vor,. x<ti. NO. 0. 



AND HORTICUT. TURAL REGISTER 



67 



ANIMAL FOOD. 



Jinny facts could be adduced to prove that an 

 elusive diet of animal liesli is amply sufficient 



heiillliy milrition. Sir Francis Head relates 

 nc interustiiig particulars respecting the (Jau- 

 38, inhabitants of the Pampas, in South Ameri- j 



which have nn important bearing on this (pies- 

 n. After stating that they often continue on 

 rseback day afler day, galloping over their bound- i 

 s plains, under a burning sun, and performing 

 lors almost of an incredible description, he re- 

 rks : " As the constant food of the Guacho is [ 

 f and water, his constitution is so strong that he | 

 able to endure great fatigue, and the distances 



will ride, and the number of hours he will re- 

 in on horseback, would hardly be credited." 

 ■ Francis Head also brings his own personal e."c- 

 rience in proof of the correctness of the above 

 tement. " When I first crossed the Pampas," 

 remarks, " I went with a carriage, and although 

 lad been accustomed to riding all my life, I could 

 t at all ride with the Perons, (drivers of the car- 

 ge,) and after galloping five or six hours, was 

 lirred to get into the carriage; but after I had 

 !!n riding for three or four months, and had lived 

 :)n beef and water, I found myself in a certain 

 iidition, which I can only describe by saying that 

 elt no exertion could kill me. For a week I 

 uld daily be upon my horse before sunrise, and 

 e till two or three hours after sunset, and have 

 illy tired out ten or twelve hours. This will ex- 

 lin the immense distances which the people in 

 uth America are said to ride, which could only 



done on beef and water." There are numerous 

 :ts of a similar kind which might be quoted, but,. 

 ; fact that an exclusive diet of animal food is 

 ly sufficient to sustain the physical powers, is 

 ) well established to need further proof. — Dr. 

 e. 



POTATO STARCH. 

 We find in the Cleveland Herald, the following 

 ;thod of making potato starch, which it says is 

 3 veritable Arrow-root, so highly valued for in- 

 lids: 



" Take a dozen large and smooth mealy pota- 

 !;s, wash them, and then carefully pare off all 

 3 rind. Next grate them fine with a suitable 



I grater. The pulp must bo mixed with a pail- 



II of cold water, and thoroughly agitated and 

 ueezed by the hand or any suitable instrument, 



the same time throwing away the fibrous mat- 

 •, and permitting the starch to sink to the bottom 

 tho vessel. This must have a fresh washing in 

 Id water, till the pure farina is obtained free 

 )m all other matter. This should be spread on 

 rlhcn dishes, and dried in a warm, airy situation. 

 The good housewife will exclaim, ' Why, this is 

 thing but potato starch.' True, it is not — nor 

 ve you used any other article under the name of 

 row-root, for the sick members of your family, 

 DUgh you may have purchased it at the rate of 

 vera! shillings per pound." 

 By proper modes of cooking, known to every 

 irsc and housekeeper, this article becomes a de- 

 jhtful beverage for invalids weak of digestive 

 iwcrs ; while as a pleasant dietary, even to per- 

 ns in good health, it possesses a strong attrac- 

 )n. — Jlnicr. Jlgricul. 



The Messrs. Reybold, of Delaware, have sent to 

 c New York market this season, upwards of 

 ),000 baskets of the finest peaches. 



INFLUENCE OF THE PARENTS ON THE 

 SEX OF THE OFFSPRING. 



The American Agriculturist copies the follow- 

 ing curious observations on this subject from a 

 British journal : 



"The influence exerted by the relative age of 

 the parents in determining the sex of the offtipring, 

 I think I shall show to bo considerable, all other 

 things, as health, and condition, nature of food, iScc. 

 being equal. 



If tho male is younger than the female, or if 

 they are of the same age, the oflTspring will proba- 

 bly be female. 



If the male is hut very little older, a few months 

 or a few years, according to the longevity of the 

 kind of animal, the sex will be doubtful, and prob- 

 ably depend on their relative heiallh and strength 

 at the time of impregnation. 



And lastly, if the male be considerably older 

 than the female, while yet his animal powers are 

 undiminished in vigor, the greater the difference, 

 the more likely will it be that the offsprihg shall 

 be male. 



The following table is illustrative of the rela- 

 tive influence of ihe age of the parent on the sex 

 of the oflTspring. This table is drawn up from the 

 records of the British peerage, where, of course, 

 every particular of marriages and births has been 

 for ages recorded. 

 Where the husbands were younger than the wives, 

 to 100 girls were born 86 boys. 

 " " of the same age as the wives, 



to 100 girls were born 94 boys. 

 " " older from 1 to 6 years, 



to 100 girls were born 103 " 

 « " older from 6 to 11 years, 



to 100 girls were born 126 " 

 » •' older from 1 1 to 16 years, 



to 100 girls were born 147 " 



It will at once be seen that the influence shown 

 by this table is too striking to bo the result of 

 chance. It is drawn up from the ages alone, with- 

 out taking into consideration any secondary causes, 

 and yet notwithstanding this, the probability is 

 shown to be nearly as high as three to two in the 

 extreme. Now, should the analogy hold good be- 

 tween man and domestic animals, {and there is 

 every reason to believe it does, in a great measure, 

 with such as produce one or rarely more at a birth,) 

 I think it will be granted me, that this influence is 

 sufficiently great to demand our attention. This, 

 however, is the point at issue, which I hope your 

 readers will aid in solving. 



That the relative condition of the health and 

 strength of the parent animals at the time of im- 

 pregnation, should have some considerable influ- 

 ence in determining tho eex of the ofl'spring, where 

 the age is equal, it is easy to conceive, but very 

 difficult to prove. I have no facts to offer on this 

 head, but the very marked manner in which the 

 offspring in other respects sometimes takes after 

 ono parent, sometimes after the other, successively, 

 is strong presumptive evidence that such would be 

 the case with reference to the sex." 



Beautiful Toast. — The following beautiful toast 

 was given at the celebration of the 4th of July, by 

 tho Literary Institute of Pittsburg : 



By John Fitzsimons. Washingtow — Provi- 

 dence left him childless, that the Nation might 

 call him Father. 



[Some paper says this toast was stolen from an 

 Oration by Col. Knapp, at Newburyport, years ago.] 



Industry. — The following anecdote may give en- 

 couragement to the industrious : 



Not long ago, a country gentleman had an es- 

 tate of £200 a year, which he kept in his own 

 hands until he found himself so much in debt, that 

 to satisfy his creditors he was obliged to sell the 

 half and let the remainder to a f>rmer for twenty 

 years. Towards the expiralion of the lease, tho 

 farmer coming one day to pay his r''nt, asked the 

 gentleman whether he would sell his farm. " Why, 

 will you buy it.-'" said the gentleman. "If you 

 will part with it, and we can agree," replied the 

 farmer. " That is exceedingly strange," said the 

 gentleman. "Pray tell me how it happens that, 

 while I could not live upon twice as much land, 

 for which I paid no rent, you are regularly paying 

 me a hundred pounds a year for rent, and arc able 

 in a few years to purchase the farm ?" "The rea- 

 son is plain," replied the farmer : " you sat still and 

 said go — I got up and said come ; — you laid in 

 bed and enjoyed your estate — I rose in the morn- 

 ing and minded my business." — Eyiglish pap. 



Salting Horses. — A curious fact is mentioned in 

 Parker's Treatise on Salt. " A person who feept 

 sixteen farming horses, made the following experi- 

 ment with seven of them which had been accus- 

 tomed to eat salt with their food. Lumps of rock 

 salt were laid in their mangers, and these lumps, 

 previously weighed, were examined weekly, to as- 

 certain what quantity had been consumed, and it 

 was repeatedly found that whenever these horses 

 were fed on hay and corn, they consumed only 

 about 2 1-4 or 3 ounces per day ; but that when 

 they were fed with new hay, they took six ounces 

 per day." This should convinpo us of the expedi- 

 ency of permitting our cattle the free use of salt 

 at all times ; and it cannot be given in so conve- 

 nient a form as rock salt, it being much more pal- 

 atable than the other article in a refined state, and 

 by far cheaper. A good lump should always be 

 kept in a box by the side of the animal, without 

 fear that it will be taken to excess. — Selected. 



Curious. — In excavating for a reservoir on the 

 common this week, a live toad and several frogs 

 were exhumed at a depth of several feet. They 

 were imbedded in earth so solid that a pick in the 

 hands of a stout man, would penetrate but an inch 

 or two. On being thrown out, they discovered as 

 much activity as toads and frogs in common. In 

 complexion they assimilated very closely to the 

 soil in the midst of which they were found. Such 

 discoveries are not rare, and are well attested. 

 The same animals have been found alive in trees 

 under many years' growth, and even in the solid 

 rock, with what must have taken nearly half a cen- 

 tury to form, inclosing them. — Darre Gaz. 



Good. — It will be a happy day for tho church, 

 when her cler;.'y and laity shall plant themselves 

 firmly upon these four principles : That wealth can 

 be lawfully and innocently gotten by labor. That 

 in the choice of rulers, virtue and wisdom are to 

 be preferred to party. That education is not a 

 mere acquisition of knowledge, but includes moral 

 and religious training. That the religion of Christ 

 is not the fruit of excitement, but of scriptural in- 

 structions, united with prayer and watchfulness. 

 Such principles would, in these days, make her 

 membera what the Scripture says all Christiana 

 ought to be — " a peculiar people."— BwAo;? Elliot, 

 of Georgia. 



