Vol. IX. 



Nn.3, 



AND HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 



19 



Honey— \ box of very sii|.enor honey was] The following nowers were exhibited : Frytliinu building stands isolated. Seriona doubts are enter- 

 shown by John Prince, Esq. of Roxbury. j ciisti-galii, or Cockscomb C.iral Tree ; Liliutn tained whether the practice is correct or not. 



Ill a note to the Society, Mr Prince states that supcrhum ; Tigridia pavonia, or Tiger flower; 

 in March last he purchased two Hives, of Mr i Agapanthiis uinbellatiis, Aspleniuin ; and fine 

 Beard of Charlestown. hroiiglit from Maine last double Holyhocks from John Lowell, Esq. ; 

 fall. They have produced four fine swarms this , Double Dahli.is from Gen. Dearborn, and Double 

 season, all hived in Beard's Patent Slide //ii'f*. : Dahlias from David Haggerston. 



The fii-st swarms, of the STlh May, produced the! 



box now exhibiteil, and three others making 2.5!bs. JlgricuUural Premiums — The Middlesex Society 

 net, taken off 15th July. of Husbandmen and Manufacturers announce the 



The success of Mr Prince certainly furnishes I following premiums to be awarded at the annual 

 a striking example of what may be done by our nieeting, 7th of October next. — For the best cul- 



farmers in providing themselves with this rich and 

 wholesome luxury. — Our fields abound vvitli 

 abundant materials for the labors of the honey 

 Bee ; and in what way could a fanner expend a 

 few dollars, to so much profit, to say nothing of 

 the comfort and pleasiire derived, as in the pur- 

 chase of a swarm of bees that work without pay, 

 and accumulate without capital.' Mr Beard, of 

 Charlestown annually brings a considerable num- 

 ber of swarms of Bees from Maine^ which, with 

 his patent hives, the best now in use, he sells at a 

 very moderate price. E. P. 



A basket of beautiful fruit from the garden of 

 S. G. Perkins, Esq. of Brookline, was exhibited at 

 the Hall of the society on .Saturday, and attracted 

 much notice. The following communication ac- 

 companied it. 



Dear Sir, — I send you a basket of fruit con- 

 taining specimens of fine grapes and nectarines 

 not generally known here. The bunch of white 

 grapes which lays on the top of the basket is the 

 real ' Chasselas d'or , ^r. Bar sur Jlitbe.' I have 

 about a hundred plants of this species of fruit for 

 sale in pots ; the other kinds of grapes are belter 

 known here under the names of St Peter?, Black 

 Hamburg, and White Muscat. 



The nectarines are, 1st, the Lewis or Boston 

 nectarine ; this is a yellow and red fruit which 

 originated in the yard of Mr Thomas Lewis many 

 ' years since. I obtained buds from the tree the 

 second season it showed fruit, soon after which it 

 was destroyed ; so that by mere chance the fruit 

 was preserved. Mr Lewis assured me that it was 

 raised from a peach stone, which is possible, though 

 not by any means common, the nectarine being 

 nothing more than a smooth skin peach. 



I shall have some handsome specimens next 

 week when 1 shall bo happy to present one or two 

 to the committee on fruit that they may be painted, 

 agreeably to your request. This fruit was painted 

 some years since by my order, and sent to the 

 Horticultural Society of London, but I have un- 

 derstood that doubts have beert entertained as to 

 the correctness of its coloring, it being thought 

 too brilliant to be natural. You will, however, see 

 by the specimens I shall present you, that there is 

 no deception on this score. 



The white nectarine is the ' Varniach' or ' Pe- 

 terborough,' an old fruit long known under these 

 names, and (■ommonly called the White Nectarine. 



The cold and wet weather during the last week 

 has prevented me from sending you some larger 

 and finer bunches of grapes ; as they have not 

 ripened the last six or seven days as much as I 

 expected they would have done. Some of the 

 berries in the bunch of the ' Bar sur Aube' meas- 

 ure three inches round by actual measurement 

 made by me this morning. 



Respectfully yours, 



SAMUEL G. PERKINS. 



Zebedee Cook, Jr. Esq. 



tivated farm $25; the second best $1.5 

 third $10. For the best Apple Orchard, planted 

 or set out since 1820, containing not less than 75 

 trees, $15 ; the second best $12 ; the third $9. 

 The Trustees have appointed Josiah Adams, Esq. 

 of Frainingham, Honorable Benjamin F. Varnum, 

 of Dracut, Moses Whitney Esq. of Stow, Reuben 

 Brown, Jr. Esq. of this town, the committee to 

 inspect the farms and fruit trees, and adjudge 

 premiums. 



The gentlemen are requested by the Trustees 

 to visit the farms and orchards about the first of 

 September ; and in each case to take with them, 

 either one of the selectmen of the town where 

 the farm lies, or some other respectable neighbor, 

 wlio shall aid them in their duties, and add his im- 

 partial testimony, to such other evidence as the 

 owner may lay before the committee. This pre- 

 caution will secure a fair representation of the 

 case, and prevent any dissatisfaction. 



Enterprising farmers should attend to the sub- 

 ject without delay. For the Trustees have voted, 

 that those persons, who wish to have their 

 farms or orchards inspected, must make ajiplica- 

 tion either to Mr John Stacy, of this town, the 

 Secretary, or to one of the Committee at an early 

 day in Aguust. — Concord Gazette. 



From Silliniaa's Jonrnal of Science &c, for July, 1830. 



Mode for Adjusting Lightning Rods. 



Columbus, (Ohio,) May 24lh, 1830 

 TO THE EDITOR, FROMMR P. B. TVILCOSS. 



Sir — The Scioto valley in which this town is 

 situated, is liable to heavy thunder storms. A 

 contrariety of opinion and of practice prevails in 

 attem|)ting to secure houses by ro Is from the ef- 

 fects of lightning ; and I have been requested by 

 several gentlemen, to address you upon the sub- 

 ject, to ascertain the proper manner in which to 

 put up rods, so as most efl%ctually to protect build- 

 ings. , Some of the difficulties are as follows: 



1. 7'Ae depth to which the rod should be inserted 

 in the ground. — It has been reinai'ked in this state 

 and in Kentucky, both lime stone countries, that 

 very frequently rods fiirnish no protection to 

 houses. In the summer season the earth becomes 

 perfectly dry for several feet below the surface, 

 and it is supposed by some that there is not suffi- 

 cient moisture at the termination of the rod in the 

 ground. 



2. Another difficulty is, the proper height of the 

 rod above the highest point of the building. 



3. Another very serious difficulty seems to be 

 the manner in which the rod should be attached to the 

 building. The common practice here is to place 

 the rod by the side of the house and at pro[)er 

 distance, let the rod run through small pieces of 

 iron, one end of which is driven into the house, 

 the other having an eye sufficiently large to admit 

 the rod. Through this eye,and beforetlie rod isin- 

 serted, the neck of a glass bottle, the end of a 

 horn , or some non-conductor is placed, so that the 



Indeed there is nobody hero who knows how to 

 put up a lightning rod, and rest satisfied that ho 

 is correct. Will you be good enough to give us 

 the necessary information.' With your permission 

 1 would make public your views upon the subject, 

 as I have no doubt it may save many lives and 

 much property. 



Answers given by Prof. Olmsted of Y. College at 

 the Editor's request. 



1. The rod should be closely joined together 

 throughout, either by securing one part within 

 another, or by welding several parts together ; this 

 will prevent the interruption occasioned to the 

 passage of electricity through links or loose joints. 



2. The points of the rod above shoiilil be gilt, 

 since the conducting power of iron is impaired by 

 oxidation. 



3. The rod should descend into the ground far 

 enough to be always in contact with moist earth. 

 This depth will vary in different places. In some 

 places five feet will be sufficient ; in others, six or 

 seven will be required ; and in soils peculiarly 

 dry it may be prudent in the season of thunder 

 storms, to connect the bottom of the rod (by means 

 of a chain or the rod continued,) with a well or 

 vein of water. The chain or rod may be inclosed 

 in some substance, or be i)ainted with a thick coat 

 of lampblack to keep it fi'om rusting. When the 

 bottom of the rodtermmates in the ground it may 

 branch off in several directions. 



4. The height of the rod above the building 

 should be regulated on this princijile ; that a 

 lightning rod will protect a space i7i every direction 

 from it, of twice its length above the building. Thus, 



if it rises fifteen feet above the roof, it will pro- 

 tect a space of thirty feet every wav. 



5. The rod should be fastened to the house by 

 wooden in jueference to iron stays. For, 

 although electricity takes ihe shortest route yet in 

 case the rod were imperfect, the ])assagc of the 

 fluid into the building would be favored by iron 

 bolts. 



6. The kitchen chimney, being that alone in 

 which a fire is usually kept during the summer, 

 requires to be especially protected. 



7. Paint, made of lampblack is best suited to 

 lightning rods, this substance being a better con- 

 ducter than other kinds of paint. 



With regard to the failure in lightning rods 

 mentioned in the foregoing letter, it is probably 

 owing chiefly to the dryness of the soil ; and there- 

 fore, in that region particular care will be required 

 in fixing the bottom of the rod, so as to make it 

 convey off the electricity in the best manner, and 

 this is most efiectually secured by a thorough me- 

 tallic communication with moist earth, or better 

 with permanent water. 



In addition to the above remarks, drawn up at 

 my request by Prof Olmsted, it may be suggested, 

 that, as the gold leaf on lightning rods is in a few 

 years removed by the weather, it would be better 

 to terminate the rods with solid silver, or better still 

 with the platina points prepared by Mr Lukens of 

 Philadelphia.— £<;. 



A black woman has been committed for trial at 

 New York for throwing some liquid into the eyes 

 of a printer, which prevented him from seeing ,it 

 all for three weeks, and the sight of only one eye 

 is now restored. The physician could not tell 

 what the liquid was. 



