NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



339 



^caltl) JBcpartment. 



Exercise, Fresh Air, &c. — Downing's Horticul- 

 turist expatiates on the advantage to our women of 

 often seeking the air, and using abundant exercise, 

 as the true means of preserving health, and impart- 

 ing to beauty a more captivating freshness. An ex- 

 cellent article thereon linishes thus : — 



•' A word or two more, and on what ought to be 

 the most important argument to all. Exeix'ise, fresh 

 air, health — are they not almost synonymous ? The 

 exquisite bloom on the cheeks of American girls 

 fades in the matron much sooner here than in Eng- 

 land — not because of the softness of the English 

 climate, as many suppose. It is because exercise, so 

 necessary to the maintenance of health, is so little a 

 matter of habit and education hero, and so largely 

 insisted upon in England ; and it is because exercise, 

 when taken here at all, is too often as a matter of duty, 

 and has no soul in it ; wliile the English woman who 

 takes a lively interest in her rural employment, in- 

 hales new life in every day's occupation, and plants 

 perpetual roses on her cheeks, by the mere act of 

 planting them in her garden." 



For Sore Throat. — A stocking, warm from the 

 foot, bound on the neck at night, is good for sore 

 throat. For a severe case, put warm roasted potatoes 

 into the stocking ; and after so warm an application 

 and perspiration, as a consequence, avoid too much 

 exposure of the neck the next day. 



illecl^amca' Pcpartmcnt, ^rts, Uc. 



The Uses op Iron in Buildings. — The uses of 

 iron are only beginning to be appreciated. We per- 

 ceive, by a late London paper, that it is quite a com- 

 mon thing to receive orders from Australia for sets 

 of iron houses. These are prepared and despatched 

 with as much readiness as any other descrij)tion of 

 manufacture. In New York and Philadelphia, iron 

 fronts are also beginning to appear. The experi- 

 ments that have thus far been tried, in this new move- 

 ment, have been quite successful. A correspondent 

 of the New York Mirror thus speaks of the advan- 

 tages of iron over brick, wood, or stone. The hints 

 are worthy the attention of builders. 



First, as regards form and shape. Forms which 

 stone could never be made to assume, varying from 

 the lightest fairy structure to the most elaborate de- 

 signs of the Grecian or Doric. 



Saving of space in foundation, discarding the cum- 

 brous pile of stone, and substituting a firmer and 

 more compact base. 



The capability of being speedily and easily erected, 

 or of being taken down and removed without a loss 

 of time or material. 



Protection against lightning — a philosophical cer- 

 tainty. 



Security against fire. In addition to the iron pre- 

 senting no "food for fire" naturally, in the formation 

 of the parts of an iron building, it can be shown, 

 that it can never be injured by contraction in the 

 event of internal conflagration, or cracked by the 

 sudden application of water, even were it brought to 

 a white heat. 



Ventilation — the nature of the material affording 

 the best method of securing the most perfect system 

 of ventilation. 



Facilities for the transmission of sound — a desid- 

 eratum in all churches or public buildings adapted 

 for large audiences. 



Absence of vermin — avoidance of mildew, and 

 absorption of dampness. 



For the application of paint — the best known ma- 

 terial, afi'ording a beauty of external finish, with a 

 protection from the weather. 



Durability, strength, and firmness ; in particular 

 for factories employing steam and heavy machinery. 



Strengthening properties of iron I'm' the constitu- 

 tion, as a principle of health. 



External and internal ornamental finish, by the 

 means of castings. 



Economy — the slight effects of time or wear, the 

 slight repairs necessary, and the ease and small ex- 

 pense with which additions may be made. 



The repetition of form, through the medium of 

 easting. A single design may be multiplied a thou- 

 sand times, at the simple expense of the iron, saving 

 time and manual labor. 



The peculiar adaptation of iron to the formation 

 of circulinear and graceful lines, in contradistinc- 

 tion to the rectangular and perpendicular. The se- 

 vere rules which govern the Gothic or Grecian struc- 

 tures, in the laying of the stones, can be departed 

 from in every essential particular. 



In connection with this last-mentioned advantage, 

 much might be said in regard to the adaptation of 

 antique forms to the wants of our commercial com- 

 munity, and whether shapes more in kecjiing with 

 the purposes intended would not bo preferable to 

 the Grecian temple or the other structures of the 

 ancients, however beautiful they may appear at Home 

 or Athens. 



The foregoing are a few of the man)' advantages 

 which iron affords over every other material in use 

 for the construction of our dwellings, factories, ware- 

 houses, or churches. The subject ought to be exam- 

 ined into and treated by men of science ; and the 

 public, in these days of burning down and building 

 up, should give their careful attention to a material 

 which carries with it the three great essentials of 

 house-building, — a saving of time, labor, and expense. 



FAILURE OF THE PEACH CROP. 



K the disease which has attacked the peach in this 

 region is to prevail, it Avill effect a great revolution in 

 our prospects relative to that delicious fruit. It has 

 shown itself more or less for four or five years past, 

 but never to the extent it has this season. 



It has been assigned to various causes ; but, from 

 close and constant observation, we are satisfied that 

 atmospheric influence is the sole cause, and probably 

 from a sudden decrease of temperature, in some way 

 connected with its electrical state. 



By a failure of the vessels in the petiole, or stem 

 of the leaf, to return the sap sent up, an increased 

 growth is produced of the fleshy, pulpy covering of 

 the leaf — it increases, thickens, bends, and curls — 

 becomes mildewed, and falls oft", leaving the tree no 

 lungs to breathe and carry on elimination ; and when 

 there are no dormant buds ready to reproduce leaves, 

 the limbs gum and die, the fruit ahnost entirely 

 fails with the fall of the leaf, and the croj) is lost. 



There is quite a difference in the degree in which 

 ditterent varieties are affected. (Crawford's Etu'ly 

 Yellow stands the disease better than any other va- 

 riety cultivated in this region — the Early Purple, 

 an early and mildewing kind, next — and some of 

 the late clings, and those uncultivated, resisted the 

 disease, while many other highly- esteemed varieties 

 were left entirely naked. 



If this affliction is to prevail, the Early Crawford, 



