2
PoiIltry fJojES.
Feeding Fowls.
Whoro tbero i'b a family, and consequent
consumption, thoro nro many auxiliaries,
such as bread crumbs, groats that have
been used for gruol. etc. liut it muBt bo
borno in mind that these aro in tbo place
of otlior food, and not in addition to it.
When this can bo had, other food should
bo diminished. I am not an advocato for
cooked vegetables, ezcopt potatoes. Boil
ed cabbago is worse- than nothing. In
fact it must bo borno in mind thatcorn,
either whole- or cracked, is tho staplo food,
and tho others are helps. Do not giro
fowls meat, but always havo tho bonos
thrown to them after dinnor; thoy onioy
picking thorn and perform tho operation
perfectly. Do not feed on raw meat; it
makes fowls quarrclsoroo, and givos thorn
a propensity to pick each other especially
in moulting time, if tho accustomed meat
bo withhold. Hundreds havo purchased
birds, abovo all Cochin Chinas, on account
of thoir great woight, which boing tho ro
suit of moat feeding, has proved a real
discaso, incapacitating thorn for breeding.
Whoro jiropor food is provided, all is not
accomplished; it must bo properly given.
No plan is so extravagant or ho injuri
ous as to throw down heaps onco or twico
a day. Thoy should havo it scattered as
far and wide as iiossihlo. that tho birds
may bo longor and hcalthior omployod in
finding it, and may not accomplish in a
fow minutes that which should occupy
thorn for hours. For this reason ovory
sort of feeder or hoppor is bad. It is tho
naturo of fowls to takon grain at a timo,
and to pick grass and dirt with it, which
assist digestion; but if contrary to this,
thoy nro enabled to out corn by mouthful,
their orops aro soon ovorfillod, und thoy
seok roliof in excessive drnughtHof wntor.
Nothing is morn injurious than this, and
tho inactivity that attends tho discomfort
caused by it, lays tho foundation of many
disordon. While sneaking of food, it may
be observed, that when, from traveling or
otlior cause, u fowl has fasted n long time
say 110 or -18 hours it should not bo al
lowed any hard food. For tho first thren
hours it should havo only a small portion,
say a teaoiipful of sopped bread, very wet,
so much ns to sorvo for food ami drink.
If tho bird appears to suffer much from
tho journey, instead of bread and wator
give bread and ulo. Cor. MUi. Mirmer.
Raising Chickens on Paper.
Tho facility with which almost any of
tho farm operations can bo carried on by
moans of a lead pencil and a piece of pa
per, is fully shewn by a genius in tho At
lanta, (lit., Ihrnltl. It is to bo hoped that
all who havo 81,000 in loose cnshwill not
suddenly rush into tho raising of oggN
and chickens, else it might ailed the
price of beef and pork, to the detriment
of those who are socking u living by furn
ishing these necessary commodities of
life. The writer of the sentences below is
not the first man who has counted his
chickens before they were hatched. The
way to accrue wealth suddenly by the in
vestment of 81,000 in poultry is thus stated
by the enthusiast, who, it is hoped, has no
patent on it:
With SMO ho uau purchase 1,000 good
hens; an additional 850 will buy him 100
cooks. Lot him then rent a good piece
of grassy laud near tho city, and expend
810 for thing up chickin-coops, ncats and
fencings. If he can then with the balance
of his money purchase a cheap horse and
and second-hand wagon he is ready for bus
iuess. His hens will furnish, at a low es
timate, an average of liOO eggs a day the
year round though, for certain purposes,
let us say fifty dozen lierday. He can se
cure steady sale for thorn at an average of
seventeen cents per doen, or $8, Ml per
day, or, in round llguros, S.'I.OOO u year.
Tile food of these fouls maybe liberally
put at 8'JoO nor annum, ami, with the little
garden patch, which should be cultivated,
the bee-hives, which should fringe the
house, the cow, that should be carefully
attended to, the man and his family coulil
easily live on 81,000 a year. Cutting his
rent at 8-00 cash per annum, one would
have protlts of 81,500 quite a handsome
thing. The man with 81,000 is really
atllueut if he only knew it.
Meat lor Fowls.
Adult fowls when moulting, and young
ones when feathering out, need meat with
their daily food. 1 am well satisfied, from
mv own experience, that llrahmas and
oilier large Wood will do much better,
and make far stronger and healthier fouls,
if, as soon as tliey will cat it, a little cook
oil
d meat, chopped line, be fed to them
ory dav. Those who never tried it will
e erv
I m surprised to see at how early au age
and with what eagerness the chicks will
eat the meat. It should lie cooked and
cut up tine, so they will have no diilleulty
iu swallowing it. This season I have
some of the finest llrahmas 1 have over
raised. 1 fed them meat almost eery
dav, from the time they were two weeks
old till they were well feathered. It they
had been on a grass run where they
could hae gathered insects, they woulil
not lmo needed meat so much'; but I
think, under any circumstances, meat
would have Ihou bcuctlcial. My ex
perience has also taught me that it pave
well to feed meat to hens that are layiug,'to
keep them at it, and to those that are not
laying to induce them to lay, 1'outtrv He
con. Uatciiimi Coi.n Koiis. A oorrospou
deut ol the Sarnlric Amtrntm nays: A lieu
having left her nest for two days and a
night, after sitting within two'or three
days of the time of hatching, and the eggs
being perfectly cold, out of curiosity 1
determined to try an experiment. 1 re
moved them to the garret room, which
was very hot, the thermometer in the cool
est part of the house lciug at tho time 0.V
Fall. On the third day from the time the
eggs wore left by the hen, they hatched
by themselves, and the chickens are now
ruuuing about the yard, iiuito strong ami
hearty. I would like to know it any oue
ever met with such an iucident.
Gktr.i in Chickens. We have several in
quiries concerning gnpes in chickens. It is
now, we believe, generally accepted that the
disease is caused by a worm, the progenitor of
which is a louso found on the heads of chick
ens soon after hatching. This " louse" de
posits its egg In tho nostril of the chicken,
where it hatches, and the resulting larva) or
worms are worked back, or work their way
back Into the trachea of the bird, causing the
gapes, and, finally, suffocation, unless removed.
To prevent the gapos, therefore, these lice
should be destroyed by picking off. An oint
ment, composed of one ounco of mercurial
ointment, one ounce of pure lard, one half
ounce flour of sulphur, ana one-half ounco of
crudo pretroleum, applied to tho heads of
the chickens, is said to destroy these parasites,
and where they are destroyed either by such
application or by picking them off, the gapes
do not occur. A certain euro for gnpes is the
vapor from carbollo acid. Flnco a littlo of tho
crystalized acid in a spoon or metal saucer, and
hold It over a candlo or lamp; hold tho bird
so that it will bo obliged to inhale tho fumes,
boing careful, howovor, not to protract it so
long as to kill tho chick. One application, if
thorough, will usually bo sufllclent, though
occasionally a second may bo necessary. fu
nd AVie Yorker.
Homis lUTioNATi Kuleh, Tho following
aro intended for tho uso of poultry brood
ers :
1. Food rogular.
1'orchos two foot from ground.
Nests on ground.
Whitewash your poultry houso in-
:i.
4.
sido
5. Paint your poultry houso outsido, if
you want tho boards non-splitting.
0. Food plonty of green food.
7. Novor ovor-fced.
8. Fresh wator daily.
0. Havo n dust bath in your fowl houso.
10. Novor train your cocks to fight.
11. Give stimulating food when moul
ting. VI. Mako cleanliness n specialty in your
fowl house.
HI. Cloan out fowl houso onco per wock.
11. Breed to tho standard.
Theso aro truo ami simple guides for tho
poultry fratomity. Cor. AT. Y. Tribune.
Tiii'.onv oh Kicr.i'iNU Eoort. A writor in
tho Itural AVid-) orA-ir thus gives his modo
of keeping oggs for culinary purposes: -Our
theory of keeping eggs is to keop tho
yolk well inclosed within tho glair, or
white of tho egg. How to do it is tho
quostion. Simply imitnto mothor"Iliddy,"
when sitting, by turning tho eggs ovor
daily, or onco in two or throo days at most.
Wo have novor had nny troublo in keening
eggs from Octobor to May; and I think
thoy would koop one or two years, if
necessary. Wo simply lay them in some
thing that will hold from one to two dozen,
and fasten so they can be turned without
much trouble.
('iiicKr.N Ciiiim'.iia Cinii:. Mrs.K.K. says
she cured her chickens of cholera as fol
lows: 1 took a lump of alum as large as a
Iioii'h egg and dissolved it in half n gallon
of water. This I thickened with corn meal
and gavo it three times n day. Pursuing
this treatment, my hens were soon well.
The Fossil Man of Mentone.
The discovery of a human skeleton in one of
the grottoes tif Mentone, a villain on tlio south
cooiitof France, near Nice, has pruducid for
some timo punt no small excitement in the
scientific W'irld. The cave in which it reposed
is hollowed in the gurumnluu limestone Imme
diately below the utimmulltta tertiary depend!
so well developed in tho vicinity. Some large
imlitdilcd rocks, probably post-eocene, gave
rise to the natural excavation.
It iippturs, from the rtcont investigation of
M. Ill v nro, that, at the upper portions of the
caverns examined, remains of Instrument und
tools were found, belonging (o the prehistoric
epoch which immediately preoded, in t lie west
of r.urope, the appearance of metals, llelow
the surface, bisls abound, remains of human
Industry indicating a civilization even mure
primitive than the antiquity assigned them by
the superposed masses. In this locality was
discovered, at a depth of 'Jl feit, the famous
human skeleton. Tho earth was evidently in
virgin condition, and hence the remains clcurlv
belonging to tho geological and puhroiitologl
cid ik ef its surreuudiiig deposit, While,
however, the fauna discovered in connection
with the humane relics ilidicatn a very ancient
pulicontological epoch, the bono and stone in
struments, and especially tho necklace found
on tho skeleton, seem to point to a more recent
period. The presence ol cave biars and hy
enas, the rifiiiiYnnlio7irtmi,audJHi'ipr(iiii;Kii
ius, evidently relate to the most ancient quur
lernurv cpoeli, the age of the bear; while, on
the other hand, tho abundance of remains of
deer of various species and ef small bight
(.chamois especially i, tbo fact of tho multipli
city ef Kino tools, needles, chisels, and a Won
el command, together with the peculiar neck
lace which closely resembles that found on the
foi.il man t'ru-Sluugo, lead to the conclusion
that the series of objects belongs to an age
posterior to that of tho bear, namely, to thai
of tho reindeer. It is believed, however, sujs
Dr. llurrigou, in fl .Volar, that the original
owner ef the sleliton existed during the latter
age, and was hurled in a cave formerly llilmbl
ted by men of the preceding epoch.
Tho Verbena.
This beautiful littlo tlovver is one ef the
bent bedding plants in cultivation. Its bril
liant tressis of (lowers of all varieties and
shades of color continue in bloom during the
spring, summer and fall, and it only ceases
downing during the short frosts of winter
It is c.u of cultivation, and should K found
in eviry garden, it grows well in any good
garden soil and, looks beat when grown in beds
four to siv (et across
Take a single phut and set it out in the
middle ol the lied, and in oue season it will
cover it fully. The bod should have a full ex
posure to the sun and uw.iy from all shade,
for tlii plant will not bloom freely, exoqit
when in a bright sunshine. The stems, as
they trail upon the ground, take root freely, so
there is no difficulty iu propagating them te
any exteut.
Tho varieties of this (lower are almost un
limited, but the cultivator ouly wauts to select
the different colors which suit hi taste and
he will have abundance of flowers. They may
befound iu almost all shades of color; white,
blue, piuk, wailct, tuaroon and purple are
among the bl.
WILLAMETTE FARMER
frllSCELLfUOlls.
The Tea Plant.
Advices from India indicate rspid progress In
the extension of tea plontations. For a time
there was no interruption ; Englishmen went into
it with extravagant expectations. An acre of
plants was supposed to realize 400 lbs. of tea;
but half of that amount proves nearer the
average. The wages of natives is sixpence a
day, equal to our shilling: but the whole cost
was much underrated. The tea land Is generally
jangle; the clearing proved over-expensive.
They havo 1,500 miles, the lowest average,
from the tea range to tho coost. Many planta
tions bolonged to companies, having needless
expense in London. Some districts had to
abandon it becanso summer rains were scarce
and uncertain, and irrigated tea is inferior in
quality and production. Another troublo was
the cost of transport inland. This absorbed
the profits; so that unless India tea would bring
much more than China prices, it would not
pay.
Now there is a rovlval. New advonturers
enter It with more practical views. Thcro is
economy practiced and thoro Is great improve
ment in cultivation, but especially in the
methods of curing tho leaf. Thcro is better tea
mado, and itsprico is advanced. Teamen Bpeak
confidently of supplanting Chinese tea in tho
courso of 20 vears. Already 20 millions of
pounds aro sent annually to London; chiefly
black tea. In 5 years this will be moro than
trebled, in all probability.
Tho increased homo domand deducts a con
siderable amount from shipments. Tho
natives aro using it freely and tho mountain
eers tako it frooly hoyond tho Indian country.
For their markets only green tea is taken. It
is put up in block or brick t-hapo. They cat
tho loaves, sotip-faBhlon.
Indli teas suit tho English tasto. The
flavor is much moro pronounced than tho Chi
neso teas, and "it goes twico as far."
ft requires boing tried n fow timos, beforo tho
pnluto approves tho clungo from long accus
tomed brands. Hut once established, no ono
goes hack to tho Chlueso article.
Not long ogo, n chest of India tea was sent to
San Francisco, to try tho market. It was too
small n quantity to justify our prices for ad
vertising nnd prlvato appeal to fancy grocers
euded in discouragment. Two dollars n pound
would only cover cost. Thoy who tried it, pro
uounccd It worth tho money; but it was deci
ded that tho public would not buy enough to
mako business.
Thoro is iu India tea a marked exhileration,
which would mako it acceptable, it it were
known. It quiets nervous disturbance, pro
duces equanimity, and iu half an hour exulta
tion of spirits. If wo hud direct trade with
Calcutta, India teas might bo introduced, very
much to tho improvement of our health and
tho enjoyment of tho tea tabic
Is there ground to hope that tho tea-plant
can bo cultivated wlthprofltiu California? Wo
fear, not.
Iu this dry climato tho leaf grows tldu and
woody. Iu India tho leaf is fleshy. Aftor the
usual down-pouring of tho India summer rains,
tho tea plant throws out n quick and vigorous
growth of leaf, which no Irrigation in a dry
season can produce, Iu n wonderfully short
time, the new leaves aro lit for plucking; and,
as a rule, tho quicker the growth the richer the
leaf. We might grow succulent leaves in our
moist bottoms; but prime tea requires clovaltd
laud. As a rule, the upper mountain ranges,
Heart st tho snow lino or within it, produce the
best teas. Wo tasted tea made from Japanese
plants, cultivated by llerr Schncll, by irriga
tion, in Eldorado county foot-hills; and it
awakened a suspicion that tlrf'me, tho peculiar
element desired, was almost, if not wholly ab
sent. This was noticed iu teas mado from
Chinese plant, cultivated by 1), Junius Smith,
iu South Carolina, without irrigation. It is to
lie regretted that tho doctor's Hue tea plantation.
which showed vigorous growth, was destroyed
in our civil war and no attempt has beeu made
to form now tea gardens.
Peat.
The tre itmrnt of peat, and its preparation and
adaptation as fuel iu au improved form upon
its natural state, receives intermittent attention,
and we notice three different proposals for pro
cesses iu development thereof. Two ef these
relate to the manufacture of fuel from peat,
)mr et 5im;, and the third to an adiulxtu-c
thereof with other combustible material. Mr.
John Fawcctt, ef Kirton, iu I.iudsey, Lincoln
shire, claims improvements iu tho treatment of
peat as takui from the bog, by (feeling the ex
traction of all excess of moisture, by submit
ting it to the action ef a h.vdro-cxtractor; the
dried peat being subsequently reduced to a
grauulatid condition, audthencomprcssisl into
suitable blocks. Captain W, J. Englcdiic, H.
K., of Tavistock, Devonshire, projects improve
ments in the method of drving manufactured
or other peat and artitWt d fuel, which is to be
etlecled by means ef steam or hot-water pipes.
lie makes a dry iug sin d of special construction,
the floor being formed of pipes of iron or metal
placed close together, or otlierie, with steam
or hot water circulating through the same. On
this floor the substances (or desiccation are de
posited iu a moist or liquid state; or they mav
previously have beeu dried partially by ex'
posure to atmospheric influences, 1 his appa
ratus mid procedure are applicable also to the
desiccation of kasllu or china-clay and similar
substances, Mr. Thomas Cudett, of Koslur
vtlle, Kent, proposes the composition ef au im
proved artificial (ml, by combining liog peat or
turf with oil, or with tar, pitch, resin, usiihsltc,
or with other resinous, bituminous or oleagiu
mis stibstuuot a. The process cousits iu first
dr.ving the jvat or turf by artificial heater
simple exposure, and theu immersing it iu
some one or ether ef the substances above
enumerated. It is theu submitted te pressure
iu moulds, not only to impregnate it thoroughly
with the substance used, but also to express
auy superfluity; aud it is subsequently pre
pared tor use by a seooud drying prcccas.
There can 1 no question about the extent ol
tho industrial resources comprised iu the peat
bog ol this and other countries, ami the prob
lem ef their perfect realization is end of great
importance, but, on th whole, we are inclined
to lecard it at yet awaiting solution. These
fuel resources are locked up, but we have not
yet got me exact aey.
The Silver Fleece.
Mohair and 11$ Uiei-Supply. Demand and Prlce-
TM Angora uoi
i. .nin0 mohair nromlses very shortly
to become an Important Industry on the Paciflo
coast, a few facts and figures concerning that
industry may prove interesting to some of your
readers. Until within the past few years ths
production of thts clothing material nas ueeu
Confined chiefly to small Sistricts of Europe
and Asia-Angora, in Central As a Minor, be
fog the principal one. Tho wor d's produclllon
of Angora fleece amounts to only about 7,000,
000 Aids annualizes shown by statistics
ond it is OBserted on good authority that tho
mohair manufacturers number but eleven in
the entire world. A comparative monopoly on
the part of the producers has been the conse
ouence, and a corresponding monopoly on the
part of the manufacturers the result. Uencethe
fabulous prices of all mohair goods. Of these
eleven manufactories of mohair goods not
more than two or three are in thpUnited States.
Tho proprietors of one mill in Provldenco,
Ithode Island, Imported In 1808 seventy thou
..i .liiorQ1 n-nrtli of machinery for the ex
clusive purpose of working up Angora fleece.
Within a year after starting they had consumed
all tho flooco that could bo obtained in tho
country, boing tho accumulation of ten years
among wool neuters, uenuien iu,uui..uH .,
pounds from Asia Minor, and still they were
short of the needful supply to keep their ma
chinery In motion. Within the last three
years more than fifty different new varieties of
mohair goods havo been produced by American
manufacturers and introduced into tho com
merce of tho world. Theso includo watered
camlets, possessing a beauty and brilliancy
of sutfaco unapproached by fabrics made of
lustre wools, and barely rivalled by silks, deco
rativo laces, buttons, braidings, coat trimmings,
light and durable cloths of elegant texture and
repellant of water, light, lustrous, rich articles
of dress for tho wealthiest ladies of fashion,
and possessing an unequalled gloss, softness,
strength nnd durability. In Franco a kind of
laco is now made which is substituted for tho
very costly fabrics of Valenciennes and Chau
tllly, said to bo cheaper, moro durable, and
equally beautiful. Utrecht velvets havo been
for fomojoarsniadein the same couutry, aud
moro recently in England, for hangings, fund
tnro trimmings, linings of carringes, Iringco,
tassels, etc. Ten pounds of this hair thus
manufactured havo been known to bring at re
tail five hundred dollars, while tho best shawls
mado in Franco aud tho Enitt from mohair
warp, using tho fur for tho weft or fllliug (tho
hsir giving strength and durability, aud tho fur
warmth and softness) sell at retail at enormous
prices, from $300 to $2,G0O. Tho Bkins of tho
young goats aro frequently dressed for furs,
colored or not, nnd used for trimmings, for the
costliost ladies' dresses, cloaks, etc., and tor
muffs nnd tippets. A single skin thus dressed
has been known to sell for from S25 to $100.
Besides tho fabrics mado exclusively from mo
hair, it Is used iu Irish l onlius, brocades, and
in tho famous Cashmere shawls. In America
tho insufllcioncy of homo production, the ex
istence of a monopoly on tho part of foreign
manufacturers, and tho exorbitant prico of tho
raw material, havo all conspired to discourage
the manufacturers. Special machinery with
export workmen, commanding high wages, nro
required, and theso cannot be set up, and em
plovedwith profit, when tho prico of tho raw
material is lirw (foffnr i pound a prico the
proprietors of a mill iu Lawrence, Massachu
setts, refused to pay ouly n short timo ago,
stopping their machinery rather than submit to
tho extortionate demnuds of the forcigu produ
cers aud dealers, aud being uuablo to procuro
In this country an adequato supply. By n cal
culation the natural iucreaso ol 5,000 owes
in ten years tho enormous number ol 380,713.
Tho safes ol wethers aud owes (old) made from
timo to time during this period, nmount to
$(113,000, nllowauco being made for selling nil
tho wethers, and 10,000 old ewes tho soventh
year; 117,715 tho eighth year, nnd 39,023 tho
ninth year. The fleece, counting from the sec
ond year, (the first year's being valueless)
amounts in nlno years to 031, 1C2 pounds. Its
value, estimated low, at liU cents per pouud for
the second, third and fourth years; at 80 cents
for the fifth; sixth and soventh jcurs; uud at $1
for the eighth, ninth and tenth years, amount b
to n total of $S77,050,40. Sum up these results
and wo have the following:
Value withers ami own soM S1,000 00
Value wool sot.l S77.9M 10
Valuo stmk on baud tintb iar, (73,000
nint flOeacb) 750,000 00
Clrau.l total 11.370,959 aO
Liberal margin has here been allowed for ex
penses, lo-.es, and all reasonable contingencies
first, by throw iug off 25 per ccut. of the natur
al increase: second, hv dcductiui! from the
count tlio o.uuu common gouts to start wiui;
and the third, by making lovv estimates of sal. s
of fleece aud stock, the increase of tho Au-
gora is never less than 100 per cent, often
reaching to 1C0 per ccut. Tho ewes bear when
ono year ef age, and when tho practice of
year ei uge, ami wueu me. pim-iiou ui
eding to points" is carefully pursued, each
ceding generation improves iu quality mid
wises iVi value in proportion to grade,
"nreetiing to points is cnreiuuy pursueii, eucu
succcedti
Increases
Hence, by retaining nil the female as long as
thev continue uood breeders, and marketing
only the males, the rauchero gets tho benefit ol
au increase which, in a few years, attain an ap
parently fabulous figure, t'., in t'lifonido .h;ri
cuffunitt. A Beautiful Industrial Art.
One of tho most beautiful productions for
which Birmingham has loug been celebrated,
aud to rival which other parties have always
unsuccessfully put forth their endeavors, is the
jipauued ware baths of all sorts, trajs, palls,
toilet-sets, nud a great variety of other articles
known and admired iu every put of the world.
According to an account now given of some of
the processes which pertain to this manufac
ture iu that place, the iron, ou beiug formed
into the required shape nud sue, is rubbed
with a peculiar Mud of stoue until it becomes
smooth; it is theu handed to a woman, who
lays on one or two thick coats of color mixed
with varnish, aud places the tray iu a stove to
dry; after which it is varnished three or four
times, nud again thoroughly dried; then
rubbed, smoothed and polished, aud prepared
i till lliltl.l.L.1 In tll livlllthl' VAAII1 irllilM It 111
to le handed to the printer' room, where it is
ornamented accordiug to tno design intended.
This last-named operation appears to bo de
cidedly uuique and ingenious. The design is
engraved upon a copper plate, and the Impres
sion is taken by rubbing into the cavities of the
engraviug an oily composition, which adheres,
iu the form of the design, to the paper pressed
upon it. The printed paper is laid upon the
tray and rubbed with flaunel, so that the oily
ubstauce adheres to it. Tho paper is now lift
ed elf, and gold, silver and bronze dust plenti
fully scattered upon tho mixture as it stands in
the'tray. This is rubbed with flannel, and all
the details of the design ore thus brought out,
aud as accurately transferred as if the tray it
self hod beeu subjected to the ordinary process
of printing from the copper piste. The colors
are theu made fast by vornishlug and drying,
smoothed by rubbing with rottenstone, and It
ually polished with the noksd band.
It i. stated that the feuiol. employed in pol
IsUiug the best good never ugsg in the rega-
lar household duties, such as scouring the floor,
or even handling the broom, lest their hands
should lose tho soft touch so necessary to give
the last beautiful touch these attractive artiolei.
Th Cabinet Maker.
Peanut Oil-Cake as a Food tor
Animals.
It has long been known that the greatest
value of tho ground-nut (Arachit hypogea,) or
peanut, as it is familiarly called, is In the oil
which it contains. Analyses made in this De
partment have demonstrated that the nut, un
der favorable circumstances of cultivation,
will yield at least 16 per cent, of oil; and it has
been found that for alimentary, mechanical,
and illuminating purposes, the oil is scarcely
inferior to that of the almond, the olive, or
the linseed. The amount of oil varies accord
ing to latitude. Tho nut is grown in almost
all tho warm climates of tho world, and es
pecially in Algeria, where it is Indigenous, and
where the plant appears to thrivo moro vigor
ously than elsewhere, and to afford much more
oil. While in Virginia, for instance, tho aver
age yield of oil is 10 per cent., tho Algerian
growth is said to afford 25 to 27 per cent. It
has been shown by experience in this country,
in different sections of which tho nut has been
cultivated, that under judicious management
it will produce from CO to 75 bushels to the
BCro. Xtnt aunougu It is buhuc-jjuuio u vmj
and cheap cultivation, and is grown in this
country in very largo quantities, tho chief value
of tho production is nlmost entirely ovor
looked, nnd tho crop Is monopolized by the
fruit-stands at tho corners of our city streets.
In tho East mates, ana in tno soutn oi ranee
and the countries of Mediterranean Europe
and Africa, tho nut is grown nlmost exclusively
for the sako of the oil; the seed is pressed to
obtain the oil, and tho pressed cake, or marc,
is used as a food for cattlo, and in some in
stances is exported to Great Britain to bo em
ployed as a mauuro,
A series of experiments in feeding cattle with
peanut oil-cakotias recently been made upon
the government experimental farm iu Madras,
British India. The official report of these ex
periments is both interesting aud instructive.
Tho experiments were ptculiarly intisfactory
iu respect to draught cattle, which were found
to thrive much better upon the peanut oll-cako
than upon tho ordinary food, aud at a reduc
tion of one-half in tho cost of feeding. The
cake is steeped boforo being fed to the cattle,
aud four pounds per head aro allowod daily.
Tho following analysis of tho peanut oll-cako
will show its properties:
Tea curt.
Moltturo 10.S0
Oil 8.12
Albuminous or flesh-forinlinr cooiixmuils 2S.C3
Mucilage, dura, etc IS SO
Cellular ilbro 30.09
Alb -"
Totll 100.00
For tho sako of comnariscn tho following
analysis of tho linseed oll-cako is given.
1'IA CKNT.
Mnltture 10.CT
Oil U-87
Albuminous or (tcili-formlng compounds 3S.l'i
MiicIIiko. KUin.ttc 27.01
Cellular fibre H.tl
Ash 7.M
Total 100.00
It will thus ho seen that the peanut oll-cako
is very littlo inferior to tho linseed oil-cake,
tho cost of which is five-fold that of the neauut.
As a food for horses tho peanut oil-cake was
fonud by these experiments extremely valuable,
the feeding during two jears being nttouded
with tho most grntlfyiug results. Experi
ments were also made to ascertain tho rclativo
nlues of peanut oil-cake and Indian corn as
food for tatteniug pigs, aud to ascertain tho
cost of producing a pound of pork. Four pigs
of equal ngo and size were selected for an ex
periment, two being fed upon four pounds of
peanut oll-cako daily in addition to tho ordi
nary food, and two upon four pounds of corn
instead ol tho oil-cake. In eight weeks tho
former had increased iu weight 1)'J pounds and
the latter 8!) pounds; from which it appeared
that tho peanut oil-cake is moro valuable than
Indian corn for nroducinc nork. Tho cost of
tho corn was about double thst of tho oll-cako;
that is to say, tho corn averaged about ono
cent a pouud, and the oll-cako hall a cent.
Htport of Detriment for Htpleinbtr.
The Art of Inventing.
Many persons suppose that tho capability of
inventing is wholly a natural gift, but such is
not the case. It is just as much an acquired
art as any other profession. In order to insure
success as au inventor, it is necessary for the
student to go through n school of iuventlvo
studies and to contlno ills productions to a
..anicnlar class. If a mechanical inventor, ho
' , . , , , , , . ,
WU8t "'" mechanical movements and
powers, ns well as metals aud timber and how
I to work them. He must study tho relation bo-
i r,o worn lucni, lie inusi Slliuy IUO relation 00-
I twcen Cftugeg mul re9HUa ho mU8t ncqutr0 a
I , , , , , ,,, , . i . .
kuowledgo of drafting, nnd must learn what
has been accomplished in his particular lino.
It is truo that some wonderful inventions
havo been mado by persons entirely unac
quainted with tho particular branch in which
. they were workitig, hut such instances nre rare.
me more ciieuuui mo Miowieugo wmen tne
artisan possesses, tho more likely is he to make
a valuable improvement. But constant and
unceasing study is eutirely unnecessary; in
fact it tires out tho mind, which, like tho
fatigued body, must havo rest before it can
successfully pursue its laborious journey. If,
therefore, tho tniud becomes weary and con
fused, it is better to drop the subject for a time
and take it up agaiu.
Nearly twenty years ago, in tho city of Bos
ton, a friend of ours, still living, invited us to
accompany him to seo a model of an invention.
Wo went with him, and a very enthusiastic
young uiau showed us a beautifully unulo
model, mostly of finished brass, of a ship with
a revolving mast geared iuto the paddle wheels
in order to propel his ship ngainst the wiud.
He said that he took the idtn from a feed mill.
run by wiud, near Charlestowu bridge, "But,"
said our friend, "that feed mill is on ferni
firnui; but where will your ship be going when
..!.. 0 tlsl. 1. . .!. l.tnaa I . n.a.ifn.i tVA a-n
afloat? With the wind blowing ouainst the re
volving sails, you will have to cast auchor in
order to keep it from blowing backwards."
He had never studied cause and t fleet; and he
told us that he had spent six mouths and nearly
i.OOO in trying to accomplish au impossibility.
Years of precious timo and thousands of dol
lars are aunually lost in a similar manner.
Mauy hundreds of men have labored at models
aud expected to make fortune by running an
overshot or breast wheel in a dead oud by
causiug it to pump up its own water, and by
similar impossibilities.
The educated inventor will never run into
snch wild cat schemes. But as be becomes
more and more acquainted with the arts aud
acieuces, he will flud that every step forward
mutt be directed to a practical result; am at
last when bis life's work is done, he will see
that all be has gathered will be only a drop
from the ocean of Science, which lies still
spreaJ before mankind for other minds than
bis to oontinue to explore. Scientific. tmtrican.