1861.1 
89 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST 
Mow for a Big Dictionary, Boys and Girls. 
By referring to the last page, our young friends 
will see that the Publisher has now put it in their 
power to get a splendid dictionary, which will be 
very valuable, and last a life time. Worcester’s 
new book is the largest dictionary ever published in 
this country, and as a source of information, as well 
as a guide to the correct spelling and pronunciation 
of words, it is invaluable to every person, especial¬ 
ly to the young. All that is required to get this 
book, is simply to find ten new subscribers to 
take the Agriculturist. They will each get their 
dollar’s worth in the paper, and some choice seeds 
thrown in, and you will get the dictionary free. 
But says one, “Everybody here takes the paper 
now.” Well, take a copy or two of the paper as 
samples, and go into some other neighborhood; 
and write to your uncles or other friends telling 
them what you know about the paper, and how 
much you think of it, and get them to try the paper 
for a year. By perseverance and effort you will suc¬ 
ceed, and you will feel well paid when you carry 
home the splendid dictionary as your own (if you 
can carry it alone, for it weighs nearly ten pounds!). 
The scholars in every school might join their efforts, 
and secure one for the teacher’s desk, where it will 
be for the general benefit of all. 
—-^ a - 1 1 ■ 
XJncle John’s Study.SV. 
BY RALEIGH TRUMAN. 
More about the Debuscope—Another instructive and amus¬ 
ing Instrument. 
Mb. Editor :—Since you published the method 
of making the “ Debuscope,” I have been greatly 
pleased to know that many of th e Agriculturist fam¬ 
ily have supplied themselves with so beautiful an 
instrument. It not only affords pleasing and al¬ 
most endless amusement, but, as Grace has proved, 
it can be made very useful. The last time we met 
in the “ Study,” she brought several pieces of worst¬ 
ed and bead work. She had obtained new and hand¬ 
some patterns for them by placing the Debuscope 
over bits of worsted and silk, and copying the beau¬ 
tiful figures which it reflected. Uncle John sug¬ 
gested that it would be of great service in designing 
ornamental figures of every kind, for calico print¬ 
ing, shawls, wall papers, oil cloths, gold and silver 
work, etc. While he was speaking of this, Fred 
was busy untying a package he had brought, and 
presently he displayed a circular card of pasteboard 
on which were colored figures. They were repre¬ 
sented in various positions, as if playing at the game 
of “leap frog.” (In this play, one boy bends over, 
and places his hands upon his knees, while the one 
behind him springs over his head.) Besides this cir¬ 
cular card, there was anotherlarger one, around the 
edge of which were square openings. The larger 
card was covered on both sides with pdam dark pa¬ 
per. There was a hole in the middle of each card. 
Eig. 1, shows the smaller card containing the figures; 
it is represented as being laid upon the larger one. 
You can sec the dark margin and the openings 
around the border of the larger dark card. 
“Now,” said Fred, “I can make these fellows 
play a lively game of leap frog, and after you have 
all seen them, I want Uncle John to explain what 
makes it look so, for I’m sure that pictures can’t 
jump, though I’ve seen them with my own. eyes.” 
He then placed the small card over the larger one 
as shown in Fig. 1; and put a small wooden pin 
through the holes in the center. A small ring (a 
Fig. 2. 
pierced cork would answer) was next slipped on to 
the pin; it fitted tightly and held the two cards 
close together and against the head of the wooden 
pin. The pin, which was about two inches long, 
was then inserted in a hole on the end of a stick or 
handle, in which it turned very easily. Fred now 
took his position before the looking-glass, held the 
handle in his left hand, and with his right hand, 
turned the cards around; being held together they 
revolved as if there were but one card. By looking 
through the openings in the large card, he could see 
the colored figures in the looking glass. Fig. 2, 
shows the way in which the apparatus was used. 
After he had shown us how to manage it, we each 
tried it, and the appearance it made was very amus¬ 
ing. The figures did indeed seem to be alive, and 
to be playing at a merry rate. 
After examining this, Fred used other cards hav¬ 
ing different figures, in place of the one first used. 
One represented a blacksmith working at his anvil, 
another, a dog catching a fox, etc.; and when the 
card was twirled, the figures seemed alive and in 
motion. The apparatus is so easily made by any 
one who can draw, that I doubt not many of my 
young friends will construct one for themselves. 
The cards for figures are most conveniently used 
when about 7 inches in diameter—the outer or larger 
card being half an inch larger, and having 10 open¬ 
ings around the margin. Each figure was repeated 
about ten times on Fred’s cards. They were drawn 
to show each one a little further along in the act 
represented; as in Fig. 1, where the boy first makes 
ready, then springs a little, then is shown higher, 
then over his companions head, and so on. 
After we had examined it sufficiently, Uncle John 
gave an interesting explanation of the reason the 
figures appeared in motion, which I must reserve 
until the next letter, for it would make this too 
long. Perhaps some of the boys or girls will make 
a “magic plate” as it is called, before that time; if 
so they might try and find for themselves the rea¬ 
sons for the phenomena; it would be a good exer¬ 
cise for them to write out their thoughts for the 
Agriculturist. [Perhaps some of you may describe 
the matter even better than Raleigh; if so, your ex¬ 
planation will be used instead of his.—E d.] 
THE FIRST AMERICAN POETRY. 
There are few girls or boys in this country who 
have not heard the nursery rhyme sung by their 
mothers while rocking the cradle, 
“ Lul-a-by baby upon the tree top ; 
When the wind blows the cradle will rock; 
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, 
And down will come cradle and baby and all.” 
But how many of you know the origin of the sim¬ 
ple lines? We have the following account from 
the records of the Boston Historical Society. Short¬ 
ly after our forefathers landed at Plymouth, Mass., 
a party were out. in the field where the. Indian wom¬ 
en were picking strawberries. Several of these 
women or squaws, as they are called, had papooses , 
that is babies, and having no cradles, they had them 
tied up in Indian fashion, as shown on page 24, (Jan¬ 
uary,) and hung from the limbs of the surround¬ 
ing trees. Sure enough, “ when the wind blew, 
these cradles would rock.” A young man of the 
party observing this, peeled off a piece of bark, and 
wrote the above lines, which were, it 4s believed, 
the first poetry written in America. 
A Smart Reply. —A father was winding his 
watch, when he said, playfully, to his little girl, “ Let 
me wind your nose up!” “ No,” said the child, “ I 
don’t want my nose wound up, for I don't want it to 
run all day.” 
QUESTIONS FOR YOUNG PHILOSOPHERS. 
We find the following good subjects for thought 
and observation in the “ Massachusetts Teacher.” 
Why, on freezing mornings of early Winter, do 
stones seem to be partially sunk in the ground ? 
Why is considerable frost sometimes seen on the 
lower part of window panes, while there is but lit¬ 
tle on the upper part and none in the center ? 
Why is frost sometimes found on the nail heads 
on the outside of a barn door, there being no frost 
on the surface of the boards around the nail heads; 
and why at other times are the nail heads free from 
frost when the boards are covered with frost ? 
NEW PROBLEMS. 
No. 5 .—Biblical Enigma .—Contributed by S. J. 
Daman, Plymouth Co., Mass. 
AAAAAAAMMTTNNIIHER 
These rightly placed give two words which occur 
but once in the Bible. 
No. 7. Rebus, Contributed by “Aunt Chloe,” cx- 
C 
presses what every one should he. What is it ? 
No. 7 .—Figure Fuzzle .—Can you draw a figure like 
this, lifting the pencil from the paper only twice, 
and not going over the same line twice ? It is said 
that the girls and hoys in France, old and young, 
have been puzzling over this for a long time. We 
do not think it can be done. If any one can do it, 
please tell us how. 
ANSWERS TO PROBLEMS. 
No. 3.— Biblical Enigma , (See page 55)— Answer, 
“ Zaphnath-paaueah,” found in Genesis, xli, 45. 
No. 4.— Illustrated Rebus, (See page 55)— Answer , 
“All is not gold that glitters.” 
Correct answers received up to Feb. 18: 
J. L. McCreery, Nos. 1, 2, (Rebus sent has good points ;) 
Jarvis H. Arnold, 2 ; A. J. Teed, 30 ; H. C. King, 31 ; R. 
M. Hasbrouck jr., 1, 2; Wm. S. Lea, 3 ; T. B. Dalrymple, 
3, 4 ; Martin Sidener, 4 ; Z. Hathaway, 4; S. Joyce, 4 , 
Isabella C. Miller, 1,2; E. S. Perry, 4 ; Cornelia C. Cun- 
ington, 4 ; Willie Carpenter, 4 ; Frank Baker, 2 ; A. M. 
Daniels, 1, 2 ; Libbie M. Leete, 3, 4 ; “Cousin Ada,” 4 (Re¬ 
bus good for the first trial); H. S. Wells, 4 ; Willie John¬ 
ston, 3; Hannah S. Osborne, 3, 4 ; Emma A. Church, 3, 
4 ; “ Wall Street,” 4 ; George II. Hurd, 4 ; Ann E. Down¬ 
ing, 3, 4; Jennie Flatzinger, 4 ; Gipsy E. Clay, 4, A. C. 
Eaton, 4 ; “ Collington,” 3, 4 ; Abel S. Titsworth, 1, 3, 4 (in 
good rhyme); E. E. Woods, 3, 4 ; M. T. Woods, 4; Thos. 
Bouton, 4 ; Clara M. Stephens, 4 (6 years old and writes a 
verry pretty letter) ; Sallie A. Crater, 3,4 ; George S. Bell, 
3, 4 ; M. Thomen, 3 ; George Burton, 3 ; Edward P. 
Nichols, 4 ; N. O. H., 3 ; W. Boyers, 3, 4 ; Mrs. B. F. M. ; 
4 ; Mrs. E. Buchanan, 3 ; Julia D. Shipley, 3 (your kind 
words are encouraging); J. Boyden Smith, 3 (aged 7 !) ; 
Annie L. and T. H. Smith, 4 ; Isaac C. Halstead, 3, 4 ; 
Mary E. Bootherton, 4; James H. Gamble, 3, 4; S. J. 
Daman, 3; M. B. Eshlman, 3, 4 (Rebus fair); George 
W. Howard, 4 ; Jennie M. Rowe, 4 ; J. Albert Evans, 3, 
4; N. II. Haynes, 3: C. Quackenboss, 3,4; Robert M. 
