Willamette farmer., September 24, 1875, Page 3, Image 3

PoUlvi LectJes.
Economy Of the Vegetable and Animal
" !
Klnnrinmc
rviiiyuuui..
ElgbteentL Lecture delivered before the University of
California millego or Agriculture, on Tuesday, i ei'ru
irj 16th, 1875, by I'nor. 0. E. Uebsey.
Climate and Culture.
The question of the greatest importance to
the grower of plants and animals, is the one we
take up first to day, namely: What effect has
i; . !.: ...1 1 1-0
tcl.ma, s;Prng,.s
arcely doubted by any ; aitnougn, untor-
j "r -,"" 7; - 1 . . - . ,
TT,u a T.i, - JnnX w! V
that they do not thrive equally well all
places; we find moreover, that he m
come unhealthy and diseased after a time.
fbI wUl Sen beToSh on
tealimelnatr
In both plonta and animals the wild species jure, or aomesuca, u. " -" -;
nn., ,i,iwtl,.lianfPMimnrPeil thing, tends to reduce the sterility of hjbrids
urjon them by climate and other surroundings;
lu -"" '"J -- --- 1 .
aid g-ncrally in the flora and fauua of any
country we can find some marked peculiarity
running through all. With proper corrections
for other than climatic influences we may by a
study of the native flora and fauna, determine
pretty accurately the kind of influence any par
ticular climate will be likely to exert upon the
plants and animals brought into it in cultiva
tion. Here is where the need of a fuller devel
opment of geographical botany aud znology
comes in; unfortunately we have not sufficient
data as yet for as fully working up this subject
as its importance demands. The general con
dition of vegetation in climates which are
continually damp is quite different from
what it is in one whose climate is the reverse.
In the former case the plants ore large, rank
and more or less inclined to succulence. In
such climates they expand mucb leaf surface,
hence we find the broad and large leaved forms
to prevail, such as the ferns, the broad leaved
endogens and the large leaved legumiuosa?. In
dry climates the plants are smaller, of a less
rapid growth, and of a firm and more enduring
texture. In moist regions, herbaceous peren
nials predominate; while in the dry ones, tho
herbaceous plants are mostly annuals, or, if
perennial, only so as regards tlieir roots, which
are mostly bulbous.
In the great prairie regions of the Mississippi
valley, where the air is for nine-tenths of the
time exceedingly dry. tho vegetation it just as
you would expect it dnod up, as it were. The
most prominent character (taking the year
through) which can be noticed as belonging to
the vegetation, is the small amount of leaf sur
face exposed; not, but that at certain seasons
an abundance of foliage may.be present, but
hardly any of the leaves aro persistent. There
are not in the dryer portions of the valley a
dozen native plants which retain their foliage
throughout the year, and in the dryest portions
not one can be found. Tho plants, too, in the
regions now under consideration, ure greatly
roughened externally. It is a most difficult
thing to find a smooth, delicate plant. In call
ing Dr. Gray's attention to some differences
between Atlantio coast and Mississippi valley
specimens of the same species, I was assured
by him that, in general, Western specimens
found in his herbarium were lougher by far
than Eastern ones. We have growing in Iowa
many species, which are also found on the At
lantio coast, and anyone at all familiar with the
subject would find but little difficulty in pick
ing out the western plants from a mixed collec
tion from both localities.
Now, in this case, climate has, through long
ages, perhaps, been slowly modifying the
forms of species until we have the well marked
differences just pointed out. What climate
does for the wild plants, it will do for the in
troduced and cultivated ones. If the dry cli
mate of the interior brought upon tho plants
of that region, a coarseness, roughness and
hardness, it will certainly do so for the plants
taken there in cultivation. And this is act
ually the case. If we bring any of the more
delicate flowering plants from the Atlantio or
Facifio coasts, in a year or two they deteriorate
bo much that
We Must Import Again.
This is notably the case with plants which
have a rank and somewhat succulent growth.
The dahlia, which should (and does iu proper
climates) grow tall and branching, bearing its
flowers on elongated peduncles, in Iowa is
short and close to the ground; while its flower
stems are so shortened as to entirely change
the appearance of the plant. Wheat loses its
plumpness, diminishes in size and assumes a
darker color, and probably is more nitrogen
ous. The perennial forage grasses are shorter
and harder, but on the other hand make more
hay for winter feoding. ,
The trees, with few exceptions, ore decidu
ous, shorter and of slow growth. Even the
evergreen conifers when exposed to tho full
action of the climate, show a tendency to be
come deciduous, holding their leaves for much
shorter periods than in other climates. So it
is too for animals. Unless well oared for, they
change their characters fully as much as do the
plants. The fine wooled Merino buck is
coarser, the Short-horn loses its smooth coat
ing, and the Suffolk hog loses that plumpness
for which it is noted; on the other hand, the
long wooled Cotswold, the compact Devon and
the muscular Berkshire hog find conditions of
climate much better suited to them, hence they
are, or should be, the favorite breeds. These
examples are sufficient to show yon the im
portance of looking closely to the effect which
climate may have upon the plants and animals
which you are growing.
Culture.
By culture, we in effect change the climate
for a plant or animal, so that it is possible by
this means' to communicate the effect of ch
mate just noticed. And further, if we take any
wild plant in any climate, and bring it under
cultivation, it is equivalent to removing it to
some other climate, lano "j j.aujj..o
live California plant, which has annually for
thousands of years received the impression of
the long summer's drouth, put this plant in
your dooryard, give it copious rains the year
through by freely using the garden hose, put
rionds in its sky to screen it at times from the
continuous glare ot the sun, by planting trees
Sit; stop the drying gales, ly surrounding
it with a thick cypress hedge, and in a few
years, nay in one year, you will witness changes
which will surprise you. Here you have done
It matters not
E that Sis change i. not a permanent one,
fornla to tnai oi me iyaiuiu-
T$s new form is as permanent w art th con.
! tftfioiis upon which It depends. And that is as
I 1- ...a. tA nU rt (Illll ..... S1 .1,1.1 CT1II
' IBUCO ua Cu uc bimu v iy ..ii., .,. .. ...
I mil.
am I convinced that the foimsof plants and
1 1. J.. n nJ ilannHmit ntinti cur.
xne niore i iook
into this matter the more
aniniais ure uuo iu, uuu "f""1-' "Pr
rounding conditions, und thit if these change,
1 naturally, or tnrongn man s inieiierenee, me
forms themselves must cnange. ana, oenom
' it.MUnAnAra1 fiinta nf nnlture. there are others
ot perhaps greater value and interest to the
herder and grower who is seeking to improve
his animals and plants. High culture tends to
pioduce more than one variety. Plant in rich
noil and give them good culture, and you will
find that alter a while instead of all being alike,
they will show sufficient variations to be readily
distinguisnauie. iience, m attempting iu -
cure better varieties, growers presort to
yr., v;" nk th.lr elections.
omrhowever. inclined to think that the matter
- ,ai'ned iu this way: low onUurewl-
can e P produces variations which are de-
v' ' , ,,. j,1,,. .,,... i.i.fllv that as
' mes differ me or less Lin one another; we
fioT t
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between allied specirs. This, as I explained,
is probably due to tlie occurrence ami perpetua
tion of variations aud not to any essential
change in the plant or animal. Beyond the
more immediate aud ovidtnt results of high
culture iu plants is the increase iu the size of
stem, leaf, flower and fruit, greater rapidity of
growth and a consequent earlier maturity.
Now these are the results which would fol
low if we moved the plants into a warmer cli
mate; hence wo expect with high culture a less
degree of hardiness. Low culture on the con
trary is to a certain extent an imitation of the
cold or arid climates; heuce we find as an im
mediate result a decreate in the size of stein,
leaf, flower aud fruit, slowuo-.s of growth and
maturity, ami great hardiness. Sometimes,
however, Blowness of growth i accompanied by
earliness of maturity: as is often the case with
dwarfed or starved varieties of fruits.
Selection in Culture.
In all culture of domesticated plants and ani
mals, wo so constantly select the best, and re
ject the poorest, that we often lose bight of the
lact mat culture aione can no iiiuuiu reuny im
prove a species, if indeed it can improve it at
all. If we give the best culture and fail to se
lect tho best year by year, 1 doubt whether we
can make our flocks aud herds better; if, how
ever, we practice judicious selection, while we
give high culture, the improvement is certain
and rapid.
The careful neraer ot kiock Knows tnai ne
must not only feed and care for his animals, but
from tho offsnriue he must keep only the
choicest ones for further breeding. So, too, the
farmer must year by year choose from the best
earB of corn for his next year's planting; and
the finest, fullest and plumpest heads of wheat
must be carefully gathered to furnish seed for
his next year's wheat sowing. The farmer who
adopts this plan, in connection with good cul
ture, is troubled but little with the running out
of varieties. In fact, by persistently following
such a plan, ho may continually improve his
varieties.
Duration of Varieties.
A question of some importance to us is, "how
long will varieties endure after once made ?"
Is there any truth iu the statement so fre
quently made that varieties must die out 1 Dr.
Uray recently' answered these inquiries in quite
a satisfactory way, and while not adhering
strictly to the line of bis argument, I will give
the gist of the matter iu a few words. From
what I have said in tbeBe lectures, you can
readily'see that for ordinary varieties which
arise under cultivation we need not expect them
to change as long as the conditions under which
they were produced remain unchanged. If,
however, these conditions change, the varieties
will change.
If the change in conditions is for the worse
the varieties will deteriorate, or run out; for
tho better, they will on the contrnry improve.
According to this, however, no variety must run
out. But, if we put the question in this form,
"do varieties run out ?" the answer is, "of
rrmruA thev do. they are running out every
day," but not because they could not have been
preserved; only because conditions, more or
Ipkb under man's control, have been changed.
If j on buy tubers of early Vermont potatoes at
nve dollars apiece, ana give mem less uuiiuib
man It WOK me propagator to unug uieiu iu
their nresent state ot nerfection. you may ex
pect jour variety to run out, and the time it
will take will vary according to the culture you
give it.
Besides this, other conditions in some cases
come in. In propagating plants by slips and
grafts, there is an increased liability to fungoid
diseases; because of the frequent mutilations of
the plants. No doubt in time such varieties must
succumb, unless extra precautious are taken
to guard against fungoid and other diseases.
Leave out this liability and we know of no rea
son why grafted varieties should not go on,
subject to tho same laws as other varieties.
Conclusion.
I have attempted in these lectures, not to
give a full exposition of the whole matter, but
only to select such topics as bear most closely
upon the subject, and to call from the great
mass of matter in Darwin's work, so as to in
cite you to a careful reading of it with a view to
applying its truths and principles in the im
provement of the varieties of the plants and
animals which you will grow on your farms
and in your gardens.
Babbitt metal was invented by Isaac Bab
bitt, of Boston, and is used because it makes a
good bearing without any fitting. Its composi
tion, by weight, is: Tin 50 parts, antimony B
parts, copper 1 part. There are numerous
other recines for Babbitt metal of different
grades, but this forms a good composition for
general use,
Mari.sk AqtJAMCMS. A writer in a B.'lgian
journal says that he has successfully kept a
marine aquarium lor neany ieu ytaro wuuuui
rfinowine the sea water in it: all that he does
heinrr tn add fresh water as the salt water
evaporates, the same degreo of saltness being
invariably maintained.
Wateb in Gas Metebs.- Dr. lledner calcu
lates that for every cubic metre of gas recorded
as having passed through a wet gas meter, 23
litres of aqueous vapor or two-tbirda per cent,
by volume of the gas so recorded iB aqueous
vapor taken up by the passage of the gas
through the water.
A thick solution of marine glue in wood
naphtha is a good cement for fixing glass let-
ters. iJ-" ff Z
rubbing.
WILLAMKTTE FARMER.
Qood HEV-TH-
Dust as a Cause of Catarrhal Affection
This is beginning to be recognized by the
members of the medical faculty, Souieyeais
ago the present e.lilor of the Artizan con
tributed to some journal, the name of which lie
cannot now recall, the result of his experience
with acute attacks of inflammation of the naso
pharyngeal membrane, affirming his openlou
that city dut caused this inflammation iu many
instances. His attention was attracted to this
subject from tha grett relief he experieuced
through short voyages at sea, and the recur
rence of the attacks upon his return to tho city
at a timo when the streets were exceptionally
dusty.
Dr. W. H. Bennett, of New York, has con
tributed to the September number of the .1fii
ical Record a cry able essay upon abnormal
conditions of tho superior air passages and
som of the causes of chronic Inflammation of
these p.irts, in which he ranks dust as one of
tho mo-.t efficient causes. He thinks he has
proved satisfactorily that chronic catarrh may
be produced by the action of du-t, through ex
periments upon ouimals forced to breathe air
which contained no more dust than is fre
quently seen in air in certain parts of the busi
ness portions of New York. Dust issuing from
tho registeis of houses heated by hot air fur
naces, and dust of streets which is a combina
tion of nearly all substances, filthy aud other
wise, known to mankind he regards as more
effective iu producing these complaints than
clean earth dust aud dust occurring in various
manufactories. It sterns certain that chronio
catarrh is more prevalent in cities than in
country districts. Dr. Bennett estimates that
at least four or five out of every twelve iu tho
city of New York, irrespeelive of their calling
or profession, sutler from chronic inflammation
of some part of tho respiratory membrane
situated abovo the traohea. Noso-pharyngeal
catarrh, lie states, is extremely prevalent among
the conductors of the city horse cars, aud this
disease is alwaj s aggravated when the streets
are dry, and the consequent amount of dust
dragged after the cars is excessive. .rlntrricrm
Irhzan
Disease From Soap.
The Pittsburg Leader has a notico, gathered
from French medical papers and confirmed by
physicians of New York, regarding diseases
propagated bv the free use of soap. The prev
alence of dinlitheria among washerwomen first
drew attention to tho matter; and ehemic.il in
vestigition traced the disease to the soap. It
is well known that domestic soap fat is foul
stutt. It is long gathering; purtreseuco Usually
sets in before it gets into the boilers of tho fac
tory. Fat that comes from dead auimals goes
to the Boap boiler. Often the animal was dis
eased and always it is tainted with mortuary
matter.
Continual rubbing in hot water, causes ab
sorption of the poison through the pores of
the skin, and it attacks the most suscepiiblo
organs, ijung lever and Kidney diseases are
traced to mis morbid source in sucu a way as
to leave no doubt. Many diseases of children
are caused by impure soap.
The (Jommission in fans reports mis poison
most apparent in toilet soaps, and those most
scouted ure the worst. Probably tho "rosin so
much used in common lauudry soaps has a
counter effect. For it is found that borax freely
used counteracts the baneful effedts of the
poison. ,
The report states that soap gains greatly in
detergent power by the addition of borax, and
on this account it is common to advertise soaps
as enriched in that way. But of twenty earn,
pies analyzed scarcely a trace of borax was de
tected. It recommends a law requiring that a certain
minimum proportion, not under ton per cent,
of the alkaline ingredient, shall be obligatory
in all soaps. And, further, that the proportion
be stamped on all soap3, under fine and for
feiture for deception.
Borax is plentiful on this coast, and so much
reduced in price that it may now be used freely.
Vaccination and He-Vaccination. Dr. John
Aikman, in the Glasgow Mid'uxU Journal, for
April last, gives the results of a careful study of
two hundred cases of re-vaccination. The
epidemics in London and Glasgow during 1871,
to an absolute certainty, showed that no case
of small pox has occurred in a persou success
fully re-vareinated with primary lymph. Pri
mary vaccination, though most effective in
modifying the disease, is not to so gre.it an ex
teut a preventative as once believed. This
modifying influence of vaccination is strikingly
shown by tho author's observations. Of two
hundred and seventy children admitted to the
small pox ho-pital for varioloid, mreeper cent,
died, while of two hundred and thirty-one uu
vacciuated children admitted to tho same ward
for small pox, forty-eight per cent. died. By
the studv of the two hundred aud seventy cases.
it farther appeal s that the physiological changes
attending the second dentition have some eilect
in destroying the preventive enect oi proyious
vaccination. Of two hundred cases, one hun
dred and seventy-five were sutccssiully re-vaccinated.
Thus it appears that a largo propor
tion cf the community considered vaccinated
are llMe to a further protective ineusure. Ke-
vaccmation is necessary more frequently during
than after the period of jouth. Conclusion,
vaccinate early, and repeat tho operation as
long as it will take, lte-vnccinate at eight,
sixteen and twenty-four j ears, aud (says the
author) jour patients will never have small
pox, or severe varioloid disease.
Intkknal Use of Sea Wateb. The experi
ments of Dr. Lisle, as recorded in a late num
ber of tho Bulletin Qeneralde Theraptullque, have
led him to the conclusion that, besides being an
useful purgative, Bea water acts as an alterative
in all Buch cases as are benefited by saline
mineral waters like those of Naubeim, Soden,
Homburg, etc. He finds that its continued use
increases the appetite, facilitates digestion,
quickens nutrilive changes, and augments the
proportion oi reu uurpusuioi iu mo muuu. u
cordingly he recommends it (1) during con
valescence from acute diseases; (2) iu the
apyretio forms of djspepsia; (3) in neurosis
associated with impoverishment of the blood;
(4; in the scrofulous and tuberculous diathesis;
iO) in aiauties. BO Wlic luaj uo ayiccnuij
administered in bread, in the form of a syrup,
or in that of an elixir. Bread made with sea
water can only be procured at tne seaside; it is
very palatable, and contains nearly five gram
mes of the mineral constituents of the water In
each pound. The syrup is prepared by mixing
250 grammes of sea water with a sufficiency of
sugar and distilled water to make COO grammes.
Each tablespoonful of the syrup contains about
twenty-five centigrammes (3J grains) of the
saline residue of sea water; from two to five
tablespoonfuls may be taken daily. The for
mula tor the elixir is: wa water, 200 grammes;
rum, 200 grammes; sugar and distilled water
ud to COO grammes. The dose at first is a
tablespoonful three times a day.'
Chemistry,
-Boston Jour,
SHeep Jm Wool.
Sheep Raising.
By Coi.E. S. Stoweli. Conclusion.!
Ths Wool Growers of California.
Thus the traditionary antagonists united on
the basis of "mutuality" of Interests, and to
gether they went before Congress for a revisU.u
of the tariff to suitably protect the wooleu in
dustries of America.
"Unfortunately," says Bieelow, "they did
notsnococd iu getting it, in tho sevsion of 18bj
CG, aud in anticipation of its passing the next
session, seventy million pounds of wool and
woolens almost equalling the entiro imports
of the four preceding yeirs were imported un
der existing low duties. Such au importation,
together with the action of the government in
throwing millions of soldiers' woolen goods
npou the market at prices less thau tho cost of
.. i-.-1.t- .1 1 ... .1 i.l lint
tne material, ternuiy oppres-en uui uu ""
quito annihilate our woolen industry the tariff
was secure and a general prostration averted. '
Had the largo surpluses of wool and of
wooleu fabrics produced to take the place of
cotton, been thiowu upon our market at the
close of tho war under tue provisions of the
previous t.ir.tt, tho-o iudustiies, wool and
woolen these sources ot national wealth
would havo roccived a shock from which recov
ery would have been reached, if at all only
through a long period of distress and embar
rassment. The increase from 1801 to 1807 has no par
allel: In Australia, 31,000,000 pouuds, or 10G
per cent.; in Cape Good Hope, 10,000,000
pounds, or 258 percent.; in Li Plata, 48,000,
000 pouuds, or 230 per cent.
With the close of the war and return of the
cotton supply, wool declined, Mestiza tit least
forty per cent, and sheep in South Amerioa
from $2 to $2.50 per head. Iu 1800, under the
low dutios on wool, 30,700 bales were imported
into the United States from Buenos A res aud
Capo Good Hope alone. In 1807, under the
joint tariff of the wool growers and manufac
turers, 30,170 bah s if, s. What a commentary
upon its efflcieuci I Yet cavillers say. " What
good did yonr alliance do? or your wool grow
ers' association, cither?" This comos now,
even, from tho lips of startled politicians or
their satelites, as on argument against any as
sociatiou whatever, for farmer. Well enough
for ii few aspirants for office to secretly baud to
gether iu a "close communion conclave" to
feel one another's pulse or " scratch one an
othei's back," as tho case may be, but for
farmers, ah! no, they had better attend to their
farming. But didn't it elo good? It stayed the
tide of import, os we see, and reduce I the price
of wool so low that it would not pay the cost of
shearing and carting to tho soa coast of Aus
tralia and South America " Millions of sheep
were slaughtered for their pelts," a condition
of things so improbable that it hod not beon
provided for in tne tariu oi ue, uuii uiiuer u
provision designed to admit Angora goat skins
lor the mauufiicturo into mats, they were im
ported into this country with thiee year's
orowth of wool on. at the specifio duty of three
cents per pound, thereby creating, as it were,
a new trade, ono that looked disastrous at first,
for it depressed.tlio price oi wool ana ueiayea
the consumption of the great surplus alieody
on our market. Second thought gave it new
lmlit and nrou.ise. floeoes thus disposed of
could not ba duplicated the llooks were sold
out and tho panoral snoep nusoannry oi
Australia and La Plata was transferred to our
own California and Colorado.
The exports and consumption of wool of
Calilornia in 1870 amounted to 23,557,871
pounds, where as tho total proluct of our
whole country in 1830 was only G2,510,359
pounds. Wo see at a glance that the wool in
terest in Culiforuia in 1870 was no small item,
and to-day it is probably doubled, I kuow not,
but this I know, that tho call for Spanish
Merino flocks is loud and strong. Alreudy the
traditionary struggle for supremacy is rife, and
the eyes and hearts of the California flock
masters are turned towaid Vermont for that
improvement, that othors have found horo,
and can find still. True, they are looking for
a little larger sheep than experientjo has Bhown
host for others, and it is not to bo woudored at;
our fathers fell in the sarao error; but the ex
perience of the last twenty yoars, and the testi
mony of Ibe Hammonds, the Stickneys, tho
ltandalls, the McConnells, tho Flints aud the
Hoyts has all gone to show that the best pasto
ral sheep for our broad western fields, our east
oru hill-sides and southern slopos is the im
proved pure Spanish merino, of tue Atwoon or
Paular families, aud the Vermout type.
Eastern Wool Markets.
Nhw York, August 21. Tho dullness which
hus been the principal feature of the wool mar
ket for months still reigns; for the goods mar
ket, to which can be traced tlio cause of the
stagnation, is still in Hiieh condition that man
ufacturers claim that Wool cannot be purchased
notwithstanding the low rates, and converted
into goods aud disposed of nt n profit. The
price of fleece Wool is now down to a point
that has not been reached in many yoars.
Choice lots of Ohio can be. purchased at 17
48c, and at Boston oven lower prices havo
t ,..A Tf lliLn. ..twi im.i itarnnnil fnt
uet'U uuct;Jke:u i muu v j ........... ..
I goods, manufacturers would not hesitate about
I J.... n....l. v.itnu ltV..irt Wnnl uVinr.-u 111
the depression, and prices are lower than do
mestic. Cables from London on the 17th sUto
that there was a fair spirit at the saleH on tho
17th, but prices show a decline of a pe-iiuv on
Australian. Sales for tho wook wore: 100 bales
Cape, at 3135c; C.OOO lbs. Australian part
at G0c.; 100,000 lbs. Mediterranean, privato;
200,000 lbs. spring California, at 21(,27c. tor
burry, and 2732Xo for free; 220,000 lbs.
fall do at lQ&Ciiic; 20,000 lbs. scoured at CO
(3,80c; 25,000 lbs. Colorado at 2730c; 20.000
Bh. Eastern Texas at 28(3340.; 02,000 lbs. West
ern do. at 232Cc. ; 1 15,000 lbs. X and double X
Ohio at 4518c; 8,000 lbs. unmerchantable do.
at 3Cc; 5,000 lbs. uuwashed domestia at -Lie ;
- .. i . hi... a nn . ii nnn u...
lz.uuu wb. nne qo. nesieru iu t.uv., iu,umu um.
Like, 10,000 lbs. Michigan. C.OOO lbs. No. 1,
7,000 Bis. medium unwashed Western, and 27S
Dags lamus on privniu ioium.
1 Boston, Augubt 21st. Thero has been no
, material change in the wool market since last
I week. The demand for fleece is almost exclu
sively for medium, delaine aud combing.
I PinA (ti.ni.Au nr ti-Wtnil. The increased de
mand last week has apparently supplied the
wantB ot buyers. Good aud choice XX fleeces
L.-I.1 .. Jid7n V..,f Dala ..uliI Tni Inn InnHn
tire ueiu nv vviu. uu H...www... ...--
at over 4fl(a4Gc., and buyers appear iudlffr rent
it. . i il 4X ..a 1-S..I Hf i-.rl m r .Till li
auout mem ai imne uuie. umun. v,....
fleeces have beeu in demand, but prices have
ruled in favor of buyers, and good lots of me
dium Ohio sold at 47(S,.8c, and Belictiousat
4950o Buiness in Michigan fleeces amounted
to 120,000 pounds, at prices from U(17c. for
very cboio medium. The couditiou of new
Michigan is vtry good, but Ohio is not equal to
last year. We can not quotu X Michigan at
over 4344c, and medium at 4540c,
though an occasional lot of very choice medium
brings an advance on the latter rate, The de
' mand for combing aud delaine fleeces is fully
I equal to the supply, and all lots are taken at
current rates. The sales of the week were:
n.u rwi .!. at TJVa.M-. far waahAfl. and
48(5.490. for unwashed, the latter for very
3
choice and light Indiana. The only sale of
Kentucky combing wa 10,000 ponnds, at 45c.
for fair average. There is a very firm feeling
for all kinds of combing, but the sales of the
I week do not indicate any improvement in
' prices. There has been considerable doing In
California wool, with sales of 495,000 pounds.
Spring nt 1932-Jc, as to quality. The de-
clino in California is about 4c. per pound from
i the highest point a few months ago, and there
I is a disposition to cloe out stocks as fast as
, po'sible at this rate. Sales of pulled continue
quite moderate, only 72.000 pounds for the
l weok. Supers are selling at 4 i( 48c, with an
occasional sale of good Eastern tit 50c.
The Codling Moth Question.
I So much has been said about the codling
molh that it would seem the subject must be
exhausted. It would be a pood thiug if the
I moths themselves were exhausted, beyond.re
I suscitation or repair, but there eloesn't appear
' lo bo any such luek at present. Tho fruit they
have destroyed or reudcred useless this season
is re illy imnien--e.
The finding of these pests in his beehives by
' Brother John Wardrobe partially substantiates
an opinion that has several times been ex
pressed iu a private way by parties regarding
tho origin of the moth iu this Territory that
they were first brought hero from the East in
beehives. That some have bron brought in
that way is boyond doubt, as they have boon
, obsenod in Eastern hives alter their arrival
hero by differont parlies. The truestion to be
definitely settled is whether Hie moths thus im
ported have formed a nucleus from which the
pestiferous imriods of destructive little insects
have multiplied and increased. It has been
observed ihat the beehives imported from Cali
fornia have not had moths in tlicm.
The moth- in ono of Mr. Wardrobe's hives
completely destroyed nil thehouoy and oven
the comb, aud caused the bees to decamp. It
will be well for beekeepers to see that their
hives are fieo from those destrnctUe invaders,
or they may lose their Bwarms.
To say that importation has been so exten
sively indulged in as to be, to uso a familliar
phiase, "run into the ground," only expresses
the matter lightly. But when it comes to tho
matter of importing dulling moths it is carry
ing the matter for beyoud ordinary limits. Yet
they have been imported, and the probability
is that that was the starting point of the
Hworuis of those insects, which are second only
in destructive cipocity to grasshoppers and car-pot-baggers,
and any one of tho three classes
of pests is a sufficient affliction to one commu
nity. But there is a moral attached to the im
ported codling moth question the importation
from abroad of auy article that can be produced
here is like so much codling-niothiBm, drawing
away the substance of tho community. Ex,
The Proportions of .ewers.
At a recent meetiug of the Socioty of Engi
neers, London. Mr. John Phillips read an in
teresting paper on tho forms aud construction
of channels for the conveyance of sewage, in
which he said:
"The water carriage system consists of a
series of drains and sowe-rs laid to various in
clinations for the pnrposu of reoeiving and car
rying away the water wo use and the filth we
produce in houses and towns. The efficiency
of this system depends, as its name implies,
upon the gravitating power of the water to re
move not only itself, but the oigania and in
organic mattors which it receivos. And as the
water derives the requisito power to do this
from the form, tho fall, the sizo, and the con
struction of tho channels in which it runs, it is
imperative that by no defect iu either of these
respeots should any of this powor bo wastod or
lost; for the more power tho water has the bet
ter it raises and holds the mattors in suspension
and propels them forwurd, the qnicker it car
ries them with it to tho outfalls, the cleaner it
keeps the drains aud sewers, the freer thoso
aro from noxious gases, ond tho pnrer tho at
mosphero and tho healthier are the inhabitants
of houses and towns. At differout periods vari
ous forms have been used for drains and sewers,
such as the square, tho rectangle, the triangle,
the circlo, tho somi-oircle, tho oval, the semi
oval, and parts of theso combined. But the
best form . tluit of an (;, brawl at the large end
and narrow atthe small end. and tlds end placed
dowmcards. For by this form tho channel itn
nartH to some ouantitvof sowuce greater veloe-
lty and scouring power, the sides ond crown offer
, greater resistance to thoprossuro of the ground,
ond the amount of excavation required for its
execution is less than ony other form. 6'ci. Am ,
Testing PoiitlaNd Ckment. Three tests are
used: 1. Resistance to tho tensile force. 2.
I Specific gravity. 3. Wotrr tost. The first is
j by making a specimon briquette in u mold with
a transverse section of 2.25 square inches, the
specimen being held vertically in clips, which
is ploced under tho short arm of a steel yard
i lmlunce, and broken. Mr. Bazalgetto used a
test of 500 lbs. on an area of 2.23 square inches
' after 7 days immersion in water. The Hecond
method is by finding the weight in pounds of
the Bti lick bushel. The water test is useful
when the others cannot bo applied. It consistB
' of gauging a small quantity of the dry powdor
with wa'er, and immediately immersing it in
, water. If the sharper edges crack or break
away after a short timo, tho cement is too hot
I or fresh, or is inferior in quality. The weight
! of good Portland cemont ranges from 100 lbs.
I to 130 lbs. per bushel, equal to frojn 80 lbs. to
130 lbs. per cubio foot. Tho lighter kinds sot
' more rapidly than the heavier, but are weaker.
Mr. Baziilgette specified a specific gravity of
1 110 lbs. lo the bushel.
New Patents. Through dispatohes to
. Dewey & Co., Patent Agents, 8. V we receive
tho following advance list of U. S. Patents
granted to Pacific Coast inventors, viz: D.
I A. Manuel, Napa, Oal., gang plow; It. L.
' Ogdon, S. F carriage; W. II. Bell, S. F.,
marking wheel; 0. V. B. Boeder. San Jose,
Oil., bed bottom, A. Sohrader, Walla Walla,
W. T., Cultivator; Lilienthal & Co., S F
trademark for whisky.
Ekl Skin Lacino fob Belts. L. O. Crooker,
East Braintree, Mass., writes: "I notioe in
your May number an article on lacing machine
belts. I have been using for edRht yoars eel
1 skin lacing. I me it f.ir uolts from Y, inch up
to xt inch. I know that the lacing will last
iiiucu longer than any I over used. Perhaps
this will be new to some. It in worth trying."
Luftl's Meclumlral Sewn
The following is one way to cut a bottle iu
two: Turn the bottle as eveuly as po,ibly over
a low gislight flame for about teu minutes. 4
Tueu dip steadily in water; and the sadden
cooling will cause a regular crack to encircle
i the side at the heated place, allowing the por
tions to be easily separated.
American Association fob the Advancemknt
op Science. The twenty.four'h annual meet
of the American Association for the Advance
ment of Science opened at Detroit; on Wednes
day morning, August 11th,