50 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
What is Ozone? 
Most persons have, in their reading, come across 
the statement, as illustrating the wonders of chem¬ 
istry, that the Diamond and Charcoal are identical¬ 
ly the same in composition. However unlike in ex¬ 
ternal appearance they are intrinsically one and the 
same thing, being both forms of the element Car¬ 
bon. This is, in a general way, true, but the state¬ 
ment would be more striking and nearer to accu¬ 
racy if Lampblack was named instead of Char¬ 
coal. Carbon exists not only in these two dissimi¬ 
lar forms, but in three, the Diamond, Lampblack, 
and Graphite, or Black-lead, such as lead pencils 
are made of. Carbon is by no means the only sub¬ 
stance that is known in very unlike forms. Sul¬ 
phur and Phosphorus, for example, are known in 
conditions as much unlike those in which these sub¬ 
stances usually appear, as are the different forms of 
Carbon. We cite these cases, in which the same 
substance exists in unlike forms, in order that we 
may the better deseribe'Ozone, which is an unusual 
form of a well-known substance. Those who have 
been near the spot when some object has been 
struck by lightning, have no doubt noticed a pecu¬ 
liar odor in the vicinity. This odor is commonly 
described as “sulphureous,” though it is really 
very little like that from burning brimstone. The 
same odor may be noticed in a room where a pow¬ 
erful electrical machine is operated, and on a very 
clear, cold night, when the Aurora borealis is visi¬ 
ble, a similar odor may be often observed. No 
doubt most of our readers have observed the pecu¬ 
liar odor referred to in one or the other of these 
cases, while chemists have had occasion to notice 
its presence in several of their operations. That 
which thus manifests itself by its odor has received 
the name of Ozone, from the Greek word “ to 
smell,” and careful investigations have shown that 
this odor is not due to a new substance, but is pro¬ 
duced by the well known and important element, 
Oxygen, in a peculiar condition, or state, and dif¬ 
fering from ordinary oxygen in some such manner 
as charcoal or lampblack differs from diamond. 
Ozone, then, i3 oxygen in a peculiar condition. It 
has not been separated in a pure state, but is only 
known when largely mixed with the air or with oxy¬ 
gen. Even when it contains but a very small pro¬ 
portion of £>zone, air is exceedingly irritating, pro¬ 
ducing coughing, and to small animals is readily 
fatal. 
The most marked character of Ozone is its oxi¬ 
dizing power; silver is a metal which does not 
readily rust or oxidize when exposed to the oxygen 
of the air, but it is readily oxidized in an atmos¬ 
phere containing Ozone. It is found that Ozone is 
an active bleaching agent, destroying coloring mat¬ 
ters rapidly, and it attacks organic matters of all 
kinds that may be present in the atmosphere, hence 
it is regarded as a powerful disinfectant. Ozone 
may be regarded as a most important agent in na¬ 
ture, concerning which chemists have learned 
much, and we may expect that their investigations 
will be of great value in the future. This agent no 
doubt plays an important part in agriculture, and 
we have yet to learn much of its relations to plant 
life. 
Ozone, for experimental purposes, always much 
diluted, may be produced by electrical apparatus 
made for the purpose. It is most readily prepared 
by placing in a glass jar a stick of phosphorus, that 
has been scraped clean under water, and pouring 
into the jar tepid water enough to partly cover tho 
phosphorus. A part of the oxygen of the air in the 
jar unites with the phosphorus, and a part of it (the 
oxygen) is changed into Ozone, which is recognized 
by its odor and by cliemieal tests. We do not give 
this as an experiment to be repeated by those who 
are not familiar with phosphorus, and the danger 
that attends the incautious handling of it. Those 
who would know more about this active form of 
oxygen, will find in Prof. S. W. Johnson’s admira¬ 
ble “How Crops Feed,” an account of its produc¬ 
tion and some of its uses in the economy of nature. 
Osage Orange from Cuttings.—In response 
to a request made last month, “Farmer,” of Ra¬ 
leigh, N. C., reports fine success in raising Osage 
Orange from cuttings, and gives his method. He 
makes in rich, moist soil, trenches eight or nine 
inches deep, and three feet apart. The branches 
(straight shoots of the previous season, we assume) 
are laid in the trenches and covered with soil which 
is to be packed down firmly. When the sprouts from 
these branches grow to be eight inches high, take 
a very sharp spade and cut straight down at inter¬ 
vals of six inches, leaving one or two shoots upon 
each piece of the branch, packing the soil well 
down with the feet and watering if necessary. The 
next spring, with a chisel made for the purpose, 
cut off below ground all superfluous shoots, leav¬ 
ing one or more to grow, as maybe desired, though 
it is best to leave but one. When of sufficient size 
to plant in the hedge, assort and set those of uni¬ 
form size together in order to have a regular growth. 
About Catarrh and Bronchitis.—Simple 
Remedies. 
The general prevalence of catarrhal affections 
is indicated by the great number of advertisements 
of nostrums for their “ sure cure.” There is, per¬ 
haps, more money wasted for quack medicines of 
this kind than for almost any other class. Many 
of the ailments of people are imaginary, and in 
such cases any inert medicine, or one simply a 
stimulant, if puffed strongly enough to enlist the 
faith of the purchaser, will often prove effective. A 
catarrh is an actual disease, requiring something 
more than faith in a nostrum. 
What is catarrh ? The term is popularly applied 
to an affection of the nasal organs, but has a wider 
application. The “ mucous membrane ” is the lin¬ 
ing or covering of all internal passages of the body 
which communicate with an ®uter opening, and it 
may be said to be the extension of the external 
skin over into the interior cavities. It lines the 
mouth, nose, lungs, stomach, intestines, and urinal 
organs. Catarrh is a disease characterized by an 
increased production or secretion of unhealthy 
mucus fluid in the mucous membrane. So we may 
have catarrh of the stomach, catarrh of the intes¬ 
tines, of the bladder, of the throat, or lungs, or it 
may be confined to the nasaljpassages. Most diar¬ 
rheas, and frequently dysenteries, are merely intes¬ 
tinal catarrhs. 
The fluid secreted in the mucus membrane of 
the passages through the nose to the throat is di¬ 
rectly exposed to the air, and soon thickens. This 
produces additional irritation. If this mucus secre¬ 
tion is found in the bronchial or upper air passages 
of the lungs, or is drawn there from the nose in 
breathing, the irritation is called “bronchitis.” 
Catarrh is often the result of general weakness 
or debility, arising from any cause, such as insuffi¬ 
cient food, mental anxiety, foul air, etc.; also of 
taking cold, or exposure to dampness, sudden 
changes in the weather, or an unusual season. In 
the latter cases it may be epidemic, that is, generally 
prevalent. Catarrh may be- acute and temporary, 
but may become chronic, or seated. It may be 
local, that is, confined to a single organ ; or it may 
be general, extending to the greater part or the 
whole of the mucus membrane. 
From the above it will be readily understood that 
the best preventive, and often the best remedy, is 
to secure a vigorous condition of the whole sys¬ 
tem, by nourishing food, exercise, pure air, and, if 
need be, by bracing up with simple tonics, as 
quiuine. 
Nasal catarrh, which is popularly understood by 
the word catarrh, refers to the mucus inflammation 
of the air passages extending through the nose over 
to the throat. At first it affects only the direct 
openings, and is easily remedied. If long continued, 
or suddenly severe, the inflammation may extend 
up into the numerous bony cavities between the 
eyes and in the middle of the forehead, where it is 
more difficult to reach, and if continued long, it de¬ 
stroys the bony structure. 
Simple Remedy for Catarrh and Bronchitis. 
It is now generally known that Carbolic Acid is 
strongly disinfectant, and very usefully applied to 
putrid sores or purulent wounds. Wood Creosote 
is similar, is decidedly antiseptic, and quite volatile. 
It is therefore natural to suppose it would be use¬ 
ful when applied to catarrhal and bronchial affec¬ 
tions which arise from diseased or putrefying 
mucus. We learned of its use for this purpose 
from Dr. Pescetto, a leading physician in the noted 
Italian Medical School in Genoa, Italy, from whose 
conversations we gleaned portions of the important 
article on “Catching Cold and the Remedies,” 
given in last December’s American Agriculturist. 
We have since recommended the following treat¬ 
ment in many cases with the best results. It can 
do no harm, is simple, and is eminently worthy of 
trial, both for temporary and chronic affections. 
For Bronchitis. —Get from the druggist’s a little 
good Wood Creosote. Put two drops of it into a 
bottle holding a pint or so. Pour in a little more 
than half a pint of clear water, and shake it well; 
also shake well always before using it. Take a 
mouthful of this, throw the head back, gurgle 
it some time in the throat, and then swallow it. 
Repeat this every two hours, more or less, so as to 
use up the liquid within 24 hours. For each subse¬ 
quent 24 hours, use three drops of the Creosote in 
3 to 4 gills of water. .This 3 drops a day may be 
continued as long as any bronchitis appears. Two 
to four days is usually enough, though it may be 
continued indefinitely without harm. 
For Catarrh. —Prepare the Creosote water as 
above, in any amount, at the rate of one drop of 
Creosote to one gill of water (4 drops to the pint), 
or a little more water if the Creosote be very strong 
and the water too irritating. Make a fresh mixture 
once in two or three days, and as much oftener as 
more is needed. Take a handful of this water, pre¬ 
viously well shaken, and snuff it through the nose 
into the mouth, and eject it. A little going down 
the throat will do no harm. Do this two or three 
times, and repeat it at bed-time, in the morning on 
rising, and, if need be, occasionally during the day. 
In fact, keep the nasal passages washed out with 
the Creosote water. Its vapor will even penetrate 
the bony cavities, and also be drawn into the lungs 
with useful results. It destroys the purulent mu¬ 
cus, and tends to prevent its further secretion. It 
is useful foy any discharges from the nose or lungs 
produced by colds or general weakness. 
For bronchitis, and especially for catarrh, 
good rare cooked beef or other nourishing food, 
and quinine if needed, to obtain and retain a vigor¬ 
ous system, are capital aids to the Creosote or any 
other medicine. 
A Physician's Opinion of the Above. 
To insure accuracy, as usual in such cases we 
sent a proof-slip of the above to a very competent 
regular physician, who returned it without correc¬ 
tion or addition, except as follows : “ The above is 
valuable aud entirely reliable, and should be widely read. 
Nine-tenths of the people who take nostrums for catarrh 
have no such disease, but have been made to believe they 
suffer from it by the quacks who sell their useless and 
piosonous stuffs for the cure of catarrh at an immense 
profit.—A common u cold ” is an acute Catarrh, and 
properly treated is soon well. Chronic Catarrh of any 
part of the mucus tract is not so easily cured, but for¬ 
tunately is much more rarely seen by physicians even 
than people usually think f 
Chrysanthemums for tlie Window.—The 
following hint by a correspondent of the “Garden¬ 
er’s Chronicle ” (Eng.), is worth remembering until 
next fall. Good branching shoots, with as many 
blooms as possible, are cut 18 inches long, more or 
less. These are inserted in five-inch pots filled 
with pure sand, one or more, as needed in each. 
Set the pots in water until bubbling ceases; sup¬ 
port each branch with a neat stake ; moss over the 
top of the sand, shower from a watering pot, and 
the job is done. Chrysanthemums so treated and 
supplied with water as needed, will last a fortnight 
or more. This will allow the out-door chrysanthe¬ 
mums to be utilized for the window and for in¬ 
door decoration, and avoid much of the taking 
up and potting now necessary if we would have 
these brilliant autumn flowers in the house. 
