148 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April. 
dipped for a minute or two into tlie galvanic silver- 
ing solution, giving it a perfect but very thin coat. 
The truth is, that a very large proportion of 
the plated ware sold, is but very slightly coated. A 
silver dollar can, by the above plating process, be 
so spread out as to give an actual silver covering to 
thousands of yards of surface, while by a continua- 
tion of the same process, it may all be deposited on a 
square inch. The thickness of the layer depends 
wholly ui)on the will of the manufacturer. Silver 
deposited at the rate of half an ounce (50 cents) on 
a gross (144) Teaspoons, will allow burnishiug the 
same as pure silver. The ordinary cheap plated 
ware runs }.j to 1 ounce to the gross. Common 
fair plate is 3 ounces to the gross. Good plate 4 
ounces. The best phite, or " Shcffleld Plate " is at 
the rate of 8 ounces of silver to 13 dozen teaspoons. 
This, on white metal, will wear next to solid silver; 
and as the work is but slightly increased in making 
the best, this is by f.ir the cheapest to purchase. 
The plain inference from the above is, that it is 
only safe to purchase such ware of men well known 
for integrity and reliability. In this, as in all other 
departments of trade, integrity and genuine Chris- 
tian principle are of the highest importance to the 
business man himself, and to his customers. 
In buying plated ware, it is important not only to 
obtain a good tliick plate that will endure wear, but 
also to secure the body or Ijase metal as near like 
silver as possible. The best plating will in time 
wear off at the corners, or at points where it is 
most exposed. If the base metal be copper, brass, 
or inferior German silver, the least abrasion of the 
silver coat will be shown ; while on a white base, 
the loss of the silver coating will not be noticed, 
except upon careful inspection. A white metal, 
well plated, is only second in value to a solid silver 
article. The same remarks apply to gilded, as to 
silvered articles. (The Tea Sets, in our Premium 
list, were offered with the greater confidence, be- 
cause we know the manufacturer, and because they 
are plated upon a very white metal.) 
Teach the Children to Draw. 
Nearly all children show a propensity to make 
pictures on their slates, or on pieces of paper. This 
should be encouraged. It should not be allowed 
to engross time devoted to other school lessons, 
but should come in rather as recreation. Their 
pictures will doubtless at first be rather uncouth — 
houses top-sided .and topsy-turvy, trees stiff and 
dead, the men and women any thing but ideals of 
grace and beauty. You may smile at these rude 
beginnings, but don't discourage them. One or 
more of these children may develop into artists of 
eminence; and all of them may at least become 
men and women of taste and judgment. 
This fondness for drawing should be guided by a 
teacher. Give the piupils a few elementary lessons. 
First, teach them to draw straight lines, and then 
to connect them into squares, triangles, etc. Next, 
teach them to make curves, circles, etc. Proceed 
from this to making fences, houses, trees, .animals, 
rocks, and the like. The majority of the pupils will 
not care to go any further in " the fine art." A few, 
however, will go on, and go beyond the lead of 
parent and school-teacher; they will need no 
further encouragement ; indeed, you cannot hold 
them bacli. Watch the career of such, and you ere 
long may perhaps hear of the exploits of a 
Cole, a Durand, a Kensett, or a Huntington. 
Yet it is not so much after all for these geniuses 
that we would urge giving attention to drawing, as 
for the majority, who will thereby learn to observe, 
will cultivate their ideas of proportion, fitness and 
beauty. The mechanic, the farmer, every man of 
business, has frequent occasion to make drawings 
of objects, and it is of great value to him to be able 
to do so without employing a professional draughts- 
man. Almost every body travels now-a-days, and 
it is very useful and pleasant to be able to make 
sketches of the scenery through which one is pas- 
sing, even if it be but in outliue. By all means, let 
the children draw, and teach them how to do it. 
Vinegar from Sorghum. 
J. S. Coles, of New Jersey, writes to the American 
Agriculturist : " Some five or six years ago I raised 
a lot of cane for the purpose of making molasses, 
but as we had no Evpaorators here then, we did 
not succeed in making a good article. I let one 
barrel (:38'.j gals.) of the juice as it came from the 
cane remain in the barrel for nearly a year without 
examining it, when I found it to be fair vinegar; 
the next summer it was a splendid .article. We 
put up our pickles, peppers, tomatoes, etc., with 
it, and it kept them well. We have been using it 
ever since with equal success ; for table nse wo 
weaken with water, as it Is too sour of itself." 
Cellars Poisonous. — At this season of the 
year, it should be specially remembered that the 
cellar of a dwelling house is very likely to be a 
source of disease to the whole family. The rem- 
nants of vegetables stored during the winter begin 
to decay on the approach of warm weather, and the 
exh.alations from these, with the chilly dampness, 
are liable to produce sickness. Many a family has 
attributed to "Providence" the disease caused by 
the poisonous miasms arising from the neglected 
cellar. Every cellar should at all times be kept 
clean by the remov.al of all vestiges of decaying 
vegetables, fruits, and food. A coat of strong lime 
white-wash upon the walls and ceiling, at least 
once a year, or better twice a year, will add greatly 
not only to the healthfuluess of the cellar, but 
will also make it much lighter and more cheerful. 
Unbolted Floiii- the IVIost Ilealtli- 
fnl.— Having been raised iu a. good wheat coimtry, 
we can not well overcome an early attachment to 
" mother's nice white bread." Yet science plainly 
teaches that the most healthful bread is made from 
wheat ground without separating the bran. The 
coarser portions of the bran keeps the finer particles 
of flour separated, so that the gastric juice of the 
stomach more readily penetrates and dissolves the 
mass, and hence is better for digestion. These 
coarser p.articles .also promote the healthful action 
of the intestines, and prevent constipation, which 
is one of the prolific causes of disease iu these days. 
It would be far better, doubtless, if every flour bolt 
were removed from onr grist-mills, and people 
consumed the meal of the whole wheat kernels, 
just as the several parts are combined naturally. 
Taste depends mainly upon habit; those accus- 
tomed to the unbolted flour eat it with a relish. 
Value of Apples as Food. — Liebig says : 
" The importance of apples as food has not hitherto 
been sutflcieutly estimated or understood. Besides 
contributing a large proportion of sugar, mucilage, 
and other nutritive compounds in the form of food, 
they contain such a flue combination of vegetable 
acids, extractive substances, and aromatic prin- 
ciples, with the nutritive matter, as to act power- 
fully in the capacity of refrigerants, tonics, and 
antiseptics, and when freely used, at the season of 
ri})eiicss, by rural laborers and others, they prevent 
debility, strengthen digestion, correct the putrefac- 
tive tendencies of nitrogenous food, avert scurvy, 
and probably maintain and strengthen the power 
of in'oductivc labor." — The same qualities are found 
in most other ripe fruits. — Suggestion. To day 
we bought at a fruit stand an apple of moderate 
size .and of fair eating quality, for which we paid 
flve cents. Will it not pay to plant more apple 
trees, so long .as the short supply enables retailera 
to get half a dime apiece, even in scarce seasons ? 
Cranberry Sauoe.— To3 quarts cranber- 
ries carefully picked over, well mashed and draiued, 
and placed iu a kettle, ajd 3 quarts of crushed or 
best Santa Cruz siigar ; add 1 quart boiling water ; 
stew them quickly till they are thoroughly cooked; 
turu them into moulds, if you choose. Do not stir 
them while cooking, but shake the kettle round. 
Put alternately fruit and sugar. It is a great mis- 
take to cook them till they lose their splendid color. 
1B(DYS <k iHIEILS' ©OjLimif §0 
Xlie Oame or Checkers or I>raiig:bts. 
Historical. — (Continued from page 107.) — The modern 
Egyptians, who use I'ieces similar lo llieir predecessors, 
play the game as in (his countrv and Grent Britain. By 
the Greelts. the invention of Draught?;, as well as of dice, 
and many other things, was poetically ascribed to Pala- 
medes. one of the heroes in the expedition against Troy, 
1193 B. C. Pl;ito, however, attributes Ihe invention to 
the Egyptian. Theuth. Homer, in Hie Odyssey describ- 
ing Minerva's arrival at the p:thice<>f Ulysses, in Iiliaca, 
says: "There she found the hnughly suitors, some of 
them were amusing themselves befo:e the gales. Avith 
Draughts setting upon the hides nf oxen they had stolen. 
LAWS or THE GAME. — ( Continued from pos^c 101.) 
10. After tiie first move has heen made, if eillicr play- 
er arranges any piece, without giving inlimaticm to his 
opponent, he shall forfeit the game ; but. if it i? his turn 
to play, he may avoid the penalty by playing that piece, 
if possible. 
11. After the pieces have been arranged, if the petson 
whose turn it is to play, touch one, he must play it or 
forfeit the game. Wlien tiie piece is not playable, he 
forfeits according to the preceding law. 
12. If any pait of a ptayalile piece be played over 
an angle of the square on which it is stationed, tlie play- 
must be completed in that direction. 
POSITION NO. 4.— TO BE WORKED OUT. 
Black 
wniie. 
White to ptay and win. 
Solution to Position No. 3. iSee March Xo. 
fagt 
107.) 
Black. 
Whiti. Black. 
White. 
1— 1 10 
5 
9 to 11 
22—24 to 
27 
2S 
to 24 
2— 5 " 
9 
11 ■' 15 
23-27 •• 
32 
24 
■• 28 
3- 9 •• 
14 
15 " 11 
24—32 •■ 
27 
28 
•• 32 
4—14 ■■ 
IS 
11 " 16 
2:1-27 •■ 
24 
32 
" 23 
D— 18 ■■ 
15 
16 " 20 1 
20—24 ■' 
19 
28 
•■ 33 
6-15 ■• 
11 
20 ■' 24 i 
27—19 " 
15 
32 
" 28 
■— 3 ■• 
7 
24 " 19 
28—15 •' 
10 
2S 
" 24 
S- 7 '^ 
10 
19 " 23 
29— in •■ 
6 
24 
" 1-9 
9—10 ■' 
15 
23 " 27 
3U— 14 " 
10 
19 
'• 24 
10—15 '• 
19 
27 " 32 i 
31—10 '■ 
15 
24 
" 28 
11—19 '• 
24 
32 " 2S ' 
.-2—15 •• 
19 
23 
" 32 
12—24 " 
27 
28 " 32 
33—19 " 
24 
32 
" 28 
13-27 •■ 
SI 
32 " 2S 
34-11 •• 
16 
28 
" 19 
14-31 •• 
27 
28 " 32 
35—16 " 
23 
12 
■' 8 
J 5— 27 •' 
23 
32 " 28 
36-23 " 
IS 
8 
.. 4 
16— a.'! •• 
IS 
28 •' 24 
S7— 18 ■' 
14 
4 
•• 8 
17-18 •■ 
14 
24 " 19 
33- 6 " 
1 
8 
" 11 
IS- 6 " 
10 
19 •' 23 
39—14 " 
9 
13 
•' 6 
19—1(1 " 
15 
23 •' 27 
40- 1 " 
10 
11 
■■ 16 
20-15 •• 
19 
27 '" 32 
41-10 " 
15 
16 
■• 20 
•JI— 19 •• 
24 
42-15 " 
19 and wins 
.(a) 
(a) It 1 
equi 
es every move made in the 
soUlti 
m lo 
win. Various 
stJiges of tliis position 
frequently occur, 
but this is 
placed f;ii- back pniposely. 
OAME NO 
. 4.— LAIRD AND LADY 
OPENING {*) 
Black 
While. Black. 
fVhite. 
1-11 tn 
15 
23 lo 19 20— to 10 
ff)27 
to 24 
2— S " 
11 
■J2 " 17 
21-11 
• 15 
" 7 
3- 9 •■ 
13 
17 •■ 14 
22-10 
• 14 
19 
•^ 10 
4-14 " 
17 
21 " 14 
23- S 
' 11 
7 
■• 16 
ij — 15 '* 
18 
26 •' 53 
24—12 
■ 28 
10 
•■ 6 
6-13 •• 
17 
19 •• 15 
25— 2S 
' 32 
6 
2 
7-4 " 
8 
(a)24 " 19 
26-32 
' 2S 
2 
•■ 6 
S- 6 ■• 
9 
•-■8 •' 24 
27—14 
• IS 
6 
■• 10 
9— S " 
6 
(6125 '■ 21 
28-13 
' 23 
10 
" 14 
10- 9 •• 
13 
«;j32 •■ 28 
29—23 
' 27 
31 
" 24 
11—17 " 
22 
15 •• 10 
30-28 
• 19 
14 
•■ 17 
12— 6 " 
15 
19 " in 
31—22 
• 20 
30 
" 16 
lS-11 "/ 
14—15 •' 
lb{d) 24 " 19 
32—13 
' 52 
16 
" 11 
54 
2S " 19 
33-22 
' 26 
11 
„ , 
15- 7 •' 
11 
(f)14 •• 9 
34—26 ■ 
' SO 
7 
" 2 
16- 5 •' 
14 
10 " 7 
' .■!5— 30 
' 26 
•1 
" 6 
17— 3 ■' 
10 
21 •• 17 
30—26 
' 22 
5 
•• 9 
18-14 •■ 
21 
23 " 7 
37-21 
' ?5 
9 
•■ 13 
19- 1 " 
6 
(/) 7 •• 3 
CS-25 ' 
• 30- 
ind wins by 
the same play of Position No. 2 
(•) Is so called from the fact of ils being the favoiite 
of Lord and Lady C:ither. of Scotland, over seventy years 
ago. It is formed by the first five moves, (o) 23 to 19, 
(haws, (i; 15 to ]o; or 32 to 2S draws, (c) 30 to 25, 
draws, (fit TJ to 1(5, While wins, (e) 21 to 17. draws. 
30 to 2.1. Biack wins. ( f) 27 lo 24. draws, (g) 27 to 23, 
draws. The move in game (27 to 24) loses. 
