NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Mat 



In relation to this subject the influence of mater- 

 nal teaching and example is specially important. 

 So long as a servile class exists in our midst, labor 

 « will be considered a degradation, whether that class 

 consists of an ignorant European race, or of an ig- 

 norant African race. So long as this is the case, 

 the influence and example of mothers and female 

 teachers will be needed to counteract its effects up- 

 on our dauarhters. k. 



FoT the New England Farmer. 



MERINO SHEEP. 



Mr. Editor : — Can you or any of your numer- 

 ous correspondents give any definite information 

 relative to what was termed the "Essex Merino 

 Association," established at Windsor, Vt., some for- 

 ty years ago ? I noticed, not many years since, some 

 where, the names, or a few of them, belonging to 

 this company. I will name them : — John Punch- 

 ard, Esq., of Salem, Mass., John Ashton, Esq., 

 Abel Lawrence, James King, Leverett Saltonstall, 

 Esq., all of Salem in the County of Essex — John 

 Morland, of Roxbury, and I think, others whose 

 names I do not now recollect. I understand this 

 Association was formed for the purpose of growing 

 fine wool and fine sheep. My object, in this in- 

 quiry, is to ascertain where these sheep were ob- 

 tained, and, if imported, by whom ; I understand 

 this association laid out and expended at M''indsor 

 from $100,000 to $200,000 ; if so, and these gen- 

 tlemen made this great outlay for the benefit of 

 their county, their object, no doubt, was a good 

 one, and whether successful or^ not, should not go 

 down to posterity unremembered. 



George Ciiadwick. 



Wilton, Me., March 20, 1857. 



Remarks. — Perhaps the Hon. John W. Proc- 

 tor, of South Danvers, can shed the desired light 

 on this subject. 



Aptitudes in Mex. — It is very certain that no 

 man is fit for everything ; but it is almost as cer- 

 tain, too, that there is scarcely any one man who is 

 not fit for something, which something nature 

 plainly points out to him by giving him a tendency 

 and propensity to it. Every man finds in himself, 

 either from nature or education (for they are hard 

 to distinguish,) a peculiar bent and disposition to 

 some peculiar character ; and his struggling against 

 it is the fruitless and endless labor of Sisyphus. Let 

 him follow and cultivate that vocation, he will suc- 

 ceed in it, and be considerable in one way at least ; 

 whereas if he departs from it he will, at best, be 

 inconsiderable, probably'ridiculous. — Lord Ches- 

 terfield. 



Dr. Eddy's Patent Self-Feeding Stall for 

 Horses. — The above named patent was issued on 

 the Gth ult. to H. Eddy, of North Bridgewatef, 

 Mass. The inventor proposes to accomplish, and, 

 so far as we can see, does accomplish, the following 

 objects: 1st, a horse can be fed without soiling 

 his head or foretop by hay seed or other matter ; 

 2d, he cannot breathe upon his hay or soil it by 

 constant mouthing, and thus render it unpalatable.. 

 He can receive it no faster than he takes it apd 

 eats it. The stall is abundantly ventilated, and the 

 horse cannot waste a particle of his food.-^Ca/e</o- 

 nian. 



Gunrowder and Turpentine. — If spirits of tur- 

 pentine be poured on gunpowder, the latter will 

 not explode. An incendiary was once defeated in 

 his purpose by this very means. Wishing to se- 

 cure an explosion of gunpowder, he covered it with 

 a quantity of spirits of turpentine, but on igniting it 

 only the turpentine burnt, while the powder re- 

 mained as before. The gunpowder acts as a wick 

 to the turpentine, and will not itself ignite so long 

 as any of the turpentine remains to burn. 



LADIES' DEPARTMENT. 



A SUPERIOR WASHING FLUID. 



Messrs. Editors : — I send you a receipt for 

 making a superior Washing -Fluid, which I have 

 had infuse over two years. There is no precipitate 

 if prevented from freezing and properly made. In 

 the following proportions it will not cost over three 

 cents a quart : — 



Dissolve 1 pound of sal soda in 1 quart of hot 

 water, and add to it 4 quarts of lime water ; when 

 this settles pour off the clear. Next dissolve S 

 ounces of borax in 1 quart of boiling water, and add 

 it to the 5 quarts of clear water. When cold dis- 

 solve in it 2 or 3 ounces of pulverized carbonate 

 ammonia. Put it in bottles, and keep it tightly 

 corked. 



This fluid makes strong, thick "suds," makes 

 washing less injurious to the hands, and it cleans 

 the clothes with less rubbing. Use t pint) or less, 

 to about 5 gallons of water ; put it, with some soap, 

 into the tub of clothes the night before washing- 

 day, or a short time before boiling the clothes. I 

 think this chemical fluid, among the list of washing 

 compounds, will take "the rag off the bush" — and 

 clean it. Trenton. 



Trenton, jV. J., March, 1857. 



AVashing fluid made after the above receipt, we 

 have no doubt will be found an excellent article, 

 and we are much obliged to our correspondent for 

 it. Many who are in the habit of using washing fluid 

 do not appear to be aware of their nature and spe- 

 cific objects. Why should they be used at all in 

 washing ? We answer simply to provide a slight 

 excess of alkali to combine with the grease and 

 dirt on the clothes. They should be sparingly 

 used, at best, and wholly discarded in washing laces 

 and fine linens. 



Good'^soap suds of sufficient strength makes the 

 best of washing fluid for fine white textile fabrics. 

 The chloride of soda makes an excellent fluid for 

 whitening linen that has become yellow in color, and 

 as a washing fluid is inferior to non&. 



The use of strong caustic alkalies.^ impart a yel- 

 lowish tinge to the fine linens, and tends to injure 

 them, and therefore should be used (if at all) with 

 much caution. — Scientifc American. 



To Clean Wall Paper. — Soiled wall papers 

 may" be made to look as well almost as new, in 

 most cases, by the following expedient : — Take 

 about two quarts of wheat bran, tie it up in a bun- 

 dle in coarse flannel, and rub it over the paper. It 

 will cleanse the whole paper of all description of 

 dirt and spots, better than any other means that can 

 be used. Some use bread, but dry bran is better. 



