VOL. xni. NO. 33. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL 



inches wide', more or less, according to the size of 

 tile intended axe, or liatciief, arc cut into suitable 

 leiigths with ponderous shears. 



These pieces being cast into the forge and 

 brought to the required heat, arc cleft at one end 

 and nito this cleft a tongue of cast steel is inserted ■' 

 then being again heated, the complete union of 

 the Hon and steel is eftected with tlie hanmier 

 These being subjected anew to the fire, are laid on 

 edge in a mould, and a single and powerful blow 

 or pressure of an engine, comj.lete the profile of 

 tlie small broad a.xe or hatchet, and this blow be- 

 ing repealed a second time, rendcre the outline 

 still more perfect. They are next transferred to 

 another engine, furnished with a die ; in this the 

 «xe is laid, and a heavy weight of iron similar in 

 size to those employed in driving piles, beimj 

 drawn uji suddenly by ^vater power, completes the 

 form of the axe by its fall. 



275 



Another engine is about going into use which 

 Will give to the rough and oblong section of a bar 

 of iron, the form of a perfect and beautiful axe or 

 hatchet at a single and instantaneous operation. 

 Thus are tJiese instruments formed ; but the eye 

 for the insertion of the handle, is made by borin-^ 

 through the cold and solid iron. The axe being 

 fixed m a firm position above, a vertical drill or 

 species of auger perforates them from below 

 This auger has a three-fold motion. First, a re- 

 volving motion on its own centre. Second, it 

 moves in an orbit, which is that of a very eccen- 

 tric ellipsis, corresponding with the form of the 

 eye. Third, a vertical or upward motion at inter- 

 vals, and at each time it has completed a revolu- 

 tion in its orbit. 



An axe is bored in about twenty minutes ; and 

 one man will attend to twentyfive augers or axes ; 

 and another man is suflicient to sharpen the drills' 

 or instruments for the same. 



Respectfully, your friend and obt. servant. 



W. K. 



rNTERESTEVG TO F^iRMEHS. 



The following short history of the origin and 

 process of the application of Plaster Paris, as a 

 manure, may be important to the agriciiltural 

 interest. 



The first discoven- of the utility of Gypsum 

 or Plaster Paris, for agricultural purposes, was 

 made by a laborer, engaged in pouudin? plaster 

 Dear Hilbrun, in Germany. He noticed tlie extra 

 growth of the grass along the route which he at 

 iiflerent Ximes travelled, across a meadow; sup- 

 .osing It to be occasioned by the fine plaster drop- 

 led trom his clothes, he was induced to try an 

 ^xpermicnt, to determine the point ; it succeeded 

 leyond his expectation ; and otliers tested its use 

 ulness, until all became satisfied of its nutritious 

 luahties; and thus the use of plaster in Gennanv 

 lecame general, as a manure, wherever it could 

 « obtained. 



"In the year 1768, Jacol, Barge, of Philadelphia, 

 aving learned the use of plaster in Germany, ob- 

 imed some from a manufacturer of Burr stones 

 Qtl scattered it upon a field of clover which 

 roved perfectly satisfactory ; in consequence of 

 'hich, Messrs Ilocker, Lancaster, Clifford, and 

 'avid Deshler, all respectable farmers near Phila- 

 slphia, used the plaster in various ways, and for 

 iflerent plants, and were all equally well satisfied 



Its utility. The call for, ami application of, the I 

 ticle increased ; and hence the commencement 



a regular trade, upon the seaboard, in the trana- 1 



portation of plaster from Nova Scotia, to all the 

 southern ports; which has regularly increased, 

 irom that jjcriod to the present time", and wiiicli 

 has become a business as regular and permanent 

 as any other in the United States. 



"The directions for the application of plaster, 

 are so various and multiplied, that it is believed no' 

 certain general rule can ever be adopted, for it has 

 lieen found that on some grounds, one bushel to 

 Ihe acre, is better than six bushels; two bushels 

 to the acre, however, appears to be the quantity 

 required for the largest portion of the lands in 

 Pennsylvania. No one should be discoura<;ed if 

 no perceptible benefit should result from a trial 

 the first year ; for it has been found, that the 

 more slow in its effect^, the more certain it is to 

 be advantageous in two, three, and even four years 

 after its application. For clover, grass, &c. it 

 should be sown over the field, just before or after 

 the grass or clover begins to grow in the spring. 

 It IS used in the .same manner, upon wheat, bar- 

 ley, oats and buckwheat grounds. 



"Another mode for grain of all kinds, is, to wet 

 the gram thoroughly, and then mix as much dry 

 plaster with it, as will adhere to tiie kernel, and 

 immediately strew and harrow in. For corn 

 throw upon each hill a small table spoonful as 

 soon as the leaves are formed. From the various 

 expenments made in the Eastern States the lact 

 seems to be well established, that a certain quan- 

 tity of plaster, used upon all dry soils, and on low 

 grounds in dry seasons, is of the utmost impor- 

 tance, and adds greatly to the srowtli of every 

 kind of vegetable substance intended for the use 

 of man or beast. The only sure direction, there- 

 fore, for using the plaster, is, for each person to 

 ascertain, by experiments, the quantity required 

 for the particular parcel or kind of ground, which 

 it may be desirable to enrich and fertiliz'e. On 

 very dry grounds, it may be advisable to wet the 

 gram and mix plaster, as above directed ; and 

 after harrowing, to strew on the top of the ground 

 thus sown, in a damp day, about one bushel to 

 the acre."— Ohio Stale Journal. 



A CHKAP GKEEv PAiNr.—Take four pounds of 

 Roman vitriol, and pour upon it a tea Icetlle full 

 of boihng water; when the vitriol is dissolved, add 

 two pounds of pearlash, and stir the mixture well 

 with a stick until the eflervcscence ceases ; then 

 add a quarter of a pound of pulverized yellow 

 arsenic, and stir the whole together. Lay it on 

 will, a paint brush, and if the wall has not been 

 painted before, two or three coats will be neces- 

 sary. Jf a iiea green be required put in le.ss, and 

 1 an apple green more, of the yellow arsenic. 

 Ihe cost of this paint is less than one fourth of oil 

 color, and the beauty far superior lb. 



To BOIL PEAS AND BEAMS.— That dry peas or 

 beans may readily boil soft in hard water, throw 

 a small quantity of sub-carbonate of soda, com 

 mon soda of the shops, into the vessel in which 

 they are to be boiled. 



Hay-racks should never project forward, as. 

 the animals in drawing out the hay are teased with 

 the seeds falling into their eves and ears; their 

 breath also passes through the hav, and makes it 

 unsavory. 



BofLED Flax Seed.— This is the season of 

 the year, when cattle, hor.ses, and sheep, should 

 occasionally have a little flax seed, boiled in wa- 

 ter, and mixed with their food. If they are fed 

 principally on dry food, the flax seed as well as 

 the liquid from it, is the more necessary— FaH^ce 

 rarmcr. 



Such has been the rage fov emigration amongst 

 the Lngbsh, that notwiths-anding the thousand* 

 Who have lauded in Amevica, vast nmnbers have 

 voluntanly transported t'.iemsclvcs to Botany Bav 

 hesides those who have been compelled to ga 

 thither as convicts. 



ITEMS. 



The Weather.— The present, thus far, has 

 been a most delightful winter in the 'heathen land' 

 of the West; but our exchange papers give a 

 freezing account of ths weather east of the moun- 

 tains. The first week in January is said to have 

 been attended with the most intense cold known 

 for 40 years. In Philadelphia, on the 4th, the ther- 

 mometer was 2 degrees below zero, and on the 

 •5th, It was reduced to 4. The Delaware was fro- 

 zen over. On the same days, in Newark, N. J it 

 was 13 degrees below zero ; in New York city 

 18; m Albany 32; and Boston, 9; the avera™ 

 depth of snow, about 20 inches. In lllinoi-< at 

 the present time, the average depth of— niudJ-is 

 about tlie same — Illinois Stoic Gaz. 



On Raising Lambs. — Great care should be 

 taken m raising lambs, for when they are born it 

 IS frequently the case that their fore teeth are not 

 cut, which makes it very diflicult for them to hoM 

 he teat so as to suck when young and weak, and 

 It IS common for lambs to get discouraged thou,.h 

 ever so rugged at first. To remedy this evil rub 

 the thunib nail, or other hard substance, over the 

 gums sufficiently hard to cause the teeth to cut 

 tlirough, and the lambs will then be able to s^ck 

 without any difficuhy. -Yankee Farmer. 



A Tanner and Currier in Chillicothe, Ohio, ad- 

 vertises for a foreman to conduct his business, and 

 requires of him the following qualifications: 



1st. He mu.'it have a competent knowledge of 

 the above named business. 

 I 2d. He naist not use any ardent siiirits nor 

 tobacco in any form. 



3d. He niust not make use of any profane or 

 obscene language. 



4th. He must not be out late at night, nor be 

 found in bed late in tlie mornings. 



Water Proof Varnish.— It simply consists 

 Of seneca oil and gum elastic ; one ounce of the 

 latter to be cut into thin shreds and dissolved in a 

 pint of the former, and when dissolved, which 

 will be in a few days, the boots are to be com- 

 pletely saturated or charged with the mixture 

 The manner in which I have prepared my boots is 

 as follows: I take a piece of sponge, and rub the 

 mixture in until the leather will absorb no more 

 of It ; the boots are then laid by for a day or two 

 when the j.rocess is repeated. The soles, as well 

 as the vppers, are to be thus rubbed, and the op- 

 eration IS to be performed either before the fire or 

 in the sun. Since I have adopted this plan of 

 treating my gunning boots I have never had a 

 wet foot. It imparts an elastic pliancy to the 

 leather, which, without the least exaggeration 

 would make one pair last as long as two which 

 had not been so prepared.— .-Jmcn'can Turf Ree^- 

 ister. * 



Mr Pettigrcw, an eminent surgeon, states that 

 tobacco is the only medicine that has yet ever ar 

 rested the progress of hydrophobia. 



