204 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
following fexperiments:—When the receiver of an air-pump is exhausted 
of its air, a cat, a mouse, or a bird, placed in it expires in a few moments, 
in the greatest agonies. A bell rung in the same situation produces no 
sound; and a lighted candle is instantly extinguished. Similar experi¬ 
ments prove that air is necessary for the flight of birds, the ascent of smoke 
and vapors, the explosion of gun-powder, and the growth of plants; and 
that all bodies descend equally swift in a place void of air; a guinea and a 
feather being found to fall to the bottom of an exhausted receiver at the 
at the same instant. 
On the principles which this science has established, nave been con¬ 
structed the air-pump, the thermometer, the barometer, the diving-bell, 
the hygrometer, the condenser, and various other instruments, which 
have contributed to the comfort of human life, and to the enlargement of 
our knowledge of the constitution of nature. 
IV. Acoustics —This science treats of the nature, the phenomena, 
and the laws of sound, and the theory of musical concord and harmony. 
From the experiments which have been made on this subject, we learn, 
that air is essential to the production of sound; that it arises from vibra¬ 
tions in the air, communicated to it by vibrations of the sounding body; 
that these vibrations, or aerial pulses, are propagated all around in a sphe¬ 
rical undulatory manner; that their density decreases, as the squares of 
the distances from the sounding body increase; that they are propagated 
together in great numbers from different bodies, without disturbance or 
confusion, as is evident from concerts of musical instruments; that water, 
timber and flannel, are also good conductors of sound; that sound travels at 
the rate 1,142 feet in a second, or about thirteen miles in a minute; that 
the softest whisper flies as fast as the loudest thunder; and that the utmost 
limits, within which the loudest sounds, produced by artificial means, can 
be heard, is 180 or 200 miles; that sound striking against an obstacle, as 
the wall of a house, may, like light, be reflected, and produce another 
sound, which is called an echo; and that, after it has been reflected from 
several places, it may be collected into one point or focus, where it will 
be more audible than in any other place. On these principles, whisper¬ 
ing galleries, speaking trumpets, and other acoustic instrument are con¬ 
structed. 
V. Optics. —This branch of philosophy treats or vision, light, and co¬ 
lors, and of the various phenomena of visible objects produced by the rays 
of light, reflected from mirrors, or transmitted through lenses. From this 
science we learn, that light flies at the rate of nearly twelve millions of 
miles every minute.—that it moves in straight lines—that its particles may 
be several thousands of miles distant from each other—that every visible 
body, emits particles of tight from its surface, in all directioas—that the 
particles of light are exceedingly small; for a lighted candle will fill a cu 
bical space of two miles every way with its rays, before it has lost the least 
sensible part of its substance; and millions of rays, from a thousand ob¬ 
jects, will pass through i hole not larger than the point of a needle, and 
convey to the mind an idea, of the form, position, and color of every indi 
vidual object—that the intensity, or degree of light decreases, as the 
square of the distance from the luminous body increases; that is, at the 
two yards distance from a candle, we shall have only a fourth part of the 
light we should have at the distance of one yard; at three yards distant, 
the ninth part; at four yards distant the sixteenth part, and so on—that 
glass lenses may be ground into the following forms: piano convex, piano 
concave, double convex, double concave, and meniscus, that is, convex 
on one side and coucave on the other—that specula or mirrors, may be 
giound into either a spherical, parabolical, or cylindrical form—that, by 
means of such mirrors and lenses, the rays of light may be so modified as 
to proceed in a diverging, converging, ox parallel direction, and the im 
age of visible objects represented in a variety of new forms, positions, and 
magnitudes —that every ray of white light may be separated into seven 
primary colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet 
that the variegated coloring which appears on the face of nature is not in 
the objects themselves, but in the light which falls upon them—that the 
rainbow is produced by the refraction and reflection of the solar rays in 
the drops of falling rain—that the rays of light are refracted, or bent out 
of their course, when they fall upon glass, water, or other mediums—that 
the light of the sun may be collected into a point or focus, and made to 
produce a heat more intense than that of a furnace—that the rays from 
visible objects, when reflected from a concave mirror, converge to a fo¬ 
cus, and paint an image of the objects before it, and that when they pass 
through a convex glass, they depict an image behind it. 
On trese and other principles demonstrated by this science, the camera 
obscura, tr.e magic lantern, the phantasmagoria, the kaliedoscope, the he- 
liostata, the micrometer—spectacles, opera glasses, prisms, single, com¬ 
pound, lucerual, and solar microscopes, reflecting and refracting. Ides- 
copes, and other optical instruments, have been constructed, by means of 
which the natural powers of human vision, have been wonderfully in¬ 
creased, and our prospects into the works of God extended far beyond 
what former ages could have conceived.— Dick. 
He is the most powerful who can govern himself.— Sen. Self-com¬ 
mand is often beyond the reach of even those who have had the address 
to obtain the command over other men, and to rule nations by their will. 
WINTER EVENINGS. 
Winter evenings are seasons for domestic comfort, mental application 
and sociality in New-England. They are delightful periods of time. 
Where the rude blast is heard without, and the storm beats against the 
snug casement, and bright fire-side reveals its substantial joys. They are 
not fictitious ones. The mind participates in the little comforts the body 
feels, and they go on in harmonious action together. These evenings 
should be the means of great and permanent good to the young. They 
should not be passed in sluggish and criminal action. They should not be 
frittered away in listless idleness, accumulating nothing, but squandering 
inestimable treasure. 
We designed simply to urge upon young men the improvement of these 
precious periods in their existence. They are pregnant with important 
results, moulding the character and impressing the mind with what will 
sink them in mature life or elevate them to positions of influence and re¬ 
spectability in society. Much, very much, may be accomplished by men¬ 
tal application, after the labors of the field or work shops are closed. The 
body may be weary and the limbs tire, but the mind is still vigorous and 
feels nothing of lassitude or exhaustion. Apply it then every evening to 
a settled pursuit, to some practical study. Let not idle pretences or frivo¬ 
lous amusements deduct from what will insure you an honorable position 
in society. Young men commit an act of criminal injustice to themselves, 
who are content with the performance of a daily task at the bench or in 
the field. They should remember that'the mind rather than the body, 
demands of them diligent care as well as assiduous cultivation.— JYorth- 
ampton Courier. 
Power is maintained, more certainly by mild and prudent counsels, 
than by harsher measures.— Tacit. Conciliatory government combined 
with vigilence, is more likely to be a prop to power, than any system of 
violence or severity, which must produce irritation and discontent. 
Chastity once tarnished can be restored by no art.— Lat. This admira¬ 
ble reflection should be engraven on the female mind, for when the fe¬ 
male reputation is once sullied, no time, no repentence, can restore its 
lustre, or re-establish its purity. 
RECEIPTS, from Nov. 25 to Jan. 20,'inclusive.—Nos. under 10 not noticed. 
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Bethel, Vt. 15 Galena, Wise 25 
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Columbus, 
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Durrettsville, 
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*E. Bloomfield, Ont. 
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O. 20 
21 
Va. 33 
Va. 11 
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Pa. 26 
Ct. 21 
15 
17 
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Ct. 26 
Md; 11 
Mich. 67 
Va. 40 
Ten. 22 
la. 33 
Geo. 11 
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Ionia 
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Total number of volumes subscribed for during last two months, 1072, 
" Including former payments. 
Pa. 11 
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Va. 77 
Pa. 258 
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New-Bedford, 
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Shawangunk, Ulst. 11 
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"Worcester, Mass. 17 
Wheeler, Steu. 11 
PRICE CURRENT. 
ARTICLES. 
New-York. 
Jan. 21. 
Boston. 
Jan. 19. 
Philadera 
Jan. 18. 
Baltimore. 
Jan. 16. 
Beans white, bush. 
2 
00. 
. 2 
25 
1 
12. 
.12 
25 
1 ..1 
12 
1 25. 
.1 
50 
Beef, best, cwl........... 
11 
00. 
.13 
50 
5 
75. 
. 7 
00 
7 50..9 
6 00. 
.7 
25 
Pork, per cwt... 
8 
00. 
.10 
00 
7 
00. 
. 9 
00 
7 50.. 
13 
7 00. 
25 
Butter, fresh, pound, ..... 
16. 
20 
20. 
25 
12.. 
20. 
Cheese, pound. 
7. 
10 
8. 
9 
9.. 
10 
9. 
10 
Flour, best, bbl. 
8 
75. 
! 8 
25 
8 
87. 
! 9 
00 
8 75.. 
70 
11 . 
.12 
Grain —Wheat, bushel, .. 
1 
62. 
. 1 
75 
30 
1 60..1 
1 90. 
.2 
00 
Rye, do. 
1 
12. 
1 
25. 
. 1 
l 00..1 
12 
90.. 
95 
Oats, do. 
50. 
53 
52. 
55 
50.. 
53 
37. 
38 
Corn, do. 
1 
12. 
! i 
13 
94 
00. 
I 98 
00 
1 02..1 
03 
75. 
78 
Seeds— Red Clover, lb... 
10 
11 
15. 
16 
10.. 
11 
12. 
13 
Timothy, bushel,. 
1 
82. 
. 2 
00 
2 
75. 
! 3 
00 
3 25..2 
00 
3 50 . 
’.4 
00 
Wool —Saxony, fleece, lb. 
45. 
50 
50. 
55 
65.. 
73 
40. 
50 
Merino, lb..... • 
35. 
40 
45. 
47 
46.. 
48 
35. 
40 
1-4 and com. lb... 
25. 
28 
33. 
38 
..33 
36 
28. 
30 
Sheep,.. 
Cows and Calves,........ 
2 
50. 
! 5 
00 
1 
67. 
! 3 
00 
40. 
50 
80 
23 
00. 
.42 
00 
35. 
40 
Cotton.. . 
9. 
13 
9.. 
14 
11. 
12 
FROM THE STEAM PRESS OF PACKARD & VAN BENTHUYSEN 
