NEW 
« TO IMPROVE THE SOIL AND THE MIND 
SERIES. 
VOL. I. 
ALBANY, MAY, 1S44. 
No. 5 . 
THE CULTIVATOR 1 
Is •published on the first of each month, at Albany , N. Y., by • 
LUTHER TUCKER, PROPRIETOR. 
ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. 
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where single numbers, or complete sets of the back volumes, 
can always be obtained. 
O' This paper is subject to newspaper postage only, being 
one bent within the state or within 100 miles of Albany, and 
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(Each no. containing 16 pages,) 
Is made up of selections from this paper, and published 
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copies for $10. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
DEATH OF WILLIS GAYLORD. 
A bright light has been extinguished in the death of 
our associate and friend, Willis Gaylord. He expired 
at his residence, Limerock Farm, Onondaga county, on 
the 27th of March, in the fifty-first year of his age. An 
aged mother deplores the loss of a most devoted son, over 
whose fragile form she had watched with all a mother’s 
tender care for more than fifty years—a brother and sis¬ 
ter weep for one who had ever manifested for them the 
most heartfelt affection—-and his friends, and none more 
than ourselves, mourn the loss of one, beloved alike for 
hi3 genius, his faithfulness, and the happy temper of his 
mind; while the American farmer has to regret the sud¬ 
den departure of one who has labored zealously and suc¬ 
cessfully for years to promote his interest, to enlighten 
his mind, and to elevate his calling to that dignity and re¬ 
spect to which it is so justly entitled. His death was sud¬ 
den, and to his family, as well as to us, most unexpected. 
He was taken with a bilious affection of the stomach on 
the night of the 25tb The next morning a physician 
was called in, and remedies were administered, which it 
was thought would afford relief. No alarm was felt, as 
no immediate danger was apprehended, till early on the 
morning of the 27th, when it was discovered that his life 
was rapidly drawing to its close. At 9 o’clock, thirty- 
three hours after the commencement of the attack, he 
sank gradually and gently into the arms of death without 
a groan or a struggle. He had been for more than thirty 
years a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church, and 
the hopes and consolations of the gospel had enabled him 
to endure, not only without a murmur, but with a buoy¬ 
ant and cheerful spirit, an amount of bodily suffering 
which falls to the lot of but few 
Mr. Gaylord was born in Bristol, (Conn.) in 1792, and 
removed with his father’s family to Otisco, in this State, 
in 1801. This town was then almost an unbroken wil¬ 
derness, but three families having preceded that of Mr. 
Gaylord’s father. Young as he was, the deep, dark and 
majestic forests, as he entered them, at the beginning of 
summer, made an impression upon his mind, and exeited 
a love for trees, which was never effaced. He always 
spoke of them with enthusiasm. In a letter, written but 
a few weeks before his death, he says—“ When we en¬ 
tered these forests, the heavy foliage wore its freshest 
green, and the elm, the maple, and the linden, were suc¬ 
cessively laden with flowers; and never shall T forget the 
rich, the indescribable perfume which filled the air 
as tree after tree was cut down, and day after day pass- 
sed away before the blossoms had ceased to exhale their 
odors from their withered cups.” Deprived as he was, 
by this removal, at the age of nine years, of the advanta¬ 
ges of even the District Schools of his native State, he 
was soon after visited with an affliction which prevented 
his reaping the benefits to be derived from the establish¬ 
ment of the similar institutions which are sure to rise up in 
all newcountries,peopled by emigrants from New England, 
At the early age of 12 years, he was attacked with a vio¬ 
lent rheumatic affection, which resulted in a curvature of 
the spine, and unfitted him, in all after-life, for any activa 
or laborious pursuit. His innate love of knowledge, 
however, was such that no bodily infirmity or ordinary 
obstacle was permitted to dampen his ardor for its ac¬ 
quirement. Being unable to attend school, he studied 
such school-books as were to be procured at that early 
day, carefully noting such parts as he could not alone sur¬ 
mount, till he could obtain the assistance of some one who 
I was able to solve his difficulties. He not only read with 
| avidity, but studied all the books which came within his 
; reach. He was remarkably fond of rural scenery, and 
\ when the weather would permit, it was his delight to 
| sit for hours under the shade of trees, and cheered by the 
I singing of the birds, pursue his studies 'with pencil and 
; paper in hand to note the current of his thoughts. While 
thus engaged in the pursuit of knowledge, and in the en¬ 
joyment of such a degree of health as permitted him oc- 
jcasionally to engage in the lighter labors of the farm, he 
I met with an accident, slight indeed at first, but which en- 
tailed upon him a vast amount of suffering, and rendered 
him almost as helpless as a child to the day of his death. 
It was occasioned by a fall, from which, at the time, he 
noticed only a slight bruise on the left arm. It after¬ 
wards swelled, and became a running sore, causing the 
decay of the bone and rendering his arm for ever after 
entirely useless. This affection of the arm continued for 
about a dozen years, and when it healed an abscess occur¬ 
red in one of his sides, which continued, with occasional 
alleviations, till his death. Notwithstanding the pain he 
was thus obliged to endure for a long series of years, 
which was sometimes excessive, he was ever cheerful 
and happy; and even under the most acute suffering, was 
never known to utter a word of complaint. 
At the appropriate season, if his health permitted, he 
resorted much to the woods and fields. A favorite re¬ 
treat was the shore of one of those beauliful lakes which 
adorn the western section of our State; and there, enjoy¬ 
ing the charming view and inhaling the refreshing breeze, 
his mind was at once soothed and strengthened by a con- 
