MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY JOURNAL 
CMitnii-orial. 
BY L. WETHKKELI. 
TEACH CHILDREN TO STUDY. 
Next to obedience to, and reverence for 
the teficlier in school, the most importaiit 
habit for the child to acquire, is, that of ap¬ 
plication to his book—close, diligent, atten¬ 
tive and porsevciing application. Without 
this on the part of the learner, it matters 
little, relatively, as to the quantity and 
quality of instruction given so far as it con¬ 
cerns his education. The child can never 
be educated in this, or any such way ot 
treatment. The mind is strengthened by 
being exercised,—systematically and vigor¬ 
ously exercised, by one who knows how to 
do this work—without which it may be 
laden, as it were, with knowledge, furnished 
by instruction, and yet be almost totally de¬ 
void of intellectual power to employ it to 
any advantage, either to the possessor, or 
lh"se with whom he associates from day to 
day, as he journeys on through life’s busy 
probation. * 
One of the greatest errors of this age ol 
boasted enlightenment and progress, eon 
sists in substituting instruction for education 
or in other words, instructing ft r educa 
ting. They are as wide asunder as the 
pol< s, and yet as inseparably connected. A 
child, or any learner, may be well instruct¬ 
ed without being educated, but he cannot 
be well educated without being well in¬ 
structed, either by the voice of the living 
teachu', or by his thoughts that live upon 
tile printed page. If the young student 
early acquire the art and habit of study, lie 
will secure not only knowledge, but that 
mental culture, discipline and vigorous train 
ing, which give ability to think, and to rea¬ 
son, so as to instruct, as well as entertain, 
and power to convict and convince of truth, 
as well as to please and delight mind w hich 
he is brought in collision with, whether im¬ 
mediately or mediately. 
Good instructors are now generally 
sought, and in very many cases are secured 
and enjoyed; so, also, are procured in mul¬ 
titudes ot instances, good and even splen 
did and costly apparatuses, diagrams, charts, 
maps, books, cabinets, libraries, &c., etc., 
and, }et notwithstanding all these external 
appliances, and their thorough use and ap¬ 
plication in the educational course ot the 
young, they fail to make scholars, because 
they are looked upon and used as an etui, 
and as such, are employed by many who 
are called excellent instructors. Such 
teachers, if judged of by their ability and 
skill to impart knowledge by lectures, and 
all the other various ways of communica- 
ling it from mind to mind, occupy the iirst 
rank, but it they be judged by another 
standard, to wit, that which estimates an 
instructor’s skill, as that of a mechanic, to 
wit, by the lesults produced, another and a 
very different conclusion is arrived at. 11 
the artist and mechanic are considered skil¬ 
ful workmen, or otherwise, according to 
what they produce, why should not teach¬ 
ers be judged by the same test? It is not 
w hat an artist who works upon matter, says, 
but, vvha. be lias done that gives him a rep¬ 
utation, unless as is sometimes, though rare¬ 
ly, the case, he can both talk eloquently, 
and mould and construct the material upon 
which lie labors in harmony with the Jaws 
of sethetical science. And as with the ar¬ 
tist, so should it be with the teacher: not 
what he says, but what he has done, and is 
doing—that should furnish the test for es¬ 
timating his character as an educator. 
If educators, whether parents or such as 
they employ to aid in the mental and moral 
culture of children were to be judged of by 
their successes and failures in the great 
work of educating mind and forming char¬ 
acter, these results would furnish lessons of 
wisdom for the guidance of others, such 
lessons as would be profitable to all, and 
especially so to professional teachers. 
Jf all who are engaged in the vocation 
of teaching and disciplining the children of 
the rising generation, were competent to, 
and faithful in the discharge of the duties 
which devolve upon all who have under 
their charge and guidance the training of 
the young, a great change would soon be 
wrought in the character of society. 
The point which we would urge upon the 
attention of teachers at this time, and more 
especially upon such as have under their 
charge that class of children, which is now 
of a suitable age to begin to learn to study, 
is, that you seek t<> impress upon the mind 
of evety child ill yourscvetal schools the 
inestimable importance of icq firing both 
tile habit and the art of study. It is not 
enough that )ou t • 11 them to stud\, \ on 
should see that they do it. Whateu r else 
may be negl cted for the want of time, or 
permitted through the spirit of indulgeiiec, 
neglt el not, pennit not this, for upon the 
early acq ti-iiioit of this habit, depend the 
growth and power of mind. 
A child who at the age of ten years lias 
acquired the habit and art of silent study, 
though lie may have received but link; in 
stiueiion ami training be\nnd what hoc 
necessary to the formation of this habit, lias 
w lial is of vastly greater worth to him than 
a smattering in every thing else taught in 
our schools. One thus trained, that is to 
sa\, one who has thus earlv learned how to 
apply himself, will find it an easy mailer to 
learn his lessons in all his future course, 
preparatory to the study of a profession,— 
ave, and in the study and practice of iliis. 
he will ever find it the right ; mi of powci 
hi d success. 
Again, we would say, impress upon the 
minds of your pupils the habit of study, <>i 
fixing the attention upon whatever is to be 
done, until it be accomplished. Mnemon¬ 
ics is nothing more than fixed attention — 
V\ ltliuut tuts little can be accomplished in 
any of the departments of art, science and 
liu rature. With it, you can scarcely limit 
the progrt ss‘ of mind. 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
An Eiumkntaky Akiihmiciic, enutaininer exteu 
i-iie extrici.-es tor llie £>|:tit*. Also, A So.e.oiilir 
Aiiiliineuc, containing iNevv ami Improved 
Rules for the application ot Numbers. |{\ (J. 
'I hacy, A. M., Urmcip d of CLis-ioal In.-iim e 
N*-w Yotk. I'hiludelplia: Lippincolt, Grambi 
Ac. Co. Idol. 
The Elementary Anthmetie, the liist ol 
“Tracy’s New Series,” is, in some respects 
the very best Arithmetic for the beginin i 
with slate and pencil, that we have seen — 
Tile large number of well arranged exer 
cises is just vvliat every thorough teachei 
will be glad to see. The paucity of such 
in all other elementary works that we hav« 
seen, is a prominent defect, and one which 
teachers have been obliged to supply. Tin 
object ol the author, is to give the leartiet 
“ the same facility, promptness and accuracv 
in co • billing figures, that lie acquires ii 
reading his native tongue.” There is n< 
reason if a child be correctly taught, why 
lie should not acquire perfect accuracy it 
combining number in all practical opera 
Lions—yet this is but 6eldotn attained h\ 
those who study arithmetic during tlieschoo 
going days. 
The second book of the series, called 
Scientific and Practical Arithmetic, contain- 
some new and very valuable impmvi meats 
The method of cancellation is almost uni 
versally applied, and its advantages are in 
where more apparent than in the cxlractioi 
of the roots. We commend these books n 
the special attention of Teachers and Trus 
tees of Schools. For sale at D. Hoyt's. 
The Christian Review. —The July N • 
contains the following list of articles: —I 
The South American Republics, by Sam’l 
G. Arnold, Esq., Providence. II. Tin 
Promise Fulfilled.—Acts, II. 1-4, by Geo 
B. Ide, D. D., Philadelphia. An Exposi 
tion of Romans III. 19-22, by T. F. Cuu 
tis, Howard College, Marion, Ala. IV. 
The Works of Leonard Woods, hy John S 
Maginnis, D. D., University of Rochester. 
V. Lincoln’s Horace, by Geo. W. Gkeene 
Esq.. Brown University. Vf. Wordswcrth 
Considered as a Religious Poet, by Lucius 
E. Smith, Boston. VII. Robinson’s Greek 
and English Lexicon, by Henry J. Ripley 
D. D., Newton Theological Institute, Mas.-. 
VIH. Notices of New Publications. 
Terms, $3 a year. A. Grant, agent, at 
Grant’s Music Slot-, State Street. 
The Sixty-Fourth Annual Report of 
the Regents of the University of the Slate 
of New York—made to the Legislature, 
Match 1, 1851, lias been received and con¬ 
tains as usual, a large amount of interesting 
knowledge and facts, concerning another 
year’s history of the Collegiate and Aca¬ 
demic Institutions of the State. These In¬ 
stitutions are conferring an immense benefit 
upon the young of both sexes, within the 
State. The State’s motto, Excelsior, is 
their motto—ever onward and upward, to¬ 
ward the empyrean heights, where dwell 
the pure in spirit 
Ooimncxtl. Hrditnil ijisionj, Sumuuj limbing. 
TEX1URE AND ELUiDS Oj? VEGfEiABLES. ! 
The elementary texture of vegetables is 
funned of vesicles, the coats of which ciin¬ 
sist of transparent membranes of extreme 
tenuity. These v esicles are of such minute¬ 
ness that mam thousands of them ate con¬ 
tained in a square inch. Reiser assures 
us that these minute cells vary in their di¬ 
ameter from the fifty-filth to the three hun¬ 
dred and thirtieth part of an inch. Kilby 
i xceeds this computation, and places their 
minuteness at the thousandth pail of an 
inch, giving, according to tlii.s In pothesis, 
no less than thiee hundred thousand cells 
to the squnie inch. 'Muse adhere close!v 
toget.l er and form a cellular texture, that 
any be conside.ed as the basis ol evely or¬ 
ganic. parlor the plant. 
Fluids of different kinds are diffused 
throughout the | lam,occupy ing the cells and 
intercellular spaces, b< ing transmitted from 
one to anolIn r, but how is not perhaps fullv 
determined. It has been urged that fluids 
are forced upward in the plant by capillarv 
attraction. Others deny the existence ol 
capillary tubes in vegetables, a more re¬ 
cent theory adopts the endosmose and ex- 
osmose; w hich is, simply, the exist* uce ol 
contrary currents where two fluids of dit- 
D-rent densities are found, separated by an 
invisibly porous septum or partition. Om 
of the currents is stronger and sets toward 
ilie denser medium. This is termed tin 
eirdosinose uj, inboard flowing The min i 
sets toward the rarer medium, and is calf d 
the exosirrose or outward flowing. Now 
•fuse two mediums exist with the plant— 
tin* rarer being the moisture of the soil, 
which is taken up by the rootlets; and tin 
leiiser, the elaborated or proper juice.— 
Goiis. (jin-nlly the two currents exist as Is 
iroved by tire upward flow of juice to tin 
oranclns, and the deposit of principles in 
lie soil peculiar to the plant and which 
wlien accumulated, prove highly ii jurtous |<. 
'lie healthy development of individuals o: 
he same species, proving the absolute lie 
oessity of a proper rotation of crops. 
In most plants,fuitulamong these vesichs 
and interspersed throughout all parts of the 
plant, are numerous duets acting as ait 
ubt*s. Glands also exist, v hose office, b\ 
unie, is supposed to be that of secretion, «>i 
tin* conversion of the juice into the various 
iroducts necessary for the nourishment o 
he plant. 
The external covering, or cuticle, which 
irotccls the plant from the injurious effects 
•I atmospheric and hygromeiic changes, i- 
pread over the whole surface, enveloping 
nit only the trunk and branches, hut tin- 
eaves, and the more delicate petals and or- 
;ans of fructification. It is perforated in va 
intis parts—especially in the leaf—with a 
> a>t number of minute oval orifices called 
stomata. In those leaves whose position i* 
■ ertical, these stomata are found on eithei 
urface. But in the hoiizontal leaf, tliev 
-xist only oil the under surface—whilst n. 
such aquatic leaves as lie on the water tlw*v 
ire on the upper surface. Tln-ir office ap 
pears to be that of respiration, exhaling 
noisture and inhaling air. They corntmmi 
cate immediately with the intercellulai 
spaces, and are so minute in size that tin- 
largest known does not exceed the five hun¬ 
dredth part of an inch. t. e. w. 
NEW, TRUE, AND CURIOUS. 
It is indeed a fact worthy of remark, 
tnd one that seems never to have been 
noticed, that throughout the whole animal 
creation, in every country and clime of tin- 
earth, the most useful animals cost natun* 
the least waste to sustain them with food. 
For instance, all animals that work, live 
[on vegetable food; and no animal that 
eats flesh works. The a I powerful ele¬ 
phant, and the patient untiring cam* 1, in 
ihe torrid zone; the horse, the ox, or the 
donkey, in the temperate; and the reindeer 
in the frigid zone, obtain all the muscular 
power for endurbig labor from nature’s 
simplest productions, vegetables. 
But all the flesh eating animals keep the 
rest of the animated creation in constant 
dread of them. They seldom eat vegeta¬ 
ble food until some other animal has eaten 
it first, and made it into flesh. Their only 
use. seems to be to destroy life—their own 
flesh is unfit for other animals to eat, hav¬ 
ing been itself made of flesh, and is most 
foul and offensive. Great strength, fleet¬ 
ness, cleanliness, and docility, are then 
characteristic of vegetable eating animals; 
while all the world dreads flesh eaters.— 
Health and Wealth by Joseph lienlly. 
RED SQUIRREL vs. RAT. 
Mr. Editor: —One morning^ as the fam¬ 
ily were sitting at an early breakfast, they 
were surprised by an unusual noise in the 
front yntd, evidently proceeding from the 
liens. On hastening to the window, the 
liist thing that met the astonished eye, was 
a regular line of the feathery tribe perched 
upon the fence, while their vociferous cries 
told plainer than words, that there was a 
row somewhere. And a scene was pre¬ 
sented to view, so novel as wholly to ac¬ 
count lor this undue excitement. In the 
walk between the flower beds, stood, within 
two or three feet of each other, a red squir¬ 
rel and an enormous rat, both quivciiog in 
agitation and stretched to their utmost 
height. 
For a moment only, the furious combat¬ 
ants stood thus, when the squirrel sprang 
as quick as thought, upon his foe. The 
eye could not catch the action; the result 
alone could be seen. There lay the rat 
lifeless,— the victorious party surveying for 
a moment the field of combat, and living a 
most insolent cltippering, quickly disappear¬ 
ed. There was apparently no mark or sign 
of any wound upon the body of the rat, 
and how be was so quickly dispatched is a 
matter of conjecture. 
I have heard that barns frequented bv 
om* or more squirrels, are never troubled 
by these vermin; and surely if this be 
due, are not the board and lodging of a 
couple of squirrels cheaper than to suffer 
ihe deprt daiious of a host of rats? 
East Bloomfield, IS'.'il. O. C. W. 
ROBIN TORY. 
The incident occurred in the garden of 
Mr. J • >hn Broinhaiu, which is a large one, 
leadiing tiuni Ills house in Olive street over 
to Warren street. While he was attending 
to some part ol it, near his house, a robin 
lievv about liim apparently in great excite¬ 
ment. lie took but little notice of it at 
first; but the bud persevered in every effort 
to attract his a'teulion, and was soon suc- 
eessiul Mr. B. remembered that there 
was a robin’s nest in a tree at the end of 
the garden, thought then* might be some 
trouble there, and started in that direction, 
file bird accompanied him, keeping close 
ny bis side, chattering violently all the way. 
On approaching the nest he found tile fe¬ 
male bird equally agitated, and on taking 
deliberate observation, discovered a verv 
young robin sitting on tin*, high lenct*, and 
a cat below intently watching it, and leady 
io p aiuce upon it on tin* failure of its at¬ 
tempt to reach the tree. M r . B. drove away 
the cat, when the two hints instantly came 
io the assistance <•! their young one, en¬ 
couraged it to tty its new ffedg -d wings for 
the tree, which it did, and sandy reached 
its nest to the great apparent delight of the 
whole leathered family. The bird had 
seen enough of Mr. B. to know that he 
would not injure it or its progeny — it knew 
that he could protect them, and knew how 
to attract Ins attention and lead him to the 
scene of danger—and it knew that it would 
not be safe for it to encourage its young 
one to make any effort to reach the tree, 
while tin* dreaded enemy was below, ready 
to pounce upon it, in case of its failure. Is 
not all this very near akin to human reason ? 
— New Haven Pal. 
The Chicken Snake —We saw many 
snakes ol different kinds, some of them ol 
the most brilliant colors, which were safelv 
put away in alcohol. There is one species 
known as the chicken snake, which at first 
gave us much alarm. This snake we al 
ways found in the tops of trees, moving 
with as much rapidity from branch to 
branch as a squirrel. For this motion his 
form seemed admirably adapted by its 
great, length, which was from five to eight 
feet, though his body was not larger than 
that of other snakes of half the length.— 
O 
The chicken snake, I afterwards learned 
from the Texans in the party, is harmless. 
These men would catch them bv their tails 
and snap them like a whip.— Sporting 
Scenes. 
The Prairie Fowl. —This bird, which 
belongs to the pheasant species, abounds in 
the lower parts of Texas. I have seen 
none this side of the P. cos. and but few 
beyond that river and San Antonio, in 
the ticli praties below Sm Antonio and 
the coast, this bird is very abundant, and is 
in all respects the finest game bird of that 
region. In size, it is between a partridge 
and a domestic fowl. In the prairie, it steps 
along with its head elevated, and resembles 
the latter more than the former. It is easily 
approached and more easily shot. Its meat 
resembles that of the partridge in taste, al¬ 
though somewhat darker in color.— lb. 
THE ALPINE CROSS. 
BY JAMF8 T. FIELDS. 
Benighted once, where Alpine ptorms 
Have Imrieil liosls of in rtial forms— 
Halting with tear, lenuniled with cold, 
. While swift (tic avalanches rolled. 
Shouted our guide, with qui ermg breath, 
“ The path is lost, to move is death.” 
The savage snow-cliffs seemed to frown, 
The howling winds came fiercer down,— 
Shrouded in such a <1 - Hint scene, 
No mortal aid whereon to lean, 
Thifik you what music ’iwas to hear 
** J see the cross, our way is clear 
We looked, and there amid the snows 
A simple cross of wood uprose: 
Firm in the tempest's awlul wrath 
It stood to guide the traveler’s pall), 
And point to where tt.e valley lies 
Serene 1 eneath the summer skies. 
One dear companion of that night 
lias passed away from mortal sight,— 
lie reached his home to droop and fade, 
Ami sleep within his native gl; de,— 
But, as his fluttering hand I took 
I'e.’ore In* gave his farewell look, 
He whispered from his I cd of pain, 
‘•The Alpine cross I see again!” 
Then smiling, s nk to endless rest 
Upon his weeping mother’s breast. 
WORLDLY PLEASURES. 
But dees the Bible forbid all cheerful¬ 
ness and joyousitess? 1 oes true piety scowl 
from until r the knit brow,on all that savors 
of gladness, and peace? By liu means. 
Our Savior w.-s present at fi-asts. Om* of 
Ills apo.-lli s, (it was Mathew,) after being 
called to forsake Lis receipt ol custom and 
follow Christ, gave a banquet to his friends. 
Our Savior honored a wedding festival at 
Cana in Galilee, by a mirae.e there wrought. 
He watched the sports ol tin* children, and 
grounded on them one of Lis parables. He 
praised the beauty ol the Illy, and the blvthe 
trustfulness of the bud. Smelt, he who 
did all this, ami who, as the God of piovi- 
dence, is yet waking the melodies of the 
grove, and flashing splendor along the skie-, 
painting the tulip, and perfuming the leaf 
of the rose, and the In-art of the violet, is 
not disposed to inhibit in man all joy and 
delight in the use of the senses lotmed, and 
m the contemplation of the objects with 
which lie has surrounded his creatures! 
Nature, and art, and society, all may min¬ 
ister to the (Jinistain’s enjoyment. But 
heaven is bis chief point of attraction even 
here: and whatever is alien in spirit to that 
world ol light and pinny, lie must dread. 
Ilis pleasures should tie. therefore, rational, 
and not in excess: the lelaxatioii, and not 
the business of life. An easy test, as to 
lawfulness of many ft am of recreation, 
might be found in inquiring, Should 1 be 
willing, were (Jurist bodily and visibly pres¬ 
ent, to pursue the amusement under his 
meek, yet searching glance? Could the 
modern tliealie, or the modern ball-room 
either, be visited by a Chiisliati, if this test 
were once applied? Take each with its 
ordinary accompaniments, and its general 
result on the minds and character of us 
visitants, and could we look to see our Sa¬ 
vior then stand by us with appioval beam¬ 
ing from bis eyes? If woildly pleasure 
were innocuous and evangelical, as some 
represent it, it ought certainly to fit those 
practicing it belter than ii actually does; 
tor tile infirmities of age and the tremendous 
realities ot the death tied. But are such 
votaties of pleasure cheered in sickness and 
soothed in decay, and in the near view of 
the grave, by their reminiscences ol the 
years given to levity and folly? 
(Jhilslian sobriety and moderation, then, 
are requisite to our discipleship. Have we 
them? Is the Chinch elevating or sink¬ 
ing her standard of Christian attainments 
as to this grace? L)>b s not the age n quire 
the former, and prohibit tin* latter, and de¬ 
mand that Chiistian.-, while loving the men 
of the world wiiF true philanttirop|iy r , 
should protest against the ways of the world 
with mote of holy decision, and for every 
new advance in know/edye become more 
weaned in holy sef denial, from vanity, and 
sense, and sin, and irom “ all that is in the 
world,” from “ the lust of the ff. sh, the lust 
of the eyes, and the pi ide of life,” all which, 
as the apostle John n sillies, **ts not of the 
Father, but is of the world?”— W. II. 
Williams. 
Those only are lit to govern others, who 
are able to govern themselves. A thor¬ 
ough knowledge of oneself leads directly to 
the knowledge of mankind at large; for 
inward examination is the parent of out¬ 
ward observation. The last thing we ought 
to resign in life, is tin* right of thought— 
the fiist thing we ought to resist, is tiny 
attempt to each tin it, and acting thus, we 
may be assured that however “cabined, 
cribbed, confined.” its energies for aw bile 
may be, the light will break in upon us at 
last. 
Can he whose soul yearns for the im¬ 
mortality of Heaven, ev* r be given up to 
despair here? Beyond tumultuous billows, 
and over mountains wrapped in gloom, is 
there not a light stirring to cheer the pil¬ 
grim ami the wayfarer? 
There are VOspeciesof Hummingbirds. ' Earnest Christianity is truly noble. 
