University of South Carolina Libraries
F«opl« Who Doctor Tbein*elvoi. “The extensive use of patent medicines and the enormous quant'ty of druKS sold without prescriptions indicate how wide spread is the habit of self-doctoring," said a popular physician to our reporter. “To those who know how carelesely and ignor antly these drugs are used, the thought << the barm they do is absolutely appalli: g. There is no telling how long a prescription once given will be used, or with what foolish risk it will be applied in a case where it will not only not do good, but is certain to work harm.” “Which do you think do tho most self- doctoring, women or men ? * “Women, decidedly, especially mothers and old women. The reckless temerity of some women in this respect is wonderful. They rush in where angels fear to tread. Hastily judging from n few symptoms that a case resembles one rfhich the family doc tor has treated, they will hunt up an old prescription and administer the dose to some confiding husband or helpless child. I could tell you some amusing stories of the mistakes that are made m this way, as well as some instances where more serious consequences resulted. Take for illustra tion, a headache. It may come from a docen different causes—from hunger, from indigestion, from over-excitement of the brain, from eating too much, from inhaling foul eir. The remedy for headache varies with its cause. Yet you will find women who have a universal panacea for head ache, regardless of its cause. Beware of such women.” “With what medicines is the mqpt harm doner* “Opiates and aperients. The heedless ness with which morphine in various forms is now administered in families is alarming. The doctor comes to attend a patient who is in pain. He prescribes morphia and directs Us use, and the patient is relieved. This is enough to start the average matron on a course of full destruction with mor phia. The next patient may be ef a dif ferent temperament, or sex, or age, re quiring either a different kind or quantity of the opiate, but the prescription will be used, or, worse than all, will be revived from memory. Some drug stores watch carefully and refuse to dispense such drugs without a prescription in each case, but there are many too eager to make money to care much whether the patient is being treated by a doctor. The same is true of the use of bromide, of chloroform and of ether. The bottle that is left partly filled in a family after one patient has been treated is pretty sure to be used for another without the doctor’s knowledge. As for paregoric and laudanum, the amount of stupefaction that is practiced upon children by their use is so common, as almost to cease to attract attention. Perhaps the child is naturally peevish, or is cutting teeth, or has some infantile ailment; out comes the paregoric or soothing syrup bottle, and be fore long the small dose ceases to have effect. Then larger doses are given, until the unfortunate youngster's system is sa- urated with the drug and totally deranged. Sometimes the lazy and dishonest muse, to relive herselt from trouble, administers the anodyne on her own responsibility, and the hapless child shows a dullness and stupidity for which nobody can account. *T met a man once who*was doctoring himself for dyspepsia and indigestion. He told me he wondered why he had not cured himself. He was apparently of muscular development and good constitu tion, hut he had somehow got the idea in to bis beau that he must exercise vigorously after every meal in order to promote di gestion, He took long and rapid walks after his meals. Of course his indigestion got worse. He was apparently a man of ordinary intelligence, yet he was ignorant of the simplest law of health. 1 told him rhat if a cow could talk she would teach him more sense than to take any vigorous exercise, either physical or mental, im mediately after a hearty meal. Most horses are treated more intelligently than this man was treating himself. “What puzzles me is the fact that people are not afraid to meddle with such a deli cate organism as the human body. Few persons who have watches would attempt to repair them if they should get out of order; yet they tackle the delicate mech anism of their own bodies with the reck lessness of a blacksmith attempting to ad just a chronometer. The evil is wide spread, f nd reaches not only the cases 1 have alluded to, but many others more difficult and dangerous than these. 1 have known of women erperimenting with drugs m cases where a simple surgical operation of a minute’s duration was all that was necessary. The evil is msidioun, and one that it would be difficult to reach by legis lation. It is especially common among those who have little learning which is a very dangerous thing. It is a question who are most to be pitied, those who know nothing whatever of their own bodies, or those who, having the presump tion to act on very slight au3 insignificient knowledge, are perpetually dosing them selves with nostrums, and, with a blind faith equal to the most abject superstition, putting confidence in panaceas.” tfagunty ot a Pointer. Mr. Cox, who resides near Drapersville, Va., is the owner of a dog ot the pointer species, which recently exhibited wonder ful sagacity. A day or two after the snow atorm, while Mr. C. was sitting with his family by the fire, he remarked to his wife that it was a splendid time for catching hares, and said that he would like to have some, but did not like to go out m the snow for them. The dog, which was ly ing near the fire, got up and went ou'. .Nothing was tbought of the matter until shortly afterward it returned, bringing a rabbit which it had caught, and laid iP at his feet; it then went off again and caught another which it brought in, and combi ned to go and return until four had been taken. The next morning Mr. Cox thought he would try the experiment again, so he ordered the dog to go out and bring him a rabbit. Tbe animal went off immediately and soon returned with the game, giving it to its master, and then went off again and again, each trip bringing in one, until it had captured and brought in three rab bits. Mr. Cox tells us this and vouchee lor the truth of it. How Ktw Urleana war Captured The late Admiial Bally, who was dined at the Astor House after the capture of Hew Orleans, “explained’’ tnat battle as follows: “Mr. President and gentlemen— hem, thank ye.” And then, after a long pause : “Well, 1 suppose you want to hear about that New Orleans affair?” “Ycsl yesl” echoed through the hall. “Well, d'ye see; this was the way of it,’ lesumed the orator, hitching up his trousers “We were lying down the river below the forte, and Farragut, he—he signaled us to go in and take ’em. Being as we were already hove short, It didn’t take much time to get under way ; so that wasn't s« much of a Job as you seem to think; and then the engineers they run the ships; so all we had to do was u> blaxe away when we got up to the forts, and take ’em according to orders. That’s just ail there was about it!” And the concise narrator, feeling that be had accomplished everything de manded of him, sat down in the midst of thunders of applause. Lierlce* of Perjury. Of all cases tried iu Lomlou iu recent years, the “ccnspiracy case" of last week, otherwise the indictment of Ed ward Lawrence Levy for subornation of peijury, is, we think, the most depress ing, That a quondam solicitor of indif ferent repute, long since stiuck ofl the rolls, should live by “getting up” unreal cases, edneatiug witnesses, or improving affidavits, is, no doubt, nothing new. Old habitues of the courts tell stories of uumbers of such men—a whole clasp of them once hung about tbe old Palace Court—and satirists like Dickens were never tired of hoUind them up to public contempt, or endeavoring, as he did in his portait of daggers, to account for their impunity. Old lawyers are very slow to believe in affidavits, and there once was, if there is not now, a regular trade in evidence of alibi. N or was the accused, Levy, exceptionally clever. His agents had risen to the conception of teaching witnesses from an imaginary plan, so that they should not contradict each other as to localities; but Hindoo lawyers have for ages adopted much subtler devices than that. An English Judge in Bengal, who suspected fraud in a murder case, once fancied that he had a chance of playing the part of Solo mon. Four eye-witnesses were examined apart, and one of them swore to a deep shadow thrown by a neighboring tree across the victim’s face, so rendering recognition at a certain distance difficult. The Judge, who was convinced that the case had been got up, thought he saw his way, and asked each witness sepa rately the direction of the shadow and the name of the tree. They all, how ever, told him precisely the same story, with faint differences, due to the posi tions at which they had been standing, till he was hopelessly puazled. That they should all agree was natural, but that they shonld all differ slightly, and differ as they ought to have differed, was, on the theory of fraud, inexplic able, It turned out subsequently, in time to save tbe life of the accused, that the prosecuting attorney had had the whole scene acted iu the place selected, and the witnesses had nothing to do but to keep their eyes open and desciibe the pseudo-truth, and contradiction became impossible. The Levy device was gross compared with that, and the horrible feature of the case does not, to our minds, lie there, but iu the case with which the conspirators suborned witnesses. Ap* pareutly Levy’s agents picked up casual acquaintances, promised them a sover eign if the case were won and ten sh 1- hugs if they lost, and without the smallest trouble induced them to sw'ear that they had seen a cart accident for which damages were claimed. They themselves all confessed the ficts, and declared iu so many words that their evidence was “a pack of lies,” while one of them, who had signed his “proofs” but shrank from the witness box, ad mitted by silence, when questioned by Mr. Justice Hawkins, that his reluctance arose entirely from fear of an indictment for perjury. Another, who also failed to appear at the trial, said in cross-exami nation, iu the coolest way, “he did not know at the time what the men to whom he had referred were wanted for, but if he had known at the time that they were wanted to commit perjury he should have done it. Ho did not think about wbat they were wanted for, or whether what they said was true or false. If he had not found out before very likely he should have gone down to Guildford and committed perjury, as the others did.” These latter were, of course, perjurers only in intention; but there were others who did perjure them selves, and but for accidental circum stances they might never have been de tected. Dliuuoutl* in Afrl*!!. The soil of the diamond country of Africa when brought to the summit, is carted away and strewn on the ground, where it is left for a fortnight or three weeks to pulverize in the sun At the expiration of this time gangs of Kafirs, superintended by a white overseer, break the large, dry lumps into powder, and this in turn is carted away to bo placed in the washing-maohiiie. It is during the process of first breaking that some ot tho largest diamonds are discovered, and the overseer has to keep a sharp lookout on the workers in con sequence. In spite of the terrible penalty incurred by any one detected iu the act of secreting a good find, thefts are very rife, and many a dia- mend finds its way into Kafir posses sion iu spite of the sharpest vigilance. During the process of wasbing, the gravelly substance, which is full of garnets as well *s the diamonds, sinks to tho bottom of the machine, while the earthen substance disappears in another channel. When it has been thoroughly washed through two or three times, this gravel is collected and strewm ou tables, where searchers, with steel instruments somewhat re sembling very broad knives, carefully turn it over in minute search. Then is it that the precious jewel is discov ered iu all manner of sizes aud shapes, when it is placed in a small tray, ou which another overseer keeps his watch ful eye. I was given several little heaps of gravel to dissect, and in half on hour had succeeded in discovering 20 or 30 diamonds of very fair size, aud son..* so perfectly shaped that they had every appearance of haviug just left tbe cut ter's hands. Goats, Goats are said to be the best laud cleaners known. A herd of one thou sand entirely cleared a piece of bnuh land in Minnesota, consisting of five hundred acres, in three years. So complete was the work that not a ves tige of undergrowth was left, mmmrn Mr GIoAsfono’a XitDntrx. 'j “ WitLln tbe house, In every room, you seem to be surrounded by books ; books, quantities of them, in the breakfast room ; and in the sreat and noble library, the lofty room surrounded with books, Here a noble heirloom of the G'ynn family, a portrait by Vandyke of Sir Ketelui Digby, bangs over the fireplace. Other interest ing pictures light the way, conspicuously an engraving of Millais’s portrait of Mr. Gladstone, which, however noble as an imitation of the style of Vela>q let, fails to give any suggestion of the light and play of life which glows and gleams from tho face of the original in every moment ot convtravtion. You step from the library into th? study—it is the anteroom of the library. At the door of the study Mr. Gladstone graciously received us, and made us at home at once in thia great workshop of the mind—this scene ot so many studies and cares. Here, in order or disorder, were still books, and books, aid books, papers, busts, portraits, and every variety ef furniture of culture an! taste. We saw very few indications of any care, for costly or elegant bindings. Clearly the volumes were there, not as the furniture of the house, but the furniture of the incessantly acquisitive mind. It is a ven erable apartment At different tables r there are several in the room reserved and set apart for various occupations —the visitor is instantly impressed as by the memories of a variety of labor. Mr. Gladstone, 'll is a long time since I aat there 1’ This ts the political table; here the Irish bills and the budgets were shaped and fashioned. And here is Mrs. Gladstone’s table; here she probably planned her erphanage, and the hospital she first called into existence. This is the room where the scholar and the statesman spends the chief port.on of his time; there is the theological portion of the library— an ample collection; separate compart ments receive the works of Homer, and Shakespeare, and Dante; and the busts of Sidney Herbert, and Mr. Gladstone’s old college friend, the duke of Newcastle, and Canning, and Cobden. and Homer bend from the book-cases, and Tennyson looks out from a large bronze medallion.” Palming Iron surfaces. Of the varieties of lacquers and paints used it is needless to speak at length, as the all-important point is the setusd state of the iron surface when the first coat is laid on. If that is not m proper condition, no subsequent application, however good in itselt, has any chance of being perma nently preservative, and I think that that proper stale is found when there has been formed upon the whole first or black oxide, which has been, while hot, thoroughly permeated by and incorporated with a resinous or tarry covering. Once firmed, ,everything goes well. Additional coats of paint may be applied from time to time to renew the thickness of the original cov ering, but the iron underneath remains un attacked. If, on the contrary; a film of hydrate oxide (ordinary rust from expo sure,) be once allowed to form, the success ive coats of paints are thrown off sooner or later, and, in the meantime, the rust has spread under the paint. A striking instance of this may be generally seen after out-door nveted-work has been in place for some time. As a rule, all the riveting is done before the final painting is commenced, and each rivit head has in the meantime been exposed to a damp atmos phere; the paint invariably commences to peel off the rivet-heads long before it leaves the adjacent plates, aud when this has once taken place nothing but a thorough scraping off of the surface will give l he paint any chance of adhering. So slight are the differences of manipulation which determine whether a given piece ot work shall or shall not rust away, that I think they may all be found in the different me thods of manufacture pursued now and formerly. Taking tbe case of a piece of ornamental iron work, which in so many instances has come down to us in unim paired beamy and condition, it would be now probably forged in detail in one pari of a factory, drilled, tiled and fitted in another, and when completely finished be painted “in three coats of best oil paint.” Formerly the smith who forged the work punched the necessary holes at the same time, fitted his various pieces together as he went on, completing each piece as he proceeded, doing all the work with bis hammer, and, to quote an old book of di rections to good smiths, “brushing his work over with linseed oil and suspending it for some time over a strongly-smoking wood tire.’’ This will give at once a sort of elastic enamel coat, perfectly adherent, and calculated to preserve the iron to the utmost. State Foreit. In Prussia there are about seven milhon acres of State forest, about eleven million acres of woodland owned by private per sons, and about two million acres managed by the local corporations. Very little of this is planted with anything except pine, fir or beech, and almost the whole extent is cropped according to the strictest rules with a view to profit. The net return per acre, taking the State forest and private properties together, amounts to about nine ty cents, which is made up by deducting the cost of culture, cutting and carrying from the gross return produced by tbe sales of timber. In Bavaria the State forests cover considerably more than two million acres, and tbe gross return is rather uuder $23,000,00. marks, or almost exactly $2 50 per acre. Tbe expenses come to 15,000,000 marks. In France the forests form an important part of the public do main, yielding more than two thirds of the total revenue derived from it The net annual profits may be set down at an average of £1,500,000 s erhng; but then a large part ot this sum, eepacially since the fall ol the empire, has been made by letting out the forests by auction for sport ing purposes. Usatmemtol Plants. Watering of the plants should not be too profuse. Plants of all kinds require moisture, but it is not necessary to saturate them every time this is dons, nor should they be watered too often. The beds should face the south, in ordir to get the full benefit from the warm exposure, and *o protect at the same time from cola storms. The heat in the beds may be quickened by adding lime (flue and un slacked) to tbe manure when it is put in them. But this sometimes causes too much heat To lower the heat cold water is aaf- bcient, but, care must be used not to lower it too much on cold days. Iu mild weather the sash should always bs raised a little for ventilation, and at night au old rug, piece of carpet or a few boards should be placed over the sasli for retention of warmth. The young plants need no ap plications of liquid manure or solnttons, as tbe roots soon reach to tho source of uourisnment below. Should they appear sickly a tearpoonful of ammonia to each quart of water will assist in reviving them out sometimes the sickly appearanoe is a sign that more ventilation is needed- To grow early plants under glass the operator must conclude, in the beginning, that they are to be well attended to and carefully watched, for a sudden change m the weather—either of heat or cold—often damages them before the injury can be noticed. "Am A—<— of Kauar Wllbeln. / * An old soldier tells au interesting story’In which present Enajperor of Gel many jJays a prominent part. * ‘On August 3, 1830—1 had been in the Gardes du Dorps for five months—we ail rode to E-osseu for tho maueuvers, and were informed, to our intense dis-* appointment, that we did net ride wall enough to take an active part iu the sham battle and must keep aside out‘of all danger in a quiet part of the valley. We were so out of sorts that we ceased talking Altogether, and had sat for some time iu silence when we saw un'forms at no great distance. I recognized Prince Wilhelm, the commander of the enemy’s forces, with two ai les-de-cam^ who was. passing by our hiding place at a gallop. I conceived an idea and had no sooner whispered it to my comrades than we all mounted our horses and suddenly surrounded the Prince, sum- -mouing him to give himself up as a prisoner. He oned indignantly; “Don’t you know me, you fellows?” But I only replied that he was the Commanding General of the enemy and my prisoner! I knew that Lo wad too much of % sol dier to be offended at our practical joke, and so we made him turn his horse and escorted 'him to headquarters. My Colonel was furious at first, but when he saw how good-humoredly ihe Prince helped to carry out the joke he com manded me to deliver the prisoner to the highest commander, King Frede rick William III, who in his turn ordered him up to the chief of his regiment, Princess, afterward Queen, Elizabeth. The Princess laughed out right aud cried: “What a shame to be taken prisoner!” A few weeks later I was advanced to a sub-lieutenant for my cheeky behavior during the maneuvres. in ny Dragjpft*. An action was brought against a druggist to recover $10,000 damages for causing the death of a pregnant wife and the child that was born. These deaths, it was alleged, were caused by a dose of sulphate of zinc, a deadly poison, given by the druggist in mis take for Epsom salts, A judgment was recovered for $1000, and the defendant appealed the sase—Walton vs. Dootb— to tire Supreme Court of Louisiana, which affirmed the judgment. The Chief Justice (Bermudez), in the opin ion, said: Though the death of tho mother and child resulted from erysipe las, aud not from the poison, from tak ing that ihe mother endured continued and great pain and suffering, for which she would have been entitled to recover. The defendant was greatly negligent. Druggists in the discharge of their functions should be required not only to be skillful but also exceedingly cau tious and prudent, in view of the terrific consequence which may attend, as they have not infrequently in the past, the least inattention on their part All pei sons who. deal with deadly poisons are held to a strict responsibility for their nse, and a druggist is undoubtedly held to a special degree of responsibility for tbe erroneous use of poisons corre sponding with his superior knowledge of their dispensation. Hard Flnlati In Walls. A German paper contains a formula for a wash that oan be applied to lime walls a’ d afterwards become waterproof so as to bear washing. Kesenchek, of Munich, mixes together the powder from three parts siiicious rock (quartz), three pirts broken marble aud sand stone, also two parts of burned porce- b in-clay, with two parts freshly slacked lime, still warm. * ln this way a wash is ipade which forms a silicate if often wetted, and becomes, after a time, almost like stone. Tbe four constitu ents mixed together give the ground color to which any pigment that con be used with lime is added. It is ap plied quite thickly to the wall or other surface; let dry one. day, and the next day frequently cover with water; this makes it water-proof. This wash can be cleansed with water without losing any of its color; on the contrary, each time it gets harder, so that it can even be bruised, while its porosity makes it look soft. The wash on kalsomiue can b* used for ordinary purposes as well as for the finest painting. A so-called fresco surface can be prepared with it in the dry way.” Steel Pens In Germany. • There is only one steel-pen manufac- twrp in Germany, that being in Berlin. There are many firms who describe themselves as ateei-peu makers, bat they do not actually manufacture, simply getting pens mode to order. The Ger mans seem inclined to be jealons of the pre-eminence England has obtained in this line of business, especially as their requirements are continually increasing. Next to steel pens, gold pens haye obtained a considerable importance as a merchantable commodity. This is owing to their non-liability to rnst, and as they may be used for years. In consequence of their softness and elasticity they do not tire the hand as mnoh as steel pens. The German markets are supplied from America, and consequently tbe imported pens are very dear. To a clever gold smith an extensive and profitable field of enterprise is open in Germany in the prodnetion of theee instruments. The difficulty in the manufactn-c lies in finishing the points with iridium, which metal has proved itself beyond compa rison the best for the purpose on account of its great hardness. ■rtM* • - Protestor p r Jeniimt remarks that it is generally supposed that electricity will sapersude steam, but what has thus fas happened is that tbe work of the engines is employed to produce electricity, while electricity affords us the best means yet discovered for distributing power. AGRICULTURE, lx is time to Degiu preparations for tbe hot beds, for not only are the frames and sashes to be made ready and put in place but the manure should be carefully pre pared. The object of a hot bed is to pro tect the seeds aid plants from exposure from cold, and also to retain sufficient heat for their germination and growth. H hot beds could be so arranged us to permit of the use of a regulator attachment., where by a uniform temi erature might ’ <j main tained at the will of the garuener, the plan would save much valuabie time and loss. The manure for hot beds should be as fresh as possible, for it is used for pur poses of beating more than for the nutri tion afforded, and any previous fermenta tion or decomposition is the loss of heat that may be needed. It should also be free from coarse material, in order that the contents of the hot bed may be in as fine condition as the objects demand, and it should be kept under cover and apart from that wbich is to be hauled to the fields until needed for use. After the frame is made and put in position place the manure in, pressing it down firmly un til it is high enough to permit sufficient space between It and the sash for growth of the particular plant required. The up per part of the manure—about two inches of it—should consist of well-rotted mater ial, thoroughly mixed into a fine condition, with twice its bulk ot dry earth. Then sprinkle half an inch of pure, dry, rich earth over this and sow the seed, covering lightly. If sweet potatoes are planted put a layer 01 one inch of sand between tbe seed and the manure, filling the spaces and covering with an inch more of sand. The seed potatoes should be placed In the beds whole, and it is best that they should not touch each otner. It requires careful attention on the part of the grower to get the plants in a proper condition for transplanting, for keeping up the heat to a proper temperature is not all. The plants should be watered sys tematically and also ventilated at certain tunes. If by the gradual exposure of the plants to the influences of the outer atmos phere they can be made accustomed to a lower temperature they will be hardier and better enabled to endure transplanting, If they grow up very thickly in the bed the surplus plants sbould be transplanted to another frame, and by ts’ong advantage of the warmer days dining r .e cold season the plants can be so managed as to suffer but very little from change of location. But Shall Trees. —The average Amer ican is in a great burry to realize on his investments. If he orders a few seeds in January, he is anxious to have them sent immediately, and if he forwards six cents for a copy of some paper which contains a story of which he has read or heard he does not forget to request the publisher to send it “by return mail.” Fatience, which takes the form of quiet waiting, is a virtue of which he seems to be totally ignorant. He cannot wait the progress of events, but must constantly hurry and fret in order to make nature move a little fastei than her wonted pace. This tendency crops out very plainly when he purchases trees. He finds them described in the catalogue as “second class,” “medium,” “first-class” and “ex tra.” These diff *rence in these classes is principally, if not wholly; in the siz' and height of the trees. The larger the tree the higher the price; but the farmer “don’t care anything about that.” He wants good trees or none, and gives order for those of extra size, and which are four or five years old. In doing this ho thinks he is acting wisely, but the nurseryman knows and the farmer will find before kmg that, with equtd care, the small tree will grow faster and (It a fruit tree) come into bearing condition sooner than the large one. In half a dozen years the tree that was small when planted will be larger and fin er than the other. The reason for this is obvious. The larger the tree the' larger the roots wbich it has, and the larger the roots the less fibres there will be upon them, A tree that has plenty of fibrous roots will grow reaoily if proper care is used in transplanting; but no amount of skill can coax a tree to live and flourish which is destitute of these little fibres. The roots of large trees are always more or less mutilated in the process ot taking up, while the small trees sustain little in jury from this source. Dealers in treee assert that experienced men buy small thrifty trees, while those who are just starting are anxious fer the largest to be had. Those who are to set trees the com- mg season ’will do well to learn irom the experience of those who, at considerable loss to themselves, have demonstrated that small trees are the ones to buy. Colonel F. D. Curtis writes that the White Belgian carrots yield twice as much as the Long Orange, and he regards them as equally nutritK us. Tms is doubtful,as iu numerous experiments larger roots of the same variety contain proportionately less sugar and nutriment than small ones. The White Belgian carrot is not salable in the market, while the Long Orange will nearly every year sell for more than its feeding value, except to be used as an appetizer. When carrots can be sold by the wagon load at 40 to 50 cents per bush el and retail at 80 cents per half bushel the price goes far beyond their feeding value At these prices no crop can be more profitably grown near a good market. It is well knowd that roots absorb large quantities of water from the soil, and that this absorbed water carries with it in solu tion into the plant the various substances which it collects and dissolves from the soil, upon which tbe plant feeds and by which it grows, but it is not so well kuown how ever, that the roots of plants ere pos- ees'«d of a sort of instinctive ability to se Ihct from the soil such substances as are host adapted for the nutriment of the plant, one that they have the power of re jecting substances that they do not need or which might be injurious, and that they are capable of imbibing certain substances j which are used as solvents tor the prepar ation of nutritive matter. Tbs composition of cow’s milk is affec ted by various ciicuinstances; under ex treme conditions it may contain from 10 to 16 per cent, of dry matter. The milk is poorer when the quantity produced is large or the diet insufficient, and richer when those conditions are reversed, A cow is generally in full milk frout the sec ond to tbe seventh week alter caiving;alter this period the milk gradually diminishes in quantity, but increases m richness. A separation of cream takes place m the ud der; the milk first drawn is poor m fat,the richness iccressing as milking proceeds, the last drawn milk containing two or three times as much fat as the first drawn. Tbe milk of old cows is commonly poorer than that of young cows. The latest cheap and effectual cabbage and currant worm killer is a pound of common aium dissolved in three gallons of ram water. One of the test methods of keeping manure is to have It under a leaky roof, which keeps it Jioial, hut prevents warh ing and drenching by rains. iIrun Bull*. . We do not now. allude to tbe stoek- broking financier or the farmyard steer, but to the ‘ ‘apparent oongruity and real incongruity” of ideas popularly sup posed to be characteristic of the Irish mind. In 1802 there was published, by Richard and Maria Edgeworth, an “Essay on Irish Balls,” which was handled by Sydney Smith in the Edin burgh lievieu’. The object of this re markable work was to prove that the practice of “making bolls” is net more imputcblo to the Irish than to any other people ; and the manner in which the authors set about it was to quote ex amples of bolls produced in other coun tries. A singular way of reasoning the question I For, as the racy reviewer re- marks, “there are goitres out of the Valois, extortioners who do not worship Moses, oatcakes south of the Tweed, and balm beyond the ^recincts of Gi lead. If notbi ig can be said to exist pre-eminently and emphatically in onr country which exists at all in another, then Frenchmen are not gay nor Span iards grave ; or the gentlemen of the Milesian race remarkable for their dis interested contempt of wealth in their connubial relations.” We have said that to accredit the Irish with this pe culiarly embarrasing talent Is the re sult of nothing more than popular sup position ; but it is, of coarse, probable that there is some foundation for a character so u ationaliy maintained, how ever much it may be enlarged by fame. Sydney Smith is the author ot the above definition of a “ball,” and he points out, with some sbow of reason, that a bull is the very reveise of wit. For as wit discovers real relations that are not apparent, the bull admits apparent re lations that are not real. Tbe pleasure arising irom wit proceeds from onr sur prise at suddenly discovering two things to be similar in which we suspected no similarity. The pleasure arming Irom a bull proceeds from our discovering two things to be dissimilar in which a resemblance might have been suspected. Louis XIV, being extremely harassed by the repeated solicitations of a vet eran officer for promotion, said, one day, loud enough to be heard by tbe subject of his unintentional compliment —“That gentleman is the most trouble some officer I have in my service." “That is precisely the charge,” said the veteran, “which yonr Majesty’s enemies bring against me." An English gentle man, says Mr. Edgeworth in a story cited from Joe Miller, was writing a let ter in a coffee-honse, and perceiving that an Irishman, stationed behind him, was taking that liberty which Parmemo Esed with his friend Alexander, in stead of putting his seal upon the lips of the carious impertinent, the English gentleman thought proper to reprove the Hibernian, if not with delicacy, at least with justice. He concluded writ ing his letter with these words :—“I would say more, but a blackguard Irish man is reading over my shoulder every word that I am writing.” “You he, you 'icoundrei 1” roared the self-convicted culprit. Now, with some force of logi cal acumen, Sydney Smith points out that the pleasure derived from the first of these stories proceeds from the dis covery of the relation that subsists be tween the object he bad in view and the assent of the officer to an observation so unfriendly to that end. In the first rapid glance which the mind throws upon bis words, he appears, by his ac quiescence, to be pleading against him self. There seems to be no relation be tween what he says and what he wishes to effect by sjpeaking. In the second story the pleasure is directly the reverse. The lie given was apparently the readiest means of prov ing his innocence and really the most effectual way of establishing his guilt. There seems for a moment to be a strong relation between the means and the ob ject ; while, in point of fact, no irrela- tion can be so complete. What connec tion is there between pelting monkeys with stones and gathering oocoanuts from lofty trees ? Apparently, none. But monkeys sit upon lofty cocoa-nut trees, and monkeys are imitative ani mals. Wherefore, if you shy up peb bles at the monkey, the observant mon key will heave the cocoanuU at you. This scheme of gathering cocoauuts is as witty as the method of procuring Australian parrots by slowely walking round and round the base of the trees in which they are perched till they top ple down with sheer giddiness in trying to keep you in their eye. Both these would be stiQ more witty if they did not also appear very useful ; for, as Sydney Smith observes very truly, “the idea of utility is ever inimical to the idea of wit. There appears, on the contrary, to be some relation between the revenge of the Irish Rebels against a banker, and the means which they took to gratify it—by burning all the notes of his bank which they could lay hands on; whereas, of coarse, they could hardly have rendered him a more signal service, In these eases of bulls, practical aud verbal, there is uu uppar- rent congruity aud a real incongruity of ideas. In these cases of wit there is an apparent incongruity and areal rela tion. Woudei ful Ice Cavea, One of the greatest natural wonders of Europe is the Hungarian ice cave. At the foot of the highest group of the Carpathian chain lies the Oomitar of Gomar, a district of singular beauty and variety, in which are mountains on whose summit grows the Arctic lichen and the pine, while at their base tobac co, Indian corn and melons flourish, It is m this copntry, within a few miles of the town of D&bsham—that the newly- discovered ioe caverns are situated. The existence of these extraordinary caves was well known, but although situated at the low elevation of three five hundred feet, where snow rests on ly in winter, it was left to a youth named Ruffiny to explore theee seort re cesses of the earth. Having provided himself with everything that could be imagined necessary for such an expedi tion, he entered the chasm, and work ing his way over blocks of ioe and a chaos of debris, which in the course or ages had accumulated there, he became lost for a time in the darkness of a new world. With infinite diffiooity he reach ed what appearea to him a frozen lake, and returned to his point of departure. His companions now joined him, and penetrated still further into these icy solitudes. Not alone do these caves contain piilare and wutorfallp ef ice, but three walls are studded “with thous ands of ioe structures, hexangular in form, from a half to one inch in diame ter, which, clustered together, resem bled anemones and pther flowers scin tillating like diamonds in the magne sium light,” One or tho other: It, is , always “put up or shift up” with the umbrella. Astrological Predictions for 1*83. In i883 Mars will be tbe ruling planet. The influence of this heavenly body upon the irascible humor in man «ud otiimals is well known. Particular care should be taken by persons of a natu rally impatient disposition to avoid out breaks of temper, especially daring the opppositions of Mars to the xsccii, which occur on or about Januaty 22d, February 21st, March 22d, April 19th, May 17th, June 15th, July 14th, August 12th, September 10th, October 8th, Novem ber 6th, and December 3d and 31st. At such times, also, bolls shonld be restrained from running at large, and water should be frequently thrown upon dogs to see if they manifest any symp toms of hydrophobia. On New Year’s day Mars is trine with Saturn and Uranus, these planets occupying re spectively tbe terrestrial signs of Gapri- oornus, Taurus and Virgo. This is a peculiarly unfortunate aspect, and the events that accompany it will cast a gloom over the usual New Year felicita tions. The aspect will continue until Mars enters Aquarius on the 31st of January. All acts of even necessary violence Gionld lie abstained from or deferred until this date. The corporal punishment of children even shonld not be indulged in. Better allow their misdeeds to accumulate and punish them in the aggregate after all danger has passed away. Jupiter at this time is retrograding in Gemini, and can offer no alleviation to the evil aspect already mentioned. Jupiter is stationary on St. Valentine's Day, and engagements made then may be fatal The col junc tion of Mars and Mercury, on St. Patrick’s Day, indicates that large amounts of money will be collected for the liberation of Ireland. The first days of May will be lovely, with a little rain at night. Poetry of some merit may now be written, and a thorough revolution in dress and cookery expected. On the 9th, events fatal to domestic happiness will be extremely liable to occor. Startling developments in aris tocratic families will now be made. No destructive frosts will happen in this month, and corn-planting will be early. From the 2d ol June to the I3th of July a severe drontli will take place. On the 19th a European sovereign will die. On the 26 an ocean steamship will take fire, with great destruction of life. The 4th of July will be again signalized this year by an event of great national importance. On the 7th, however, an instance of serious official misconduct will come to light. Much-needed rainy weather will begin on tbe 13th, and t. eneeforih ihe summer will be intense ly hot. The aspect of the asteroid Mel pomene new indicates special disaster to members of college faculties, a rail road accident being the probable danger threatened. The 19th will be a day of peculiar horror. August will be fine till the 24th. Escaped lunatics should be very careful of their behavior during the whole month. Fits and the falling sickness will be quite general after the 14th. On the 3d of October avoid trif ling, as it is one of the dangerons days. November fine and frosty. Florid* Mouudx. The material and preparation of the Florida shell heap vessels differ from that of other mounds, as those along the coast region of that same State and others found throughout the United States; the clay elsewhere is mingled largely with broke* shells and sand, though at times vegetable fibre is pre.- sent, which produces a cellular and porous structure, which the original makers have in part overcome by the use of an outside film of slip clay. In ornamentation the specimens are mark edly inferior to those from other locali ties, less elaborately adorned, and display only a rude and primitive con ception of artistic design. They indicate in this respect an earlier origin than the fictile wares from the coait mounds or those found in later burial places. Stone implements were found in inoon- siderable numbers, though numerous enough to prove the acquaintance of the shell heap makers with flint chip ping, and though bat seldom buried deep in the piles, were incontestably coeval with their formation. They consist of rudely cut cells, stone chisels, knives or scrapers, arrow heads, chips and fragments, all clearly the work of men’s hands. Implements of bone were more frequent, but apparently HmitoA to awls and piercers, an office for which bone, then and since, seems very gener ally reserved. Implements of shells, as might have been anticipated, were common, though very slightly, if it at all, varied in form, consisting of rec- taugular bits, ground down to edges on one side, forming an efficient scraper, cleaner or bone wedge. Perforated shells, possibly used for ornament, are found near the upper surface of the mounds, and drinking oups made from the large univalve, Busyoon perversa' are similarly fonnd near the snrfaoe. These last objects are recent, and may have been known to the Indians who succeeded, at a long remove, the abori ginal inhabitants. Pipes and medals are both absent. Human bones were fonnd from top to bottom of these heaps —skulls, legs, arms and bodies—and while some were unbroken and entire, the condition of others suggested the unwelcome thought of their having formed a part of a cannibal's repast, a conclusion which some recent examina tions by Lieutenant Yogdea strengthen. He found large bones, wh'TSc marrow might justly form an attract!/e feature in an aboriginal dinner, opened length wise and bearing evidence of a designed cleavage. Cannibalism was really so Common among our Indiana at the arrival of the white men that it would scarcely seem surprising to find its antecedents hidden in these early works*