SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
243 
fluid while the oil loses nothing at this period beyond a 
minimum of its whole elements in combination, which 
escape as the vapor of the oil. M. Dansure made a 
number of experiments, the result of v/hich may be found 
in the Annales de Chimie et de PhisiolQgie, XLIX, 225, 
to ascertain the rapidity with which fixed oils relatively 
absorbed oxygen. Olive oil, recently expressed, was 
exposed over mercury to an atmosphere of pure oxygen 
gas, but underwent no alteration for five months, ab- 
sorbing only about its own volume of the gas. The 
absorption from this time proceeded with great rapidity, 
so that by the end of the year it had absorbed 41 times 
its bulk of oxygen, and at the close of the fourth year 
the. amount absorbed was 102 tithes its volume. Tlxe 
oil of hemp seed, on exposure, absorbed less than its 
own volume in the course of a month, but subsequently 
the absorption went forward with such rapidity that by 
the end of the year the quantity equalled. 155 times its 
volume. If any porous inflammable material be saturated 
with oil containing so much oxygen, combustion will 
rapidly ensue. Under peculiar circumstances, as where 
artificial heat, even in moderate quantity is* applied, fresh 
oil (linseed particularly) has been known to take up 
oxygen with such rapidity as to fire the mass- in twenty- 
four hours. * 
Last winter, Mr. Van Rensaelear, of Albany, (I think,) 
lost a valuable factory by fire. The explanation of its 
occurrence given by the workmen, was, from a bundle 
of cotton rags left in a vessel containing linseed oil and 
turpentine, for what purpose used, I don’t remember. 
Mr. V. R; being scarcely satisfied with the explanation, 
placed the different articles enumerated, under similar 
circumstances, when, ignition speedily ensued, demon- 
strating the possibility of the accident having occurred 
as stated, whether such was actually the case or not. 
It is interesting to observe here, that among the fixed 
oils, those extracted from the seeds^ of plants are more 
remarkable for this siccaiint” or drying quality; in 
other words, have the most marked afiinity for oxygen. 
The experiments mentioned above evince^a w'ide differ- 
ence in this particular — the oil ofdienipseed absorbing 
in one year more than the olive in four times that 
period. This affinity on the part of fixed oils being 
known, together with the destructive resultsrfo be.,ppprc 
hended when combustable matter is brought into contaqt 
with them, under circumstances fiivorable m, produce 
then, it becomes all interested' toT cast about for mean^ to 
obviate them. The cause of the disease bteir.g known, 
we must provide against futfire pases by efficient phro- 
phylaxis. Prevention of tlie danger necessarily involves 
the getting rid of the oil with which the cotton i^ more 
or less impregnated. The meansi employed niay be ad® 
dressed either to the gin in the way of protecting, up 
far 'as possible, the seed from injurv^, or else to the, 
cleansing of tfie mass after it has been run through the 
machine. To fin-nish these, I leave, for the present, to 
the ingenuity of an inventive people. If not speedily 
done, however, it may be the good foi^tune of tho^e who 
detected the malady also to devise the cure. — Southern 
Tivus. 
MEAITB GEASS-DEEP PLOWING IN DROUTH. 
Editors Soctherx Cultiv.^tor — Enclosed please find 
some seeds, and a blade of a grass, of which, for reasons 
that will be Stated, I am anxious to know the kind or 
variety, and whether it will be difficult to get clear of. It 
kas been on the place nearly three years, and was sup- 
posed to have been brought here in millet seed purchased 
xn Louisville, Ky. It* has a root similar to cane or reed, 
but this root is very tender. Thus far we have found ii 
hard to kill, it seems to come up as well after being 
turned under as before. In breaking up the ground this 
spring it wiis turned completely under, but in three weeks 
it was two and one-half to three feet high. Horses eat it 
well, and I suppose it would make good hay, but fear it 
may be hard to er^idicate. The description of the 
“ Means” grass suits it. 
I ht\ve just seen a communication in your CuUivalor 
concerniiig the policy of plowing Corn in time of drouth. 
Early this springs I thought as does your correspondent 
“J,” but having nothing elsp to do plowed my Corn, 
with marked benefit, I think it can do Corn no harm to 
plow in dry weatlier, unless with a turn up plow; stir 
the ground lightly, on top, don’t cut the roots, and no 
harm w'ill be done, if every .one will only pulverize the 
soil d-eep enough and fine enough before. H. 
Arkansas Post, Ark., June, 1855. 
Remarks. — The head of grass accompanying the above 
bears a striking resemblance to the “ Mean’s” Grass, 
though we are not positive that it is the same. It is hard to 
eradicate; but a thorough plowing in the fall, and the 
exposure of the roots to severe w’inter frosts, sometimes 
proves effectual. — Eds, 
ROTS IN HOESES.-CORRECTION. 
Editors Soutfern Cultivator — One error I would 
like you to correct, namely : you print “ Bots of the 19th 
century, don’t believe in ‘ IVill o’ the Wispers.^ ” It should 
read “ Will the Whispererl” This w^as a celebrated Irish 
character named Sullivan, (whose soubriquet was “The 
Whisperer,”) and in “ Croker’s Traditions of Ireland” he 
is spoken of as a horse tamer of the most extraordinary 
kind. He was vulgarly believed to possess magical power 
in his “w'hispering” to a horse, and completely subduing 
his most inveterate tricks and vices. The worst horse or 
mule — whether previously broken or unhandled — sub- 
mitted without show of resistance to the magical influence 
of his art, and in the space of half-an-hour became gentle 
and tractable. When sent for to tame a beast, it is said.: 
“After a teic a tete of a half-hour, during which no bustle 
was heard, ”\the door of the stabie w^as always required 
to be shut during this equine m'esmerism,) “ the signal 
was made, and upon opening the'door the horse appeared 
to be lying down, and the man by his side playing with 
him like a child with a puppy dog. From that* time he 
was found perfectly willing to submit to any discipline 
‘howler repugnant to his nature before,” &c,, &c. It is 
a long and interesting story, to those who like to read 
such extracts, rtnd may ‘be found in*“ The History of the 
Horse’,’, Ycyuatt’s compilation, 
« Respectfully your friend, « W. P, W. 
/s/c of Hope {near ^Savannah), Oa., June, 1855, 
lilANUAL LABOE^ SCHOOLS— CAUSES OF FAILUEE— 
FLAN ON W^CH THEY WOULD SUCCEED. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — We frequently hear 
it said that a theory is good, but that it dpes not work 
well; and daily we hear the theoretical and practical man 
contrasted. It is evident that a thqpry which is good, 
ici/l work, and a man, whose practice 's good, must be 
carrying out a good theory. At the same lime, it is 
equally evident that many visionary schemes acquire a 
great popularity and excite the hopes of the sanguine, 
which prove #impract‘icable, or, when put in ‘practice, 
work very diflcrenlly, and sometimes opposite to what 
had been expected. 
Among uiese failures may be clas&*fed Manual LaUr 
Schools, from which great results were expected, a; d 
which have so signally failed, that it would be about i s 
easy to in luce most men to go into a Multicaulis specv;«> 
