Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-08-13
From Sears .Magasine.
AUGUST.

august, SO caheu III compliment 10
the celebrated Roman emperor Angus
tus; and by, the Anglo-Saxous, firm
Mo nat, intimating that this was a
month for filing the barns with the
products of the land. Arm is the
Saxton word for harvest.
In the beginning of this month the
weather is still hot, ard usually calm
and fair. What remained to be per.
fected by the powerful influence of the
sun, is daily advancing to maturity
The farmer now sees the principal OBJ
ject Of his culture, and the chief source
ofhis riches, waiting only for the hand
of the gatherer. Ofthe several kinds
of grain, rye and oats are usually the
first ripened; but this varies, according
to the time of sowing, and some of eve
ry species may be seen fit for cutting at
the same time.
Every fair day is now Of great i'm
portance; since, when the grain is once
ripe, it is liable to continual damage
while standing, either from the she'd
ding Of the seeds, from the deprada-
tions of birds, or from storms. The
utmost diligence is therefore used by
the careful husbandman to get it in,
and laborers are hired from all quar-
tiers to hasten and complete the work.
The pleasing harvest scene is be-
held in its perfection only in the open
field countries, where the sight can
take in at once an uninterrupted extent
of land waving with grain, and a null
titude of people engaged in the various
parts of the labor 1t is prospect
equally delightful to the eye and the
heart, and which ought to inspire eve.
-ry sentiment ef benevolence to our fell
low creatures, and gratitude to our Gre
ator.
In a late season, or where favorable
opportunities Of getting in the harvest
have been neglected, the grain on the
ground often suffers greatly from heavy
storms of wind and rain. 1t is beaten
to the earth, the seeds are shed, or
rotted BY the moisture; or, if the wea
ther continues warm, the grain grows,
that is, the seeds begin to terminate
and put out shoots. Grain in this
state is sweet and moist; it soon spells
on keeping; and bread made from it is
clammy and unwholesome.
The rural festival of harves.-home is
an extremely natural one, aad has been
observed In almost all ages and coun-
tries. What can more gladden. the
heart than 10 see the long experienced
products of the year, which have been
1theYcause of so much care and anxiety,
row safely housed, and beyond the
each ofin]urya
The poor laborer, too, who has toll
Elm securing another's wealth, Justly
.1NeEects to partake of the happiness
fhtl evial harvest supper cheers his
Aeartand prepares hun to begin with
out mrmuring the labors Of another
year.
-e9e- 4 r
Wh!the Croao has so many Enc.
"',es.7As ! was sitting by my window
a few ays ago, crow alighted upor
an app tree, which stood six or eigh
rods fran me, and stepping along to ;
small BIDS nest, took up the eggs on.
BY one, and devoured them. | wa;
not awae, before this, that the crow
was ACCUSTOMED to such depreciation:
upon improperly Of its fellow citizen.
ofthe ali and | was led to think tina
cruel habl is probably the reason why
the crow isannoyed BY 50 many small
Ter birds.
Moral When you see crow pur
sued and torpented by other birds, re-
member that ts rho would live IN peac,
and Friendship NTH Others, must res.
pect their rigMsi-V. CHron.