1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
435 
decimal system as all its divisions are in tens, lint decimal 
system does not mean the same thing as “ metric sys¬ 
tem.” Our coins are upon the decimal system, and we 
might take our pound and divide or multiply it by ton, 
and thus make decimal weights, but it would not be a 
metric system. So it is best to start right, and call it the 
metric system, as its starting point is the metre. Now 
as not only the measures of length, but of square, of 
solid, and liquid measures, all depend upon the metre, 
you will want to know first about that. It was near the 
close of the last century, that the French Government 
determined to establish a new system of measuring and 
weighing, and commissioners were appointed to consider 
the matter. For the unit or starting point they wished 
something that would not (like the barley corns) be un¬ 
certain and vary, but something which would be perma¬ 
nent, so that if all the measures in use should be broken 
or destroyed, they could start anew. Several plans were 
proposed, but they concluded to take 
THE EARTH ITSELF 
for a starting point—as that would probably last without 
much change as long as measures would be wanted. The 
distance from the equator to the pole (a quadrant of the 
meridian) was the beginning, and one-ten-millionth of 
this, taken as the standard of measure, or the metre. Of 
course this whole distance was not measured, but a 
sufficient portion of it was, by means which astronomers 
and surveyors understand, but would be difficult to ex¬ 
plain. At all events, the metre thus fixed upon was 
adopted by the French Government in 1801 as the legal 
standard of measure. Ton will wish to know what the 
metre is like, and how it compares with the measures we 
use. In a rough way - we may say that it is three and a 
third inches longer than our yard of 36 inches. To be 
exact, it is, according to the latest comparisons, equal to 
39.37043 inches. In dividing the metre the decimal sys¬ 
tem is used ; one-tenth of a metre is a decimeter, one- 
hundreth a centimetre, and one-thousandth, a millimetre. 
An inch is a trifle over two and a half centimetres. In 
these divisions of the metre, the Latin terms are used 
for tenth, hundredth, etc., but in longer measures, in 
which the metre is multiplied, the Greek numerals are 
used. Thus ten metres are a Decameter, one hundred 
metres, a Hectometre, one thousand metres a Kilometre, 
and ten thousand a Myriametre. A mile is a little over 
a Kilometre and a half or 1.6093. These names look and 
60 uud strange at first, but they are easily learned, and 
then when a length or a distance is mentioned you know 
at once what relation it has to a metre. This is very 
different from, and greatly easier than, line, inch, foot, 
yard, fathom, rod, furlong and mile, which bear no uni¬ 
form relation to each other, but in some cases we multi¬ 
ply by three (3 feet make one yard), and then again by forty 
(40 rods 1 furlong). To get square and solid measure 
from the metre is very simple, but for fear that some of 
you may think this is rather dry for boys and girls, we 
will let that go until another time. Measures of a metre 
are now to be had at the stores, as they are made by 
those who make rules and other measuring instruments, 
I hope that many of you will wish to remember this 
method of measurement, so I will put it as a table. 
Millimetre.i/ 1000 0 f a Metre. 
Centimetre. >/ 100 “ “ 
Decimetre..... Viov't “ 
Metre.. 1- 
Decametre. 10 Metres. 
Hectometre. 100 “ 
Kilometre. 1,000 “ 
Myriametre.10,000 “ 
I have no doubt that some of you will live long enough 
to see these measures in common use. The Doctor. 
'I'lte Lillie 9£uu:iiva.ys. 
“ Where can those children be ? ” asked Mrs. Warner, 
for she had missed her own little Alice, and her niece, 
Alice’s cousin Kate, who was from the city, making a 
visit upon the farm. Not in the parlor, noton the porch, 
not in the front yard, or anywhere in sight, could the 
children be found. There were the nice new swing, the 
child’s wagon, the building blocks, and all the playthings, 
but no children. Mrs. Warner began to be anxious, and 
started to find the little ones. The garden, the carriage- 
house, the orchard, and the barn, were all hurriedly visit¬ 
ed, but no Alice and Kate were to be seen. Now, thor¬ 
oughly frightened, the mother was about to go to the 
house to ring the bell, to call the men in from the field 
to search for the lost children, when she heard a little 
laugh—followed by “ Oh, isn’t it nice 1 ”—“ Yes, besser 
dan the big carriage “ Yes, so much room, for us and 
dolly and kitty, and no high seat to slip off of.”—“ Let’s 
stay all day here, it’s real dood ”—said Kate. Mrs. W. 
looked over the fence, and there, in a wheelbarrow, in 
which the gardener had been wheeling earth, were the 
two children, the doll and the kitten. The children’s 
faces showed perfect happiness ; they were enjoying the 
rude barrow, more than if it were the most costly child’s 
carriage. She thought for a moment of soiled dresses, 
and the washing, but the faces of the children quite made 
her forget these. The little ones were safe, happy, and 
contented—what more could a loving mother wish. 
Aunt Sue’s Cliats. 
She L. Gosser has had a present of an organ, and 
wants to know how to whiten the keys which are grow¬ 
ing yellow. I dare say—Susie—that you have been so 
careful with that new organ, that you have always shut 
the lid carefully to keep out the dust. In so doing, you 
have shut out the light, and that is why the keys are turn¬ 
ing yellow. There are plenty of recipes for whitening 
ivory, one of which is, to wash it with alum-water that 
has been boiled and allowed to cool. But when T have 
wanted to bleach any small ivory articles, I have put them 
into a glass jar and placed the jar in some sunny window, 
or out on a shed, indefinitely, until the ivory had become 
white; and I should think if you let the sun shine on 
your keys occasionally, that it wonld bleach them. 
Tony.— Why should I “ excuse bad spelling ? ” Haven’t 
you a dictionary in the house to which you could refer if 
not quite sure about the spelling of a word ’—Suppose 
you go to it now and see if you can find any such words 
in it as “ collum," “ neice" “pleas," and “ borjht." Some 
of my nieces and nephews write to me—“ Pleas except 
these puzzles,” and I usually do. 
Lizzie D. W. wishes to know how to “ make pop-corn I 
balls.” Of prime importance is the “ popping ” of the j 
corn. This should be conducted so as to produce a com- j 
plete “ turning inside out ” of the grain, and is best done ' 
by taking a small quantity at a time, just sufficient to 
cover the bottom of the “popper.” Then let the corn, 
which, by the way, should be old and thoroughly “ dry,” 
get well warmed through, by holding the popper and 
contents far enough from the fire ; when well heated, ap¬ 
proach the thing nearer the fire, until the first kernel be¬ 
gins to “ pop,” then approach the fire as closely as you 
may, so that the remainder shall pop as rapidly as may 
be. During the entire proceedings the corn must be kept 
“ moving” by shakingconstantly. Having the corn pop¬ 
ped, be prepared with a thin syrup, almost at the sugar¬ 
ing point. This syrup may be either of molasses or 
sugar and water, as may be preferred. Fill a cup of any 
deBired size with the popped corn, pour over the corn a 
sufficiency of the syrup to wet every grain; then, with a 
spoon, press the kernels sufficiently to make them stick 
together, and with a spoon carefully woik the contents 
of the cup into a rounded shape, and so out upon a plate, 
sheet of paper, or tin, or what ever is to hold the balls. 
T. M. Henry wishes me to “ give the date and place 
of each world’s fair that has thus far occurred.” “ Inter¬ 
national ” fairs were held in Paris (France) in 1802, and 
in Birmingham (England) in 1849. World’s Fair in 
London, 1851; New York, 1853; Paris, 1855; Loudon,. 
1862; Dublin, 1865 ; Paris, 1867 ; Sweden, 1868 ; Moscow 
and Copenhagen, 1872; Vienna, 1873 ; Santiago (Chili) r 
1875; Philadelphia, 1876; Sidney (Australia), 1877. Three 
Annual International Exhibitions were held in London 
in 1871,1872, and 1873. 
Pepita.— The best raisins, and the most of them, come 
from Spain, Malaga and Valencia being the principal 
places of export. You know, no doubt, that raisins are 
dried grapes, and of the finest, largest, and sweetest 
kinds. Our common grapes will not make good raisins, 
as they dry up all to seeds and skins. The grapes some¬ 
times dry into raisins on the vines, but usually they are 
picked and dried in part in the sun, and in part by fire 
heat. Sultana raisins come from Turkey; they are made 
from a small grape that has no seeds. The same kinds 
of grapes that grow in Spain grow in the wonderful cli¬ 
mate of California, and already large quantities of raisins 
arc made in that State. 
Lizzie D. W.—To make icing for cake, beat up the 
white of one egg until the froth will bear up the blade of 
a case-knife; then sprinkle into it (by degrees, and stir 
thoroughly) a little more than a quarter of a pound of 
finely pulverized sugar. When you have done that, 
sprinkle over it a scant half teaspoonfnl of corn-starch, 
and stir it up; then add one teaspoonful (a little at a 
time) of water. Some people use, instead of egg, a little 
gelatine dissolved, but I think you will prefer the egg. 
F. Clark.— Thanks for puzzle. I have sent your bo¬ 
tanical specimen to “The Doctor”; he is authority in 
such matters. 
Clumsy.—Y ou can get the oil out of your carpet by 
spreading dry buckwheat flour thickly over the spot; it 
will absorb the grease. Brush off the greasy flour and 
renew afresh, until all the oil is removed. 
Addie. —Raw potato cut up into small squares and 
shaken up in a bottle, will often remove stains; or try a 
little washing soda and water, with some small gravel- 
stones, or better yet—shot, and shake until the friction 
of these against the glass tymoves whatever may adhere. 
Thanks for letters, puzzles, etc., to H. W. S., Esther, 
J. H. L., Hope, J. W. W.f Florence M., T. F. D., 
H. S„ L. C. W., A. F. T., Estelle S„ B. S. B., Anna 
L. S., Peter, Oriole, Eddie, and others, whose favors 
I hope to answer at 6ome future time. 
Something- about Dragon Flies. 
It is not to be wondered at that several young people 
j should wish to know something about Dragon-flies, for 
; they are among the most noticeable of insects. Their long 
j slender bodies, their large heads, with prominent eyes, 
and their wide spread, gauzy wings, which reflect beauti¬ 
ful colors in the sunlight, are sure to attract attention. 
More than all, their rapid flight, now darting with the 
greatest swiftness, then remaining stationary over a spot, 
and then as suddenly moving backwards, gives them a 
mysterious air that no other insects have. It is no won¬ 
der that they have been looked upon as harmful insects, 
for they go about in a silent, strange way, as if there was 
some mischief to be done. There are over 400 kinds of 
Dragon-flies, found in various parts of the world, of which 
we have our share in this country; about 30 are known 
to live in the Northern States, and there are others in the 
South, but while they differ in size, color, etc., all have 
similar ways of living, and a description of the habits of 
one, answers forall. While their long, snaky bodies, their 
savage look and their darting flight, make them suspect¬ 
ed, and they are generally looked upon as dangerous, I 
may as well say here, and answer several questions at 
once, that they are perfectly harmless, so far as man is 
concerned. They have no piercer or sting, and though 
the larger ones may be able to pinch with their jaws, if 
yon put your finger there and try to make them do it, they 
do not bite, sting, or otherwise harm people in any man¬ 
ner. I know that they have a bad reputation. When I 
was a youngster, they were called “ Devil’s Darning 
Needles,” and I was told by the older boys that if a boy 
should tell a fib, one of these “ Darning Needles ” would 
come and sew up his mouth. All my playmates must 
have been very truthful, as I never saw one with his 
mouth darned by one of these “ Needles.” But such no¬ 
tions are not found among boys alone; in various places 
these insects are called by names which show that they 
are thought to be dangerous. In England they are 
called “ Horse-slingers,” and in Scotland “Flying Ad¬ 
ders.” In some parts of this country they are known 
among the boys as “ Snake Doctors,” it being thought 
that they attend upon snakes, probably because they are 
WHERE THE LITTLE RUNAWAYS WERE FOUND. 
