42 



ANT-IANA, .NO. I. 



To cut against the grain or for slitting boards, the teeth should be 

 filed, holding the tile at right-angles to (or straight across) the blade. In 

 this manner the teeth will be formed like chisels, and be well suited to 

 cut off the fibres of the wood in the direction of their length. The 

 fronts of the teeth should also be made to be square with the blade. 



To cut across the grain, as in cutting off a board and sawing fire- 

 wood, the teeth should be filed to sharp points by holding the file a little 

 aslant to the blade, changing the direction for every alternate tooth. In 

 this way when the saw is set, the points will be in two out-side rows, 

 and will cut off the fibres of the wood like knife edges, and permit them 

 to be easily rubbed out by the inner part of the teeth. 



It is now plain that a crosscut saw will not answer for slitting, nor 

 a slitting saw for cutting across the grain. For speedy work every me- 

 chanic ought to have two saws, the one filed for crosscutting, and the 

 other for slitting. M. J. 



ANT-IANA, NO. I. 



The last will and testament of an English duchess was attempted to 

 be upset some years ago on the ground of her insanity, and, of course, 

 her incompetency to bequeath her property. And what proof of insan- 

 ity did her disappointed heirs produce ? Nothing more, than that dur- 

 ing her life time she was very fond of collecting and studying insects, 

 and they argued that none but an insane person would engage in such 

 pursuits ! ! This was many years ago, when people were not as wise 

 as they are now, but I have no doubt that there are some even at pres- 

 ent who would bring in a similar verdict. 



I am insane enough to follow the inspired instructions of Solomon, 

 when he says, "Go to the ant ! consider her ways and be wise," and 

 I sometimes feel mischievous enough to think that they are the most in- 

 sane who wholly neglect this glorious book of nature, and thus slight 

 the express precepts of the Redeemer of men and the example of many 

 illustrious saints and sages of other times. I think I could be right elo- 

 quent on this subject, if you would allow me room, but "let 



us go to the an^" 



During the last summer, this numerous race of insects afforded me 

 much amusement. Soon after a heavy shower of rain about the begin- 

 ning of June, a large number of black ants, about one-third of an inch 

 in length, was observed in the act of colonizing themselves in a flower 

 bed, near the corner of the garden. It was a strange family, for they 

 had not been seen previous to the rain. Numbers of emigrants were 



