1882.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



37 



ters have died, and tliice of tliern uuraistaka- 

 bly of the same fell disease, and at about tlic 

 same age as our mother; moreover, quite a 

 number of our mother's relations have died of 

 tlie same disease. One day a physician well 

 advanced in years, coming into the shop in 

 which we were employed, and noticing our 

 peculiar attitude on the ''board," advised us 

 ,to sit straight, expand our chest as much as 

 possible, and to cultivate a habit of breathing 

 thnni^h the nostrils. And furthermore to 

 take as much active outdoor exercise, as we 

 could possibly find opportunity to do, and 

 when we sat at rest, to throw our arms back- 

 ward over the back of the chair, or beneh, if 

 it had such a support. We followed this ad- 

 vise and with good results. 



Notwithstanding, about forty-live yearsago 

 we were troubled with a pressure of the lungs 

 and d'fliculty of breathing— perhaps a collapse 

 of the cells of the lung — induced by a too in 

 cessant conlinement to the shopboard. One 

 day an agent for the sale of Dr. Fiteli's " In- 

 haling Tube " called on us, and explained 

 the nature and object of the instrument, and 

 we purchased one, at a cost of $1,75. This 

 instrument is hammer-shaped, and consists of 

 a cylinder three-quarters of an inch long, and 

 three-eighths of an inch in diameter; one end 

 is closed and the other contains a small ball- 

 valve. To this cylinder is attached, in the 

 middle, a shaft or stem about four inches long 

 and throe-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. 



This tube is taken in the moutli and a deep 

 inspiration is taken, thoroughly tilling the 

 lungs. After a moment, or as long after as 

 the breath can be conveniently held, when ex- 

 piration commences, the ball-valve will be 

 partially closed, and the breath will not escape 

 as freely as it was inhaled. If the nostrils are 

 then held shut, the effort to force the breath 

 through the diminished aperture, will also 

 force it into the collapsed cells of the lungs, 

 and gradually open and expand them, and 

 this effects their cure. 



This practice we continued, at intervals, 

 until 1B48, when we abandoned the shop- 

 board for more active employment, and the 

 cause being removed, there was no necessity 

 of continuing the remedy. The good effects 

 do not follow immediately, but by continuing 

 the process the respiration becomes gradually 

 free and strong. We have on many occasions 

 been able to take a full inspiration and hold our 

 breath long enough to read a paragraph 

 eqquivalent to forty or fifty lines in the 

 columns of the Laxc.\steii Farmer. We 

 by no means pretend to say that lungs in an 

 absolute state of decay could be cured by the 

 aid of this instrument — indeed, we have 

 loaned it to persons so affected, and they 

 have declared that they could not use it, or a 

 continued use of it would kill them — but 

 where there is only a weakness, or a compres- 

 sion of the cells of the lungs, it, or any sub- 

 stitute of it, cannot fail to be beneficial if 

 judiciously and perseveringly used. About 

 twenty-five years ago, through an inadvertent 

 exposure, we contracted a stubborn and pro- 

 tracted cough, which, according to the opin- 

 ion of our medical adviser, terminated in riq)- 

 ture of the lungs. It is only necessary to say 

 that in this case our instrument was altogether 

 u.seless, as we needed a ditfereut treatment ; 

 and we were finally relieved — we may say 



totally cured — by the use of medicated inhala- 

 tions. These were progressively modified to. 

 the pending condition of the lungs. 



The predisposition to pulmonary affections 

 is sgid to be greater than is generally supposed 

 by the thoughtless and unobservant; and, 

 that the disease is not more frequently and 

 fatally developed, may be owing more to 

 favorable contingencies than to remedial 

 agencies. Mental or eraotionalcondition may 

 also be a potent factor in the development of 

 pulmonary diseases. It has been alleged that 

 every violent paroxysm of anger, hate, envy, 

 jeealousy, fretfulness, anxiety, sorrow, cha- 

 grin, obstinacy or grief, adds so many nails 

 to the coffin of the consumptive ; and doubt- 

 less this may also be said of violent physical 

 exposures, dissipations, debaucheries, or any 

 irritating draft made upon the passions or the 

 material energies. Inllamed lungs, no more 

 than an inflamed cuticle, cannot heal as long 

 as they are in a state of violent irritation. 

 We have now attained our " three-score and 

 ten ;" and although we claim no special 

 merit for such a fortuitous contingency, yet it 

 is none the less a commentary upon the judg- 

 ment of those who predicted our demise be- 

 fore we completed our apprenticeship, more 

 than half a century ago. 



THE WILL AND THE.DEED. 

 There are circumstances under which chari- 

 ty compels us to regard the will as equivalent 

 to the deed — in a. ni'iral sense at least. It is 

 very true, that the will, or the wish, unac- 

 companied by the necessary food, would never 

 save a needy man from starving; but, in a 

 moral sense, it might exculpate a destitute 

 person who had been appealed to for help; 

 and in the same sense, it might even go far- 

 ther than the real material gift of another. 

 All would depend upon the motive which in- 

 stigated the deed. "There, take it, and may 

 it choke you," uttered in a snappish vein, 

 when importuned for part of the loaf you are 

 eating, would be a deed far inferior to a gen- 

 erous wish or will, in amoral sense, although 

 the latter might not be so effective in allevi- 

 ating one suffering from hunger. We are led 

 to these reflections in considering the re- 

 spouses to our solicitations to " write for the 

 Farmer." For instance, Lholine writes 

 us: "Esteemed friend, I will now endeavor to 

 write you a few lines. As my husband told 

 you, I have my hands full just now. But, if 

 I could have the opportunity to write as often 

 as I ivisk, you would get a goodly number of 

 coutributi ms from this quarter." Now, we 

 happen to know that Leohne is a self- 

 educated fanner's wife, in medium circum- 

 stances, and has a large family of children, 

 just at that age when they most need a 

 mother's care, and that the general labors of 

 the household devolve upon her. Under such 

 circumstances the wish, or will, becomes 

 equivalent to the deed, and yet from time to 

 time she has contrived to do more than merely 

 indulge in unsubstantial wishes ; and we feel 

 eonfident that she, nor anyone in like circum- 

 stances, will sustain any moral injury in ulti- 

 mating their wishes in corresponding actions. 

 The most eft'ective way to educate the 

 "mjWwji'" is for the million to write for and 

 become the instructors of the million. Do- 

 mestic hints and recipes emanating from the 



"upjirr (cii," are often inaccessible and im- 

 practicable to the million. They occupy a 

 plane beyond the reach of the million. Culi- 

 nary preparations that cost a dollar are of no 

 practical use to the person that can't afford 

 more than ten cents for the same. Hut the 

 million is characteristically timid and dilli- 

 dent, and hence practical knowledge is often 

 overawed by theoretical assurance ; and be- 

 cause the million cannot write with the 

 rtuency of the upper ten it prefers to abandon 

 the field and continue a "hewer of wood and 

 a carrier of water." All, within their spheres 

 are useful, no doubt, but the common people 

 need the experiences of common people; in- 

 stead of being spoken at they need to be 

 spoken to. 



By the common people, we by no means 

 have reference to the "Tramps, ".«ini-c«;ottes, 

 the "Greasers," and the Lnzaroni of the 

 human family, but to those who willfully 

 labor for the benefit of mankind, whether 

 from necessity, from love, or for its emolu- 

 ments. Xot that social exclusiveness or do- 

 mestic antagonism necessarily should exist 

 between the common people and the upper 

 ten, for it must needs be that a diversity of 

 classes will exist in the present constitution 

 of society ; but we should ever remember the 

 "l)ots of earth and the pots of brass," as we 

 float down the stream of time. If tlie lion 

 were famishing with hunger, and the bull 

 were to bring him a bundle of hay, the pig an 

 ear of corn, the parrot a bunch of fruit, and 

 the partridge a pint of seeds, it might be .all 

 very kind in them, but it would not meet the 

 wants of the lion. Ilis needs, under such 

 circumstances, could best be supplied by an 

 animal that had a clearer appreciation Of 

 those needs. Many books have been written 

 on Domestic Economy by those who were 

 characteristically neither domestic nor eco- 

 nomical, and hence, so far as they concerned 

 the common people, they were a dead letter. 

 But if the common people will not place the 

 results of their life experiences on record, 

 then society will have to appropriate such 

 domestic literature as it can find, whether 

 adapted to its wants or otherwise. 



EXCERPTS. 



Chester white pigs have increased in price 

 in the past two years. 



Like the blackberry, the raspberry bears 

 the fruit upon the cane of the previous year's 

 growth, which, after fruitage, dies, the new 

 cane coming forward for the next year's crop. 



Nearly, all kinds of fruits do well on a 

 mixture of superphosphate and wood ashes. 

 Lime is not suitable for strawberries, but ex- 

 cellent around apple, peach and pear trees. 



Grapevines should be pruned as early as 

 the season will permit. If deferred too late 

 they will allow an e.scai)e of sap (bleed), even 

 if trimmed a little while before it V)egins to 

 ascend. 



Fixe rtowers require thoroughly rotted 

 manure and wood mould mixed, and tomato 

 or other early plants can be grown in boxes, 

 and afterward transplanted with better results 

 with such a mixture. 



In cold weather, eggs for hatching should 

 be collected daily. They freeze easily when 

 exposed, but will retain vitality for several 



