one of any kind in operation ; and he 
further expressed the wish, that another 
machine might be sent that should fairly ex¬ 
hibit its capabilities. This courteous sugges¬ 
tion was promptly responded to, and two of 
Allen’s mowing machines were sent for 
another trial. This was had on the farm of 
Aaron D. Weld, Esq., of Roxbury, on the 
20th inst., in presence of nearly all the Com¬ 
mittee, and between thirty and forty of the 
most intelligent agriculturists of Norfolk 
County—and there are none more so in any 
other county, whether in or out of Massa¬ 
chusetts. From the unsolicited and spon¬ 
taneous expression of their opinion, I shall 
subjoin but a single brief extract from each 
of these articles on the subject. The first is 
from the Boston Journal of July 21, and the 
other two from the Dedham Gazette of 
July 28. 
“The company witnessed an experiment 
in mowing with one of Allen’s Patent Mow¬ 
ing Machines. The machine was tried in 
heavy and light grass, and mowed a smooth, 
clean swath, leaving no grass standing to be' 
trimmed off by the scythe. The party were 
unanimous in their praise of the perfection 
and utility of the machine.” 
“ Two of Allen’s Mowing Machines were 
on the ground and operated very favorably, 
much to the credit of that patent, which had 
prevously been unfortunate in its experience 
in this State, owing to lack of skill in its 
management, or to the reporters, who have 
looked at it with prejudiced eyes. The com¬ 
pany at Mr. Weld’s, composed of gentlemen 
of at least average judgement and discretion, 
seemed to regard the Allen machine, as there 
exhibited and operated, equal in merit to any 
others, no matter how extensively those 
others have been complimented.” 
“ The machine was operated in heavy and 
light grass, and was subjected to a severe 
and rigid scrutiny. We heard but one opin¬ 
ion expressed as to the working of the ma 
chine, and that of decided satisfaction.” 
R. L. ALLEN, Nos. 189 and 191 Water-st. 
New-York, July 81. 1855. 
- .■■■■rjirr.L'nfflii'.ii n» -— 
Rochelle Blackberries. —We have re¬ 
ceived a basket of these superb berries, from 
Mr. Nathaniel Hallock, of Milton, Ulster 
County, which, confined as we now are to 
the city, gives us a delicious foretaste of 
what we may expect when we get into the 
country. We are glad to hear that the cul¬ 
tivation of this fruit is rapidly on the in¬ 
crease in this neighborhood ; and we shall 
hope to soon see the day when they will be 
as abundant in our market in August, as the 
larger kinds of strawberries are in June. 
The Syracuse Chronicle says it is officially 
announced that three splendid prizes, the 
least of which is $25 in gold, will be offered 
to the ladies of Seneca Co., Ohio, at the next 
annual fair, October, 1855, for the swiftest 
running at foot race. The fastest lady on 
foot to take the highest prize. 
A New Way to Raise Beans.— -A gentle¬ 
man in Seneca Falls, N. Y., last spring 
planted some Lima beans. Not being pro¬ 
vided with poles, he supplied their place by 
planting in each hill sunflowers, trimming up 
the stalk, so that it served the purpose of a 
pole. For a time all went on well, till at 
length the sunflowers, growing so much fast¬ 
er than the beans, the latter were absolutely 
drawn up by the roots. 
A few days since three boys in Norfolk, 
Ct., discovered a swarm of bees settled upon 
a low bush. One of them immediately dis¬ 
robed, and taking his shirt, tied up the neck 
and arms, and then slipped it over the swarm, 
and in this manner succeeded in securing and 
hiving it. 
Prentice’s Last. —Our turn will come 
next. Every dog has his day .—Southern 
Democrat. 
If every dog has a day, such a great dog 
as you are ought to have a week or a month. 
Louisville Jour. 
