THE CULTIVATOR, 
159 
in the corn-hill—the cobs being found, with the worms 
feeding on them. Pieces of potatoes have sometimes 
been used instead of cobs, and are said to answer quite as 
good a purpose. 
The remedies above mentioned, are sometimes recom¬ 
mended as being also effectual against the ravages of the 
u white worm,” or <( white grub ,”—Melolontha vulgaris . 
It may be proper to remark that the habits of this insect 
and its modes of feeding, are such that none of the means 
alluded to, would in the least obviate its attacks. It does 
not eat the seed itself, but generally commences feeding 
on the roots at some distance from the seed or center, 
and thus cuts off from the plant its supply of nourishment. 
FOREIGN ITEMS. 
IMPROVEMENT IN SCHOOLS. 
Mr. Josiah Holbrook has recently visited this city, 
in behalf of the Public Schools of New-York, for the pur¬ 
pose of exhibiting to the members of the Legislature and 
others interested in the cause of education, some speci¬ 
mens of the results of improvements introduced into those 
schools, and of explaining the methods of instruction 
which he has so long advocated. Mr. H. maintains that 
a system of instruction should be introduced which will 
attract the attention and interest and call into action the 
minds of the children, instead of the mechanical course 
now pursued. Instead of confining the child to the irk¬ 
some and monotonous employment of learning the ridic¬ 
ulous and unmeaning tables of syllables and words which 
occupy so large a portion of our “ spelling books,” he 
would at once present to the child an object which should 
awaken its attention and excite its curiosity, and thus 
learn it the names and uses of things even before it un 
derstands the formation of words, thus learning the 
use of language before it is compelled to learn by 
rote its construction. For the accomplishment of this 
object, he has prepared a variety of school apparatus, 
which has been introduced in many schools fo very great 
advantage. In learning children to write,instead of the old 
system of setting them fo make marks, he presents them 
with a definite object to accomplish, by directing them to 
draw some object—a square for instance. The child’s 
ambition is at once excited, and those who have not no¬ 
ticed the attraction which such pursuits afford children, 
will be surprised at theavidity with which they will follow 
them. As the child’s mind is developed, he presents it 
with the objects before him, explaining (he names and 
uses of things, and from these, proceeds to the works of 
God—and sets forth the great principles which govern all 
the works of creation, which are open fo the vision of 
the child, leaving the minuter divisions and rules to be 
learned as the child himself feels the necessity for them, 
when they will be sought for, instead of having to be 
pressed upon them. Thus the mind is constantly brought 
into activity—habits of thought and observation are in • 
duced, and the child led on by its own desires for farther 
acquirements, only needs the direction and kindly’- influ¬ 
ence of the parent or teacher, to induce it to go on from 
step to step in the pursuit of that knowledge which is to 
prepare him for happiness and usefulness. 
Several meetings have been held at the Assembly 
Chamber, on the subject, at the last of which, a commit¬ 
tee, consisting of the Secretary of State, the State deputy 
superintendent of common schools, the chairman of the 
Assembly’s education committee, and others, was appoint¬ 
ed to take into consideration this great subject, who have 
prepared a report (published in the Disk School Journal 
for this month,) expressing their entire approbation of 
the views and plans presented for their consideration. 
Of the efficiency and excellence of this system, Avhich 
can hardly fail to receive the approbation of those who 
will give it a careful and unprejudiced examination, we 
can speak from several years experience in our own fa¬ 
mily, and can state that while it adds greatly to the im¬ 
provement, obedience and happiness of children, it very 
greatly diminishes the expense of their early education; 
and while it furnishes a source of never-failing happiness 
to children when young, it fixes in them such a habit and 
love for improvement and industry as to secure their fu¬ 
ture progress in improving and useful pursuits. 
Our Euglish papers speak of the weather during the 
month of March having been uncommonly cold. From 
the 1st to the 21st, snow fell daily in many parts of the 
kingdom accompanied by piercingly cold easterly winds. 
The ground was generally so much frozen as to prevent 
its being plowed. Great fears had been entertained re¬ 
specting the condition of the wheat crop, but on the 
frost breaking up it appeared that but little injury had 
been done, and our latest accounts say that the prospects 
of the farmer in regard to crops, are cheering. 
The provisions of the British tariff in regard to the 
admission of foreign live stock, are much complaineu 
of, and it is said that the exertions making on the conti¬ 
nent for the supply of the English markets, are opera¬ 
ting to the decided injury of the English farmer. 
It is stated that one nineteenth part of the whole con 
sumption of bread-stuffs in the kingdom was lafct year 
imported from Canada, and the exclamation is added—- 
« what wonderful crops these Canadians must have had, to 
spare so much for the mother country!” The low prices 
of produce are said to have thrown many English labor¬ 
ers out of employment, and in some neighborhoods pub¬ 
lic meetings had been called to consider measures ot 
relief. 
Loss of Manure in Towns. —The Ag. Gazette re¬ 
marks, “ every shower of rain washes much valuable ma¬ 
nure down our public sewers and drains, and thence into 
the rivers and sea: and thus while we employ ships in 
fetching guano some thousands of miles to enrich this 
country, we will not pick up that which lies under our 
feet. The streets are swept indeed, but little more than 
gravel, sand and litter is saved; the finest and richest 
parts are taken away by the rain. There would be no 
difficulty in forming reservoirs into which all this might 
flow, and from which it might be transferred to enrich 
the ground.” But the facts, showing the influence of 
good drainage and cleansing of streets, on the health of 
towns, are very striking. In (he best slreets in Preston, 
the number of deaths above five years of age, were about 
double those under five; in the moderately drained streets 
about equal; but in the “ ill-conditioned” parts of the 
town, the deaths under five were two-and-a-half times as 
numerous as those, above. That is, live times as many 
children die under five in proportion to those older, than 
in the cleanly streets; the death of older persons with 
whom they are compared, being also much more numer¬ 
ous in the bad streets, which renders the disparity still 
more appalling. 
Depth of Roots. —In light subsoils, the roots of trees 
have been found at a depth of 10 or 12 feet—roots of the 
Canada thistle have been traced 6 or 7 feet below the 
surface. Wheat, in a rich mellow soil, will strike roots 
3 feet downwards, and much further horizontally. The 
roots of oats have been discovered ]8 inches from the 
stem, and the long thread-like roots of grass, still further. 
The fine roots of the onion, being white, and easily tra¬ 
ced in black soil, have in trenched soil been followed 
two feet deep. The importance of a mellow soil for 
these fine roots to penetrate, is obvious. 
Killing Rats. —The following poisonous mixture 
was recommended by Humphrey Davy, as being cheap 
and tasteless, odorless and impalpable, and hence may be 
put with any substance which rats devour, without exci¬ 
ting their suspicion. It is merely a mixture of carbon¬ 
ate of barytes, with eight' or ten times its weight of 
grease. It produces great thirst, and death immediately 
after drinking, thus preventing the animals going back to 
their holes. To prevent accidents to dogs, cats and poul¬ 
try, it is spread inside of an iron vessel, hung with wire, 
bottom upwards, over a beam, just high enough for a rat 
to pass un^er easily. The writer says he has proved its 
efficacy many years. 
Turnep Fly.—A correspondent says, that repeated 
and varied experiments have proved, that half an ounce 
of sulphur mixed with a pound of turnep seed, will com¬ 
pletely prevent the ravages of the fly. [? ?] 
