AN ITALIAN VILLA, ETC. 
25 
TURKIES IN TENNESSEE. 
You have no idea at the north of the immense 
number of turkies raised by us in this quarter, 
and sent to the towns south of us for consump¬ 
tion. Only imagine a small flock of gobblers, 
amounting to seven hundred and thirty-one by 
actual count, which I saw passing my house the 
other day. They were driven along the high 
road by two men and three boys, and were on 
their way to Nashville, where they would be 
cooped and put on board steamboat for the 
New-Orleans market. And this, remember, is 
only one of a large number of flocks which we 
annually export. Now, sirs, what do you think 
of that? Don’t the bare thought of the thing 
fairly make your mouths water for the great fat 
gobblers of Tennessee, to furnish forth your 
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner-tables ? 
Raising turkies here is a great and peculiar 
business among our small farmers—and large 
ones too, as to that matter, sometimes—a full 
account of which I intend to give you one of 
these days, when I get time to scratch it out. In 
general, however, I can now say, that 
we usually let them steal their nests, 
for we find they bring out larger and 
stronger broods for it. When the 
young are discovered, we bring them 
home to a friendly wood, high and 
close fenced in near the house, and 
then feed them with coarse Indian 
meal pudding, allowing them to find 
shelter as they can within the large 
wooded enclosure. As soon as the 
young ones' get stout enough, they 
wander round the plantation in search 
of grubs, grasshoppers, and other var¬ 
mint, which they pick up by the mil¬ 
lion—fattening themselves, and greatly 
benefitting the crops of the planters. 
In fact, although they partially des¬ 
troy some of the grass and grain crops 
on the plantation, we have come to the 
conclusion that the grasshoppers, &c., 
would beat them at this, so we let the 
turkies run, and put up with our losses 
in this way as best we can. In the fall, 
when mast is plenty, they get very 
fat on that; but if this crop be short, we are then 
obliged to add corn till they are fattened for the 
market, and then they are marched off as above 
for the South. 
The turkies, young and old, have to contend 
with many enemies, such as the hawk, owl, fox, 
polecat, mink, and weasel; but to destroy these 
is great sport for the boys, and teaches them how 
to handle fire-arms; and will make good sol¬ 
diers of them for the defence of their country 
if wanted hereafter; which heaven forbid may 
be the case, for I don’t believe in one man 
killing another to settle a paltry dispute, r 
E. G. Yancey! 
single implements. At the exhibition of 1848, 
the Institute created a Gold Medal expressly for 
us; and the pflst year, 1849, they created another 
Gold Medal expressly for us, besides awarding 
us various premiums of different value. We 
never alluded to this subject before, nor should 
we now, except as a matter of justice to our¬ 
selves, and to show the public that our manufac¬ 
tures and establishment are highly appreciated 
at home as well as abroad. 
AN ITALIAN VILLA. 
For the Northern states of America, we think 
the Italian style of architecture for villas and 
gentlemen’s country houses, one of the most 
appropriate, elegant and convenient that can be 
adopted. For this reason, we are glad to see 
them on the increase in our country, more es¬ 
pecially in the suburbs of towns and villages. 
This style is founded upon the Roman, and 
was perfected during the thirteenth, fourteenth 
and fifteenth centuries. Its massive walls, shel¬ 
tering porch, cool shady verandas, arcades, 
Gratifying Premiums.— For several years pre¬ 
ceding 1848, we took the silver medals, at the 
American Institute, for exhibiting the best and 
greatest variety ot Agricultural implements: 
also, various medals and diplomas for the best 
‘■ema-mRiTT. 
An Italian Villa.—Fig. 8. 
round arched windows, airy balconies, project¬ 
ing roof, ornamental chimnies, and bold cam¬ 
panile or tower, rising to a lofty height, combine 
to make buildings in this style among the most 
imposing and agreeable ever erected. And then, 
looking from the exterior into the interior, every 
thing seems susceptible of being made so com¬ 
fortable, elegant and even luxurious, that the 
style wins upon one’s heart, and we cannot but 
wish it much more general than we now find it. 
Houses in the Italian style are more appropri¬ 
ately placed up the side or on top of a hill, 
and should be flanked with one or more terraces. 
These may be adorned with vases, statues and 
fountains. The trees around should be of a 
loftier character than those which surround any 
other orders of architecture, save, perhaps, that 
of the pointed or castellated gothic. 
We give no ground plan of this house y all we 
think; necessary for our readers is an exterior 
