1857. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



559 



rie, Esq., on the San Lorenzo creek, consisting of 

 3200 apple trees. We paid a visit to this orchard, 

 this week, and found it much improved ; trees 

 healthy, increased in size, and handsomely formed, 

 and, what was most gratifying, the addition to the 

 orchard of 12,400 trees more, making now the 

 number of sixteen thousand apple trees in one orch- 

 ard. Who can heat . this, East or West ? The 

 trees are planted 16^ feet apart, in the quincunx 

 order. Sixteen hundred are now two years plant- 

 ed ; twelve thousand four hundred, one year. — 

 Some are in bearing now, and many give promise 

 of producing largely, another year. — Cal. Far. 



ANTS-THEIR SENSES AND HABITS. 



"Go to the ant, tfaou sluggard," is advice not 

 only against sluggishness, but is applicable to other 

 things, particularly as it relates to what may be 

 accomplished by the combination of individuals 

 under great disadvantages. 



The only medium which ants possess for acquir- 

 ing and imparting information appears to be their 

 antennfe, or feelers, having neither of the two most 

 useful senses for learning which larger animals pos- 

 sess — seeing nor hearing — and if they have the 

 sense of smelling it is very limited. I have placed 

 sugar within half an inch of their trail to a sugar 

 barrel, and they would pass without noticing it un- 

 til one of them accidentally strayed within touch 

 of it, when others would soon follow by feeling 

 their way. I have placed a thin strip of wood not 

 wider than the length of an ant, across their trail, 

 and it embarrassed them ; they would turn to- 

 wards each end of it and return, until some bold 

 fellow ventured across it, when the rest followed. 

 I CP'ight a number of them on a chip with sugar 

 on it, placed near their trail, and gently removed it 

 to the opposite side, about a foot off ; when they 

 finished their repast they went feeling around in 

 every direction, and often returned even when they 

 had got within two inches of the great thorough- 

 fare where the multitude was passing ; they neith- 

 er saw nor heard them ; but as soon as they struck 

 the trail they took the homeward course, and 

 ceased to return. 



The above experiments were made with the 

 small red ants. When they first discovered the 

 sugar those returning from it would extend their 

 antennas to those they met, make one or two short 

 jumps, and the latter would quicken their pace, as 

 if satisfied with the information. 



Whenever ants discover the trail of another tribe 

 in rather suspicious proximity to their own dwell- 

 ings, if they are of equal size with themselves, they 

 sally out in a body to attack them" ; but if they are 

 a size or two smaller — the very small ones they 

 never notice — one or two guards take possession 

 of the trail, and cross and recross it with the most 

 unwearied diligence for hours and days together, 

 and wo to all they catch. But scores will pass 

 within one or two inches of a guard without either 

 being aware of the others' presence. 



Notwithstanding the want of these senses a com- 

 munity of large ants will explore an area of ten to 

 fifteen acres, and if one of them makes a discovery 

 of food, intelligence of it will be circulated so rap- 

 idly that they will form a trail to it in one night, 

 though it be one hundred and fifty yards off. — 

 Their sense of feeling is extremely delicate, for by 



it they can spread an alarm, distingui-sh a friend 

 from a foe, follow a trail over a smooth floor, and 

 convey any intelligence which may be necessary for 

 them to know. In their wars they are very des- 

 tructive, and this appears to be a provision of na- 

 ture to prevent their increase. Two ants of about 

 equal size will fight to the death without yielding. 

 In a regular battle between two tribes, it is their 

 custom to carry off the dead and wounded from 

 the field. — Scientific American. 



A GOOD COW. 



A friend sends us a statement of the product of 

 a cow owned by Gen. Robert Davis, of Concord, N. 

 H., which is remarkably good. She calved April 

 9, and on the 18th, the calf was sold for $5. They 

 then made butter from her milk, as follows : 



Week ending — 



Ap-il26 8 1 



May 3 9 



May 17 10 



May 24 10 



May 31 11 



June 1 V\ 



June 14 Hi 



June 21 ll|lbs. 



June 28 \\\ 



July 5 9 



July 12 94 



July 19 8| 



July 26 8| 



Aug. 2 8^ 



The cow is a native, 6 years old, bright red, and 

 of medium size ; udder, yellow ; feed, ordinary 

 grass, three cows on four acres of land. Extra feed 

 occasionally, such as cob meal, Indian meal or oats ; 

 not exceeding one quart per day. During the 

 time this butter was made, new milk was used for 

 bread, and cream for coffee and tea twice a day, in 

 a family of four persons, and during the last of July 

 a large portion of the milk was used. Considering 

 her size, the owner thinks he can challenge a com- 

 parison with any hlood coio. 



MYSTERIES OF A JUNK OF COAL. 



For years no one supposed that a piece of soft 

 coal, dug from its mine or bed in the earth, possess- 

 ed any other quality than being combustible, or was 

 valuable for any other purpose than as a fuel. It 

 was next found that it would afford a gas which is 

 also combustible. Chemical analysis proved it to 

 be made of hydrogen. In process of time me- 

 chanical and chemical ingenuity devised a mode of 

 manufacturing this gas and applying it to the light- 

 ing of buildings and cities on a large scale. In do- 

 ing this, other products of distillation were devel- 

 oped, until step by step the following ingredients 

 or materials are extracted from it : 



1. An excellent oil to supply light-houses, equal 

 to the best sperm oil, and at a lower cost. 



2. Benzole. A light sort of etherial fluid which 

 evaporates easily, and combining with vapor or 

 moist air, is used for the purpose of portable gas 

 lamps so called. 



3. jVaptha. A heavy fluid, useful to dissolve 

 Gutta Percha, India Rubber, etc. 



4. An oil excellent for lubricating pui'poses. 



5. Jisphaltum, which is a black solid substance, 

 useful in making varnishes, covering roofs, and cov- 

 ering over vaults. 



6. Parrafine. This is a white crystaline sub- 

 stance resembling white wax, and which can be 



