216 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



July 



chimney of the factory furnace, and compelled 

 every occupant, whether willing or unwilling, to 

 be exposed daily and nightly to a draught of air. 

 The result was, that sickness of every kind rap- 

 idly diminished, and one disease — typhus fever — 

 which had frequently raged as an epidemic, be- 

 came for eight years "scarcely known to the place." 



In 1832, at Norwood School, in Englan'^1, scrof- 

 ula made its appearance among six hundred chil- 

 dren, and destroyed a great number of them. 

 The disorder having been attributed to an insuffi- 

 ciency and bad quality of food, a scientific inves- 

 tigation was made, and a decision given that the 

 food was "most abundant and good" — that "de- 

 fective ventilation, and consequent'atmospheric 

 impurity," was the cause of the sickness. A thor- 

 ough system of ventilation was immediately ap- 

 plied, and scrofula rapidly disappeared, nor did it 

 ever recur, though the number of pupils was grad- 

 ually increased to eleven hundred. 



In a hospital at Dublin, 2944 deaths took place 

 in four years. A better system of ventilation 

 having been resorted to, as a means of lessening 

 the mortality, it was found that during the next 

 four years the number of deaths was only 279. 



The above facts are merely selected from a long 

 array of similar character, which tend to show the 

 paramount importance of breathing an uncorrupt- 

 ed atmosphere. It is certainly no exaggeration 

 to say that were the public as particular as they 

 should be, and easily might be, about the quality 

 of that subtle fluid, v.hich enters and departs from j 

 an average pair of human lungs about a thousand | 

 times in an hour, and nearly nine million times in 

 a year, the bills of human mortality would be re- 

 duced one-third at least, and the average duration 

 of human life be nearer seventy than forty. — G. 

 B. "WiNDsniP, Park Sired, in Boston Medical and 

 Surgical Journal. 



SHEEP HUSBAIfDET. 

 We are happy to learn that a new work upon 

 Sheq} Hu-shandnj is soon to be published by J. B. 

 LiPPi>xoTT & Co., and D. D. T. Moore, of 

 Rochester, N. Y. No book for farmers is more 

 needed. Indeed, so great has been the want that 

 we have suggested to one or two persons to pre- 

 pare such a work at once. It is to be prepared 

 by the Hon. Henry S. Randall, the author of 

 the only work at present on Sheep Husbandry of 

 much value. Mr. Randall has had large experi- 

 ence, which, combined with a life of critical obser- 

 vation in this particular direction, will enable him 

 to present a great deal of valuable information on 

 a highly important subject. "We look for it with 

 interest, as it will undoubtedly be as full and 

 complete as his knowledge and industry can make 

 it. 



To Prevent the Rotting of Wood. — In 

 order to prevent the rotting of wood whenever it 

 comes in contact with the ground, such as posts 

 and jiiles ; a certain paint is now used which has 

 the hardness of stone, resists dampness and is 

 quite cheap. It is composed as follows : Fifty 

 parts resin, forty parts finely powdered chalk, 

 (ihniit. fhrpfi hundred parts of fine, hard sand, four 



parts of linseed oil, one part of red oxide of lead, 

 and one part of sulphuric acid mixed together. 

 The rosin, chalk, sand and oil are heated together, 

 and the red lead and sulphuric acid added. They 

 are then carefully mixed and the composition is 

 applied while hot, and when cold and dry forms a 

 varnish the hardness of stone. If the mixture is 

 too thick, add more linseed oil. A smaller quan- 

 tity than the above can be made by using the 

 parts in a reduced proportion. 



A HORSE PITCHFORK. 

 Among the labor-saving implements on the 

 farm, the Horse Pitchfork is said to be one of great 

 merit. We have never seen it in use, and cannot 

 therefore, speak of its merits from a personal 

 knowledge of it. The next best thing that we 

 can do, however, is to give the testimony of our 

 practical and excellent friends, the Editors of the 



Country Gentleman, who "wouldn't flatter Nep- 

 tune for his trident," but who speak of this fork 

 in high terms of commendation. They say : — 



"AVe have seen in operation no less than seven 

 diflerent horse hay-forks, some of which we had 

 considered good ones, and which do operate well. 

 But when we saw the fork exhibited at Roches- 

 ter, by N. Palmer, Greenville, Greene Co., N. Y., 

 all others were left clear in the shade. It is de- 

 cidedly the most perfect implement, in the line of 

 horse and haj'-forks, that has ever been made. 

 There is no chance for improvement in it; and 

 one of the most commendable features in its man- 

 ufacture is, the price. We have no interest, 

 whatever, in the manufacture or sale of this kind 

 of horse-forks, and we are not even acquainted 

 with the proprietor of it. But we know it to be 

 an implement that will never fail to give the best 

 of satisfaction." 



Numerous testimonials say, 



"It exceeds our utmost expectation, it is con- 

 venient to handle — the best yet invented — can be 

 worked by a boy of fifteen years of age — will pitch 

 hay and loose grain, better, easier and quicker than 

 any other horse fork — that it will save its cost in 

 a single harvest, and in "catching" weather, in a 

 single day. This fork is adapted to pitcSiinirfrom 



