Part 4

_Salt as a Manure._--In the history of the cocoa nut tree, by M. le Goux, the author tells us that the inhabitants of those parts of Hindostan and China, which border on the sea coast, sprinkle their rice fields with sea water, and use no other manure; and that in the interior of these countries, they sprinkle the lands with salt before they are tilled, a practice which has been followed for ages with the greatest advantage. Park says, he was informed by a gentleman in England, who had spent many years in making experiments on the employment of salt in Agriculture, "that one bushel to an acre makes land always more productive; but that a larger quantity would, for two or three years afterwards, render it actually sterile."

AMERICAN GINSENG.

Extract from the New Monthly Magazine, on the "American Trade with China."

Above all, a remarkable production deserves to be mentioned here, which grows in America itself, and is almost peculiar to the United States; a production which is almost wholly unknown in Europe, but has been in use in China from time immemorial, and is held there in extraordinary esteem. This is the root Panax quinquefolia, or Ginseng. The Chinese writers call this plant a precious gift of nature, sweeter than honey and the honey comb, more valuable than fine gold, and jewels, and pearls, a glorious gift of Heaven, bestowed by the gods upon mortals for their happiness, and their enjoyment on earth. Placed on a par with the philosopher's stone, it is called the food of immortality, and it passes among the priests and physicians for a universal remedy, wholesome for all weakness of the frail body, applicable to all diseases; nay, it is even said to prolong life, invigorating the nerves, strengthening the understanding, cheering the soul, soothing the mind, taming the wild passions, and bestowing inexhaustible delights upon our mortal existence.

The reigning dynasty of the Mantchews, in China, were proud that Nature produced this wonderful root, with such magical powers, in their original country; for it was found in Chinese Mogul Tartary; but sparingly scattered in certain places and districts. Here it was considered as one of the regalia of the crown, only the emperor had the right to have it gathered, and guards were posted at the places where it grew, that no one might presume to take openly, or by stealth, what was for the emperor alone. How fortunate was it for the Americans, that they accidentally discovered, not very long ago, that this root, so highly esteemed in China, and paid for there with its weight in gold, which it had been always supposed was only to be found in Tartary, as the Chinese had always boasted, was indigenous in the United States, and might be there collected in far greater abundance than in China, hitherto the only country where it was known to grow.

It grows in the United States, in the whole of the immense tract from the Canadian Lakes to Georgia; is found even in the northern states of New York and Pennsylvania, and flourishes in Virginia and the two Carolinas. Nature has spread it here, particularly in the tract between the Alleghany mountains and the sea, and it thrives especially where the mountains take a southwesterly direction. It loves a fertile soil, and cool shady spots, on the declivity of the mountains.

While Europe produces nothing which it can offer to the Chinese in exchange for their productions, America possesses in this remarkable plant an article peculiarly its own, which is, above all others, proper for the trade with China.

Many of your readers may, perhaps, be curious to be better acquainted with a plant so esteemed by the great Chinese Mandarins, and in the Harems.

The stalk of this plant, which attains the height of about a foot from the ground, is of a dark red. It is adorned with elliptical leaves, three of which always grow together, and each of which is again divided into five little leaves. On account of the symbolical meaning attached to the numbers three and five, which these leaves present to the eye, the plant obtained, in ancient times, in China, the character of particular sacredness. The growth of this singular plant is extremely slow, but then it attains an age unusual in plants of this kind; when it has stood fifteen years or more, the root it not yet an inch in diameter. Every year the stalk makes at the upper part of the root, at each new shoot, marks, which show by their number the age of the plant. The root itself is of an elliptical form, and commonly consists only of one piece. The plant bears but a few seeds; two or three grains are all that can be gathered from one stem; these are of a bright red colour, in shape and size like those that may be collected from the honeysuckle. They ripen in America, in the latter half of the month of September, and their taste is more aromatic than that of the root itself, but less bitter.

In China the greatest care is taken in gathering this valuable root. It is not done till it has attained the highest perfection and maturity: this is during the autumn and winter. In America they long committed, from ignorance and inattention, the great fault of collecting the root from the spring to the first frost. As it is always soft and watery at this season, it naturally shrunk together in drying, became very hard, and lost not only in weight but in goodness. This mistake is still committed in some parts of the United States, where the inhabitants make the collecting of the root only an occasional object; and when they are hunting or travelling, dig up the plant at all seasons when they happen to meet with it. But by this they deprive the ground of a valuable production, which would be far more valuable if it were tended and cultivated with due care. Though the Ginseng roots thus collected by ignorant persons do not fetch in China the high prices which are given for such as have attained their proper maturity, yet the demand for them is not the less brisk. The American merchants in the interior purchase large quantities by the pound, or the hundred weight, of the country people, who employ themselves in collecting and digging this root, and gain by exporting it to China, about one hundred per cent.

But the profit is incomparably greater when Ginseng roots, perfectly ripe, and carefully gathered at the proper time, are brought to Macao or China. The Americans begin to be more sensible of this advantage, in proportion as the intercourse with China becomes more active. They have made themselves better acquainted with the nature of the plant, and the taste of the Chinese; employ greater care in gathering, and acquire more skill in digging it. One man can gather about eight or nine pounds daily. Hence the quantity of this article exported from the United States increases at the same time that its quality improves; and the trade with Ginseng roots in the Chinese markets continues to become more and more profitable to America. The exportation already amounts to at least 500 cwt. annually.

In China they understand the art of preparing the Ginseng, in such a manner, that it appears semi-transparent: in this case a much higher value is set upon it. In America they have also learnt this art, and the process employed is very simple.--The merchants in the American commercial towns, purchase the roots so prepared, and rendered partly transparent, at six or seven piasters apiece; and sell them in China, according to the quality, at from fifty to a hundred piasters apiece. Even in Louisiana and Kentucky, they carry on this extremely profitable export trade to China.

EDUCATION.

The Easton, (Md.) Gazette, in treating of the importance of Education, and the advantages, under a republican government, of close application to study, concludes with the following characteristic allusions:

Who was Mr. Wirt, the present Attorney General of the U. States? A poor boy of our state; of the village of Bladensburgh.--What has given him one of the first stations in the country, with a handsome income? Good education, laborious study and application, and consequent knowledge.

Who was William Pinkney? A poor boy of Annapolis. What has learning made him? The first lawyer; the most celebrated advocate of our country.

Who was James Monroe? The son of a bricklayer in the town of Cambridge, in Dorset. Who is James Monroe? The President of these United States.

* * * * *

Education is the solid granite pedestal of the column of his fame, supporting a shaft of the most towering attitude, whose Corinthian capital is high above the clouds. How emphatically, in this instance, has wisdom, founded on good education, and matured by intense study and application, proved herself to be power, with station, and honours, and wealth, following in her train. Why then should not a son of one of our bricklayers, or hatters, or tailors, or cabinet makers, become a future President of the United States?--The same path is open to them: true, it winds up the sides of a steep and rugged mountain; and the elevated pinnacle is not to be gained without setting out aright, with the earliest and best discipline of good schools, and the severest and most immense mental labour--but the prize is well worth the boldest, the highest exertion.

Will it be said that Nature made these men of her best materials? no such thing. Providence was bountiful to them; but Nature left these diamonds as rough, as many of the pebbles now in the streets. Instruction turned them; and education gave the high polish and the point, which illumes and dazzles America, and throws their radiance far into other countries. And have we not at this moment, genius and talents in our Academy equal to Wirt's, and Pinkney's, and Monroe's? Yes, without doubt, and among the sons of our mechanics too--and would to Heaven I could fire their young bosoms with the noblest ambition, without which they can never reach what they aim at.

THE TURKMANS.

The following extract is taken from Mr. Browne's MS. remains: on his journey across Asia Minor he thus describes a very remarkable people:

"In my visits to the Turkman tents, I remarked a strong contrast between their habits and those of the Bedouin Arabs. With the latter, the rights of hospitality are inviolable; and while the host possesses a cake of bread, he feels it a duty to furnish half of it to his guest; the Turkman offers nothing spontaneously, and if he furnish a little milk or butter, it is at an exorbitant price. With him it is a matter of calculation, whether the compendious profit of a single act of plunder, or the more ignoble system of receiving presents from the caravans for their secure passage, be most advantageous. The Arab values himself on the _hasb we nasb_, that is, his ancient pedigree; the Turkman, on his personal prowess. With the former, civility requires that salutations be protracted to satiety; the latter scarcely replies to a _Salam aleikum_.

"The muleteers, who had preferred this devious path to the high road, to avoid the dellis, were now alarmed at the frequent visits of the Turkmans. They described me to them as an officer of Chappan Oglou's retinue, employed to communicate with the English fleet on the coast; an explanation which appeared to satisfy them; and fortunately I was able to support that character. It is to be observed that Chappan Oglou has a large military force at his disposal, and administers justice with a rod of iron. His vengeance pursues, on eagle-wing, the slightest transgression against his authority. Our precautions at night were redoubled; and I divided the time into two watches, which I ordered my servant to share with me; but the disposition to sleep having speedily got the better of his vigilance, a pipe, although carefully placed under the carpet on which I myself slept, was stolen unperceived before morning.

"The dress of the Turkmans consists of a large striped and fringed turban, fastened in a manner peculiar to themselves; or sometimes of a simple high-crowned cap of white felt. A vest, usually white, is thrown over the shirt; the Agas superadd one of cloth; and in general, and in proportion to their rank and wealth, they approximate to the dress of the capital. But the common people wear a short jacket of various colours. A cincture is indispensably required, in which are fixed an enormous yatagan, and a pistol. Many of them wear half boots, red or yellow, laced to the leg: the dress of the women is a coloured vest, and a piece of white cotton cloth on the head, covering part of the face. They are masculine and active, performing all the harder kinds of labour required by the family. Their features are good, but not pleasing. The men are generally muscular, and well-proportioned; tall, straight, and active. Their teeth are white and regular; their eyes are often extremely piercing; and there is an air of uncommon boldness in their countenances and mode of address. Their complexions are clear, but sun-burnt. In a word, they have every thing that denotes exhaustless health and vigour of body. A general resemblance is visible between them and the populace of Constantinople; but the latter appear effeminate by the comparison. Every action and every motion of the Turkmans is marked by dignity and grace. Their language is clear and sonorous, but less soft than that of the capital; expressing, as may be conceived, no abstract ideas, for which the Turkish is indebted to the Arabic alone; but fitted to paint the stronger passions, and to express, in the most forcible and laconic terms, the mandates of authority. Their riches consist of cattle, horses, arms, and various habiliments. How lamentable to think, that with persons so interesting, and a character so energetic, they unite such confirmed habits of idleness, violence, and treachery! From the rising of the sun till his disappearance, the males are employed only in smoking, conversing, inspecting their cattle, or visiting their acquaintance. They watch at night for the purpose of plunder, which among them is honourable, in proportion to the ingenuity of the contrivance, or the audacity of the execution. Their families are generally small, and there seems reason to believe that their numbers are not increasing."

PUNCTUALITY.

An English traveller, who has just published an account of a Journey in Holland, makes the following remark--"The Dutch are as punctual as they are industrious and parsimonious. The diligences and treckschuyts start at the time appointed, during the striking of the clock. If you are told that the hour is seven, you may be sure to be away before the fourth of the seven strokes has sounded.--The precision at which the hour of arrival is fixed, is such that you may depend upon it within a few minutes; and the same reliance may be placed on the period of finishing the journey, whether it be made by water or by land." This is a most valuable trait of character in that people, and is well worthy of universal imitation. There are a considerable proportion of mankind who are always behind-hand.--Let them make ever so many or so important engagements, as it respects punctuality in time, they invariably fail.--Many such have fallen within our observation; and the same want of exactness in point of time attends all their concerns. If they go to church upon the sabbath, they will not get there until after the services have commenced--and this happens to good, sober, pious Christians, as well as others; and it happens all their lives. Such is the inveteracy of this habit of negligence, that people, who would be shocked at the irreverence of any person who should so far forget himself as to disturb the devotions of a religious congregation by speaking, or in any other thoughtless manner, seem to have no idea that their entrance into the church in the midst of the most solemn exercises, has any thing in it improper or censurable.

The same thing occurs in the attendance of such persons upon public business, where they are associated with others. At meetings, appointed for the transaction of such business, if any considerable number are necessary to its accomplishment, there is often, and indeed usually, as much time spent in waiting for _a quorum_, as is consumed in attending to the object of the meeting. This is a great hardship upon those who make a point of being strictly punctual, for it costs them a double quantity of time. And these _behind-hand persons_, if they would only suffer themselves to reflect, could not fail to remember, that punctuality would cost themselves no more time than the want of it. Judging from considerable experience and observation, we are very well convinced, that about as much time is spent in waiting for dilatory people, as is necessary for transacting the business immediately in view when appointments for the purpose are made.

Espriella, if we do not mistake the writer, mentions his having taken passage in a stage coach at York, in England, which was to start at a certain hour. A few minutes before the time, every thing was prepared; the passengers took their seats; the coachman mounted his box, took the reins and his whip, but did not move. Upon being inquired of why he did not start, as every thing was ready, he replied, _he was waiting for the Minster_--which meant the cathedral church of that name. In a minute or two the secret was explained--the Minster clock began to strike, and before it had finished, the carriage was on its way.--We have no doubt that this habit in the driver made every body who intended to make use of his vehicle strictly punctual. If, however, instead of starting at the moment, he had practised waiting 5 minutes, occasionally, there would have been much delay and vexation, by the dilatoriousness of these behind-hand persons of whom we are speaking. We scarcely ever recollect to have been on the wharf when a steamboat was casting off, without finding some person left, or running with breathless speed to get aboard, being a few minutes _too late_. Such persons, when they find themselves safe on the deck, will almost always look at their watches, and find it _a few minutes later than they imagined_, or their watches a little too slow, or something else is made chargeable with the evil--when the honest truth is, _they are naturally or habitually behind-hand_.

It is not easy to imagine, unless our attention has been particularly turned to the subject, how much time is lost, and how much a man's affairs suffer, from this dilatory disposition. It will more or less run through and affect all his concerns. A dilatory man is perpetually in a hurry. His business always drives him--and business transacted in a hurry, is rarely well done. We once knew a respectable mechanic, whose habit of punctuality was such, that in carrying on his trade quite extensively for more than forty years, he never disappointed a single customer by not having his work done at the time appointed--he never failed of sitting down to his meals within five minutes of the time--he made his family, as well as his workmen, conform strictly to his rules of punctuality--and it hardly need be added, that he always supported the fairest reputation as a man of business--and that he acquired an independent property, beyond the handsome support of a large and expensive family.

[_N. Y. Daily Adv._

NATURAL CURIOSITY.

Most of our readers, no doubt, have noticed accounts of living toads, that have been found enclosed in stones and trees. This is perhaps one of the most extraordinary facts that has come within the observation of naturalists; so extraordinary, indeed, that few, on the first mention of it, have given it credence. So many instances, however, have occurred, attested by authority so respectable, that it would seem there now remains little room for doubt. Some of the most remarkable may here be mentioned--instances that are well substantiated, and which have led inquiring men to investigate as minutely as possible the philosophy of the matter.--A living toad was found in a large stone at Newark, on Trent, in England--it was white, measured three and a half inches, and appeared incapable of bearing light; for its motions argued an incompatible state, and in an hour it died. But in this time it was seen by several hundred people.--Three living toads were discovered lying together in a stone quarry near Cassel. No aperture was discoverable on the outside of the stone. The toads could with difficulty be removed from their bed, and endeavoured to return whenever they were removed, but died in the course of half an hour. More of the same kind might be added; every one's recollection will no doubt, supply him with instances which have occurred in our own country. Though naturalists have endeavoured to account for this astonishing fact, yet we think their speculations have been in general very visionary. The best account we have seen, is that by J. G. J. Ballenstedt, rector of Papsdorf, in the duchy of Brunswick. The substance of this we present to our readers, hoping that will at least be found amusing, at a time when political news is scarce, and uninteresting. More than amusement need not be expected; for we regard his speculation as we do most speculations of mineralogical travellers and geological societies--mighty light, airy and unsubstantial stuff. But let his rectorship be heard.

Another world besides the one we now inhabit, has had its existence, inhabited, as ours is, by animals terrestrial and marine. A time was when all that is now land was covered by the ocean, as the secondary mountains, with their beds of petrified marine productions, abundantly prove. "There, where at present the plough turns up the soil, and countless cornfields shine with their golden harvests--where immense forests spread their luxuriant trees, among which numerous wild animals sport--where hills and mountains raise their varied summits--where herds of cattle graze--where rivulets and rapid streams wind through valleys, and where cities and villages are now situated--there formerly raged the waves of this ocean--there swarmed hosts of marine animals, of numberless forms and magnitudes."--The Almighty spoke, the waters disappeared, and these animals were left on dry land; those belonging to the dry land were swallowed up, together with their habitations, in the great deep. Sea animals that have been petrified, are found at the present day in the bosom of the earth; and under the bottom of the sea are discovered river muscles and the beds of former great rivers. Whole forests were buried, and have been subsequently turned into coal. The slime and mud of the bottom of the sea, when left dry, was hardened into stone, and strata of regular conformation; which, to produce the present irregularity met with among them, (we suppose,) have undergone divers severe twistifications, by means of earthquakes, the great steam engine of geologists, whose boiler has burst more than once; we may credit the accounts of these profound world makers.