Willamette farmer., November 27, 1874, Page 6, Image 6

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flrtlSCELLEOlJs.
Flax.
From Pacific Rural Press.
A subscriber writes us from Grangeville,
Tulare county, making the following inquiries:
" When is tbo proper time to sow flai seed 1
Do oar winter frosts kill or injnre it while
young 1
Any information concerning the cul-
of
ture of flax will be received with gratitude by a
number of your subscribers."
Tbe frost will injure the plants while young.
Sow early in spring. The soil should be well
worked, and freed from weeds before sowing.
Try and procure seed that was grown and har
vested especially for sowing, and not rely upon
tho ordinary flax seed of commerce.
By sowing early tbo plants will become
hardy before the appearance of frosts. In tbe
Eastern States flax thrives well on the drained
swamp lands along the river valleys, and would
undoubtedly do well on the reclaimed tale
lands of California. Flax is a tap-root plant,
and goes deep into tbe Boil for its nutriment;
and plants possessing this characteristic, such
as flax, alfalfa, the grape vine, etc., should
receive special encouragement hero, for their
own cakes and for the benefit whioh they confer
upon tbe soil; for by entering the subsoil tbey
not only derive from thence their own proper
nutriment, but they become pioneers in opening
up and utilizing the fertilizing wealth of these
lower regions. In sending their roots down to
these unusual depths they establish channels
of communication between the sub and surface
soils, whioh remain permanent, In a degree,
thus conferring upon the land all, and more
than all, the benefits derived from subsoiling
proper. The amount of labor and money
expended upon high priced land, in subsoiling
with the plow, is immense; deep, blind ditch
ing is also extensively practiced, oven on dry
land, for the same purpose, namely, to furnish
avenues of escape for the inexhaustible fertili
zing powers contained in the subsoil.
It will be a longtimo before tbo value of land
and the general condition of farming will war
rant similar outlays for Bubsoiling purposes;
but by tho ngency of deep-growing tap-root
plants, such as flax, alfalfa, grope vines, etc..
vm tnn annnmnltnh
, ...... -..., .... . , .-- ..- .-
plants more than nay their own way while they
an mis, ana nave inese
are periorm ng mis iasK ve wisn wo : couiu
tuorongniy impress pur armers witu mm.
portance of this consideration and in spooking
more espocialy of lax in this connection, we
.TStr ' ,'8 3! "M "'" !
nu,.,.u. -.., ... .- - -- --
trory.it will leave tho soil in excellent condl-,
tion for succeeding crops, as described above.
One of the temporary results ol tne war ot tne
rebellion1 was a remarkable impetus given to tbe
production of flax in tbe Northern States, in
order to bring this fiber into competition with
that of cotton, the price of the latter ruling so
high that tbo material was becoming scurcoly
available for manufacturing purposes. A
strong feoling of pitrioti-m and self-reliance
was added to the pecuniary incentive for grow
ing flax, and tho government offered rewards
for the production of machinery by which tho
fiber could bo che tply proparod for tbo hands
of the manufacturers this beiug the great wiut
nt that timo. as it is evidently at present. Tho
termination of tho war, and tho consequent fall
in cotton, removed ufouco tbo temporary plat-
form from flax culture and it fell o the ground, '
to tho disappointment una Jos ot a good many
farmers,
At present soma of the nnners of Utah are en
deavoring to indaco someof tho farmers of that
Territory to embark extensively in flax culture,
principally for tho fiber. Out neighbors have
in this, as in all other industrial enterprises, our
hearty wishes for their success; but it is to bo
feared tbnt in onloriug largely upon flax cul
ture for its fiber they are getting outside the
present boundariosof healthy, systematic trade.
Unfortunately some other of our industries,
worthy iu overy respect of success, aro uow in
the same predicaiueut. It is not enough to
know that wo produce the raw. material iu
abundance, and ot a superior quality, and that
the fabrics for which they aro intended are in
unlimited demand; tho product is not a safe
one to baudlu as long as there is it missing
link in the enterprise with whioh it is con
nected. In tho case of sumo of this class of
Jiroducts wo yet lack the necessary machiuery
or preparing tho material for the manufacture
otitic laurtu; in otners tuo lnauiiiauturer is in
securing tho conlldi uru of tho public in general,
aud the capitalist iu particular. We would
state in this connection that a spinner of Lisle,
sate in lilts coiiucotioiMiioi a spmncr oi wsie,
France, lias just invented n method by which a
thread of flax or hump oau be produced cheaper
want of the machinery requisite to perforin his h , driiwi,r us tuo jint practice for the mech
part successfully. In some iiist.iuo.s. undoubt- an(c,lt ,lrauiht,man; at the ssuia time you may
edly. these missing links havo already been ( b there is nothing in tuis prae-
supplied, iu reality, but the fact is yet only , w u w,u t he, aU) if ,.
known to few;lho machines and methods have ( J , , continuo y(mr 'free-hand drawing into
still the somewhat tedious task before them of ' ",,.,;. ..." J
than from cotton. i you n good deal beside draiug. Cony these
We have no desiro to throw oold water- on J 0tI0Ct your copy patiently; and finally,
any of these enterprises, but agricultural mar. hen ,jjn (iti, au 'even, deliber-
tyrdoin is not a pleasaul ; thmg to contemplate, atB Iuoi DmwiURi ( good arohitoetnral orua
no matter how worthy tho object for which itis , ftud (or ndvftuoeJ h0Uolars, portions of
oudiired. and wo hopo our frieud wl 1 opustaer , ,b b Uam(t KIld nu,a,y ngllra amwiug,
the luaimfactiiriiiR uspect X)t tho Bublect beforo j t,xcjient Pictlco,
they rihk miich iu growing flax at a fiber. Bat wh ,he Jn,u m haTt) to ,)rnctice iay.
nigroBiiig mix lor nii lur. u... uui, .,..
----- : ,. , . ...... ".
experience lu tuo matter uociaro mai is saie ,
i"" f" "" -v-, rv. -, i--T
producer cau rely on an aewgo market In ban
Francisco of 3'i to J'A coutsper liouud. If It
once in the matter, grows from one hundred to
six hundred acr yearly, aud'saya ,that he can
tmrvekt and thresh his crop at n. COtt ol two
dollars per acre, bat to hire all tho work dont
it would cost about four dollars, lie uses a
header aud reaper, but would reooBiuieud. the
reaper. Tbrrstilug is tho most difnouU part of
the busiuea, as a Urge portiou of the seed
'may be uucouscioutrj lost where (lib work is
not properly understood. l!eglner in flax
culture should endeavor to hava awu one
about them who understand th.dUlli of
threshing the crop. ;'
Tuk "Oily of rekln," reported laat wk m
haviug put into Bio Janeiro to rplc two
blade which she had loat from her propeller,
after lying there several days without being
able to use her cofler dam for making repairs
on aooorat of rough weather, pat to ba Main
dstannhud to r.lv uuoa tne aood condition
..MdatrenAthof thoee which remained tor the
conpleuon of ber voyage,
. ll.Uf II ILlliaU I HIT nilF T til I II 111 11IM UllPIIHIlH III
uu. -v.. -.... -, -. -... . evenly, graduating iroiuueopesi suaae io ngut.
the undettakiiig also, .... -As soon as "you have acquired some experience
It costs but a trltle more to put iu a crop of ofhajd ,,,. yoif onght to begin to draw
Ibu than one of wheat. In many eases twenty I, nuturi) tue Jame iBllvt,g BIia Uowcrsjou
sacks ol one hundred iiouuds each per enco fr0m drawings.
Iiavx beu mown, and those whoi have ample t' ,i....it .i,., i,i,i.,.ci..i,nii .-ni
sometimes fall it trlt e belo inesengnres it win wheu j;ve 8UCC0eilej J0 wm uave wailo
its often go above them. It is not, however, I t ,,rPBrrssi,lyour career as a draughtsman,
fluctuating in prce. Allox growetof MonU-,J d road wl become (more and more
m countv. who has had kevernl year' eiperi- .., . ... ..., i.,....v,i.. vcv ,an. .., ,i..i.
Mechanical Drawing.
From Mining and Scientific Press.
At the assembly of the students of the
University of California on Friday of last week,
John D. Hoffman gayea lecture on "Mechanical
Drawing," from which we take some extracts;
In speaking to-day about drawing said the
speaker, I shall take a strictly professional
view of the subject. I shall tell you how you
" "ecome praeiica.uraugni.men, ami snow
llft tUf. anrvAvnr pnmni-fr. either eivil or me-
chanical.'ought to be a practical draughtsman.
Drawing is the graphical representation of
objects, either real or imagined imagined in
our case expressly for tbe purpose of being
carried out in nature and becoming real. Now
let me sketch tbe career of tbe draughtsman:
His first practice will be free-hand drawing. All
first practice is difficult and somewhat irksome.
When you take your pencil in band and find
that you cannot do with it what you want to do,
you are apt to feel discouraged and think that
to do it requires special talent. Disabuse your
mind of this idea. All that is required is the
conviction that real work has begun, and must
be carried on with earnest, thoughtful applica
tion. Without this application the most ex
alted talent will produce comparatively little.
Let us look at some real work, executed for in
dustrial purposes for instance, the designs on
calicoes, wall-paper, designs for carpets, etc.
Try to copy tbem or invent some new ones and
you 'will find that it requires a goodly amount
of practice to produce anything as good. These
designs are mostly produced in the factories by
young men and women. By the by, girls make
excellent draughtsmen. They have to work
expeditiously, and are certainly not paid as
artists. The necessity of supporting themselves
has made them thoughtful and industrious,
and their training rarely consists in more than
the first practioe I recommend to you, zealously
carried through. To become efficient in your
profession, you are required to go through
Calculus, mow, I have never met the person
who discovered at tbe outset that he had a
special talent for it; still it must be learnt, and
you learn it, and are glad of it afterwards.
Drawing, in the same way, must be learnt.
After a little while of intelligent practice you
will find that vou had more talent than sou
supposed at first, and the cood opinion of
yourself will, increase with your progress, and
with it the enjoyment in your work. All of you
can become good praotical draughtsmen, getting
more and more expert in proportion as your
profession off- rs you opportunities to execute
drawincs. The obiect of free-hand drawing is
i to discipline hand and eye, the hand being the
most teacnume ot me two. i win give a iew
instances to prove that tbo eye must be educa
ted to see. When I for tbe first time came
ninoug tue negroes oi a vi
neverbhnTinR BBeen a co.ored
the negroes of a Virginia plantation,
man, exoept, per-
. ng ig0 ated specimen in a traveling circus,
i coU'ui not tell one individual from the other,
nQr coa,d j di9tiDRullill ma.eB from females by
.... in tuolr counteDnnce9. A boy
bFoB" UP in the city find, it hard to make in-
(Hymnal acquaintances, ana nas 10 oe reimra
duced m time9 ta' before he know.
them. A German ladv told me when she first
visited the United States she thought all the
American ladies beautiful, very angels. She
saw only tho more delicate type of features.
After her eye had become accustomed to the
new type, educated, she began to perceive the
differences in features, aud had to acknowledge
that thero mlgbt'be a few homely angels.
In your profo-sion you want a keen, observ
ing oye, that will take correct impressions at a
glanco, The survejor passes, rapidly over nn
unknown country, but be must see it and ob
serve it. In running the boundary lino between
California aud Nevada over a very rough, dif
ficult'! country; I had two flag-men. The fore
Anas. 1it.l t n j-iiii atnlila titwuifl 11 a otvtn rKt
,, dUtalft a Vo or motl Uo hluf to
""""'ft" flv ,hrouoh ,,ulches. tlmber. 0Ter
gropo his way through gulches, timber, over
rooks; but where he set up his flag he was sel
dom moro than ton or flfteon feet off theMine.
He. had an educated,' keen eye. The bind flag
man had to set up on the -station just aban
doned by the instrument. He had plenty of
timo to study tho line' before him; but still bo
would get loot on his way from one station to
the other, ond had sometimes to be bunted up
by others of tho party, who found him bewil
dered aud oxhausted iu some place far away
from the line.
Wbon you look now at some piece of mnoh
inory, especially if it be in motion, you will
fiud it very difficult toseo everything; whereas,
when your eye is eduoatedyou will porceive
the purpose of tbe construction and understand
tho thonghtfuluosB of the arrangements of Its
parts. The education of the eyo btgins with
that of the hand with your first practice, and
thereforo I'wish to impress, upon ou that your
real work begins therewith. I will now make
a few remarks, how you ought to begin anil con
tinue your exerci-os of free-hand drawing. You
will muuril lid mat i ouiy consider ireu
artistic rrelons.
You should begiu with copying simple forms
contour lines Irom good drawings, i would
, u f of nature-forms of leaves
, , fl , ,rom tueIU08t siaiyie tc
. , t SR,,., . nBrt. tI.hso will teael,
on flat tints iu India ink aud color next
IU PUIHUUK v l. vwm...-o.v
f , t u you and ,ry ,0 n
iducoou psiwr tueuleilcaui btiatung ot nature,
ym NillVquire all your patience and persever
u , A,,iaiiti,t .it.li1.tnnn nr lmll hm
that there is no use iu drawing oven so perfect
K likeness of a cobblo-stone. ' Will it do to havo
it framed ami seut home to bo hung up iu the
par)or? I, lookiug at these.thiugs profession
ally, think it will, and may show more rfiil
tncrU'tbuu many a dashing sketch; aud I only
hope, that I may succeed In converting you to
mv way of thinking. As you will see, we use
drawing only as a meaus to commit our indus
trial thoughts to taper, and to havo them car
ried out in the shop. Your conceptions may be
bold, your combinations way be new aud start
Hug, out your drawing 'must ouly be true,
simple, neat aud clear.
' . , , ,? r -1 "
A Most ExTuoEnmiiT Atsocitt "was com
mitted a few days since at a house in Virginia
Place in this city. LouU Berry, a respecUble
colored man waa murdered by hit son, a uau
93 year of age, and horribly mutilated by an
ax and dagger. The criminal has boen ar
rested. No oast or provocation U given (or
the commission of the foal deed.
1 Ui('MUi.flUVi wuiwiiiwu'i ..vn, waul .un, M,Mn
"WILLAMETTE FARMER.
Purification of
Water
Iron.
by Contact with
From Psctfle Rural Press.
Almost all large water pipes are of iron, as
tax payers well know when tbey are called upon
to replace the old rusty mains with new ones
every few years. But, according to good
chemical authority, the iron has an advantage
writb its defects. Professor Wedlock proved by
nnnlrmV BKvernl vnars aso. that iron by its ac
tion bn nitrogenous organic matter produces
nitrous acid, which Muspratt called "Nature's
scavenger." The latter chemist found, osa
general result, that, by allowing water to be in
contaot with a large surface of iron, in about
48 hours every trace of organic matter was
either destroyed or rendered insoluble, in which
state it could be punnea enectuaiiy oy nitra
tion. Medlock found, on exsmining the water
at Amsterdam, which smelt and tasted badly,
that the sediment charred on ignition, and was
almost consumed, showing that it consisted of
organlo matter. He also found that water, in
stead of taking iron from the service pipes,
before entering them contained nearly half a
grain of iron to the gallon; while in the water
issuing from the pipes, there was only an uu
weighable trace. Before entering the reservoir,
the water holding iron in solution formed no
deposits; while the water coming from the
pipes, ond freed from iron gave organic sedi
ment above mentioned. He then made analy
sis of water brought in cont-ict with iron, and
water not in contact, with the result that the
water which had not touched iron contained .
2.10 grains of organio matter, and 0.9G grain
iron; ine omer gove ouiy a sugui i.hud u. uum, f
water was either decomposed or thrown down
ho nnnimti vi'ifi irnn: And this water, when
Altered, was found to be clear, of good taste,
with no smell, and free trom organio matter.
It is not stated in what shape the iron was held
in Bolution.'but it was probably in that of car
bonate, the usual iron salt of springs, siuce
carbonic acid is so common in water in
general.
These facts may be made useful in certain
places and ways in effecting the purification of
water rendered injurious ai'd offensive by the
presence of organic substances. And if the
interiors of iron mains could only be kept from
rusting by a swabbing with nitrio acid, or by a
paint of charcoal and plumbago, so much the
cheaper. Ex.
The Sex Question.
From Pacific Rural Press.
The readers of agricultural papers have
probably met with a good many items of late
on the subject of " controlling the sexes." It
will be well, perhaps, to explain here that this
question is confined to the breeding of farm
stock. No difficulty is experienced in regulating
tbe proportion of the sexes in the human
family; for when there is au excess of males,
all we have to do is to get up a war, which can
be done at any time, and in a year's time or
less the male sex will be reduced to the minimum
number. And when there are too many women,
which is often tbe case, they very considerately
take the matter in their own hands; and by
tight lacing and other effective means, known
ouly to themselves and third-class lecturers,
they regulate the matter very nicely.
Various methods have been devised for ac
complishing tbe same purpose among our do
mestio animals, chickens especially; among
which is the following: When the eggs are laid
not before and are to be carried to the house
for temporary storage, those carried in a man's
or boy's hat will, it is said, hatch out male
cliickt.; while those that are convejed thither in
head-gear worn by the other sox, will be fe
males. But hero the difficulty arises of con
trolling the sex of hats. Fur supposing that on
a peg in the bouse a hat is hanging which is
woru by both the male and female members of
tbe family; a common felt hat, which the son
or father puts on at night, giving the brim and
tip such contortions as correspond with the
part hois playing and wears it abroad achiev
ing his conquests, and on the succeeding day
the (laughter tikes the same hat and, stitching
iho brim upright to the crown, and attaching a
turkey's wing thereto, goes forth to slay a thous
and r jses with tho jaw-bono of a woman is
this, wo would ask, n man's bnt or a woman's
hat? Aud if, eggs are conveyed from tho nest
to the pantry in this hat, what sex should wo
expect to have incubation bring forth?
This egg and hat question is becoming rather
mixed. Here Is a case In wnicn wo nave a
riuht to expect some assistance from science.
Meanwhile we mast trust in nature doing tbe
best sue can uuder tne circumstances.
A nkwMiuchanicai. Sepabator. A new form
of mechanical separator for the removal of fine
particles of iron that become mixed with turn
ings and filings of copper and brass from
workshops, has recently been devised by M.
Ynrin, of Paris. Two superposed hollow cyl
inders turn in the same directiou, aud upon
them the material to be separated is scattered
through a hopper. The surface of the cylin
ders consists in bands of soft iron which are
kept in a magnetic etato. The particles of
iron are ftttraetod to those cylinders, and at a
certaiu period of revolution are brushed there-
trom into a receptacle, while the scraps or oth
er metal fall to the bottom of the apparatus.
The machine is said to be capable of separating
1,100 pounds of material per hour. It has also
rtceutly been employed by M. Mangon, for de
tecting titanic iron iu arable' earth with remark
able precisiou, tho iron, in such small quanti
ties as 15 or even 7 grains in 22 pounds of
earth, having been readily separated.
EriuGMio Aiioso tuk Celestials The past
summer has been oue of great mortality among
the Chinese iu the mines at Oroville. It is said
that the deaths during the summer will reach
nearly seven hundred, and that at tho present
time there tiro about three thousand sick. The
epidemic oommeuces with a swelling in the
lower limbs, gradually going up over the body
to the throat, when death in nearly every case
follows. The Chinamen are leawug the local
ity by the car load. As yet the epidemic
has not got among the whites, Yery little is
known as jet. with regard to tbe origin or
nature of tbo disease.
Pcnuo School Notick. State Superintend
ent Bolander warns Boards of Education
against changing tbe course of study adopted
by the Stale Board, and notifies all Trustees
that tbo law iu regard to the course of study
will be strictly enforced; aud any school dis
trict which neglect to adopt- the State course
can receive no apportionment ot the school
money.
Labor Tboublks m England. There i still
much trouble among mining and agricultural
laborers iu EugUnd. Farmers of Lancashire
insist upon reducing the wares of the man
three, shillings per week, A 6riona agricultural
wuuui is oiptrctcu.
Tne Cablist W a. The CarlutU are said to be
nfcotlatlusforanarmlitioe. Another dimatch
aytnlWTralleadiiui'OarliaU have waited
upon lion Carlos at Tolou, and reported to
nisi uui i oteieu w continue Uia war.
The Belcher Mine Fire.
At fcm,i 2 o'clock last Friday afternoon the
timbers in the new air shaft in the Belcher
mine, on the Comstock, was discovered to be
, Tha fire started on the 800-ft. level,
and a few moments afterward a huge volume
of smoke poured out of the mouth of tbe shaft.
The alarm was promptly sounded by the vari
,, fir bells and hoisting works' whistles
throughout the town. Tbe fire department
turned out in full force and hurried to the scene
of the conflagration, followed by thousands of
.nnn. including women and children, who
were sobbing hysterically, fearing that their
husbands and fathers, who were working in
th mine, had perished in the flames. The
whole energies oi the officers end men em-
ployed in the mine were aevoveu w ,...."""
fng the flames. Superintendent Smith and
Foreman Donnelly were on the ground person
ally superintending the work. An itnmense
stream of water was brought to bear on the fire
through the hoisting works' hose. Half an
hour after the commencement of the flre, the
fl, n.v.tnt, had hitherto been smouldering,
burst out into the air with ternfio violence, a
distance of several hundred feet, hurling frag
..,.,:. rnnlr in every direction. At this
.,. ti.o fir a rennmhled a huce volcano in ac
tive operation. Tbe few men who worked in
the shaft when the fire broke out had a narrow
.geane from death. The last one who came up
through the shaft had to pass through the
names a poniuu u. mi j "-- .- --
When it was found that the flames could not
v.o oTtlnnnUVipd from above, eight men were
lowered from the hoisting works to the drift st
the 1,000-ft. level to tear ouiuie umwu uu
tha trunk nnmmunicatincr with the air-shaft,
and build a bulkhead to prevent the spread in
that direction. The current oi air is usually
Hnwn thn air-shaft, but the heat from the
flnrnnn Tnvnrnpd the process, and the wind
sucked down the shaft at the hoisting works
The men were engaged In tne woric, ana sue'
ceeded in tearing up the timbers and the track,
o nnrtitriKv-nmnlished their obiect. when r
fearful cave came down the air-shaft, which
forced the flames as from the mouth of a huge
cannon, full unon them The result was most
fearful. Six of the eight men were severely
l,nmBil nnd the other two more or less injured.
The unfortunate meu were speedily brought to
the surface They nad done sumcienc io pre
tmni tha flames from reachlne the stopes con
noptnil with this level, wherein had been the
nhifif dancer. From this time tbe flames be
rmn oraduallv to subside. The opinion as to
the origin of the fire is that it arose from the
carolesness of oue of the men employed in
the 850-ft. level in leaving a burning candle
sticking in the timbers. There are about 1,000
men employed in the mine, aud although
strict iniuncttons are given to use every
precaution with candles, still among so many
tnere are sure io oe some oi uircieas miu
The followimz is a list of those who accom
paled A. S. Burt and John Downey, foremen of
tne mine, in tne atiempi to erect a uuiKueuu,
and who were more or less injured: William
Upham, foreman, somewhat severely burned;
it is expected that he will recover in a few days.
John Biggs, also an underground foreman, was
burned about the arms and chest and face.
Patrick Clohesy, foreman, terrihly burned
about the face and body. William Johns, very
seriously burned all over, aieo tnis weeic,
Thomas Treelown, not seriously injured
Frank Leclare. a Frenchman, not much burned
Richard Pollard, very seriously injured; burned
all over the body. -beside which he is suffering
from inhalation of impure air; it is hoped he
may recover, but tbe physicians consider this
case a bad one. James Thomas, burned, but
not dangerously. Charles Sweeney, burned
very seriously, ms sum Being on on nearly tne
whole of his body. William Thomas, very
seriously burned over the body. The men who
were injured were all volunteers.
The amount of damage done is estimated at
between 520,000 aud 30,000. On Saturday
morning the workmen found in the mine the
dead body oi Patrick Kelly, brother of John
Kelly, the well-known mining expert. Patrick
Kelly was one of thoso who volunteered to de
scend into the mine for the purpose of pre
venting the spreading of the flames, and lost
his life in the air shaft, which turned the cur
rent of fire down the shaft. He got badly
scorched by the sheet of fire which burst in
upon him, and in the confusion wandered off
in the wrong direotion. He fell down a chute
a distance of twenty-five feet into an incline
and then crept into a small drift, where be was
louml. scientific fress.
The Elections. Twenty-four states held
their elections on Tuesday last, at which eleven
governors were chosen, 17 legislators elected,
21S members of Congress. The contest was
generally between Democrats and Republicans
although in South Carolina both tickets wore
nominated by Republicans and in Missouri
both by Democrats. The result has surp-ised
every one, and forms one of the most complete
revolutions which the country has ever ex
perienced. The power of the administration
nas oeen nroKen in tne beutte, while tbe posi
tion iu the House has been advanced from one
third of its membership to two-thuds. The
legitimate inference is indicative of a deep
rooted dissatisfaction with the present manage
ment of Federal affairs at Washington. What
effect it will havo on the coming election of
President is as yet uncertain, aud will larcelv
depeud on the action and spirit developed at
tho
next session ot congress, jiappny call
fornia is relievtd this year of the excitements
and bad blood generated by such a political
campaign. Perhaps one of the best features
developed by this election is the disposition so
generally manifested by the people everywhere
to ignore party and vote independently upon
living issues. It is also gratifying to notice
that the colored voters of the south' are becrin-
uing to break away from their clannishness, and
divide thir support between the two opposing
parties. This fact show s that they have opinions
ot their own, which they are prepared to hold
and exercise even though they, conflict with
those whom they have hitherto regarded as
tneir oniy menus.
Snow is the East. A very severe snow
storm visited the northwestern portion of
Pennsylvania, on the 30th ult. Nine inches
of Bnow fell at Erie. November is generally a
miserable month for oar friends in New Eng
land and the Middle States. "Cold rains, raw
winds, freezing, thawing, " slush'" and mud
ugh!
John Cochran, the Master ot the Patrons of
Husbandry of the State of Wisconsin, has de
clined the Republican nomination tor Congress,
in his district, on the ground that it is a trap
laid to draw the Patron ol Husbandry, as an
Order, into poUUoa. . I
Tbi Ohuu Poaromcs. Tha FostoJIce
department ha abandoned the idea of making
I ww wwwnwi my wii w. 1. 1 lift, ill. tut UnWUfc
a mmi.
That Tea Set.
From Mining and Scientific Press.
The editorial columns of the Scient ifie Ameri
can, our New York contemporary, are generally
well and ably edited, and their articles are
usually based on Bound sense and judgment,
bnt we are compelled to find decided fault with
the article in its issue of October 31st, headed
"A Panio in the Patent Offloe." Why the
Scientific American should demand the discbarge
of the entire Patent Office force, from the
Commissioner down to the potty clerks, simply
because the latter contributed towards purchas
ing tbe retiring Commissioner a tea sot, as a
token of their regard for him, we cannot see,
unless the proprietors of that paper think to
make capital out of a circumstance utterly
trivial in itself, but by a legal quibble involving
these people in the legal meshes. Had the tea
set been purchased by contributions of the
office, and presented to General Leggett, when
he first entered upon the duties of his office,
or daring his active management thereof, we
woald then consider that the law had been
violated, and the severe article of the Scientific
American would not be out of place. But we
must be excused for not seeing any wrong in
the donation, after Commissioner Leggett had
handed in his resignation and his successor
had been appointed, but not yet qualified.
The extreme bitterness of the article above
referred to is evidence that it was either written
in a spirit of vindictiveness, because Commis
sioner Leggett would not allow the proprietors
of that paper to manage the Patent Office, or
they expected to obtain control of its next
offloers, who, in case they succeeded in their
efforts to have the whole present force expelled,
would naturally stand in fear of such a power.
One thing is certain, if Mr. Thatcher should
succeed General Leggett, as Commissioner of
Patents, the Scientific American Patent Agency
cannot expect any favors from that quarter,
other than what the strict letter of the law and
justice provide for it. This we look upon as a
natural sequence of the article above referred
to.
We should look upon the expulsion of the
entire Patent Offloe force as on6 of the most
calamitous occurrences that could befall our
country. If there is any one department of
our government in whioh a too frequent rotation
in office works evil, that department is tbe
Patent Office. No person, whatever his other
qualifications may be, is fitted to be an
examiner until he has spent several years
inside the walls of the Patent Office. We
agree with the Scientific American that some a
few of the examiners, might be removed for
incapacity and illiberal views towards inventors
with benefit to the country, bat to demand tbe
expulsion of tho entire force is to demand the
total disruption, for a season at least, of our
patent affairs. Many of the offloers and
examiners are worthy and competent, and it
would be impossible to fill their places as well
as they are now filled. Still the Scientific
American would make no exceptions. General
Leggett has made a good Commissioner; be has
instituted many reforms in the office, and his
decisions as a rule have been just and equitable.
We are only sorry that we did not get a chance
to contribute towards that tea set.
Gabibalsi Pbovided Fob. The municipality
ot Naples proposes to tender to General Gari
baldi an annaity of $60,000.
DEWEY &, CO.,
American & Foreign Patent Agents,
OFFICE. ZM BANBOME STREET. S. F.
The best, speediest, and surest method for yon
to obtain patents, file caveats, or transact
any other important business with the Patent
Office at Washington, or with foreign coun
tries, is through the agency of DEWEV
CO., PUBLISHERS OF THE MINING
AND SOIENTDJIO PRESS, SAN FRAN
CISCO, an able, responsible, and long-established
firm, and tho principal agents on this
side of the continent. They refer to the thous
ands of inventors who have patronized them,
and to all prominent business men of the
Facifio Coast, who are more or less familiar
with their reputation as straightforward jour
nalists and patent solicitors and counsellors.
We not only more readily apprehend the points
and secure much more fully and quiokly the
patents for our home inventors, bat with the
influence of our carefully read and extensively
circulated journals, we are enabled to illus
trate the intrinsic merits of good patents, and
seoure a due reward to the inventor, besides
serving the publiowho are more ready to give
a fair trial, and adopt a good thing, upon
the recommendation of honest and intelligent
publishers.
To Obtain a Patent,
A well-con8tructedmodel is generally first need
ed, if the invention can well be tnus illustrated.
It must not exceed 12 inches in length or
hight. When practicable, a smaller model is
even more desirable. Paint or engrave the
name of the article, and the name of the
inventor, and his address upon it.
Send the model (by express or other reliable
convey anco), plainly addressed,! to "Dkwet
& Co., Minino and Scientific Pbess Offkb,
San Fbancisco." At the same time, send a
full description, embodying all the ideas and
olaims of the inventor respecting vthe im
provement describing the various parts and
their operations.
Also send $15 currency, amount of first fee of
the Government. The case will be placed on
our regular file, the drawings executed, and
the documents made up, and soon sent to the
inventor for signing.
As soon as signed aud returned to us with tbe
fees then duo us, it will be sent straightway
to the Patent Office at Washngton
For designs no models are necessary. Dupli
cate drawings are required, and the specifica
tions and other papers should be made up
with care and accuraoy. In Borne instances for
design patents two photographs, with the
negative, answer well instead of drawings.
For further information, send a stamp for our
illustrated circular, containing a digest oi "
tksi Laws, 112 illustrated mechanical move
menU, and Hints and Inbtbuctions regarding
the biqhts and PBrvn.x(JEa'of inventor and
patentees, which will be furnished post paid.
Also copy of NEW PATENT LAW of 1870.
When the invention consists of a new article of
manufacture, a medicine, or a new composi
tion, samples of the 'separated ingredient,
sufficient to make the experiment (onless
they are of a common and well-known char
acter), and also of the manufactured article
itself, must be famished, with full description
of the entire preparation.
For Processes, frequently no model or drawing
are necessary. In such case, the applicant
ha only to send us an exact description, and
what U desirable to claim.
AAinm DKWST A CO.,
Puauana, Pirt iinn ua Bmbavb
So. tXi Baasom strwt, i. .
JWi' .--