146 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



C Octobe 



with one hand as well as possible, he endea- 

 vored with the other hand to wrest from the 

 fence at his side a stake or picket with whicli 

 to defend himself,but not succeeding, and the 

 wild and infuriated little warriors still in- 

 creasing their attack, he was forced to fight 

 them again with his hands, when again he 

 was thrown to tlie ground. Kow really terri- 

 fied for his life,he pulled his coat over his face 

 and head for protection, regained his feet and 

 fled for his life, but they did not pursue him 

 far. Exhausted and with his hands bleeding 

 he reached the village, convinced that he had 

 a narrow escape." 



The Passions of the Fishes. 



That fishes manifest anger, fear and other 

 passions is insisted on by Eev. S. J. Whitmee 

 in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society 

 of London. His observations were made in 

 Samoa, where he kept the native fishes in 

 aquaria, and watched their quarrels, which 

 are by no means infrequent among the indi- 

 viduals of the same species, and constantly 

 occur between different species and genera, 

 the signs of anger being obvious, especially 

 as seen in the movement of the fins and spines. 

 Under the influence of great anger or fear the 

 dorsal fin is raised to its extreme height, and 

 the spines, both of the dorsal and anal fins 

 are very prominent. Besides this the scales 

 all over the body are raised, so that the fish 

 looks larger than when its mind is unruffled. 

 The spines are used for defense and as they 

 are pointed backward, predaceous fishes swim- 

 ming after them less easily swallow them, 

 and this is probably the chief if not sole use 

 of the spines. The slow swimming Diodon 

 and Tetradon, covered with spines, are thus 

 protected. These views are in the main con- 

 firmed by Dr. Day in the same Proceedings. — 

 Harper''s Magazine for October. 



To some extent — that is, so far as we have 

 had an opportunity to make the observation — 

 our experience, we think, is in confirmation 

 of the above, with perhaps some slight modifi- 

 cation. We liave had sunfishes of the Cones- 

 toga, gold-fishes and stickelbacks in the same 

 aquarium. The last named were alway pug- 

 nacious, and would drive even larger species 

 almost out of the tank. Their dorsal fins 

 would expand to the utmost tension, like 

 "bristling bayonets," their eyes would be- 

 come dilated, aud they seemed to make a pas- 

 sionate assault upon their less pugnacious 

 companions. Sun fishes, with seemingly fiery 

 anger, would drive about the gold fishes, and 

 on one occasion a specimen of the latter 

 jumped the tank. We have at this time two 

 small sun fishes (Pcmwtis catesbu) in a tank, 

 nearly of the same size ; but, from the moment 

 they were placed in it up to the present time — 

 a period of about a month — the larger has 

 been ceaseless in his assaults upon the smaller. 

 Perhaps he is only playing "make believe" (for 

 he does not seem to have injured his weaker 

 companion any,) but he at times appears to 

 manifest a good deal of "spite." But so far 

 as our observation extends it is only the as- 

 sailant that elevates the dorsal spines. The 

 assailed dilates his tail and ventrals, and tries 

 as much as possible to get out of the way and 

 keep out of it. Perhaps it might be different 

 if the one was large enough to swallow the 

 other, but this not being the case he "trims 

 his sails" in such a manner as to enable him 

 the more surely to elude the attacks of his foe. 



DERIVATION OF COMMON NAMES. 



Certain names of common articles seem to 

 lack meaning, and how some of the inappro- 

 priate appellations were derived is a mystery. 

 Many wonder what meaning there is in the 

 words "horse-chestnut " and " horse-radish. " 

 The Germantown Tdegra^jh says that the ori- 

 ginal English words, however, were " harsh- 

 chestnut " and "harsh-radish," but the pre- 

 fix "harsh" was translated "horse" into 

 French and Swedish, hence the common error 

 is believed to have been derived. 



The Germantown Telegraph is considered 

 good authority in many things, and may be 

 so in this, but "we can't see " that he has 

 exactly "hit the right nail on the head"— at 



least there is sufficient room left to warrant a 

 different conclusion. Perhaps our most com- 

 mon species of "horse-chestnut" is the 

 ^sculus hippocastaneum. Several species are 

 known under the common name of " Buck- 

 eye," especially in the west, and we may 

 suppose that this name may have been de- 

 rived from a fancied resemblance between the 

 fruit of these trees and the eye of a "buck." 

 The common German name of horse-chestnut 

 is Wilde Kastanie, and the Latin is Castanea 

 caballina, both of which are literal transla- 

 tions of the English name. The French name 

 is Marron (Vlnde. Marron means a large 

 chestnut, and d'Inde may indicate the original 

 locality of the tree. Webster says, "the 

 fruit was formerly ground and fed to horses, 

 whence the name." The tree itself was 

 brought from Constantinople about the be- 

 ginning of the sixteenth century, either native 

 there, or introduced from "the Indies." If 

 tlie iruit was ground and fed to horses, it 

 seems easy to see how the term "horse- 

 chestnut" in time became the common desig- 

 nation of it, "harsh" as it may be in its 

 taste and texture. 



The hore-radish (Nasturtium armoracea,) 

 belongs to the Mustard and Cress family 

 (Crucifer^) and is the Baphanus agrestis of 

 the Latins ; and the Bave sauvage of the 

 French. The German name is Meerrettig, lit- 

 erally interpreted sea-radish. Now, among 

 the common people the transition to horse- 

 radish might have been easily effected, especi- 

 ally in an intermingling of the English and 

 the German common people ; because meer 

 is pronounced ?nare, the name of a female 

 horse. It was doubtless called meerrettig by 

 the Germans because it may have been origi- 

 nally found growing in marshes, or along their 

 sea or river coasts, as the "sea kale" was 

 found and named. From such an origin 

 marsh-radish might be derived, but hardly 

 "harsh-radish." Not unlikely the name was 

 derived from a tree that is found in India 

 called the "horse-radish tree," (Hypcranthora 

 pterygosperma,) the fresh root of which has a 

 pungent odor and a warm taste, much like 

 the common horse-radish ; but we confess that 

 it is more likely still that the former was de- 

 rived from the latter. The root of the horse- 

 radish tree is or was used to some extent in 

 medicines, but this member of the cress family 

 is generally used as a condiment, and some- 

 times as a seasoning to sauce, in which its 

 "harshness" is entirely subdued and it be- 

 comes very palatable. 



Rind, in his "Vegetable Kingdom," says: 

 " The horse-radish is found growing wild in 

 marshy places, and by the sides of ditches in 

 England." As to the horse-chestnut the same 

 author says : "It is a native of the northern 

 parts of Asia, from whence it was introduced 

 into Europe about the middle of the sixteenth 

 century. Its progress can be traced from parts 

 of Northern Asia to Constantinople, thence 

 to Viena, and thence to Paris, where the first 

 tree was planted in 1615, The Turks are said 

 to grind tlie nuts and to mix them with the 

 food of their horses, and they devoured them 

 with avidity ;" and, furthermore, that from 

 this originated the common name of horse- 

 chestnut. 



We don't pretend, however, that all this to 

 the contrary, "settles the question." We have 

 merely given our impressions from the limited 

 authorities we have been able to refer to. In 

 the long lapse of time which often supervenes, 

 and the transpositions from one nationality 

 and language to that of another, as well as 

 through illiteracy and the absence of an intel- 

 ligent record, names often become consider- 

 ably "mixed up," and their origin more or 

 less obliterated. Therefore, although we in 

 our deductions may be somewhat wrong, yet 

 we cannot see that the Telegraph is exactly 

 right. 



THE SULKY PLOW. 



According to the notice given in the papers, 

 the Champion sulky plow, made at Dayton, 

 Ohio, was exhibited on the farm of Col. Wil- 

 liam L. Peiper, near this city, yesterday 



afternoon. It was operated by Mr. Lane 

 Reed, and was shown in what had been a 

 potato patch. The plow has an iron beam, 

 iron frame and iron wheels, and is made in a 

 very simple manner. The mold and share 

 are made of the finest cast-steel, which can be 

 repaired by any blacksmith. The plow was 

 used to open and back furrow in such a w^ay 

 as to turn every inch of ground. At the re- 

 quest of Colonel Peiper the plow was set for 

 depth and a furrow slice was turned IS inches 

 wide and averaging 10 inches deep. The 

 plow was drawn by three horses, and it was 

 estimated that during the time of plowing, 

 1^ hours, i an acre of land had been com- 

 pletely turned up. In all cases it turned up 

 the hard, dry subsoil, such as had never be- 

 fore been plowed, and turned it over com- 

 pletely pulverized. It was the opinion of all 

 the farmers present that such plowing had 

 never before been seen in the vicinity. 



The plow is worked by two levers, one of 

 which throws the plow in and out of the 

 ground, and the other for leveling the bottom 

 of the furrow. These levers are directly at 

 the control of the plowman, who sits on a 

 comfortable spring seat. The plow is thrown 

 out of the ground by disengaging the lever 

 and pushing it slightly forward, when the 

 horses in moving pull the plow out of the 

 ground without further labor to the rider. ' 

 Tlie machine can be adjusted to the plow at 

 any depth required, and being locked in the 

 ground will plow hard ground that otherwise 

 would be impossible. A boy who can drive 

 three horses can run this plow, and can do as 

 much work in one day as two two-horse plows. 

 All sorts of trash can be plowed down and 

 turned under completely out of sight. — Eo>- 

 aminer and Express. 



^ 



REMINDER FOR OCTOBER. 



In the Middle States, the labors of the gar- 

 dener are varied, as during the preceding 

 month ; but he who then neglected duties 

 necessary to be done, has lost time not to be 

 regained — the autumn is upon him. Seeds of 

 a few varieties may still be sown. The prin- 

 cipal labors are, however, the protection of 

 crops, already grown, transplanting others, 

 and setting out trees and shrubs. Asparagus- 

 beds dress. Cabbage plant out in light land, 

 for next season's use. Beets and carrots store 

 now, or early next month. Lettuce plant out 

 for next spring. Potatoes dig. Spinach sow 

 at once, if not sown last month. Vacant : 

 ground trench. 



^ 



SUGAR FROM CORNSTALKS. 



The agricultural department has for some 

 time been experimenting as to the possibility 

 of making sugar from cornstalks. These ex- 

 periments were brought to a close on last 

 Saturday. The results so far obtained are be- 

 lieved to be sufficiently favorable to be brought 

 to the attention of farmers throughout the 

 country. It is too late to have the method 

 thoroughly tested during the present season, 

 as the cane will be too mature to give the best 

 results, but if it shall prove to be what is 

 claimed for it,doubtless it will be widely tested 

 next year. We are the largest sugar consum- 

 ing nation in the world. The amounts we 

 import annually are enormous, and immense 

 suras of money are sent abroad to pay for it. 



We have tried to make sugar from sorghum 

 or Chinese cane, but the experiments were 

 not satisfactory. The sugar beet has also been 

 tried, but up to the present time the manu- 

 facture has not proved profitable, although 

 we cannot but believe that this industry will 

 at no distant day become one of the most ex- 

 tensive in the land. Most of Central Europe 

 now makes all the sugar it consumes from 

 tliis material ; it has been found largely profit- 

 able, and there exists no good reason why the 

 manufacture cannot be successfully estab- 

 lished here. 



The growth of sugar cane in this country 

 is confined by natural laws to several of the 

 Southern States, and has even declined there 

 very largely since the war, but Indian corn is 

 raised in every State in the Union. The sup- 



