Year: 1868

many large districts by severe and untimelv
frosts. Our readers have been informed how
much the people have suffered for the want Of
food In Northern Sweden. The crops have
failed in these districts not only last season
but for several years. 1t has been suggested
that the accumulations of ice in the Cir
cumpolar regions have been gradually in
creasing and may yet become so extensive as
to render those regions no longer habitable
except for population OF rowing hunters and
fishermen.


The Tribune says: 1t would be striking
commentary on the current dramas of human
progress and terrestrial melioration ifi should
soon be found necessary ~ abandon 10 rowing
sayages large districts that have for thou
sand years subsisted millions of civilized, in
dustrious, thrifty christian people" We
hope another glacial period has not yet COM
menced and that the northern portion of our
globe is not destined to be again covered with
mountains of ice. The remains OF elephants
found on the banks of the great river, Lena,
furnish evidence that the circumpolar region
was once blessed with a warm climate,
and we know how cold it is there now. What
changes the earth will yet undergo by "swing
ing around the circle" no philosopher can
tell.


But one thing is certain. Extensive re-
gions must be fed and supplied with seed by
charity or their next winter win find the peo-
pie in more destitute condition than they
are now, and we are sorry to be compelled to
record the fact that their appeals for relief
have not met that response to which they are
entitled from Christian governments and
people.


In view Of the above facts, we perceive how
important the position the cutiVator of the
soil holds in the world. He occupies place
in the industries of the world that cannot be
overe stimated. Without his cultivation the
earth would become desert and the popula-
ton would soon diminish in numbers and be-
come demoralized and savage. Two classes,
the rowing hunter and the hungry fishermen
would be the only Inhabitants of the earth,
and the dark ages would come again. The
arts and sciences would go into an eclipse
and civilization and refinement would be no
more. But we will not gaze upon that dark
cloud which would oyerhang the earth If
man should cease TO till the soil. Brighter
visions open before us, and although famine
has visited some portions of our globe, yet
mother earth has not grown barren in her
old age, and her children will continue TO
draw nourishment from her exhaustless
bosom.


Seed time has been promised by Him
whose word never fails and harvest
viii follow as surely as the day follows the
night. The spring time has come and earth
has thrown off her winter garments and our
farmers win soon be in the fields Agricul-
lure now calls upon those who have strong
arms, clear heads and willing hearts, to seize
the plow handle and the hoe Machinery
mas lessened the labor of farming and made it
more pr oductive and profitable. Who then
will linger in our cities with little or no en-
pioyment when so mnch land is waiting to
be titled and ready to yield the husbandman
ample rewards for his toll? We hope with
the Tribune that the present famine is but
there win soon be more
workers of the fields, fewer idlers in the
cities and that "the sun of next September
will ripen bountiful, adequate harvest all
over the gobe.r


Young men! Now is your time to take
strong hold upon the plow handle and look
not back. And we say to the young maiden:
you can fiud no better or safer husbands
than those who cultivate the soil. Encourage
the young farmers then, and let them know
that you esteem their vocation among the
most honorable and useful on earth. We say
to the young men who are wasting their
precious time in cities Oh hardly doing work
enough to keep body and soul together, to
flee to the country and engage in the noble
employment off tilling the soil.


AGRTCOIA