NEW ENGLAND FARMER, 



MAT 5, 1^41. 



^ae to screw into ^^::^r^^7^^^^e sa.ne | of connecting U. J.n. of the rocU l^ .hicl. a 



manner as described above. 



In order to malie the Patent Conductors sti 

 more preferable, they are offered to the public at 

 the same price of the former rods. 



Considering the comparatively trifling expense 

 of these conductors and their utility, and tlie risk 

 of property and life while unprotected, it would 

 seem that no person owning buildings would for a 

 moment hesitate to avail themselves of their pro- 

 tection. Accounts have come to the notice of the 

 subscriber, of sa-/.//ji'e buildings being struck by 

 lightning in Massachusetts and vicinity, during the 

 season of 1840, notwithstanding a considerable 

 number had round rods attached to them ;— twenty- 

 eight liouse-s five of which were burned to tlie 

 ground ; thirtyseven barns, twenty of which were 

 destroyed; and twmUjthnt persons killed! 



The subscriber]is authorized to say that Profes- 

 sor Silliman has expressed liis decided approbation 

 of the principle of Or. King's Liglilning Conduc- 

 tors, but is fully convinced that the improved me- 

 thod of connecting the joints is safer and much to 

 be preferred. 



In further testimony of the utility of those Con- 

 ductors, the following certificates are presented 

 by gentlemen upon whose knowledge and judg- 

 ment in this matter, the public may rely with sa.e- 



ty. 



The subscriber is aware of the great responsi- 

 bility devolving upon a person engaged in this 

 kind of business, and the necessity of a thorough 

 knowledge of the subject in order to arrange the 

 Conductors on the budding in a manner to ensure 

 its safety ; for a person ignorant of the science of 

 electricity, would be liable to put them on in such 

 a manner that, instead of protecting the building, 

 they would only serve to augment its danger. But 

 having been a pupil of Dr. King's for above four 

 years^and since Dr. K.'s death been engaged in 

 the business for himself, and given his whole at- 

 tention to the subject, he feels that he is able to 

 execute any branch of the business in a proper 

 , manner. 



Orders sent by mail from any distance in the 

 country, will receive immediate attention. Those 

 wishing for information with regard to the expense, 

 &c., can obtain it by sending a small draft of the 

 iloor of the buildings, stating their length, breadth 

 height from the ground to the eaves, the direc 



more perfect and firmer contact is made than by 

 the method used by the late Dr. King. Mr Strong's 

 rods would seem less liable to derangement, and 

 are, therefore, preferable. 



JNO. DOWNS, Capt. Commanding-. 

 Navy Yard, Boston, April, 1841. 



To ivhom it may concern .—The Standing Com- 

 mittee of the Society worshipping at the corner of 

 Federal and Berry streets, desirous of availing 

 themselves of the advantage of Dr. King's improv- 

 ed lightning conductors, as constructed by Mr 

 Justin" K. Strong, employed that gentleman the last 

 year, to furnish their churdi with them ; which he 

 did to their satisfaction. And they have reason 

 to congratulate themselves on the expedient ; for, 

 in the'^tempest of Friday evening, the "^d inst., the 

 electric fluid, attracted by the points, fell upon 

 them, and was conducted harmlessly off by the 

 rods, leaving the house unscathed ; whereas, prob-i- 

 bly, if the old round rod, (which to these had given 

 place,) oxydized and imperfect as it was, had been 

 the only protection, the house would have been de- 

 stroyed or seriously injured. 



Mr Strong has invented a new mode of connect- 

 ing his rods^at the joints, whereby the contact is 

 rendered more perfect, greater facility in conduct- 

 ng electricity produced, and consequently the se- 

 curity to buildings still further increased. His 

 method of preserving the points from oxydation is 

 also valuable, and quite important in its results. 



Under these considerations, and believing that 

 the improved conductors are greatly superior to 

 the single round one formerly in use, he is cheer- 

 fully recommended to the patronage of the public. 



G. F. THAYER, 

 One of the Committee of the Federal St. Society. 

 Boston, April, 1841. 



ed him to the patronage of the public as one fitted 

 to give satisfaction in this branch of business. 



The construction and arrangement of Dr. King's 

 lightning rods have been considered so far an im- 

 proveme°nt upon the old ones, that they have been 

 preferred whenever lightning rods were to be fur- 

 nished to buildings. They appear to me to have, 

 theoretically, advantages above any others, and T 

 believe that experience lias confirme*!, in all cases 

 where they have been adopted, the good opinion 

 which has been formed of them from a scientific 

 examination. I think they would prove more effi- 

 cient than any other kind in protecting buddings 

 from lightning. Iflweroto furnish these rods, I 

 should "not hesitate to employ Mr Strong, and glad- 

 ly recommend him to others. 



JOSEPH LOVERING, 

 Prof. .Vaf. Philos. Harvd. University. 

 Cambridge, Oct. 3, 1640. 



Mr Strong has shown me his mode of confinino^ 

 lightning rods to buildings, and securing the per- 

 fect contact of the joints, and I consider it superior 

 to the old method, and less liable to derangement 

 than any others which I have ever seen. I have no 

 doubt that he would put these rods up in a satis- 

 factory manner in every respect. 



March 2.5, 1841. J. LOVERING. 



Boston, Aug. 22, 1840. 

 I have great confidence in the skill and science 

 with which Dr. King's lightning rods were con- 

 structed, and have caused them to be placed on 

 several important buildings. The bearer, Mr 

 Strong, has certificates from Dr. King of Ids com- 

 petency in the business ; there is no reason to 

 doubt, therefore, that his work will give satisfac- 

 tion to his employer. 



SAMUEL A. ELIOT, 

 Late Mayor of Boston. 



Cambridge, 'i4th Oct., 1840. 



Mt Dear Sir— In reply to your inquiries, I very 

 willingly state that I adopted, some years ago, Mr 

 King's Improved Lightning Conductors at my farm 

 house, stable, and mansion house, at Quincy, and 

 have every reason to be satisfied with them. 



Without pretending to much knowledge of the 

 subject, it appeared to me that Mr King's Conduc- 

 tors were more conformed to the theory on which 

 the usefulness of lightning rods is maintained, than 



From the Farmer's Cabinet. 



and ...-.^ ^ ..,„ ^ 



tion of the ridge, number of chimneys and where jj^g ^o-nmon round lightning rods ; that they pre- 

 situated and how the building stands with resard I , .„,„ ,„ ,i,„ otn>n=i.hprp nnd snread 



to the points of the compass. Those who can make 

 it convenient, are invited to call at his office, where 

 he will be happy to explain the principle of his 

 Conductors by experiments. 



N. 15. If any person in possession of facts in 



cases of damage by lightning, will transmit to the 

 subscriber, as soon after the occurrence as conve- 

 nient, a descripticm of some of the most important 

 effects produced, they will confer a favor. 



JUSTIN E. STRONG, Electrician. 



Office, No. 12 Washington st., Boston. 



CERTIFICATES. 



This certifies, that Dr. King's Improved Light- 

 ning Conductors, have been afiixed to several of 

 the°pu'''''= buildings in the Navy Yard, Charles- 

 town, and are considered much superior to the rods 

 of the old construction, aa a piotcction against in- 

 jury from lightning. 



Mr Strong has shown me a model of his method 



sented more points to the atmosphere, and spread 

 their action more equally over the surface to be 

 protected ; and that they were well adapted to the 

 end, whether that end were safe attraction, easy 

 and general distribution of eleclric fluid, or silently 

 to eftect the equilibrium of the atmosphere in re- 

 spect to that fluid. 



But I made no particular examination of the sub- 

 ject. My own opinion was decisive in their favor. 

 I adopted them, and see no reason to regret or 

 change my opinion. JOSIAH QUINCY, 



President Harvard University. 



Mr J. E. Strong. 



This will certify that Mr Justin E. Stremg has 

 succeeded to the business formerly doi'.c in Boston 

 by Dr. King. He has testimonials from Dr. King 

 which satisfy me that he enjoyed his confidence 

 and was considered by him competent to construct 

 and put up lightning rods according to his own 

 plan. And Dr. King has accordingly recommend- 



TAKE OFF YOUR POTATO BLOSSOMS. 



A little labor well paid for. 

 It has long been known that crops of any kind, 

 which perfecl. and ripen their seeds before llicy are 

 removed, take up and appropriate a vast deal more 

 nutriment (which they derive from the soil,) than 

 those crops which are removed before the seeds 

 are perfected. This conclusion looks reasonable 

 at first sight ; for the seeds, which are the most 

 nutritious part of the plant, can 't be formed without 

 much food being forwarded from the earth for that 

 purpose. Hence the exhaustion of the 'soil by the 

 ripening of the crop. When a crop of grass is cut 

 before the seeds are fully developed, the ground 

 will be found to have parted with a much less por- 

 tion of its fertility ; and this is the reason of a 

 grain crop exhausting the soil so much more than 

 a grass crop. The following curious and impor- 

 tant extract from a foreign journal, is a practica, 

 illustration of the aboTe principle. "M. Zeller 

 director of the Agricultural Society of Darmstadt 

 in lB3y planted two plats of ground, of the sam( i 

 size, with potatoes. When the plants had flower 

 ed, the blossoms were removed from those in oni 

 field, while those in the other were left untouchei ' 

 to perfect their seed. The former produced 47( 

 pounds — the latter 437 pounds." C. 



Command your temper, or it will command yot 



I 



