552 



NEW ENGLAND FARI^IER. 



Dec. 



lungs. Sulphurous acid always escapes along 

 with the other gases from burning coals. 



It was supposed formerly that carbonic acid 

 was a poisonous product, but it is now known 

 not to be, but is, nevertheless, fatal to human 

 life, when inhaled, as it operates to exclude 

 oxygen from the respiratory apparatus. A 

 person can be drowned in carbonic acid as well 

 as in water. 



But carbonic oxide is a destructive poison, 

 and certainly and rapidly fatal to animal exis- 

 tence even -when largely diluted with air. 

 When coals are burned slowly and imperfectly, 

 large quantities of this gas are formed, and if 

 it escapes into rooms, even in minute amounts, 

 headache, verligo, lassitude, are sure to result. 



Physicians in searching for th ; causes of ill- 

 health in patients should not overlook the 

 fruitful sources connected with the apparatus 

 for household Avarmth. Examine the stoves, 

 we say. Is the draught good? Are the 

 dampers properly adjusted? Is the ventila- 

 tion of rooms such as it should be? Look 

 well to the stoves and furnaces. — Journal of 

 Pharmacy and Chemistry. 



MAKING "WINE. 



We notice that there is considerable discus- 

 sion indulged in in various parts of the coun- 

 try on the subject of wine- making, and that 

 there is much diversity of opinion as to how it 

 should be made. Some even claim that there 

 should be not only a liberal supply of sugar 

 but of alcohol. It is well known that twenty- 

 five years ago there was little Madeira made 

 in its native island that iiad not an infusion of 

 brandy, on the score that it would not other- 

 wise "keep." But that idea has long been 

 exploded, and neither brandy or sugar is now 

 used in Europe in the manufacture of wine. 

 The pure juice of the grape only is used. 

 They cultivate the grape suitable to the soil 

 and climate, and in that, and in the care of ex- 

 pressing and fermenting, the whole secret lies. 

 VVe have no grape in this region from v/hich 

 we can make drinkable wine without sugar to 

 supply the want of saccharine matter in the 

 fruit. But this artificial ttpplicatiou to the 

 "musf" is a very poor substitute. Tlie truth 

 is we have our doubts if any really fine wine can 

 be made East of the Mississippi. Portions of 

 Missouri, Kansas, the "Indian Territory," 

 and so through New Mexico to the Pacific 

 coast, good wine may be obtained. Cali- 

 fornia and some ol'the adjoining regions, par- 

 ticularly, will probably become a great wine 

 country, and may even rival the best districts 

 of Europe. VVe may hit upon a grape even 

 here in Pennsylvania that may suit the soil and 

 climate, but it seems next to impossible that 

 in this latitude with our short seasons we 

 shall ever discover a grape with the necessary 

 proportion of sugar, and without it it is useless 

 to attempt to make gc;od wine. — Germantown, 

 Pa., 2'clcgrajjh. 



THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR. 



HE withering herbage, the fall- 

 ing leaf, the frosts and the chil- 

 ly winds remind us that the 

 year is drawing to its close. Na- 

 ture has done her day's work, and 

 is preparing for her night of rest. 

 The spring came with its singing 

 birds, and buds of promise, clothed 

 in its robe of green, bedecked with brilliant 

 flowers, and fragrant with perfumed breath, 

 cheering all hearts with the inspiration of hope, 

 and stimulating all life into renewed activity. 

 The summer has ended and the harvest has 

 been garnered, and now, arrived at this station 

 on our journey, it is appropriate to halt, and 

 cast a retrospective glance at the year that is 

 passing away. 



In the northern parts of the country, the 

 spring was cold and wet, and it was later than 

 usual before the soil was prepared for the re- 

 ception of the seed, and as the temperature 

 has been somewhat below the average, through 

 the summer, both the early and the later har- 

 vests were from ten to fourteen days later than 

 usual. 



A section of country north of the Ohio river 

 has suffered from drought, which has injured 

 the corn and the late pasturage. 



But taking the country at large, the crops 

 have been abundant, and of fine quality. The 

 crops of hay, wheat, oats and corn were never 

 larger or better. Barley and buckwheat are a 

 little below the average. The continued mois- 

 ture has rendered the pastures luxuriant, and 

 preserved them green almost to the present 

 time, so that the cattle and sheep have re- 

 quired no feeding from the barn, and the en- 

 tire forage crop is on hand for the winter's 

 ubc. Beef cattle and sheep have come from 

 the pastures in very fine condition, and thus 

 the country has a good supply of provisions 

 for the cold season before us. 



The crop of grain in the entire South was 

 remarkably good, and much larger than they 

 have been accustomed to make. The cotton 

 crop, according to all accounts, is much better 

 than was anticipated, amounting to between 

 two and three millions of bales, nearly as largo 

 a crop as it is desirable that this country . 

 should raise at present. It is probably not 

 best for the world that its markets should de- 



