AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
33 
GEO WING MILLET. 
ABOUT GBEASE. 
All kinds of fatty matter consist essential¬ 
ly of an oily liquid, united with a solid sub¬ 
stance, the former called elaine, and the lat¬ 
ter either stearine or margarine. By expos¬ 
ing olive oil (sweet oil) to alow temperature 
a portion of it becomes solid. This may be 
separated and subjected to pressure so as to 
entirely remove the liquid part and leave a 
permanently solid mass, which is called 
margarine. This is white, hard and brittle, 
and resembles spermacetti. Almond oil, 
linseed, and many other vegetable oils pro¬ 
duce the same results. In like manner, but¬ 
ter, human fat, the fat of the goose, and 
some other animals, by a somewhat similar 
process, yield the solid margarine. The fluid 
portion is called elaine. The margarine 
melts at 118° (Fahrenheit,) and when pure it 
is not affected by the atmosphere, if kept for 
any length of time. 
The fat of the ox, the sheep, the horse, the 
hog, the goat, &c., in like manner, yield a 
liquid and a solid, the former called also 
elaine, while the latter, or solid part, is named 
stearine. Stearine is a hard, brittle, color¬ 
less fat, and melts at 129°. Both margarine 
and stearine are found in small quantities in 
most animal fats, but one or the other great¬ 
ly predominates. In the fat of man the solid 
part is margarine alone. 
The hard candles now so common in the 
market, under the names of “ stearine can¬ 
dles,” “ adamantine candles,” &c., are chief¬ 
ly stearine, obtained from tallow or lard—es¬ 
pecially from the latter, in the process of 
lard oil manufacture.— Ed. 
GEEMAN VINE-DEESSEES AND GABDENEES 
WANTED. 
Considerable attention is now being given 
to the culture of the vine in many of the 
southern States, and from several sources 
we learn that there is an increasing demand 
for skillful and experienced men to take 
charge of vineyards. One of the most prom¬ 
inent agriculturists of South Carolina writes 
us, under date of Jan. 26: “ Could you not 
get me, among the German emigrants, next 
summer or fall, a Vine-dresser of reliable 
character—if a gardener also, so much the 
better 1 I will pay him at least better wages 
than they pay about Cincinnati, and he can 
get here as easily. If I go into vineyards 
extensively, I should like to colonize a dozen 
or two of German vine-dressers, on the plan 
pursued about Cincinnati—would allow bet¬ 
ter terms, and equally as healthy localities 
—more so, I think, by far. Please tell me 
if you can do anything for me in these re¬ 
gards.” 
We shall be happy to give any information 
to persons of the class indicated, if they will 
call at our office.—E d. 
Advertising. —“ There is that scattereth 
and yet increaseth, and there is that with- 
holdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to 
poverty.” 
“ He which soweth sparingly shall reap 
also sparingly; and he which soweth boun¬ 
tifully shall reap also bountifully.” 
“A Subscriber ” wishes to know which of 
two correspondents he shall follow who gave 
somewhat different directions for growing 
millet, through the columns of the Agricul¬ 
turist last year. In reply we would say 
generally, that sowing, planting, cultivating, 
harvesting, &c., must vary largely accord¬ 
ing to the soil, climate and other circum¬ 
stances, not only of millet but for all other 
crops and objects of cultivation. If the soil 
be stiff clay, lumpy, and adhesive, it will re¬ 
quire double the quantity of seed that a light, 
finely pulverized soil will need. If the seed 
is sown early, so as to have the benefit of 
all the early rains, and thus secure the germ¬ 
ination of all the seed, a less quantity will 
suffice than if sowed so late that drouth may 
prevent sprouting* Early sowing has the 
further advantage of giving the crop a longer 
period to mature in, and thus securing a larg¬ 
er growth for each plant than when sown 
later. This allows scantier seeding. The 
different uses for which the crop is designed 
has another influence in seeding. If the 
crop is destined to be harvested for grain, 
half the quantity of seed only is required as 
if the object is to raise fodder only. The 
manner of sowing largely affects the quan¬ 
tity of seed required. If sown in drills, at 
proper distances from each other, and every 
seed carefully covered, two-thirds of the seed 
may be saved. 
Our correspondent will readily see, there¬ 
fore, that both the highest and lowest quan¬ 
tity of seed mentioned, may be properly 
used according to circumstances. He can 
only ascertain the precise quantity by ex¬ 
periments.— Ed. 
COCHINEAL. 
The French, it is said, are now cultivating 
the cochineal, successfully, in Algeria. This 
insect, originally, belongs to old Mexico, 
from which country, it was first brought to 
Europe by the Spaniards. Its use is to dye 
a scarlet color on silk and wool, and it has 
entirely superseded the old kermes. This in¬ 
sect is a lug —the cactus amphidia. In Mexi¬ 
co and Honduras, immense fields of cactus 
are cultivated. Every pound of cochineal is 
composed of about 70,000 insects. 
The cochineal secretes a white cotton¬ 
like substance which envelops it on the 
plant it lives on. There is nothing more 
simple'than the way the harvest is made. 
The insects are made to fall into a basin by 
means of a dull knife, and are then plunged 
for a few minutes into a vessel of boiling 
water, and are afterwards placed on a sieve 
and exposed to the sun for a day and a half. 
The insects are then completely dried, and 
look like little wrinkled seeds of a purplish 
gray color. It is in this state that they be¬ 
come an article of merchandise. 
To dye a scarlet on wool, the cochineal is 
ground fine, and boiled with cream of tartar, 
and the chloride of tin in a kettle, for five 
minutes, then the wool is introduced and 
boiled for about an hour. That beautiful 
pigment—carmine—is made of this Mexican 
bug, boiled in a weak solution of alum, then 
strained through a cloth, and the fine pre¬ 
cipitate dried in cakes.—Sci. American. 
STILL MOEE ABOUT “THAT PUMPKIN.” 
To the Editor of the American Agriculturist: 
In your January number I read an article 
on the “ bitter pumpkin,” and in that for 
February I find an article from G. T., of New- 
York, making the suggestion that it is a hy¬ 
brid or cross between the mock orange and 
common pumpkin, concluding as follows : 
“ Some individual might be found which 
would satisfactorily establish the origin of 
that pumpkin.” This I very much doubt. 
Solomon said, “ there was no new thing un¬ 
der the sun,” and surely Solomon was 
“ some pumpkins.” 
In the year 1817,1 was on a visit in Broome 
County, New-York, when my friend showed 
me a new species of pumpkin he had ob¬ 
tained a year or two previous, and said they 
were recommended as a substitute for Hops 
in making family beer. I took some of the 
seeds home with me, and the next summer 
planted and raised a fine crop of bitter pump¬ 
kins, much smaller, but of the same color as 
the common field pumpkin. I then tried 
them as a substitute for hops, and spoiled 
one brewing—the beer was not drinkable. 
Tried it again—and came to the conclusion 
that it might possibly do as a substitute for 
colocynth, but not for hops. The mock 
orange squash and the parti-colored gourd¬ 
shaped one I frequently cultivate for orna¬ 
ment—both of which are bitter, but not a3 
extremely so as the “ bitter pumpkin.” 
New-Haven, Ct. N. Goodseel. 
ON SHOEING HOESES THAT OVEEEEACH. 
I was bred from my youth a blacksmith and 
farmer, and whether a natural mechanic or 
not, I was always anxious to know the whys 
and wherefores of things, or more properly 
speaking, the causalities and preventives. I 
was also fond of trying experiments upon 
such things as appeared favorable for im¬ 
provements. I was generally in the shop 
with my father evenings, rainy days, and 
such other times as I could be spared from 
the farm or school. By being in the shop so 
much, I obtained the views of the farmers 
generally, and by that was enabled to make 
many improvements on the farm. I learned, 
also, that many farmers entertain very er¬ 
roneous views about blacksmiths too ; still 
they were bound to dictate according to 
prejudices; as, for instance, one says : 
“ This horse overreaches, I want you to put 
the forward shoes as far forward as possible, 
and set the hind shoes as far back, or he will 
tear them oft'.” I would sometimes try to 
reason the case by saying the way to pre¬ 
vent a horse from overreaching, is to aug¬ 
ment the speed of the forward feet, and re¬ 
tard the motion of the hind ones ; but in or¬ 
der to accomplish that, I shall have to re¬ 
verse your directions. Some who had little 
or no mechanical genius, would cut short all 
argument, and say, “ follow my directions 
or else not shoe the horse.” Of course, a 
mechanic must obey orders, if he breaks 
owners ; so the horse would go out of the 
