10 REPEAL THE LAND-TAX, Speech of the Hon. Alex. Starno, In tho Illinois Senate, IMnrcli 3#, 1874. The rCßolntlon which tho ITon. A. Btnrno offered, to amend tho Revenue article of tho Stato Constitution, being under consideration, Mr. Storno said : . Sin. President: 3ly object in introducing iho resolution now before tho Sonata was to place beyond doubt THE CONSTITUTIONAL POWER of tho General Assembly to tax (ho interests nam ed without llrst assessing the real and personal property of the State. The resolution also gives tho General Assembly the power to tax the rail roads upon the basis of their gross receipts, in stead of upon their real and personal property, capital stock, and franchise, as now. And it also gives tho power of taxing incomes and tho distilled epirlls manufactured in thoStato. At present tho Ilovonuo article of tho Cons! Itntion ifl mandatory nnd pormlssory—inandatory !ns to tho tux on real nnd personal property: I “Tho General Assembly snail provide such 'revenue as may bo needful by levying a tax by •'valuation, so Hint every person and corporation shall pay a tax in proportion to his, her, or its ' property ; ” find pormiaaory ns to taxing special 'interests: “Bnt the General Assembly shall I have power to tax peddlers, auctioneers,” etc. i Bnch is the language of Sec. 1, Art. Oof tho Con stitution ns it now stands, while See. 2 of tho same article roads: “Tho specification of tho objects and subjects of taxation shall not do ; privo tho General Assembly of the power to ro : quiro other objects or subjects to bo taxed in : each manner ns may bo consistent with tho .principles of taxation fixed in tho Constitution.” TUB RESOLUTION 1 reads ae follows 1 Itesolved, by the Senate, the Haute of Itepresentativea j eoneurrinp herein, Thnt there shall bo Hiibniltted (o ; tho voters of this Stale, at tho next general election, a proposition to emend Hoc. 1, Art. 0 of tho Constitution ‘Of this State, entitled “ Revenue,'• as follows: “ Tho General Assembly shall have power to tax .peddlers, auctioneers, brokers, hawkers, merchants, 'commiMion-mcrchnnls, showmen, Jugglers, .luukecp iers, liquor-dealers, toll-bridges, ferries, Insur ance, telegraph and express interests or busl i ness, venders of patents, persons on their (incomes, distillers of spirits, and per ’ sous or corporations owning or using franchises and '.privileges, in such manner as it shall, from time to 1 time, direct by general law, uniform as to tho class .upon which it operates. And tho General Assembly 1 shall also have power to provide such further revenue Us may bo needful, levying a tax by valuation, so that j every person uml corporation shall pay a iax in pro ■ portion to tho value of his, her, or its property,—such Rvalue to bo ascertained by some persons to bo elected for appointed in such manner us tho General Assembly I shall direct, and not otherwise pormlßsory.” | Now tho resolution which proposes to change tho Constitution is liko tho Bovenuo article now, [mandatory and pormiaeory; but it is mandatory 1 ns to tho tax on tho special interests named, and J pormiesory as to tho tax on real and personal ; property, aud thus, under tho power given in I floe. 2 of Art. 0, It requires to bo taxed other ob 'jocts or subjects, viz.: personal incomes and I tho manufacture of distilled spirits. That is in '•brief tho whole of this resolution; it I MEVEUSES THE ORDER ! in which real and personal property and tho spo 'cial interests now stand as subjects of the tax iing power of tho State, and it adds incomes and ,t .spirits to tho list of special interests to ho taxed. ; lam aware that it is claimed that tho Const!- [tution now gives tho General Assembly the \powor to frame a Bovouuo law exactly as it j would bo framed if this resolution should be [comoapart of the Constitution; but, on ’the r tthor hand, this claim is disputed, and was re jected by tho Inst General Assembly, which [lramod our present Bovenuo law; ami, if wo i should attempt to cxorciso this doubtful power, 'wo should find tho Stato, ns now, involved in /litigation with tbo taxpayer's. It is hardly necessary to say that tho proposi . tion of tho resolution has nothing in common . with what is called tax-dodging aud tax-lighting. ; That is an effort to defeat tho operation of the law, by showing its defects; this is an effort to amend the Bovenuo system of tho State by amending tho organic lo»y I Tho constitutionality Jr tho present law is in Hogal dispute, and has not yet been settled by i tho Supremo Court, but, for alt purposes of this f debate, it may be assumed to bo perfectly iu ‘ accordance with tho Constitution, The law is ’intended to tax all tho property in iho State, ;Teal, personal, and mixed. Its operation should 1 ho such as to tax tho buttons on a shirt and tho I thread with which they are sewed on, as well as tho engines and cars on every railroad in tho State, aud tho elevators aud warehouses whore j-tbey discharge their freight. In theory it is ■ perfect; in practice it is unequal, and V THEREFORE UNJUST. I need not enlarge on this point, it is tho con viction of tho people and tho proas, of tho tax payers, and of tho officers and members of this Senate, and of another body moro numerous than this, that a largo part of tho Stato escapes taxation, while other liko property is heavily taxtd. Tho proposition is to change all this, and to levy Slato taxes on certain interests which rop- Jesent the wealth, industry, and enterprise of ho State,—on certain objects always in sight, ond always well defined; to tax railroads, for instance, on tbeir gross receipts, instead of on real and personal property, and capital stock, and franchise, as now. And it appears to me that this method will bo moro just and equitable than now. Tho evils of tho present system being so well known and so widely recognized, I desire to change it. It is not known, I believe, exactly, what amount of revenue could bo raised by those special taxes; hut figures, which may bo had. will give us somo guidance, and experience will bo found to supply all the rest. But whatever deficiency may bo found will bo made up by a tax on real ami personal property. Let the spe cial taxes specified BE LEVIED FIRST, and then lot tho present subjects bo drawn upon. The taxation of personal property under tho present law is, as I have said, a failure; and, if tho present session of tho General Assembly had directed its attention to tho Bovonuo law, in etoad of spending tho wholo winter on tho re vision of the statutes, it would, in my opinion, liavo hotter served tho interests of the Stato. But tho revision will bo complete at this ses sion, and tho next General Assembly, tho Twenty-ninth, can devote its whole time to tho work of altering, revising, or amending tho Bov omzo law. And’with this view I dosiro this to pass, in order that tho people, when they are colled upon again to elect mem bers of the General Assembly, can have this llovouuc-roform movement before them. Tho resolutions will bo discussed hero, and I hope to boo*it discussed before the people, to try end discover whether a bettor and more just system of raising necessary revenue for the sup port of the State Government cannot bo devised; for, if not, thousands of farmers who havo thoir homes .in tins Stato, which they lovo so well, will bo compelled to seek homes elsewhere for them selves and families, —homos which, if nob moro congenial to their tastes, habits, and associa tions, will at least ho MORE CONGENIAL TO THEIR POCKETS. No good citizen desires to ovode the payment of any juat and equitable tax levied for tbo sup port of the Stato or National Government, but it is certain that tbo tax now loviod bv the State on personal property and real estate ia both un just and oppressive. ' Take personal property ns it appears in tbo Auditor’s report for 1873. Tho amount of por nonal property Hated by tbo Assessors, excluding railroad property, is 5)280,000,000. In this amount aro the following items: Horses Cattle Blulcs and usscs, Hog Hlieop... Wagons. Howlng-raacblnca Agricultural Implements, Household furniture. Total $102,000,000 These articles mostly belong to tbo fanners, whoso property ia always in sight and cannot es cape assessment, and this amount loaves $157,- 000,000 as representing tbo total amount at which tho personal property of all other per sons, classes, and interests in tho Btato is as sessed. Thus NEARLY ONE-HALF of tbo personal property of tho Stato is paid by tbo farmers. Wiojo tbo balance is to bo found, and how the assessment of it is distributed, I propose to sbpw by some figures taken from the report of the, Btato Hoard of Equalization. These ore some of tbo figures: MONEYS AND CREDITS wore assessed in tho following counties as stated: [took MclXtnry, rußon... Knox... , jtaugaxnon..... 1,785,337 CREDITS OF OTHERS TRAN RANKERS. C00k.... I 466,685 i-altyn 1,010,488 Winnebag0.,,,,......, LaSnlln Sangamon **\ McLean.,.,. C00k,., LaSalle, Wi11.... Warren, MATEIWAt, AND MANUPAOTUIIKHD ARTIOMS*. * S“* * mww Cook Winnebago UurcAu..,, Kendall,,,. LaSalle.,,,, SaOgamon., Cook Knno Bureau.... 110nry..... Iroquois... Sangamon. Value . _ , iVo. Each A verage. Cook • ..3,470 $37.8:1 Kbuo 2,400 y4.c:i LaSalle 0,573 03.80 Snnaatmm ..3,034 34.03 I might go on with tho whole Hot of items lu the list of personal property, but I have shown items enough to make the point, that intangible personal property is ESCAPING TAXATION, and that other personal property off the farms is not assessed fully as to the number of articles, and not at anything lilco one-tenth their value. So thattho farmer, whoso personality consists of liorsos. cows, hogs, corn, and wheat, which is in sight, is assessed fully, not only as regards tho number of tho articles, but up to their full value, whilo tho valuo of tho bonds, stocks, notes, etc., on which annual interest and divi donds are drawn, are untaxod, and tho owners are never discovered by the Tax-Assessor or Col lector. Furthermore, those figures show that, whllo tho groat burden of personal-property tax comes on the farmers, to the exemption of other class es aud interests, it is not fairly divided ns regards those classes and interests. Who believes that Cook County had, on May 1, 1873. less moneys and credits than Fulton, and only about one-half as much as Sangamon ? Who thinks taxation is equal when all tho pawnbrokers in LaSalle County paid tax on 953,C0S worth of property, while tho same interest in Cook County paid only on 99,575 ? Who believes Cook County had ou that day loss melodious and organs than Winnebago, Bureau, or LaSalle, oud loss than little Kendall ? Tho State Board of Equalization made an effort to correct those obvious inequalities by adding G8 per cent to tho assessment of personal property in Cook, but, after alt, this only TRANSFERRED THE INEQUALITIES, for the Board could not correct tbo enumeration of tho articles, so that tho result was that tho assessed persons in Cook paid higher tarfba, while tho exempt persons continued to bo ex empt. All tho assessments wore made May 1, 1873, under our famous Bovouuo law, and with tho in structions of tho Auditor, under his duty, to tho effect that all property, everywhere, should bo assessed at its true cash value. I cannot refrain from quoting one more notable instance of tho effect of this low. You will boo by referring to tho proper table in tho Auditor’s report, thnt in Cook County clocks and watohos'aro assessed at tho average value of $12.37 each, wiiilo in Bu reau they aro assessed at $2.03, and both under the operation of tho same law and same instruc tions. Now, I ask, in view of all thoao figures, official and public as they are, docs not tho farmer pay tax on all hie personality, and does ho not also have to pay taxes to MAKE UP TOE DEFICIENCY caused bjr tho merchants, hankers, brokers, and other gentlemen of leisure, in failing to givo a trao list of their personal possessions. About 80 per cent of tho outiro tax paid to tho Stato comes from lauds. Tho whole equalized assessment of all prop erty is $1,259,105,312, in this amount aro tho following items: £anda •’ $582,410,607 Town lots 317,1911,233 Examine tho report of tho State Board of Equalization, nndaeo if there is anymore justice in tho assessment of real property, as between cities aud counties, than there is in personal. Here are some of tho figures, showing how im proved lands are assessed on the average: „ , „ . Per acre. Cook County. $25.32 DuPngo County J 40*03 Bureau County h.RO Qrcono County g*43 Jasper County o*so Adams County 32ii5Q Sangamon County 3M3 Tho assessments of improved city lots shows the same GROSS INEQUALITIES, of which I give a few instances: Cook County .$1,200.09 Stephenson County coo 40 Will County C 04.00 Peoria County 1,205.74 Morgan County 1,021.51 Sangamon County 083.07 Thus you boo that when tho real property was in sight of tho Assessor, who is commanded by tho law to assess it at its full cash value, ho as sessed improved lauds in Cook County at $25.32 per acre, and in Bureau, ono of tho best counties of tho State,'at $8.50 per aero. Tho lots in the groat City of Chicago, which havo improvements on thorn ranging in value from SI,OOO to $500,000, are assessed, with tho buildings, at tho enormous average sum of $1,260.29 each, but a trifle moro than tho samo class of lots are assessed at in Peoria. Taking those figures, ovory fair-minded man must admit tho assessment of both personal and real property, under our present law, to be THE GRANDEST HUMBUG OF THE AGE. Bass this resolution, lot it pass tho other House, submit it to Che votes of tho people, put beyond question and doubt tho constitutionality of taxes on tho special interests named, and you have taken a long step on the road to Bovonuo Boform, Tax tho special interests without first assessing tho realty and personalty of tho State put it in tho power of the General Assembly to tax incomes, authorize a tax on the gross re ceipts of railroads in lieu of all other taxes, and, in ray opinion, you can raise all needed revenue without doing injustice to anv citizen, class, in terest, county, city, or section; and then tho railroad companies and other corporations will cease to ho ta n-Jlghievs, and become satisfied tax payers. . If tho real and personal property of tho State is exempt from Stato taxes, then tho counties, towns, and cities can levy thoir local taxes on this very class of property, and thus pay tho lo cal debts. If any inequality exists in the assess ment, it will not extend beyond tho locality in which it occurs. That those inequalities exist, it is only necessary to cite tho fact that tho as sessment of property in Cook County, for Stato purposes, for 1873, was $114,000,000, white tho assessment of property in Chicago alouo, for city purposes, was $311,000,000. On tho amount of revenue to ho derived from a TAX ON DISTILLED SPIRITS, florae idea may bolmcl from tbo following figures: In tbo months of December. January, ami Fob runry laat, tbo production of spirits in tbia dis trict, tbo Eighth, was 073,554 gallons, as appears from tbo records of tbo Internal Revenue Oflico boro. This would give 3,804,232 gallons as tbo total production in tins district for ouo year. It is bolloved that 25 por cent of tbo spirits of tbo State aro produced In this district, and, if this is correct, tbo whole production of tbo State is 15,570,028 gallons. A tax of 5 cents por gallon on tbla would give to tbo State 9778,840,40 of rovonuo. ...$ 48,(100,000 ... 30,000,000 ... 5,000,000 ... 11,000,000 2,000,000 ~. 8,000,000 ... 1,000,000 ... 6,000,000 ... 12,000,000 The Illinois Central Railroad pays now into tho State Treasury nearly $500,000 per year Other roads in tbo State collect gross receipts to tbo amount of about $30,000,000 annually, on wbicli a 2-nor-cont tux cun bo laid. The gross receipts of tbo insurance companies aro over $0,000,000, and those will boar tho samo rate; and all those give us 1 TUP. FOLLOWING FIGURES • WHMWII...U fiUVWbO. Illinois Central $ 600,000.00 Ollier roads In the State, according to re port of Railroad Conimlßaionors, $30,000,- 000, at 2 pur cent 600,000.00 On $0,0(10,(ICO of Insurance, at 2 per cent.. 120,000.00 15,570,028 gallons of wbJalty and distilled spirits, ut 6 cents 778,840.40 $1,028,840,4(1 Now, tbo ordinary and extraordinary expenses of tho Btato for two years aro about $54,(1U0,000, and tbo school tax for ttio samo time is $2,000.- 000. As soon obovo, tbo articles mentioned will furnish nearly $2,000,000, and tbo balance can easily bo collected from tho other objects men tioned, without levying one coat on tbo roal and personal property lu tbo State. I have thus shown you my idea of tbo defects of our present Revenue system, and what I consider tbo best way to remedy tbo evils, and to raise tbo rovonuo uccosaary to support our Btato Government, Rut thoro Is another bmnob of tho question of Rovonuo Reform no loss im portant. Tim resolution contemplates a radical change in tho method of raising tho revenue, .$ 020,212 , 037,533 . 1,1148,022 007,030 1,572,747 1.M0.0M 1,785,337 1,005.013 BONDS AND STOCKS, .$ 70,405 . 140.583 . 313,550 . 533.0C0 FAWNOnOKKns* rnei'KllTT, MELODEONB AMO OHOANO, Value. I Vb, Each A vtrage, WATOHMAHDOI.OOHB, Value. Eo, Each Average, SEWIMQ.UAOUIMKB. THE CHICAGO DAILY TRIBUNE; SATURDAY. APRIL 4, 1874 but tlioro In tv no loss radical change demanded m the method of EXPENDING THE REVENUE. It would bo well for un to connldor how wo can reduce the expense of administering the affairs of the Slate. b In the first place, the revenue should bo col lected at a oost not exceeding 2 per cent ou the gross amount, but it now costs nearly ton times that, or about 20 per cent. It costs to collect the State revenue alone nearly SOOO,OOO nor year. Think of It; over ono-balf a million of dollars to got out of tho tax-pavers the money to run the State Government. This groat leak can and should bo stopped, and tho readiest and most certain moans of doing If Is to levy and collect tho taxes with tho smallest possible amount of machinery, as Is contemplated by this resolution. Our Slate Institutions are coaling for current expenses a groat deal more than, In my Jndg mont, is necessary. According to tho re- Part of tlie Board of Public Obarltlos, our chnr itnblo institutions have one oftlcor or employe for every fourpatiouts, which shows that thoro aro BNUO HOLES FOR TAX-EATERS about Homo of those buildings. If we are obliged to erect any more public bullumgß, they should bo cheaper and plainer tlmn those which have boon built heretofore, i vl. 11 ?, that ,0 construction Recount of the Institutions, asylums, and hospitals amounts to about SI,OOO for each inmate now enjoying the charity of the State.- Yes, alrl Any one of the blind, mute, and insane has cost for house room alone SI,OOO, —a sum abundant to build a bouse as good ns the average tax-paver occupies with bis family. I have hoard that the most ex pensive part of these buildings was*devoted to the use and pleasure of the ofllcors; but, whether this is true or not, Ido not know, but I do know that wo have paid too much for architectural fancies to bo put into brick and mortar, into cut otono, cast iron, carving, paint, putty, and stuc °o. at the expense of the tax-pavers. wo must also reduce the expenses of our State Government by LOPPING OFF A LOT OP HANGERS-ON*. political veterans, and caucus cripples, whom tho tax-payors have to support in Idleness. Compare tho expenses of tho Legislative Do 'v^Gn Illinois had a population of 800,000, with tho oxpouaos In 1871, when tho population was 3,000,000, Then wo spent $15,- 243.04; In 1871 wo spout 6537,805.50; and thou consider whether tho laws aro hotter enforced, whether tho people aro more happy and content ed, in 1871 or thirty years before. I shall bring rayromarks to a close. Tho sub jects by no moans exhausted; on tho contrary, t will furnish material to occupy tho thoughts of the Senators for months. I hope tho resolution will pass, I hope it will bo debated hero and in tho other House, and by tho people through tho pr0B8; for it involves tho Important, tho vital question which occupies the attention of all of ns onco a year, ami of somo of us all tho yoar: llow shall MS pay our taxes t I havo been aot -111(5 with tho Democratic party in tills Slate for tho past thirty years. I havo boon tho recipient of many favors at tho bunds of that party, for which I am, and shall contino to bo, truly grate ful. But I intend boroaflor to act with that par ty, I care not by what namo it is called, DEMOCRATIC. REFORM, OR REPDRLIOAN, which will inscribe on its banners a reform not only for cheap transportation, but for equal as sessment of taxes, and cheap collection of tax es, cheap execution of tho law, and economical administration of tho General and Slate Govern ments. and reform in the management of our State institutions, THE STORY OF THE GUN. from Victor Huyo'a “A’inelihthrce," [The war corvette Claymore, sailing from Jersey for the French const In tho service of the French novel ists, carried a mysterious passenger, whoso nnmo was known only io tho Captain and his chief ofllccr, but who afterward appears ns tho Marquis do Lantenac, the Royalist lender in La Vendee. Tho breaking loose of a carronado in tho gun-dock interrupts a conversa tion between those three men, and tho description of tho scone of destruction that followed forms ono of the most powerful episodes of tho novel.] Ono of tho carronados of tho battery, a twen ty-four poundor, had got loose. This is perhaps tho most formidable of ocean accidents. Nothing more terrible can happen to a vessel in open sea and under full sail. A gun that breaks Us moorings becomes sud denly some indescribable supernatural boast. It is a machine which transforms itself into A MONSTER. This mass turns upon its wheels, Ins tho rapid movements of a billiard-ball; rolls with tho rolling, pitches with tho pitching; goes, comes, pauses, seems to meditate; resumes its course, rushes along the ship from end to end like an arrow, circles about, springs aside, evades, roars, breaks, kills, exterminates. It is a bat tering-ram which assaults a wall at its own ca price. Moreover, tuo battering-ram is metal, the wall wood. It is the entrance of matter into liberty. One might say that this eternal slave avenges itself. .It seems as if the power of evil hidden in what wo call inanimate objects finds a vent and bursts suddenly out. It has an air of having lost patience, of Booking somo fierce; ohscuro retribution; nothing moro inex orable than this rage of tho inanimate. The mad mass has tho bounds of a panther, tho weight of an elephant, tho agility of a mouse, (ho obstinacy of tho ax, the unexpectedness of tho surge, tho rapidity of lightning, tho doafness of tho tomb. It weighs 10,000 pounds, and it re bounds like a child’s ball. Its ilight is a wild whirl abruptly cut at right angles. What is to bo done? Howto end this? A tempest censes, a cyclone a wind falls, a broken mast is replaced, a leak is stopped, a fire dies out; but how to control this , ENORMOUS BRUTE OP BRONZE? In what way can one attack it ? You can make a mastiff hear reason, astound a bull, fascinate a bob, frighten a tiger, soften a lion; but there is no resource with that monster a cannon lot loose. You cannot klllit—itiadoad: at tho same time it lives. It lives with a sinister life bestowed on it by Infinity. Tho planks beneath it give it play. It is moved by tho ship, which is moved by tho sea, which is moved by tho wind. This dostrovor is a play thing. Tho ship, tho waves, tho ‘blasts, all aid it: hence its frightful vitality. How to assail this fury of complication ? itow to fetter this monstrous mechanism for wrecking a ship? How foresee its comings and goings, its returns, its stops, its shocks ? Any one of these blows upon the sides may stave out the vessel. How divine its awful gyrations I One has todcal pith a pro jectile which thinks, scums to possess ideas, and which changes its direction at each instant. How stopthocourao of something which must bo avoid ed t Tho horrible cannon llings itself about, ad vances, recoils, strikes to tho right, strikes to tho loft, iloos, passes, disconcerts ambushes, breaks down obstacles, crushes men liko Hies. Tho great danger of tho situation is in tho mobility of its How combat an inclined plane which has caprices ? Tho ship, so to speak, has light ning imprisoned In its womb, which seeks to es cape ; it is liko thunder rolling above nu earth quake. In an instant tho wholo crow wore on foot. THE FAULT WAS TUB CHIEF GUNNER'S; bo bad uoglootod to llx homo tbo scrow-nut of tbo mooriug-ebain, and bud bo badly shackled tbo four wheels of tbo carrouado that tbo play given to tbo holo and frame bad separated tbo {platform, and end ed by breaking tbo breeching. Tbo cordage bad broken, so that tbo gun was no longer secure on tbo carriage, Tbo stationary breeching which prevents recoil was not in use at that period. As a heavy wave struck tbo port, tbo carrouado, weakly attached, recoiled, burst its chain, and began to rush wildly about. Conceive, m order to nave au idea of this strange sliding, a drop of water riiuuitig down a pane of glass. ) At the moment when the lashings gave way tbo gunners wore in the battery, some in groups, others standing alone, occupied with snob duties ao sailors porfonn inoxpeutution of the command to clear for action. Tbo carrouado, burled for ward by tbo pitching, dashed into this knot of men, and crushed four at tbo first blow : then, bung buck and abet out anew by tbo rolling, it cut in two a fifth poor fellow, glanced oil’ to tbo larboard side, and struck a piece of tbo battery with such force as to unship It. Then rose tbo cry of distress which bad been hoard. Tbo men ♦l™! 1 ?. n ow / w i l fn° toddor—tbo gun-dock emp tied in tbo twinkling of an eye, The enormous cannon was loft alone. Bbo was given up to her self. Bbo was hor own mistress, and 1 f „. ~ mistress of the vessel. bbo could do what sho willed with both. Tbo whole crow, accustomed to laugh in battle, trom blod now. lo describe tbo universal terror would bo impossible. Capt, Iloisbortbolot and Idem. VlouvillA ni Uioimh both lutropia mpi', Bl°|ip°d ot tho h'oad of tbo Blairs, mid romiduod muto, polo, hcsltat biß, looltltift, down on tho ciooli. Homo ouo puuhod them aside with Ilia olbow mid descended. It woo thoir pmißooßOi-, tho peasant, tho man ot whom they hud boon speaking o momont bo foro. When ho touched tho foot ot tho laddor'ho Btood Btill, Tho cannon onino and wont alone tho dooli Ouo might havo fancied it tho living chariot of the Apocalypse. Tho matins lantern oscillating from ibo coiling added a dizzying whirl of lights nnd shadows to this vision. Tho shape of tho cannon was umllstlnguisliftblo frbm tho rapidity of its conrso s now it looked black in tho light, now It cast wolrd roflootions through tho gloom. It kept on its work of destruction. It Lad al ready chattered four other pieces, and dug two crevices in tho side, fortunately above tho water line. though they would leak In caso a squall should como on. It dashed 'itself frantically against tho frame-work; tho solid tie-beams resisted, their curved form giving them groat strength, but they croaked ominously under the assaults of this terrible club, which scorned en dowed with a sort of APPALLING DniQtJITY, striking on every sido at once. The strokes of a bullet shaken in a bottle would not bo madder or more rapid. Tho four wheels passed ami ro pasaod above iho dead men, cut, carved, slashed them, till tho live conisos woro a score of stumps rolling about tho dock; Iho heads seemed to cry • out; streams of blood twisted in nnd out of tho planks with ovory pitch of tho vessel, Tho coil ing damaged lu several places, began to gnpo. Tho whole ship was filled with tho awful tumult. Iho Captain promptly recovered his compos ure, and at his order tho sailors throw down into the dock ovory thing which could deaden ond chock tho mad rush of tho gun—mattrossoo, hammocks, spare sails, coils of ropo, extra equip ments, auatho halos of false asfiiguats, of which ■thocorvette carried a wholo cargo; au infamous deception, which tho English considered a fair trick in war. But what could those rags avail? No ono dorod to descend to arrange them in any useful fashion, and iuafow instants thoy woro moro heaps of lint. There was just soa enough to romlor an acci dent as complete as possible. A tempest would hnvo boon desirable; it might hnvo thrown tho gun upside down, and tho four wheels oaco in tho air, tho monster could have boon mastered. But THE DEVASTATION INCREASED, Thoro wore gashes and even fractures in tho masts, which, imbedded in tho wood-work of tho kool, pierce tho docks of ships like groat round pillars. Tho mlzzou-mast was cracked, and tho malumastilsolf was injured under tho convul sive blows of the gun. Tho battery was being destroyed. Ton pieces out of tho thirty woro disabled; iho broaches multiplied in the side, and tho corvotto began to tako in wator. Tho old passenger, who had descended to tho gun-dock, looked like a form of stono stationed nt tho foot of tho stairs. Ho stood motionless, gazing sternly about upon tho devastation. In deed, it seemed impossiblo to tako a single step forward. Eaoh bound -of tho liberated carronado men aced tho destruction of tho vessel. A fow min utes moro aud shipwreck would be inevitable. Thoy must parish or put a summary ond to tho disaster—a decision must bo made—hut how ? What a combataut—this enunou 1 Thoy must chock this mad monster. Thoy must seize this flash of lightning. Thoy must overthrow this thunder-holt. Bolsberthelot said to La YloaviUo, “ Do you boliovo In God, Chevalier?” La Yiouvilio replied, “Yea. No. Bomb times.” * “In a tempest ?” “Yes; ami In moments liko this.” . “Only God can aid us hero,” said Bolsber tholot. All wore silent—tlio cannon kept up its horri ble fracas. The waves boat against tho ship ; tholr blows from without responded to tho strokes of tho cannon. It was liko two hammers alternating. Suddenly, into tho midst of this sort of inac cessible circus, whoro tho escaped cannon leaped and bounded, THERE SPRANG A MAN with an iron bar iu his hand. It was tho author of this catastrophe, tho gunnor whoso culpable nogligouco had caused tho accident,—tho captain of tho gun. Haviug boon tho means of bring ing about tho misfortune, ho dosirod to repair it.' lie had caught up a handspike in one hat, a tiller-rope with a slipping nooso in tho other, and jumped down into tho gun-dock. Then a slraugo combat began: a Titanic strife—tho struggle of tho gun against tho gunnor, a hattlo between matter and intelligence, a duel between tbo inanimate and tho human. Tho man was posted in an angle, tho bar and rono in his two lists? backed against ouo of tuo riders, settled firmly on his logs as on two pillars of stool, livid, calm, tragic, rooted as it wero iu the planks, ho waited, lie waited for tho cannon to pass near him. Tho gunner know his pioco/and it Boomed to him that aho must recognize her master. Ho had lived a long time with her. How many times ho had thrust his hand between her jaws I It was his tamo monster. Ho began to address it as bo.might have done his dog. “combl" said ho. Perhaps ho loved it. Ho seemed to wish that it would turn toward him. But to como toward him would bo to spring npou him. Thou ho would bo lost. How to avoid its crush ? Thoro was tho question. All stared iu terrified silence. Not a breast respired freely, except, perchance, that of tho old man who alouo stood in tho dock with tho two combatauts, a stern second. Ho might himself bo crushed by tho pioco. He did not stir. Beneath them, tho blind sea directed tho bat- At tho instant, when accepting this awful hand-to-hand contest, tho gunner approached to challenge tho cannon, some chanco fluctuation of tho waves kept it for a moment immovable, as if suddenly stupoflod. “ Como on I n tho man said to it. It seemed to listen. Suddenly it darted upon him. Tho gunner avoided tho shock. r lho struggle began—struggle unheard of. Tho fragile matching itself against tho invulner able. The thing of flesh attacking the brazen brute. On tho one sido blind force, on tho other a soul. Tho whole passed in a half-light. It was liko tho indistinct vision of a miracle. A soul—strange thing; but you would have said that the cannon had ono also—a soul Ailed with rage and hatred. This blindness. AFPEAJIKD TO HAVE EYES. Tho monster had the air of watching' the man. Thoro was—ono might have fancied so at least— cunning in this muss. It also chose its moments. It became some gigantic insect of metal, having, or seeming to have, tho will of a demon. Some times this colossal grass-hoppor would strike the low coiling of tho gun-deck, thon foil back on its four wheels like a tiger upon its four claws, and dart anew on tho man. Ho—supple, agile, adroit—would glide away liko a snnko from tho’ roach of those lightniug-liko movements. Ho avoided tho encounters ; but tho blows which ho escaped fell upon tho vessel and continued tho havoc. An end of broken chain remained attached to tho carronado. This chain had twisted itself, one could not toll how, about tho screw of the brccch-button. Ono extremity of tho chain was fastened to tho carriage. Tho other, hanging loose, whirled rapidly about tho gun, and ‘added to the danger of its blows. Tho screw hold it like a clinched hand, and tho chain, multiplying tho strokes of tho battering ram by its strokes of a thong, made u fearful whirlwind about tho camion,—a whip of iron in a flat of brass. This chain complicated tho bat tle. Nevertheless, tbo man fought. Sometimes, oven, it was the man who attacked the cannon. Ho crept along tho aide, bar and ropo in hand, and the cannon had the air of understanding, and Hod as if it perceived a snare. Tho man pursued it, rmiMinARLB, FEARLESS. * Such a duel could nut lust long. Tho gun .seemed suddenly to say to itself, "Como, wo must muko an end!" and it paused. Quo felt tho approach of tho crisis. Tho cannon, as if in suspense, appeared to have, or hud—because It seemed to all a sentient being—a furious pro meditation. It sprang unexpectedly upon tho guuuor. Ho jumped aside, lot it puss, and oriod out, with a laugh, " Try again 1" Tuo gun, as if in a fury, broko a ourronado to larboard; then, seized anew by tho invisible sling which hold it, was Hung to starboard toward tho man, who es caped. Throo oftiTonados gavo way under tbo blows of tbo gun; then, us if blind, and no longor'con scions of wlrnt it was doing, it turned its back on.tbo man, rolled from the storn to tbo bow, bruising tho stem and making a broach in tbo plankings of tho prow. Tho gunner had taken refuge ut tho foot of tho stairs, a few stops from tbo old man, who was watching. Tho gunner hold his handspike in rest. Tho cannon soomod to porcoivo him, and, without taking tho trouble to turn itsolf, bucked upon him with tho quickness of an ax-stroke. Tho gunner, if driven back against tho side, was lost. Tbo crow uttered a simultaneous cry. But tbo old passenger, until now immovable, made a spring inure rapid than all those wild whirls. Ho seized a halo of the false assignats, and, ut the risk of being crushed, succeeded |n Hinging it between tbo wheels of the carronudo. This muuouvro, decisive and dangerous, could not have boon executed with more adroitness and precision by a man trained to all tho exer cises set down in “Durosol’s Manual of Boa- Qunnory. 1 ’ Tbo halo had tbo effect of a plug. A pebble may stop a log, a tree-branch turn an avulaubho. Tbo ourronado stumbled.' Tho .gunner, in bis turn, , scUlugf •this I MufUo .thtfiKiu, plunged bis Uou bar betffolU t'l9 iywM of one of tho hind* wheels, Tho oannou was stopped. It staggered. Iho man, using tho bar as a lover, rocked It too tt i ,9; Tho heavy mass turned over with a dang liko a falling boll, and tho gunner, dripping i. 1 rushed forward headlong, and passed tho fllipplng-nooso of tho tlllor-ropo about tho hronzo uoolc of THE OVERTHROWN MONSTER. It was ended. The man had conquered. Tho ant had subdued tho mastodon: tho pigmy had taken tho thunderbolt prisoner, hands mar * Uoß nm * ho Ba^ora clapped their The whole crow hurried down with cables and chains, and in an instant tho cannon was secure ly lashed. TJia gunuor saluted tho passenger, lif * ”* r,M Tho old man had resumed his imnasslble atti tude, and did not reply. The man hud conquered, but ono might say that tho cannon had conquered also. Immediate shipwreck had been avoided, hut tho corvette was by no menus saved. Tho dilapidation of tho vossol soomod irromodinblo. Tho sides had live broaches, ono of which, very largo, was in tho how. Out of tho thirty carronodos, twenty lav useless in thulr frames. Iho enrroundo which had been captured and rcolminod was itself disabled; tho screw of tho brooch-button was forced, and tho leveling of tho piece impossible in consequence, Tho bat tery was reduced to nine pieces. Tho hold had sprung a leak. It was necessary at once to re pair tho damages nnd sot tho pumps to work. Iho .gun-dock, now that ono had time to look about it, offered a terrible spectacle. Tho Inte rior of a mad elephant’s cage could not have boon moro completely dismantled. However groat tho necessity that tho corvette should escape observation, a still moro imperi ous necessity presented itself— IMMEDIATE SAFETY. It had boon necessary to light up tho deck by lanternsplapod hero and thoro along tho sides.. But during tho wholo timo this tragic diver sion had lasted tho crow woro so absorbed by tho pno question of life or death that thoy noticed little what was passing outside tho scene of tho duel. Tho fog bad thTokonod ; tho weather had changed; tho wind had drivou tho vessel at will; it had got out of its route, in plain sight of Jer sey ond Guernsey, farther to tho south thou it .ought to have gone, and was surrounded by n troubled soa. Tho groat waves kissed tho gaping wounds of tho corvette—kisses full of porn. Tho soa rooked her menacingly. Tho hroozo be came a gale. A squall, a tempest perhaps, threatened. It was impossiblo to see before one four oars’ length. While tho crow woro repairing summarily and in haste tho ravages of tho gun-deck, stopping the leaks, and putting back into position tho guns which hud escaped tho disastor,tho old passenger had gone on deck. Ho stood with his back against tho mainmast. Ho had paid no attention to a proceeding which had taken place on tho vossol. The' Chevalier La Yiouvilio had drawn up the marines in Hue on cither sido of tho mainmast, and at tho whistle of tho sailors busy in tho rigging stood upright on tho yards. Count du Bolsberthelot advanced toward tho passenger. Behind tho Captain marched a man haggard, breathless, his dress In disorder, yet wearing a satistlcd look under it all. It was tho guuuor who had just now so opportunely shown hinmolf a tamer of monsters, and who had gob tho bettor of tho cannon. Tho Count tnado a military saluto to tho un known iu peasant garb, and said to him, “ Gen eral, HERE IS THE MAN.” Tho gunner hold himself erect, bis eyes down cast, standing iu a soldierly attitude. Count du Boisbortholot coiitiutod: “ General, taking into consideration what this man has done, do you not think there is something for his commanders to do ?” “I think there is,” said tho old mao. “Bo good enough to give tho orders," return ed Boisbortholot. “It is for you to glvo them. You aro tho Cap tain.” “But you are tho General,” answered Bois bortholot. The old man looked at tho gunnor. “Ap proach,” said he. Tho gunner moved forward a stop. Tho old man turned toward Count du Boisbortholot, de tached tho cross of Saint Louis from tho Can tain’s uniform, oud fastened It on the jacket of the gunner. “ Hurrah I" cried the sailors. Iho marines presented arms. Tho old passen ger, pointing with his finger toward tho bewild ered gunner, added, “ Now LEr THAT MAN BE SHOT.” Stupor succeeded the applause. Thou, in tho midst of a silonco lilco that of tho tomb,-the old man raisdd bis voice. Ho said: “ A negligence has oudaugoiod this ship. At this moment aho is perhaps lost. To bo at eoa is to faco tho enemy, A vessel at open sea is an army which gives battle. Tho tempest conceals, but does not absent itself. Tho whole sea is an ambuscade. Heath is tho penalty of any fault committed iu tho face of tho enemy. No fault is reparable. Courage ought to bo rewarded, and nogligouco punished.” * These words fell one after tho other slowly, solemnly, with a sort of inexorable measure, like tho blows of an ax upon au oak. And tho old man, turning to tho soldiers, add ed, “Do your duty.” Tho mau upon whoso breast shone tho cross of Saint Louis bowed his head. At a sign from Count du Boisborthelot two sailors descended between decks, then relumed, bringing tho hammock winding-shoot. Tho ship's chaplain, who since the time of sailing had boon ut prayer iu tho officers’ quarters, ac companied tho two stylors; a Sergeant detached from tho lino twelve marines, whom ho arranged in two ranks, six by sixj tho gunnor, without uttering a word, placed himself between the two files. Tho chaplain crucifix in hand, advanced and stood near him, “March 1 ” said tho Sergeant. The platoon moved with slow stops toward tho how. Tho two sailors who carried tho shroud followed. A gloomy sllonco fell upon tho corvotto. A hurricauo moaned in tho distance. A few instants later thoro was a flash; a re port followed, echoing among tho shadows: thon all was silent; thou camo tho thud of A BODY FALLING INTO I’IIE SEA. Thoold passenger still loaned back against tho mainmast with folded anus, thinking silently. Boisbortholot pointed toward him with tho forefinger of his loft hand, and said iu a low voice to LaYlouvillo, “ Tho Youdoo has found a head!” THE XJ’AKM AND GARDEN. Corn-Culture at llio Crist—Corn-Cul luro on ttie Prairie—Plan of ill. Kiillivuut—Uud JUifcct of blowing wlien Wut-'ahc A(lvnu(nmi* iqUuus of thi tl°on aW * M 0 lßbor 0n on found*- . , _ M. L. BULIiIVANT <• naa demonstrated that ho could prepare the ground, plant and cultivate an aero of corn, on an average of about one day and one-tenth t but {?*'V° wade no allowance for lost time when the land woe not in condition for working, nor for superintendence. Mr. B. had very good, and ro | nflr bablo cropa, considering tho many thousand acres that ho planted annually, *”4"“ a E ho depended on hired labor to do tho ‘ i iful urged him for many years to adopt l ! ant “? y i tom » fio M t0 Blvo each man a dl- } ut ? rcßt } n working tho crop 5 and this ays- Umo.'’ " ml ia I,m,y ln arran S l,, 8 not a porfoot system for tho JJJJ* °°°“ on ? y ?* Ial)or In tlio management of tho corn-crop, hut wo are slowly approaching it. It Ib well known that, when old land, If of a cloggy nature, is plowed when wot, TUB PEHTIMTV BECOMES LOOKED UP mUOt undergo the dlsln »n^ni n £t»7ut lB ° r S’ oab to bring »t back to ita normal condition. Now, this is a serious draw back of time in many seasons. waiting for tho land to come into suitable condition for nlowintr s and, in some seasons, not lobb than half the time for work ia lost in Idloncsa of tho men and teams. This makes tho area planted of very un equal amounts, and at best makes a part of it late planting, in which tbo crop is endangered,— lirst hy drought in germ, when tbo blades are too small to boar up against adverse weather; and, secondly, by early autumn frosts. Very few farmers know of a way out of this diniculty. and suppose they must submit to it, lot tbo weather come as it will. Thus, for this spring, teams have boon idle for more than two weeks, waiting for the gonial weather that shall put the land in good tilth for plowing, and it may l>o two or throe weeks more before work can begin, ■those who have moadowor pasture-laud to plant aro busy, it is true 5 but those persons are but few In number, and tbo area of such land is limited; for wo have boon in tho habit of plant ing corn on the same laud year after year, as though that was tho very best system to be pursued. If wo cannot plow old land when wot without damaging it, why is it that we oan plow BWAIID-LAKD when In tbo same condition? The eolation is easy enough { for tho wot clay land is packed lilco a brick, and dries cloddy; while, in tho sword-laud, tbo immouao number of roots pro youts this action of tbo clay, and tbo soil is loft in flno condition for tho crops. lUrstsawtbis verified in tho breaking up of a fow acres of prairie in tbo month of February, and bavo prac ticed it annually for tho past dozen years. All farmers concede that meadow and pas ture-land produces largo crops of corn, and that the culture is less than on old land, tbo land being comparatively froo of weeds, lloro, then, oro two points that aro not to bo overlooked in tbo culture of tho corn-crop. As soon as tbo frost is out. in Warcb, tbo meadow and pasture land is ready for the plow. There is no waiting f, or tl £, ffro i l!ld t0 Bottlo - or lUo land to got into fino tilth; for tho work is ready. Tbo pkrtvruua easily through tho soft turf that presents its black, rich surface to tho sun: tbo water settles away; and, in a fow weeks, it is ready for tbo harrow, that will pulverize its furrows into fine ly-comminuted soil, ready for tho planting. All this work is going on long boforo tbo team can bo put on tho old land, oven if it did not ruin it to bo plowed whon sodden with the sprim: rains. 1 b Wo Will suppose that the farmer, with a sin gle team, baa to put In sixty acres of corn, and that ono*half of this is meadow or pasture-land, iio will bo ablo to plow all of this meadow-laud at times when bo cannot prudently go on the phi land to plow. When the old land is dry, and in condition for plowing, tbo sod-laud may bo abandoned for tbo time being, and tbo old land taken in baud; but, a heavy rain falling at any time, the sod-laud is again ready until the other is again in order. In this way, there are no idle teams or idle men waiting for tho water to 'set tle away so that plowing may bo resumed. There is groat complaint that tho old land * BECOMES FOUL WITU WEEDS by long-continued planting and oalturo without hooiug; and it is often Hooded to grass for tho purpose of exterminating; them. But there is another and bettor reason given to flood the land often to grass, and that is for the purpose of comminuting it. Land under long culture be comes lumpy, and is not in the fiuoly-commi nuted condition of that which has recently boon in grass; and then the decaying grass and clover roots give the soil a more porous or draiuablo condition to admit of tho vapor of water, which is just tho condition for tho growth of plants. Water must pass down through the soil hi order that it may part with its plant-food, and tho in numerable small roots servo to make up this de sirable condition. Talcing this view of tho subject, we must next consider tho propriety of so arranging our crops that corn and tho small grains may alternate with grass. Tho British farmer prides himself with a rotation, say of live or seven years, in which wheat, oats, barley, turnips, and grass talco tholr turns, and in which tho grass plays tho most importaut part. Horo wo have the com in -place of turnips, aud which ma» bo considered tho loading-staple. The farmorwill find it to his advantage to so arrange his fields that ouo-hatf of bis corn-land, or an area equal to it, may bo seeded to grass annually, and a like quantity bo broken up each spring to be planted m corn. This is I Tim HIDE ROTATION in tho management of tlio corn cron in this groal com-zouo. Wo may plant tho corn on the award-land, and follow with winter-wheat, by sowing among tho standing com and drilling it in,—a practice that has boon somewhat followed, but probably, not tho beat. Or, what is more common at tho southern part of tho Btato, cut tho com in Sep tember, place tho shocks in rows, and sow tho wintor-wlroat directly on tho coru-atubblo : and, after tho ground is frozen, tho crop thus har vested is uaulcd from tho Hold. Tho only ob jection to this plan is tho bare spots whore tho corn-stalks stood in tho shocks; but, as tho wheat-crop is to bo sown to grass and clover, that is no groat drawback. The gross may re main for two years, making a four years’ course. It may bo cropped to com two or three years, and, at tho last cropping, the corn bo cut, and shocked, and hauled olf; or tho stalks may bo broken down in winter, rottod and burned in March, and tho land sown to spring-wheat, bar ley, or oafs, and seeded to grass. As tho farms grow smaller, and farm-barns como into more general use, wo shall soo loss and Ices of Hold-husking, as farmers will cut tho corn for tho value of tho fodder that may bo thus obtained. Ah wo change stock-fading for tho dairy, wo change to a more mixed system of farming, and one hotter adapted to small farms. If wo cannot have ouc-half of our corn-land in sward, wo ought to have a part of it at least, provided that wo wish to keep tho team at tho plow during tho entire spring. One thing is certain, no farmer can estimate beforehand how many acres ho can prepare for planting, as thoro uro so very many contingencies to ho taken into tho account. The weather is tho most promi nent of these, but this is to some extent modi fied in tho case of meadow-land. In this connec tion, it would bo well to have a certain number of acres of old land for corn, and meadow and pasture-land indollultoly to occupy tbo remainder of tbo time, lot that bo more or loss; and this might bo tho measure of tho corn-orop. In tho next place, wo may soo how tho plow ing of tho sward-land is to bo accomplished. Shall tho furrow bo a singloouo, deeper shallow, or will wo * TRENCH-PLOW .the land ; and, if so, how (loop shall be the two furrows ? A clover ami timothy sward of two or three yours’ standing may ho plowed with a single furrow, not to exceed 4 inches in depth. This will harrow up pretty loose, and may bo cultivated in tho usual manner. If there is con siderable hluo grass, or tho turf is old and tough, it is almost indispensable to tronoh-plow it. Tho top furrow should bo out 2or 2>£ inches deep. This will contain tho crowns of tho grass plants, and separate tho lower parts of tho plant, and allow of an easy pulverization of tho soil! The bottom or second furrow should bo gauged to cut not moro than 2 inches, and this will bo thrown on tho top of tho turf-furrow,—making tho two furrows of tho samo depth, as near as possible, of tho one first mentioned. It may ho asked, why tho uso of tho two furrows, as they must cost moro horso-powor than tho ono ? The reply is, that tho crowns of tho roots are separated from tho lowor parts of the plant: and chat tho lowor pare of tho furrow has noth ing loft to hold it together, and is pulverized without difficulty; ana decay at onco sots in on tho lowor part of tho plant thus cut oif, while tho fine earth servos to smother out (ho crowns of tho plants, and prevents their growing. And moro especially in tho caso of blue grass, whole roots, unless cut loose from tho crown of tho plant, will rosumo growth if kept moist: but this separation prevents. For this reason, I have mado it a rule for many years to trouoh ptow all of my sward-land, os tho oxtra cost is moro than repaid by tho bettor condition of tho • soil and the increased crop. I have produced largo crops of com ou common prairlo-faud that had not been pastured. X find this prairie-sward is easily broken by two horses, using a 12-iuoh breaking-plow for this purpose, if taken in hand when too wot for tho plowing of old laud; but, if loft until tho soil becomes dry, threo horses will bo required to do tho samo work. Tho doublo Michigan plow wos invented for bl7u, 8 «t i h ss flovoro on tho lonm. A L J «™»cut is too SSaSrigri would tuu too hard in a heavy clay “ y ‘ bt . , THE PLANTINO of com In Uio next thing to ho q„„. fnrmoro harrow the land before planting ir thS anrfaoo in not smooth; hut, if in’fairorSor the planter may bo not to work without thlsprolim inary, oven if tho land liaa been plowed™™ weeks and tho woods aro starting. After tho planting in such case, say not more than throo Siit w'l M^ 8 ' lb ? •'l'rrow should follow. This will level tho surface, and kill all tho young woods, and prepare tho surface for 5 admission of host and air to tho seed to quicken Us growth. If tho soil Is a olay or i clay-loom, tho roller should follow, to pnlvorizo any ainoli clods that may remain after tho liar row, and to put tho surface in hotter tilth. In a few days tho young blades will appear: for tins modo of planting admits of a shallow covering to tho sood, and tho compacting of tho soil keeps SaJSih*!J , “ d ’ , ’° inß , 'ho , surface, tho warmth brings tho plant forward. The great complaint in regard to poor sood-com comes from tho habit of too deep planting. If tho weather follows warm and moist, tho com comes up it deeply planted; but, if tho weather turns SUy °. r . a «®!i* rein follows, tho seed is sum to . , l l, ' Q hlnmo is laid to tho seed, °/ to «io had planting. Onr largo oorn- Su re .w ‘J 1 ’ 1 * P" rt ot 1110 Stale begin to fully against ft’ 8 im P ortaut end carefully guard I should have stated that a single furrow, 4 or or n.,it°» .i dOOp ’ ln ° lrt ’“ud, is of nearly , OS to trench- U sod thus divide it into two separate ™"-» i sod yot fow people appear to ?!2" a , oosfoot Idea of tho object or i n ,?]j,° n n° f 1 tro " ch ;P lo 'ving. It is no ohioot to hring tho lower strata of tho soil to tho top, for AtUr?' 1 ? not , bo °" sroatod, and what potash or other elements of plant-food that it may contain »hA t i?ii t i 10 pto P?u o ° ntU t«m for plant-food, or the soli in condition to hold that which tho rains, and tho dpwa, and tho air, may present to onl3 T oPJoot end office of trench-plowing tor tho growing crop Is to destroy tho crop of °,5 Pctonnial or bioimlai weeds, that oro codod tho cultivated crop. Wo out tho plant at tho crown, and disconnect It from tho moss onii bbroUi! foots, sud those no longer hold tho Boil compactly together. In hoeing wo do tho same thing, cutting tho plant off just below tho surface l of tho ground, when moat plants aro at onoo killed. Grasses like qnook, that aro pro dH.°ni?o b ? fyooors underground, aro not so easily disposed of; but tho trench-plowing is tho beat aU ri l ?nS t -,m CB ato , nt mtK, ° ot extirpating them. 1q tho culture of com wo too oftou NEGLECT IT AT THE START. Sn , wo cannot atop to oiilll -1.5*2. 11 U i“ la , Bt “f 0 i 8 P l " ulo ' ] i wlion it would tl?n Wn,v dV «“ ai! ° to .? tol> tho p |a ’ v ““>1 to start In? nn^iiA - 1 ? a P l>oa 2 t' 1 " 1 ' TQ commence plant ‘“O Ist day of May. On tho 4th or 6th d communes tho oultnro by giving it a most thorough harrowing and rolling. This, as I , th \? on - “d, at tho samo ™»n l M V 1 a 9f° woedß that havo mado a start °? m a ? d wiu b0 "P ahead of It, but this borrowing destroys thorn, and, at tho samo time, puts the land in hotter order for corn ?s ready for tWUivatSf: “huXomSu? SLvf 0 p . lant , in s aoMon is reached, the first baa batl P alf of itH culture completed, ? an , nor » * number of acres of plant ing can bo done, but more bushels of com mar bo grown. To people who aro ambitious of growing tho moat bushels, tbia is tho boat plan • put there wo others who aro equally proud of S?nf nU ? b ?M 0f acro l tl,at th °y ra fty bo able to plant. Hut tho man who can grow 2,000 bushels on 40 acres ia mpro to bo commended than the ??® who occupies GO acres for tho samo result, iho farmer who aims to put in a given num ber of acrca, with little regard to how it is done, will never make much profit in tho tilling of his soil. Wo must study how to grow tho best crops with tho least labor ; and, to do that, wa muat apply tho labor just iu tho nick of time. NEW PLUMS. Last wool! I received sixteen plum-trees from Kentucky, containing ton now varieties of Ken tucky and Tonnoaaoo native plume, that lima far, m thoao States, appear to defy tho onroulio. Inoao aro not intended to bo propagated for for . tljo , l?J lr P°s° of (eating tboir veins in this park of the State. They ofo grafted on stocks of tho wild plum, and some of thorn •n° ,w Ui^t-buda ; and it ia probable that thoy will all fruit during tho next throe or four years. Those varieties have boon gathered together by Gen. Adair, a farmer near Uawesvillo, Ky„ who is taking an interest in this fruit. I shall hone to bo able to send out scions to other parts ol the S ate as soon as thoy fruit,—the oulv charge for which will bo tho postage. Thoy will not bo sold to nurserymen for tho purpose of prana* gating, but for such readers of Tub Tribune as take an interest in tbo testing of new fruits. It is possible that not ono ol those may have any value for our State but I see no other direction to look for tbo com ing plum, save among our native plums. In I Tennessee I know tbo wild plums are good, but how good they may prove hero ia yet tolie {ost has proved valuable in V jisconsin, Minnesota, and in our State a« far souuicast as Genova, in Kano County. Capt. l<. JJ. Boobo. of that place, who has given this ““«V». 1- a loconuelter? owv arm Gordon ’ is correct in looking among the native plums for tho coming plum. in d hn faimol no - ar G-Uona writes that the Aimer / fro i w, t «» th t at P art of the Stale for 25 cents a bushel; bat ho is no doubt a little too sanguine, drawing his conclusion from two or throe trees in a yard, whore thoy have boon well cared for ; and it is not probable that orchard- will produce tho same result. Mr. George I. Hasson, of Woodstock, MolTon ry County, 111., writes mo that ho has a small stock of very fine trees of tbo Minx plum for sale at 50 cents each,—no charge for packing. AN AKBOII-DAY. .. „ _ Tbiaow Orkkk, 111.. March 24,1874. iiJskk.« I } unAL “ s v i: ctmuot tho people of this btalo have an Arbor-Day,—a day set apart for the planting of trees along tho road-side, on tho lawn, and other parte of the farm? There might also bo a day for Floriculture,which women might devote to tho ‘planting of Flowers, Will you not give It your sane Uou, and thus have tho good work established 7 Mas. M. T. B, • Nature has given us many Arbor-Days. Sho begins at Cairo tho last of February, mukos tho air gonial and swells tho buds, to remind us of troo-plantiug. Then sho begins her march, 10 or 12 miles a day, starting tbo dormant buds as sho marches, bringing flocks of robins, blue birds, and a hundred other kinds with her; and these begin to build tboir neats in all manner of places, and of many forms. Tho prairies aro reached at tho south sido of tho groat basin that was once tho shore of a vast frosh-wator lake. Then tho cold winds aro sont from tho north, and tho garden and tho orchards no longer lio under tho shutter of tho Grand Chain,” but oro this sido, and tho Arbor-Days aro filled with chilliness, with, howovor, a reinforcement of zephyrs, bom of tho tropics, tho march is re sumed ; but sho Is more Chau a mouth in reach ing tho northern limits of our State. Wo can, therefore, sot no ouo Arbor-Day, for now tho loaves begin to put forth at tho southern part of tho State, while at tho north Jt m too cool for all to engage m this desirable business. Every town or vil lago, every farmer and gardener, every land or lot-owner, should have ono or moro Arbor-Days, that shall best suit tho progress of tho seasons, and ho tho most suitable for him to do tho work. Bettor impress all with a dosiro for judicious planting a greater or loss number of trees each spring, than to sot apart a holiday for tho pur pose. Hero tho planting season sometimes closes April 20,—dho day' sot apart fortroo-plaut ing in lowa, in Wisconsin*a later day may bo sot. Special Arbor-Day may bo a good thing for tho planting of streets and road-sides; but give mo tho wholo range of spring, so that 1 may sob willows,‘larches, cherries, service-berries, lillacs, and sydoulus, at tho beginning; and roses, snowballs, evergreens, sbado and orchard trees, later,—closing up with tho Osago-orango, tho catalpa,! and tho grapo. This is tho rango of my Arbor-Day; but lot each ono select for himself tho days that should bo devoted to tho good ‘ . Bubal. THE MAIDEN AND THE LILY. A Illy In my garden grow, Amid tho thyme and clover; No fairer lily over blew, Search all tho wide world over. Its beauty passed Into my heart— I know ’twas very silly— But I was then u foolish maid. And it—a perfect Ujy, One day a learned man came by. With years of knowledge laden. And him I questioned with a aluh. Like any foolish maiden: * w i ß ? 8lr * Plfi Mo toll ine wherein lies— I know tflb question's silly— Tho something that my art defies. Aud makes a perfect Illy, l ' “iCi 1 rl " ckc,i ‘bo flow, Then loro It, leaf and petal, * And talked to mo for full an hour. .. Ami thought tho point to settle: * Heroin it lies,” at length ho cries: But I—l kuow ’twas silly v M 0 )7; fs* **»• -VjM Stmt i» mriim’i fat faff,