soul to his mate brooding on the sky-blue eggs; with the slow and stalwart ox, who drags the plough along the fertile furrow; with the hound who courses the wily fox, and with the fox who outwits the chasing hound -these all satisfy us, for they are complete; they do well, what they are made to do. Is it not so with men, my friend? We find no fault with a man, or a woman, who does a thing well-but are satisfied; and he who makes a perfect pair of shoes, does as complete a thing as he who sets well on a king's throne, or decides justly on a judge's bench.

* * * * "It is therefore desirable that men and women should do that well which they can do, and find out as soon as possible what they can do best, and not waste too much time in tears and complaints because they cannot do something else. The man who raises good potatoes is eminently worthy as is he who makes good verses, busts or coaches, and either of them may be a complete man (and so, great), and satisfactory to himself and his fellow man. It is not the thing done, but the spirit of the man who does it, that God loves.

"Now it will be clear, therefore, that, to the pear tree, it is necessary to bear pears, for that is its vocation, its purpose. It was for that, that the brown seed was dropped into the earth; that when the warm, bursting spring came, it sent down its delicate root, and pushed up its tender top, and unfolded its leaves, and stretched forth its branches, and, when the time came, elaborated its juices into buds enfolding blossoms-fragrant promises of future fruit.

they kiss one another; and plant not too deep, but so as to cover with an inch of earth, the neck whence the roots branch; then sustain the stem with a slender stake and the work is done. Whoever has done this will value the warm April sunshine, and the soft April showers, and he will watch in the last of the month till he shall see the unfolding buds; and then the expanding leaves, and the lusty shoots, wagging in the wind, will give him hope. In another year he will wait for blossoms, and when they come he will be thankful. He will see to it, that no marauding caterpillars fatten there, that no curculio whets his tooth in that first fruit; for he will walk in the garden in the fresh morning, in the shimmering noontide, and at the shady evening, and will feel that he has something to live for. He will be the providence of his pear tree, and a worthy man."

Castor-Oil Bean.

Intimations of a revival of interest in the production of the Ricinus communis (or Palma Christi) have been received from the Southwest particularly, with assurances of its attempted culture as a field crop. Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas are peculiarly adapted, in soil and climate, to its profitable culture; and many persons in the Southwest propose to engage in the business this spring.

In Illinois and St. Louis, where a successful farm product has been made of it, the following varieties are grown: Ricinus communis, early, four feet in height; R. Spectabilis, dark green leaves, five feet: R. Sanguineus, fruit red, in clusters, stalk dark red, seven feet; R.

"But, for a man, his duty is to furnish the tree with every possible facility and convenience necessary for it to perfect its purpose; for the tree cannot do this for itself. He is to see that there is good soil, and that it is in good heart (not made over rich), and well dug and broken, so that the rays of the fructifying sun can enter it, and the gentle dews sink into it; then he is to plant the tree in it. And let him do that well-for trees are grateful; they like not to have their roots crowded into a small hole dug in a hard soil-no well-bred pear tree will submit to such indignity, and many will die if so treated—but rather into the mellow earth; spread out the roots, and press them among the genial mold, so that

feet; R. Leucocarpus, dwarf, three feet, white fruit, an African variety; R. Brasiliensis, brownish yellow fruit, five feet high.

In South Carolina it was reported, years ago, growing twelve feet high; in the vicinity of Vicksburg, Mississippi, it has been made a very profitable crop; in Texas it produces plants of great size and height. From thirty to one hundred bushels of beans per acre have been obtained in different locations, and two gallons of oil, or twenty-five per cent., obtained per bushel if the seed are good; but twenty to twenty-five bushels are an average yield in Illinois and Missouri. The R. Lividus is a native of the Cape of Good Hope, and will thrive in a variety of soils of different elevations. In the tropics it is planted singly

ten or twelve feet apart. In poorer soils or more northern localities, a less distance would do. In its native clime the plant bears the first season, grows continuously for four years, and continues to yield for many seasons. The seeds are gathered when the pods begin to turn brown.

It is a common crop in all parts of India. The oil is there extracted by boiling in water and skimming off the oil-a very crude and wasteful mode, and the oil thus obtained is used exclusively for burning.

St. Louis has heretofore been the centre of production in this country, and the principal place of manufacture. The culture required is very much like that given to corn, and the soil should be the best of corn land; the planting should be done with the first warming of the soil, after danger from frosts is over; the hills should be five or six feet apart, and even seven or eight if the soil is sufficiently rich to make the requisite growth; the distance should be greater in the South than in more Northern locations. As with corn or anything else, thorough culture pays best. The receipts at St. Louis last year are estimated at 50,000 bushels. The Prairie Farmer says, concerning prices and profits:

The market price is variable. During the past winter the beans in the St. Louis market have ranged from $3.90 to $1.25 per bushel. As the cost of growing does not differ materially from that of corn, the approximate profits can be calculated. At the present depressed condition of the market, an acre of beans would yield about $25, leaving but little margin for profit. The oil is quoted at $2.10 to $2.25 per gallon. As the yield of oil is about sixty-eight gallons per acre, the manufactured oil would amount to about $150 per acre. This gives four dollars to the manufacturer and one dollar to the producer-a division which cannot be regarded as equitable.-Monthly Report Department Agriculture.

HILLING UP POTATOES.-The Cottage Gardener, of London, says earthing up potatoes diminishes the produce and retards the ripening of the tubers. Long experiments in Eng land have proved this fact, that hilling up the potato will reduce the crop one-fourth. Our farmers must, however, remember that the correctness of this theory depends on the nature of the soil. The potato likes not wet feet. If there is that danger, better plant shallow, and hill up.

Salmon Eggs all Right.

The experiment which has been undertaken by the New Hampshire Commissioners of River Fisheries, of stocking the Connecticut river with salmon, bas so far succeeded well.

Of the impregnated eggs deposited at the Cold Spring hatching works, at Charlestown, N. H., over 99 19.20 per cent. have hatched, and have become healthy and very lively young salmon. It is the intention of the commissioners to rear them artificially, till they are ready to go to the sea, which will be a year from next spring. In the fall of next year, 1869, they will return, seeking the sources of the river, and will then weigh, it is estimated, from three and a half to ten pounds, which weight they will soon double and quadruple. It is hoped that before that time all obstructions at the mills on the Connecticut river will be removed, and that nothing will prevent the salmon from ascending the river as high as they like.

If the present plans are carried out in regard to stocking this river, a million or more of young salmon will be put in every year, and of such a size, that they can safely go to the sea and return; and judging from data obtained by experiments tried in English waters, we are authorized to suppose, that by this means, the productive wealth of the Connerticut river will be increased millions of dollars annually, as any one can easily see for himself, by calculating the value of a million salmon of ten or twenty pounds weight.

Great credit is due in this matter to Dr. Fletcher of Concord, who out of several that made the attempt, was the only one who succeeded in procuring salmon spawn for the New England rivers. It should be known also, that the merit of this undertaking, of obtaining salmon eggs for these rivers, is due to the New Hampshire Commissioners, acting independently, and not to the New England Commission generally, as has been before stated. Should the promise of the present be only one-half fulfilled, the time will come before long, when salmon will be a common article of food, and together with the vast quantity of shad which are expected in a few years from our rivers, will very perceptibly reduce the cost of living in New England, and enable the poor man to have every day on his table, food that has long ranked with us among expensive luxuries.-Mass. Plough

man.

From the Buffalo Courier.

Brook Trout and other Fish. A VISIT TO SETH GREEN'S TROUT PONDS

TROUT BREEDING-STOCKING STREAMS.

There is no sportsman in the State, probably, who has not heard of Seth Green and his trout ponds, in Caledonia, Livingston Co., and but few there are, among the fraternity, who are not personally acquainted with this ardent disciple of Nimrod. Not to know Seth Green, either by direct acquaintance or reputation, is almost to argue one's self unknown. We had heard much of his trout

ponds, and had determined to learn something of his modus operandi of raising brook trout artificially.

Accompanied by C. F. Sternburg, D. H. Winans, and Robert Newell, we took Saturday's morning train on the New York and Erie, and in a little over two hours reached Caledonia station. A walk of about twothirds of a mile brought us to the famous trout pond, where the party were warmly welcomed by the proprietor. Mr. Green took possession of his present quarters, and began the artificial breeding of trout about four years ago. What victories he has achieved remain to be seen; and first of the natural advantages supplied to him.

SPRING CREEK

takes its rise in numerous springs in Caledonia village proper, which extends over 5 or 6 acres, and average from 3 to 5 rods in width, and from 4 to 6 feet deep when it takes the form of a stream. The average temperature of the spring and stream is about 50 degrees, and the latter never freezes over. About of a mile from its source Mr. Green has taken charge of it for his purposes, and after yielding what assistance it affords, it continues its way mile below, where it empties into Allen's Creek, which in its turn joins the Genesee River about 12 miles above Rochester. Mr. G. stocks this stream every year with from 100,000 to 200,000 trout, and it is needless to say that brook trout are found here in abundance. Mr. G. has tapped the stream about 20 rods from his house, and by this means the ponds in which he keeps his trout are always supplied with the purest spring water.

THE TROUT PONDS

are half a dozen in number, walled in with stone, with gravel beds, and containing from one to five feet of water; the small ponds and

shallow water being devoted to the younger trout, and the large ponds and deep water being set apart for the older members of the family. To each pond there is necessarily an inlet and an outlet, and in the larger ponds trout are permitted passage up the streams leading from where the river is tapped, but here they meet with a barrier which they cannot overleap, and so content themselves in the stream or pond when ready to spawn. At the head of the largest stream is a miniature wheel, which is turned by the action of the water. This furnishes exercise for the

trout, which leap upon the wheel as it revolves, only to be precipitated into the water again below the dam. How far this satisfies the ambition of the fish we are not prepared to say. In these streams the ridges and piles of pebbles, which have been heaped up along their beds show how industrious the trout are, and what preparatory labor they deem necessary to the welfare of their spawn.

watch their antics in their translucent homes The ponds swarm with trout, and we could

for hours without weariness. One does not

witness so interesting a scene often in a life

time. Around the bottom angles of the pond at and attractive as matters of ornamentation; are heavy growths of moss, very pretty to look but this moss literally swarms with insect life, and affords unfailing food for the trout. A handful of this moss plucked up from the water reveals thousands of insects—indeed the whole bunch becomes charged with animation in one's fingers. It should be understood that the ponds are not used for fishing purposes, and the proprietor would no more think of supplying his table from them than he would think of committing an offence against the game laws of the State. Mr. G. is on good terms with his water family, knows the male and female, and scarcely ever commits the error of stripping a trout that has already spawned. For the purpose of artificial breeding he catches his trout in a large bag at the mouth of a pond, generally driving them down a narrow stream into it, and afterwards empties them from the bottom of the bag, which has an opening in a corner of it, that is tied with a string while being used as a net. The captives are deposited in buckets of spring water, and conveyed to the

HATCHING HOUSE.

This building is humble in appearance, and of cozy interior. It is here that Mr. Green

hatched over 500,000 trout spawn last spring, and will hatch many a million spawn this season. Here the spawn is stripped from the female trout, artificially impregnated and laid in the hatching beds. This is a process requiring nice manipulation to avoid the destruction of the fish, and delicate treatment to preserve the ovum. In order that the reader may know what these hatching beds are like, he will need but to picture to himself half a dozen or more flat-bottomed troughs, about 3 inches deep, 14 inches wide, and 24 or 25 feet in length, and divided into apartments or beds about 18 inches in length by wooden slats which allow the stream to run over them. Each bed, then, is about 14 inches wide and 18 inches in length, and each trough separate from the other and fed by its own stream.

At the bottom of each trough is a layer of nice gravel. This is covered with glass to prevent the growth of fungus or the accumulation of slime or sediment, which is always destructive to the spawn. Over the glass is a pebbly bed making a depth of about two layers of gravel. On this bed the spawn is deposited, and remains till it is hatched. The troughs are almost 3 inches higher at the head than at the bottom, and the stream which flows over each of them passes through a miniature ridge of gravel, which receives it as it flows into the trough and acts as a filter, and prevents the sediment from reaching the spawn. The water over the spawn is about an inch deep, runs about 12 feet per minute, and would pass through a half inch hole with a three inch head. Mr. G. puts about 10,000 eggs in each bed, where that number will thrive for 20 or 30 days, after which he fills his orders, and reduces the number of spawn in each bed to one-half or one-third.

The average temperature of the water is 45 degrees, and the fish hatches in 70 days.Upon getting out of his ovum, the trout carries his little amber sack with him for 45 days, relying on it all that time for nutriment, and after clearing himself it is deposited in a small pond, where for sometime it is fed twice a day with liver cut or chopped to the consistency of blood.

We can scarcely conceive of a more interesting day's sport, than these beds afford for microscopic examination. The spawn, in its particular color, corresponds in its early stages, with the color of the flesh of the parent fish, but as the incipient trout develops, it

becomes the color of amber, and is about as transparent. The young trout hatched and carrying around with him his golden sack, is less than an inch long, and a few thousand of them in a bed, at a short distance looks like so many carpet tacks in motion. We saw the spawn in every trout of every stage of its development in the beds, and age in ponds, and learned satisfactorily how little information we had gathered from natural history on the subject.

The brook trout is over a year old when it spawns, and its first spawn averages 300. When two years have passed its spawn is about 600; three years old about 1200; four years old about 1500, and from five to six years old the spawn runs from 2000 to 5000. Mr. Green has stripped a 3-lb. trout of 4000 spawn. Now when it is known that he can hatch at the very lowest calculation 95 per cent. of this spawn, the figures in favor of artificial breeding becomes enormous. Some interesting calculation might be made from this data-going to show how readily our exhausted trout streams might be stocked, and what immense benefit would accrue to people who cannot now afford to indulge in such luxuries.