report from stating that they did not relish them; yet I should say, from the report, it caused some wry faces in the tasting committee. Why is it that American vines are not productive in France? Can it be on account of their severe pruning? May not the same practice be affecting its fruitfulness

life. A truth established by experiment, be it but the germinating of a bean, is a source of the purest pleasure to them. Every child, in city or country, should be allowed to gratify that inherent love for the honored profession of our common ancestor. Potatos, seed and seedlings.—Mr. Goodrich will, without doubt, be the means of restor- at home, in closely planted vineyards? ing that valuable tuber to its healthy condi- Conversing a few days ago with a very intion; he seems to have devoted himself to telligent gentleman who has a vineyard of this object. His directions for raising and several acres, he informed me that much selecting seedlings, it is to be hoped, will the best grapes he had last year were from induce many to make experiments, with different varieties; yet, for a fully renovated, vigorous stock, we shall look with interest to

Mr. Goodrich's own efforts.

Cut-worms.—Salt, it is said, will kill them if sowed at the rate of four or five bushels to the acre when the ground is broken up in the fall or winter; for many crops it will act as a manure; it is worth trial.

Cultivation of orchards.-Writers on this subject should always be particular to state whether they mean the culture of the orchard, as such, or the practice of raising crops, on land appropriated to trees-two very different practices. I have seen corn grown year after year in young orchards, and in the fall hogs were turned in, to eat the corn on the ground; the trees thus have the benefit of thor:ugh culture, a partial shading of the grouud, and but little draft. on their supply of nutriment, if the ground is plowed as soon as possible after the hogs are withdrawn. I should think this practice much better than setting in grass; the trees must be at least as large as a man's wrist, or the hogs will injure them. Trees that have stood long in grass have their roots very much mutilated when the ground is plowed, being much nearer the surface than those in ground under constant cultivation; the shock to the tree must be very great.

American Wines in France.-The polite ness natural to a Frenchman prevents their

vines that had been through neglect allowed to escape above the limits of the trellis, and ramble over the tops of some quince fruit he intends to experiment this year, by trees. Struck with the superiority of the letting an acre of his vineyard "run wild,” without pruning of any kind; this is probably going into error on the other extreme, but we have much to learn as to its proper culture and management.

French mode of planting cuttings, is a very larly if the weather should prove dry and sure way of getting them to strike, particuwindy; for cuttings of any kind, to be struck in the open air, this mode will prove valuable, though not novel, but when under a shade or frame it presents no advantages.

Farmers' Library.

P.

MR. EDITOR-In a former number of the. fits of agricultural lectures in lyceums. This Far ner, I made some remarks on the benewas done under the impression that s: ch institutions were in operation in all, or nearly every town and hamlet, wherever these remarks might be so fortunate as to be read. winter months, in existence almost everyI suppose such institutions, are, through the where. But a new question comes up with regard to them. Are they established on the principle of firmness, and conducted with the should be? I refer now to lyceums in agrithe systematic order that such associations cultural communities, where the intellectual

MISCELLANEOUS.

wants are for agricultural information, and prosperity arises more from agricultural success, than from any other natural cause. Now, I have a beau ideal of what such a lyceum should be. In the first place, it should be an agricultural lyceum, embracing in its phalanx those who design to cultivate the earth as a profession, and who have enough respect for that profession, to give their influence and hearty good-will to elevate it to the position where nature and nature's God designed it should rank. I am very well aware this picture, which should everywhere be visible, is a bold one, and implies many things. In the first place, I suppose it clearly shows, that to be a farmer does not imply "a mere clop-hopper," an animated mass of clay whose noblest attribute is physical energy, excited by the idea of adding field to field, and increasing the swelling numbers of herds and flocks."

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not an unknown feature of the age; all, however, do not seem disposed to possess them. But get up such libraries in connection with the lyceum, and for aught we know, all would read. At least, we may fairly suppose that many will. Now how trifling would be the expense for the members of an agricultural lyceum to take all the first-class agricultural publications. And with an equal sum thereto added, what rich collections would be made each year in scientific works on matters relating to the farmer's well being. By these, young farmers would be taught the principles and progress of science, and by the former he could learn the result of these principles when reduced to practice, their failures and successes.

O! what a beautiful ornament such an institution, endowed with a well selected library, adapted to its progress, would be to any town in our good old State. Yet how many such can our State boast? Have we one? Where is the goodly land where it may be found? We would gladly go there in the expectation of seeing unusual thrift, countenances beaming with happiness and contentment, bought by the rich gift of intelligence, operating like a main-spring to regulate all movements.

No, the position I take elevates him above all this, and defines him as an intellectual being, sent into the world to pluck out the thorns and thistles that man's perverseness sowed, and plant roses and myrtles in their place. It is for him to make the desert smile in verdure, and waste places to yield bountiful harvests. He is, through all coming time, to give bread to the millions of earth, and when he draws its rich treasure from her teeming bosom, he must do it in so kind and restoring a manner as not to exhaust her resources. Mind must guide in these operations, and to do it successfully, mind must be enlightened by science as well as aided by experience, or too often its no-it, the agricultural destiny of that town can blest efforts will prove abortive.

Now, how is this farmers' lyceum to aid him
in this intellectual culture which is so very
essential to the cultivation of the earth?
We have spoken of lectures as one means, a
very important one too. on many accounts.
But these are incidental, periodical, coming,
it may be, once a month, though I should
hope oftener.
At any rate, there must be a
gap
between them, and these gaps in the
progress of mind, like the rent in a garment,
unless fitted up and closed, will be very apt
to become larger, until the whole is rent. I
say, then, to fill up this empty chasm as it
will too often prove, that in connection with,
and as a part of these lyceums, the library
should form an important feature.

Agricultural libraries among farmers are

How many farmers have we in Massachusetts who will pledge themselves to become even sitting and hearing members of such an association? If there is a town where ten, nay five, can be found who will meet once a week to hear and talk about farming— resolved that noble effects shall grow out of

be saved. A lyceum, like the one I would have in every town and village of any note in the United States, would soon be established, the intelligence of the inhabitants would brighten under its influence-a purer stream of thought breaking out, and fed from fountains of truth, would purify all parts; the earth would smile under more varied and richer harvests. Here it would be found that competence and wealth could be drawn from the earth, not by "servile labor," but by well-directed, careful industry, such as men in every sphere must practice in order to succeed-in short, happiness as pure, intelligence as high, refinement as chaste, "s earth can afford, would here be found. Taste would aid econom; in rearing building, planting trees, dividing of fields-indeed, in ev

UNIV. OF CALIFORNIA