56 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
April. Soon after l sowed the first time, we had a warm rain, and 
the seed sprouted on the top of the ground any where; soon afi'er 
we had a severe frost, and I observed that the sprouts of all those 
seeds which were shot forth on the top of the ground, were killed, 
whilst those wirch shot into the ground, were not injured. I fur¬ 
ther noticed, that such seeds or plants as had burst the shell and 
unfolded the first two leaves, were killed, whilst those which were 
still covered with the shell of the seed survived. In fact nearly all 
the plants of the first sowing were killed, but of that which I sow¬ 
ed the tenth of April, a large proportion lived. I gathered up se¬ 
veral seeds of the first sowing, which had sprouted, but still re¬ 
tained their shell, the sprouts whereof had been killed by the frost, 
and planted them, thinking they might sprout the second time, but 
not one of them did. It is urged in favor of early sowing, that if 
the seed is not sowed whilst the ground is freezing and thawing 
and full of cracks, that the seed will not get in the earth, so as to 
shoot, its roots therein and live, but my opinion is, that if farmers 
were to sow their clover seed from the 8th to the 15th of April, 
and harrow and roll, or if the ground is heavy, merely roll it in, 
they would secure to themselves that great disideratum, a good 
crop of clover. I further think that a great many of the seeds 
which fall into the cracks, sink too low down ever to reach the 
top, and that would suggest the propriety of rolling the ground to 
press in the seeds that do not fall in the-cracks, and thus perhaps 
secure the life of almost the only plants that can eventually come 
to perfection. If the ground is harrowed and rolled, I think the 
seed should be sowed after the harrow, that the cracks may first 
be filled up; if a plant, after it shows its first leaves, gets covered 
up, fas I think a great part of those which germinate in the crevi¬ 
ces do,) it is done forever. 
I want you, if you please, to inform me, through the Cultivator, 
why the skin of young pigs cracks open, if they eat green clover, 
and whether you know of any preventive; and also whether it will 
cause their skin to crack if it is mown and given them in a wilted 
state. 
If you think any of the above is worth publishing, you are at li¬ 
berty to do it. With respect, I am your friend, 
.1. Buf.l. JESSE RYDER. 
TIfmark.—W e confess ourselves unable to answer, satisfactorily, the que¬ 
ries in relation to pigs. — Cund. 
Mr. Bueo—I have read with great interest, the back numbers 
of the Cultivator, but particularly those communications and selec¬ 
tions, found under the head of Young Men’s Department. Issuing 
to the most secluded parts ol the country, these papers convey im¬ 
portant intelligence to a class of young men who have hitherto de¬ 
rived little benefit from the study and experience of others; but 
who, if I mistake not, will be found ready to appreciate, as soon 
as perceived, the facilities presented to them. 
There are few, who do not at. times seriously make the inquiry— 
what shall most conduce to their standing in society ?—by what 
means can they become most useful to their country ?—what pur¬ 
suit shall secure to them the greatest amount of happr ess ? This 
feeling results from a laudable ambition implanted by nature for the 
best of purposes, and is called into actioir by contrasting the pre¬ 
sent condition with some nobler one which is worthy of aspiration. 
If cherished, it might be expanded into deeds and characters of the 
highest order. But how often is it stided at its birth for the want 
of that fostering care which the situation of its possessor precludes; 
how much oftener is it improperly directed, and thereby becomes 
pernicious to the community and a source of individual misfortune. 
The residents of our cities, and the wealthy of other professions 
in the country, for the most part, early make their children con¬ 
versant with history and the biography of distinguished persons. 
Every effort to improve the mind to which such reading may incite 
them is encouraged by the assistance of books and competent in¬ 
structors. But with the young farmer the case is quite different. 
He is seldom acquainted with more than the names and actions of 
such as are esteemed benefactors. Of the stations they once occu¬ 
pied, the impediments they have overcome, or the circumstances 
to which they are indebted for their elevation, he is generally ig¬ 
norant. His knowledge thus circumscribed to the neighborhood 
wherein he resides, from such a contracted sphere must his plans 
oflife be drawn. That some possess and exercise a degree of su¬ 
periority over their fellows, is early perceived—and frequently he 
can attribute it to no other reason than a greater amount, of pro¬ 
perty. To the accumulation of wealth then, as the primary object 
of his existence, are his energies directed; and to this erroneous 
conclusion we have seen happiness sacrificed, the ties of kindred 
severed, and the foundation of a character laid quite different from 
any one contemplated by the young man at first setting out. 
Legislators and political writers have delighted to dwell on the 
importance of this class of citizens, in a national point of view.— 
They have ascribed to them the duty of maintaining and transmit¬ 
ting unimpaired to posterity the liberties which we so justly prize, 
and in all cases of public danger they are acknowledged to be tlie 
only certain resource. It must be apparent that their services will 
be increased or diminished in the ratio that knowledge and virtue 
are diffused, and as intelligence advances or recedes will the dura¬ 
tion of our form of government be determined. Many of our most 
eminent statesmen who, self-instructed, rose to the stations they 
adorned, have striven to make this impression popular. It is the 
subject of every appeal to our patrotism, and every address to our 
youth inculcates it. At this time there is avowedly no denial of 
the necessity for increasing the means of general instruction ; but 
this opinion, though so unanimous, is feebly seconded by practical 
application. It would seem that the persuasion of its necessity is 
rather acquiesced in than felt, and while opposition is unpopular, 
few look upon it as their particular interest to support further. 
Many farmers entertain the idea that an acquaintance with books 
tends to render their sons less qualified for the discharge of their 
domestic duties; that it makes them discontented with their condi¬ 
tion, and giving rise to a feeling of self-importance to which they 
were before strangers, they look upon labor as a sort of degrada¬ 
tion. That besides producing grief and dissatisfaction in their fa¬ 
milies, it frequently induces a young man to quit bis paternal home, 
to seek among strangers and amidst numberless temptations, a 
I precarious subsistence by bis wits—of which poverty and disgrace is 
tlie usual consequence. If such a termination could in truth be 
itraced directly to the agency of knowledge, it were far better to 
remain ignorant of the contents of a book, and to banish one as 
the bane of domestic happiness; but while the influence of such an 
example goes to the prejudice of learning, it may more properlv 
be ascribed to other causes. Farmers in general, are apt to regard 
study as totally unnecessary to the success of their operations, and 
any inclination for it is considered as an indication of uselessness 
for their profession. They are allowed little opportunity of mak¬ 
ing any application of their reading to their business, because any 
innovation on established practices are receded with incredulity. 
|The reputation of idleness, of all others the most to be dreaded in 
the country, is to a young man so disposed, soon attached, and he 
is regarded as a person who would gladly avail himself of any pre ¬ 
text to avoid honest labor. Influential men make it, a matter of 
I congratulation that their sons are not lazy enough for scholars. 
While, then, such is the feeling on this subject, while knowledge 
and agriculture are deemed incompatible, and a pursuit of the one 
jis held an abandonment of the other, is it to be wondered that many 
are driven from a field they were intended by nature to adorn, to 
swell trie ranks, already too full, of other professions. 
Though this is a great, cause of detriment, it is not the only one. 
A principal evil lies in the inducement which is commonly held out 
to incite to mental exertion. “Knowledge is power.” It. is re¬ 
commended as the means of exalting one above another—as a lad¬ 
der by which to mount to office and distinction—the philosopher’s 
stone which is to become a mine of wealth to its possessor. Sought 
under such circumstances, what a spirit of rivalship and acrimoni¬ 
ous feeling is it tlie foundation of—to what purposes of unhallowed 
ambition will they strive to pervert it—bow much disappointment 
and despair is it calculated to produce. In no such light should it 
be presented to the young farmer. His attention should not. be so¬ 
licited by any appeal to his passions, or the promise of making it 
accessary to personal aggrandizement. It should beexhibited as of 
itself repaying every effort made for its acquisition—;>s tending to 
minister to his comforts, and extend tlie sphere of his enjoyment, 
acquainting him with sources of pleasure hitheito unknown not 
for the purpose of diverting liis mind fri m Ills ■ empath n, nor en¬ 
ticing him from a station where both his own happiness and the na¬ 
tional prosperity require he should remain. 
These impressions are given by one little qualified for the task of 
