u 



QUERIES AND ANSWERS. 



Autumn 

 Coloring of 

 Leaves. 



Glucose. 



Paris Green. 



FertiUty of 

 Liand. 



Condition of 

 Farmers. 



Ag^cultural 

 depression. 



Farm 

 Uislilte. 



Aerricultural 

 Iklachiuery. 



Bailroads. 



187. Q. Is frost the cause of the brilliant coloring of Autumn leaves ? 

 A. No ; generally a physico-chemical phenomenon allied to the ripening 



of fruit, a decrease of vital power, resulting often from injury, inflicted in 

 early growth, as from lightning stroke, barking by cattle, from soil stamp- 

 ing by cattle, or occasionally it is the result of a want of nutrition conse- 

 quent on a hot dry Summer and Autumn. At other times, consequent 

 upon the swelling of the next year's buds at the base of the leaf stems, 

 cutting off the circulation. These and other physical causes render the 

 plant juices susceptible to chemical changes, producing colors of varying 

 degree. 



188. Q. What is glucose? 



A. A form of sugar generally made from Indian corn. It naturally 

 occurs in varying degrees in the juice of plants and is produced in large 

 quantities from Indian corn and used in various commercial ways. For 

 table purposes it is not used, being inferior to cane sugar. 



189. Q. Is Paris green, being a form of arsenic, dangerous to use upon 

 potatoes, tomatoes and egg plants ? 



A. Never dangerous on potatoes, only dangerous on tomatoes and egg 

 plants after they have developed half-sized fruit, as it might be carried to 

 the table. 



190. Q. Is the fertility of the land in the old States maintained ? 

 A. No ; it has decreased. 



First, there being too much dependence placed upon commercial fertil- 

 izers, and second, through a want of knowledge of the good old agricul- 

 ture practices of rotation of crops and green manuring. 



191. Q. Do farmers in the old States live better than formerly ? 



A. They did much better for fifteen or sixteen years after the war of 

 1861-1865, but are now, by reason of the agricultural depression, returning 

 to antebellum conditions of domestic affairs. 



192. Q. What are the general causes of the agricultural depression ? 

 A. It is a condition of things which extends over the entire agricultural 



world. The cause is overproduction, brought about by the introduction 

 of labor-saving machines and railroad extension, leading to overcropping. 

 The labor of supplying the world with food has been diminished. One 

 man now does the work of fifty. 



193. Q. Why do the young people quit the farm ? 



A. Young Americans as a rule are not disposed to engage in the labori- 

 ous work of a farm ; they prefer to embark in commerce or manufactures. 



194. Q. Has there been a profit to farmers by the development of labor- 

 saving machines ? 



A. No ; not a profit, only a convenience. The cheapening of farm pro- 

 ducts by the use of machines has been one of the causes of overproduc- 

 tion, and the prevalent agricultural depression. 



195. Q. Does the building of railroads increase the value of lands? 



A. Yes ; they increase the value of farms within a mile or so of stations ; 

 but railroads often decrease lands laying further off, as by the prolonga- 

 tion of the tracks new competing territory is developed. 



