The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-17
The first Spring Month.

ent duties, too full OF hope for the future, to be much
affected with the aspect of cloud and storm which Ma.
ture generally assumes. The winter is over and gone,
and he comes forth from its long rest, inyigorated and
refreshed for the duties Of another season. He welcomes
March as the uncovered earth welcomes the glad smiles
Of the returning sun. If relapses of winter come, they
are of brief duration, and every period of melting snow
aud ice grows longer until all are dissolved, and the
young blades Of grass show their delicate green above
the brown stubble CT the former year.
The winter now closed has been as remarkable for its
mlldness as the three Immediately preceding were for
their severity. The weather has been, for the most part
Of the time enjoyable and epviting to outdoor labors.
The spring work, with All cnterprising cultiyators, is in
r state Of great torwafdness, and il nature follows her
usual a~nalogies, we may look for an early starting OF
vegetation. The past three Springs have been unusually
late, and all crops have been put in behind time. This
spring we may hope for an earlier call II the pleasant
duties Of planting and sowing.
Thus we complete another cycle Of those variations
for which our American climate is so very remarkable,
aud which has 50 important an influence in forming the
characters Of our people. March is a sort of epitome Of
our climate for the whole year. The changes Of tenn
perature are sudden, and not unfrequently extreme, CIV
ing Us within a few days, a taste of summer, autumn,
winter, and spring. Now we have a zero night, and
again a midday gush Of summer heat. that would do
credi, to July. But these extremes are very briet, and
very trying to people of delicate constitutions.
Climate, no doubt, has al. influence upon he nth and
physical character, but it ought not to be held respon-
sible for the willful ignorance and moral inhrmities Of
the people. 1t is a common impression, and perhaps a
correct one. that the Anelo-Americans are less robust
than the Europeans to whom they are allied. They
have less fullness Of the muscular system, less breadth
Of chest, and fewer of the common marks of strength
and hardihoed than their relations across the ocean.
But notwithstanding this apparent difference in phys
zeal development, there is no such difference IN physical
achievement. Every one who has had opportunity for
observation, knows that the laborer bred to our farm
-y :. ...41- z,u-,:or +o 4Io frochly ip,rorto1 rocru1f
He excels him, not only in his general intelligence, and
economy of applying strength to work, but in the quick.
ness of his motions, and in his power Of endurance.
We have often looked with wonder upon the feats per-
fo1med upon our farms by American laborers. They
seem to be all muscle, and their muscles made Of steel,
so unha cging their steps, so tireless their arms, as they
swing the scythe or ak. This superior activity, and
the energy which usually accompanies it, are undoubt-
cdlv attributable in part to some peculiar quality in our
climate.
A man may get an mixing of what that quality is,
on almost any Of these bright March mornings, with
the wind northwest, and the air a little frosty. The
very idea of quiet is a burden. He is as full Of life
and electricity as a bird is of song. His very step Isl
pleasure, every blow is a relief to the pent up energy
Of his being. He imparts his own life to the mettle-
some steed that he drives, and to the OK that shares his
,abors in the field. A dull team becomes q full blooded
Dcronshire for the morning and the pillow sweeps through
the tough sod, as if it were at the tail Of a steam engine.
He has not only the faith that removes mountains, but
the conscious ability to remove them. The stones grow
light as he rolls them into walls, and all the difficulties
of farming disappear like frost-work before the morning
sun.
There is something in this elastic energy of our
ueople, that cannot be accounted for by their peculiar
training. Voltaire thought that 'climate has some in-
huencc upon a people, government a hundred times
more, religion and government more still But the
treat French in6dcl looked at this matter through the
medium of his own prejudices, and made christianity
.oauo,,;L1o for all tho l,yorou; and varahaNdC Of Fin.
rope. The fact is, we have among us the representatives
of all the governments and religions of the old world,
and thew very soon become assimilated to our physical
peculiarities. An important change goes on, even in
the first generation. The European laborer put down
upon the Yankee farm, catches something Of the enter
prise of his employer. His step and all his motions
become quicker, as if our genial skies had infused new
blood into his veins.
This changeable climate has had much to do with the
Inventive genius Of our people. 1t has suggested all
those admirable contrivances for keeping US warm II
winter and cool in summer. How much OF human skill
and energy have been lavished upon heating apparatus
and to what a degree of perfection has it at length beer
brought, giving US in our cheerful parlors in mid win
ter, the pure air, siftcd of its cold, and genial as the
breath of summer How endless have been the gener
ations of Franklin's and MOTIFS and humber names ap
Piled to fire frames and stoves, furnaces and dumb heat
ers, mute in words, but discoursing cloquently in yer.
Ineligible language, for the whole winter season Ou
fervid summers have called forth those ingenious con
trivances for ventilating houses, refrigerators for pre-
serving food, and started into existence the ice trade
which now, at home and abroad, amounts to millions 0
dollars annually.
The sewing machine could hardly have been invented
in any other country. Whether man or woman hrs
suggested the idea, it was the utter impossiollity Q
sitting still and sewing in 'our climate, that fostered tn
invention, and BROUGHT it to its present perfection. HOY
amply have our inventors avenged the past wrongs 0
woman in this respect. Already two hundred ditferen
patents are in the field, and the end is not yet. Tn
sewing machine is a good type of the young American
woman. She is very fast, and goes with a buzz.
It will be seen that VIC are a little out of patience
owing to the weather perhaps, with the stereotype
complaint of our Spring climate. What other wind i
so invigorating and nourishing of heroic deeds as thi
northwest wind, which prevails 50 extensively thi
month? It comes to dry mp the superintendent mois
70 nerve man for his summer tolls. It is sometime
keen and frosty, but always healthful. 1t is a safe toni
for young and old, and unlike other tonies, large dose
do not harm the patient. Under %allopathio trsatmen
from our youth up, we have always thriven upon thes'
bleak winds, and counted them among the blessings 0
ife-[N. Y. Agriculturiat.