1863.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
375. 
wire for a line, and it is now in use as good as the 
day it was put up : it never rusts or mildews, 
shrinks, or stretches. Tinned wire will not answer: 
it must be ziuc-galvanized. The first cost is no 
more than hemp, and it will last always." 
From the New England Farmer. 
"West's Improved Pump."* 
Editors of Neii) England Farmer : — I can give Mr. 
Geo. C. Noycs the information that lie wants. Per- 
haps in doing so I shall give a good many other 
persons some useful knowledge about 'pumps for 
farm use. If so, I shall be doing some good. In 
doing so, I may benefit the pump maker as well, 
but what of that ? He is one who has done much 
for the beuefit of others, by his powers of in- 
vention. So let us reciprocate. 
West's improved pump is au anti-freezing pump. 
I have proved this four years. The only protec- 
tion ever given is to open a small vent below the 
platform before freezing weather. This lets the 
water down from the spout in a miuute or two 
after using the pump, but au extra stroke or 
two will fill the pipe again. In Summer this 
vent is plugged. In four years this pump has not 
required four cents' worth of repairs, though in 
daily use, often to the extent of many barrels a 
day, for the use of two houses aud barn, neighbors 
and travelers. It is a good pump— the best I ever 
used. It does work easily — so easily that small 
children can always get water. It is not liable to 
get out of order. It is both a suction and force 
pump. I have a hose to screw on the muzzle, 
through which I can throw water wherever I please. 
There is also a place below the platform where a 
pipe can be attached, through which water can be 
forced any distance. 
I have another of West's pumps in my kitchen, 
which draws water from a cistern twenty feet dis- 
tant. This is like the one spoken of by you. The 
working part of the pipe will not freeze. The pipe 
below the pump requires protection. This, though 
in use continually, has never had a cent expended 
for repairs in four years, and it is but little more 
trouble to get water than it would be to draw it 
from a cock, it works so easily. 
There may be other pumps equally good. I hope 
there are. The more the better. I don't know 
them ; I do this, and give it this unqualified recom- 
mendation, for the beuefit of others — of all farmers. 
Near New York, Oct. 14, 1863. SOLON KOBINSON. 
* This pump is manufactured by the inventor, Mr. J. D. 
West, 179 Broadway, New York City, who will doubt- 
less send descriptive circulars to all applying for them. 
Washing Machine Queries. 
Letters without number are coming to hand, 
which we cannot find time to answer individually. 
We are weary of testing these machines, having 
tried a new one every few weeks for many years 
past. We have not, of course, tried every one of 
the thousand patented washing machines ; but the 
only one which has stood the test with us for any 
length of time is the "Nonpareil." Doty's ma- 
chine we have now under trial, and it promises 
well. The washing part is similar to that of the 
Nonpareil, while the operators seem to like the 
motion, which resembles the old-fashioned up and 
down washboard movement of the arms. Our first 
impression would be to call it one of the best, if 
not the best machine we have seen, but we have 
long since come to the conclusion to recommend 
no machine which has not been proved by long and 
thorough trial. Several years ago Ave thought the 
Metropolitan washing machine to be just the 
thing, and we still believe the principle — the com- 
bination of pestles on springs — to be better than 
anything else yet invented. But long trial develop- 
ed the fact that working the pounder at arms' end, 
was too much like lifting a ladder, or working with 
the short arm of a lever, to adapt it to general use 
by the weaker sex. If strong men did all the 
washing, we would say get the Metropolitan. The 
balance wheel of the Nonpareil relieves the con- 
stant strain upon the muscles. The only difficulty 
is that those habituated to the up and down motion 
in using a washboard, do not at once take to the 
crank movement. When the muscles become 
accustomed to it, the Nonpareil is much liked. The 
movement of Doty's machine will be a strong re- 
commendation of it to that class who do not like to 
change their habits. Either of the machines 
named is a labor saver and a clothes saver, as com- 
pared with the washboard, and anything to Eave 
time on washing day6, is certain]}' very desirable. 
To Our Voting- Readers. 
Wei], we have had pleasant times together for a year 
past ! Although we could visit you but once a month, few, 
circles, if any, have had more agreeable and interesting 
entertainments than we have enjoyed together. We have 
laughed over the stories, puzzled our brains with the 
problems, learned curious and interesting facts in the Bot- 
any of common plants, and altogether have had much 
real .pleasure and profit. But we are reminded by our 
subscription books, that some 60,000 of our nearly 90,000 
subscribers, are now receiving the last visit which we 
have been invited to make. In the families of these sub- 
scribers there must of course be two or three Hundred 
thousand girls and boys, or more, and we are glad to 
know, from hundreds of letters received, and from what 
parents tell us daily, that the American Agriculturist is 
the especial delight of the young people. That is just 
what we like to hear, and is just as it should be. This 
paper is for the Household— all of it. If we can interest, 
instruct, and improve the growing people, the boys and 
girls, our ambition will be greatly gratified. We want to 
see the next generation better than the present one, 
and to do all we possibly can to help in making it so. 
Shall we say good-bye to any one of you ? Cer- 
tainly not. Our "school" keeps right on without va- 
cations— the pupils say Agriculturist school hours are 
as pleasant as any "vacation."— The young folks do 
not have ail the pleasure to themselves. What should 
we do without their company ? How blank and desolate 
would our own home be, if the group of little ones were 
not there to greet us on our return from each day's weary 
labors. How lonely the rooms would be if we found 
not the sleepers there as we passed through them, the 
last thing before retiring at night, as is our custom, to see 
that all are "tucked up' snugly, and resting quietly. 
How dull the waking hours if we missed the taps at the 
door and the pleasant " Good morning papa." Cheerless 
would be the breakfast circle if there were no occupants 
for the little and larger chairs around to the right and left. 
Perhaps we could endure it if our household was 
made up wholly of grown people, but we are glad it is 
not— we almost wish the little ones would not grow large. 
Our greatest desire is that they shall grow up wise and 
good. The same feelings that go out to our own little ones, 
and to the larger circle that greet us on Sunday after- 
noons, are in a measure extended to that still greater com- 
pany of children and youth who make up the Agricul- 
turist family. They are scattered, it is true, over the 
broad expanse from the Atlantic to the Pacific, but when 
we sit down to prepare this department of the paper, we 
in imagination gather them all around us. We shall love 
to continue the " Boys' and Girls' columns," and to make 
them even much more interesting and profitable. That 
you may here gain instruction as well as amusement is 
our anxious desire. We shall therefore be happy to meet 
you all during 1864 — not one can be spared. Come on by 
tens, by twenties and by hundreds ; there is room enoueh, 
and supplies of good things are plentiful. Invite your 
playmates to join the circle. All of you can get one, 
or more. There are many premiums you can earn. 
We have sent out a large number of these to boys and 
girls, some of them every year, and there is always a 
peculiar pleasure in doing so. Can we not double the 
number this year ? Will you bring at least one more ? 
About tlie Origin of Words. 
Where do all the words come from ? Men do not agree 
as to how language was made at first. By many, how- 
ever, it is supposed that man received the gift of speech 
at his creation. However this may be, we know that new 
words are being added to every language, as men have 
new thoughts and make new discoveries requiring new 
terms to express them. Thus the word " telegram " has 
been invented within a few years as the name of a mes- 
sage sent by the telegraph. It is often very interesting to 
trace out the derivation of words ; sometimes quite a 
history is connected with them. Thus the term dunce so 
often used, is said to have come from the following cir- 
cumstance : A Franciscan monk, named Duns Scotus, 
had many followers, who used often to quote his writings 
in defence of their doctrines, and as these doctrines be- 
came unpopular, the term Dunsman or Duns was used as 
a term of contempt for those who advocated them. From 
this it came to be applied to any person whose notions 
were considered unreasonable, and with a kittle alteration 
in spelling we now use it to designate a stupid person. 
Our word "tariff." meaning tax or duty paid on importc I 
goods, comes from Tarifa, the name of a Moorish for- 
tress on a promontory at the southern point of Spain, 
extending into the strait of Gibraltar. At this point the 
Moors used to watch all vessels passing through the 
strait, and require their owners to pay a tax for the mer- 
chandise they carried. "Hurrah," is from the word 
Hurrag, which was used in old times as a battle cry, by 
some of the warlike nations of Europe. It signified " To 
Paradise." They believed that every man who died in 
battle for his 'country, went immediately to heaven. A 
curious account is given of the origin of the word "Tee- 
total," so commonly used to express entire abstinence 
from intoxicating drinks. It is said that a Lancashire la- 
borer in his first public speech on temperance, was much 
embarrassed, and repeatedly stammered at the word total, 
making it t-t-t-total, and the amused audience afterward 
frequently repeated it, and others took it up until it be- 
came a fixed word in the language. Many more exam- 
ples might be given. Our young readers will find in- 
structive amusement in studying the derivation of most 
words. How many of them can tell the origin and meaning 
of the name of this journal— the American Agriculturist. 
New Pwzzles lo J>e Answered. 
No.59. Puzzling Sentence. 
— This has appeared in 
print before, but it will 
probably be new to many 
of our young readers. It 
was constructed in com- 
memoration of a great his- 
torical event. Those who 
study it out, will be pretty 
sure lo remember the oc- 
currences and their date. 
It will be interesting to 
read the whole history of which this puzzle forms a part. 
No. 60. The Wheel Puzzle. — As every body knows, 
a small whepl must turn around more times than a 
large one, in rolling over equal distances. Now when 
you examine a wagon wheel, you notice that it is com- 
posed of two circles or wheels, the tire and felloe or outer 
circumference, and the hub or smaller wheel at the cen- 
ter. Why, in rolling any number of miles, does this smal- 
ler wheel revolve nooftener than the outer or larger one ? 
^ 
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No. Gl, Illustrated Rebus.— k rule for successful life. 
Answers to Problems and Puzzles. 
The following are solutions of the puzzles, etc,, in the 
October number, page 345. No. 55. — Sentence in Cypher. 
The key to this is to take for the Jirst, third ami Jifth 
letter of every word, the next letter above it, as a for b, 
m for n, etc. For the second, fourth, and sixth letter, take 
the third letter above in the alphabet, asm forp, u for x : 
Ukf krvuodm ddmnfg ukf bpftijfbq bjsldxmwvujvu jv 
grs ukf gdsp hdsgfq bqe irvvfkpoe jqdovejquh ukf mlu- 
wmh grmnt. Jv drtwt pqinb pqf ermubu b xhbu. Qnfdtli 
uhrno bom zrvu gujhogt bepxu jv bqe bvl ukfp ur udlli 
jv. Ukfb xlmo mllh jv bqe ukbql zrv. — No. 50. Puzzle 
Picture.— The boy is making mellow D (melody).— No. 
57. Illustrated Rebus.— Four chair I T covers a multi- 
tude of s in s= " For Charity covers a multitude of sins." 
— No. 58. Miscellaneous Qitestiojis. — A step farther, (step- 
father) ; Room for improvement ; the Alphabet. — The fol- 
lowing have sent in correct answers up to Nov. 13th, 
the numbers indicate the problems, etc., answered by- 
each. R. Van Namee, 55; " A. N. H. E.," 58 ; Estis, 
57 ; II. F. Boynton, 55, 57 ; " E. E. K.," 55, 57, 58 ; J. N. 
Miller, 56; Emily L. Webb, 57; Charles ftfunger and 
Orra Bruce, 57, 58 ; T. S. Peck, 57 ; Daniel Gilbert, 57, 
58 ; O. Coombs, 51 ; .!. H. Ransom, 53 ; W. Johnson, 53. 
