NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



141 



on which were whortleberry and other small bushes, 

 and in which there were numerons small stones. 



The snow was about a foot deep : this he shovelled 

 off, then cut the bushes, and dug the stones, as the 

 ground was not frozen hard. AVhilc operating, he 

 turned up the fresh and pure soil, Avhich he often 

 took up; and with his mouth wide open, and close to 

 the soil, ho inhaled the scent of the fresh earth, and, 

 persevering in this course till he had cleared half an 

 acre of land, he found himself strong and hale, hav- 

 ing got entirely rid of his cough. 



A few days ago, he was in our office, looking 

 robust and healthy ; and he had walked from ]Milton, 

 a distance of seven miles, intending to return in the 

 same way, preferring walking to riding. 



Here is an important lesson. We have no doubt 

 that the scent of that fresh earth had more remedial 

 power that all the nostrums and doses of the apothe- 

 cary's shop, simple, or compounded with the greatest 

 scientific skill. 



It may be said that the exercise was a help in this 

 case ; and it dotibtless was an auxiliary, as it was 

 regular and various, affecting all parts of the system, 

 and the chest in particular. But it should be con- 

 sidered that Mr. Pierce is an industrious man, and 

 does not suffer for want of exercise ; yet that afforded 

 in clearing land might be more congenial to health 

 than the labor to which he nsually attended. 



So we credit a part of the remedial means to the 

 better exercise, and we will also credit something 

 to the expansion of the lungs, by long and strong 

 inhalations, which gave them full play, and tended 

 to strengthen them. After deducting these credits, 

 and any others that may be suggested, we think 

 miich will be left in favor of the pure earth. We 

 have generally found that labor in the soil is the 

 most invigorating and healthful of all exercises. 



Cure for Rheumatism. — We recommend the fol- 

 lowing recipe, which will be found, upon trial, to be a 

 simple, still an invaluable remedy for rheumatism. 

 Take a pint of the spirits of turpentine, to which 

 add half an ounce of camphor ; let it stand till the 

 camphor is dissolved ; then rub it on the part 

 affected, and it will never fail of remo-snng the com- 

 plaint. Flannel should be applied after the part 

 is well fomented with turpentine. Repeat the appli- 

 cation morning and evening. It is said to be equally 

 available for burns, scalds, bruises, and sprains, never 

 failing of success. We can vouch for its efficacy in 

 rheumatic affections, as a tried remedv. 



fllefljanics' Pcpartment, ^rte, ^r. 



Platin-.i Metal. — This very little knoAvn metal 

 was formerly more valuable than gold. But the 

 platina mines of Russia have furnished such an 

 abundance of the ore, that it is now next to gold in 

 value. It is a metal of whitish, silvery color, the 

 heaviest, the most difficult of fusion, the most ductile, 

 and the most tlexible of the known mclals, having a 

 specific gravity of 21.5, and capable of being ham- 

 mered into leaves, or drawn into wires, of extreme 

 tenuity. Its hardness is intermediate between that 

 of copper and iron ; and though very infusible, it is 



malleable, and capable of being Avoided at a white 

 heat, either one piece to another, or to a bit of iron 

 or steel. It is not in the least affected by the air or 

 water, and it is not attacked by anj' of the pure 

 acids ; but is dissolved by chlorine and nitromuriatic 

 acid. 



In beauty, ductility, and indestructibility it is 

 hardly inferior to gold. When a perfectly clean sur- 

 face of platinum is presented to a mixture of oxygen 

 and hydrogen gas, it has the extraordinary property 

 of causing them to combiiie, so as to form water, and 

 often with such rapidity as to render the metal red 

 hot. Platinum was discovered about 1741 ; but it 

 attracted little notice until the mode of purifying it 

 and rendering it malleable was discovered by Dr. 

 Wollaston. It is found in the metallic state in 

 Brazil and Peru; at Antioquia, in South America; 

 Estremadura, in Spain ; and latterly, in considerable 

 quantities, in the Uralian Mountain, and in California. 

 Its appearance, in the rough state in which it is im- 

 ported, is that of small grains or scales, of a metallic 

 lustre, darker than silver, and extremely heavy. In 

 this state it is combined with palladium, rhodium, 

 titanium, iron, gold, or other metals. The particles 

 are seldom larger than a pea, but pieces have been 

 found as large as a hazel-nut; and in 1831, a mass 

 of native metal M'as discovered in Demicloff's gold 

 mines, in Russia, weighing iipwards of twenty pounds. 



The perfection with which vessels of platinum 

 resist the action of heat and air, of most of the acids, 

 and of sulphur and mercury, renders them peculiarly 

 valuable in many chemical applications ; so that, 

 notwithstanding the high value of the metal, which 

 is between four and five times its weight of silver, it 

 is now much employed for crucibles, retorts for the 

 distillation of sulphuric acid, mirrors for reflecting 

 telescopes, by gunsmiths and others. Its property 

 of being welded, either one piece with another, or 

 with iron and steel, admits of many useful applica- 

 tions in the arts. From its scarcity and indestructi- 

 bility, it has been proposed to use it for coinage ; and 

 we believe coins of the respective values of three, 

 six, and twenty silver roubles are now current in 

 Russia. 



Improvemexts on Windmills. — Mr. Charles B. 

 Hutchinson, of Waterloo, Seneca Co., N. Y., has re- 

 cently made some valuable improvements on wind- 

 mills, both for self-regulating and reefing the sails. 

 A common governor is used for the regulating of the 

 angle of the sails to the wind ; but this is employed 

 in a most judicious and novel manner for retaining 

 the ends of the booms in slot when necessary, at an 

 angle reverse to the allowing of the sails to present 

 the square of their surfaces to the blast. This mode 

 of self-regulation has been completely successful in 

 practice during the most fitful windy days of this 

 autumn. — Genesee Farmer. 



THE TEA PLANT IN THE UNITED STATES. 



The planters and farmers of the Southern States 

 will be gratified to learn that seven cases of black 

 and green tea plants, Chinese stock, have jirst arrived 

 from London in the ship American Eagle, shipped by 

 Dr. Junius Smith, during his late visit to that city. 

 There are five hundred plants, of from five to seven 

 years' growth. All are designed by the doctor as 

 seed plants. A small quantity of tea seed was 

 brought out by him in the steam ship Britannia, 

 which was received in London overland from the 

 north-west provinces of India. We understand the 

 doctor designs to proceed soon to the south, with a 

 view of forming a plantation. More plants and seed 

 are expected from India and China this season; and 



