and enemies, come in for a share in the disposition of events; and though these occasion a mixture of disappointment, yet considering the risk where we can make no insurance, we should think ourselves happy if some return with success.

BURNS THE POET.

About the age of thirteen, Burns was sent during a part of the summer to the parish school in Dalrymple, in order to improve his hand writing.—In the following year he had an opportunity of passing several weeks with his old friend Murdoch, with whose assistance he began to study French with intense ardour and assiduity. His proficiency in that language, though it was wonderful, considering his opportunities, was necessarily slight; yet it was in shewing this accomplishment alone that Burns' weakness ever took the shape of vanity. One of his friends, who carried him into the company of a French lady, remarked with surprise that he attempted to converse with her in her own tongue. Their French, however, was soon found to be almost mutually unintelligible. As far as Burns could make himself understood, he unfortunately offended the foreign lady.—He meant to tell her that she was a charming person and delightful in conversation; but expressed himself so as to appear to her to mean, that she was fond of speaking; to which the Gallic dame indignantly replied, that it was quite as common for poets to be impertinent, as for women to be loquacious.

ORTHOGRAPHY.

The following curious instances of spelling are from Bassompierre's account of his mission to the court of Charles I. in 1626.

Sir Edward Sackville, (Hacfil;) Earl of Dorset, (Dorchet;) Buckingham, (Boukinkam;) York-House, (Jorschaux;) Earl of Bridgewater, (Britswater;) Whitehall, (Withal;) Cheapside, (Shipside;) Wimbledon, (Semilton;) Wallingford, (Vialenforaux;) Blackfriars, (Blaifore;) Kensington, (Stintinton;) Berkshire, (Barcher.)

For the Rural Magazine.

INDIAN CORN: ITS BAD AND GOOD CULTURE.

An agricultural traveller, who has recently passed through parts of Montgomery, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton and Philadelphia counties, by the great roads leading through them, wishes, most cordially and earnestly to call the attention of the farmers to their unfortunate style of agriculture in some important particulars.

After leaving the neighbourhood of Norristown, with a few exceptions, a barely tolerable field of Indian corn was rarely to be seen, until he arrived, on his return from Easton, into the southern parts of Bucks county. The foes to all good husbandry, weeds, were predominant in almost every cornfield. If, perchance, the interior was tolerably clear, a circumstance which rarely, occurred, the weeds around the enclosures were so lamentably abundant, that the corn was, in a great degree, obscured. Good and bad land exhibited the like ruinous and disgusting appearance and miserable promise; and the same bad system of culture prevailed. The ploughing was generally shallow, whatever might be the texture of the soil.—Every field was ridged; many had been broken up in bulks, and furrows were always thrown up to the plants, for the drought to turn into dust, or indurate into impenetrable clods.—The middle spaces between the rows were untouched, either by the plough or the harrow in very numerous instances. Countless varieties of pestiferous coarse grasses and weeds took possession of these neglected spots, furnishing a counterbalance to any supplies from the earth or the air, which the corn plants, in the absence of these pests, might have drawn, and effectually preventing the extension of their roots beyond the bounds of the elevated furrows, or narrow ridges, in which they were imprisoned. Can it then be wondered at, that the crops evidenced a sickly, stunted & wretched appearance, both in colour and size? In some fields, where limestone prevailed, and, perhaps, lime had been applied, the colour was better, but the weeds and grasses abundant; on the head lands particularly, which are seldom sufficiently, if at all, stirred and cleaned: thus establishing a mischievous nursery of poisonous pests to perpetuate their scourges on future crops. Fall ploughing was rarely, if at all, practised; and lime little used, even in many limestone districts. One farmer said, "their land was hot enough without lime." It is hoped, that this superlative ignorance of the qualities of lime, which, when slacked, is the coldest of all substances applied to land, is confined to the individual sporting the opinion. One of the uses of lime is to supply the soil, and that not too lavishly, with calcareous matter, when its caustic qualities are subdued.

This is not exaggerated, but is a regretful picture. It is held up to intelligent and well-disposed farmers, who, by viewing its deformities, may banish entirely their present mode of culture, which, by its own showing, is proved to be radically wrong. A corn crop is not only in itself, but, when well cultivated, is in its consequences the most valuable of all our products. With an abhorrence of weeds, the test of intelligence in a farmer, he can, with a corn crop, more effectually clean and prepare his fields for succeeding crops, than can be done by any other culture. Whilst he is attending his corn, which will not, with impunity, suffer neglect, he is not only invigorating and increasing his crop, but he is subduing his worst enemies—weeds of all kinds. This makes ample amends for the exhaustion of the soil by this gigantic plant.

The change recommended, is dictated not only by reasonable theory, but is founded on long experience and multitudinous practical proofs.

Deep and Flat Culture.

Plough your fields throughout deeply; and that in the fall, to expose and destroy the eggs of the grub moth; and roll, to pulverize the clods. Harrow in lime at this season, or on spring ploughed ground, for corn; and do not spread it on your fallows for wheat; because it is then injurious to your winter grain crop; as frequent experience has shown. Mark out your squares or drills, lightly, with the plough; and thereafter never suffer the plough to enter your fields. Work entirely with harrows; whereof procure the necessary variety; some with large, and others with smaller hoes. These cut up weeds, and sufficiently stir your intervals to any depth you choose. If the hand hoes be found indispensable, use them near your plants; but never hill or plough up furrows. The common harrow will have its share of usefulness; and spare it not. As often as young weeds appear, or your surface becomes crusty, often occasioned by drought after rains, ply the harrows. You will then have a deep, loose and light body of pulverized soil, for your roots to penetrate. It will imbibe the dews and gases from the atmosphere; and afford, in the severest droughts, perpetual moisture and nourishment; which will be exclusively applied to your corn plant; having no robbers to contend with. In droughts, deeply stirred soil inhales and retains moisture. In wet seasons it is the least injured; because it affords room for superabundant wetness. Being elastic and buoyant, it does not consolidate or settle into concrete bodies, like shallow ploughed, cloddy, and unstirred ground. The corn roots (which have, in such ground, been measured ten feet long,) will have a continuous and not a divided soil, wherein to expand and extend themselves; in which, it being loose, deep, and constantly moist, the roots will far exceed those confined to narrow detached ridges, wherein they are short and starved. It is an idle opinion, to suppose that plants spend themselves in roots. The stronger, the root, the more vigorous is the plant.

If you will introduce the plough after the first breaking up, either before or after planting; and squares are the most commodious for thorough stirring and