36 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
stantial food among the mineral and saline solutions in the 
earth,, and separates, with unerring fidelity, those which 
are required for the formation of the plant. In the mean 
time its head rises towards the heavens, and bursts the 
surface of the earth; the voluntary expansion of its leaves, 
seems to oiler praise to its Creator; the sun stamps upon 
it his brilliant colors, and gives the flower its beauty; by 
its heat, the plant prepares its oils, gums and balsams; and 
in return, gives to the light its oxygen, (which, for aught 
we know, may be the support of the sun.) The winds 
agitate the plant, and often threaten to carry away the 
beautiful superstructure; while its motions indicate to the 
root below', that it is in danger. The elder roots grasp 
with firmer strength the earth, and send forth an increased 
number of fibres, which collect materials and increase the 
growth of the plant. These operations go on until the 
fruit is produced, when the plant resigns itself to indo¬ 
lence, and delivers to the hand of man the result of its la¬ 
bors. Some are permitted to resume their action after 
delivering to the earth their fruit and leaves; but the 
greater number sink to the earth and furnish subsistence for 
the growth of some future plants. This is the unvaried 
round of matter, it lives, and dies to fill some other life. 
_ o ; »_ 
Good yield of Cora. 
[From the Genesee Farmer .] 
Mr. Tucker.— The subscriber has raised 292 bushels 
of ears of corn from two acres, or 73 bushels of sound 
shelled;corn per acre, of the Dutton corn, which I obtain- 
ecb from Judge Buel, Albany, a year ago last May. Pro¬ 
cess of tillage as follows: The land w'as gravelly loam, 
•clover sod, mowed three years previous; ploughed once 
in April, rolled lengthways of the furrows and dragged the 
same w r ay; planted the 4th day of May, three feet each 
way, with four spears in the hill; the seed rollec^in plas¬ 
ter; ploughed and hoed three times, the ordinary way; 
plastered twice, one bushel to the acre, after the first and 
second hoeing. Cut up and stooked the 15th of Septem¬ 
ber. It was ripe enough to cut up the 1st of September. 
I harvested it the last of October. If you think the above 
worthy a place in your paper, it is at your service. 
N. B. One ear of the corn had twenty row's on it; six¬ 
teen had fifty-five kernels each, which made 8S0; the 
other four had twenty-seven each, which made 108; total, 
988 kernels. Beat that! D. SUNDERLIN. 
Yates county, Dec. 1S37. 
Yoioig Men’s Deimrtmeiit. 
Natural Philosophy. 
VI. Electricity. —This name has been given to a 
science which explains and illustrates the operations of a 
very subtile fluid called the electric fluid, which appears 
to pervade eveiy part of nature, and to be one of the chief 
agents employed in producing many of the phenomena of 
the material world. If a piece of amber, sealing wax, or 
sulphur, be rubbed with a piece of flannel, it will acquire 
the pow'er of attracting small bits of paper, feathers, or 
other light substances. If a tube of glass, two or three 
feet in length, and an inch or two in diameter, be rubbed 
pretty hard, in a dark room, with a piece of dry woollen 
cloth, besides attracting light substances, it will emit flash¬ 
es of fire, attended with a crackling noise. This luminous 
matter is called electricity, or the electric fluid. If a 
large globe or cylinder of glass, be turned rapidly round, 
and made to rub against a cushion, streams, and large 
sparks of bluish flame will be elicited, which will fly 
round the glass, attract light bodies, and produce a pungent 
sensation if the hand be held upon it. This glass, with 
all its requisite apparatus, is called an electric machine .— 
It is found, that this fluid will pass along some bodies, and 
not along others. The bodies over which it passes freely 
are w'ater, and most other fluids, except oil, and the aerial 
fluids; iron, copper, lead, and in general all the metals, 
semi-metals, and metallic ores; which are, therefore, call¬ 
ed conductors of electricity. But it will not pass over 
glass, rosin, wax, sulphur, silk, baked w'oods, or dry wool¬ 
len substances; nor through air, except by force, in sparks, 
to short distances. These bodies, are, therefore, called 
non-conductors. 
The following facts, among others, have been ascer¬ 
tained respecting this wonderful agent:—That all bodies 
with which we are acquainted, possess a greater or less 
share of this fluid—that the quantity usually belonging to 
any body produces no sensible effects; but when any sur¬ 
face becomes possessed of more or less than its natural 
share, it exhibits certain appearances, in the form of light, 
sound, attraction, or repulsion, which are ascribed to the 
power called electric —that there are two different species 
of the electric fluid, or, at least, two different modifica¬ 
tions of the same general principle, termed positive, and 
negative electricity—that positive and negative electricity 
always accompany each other; for if a substance acquire 
the one, the body with which it is rubbed acquires the 
other—that it moves with amazing rapidity; having been 
transmitted through wire of several miles in length, with¬ 
out taking up any sensible space of time; and, therefore, 
it is not improbable, that were an insulated conducting 
substance extended from one continent to another, it 
might be made to fly to the remotest regions of the earth 
in a few seconds of time—that it has a power of suddenly 
contracting the muscles of animals, or of giving a shock 
to the animal frame—that this shock may be communica¬ 
ted, at the same instant, to a hundred persons, or to an 
indefinite number who form a circle, by joining their 
hands together—that it may be accumulated to such a de¬ 
gree as to kill the largest animals—that vivid sparks of this 
inches, hence the difference in the same earth, cultivated and 
uncultivated; the presence of the atmosphere being requisite 
for vegetation as soon as the genii bursts the seed. 
fluid, attended with a crackling noise, may be drawn from 
different parts of the human body, when the person is in¬ 
sulated, or stands upon a stool supported by glass feet— 
that electricity sets lire to gun-powder, spirits of wine, 
and other inflammable substances—that it melts iron wire, 
and destroys the polarity of the magnetic needle—that it 
augments the natural evaporation of fluids, promotes the 
vegetation of plants, and increases the insensible perspira¬ 
tion of animals; and can be drawn from the clouds by 
means of electric kites, and other elevated conductors.— 
By means of the electric power, small models of machi¬ 
nery have been set in action: orreries to represent the 
movements of the planets, have been put in motion; and 
smaff bells have been set a ringing for a length of time; 
and, in consequence of the knowledge we have acquired 
of the mode of its operation in the system of nature, the 
lightnings of heaven have been arrested in their course, 
and constrained to descend to the earth, without produc¬ 
ing any injurious effects. 
From these, and a variety of other facts and experi¬ 
ments, it is now fully ascertained, that lightning and elec¬ 
tricity are identical; and that it is the prime agent in pro¬ 
ducing the awful phenomena of a thunder storm; the 
lightning being the rapid motion of vast masses of electric 
matter, and thunder the noise, with its echoes, produced 
by the rapid motion of the lightning through the atmos¬ 
phere. There can be little doubt that, in combination 
with steam, the gases, and other agents, it also produces 
many of the terrific phenomena of earthquakes, volcanoes, 
whirlwinds, water spouts, and hurricanes, and the sublime 
corruscation of the aurora borealis. In the operations of 
this powerful fluid we behold a striking display of the 
sovereignty, and majestic agency of God. In directing 
its agencies, “his way is in the whirlwind and in the 
storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet; the heavens 
are covered with sackcloth, the mountains quake before 
him, the hills melt, the earth is burned at his presence, the 
rocks are thrown down by him:” Neh. 1. 3—6. It is 
easy to conceive, that, by a few slight modifications pro¬ 
duced by the hand of Omnipotence, this powerful fluid 
might become the agent of producing either the most aw¬ 
ful and tremendous, or the most glorious and transporting 
scenes, over every region of our globe. As it now ope¬ 
rates, it is calculated to inspire us rather with awe and 
terror than with admiration and joy; and to lead our 
thoughts to a consideration of the state of man as a de¬ 
praved intelligence, and a rebel against his maker. 
VII. Galvanism is intimately connected with electri¬ 
city, though it is generally considered as a branch of che¬ 
mistry. It is only another mode of exciting electrical ac¬ 
tion. In electricity the effects are produced chiefly by 
mechanical action; but the effects of Galvanism are pro¬ 
duced by the chemical action of bodies upon each other. 
If we take a piece of zinc, and place it under the tongue, 
and lay a piece of silver, as big as a half crown, above it; 
by bringing the outer edges of these pieces in contact, we 
shall immediately experience a peculiar and disagreeable 
taste, like that of copper. The same thing may be noticed 
with a guinea and a piece of charcoal. If a person, in 
the dark, put a slip of tin foil upon one of his eyes, and a 
piece of silver in his mputh, by causing these pieces to 
communicate, a faint flash will appear before his eyes. If 
a living frog or a fish, having a slip of tin foil pasted upon 
its back, be placed upon a piece of zinc, by forming a 
communication between the zinc and tin foil, the spasms 
of the muscles are excited. These and similar effects are 
produced by that modification of electricity which has 
been termed galvanising. Three different conductors, 
or what is termed a galvanic circle, are requisite to pro¬ 
duce such effects. A piece of copper, a piece of flannel, 
moistened with water or acid, and a piece of zinc, laid 
one upon another, forms a circle; and if this circle be re¬ 
peated a number of times, a galvanic pile or battery may 
be formed capable of giving a powerful shock. The most 
common and convenient form, however, of a battery, is 
found to be a trough of baked wood, three or four inches 
deep, and as many wide. In the sides are grooves, oppo¬ 
site to each other, into each of which is placed a double 
metallic plate, of zinc and copper soldered together, and 
the cells are then either filled with salt and water, or with 
a solution of nitrous acid and water. 
By means of the galvanic agency, a variety of surprising 
effects are produced. Gun-powder, cotton, and other in¬ 
flammable substances, have been inflamed—charcoal has 
been made to bum with a most brilliant, and beautiful white 
flame—water has been decomposed in its elementary 
parts,—metals have been melted and set on fire, fragments 
of diamond, charcoal, and plumbago, have been dispersed, 
as if they had been evaporated—platina, the hardest and 
the heaviest of metals, has been melted as readily as wax 
in the flame of a candle—the sapphire, quartz, magnesia, 
lime, and the firmest compounds in nature, have, been 
made to enter into fusion. Its effects on the animal system 
are no less surprising. When applied to a fowl or a rabit, 
immediately after life is extinct, it produces the most 
strange, and violent convulsions on the nervous and mus¬ 
cular system, as if the vital functions were again revived; 
and when applied to the human body after death, the sti¬ 
mulus has produced the most horrid contortions and gri¬ 
maces in the muscles of the head and face; and the most 
rapid movements in the hands and feet. 
The galvanic agency enables us to account for the fol¬ 
lowing, among other facts:—Why porter has a different, 
and more pleasant taste, when drank out of a pewter ves¬ 
sel, than out of glass or earthen ware,—why a silver spoon 
is discolored, when used in eating eggs,—why the limbs 
of people under amputation, are sometimes convulsed by 
the application of the instruments,—why pure mercury is 
oxydised when amalgamated with tin,—why works of me- 
t al, which are soldered together, soon tarnish in the places 
w'here the metals are joined,—and why the copper sheath¬ 
ing of ships, when fastened with iron nails, are soon cor¬ 
roded about the place of contact. In all these cases a gal¬ 
vanic circle is formed, which produces the effects. We 
have reason to believe, that, in combination with the dis¬ 
coveries which modern chemistry is daily unfolding, the 
agency of the fluids will enable us to carry the arts forward 
towards perfection, and to trace the secret causes of some 
of the most sublime phenomena' of nature. 
VIII. Magnetism. —This department of philosophy 
describes the phenomena, and the properties of the load¬ 
stone, or natural magnet. The natural magnet is a hard 
dark colored mineral body, and is usually found in iron 
mines. The following are some of its characteristic pro¬ 
perties:—1. It attracts iron, and steel, and all substances 
which contain iron in its metallic state. 2. If a magnet 
be suspended by a thread, or nearly poised on a pivot, or 
placed on a piece of W'ood, and set to float in a basin of 
water, one end will constantly point nearly towards the 
north pole of the earth, and the other toward the south; 
and, hence, these parts of the magnet have been called 
the north and south poles. 3. When the north pole of 
one magnet is presented to the south pole of another, they 
will attract each other; but if the north pole of one be 
presented to the north pole of another, or a south pole to 
a south, they will repel each other. 4. A magnet placed 
in such a manner as to be entirely at liberty, inclines one 
of the poles to the horizon, and of course elevates the other 
above it. This property is called the dipping of the mag¬ 
net. 5. Magnets do not point directly north and south; 
but in different parts of the world with a different declina¬ 
tion eastward or westward of the north;, it is also different 
at the same places at different times. In London, and in 
most places of Great Britain, the magnetic needle, at pre¬ 
sent, points about 24 degrees to the west of north. For 
more than 160 years it has been gradually declining from 
the north to the west; but seems of late to have begun 
its declination to the eastward. 6. Any magnet may be 
made to communicate the properties now mentioned, to 
any piece of iron and steel. For example, by gently rub¬ 
bing a penknife with a magnet, it will be immediately in¬ 
vested with the property of attracting needles, or small 
pieces of iron and steel. 7. Heat weakens the power of 
a magnet, and the gradual addition of weight, increases 
the magnetic power. 8. The properties of the magnet 
are not affected either by the presence or the absence of 
air; and the magnetic attraction is not in the least dimi¬ 
nished by the interposition of any bodies except iron. A 
magnet will equally affect the needle of a pocket compass, 
when a thick board is placed between them as when it is 
removed. It has lately been discovered, that the violet 
rays of the solar spectrum, when condensed with a con¬ 
vex glass, and made to pass along a piece of steel, have 
the powder of communicating to it the magnetic virtue. 
The cause which produces these singular properties of 
the magnet, has hitherto remained a mystery; but the 
knowledge of the polarity of the magnet has been applied 
to a most important practical purpose. By means of it, 
man has now acquired the dominion of the ocean, and has 
learned to trace his course through the pathless deep to 
every region of the globe. There can be little doubt that 
magnetism has an intimate connexion with electricity, gal¬ 
vanism, light, heat, and chemical action; and the discove¬ 
ries which have been made lately, and the experiments 
which are now making by Morichini, Oersted, Abraham, 
Hansteen, Barlow, Beaufoy, and Scoresby, promise to 
throw some light on this mysterious agent, and on the phe¬ 
nomena of nature with which it is connected.— Dick. 
Abuse of Memory. 
We recommend to teachers and others, who are in the 
habit of requiring children to commit long pieces to me¬ 
mory, the opinion of Lord Bacon upon this subject. 
“ The powers of the memory,” he observes, “without 
the help of writing, can do little towards the advancement 
of any useful science.” He acknowledges that the me¬ 
mory may be disciplined to such a point, as to be able to 
perform very extraordinary feats. But on such feats he 
sets little value. The habits of his mind, he tells us, are 
such that he is not disposed highly to rate any accomplish¬ 
ment, however rare, which is of no practical use to man¬ 
kind. As to these prodigious achievements of the memo¬ 
ry, he ranks them with the exhibitions of rope dancers 
and tumblers. “ The two performances,” he says, “ are 
of much the same sort. The one is an abuse of the pow¬ 
ers of the body; the other is an abuse of the powers of the 
mind. Both may perhaps excite our wonder, but neither 
is entitled to our respect.” 
We should often have reason to be ashamed of our most 
brilliant actions, if the world could see the motives from 
which they spring. — Rochefoucault. 
We do not know what is really good or bad fortune.— 
Rousseau. Our condition in this world is mixed. _ We 
all, in every state, have our sufferings, but of none is the 
condition so abject, that he may not find grounds, of con¬ 
solation, and discern the merciful finger of Omnipotence, 
pointing out to him a place of rest, of happiness unmixed, 
of everlasting peace. 
We seldom find persons whom we acknowledge to be 
possessed of good sense, except those who agree with us 
in opinion.— Roche’t. When such occasions do occur, 
our self-love always induces a decision in favor ol their 
judgment. ' _____ 
(tcjllvlr. Allen has reported a bill in assembly proposing 
a bounty of ten cts. per pound for cocoons, and ol fifty cts. 
per pound upon s ewing silk, produced from family labor. 
FROM THE STEAM PRESS OF 
PACKARD & VAN BENTHUYSEN. 
