134 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
oxymuriatic acid, or the bleaching gas, discharges all vegetable co¬ 
lours, and, in the course of a few minutes, will change a piece ol 
printed calico into a pure white; and likewise burns all the metals, 
dissolves gold and platina, and suffocates all animals that breathe it, 
after one or two inspirations—that there are metals much lighter 
than water, which smim in that fluid and burn spontaneously with a 
bright red light, and when thrown into the mineral acids, inflame 
and burn on the surface, and in oxygen and oxymuriatic acid gas 
produce a white flame, and throw out numerous bright sparks and 
scintillations,—that a certain kind of air, called the nitrous oxide, 
when inhaled into the lungs, produces an extraordinary elevation of 
the animal spirits, and irresistible propensity to laughter, a rapid 
flow of vivid ideas, and a thousand delightful emotions, without any 
subsequent feeling of debility or exhaustion—and that it is not alto¬ 
gether improbable, according to the deductions of some modern 
chemists, that “ oxygen and hydrogen, with the assistance of the so¬ 
lar light, are the only elementary substances employed in the con¬ 
stitution of the whole universe;” so that Nature, in all her opera¬ 
tions, works the most infinitely diversified effects, by the slightest 
modifications in the means she employs. 
Such are only a few specimens of the curious and interesting sub¬ 
jects which the physical sciences present to the reflecting mind— 
And is it conceivable that a rational being can make such objects as 
those I have now specified the subject of his frequent study and con¬ 
templation, and not feel pleasures and enjoyments far superior to 
those of the mass of mankind, who are either immersed in sensuali¬ 
ty, or enveloped with the mists of ignorance ! The man who has 
such subjects to study and investigate, and such objects to contem¬ 
plate, can never be destitute of enjoyment. If happiness depends 
on the activity of the mind, and the range of objects presented be¬ 
fore it,—wherever he is placed, whether at home or abroad, in the 
city or in the country, he can never be at a loss for means of men¬ 
tal gratification, and of increasing his stock of intellectual wealth.— 
He needs not envy the rich and the noble, on account of the elegance 
of their mansions and the splendor of the equipage; for the mag¬ 
nificence and glories of the universe, and all the beauties of terres¬ 
trial nature, lie before him, and are at all times ready to minister to 
his enjoyment. In investigating the admirable arrangements which 
appear in the economy of creation, in tracing throughout that eco¬ 
nomy the perfections of his Creator, and in looking forward to a no¬ 
bler state of existence where his views of the divine empire shall be 
expanded, he can enjoy a satisfaction and delight which the wealth 
of this world cannot bestow, and which its frowns and calamities 
can not destroy .—Dick on Knowledge. _ 
THE CULTIVATOR-JAN. 1835. 
TO IMPROVE THE SOIL AND THE MIND. 
TO THE PATRONS OF THE CULTIVATOR. 
Gentlemen —We address you as farmers, as following a pursuit 
in common with us. The year 1834 has closed, and 1835 begun. 
It may be useful to look back and see what we have done in 1834, 
that if possible we may gain from the experince of the past, and 
be stimulated to greater exertions, guided by a more intelligent spi¬ 
rit for the future. At best, our lives are those of constant exertion ; 
but when our labors are rewarded, and our hopes cheered, by fruit¬ 
ful returns, and all the comforts that necessarily follow, we look 
back with pleasure upon the past year that has ensured us the re¬ 
ward of our toil. This gratification is not lessened by a feeling of 
independence that springs from well conducted efforts, nor by the 
estimation in which we see ourselves held by an intelligent commu¬ 
nity. Under such circumstances we proceed with renewed energy 
to our work, and whether by the evening firseside or under an Au¬ 
gust sun, we feel the same buoyancy of spirits—the same ardent 
desire to press forward its execution. Seed time and harvest, sum¬ 
mer and winter, follow each other in quick succession, and so do our 
lives; but when our summer is gone and winter is come, we will 
have at least the consolation to think, that our lives of industry and 
sobriety have not shortened our days or lessened our enjoyments, 
but that old age will find us with no premature infirmaiies, but with 
a reputation well established, and a competence to support our de¬ 
clining years. 
To gain from the experience of the year that has gone by, we 
must take a retrospect of its pursuits. And first as to ourselves. 
The Cultivator was commenced in March, 1834, and we have 
issued eleven numbers. The paper has been extensively circu¬ 
lated, and onr patronage is as large as we had any reason to 
expect, and is still extending. Our contemporaries have spoken 
well of the work, and our farming community have given it a 
liberal subscription. They have not, however, given it the con¬ 
tributions of their pens, the result of their diversified experience; 
and if the paper is not as useful as it ought to be in the extent and 
variety of its intelligence, they are in a measure to blame, because 
by withholding that which would add to its interest, they check its 
usefulness and show an indifference to its complete success. As to 
ourselves, we do not boast of our labors—far from it—we could wish 
for greater talents, aided by a deeper research and more unceasing 
application to make it more practically useful to a reading public, 
and so far as the experience of the past can be useful, so far we 
promise to make it a more acceptable vehicle ot agricultural intelli¬ 
gence for the future. 
And now, farmers, have you done justice to your profession, to 
your families, and to your country for the last year 1 To your pro¬ 
fession, have you cultivated your grounds with all the assiduity and 
zeal of which you are susceptible 1 Have you called to your aid all 
the agricultural reading within your reach, and taken advice from 
those of your neighbors who are competent to give it 1 Are your 
farms generally in better condition than they were one year ago! 
Are your fields better laid out and enclosed—your waste grounds less 
—more of it grubbed up and improved—your ditches opened—use¬ 
less stones removed, and the general surface of the ground better 
adapted for the raising of crops! Has your land been made richer, 
to enable it to yield more, and have you collected a large amount 
of materials to increase your annual stock of manure! Are your 
houses more comfortable, besides of a neater appearance from the 
labors of the year! Have you added to the conveniences and safe¬ 
ty of your barns, to make them better adapted to the purposes for 
which they were built! Has your stock of cattle and horses im¬ 
proved not only in number but more in quality and appearance, and 
consequently in value! Have you selected, and do you raise the best 
kinds of sheep—we mean those kinds that are the most profitable to 
the owner! or do you still follow the old practice of having a few 
strolling animals that enjoy the delightful privilege of providing for 
themselves both in summer and winter, and when you want are always 
obliged to look for several hours to find them, and that attained, have 
the felicity to count at least one less in their number! ,H ave y° u the 
most profitable breed of hogs, and do you carry just so many through 
the winter as best conduces to your interest! In short, have you 
so farmed it in all things that you have no cause of regret, because 
you have given to all a proper degree of attention and care! If so, 
we congratulate you; but if not so—if you have not done one, a 
part, or all these things, the year has been in a measure lost to you, 
and you have not done justice to your farm or your profession.— 
Take another year of probation, turn it to better account, and let 
your diligence give evidence of a thorough reformation. But if you 
will not, if experience cannot teach, and the prospect of harassing 
debts hereafter cannot incite you to a noble industry, you will soon 
become an evil in a neighborhood—your example will be injurious 
to others, and your slothfulness and unthriftiness will assuredly lay 
your farm under a cumbersome mortgage. This once imposed, the 
next step is a disposal of it by a creditor at auction. 
We turn from such with disgust, and ask next, have you for the 
last year, done your duty to your family! That is, have you made 
the labors of the farm as cheerful to all your dependants as circum¬ 
stances would allow! Have you been so far kind and indulgent as 
was consistent with the proper management of a well regulated 
household! Have you attended to the education of your children 
and apprentices, and, as far as one short year would allow, given 
them all the opportunities to acquire information that may be useful 
to them hereafter in their several pursuits, and that with intelli¬ 
gence they may support the free institutions of our country! If you 
have done this, you have done your duty; but let us at the same 
time remark, that education is on the advance: what was necessary 
for our generation is not enough for them. The march of intellect 
is onward, and our present attainments are comparatively small, 
and will be still more undervalued, in the advance of the generation 
to come. 
Have you done your duty to your country! Have you given the 
necessary aid that the good of society demands at your hands—to 
the bridges, roads, public improvements in your respective neighbor¬ 
hoods, to schools, seminaries of learning, public morals and religious 
