AM EPd C 'AN AGrB IC U L T UBIST. 
141 
NOTES UPON VALUABLE BOOKS- 
[The country is now being flooded with books on 
Agriculture and Horticulture, Fruit Growing, Treatment 
of Animals, &c., some of them good, some bad, and some 
indifferent. We purpose, as we may have time and 
space, to set forth what we consider the claims of some of 
those most worthy of being procured and read. Many of 
this class of books we do not esteem deserving a notice 
even and shall pass them by, except to criticize those 
coming before the community with pretentious claims, but 
in themselves of objectionable. As we have before in¬ 
timated, we held ourselves under no obligations to adver¬ 
tise any book by a ‘‘notice” because the publisher sends us 
a copy free. What we say in praise or blame o( any work 
is wholly with reference to the interest of our own 
readers. 
Purchasing Books. —Book selling is no part of our busi¬ 
ness, and we would prefer lo have all our readers get 
such works as they desire directly from the publishers,or 
from a regular book-seller. But many are remote from 
book stores, and are cautious about sending money to 
unknown publishers. To accommodate such, we will 
at any time be happy to procure any desired book, 
especially on any subject treated of in the Agricul¬ 
turist. As a general thing we can send any book by 
mail post-paid on receipt of the regular retail price— 
the discount allowed us by publishers being just about 
enough to cover the cost of mailing.! 
JLet the Children Study Chemistry. 
Were we asked to arrange the order of “ studies ” to be 
pursued by a boy or girl at school, we should answer, 
practical Grammar, Arithmetic and Geography, in con¬ 
nection with a thorough drilling in reading and writing, 
and next Chemistry followed by History, &c. Without 
stopping to discuss the philosophy of this order we would 
briefly say that we look upon a knowledge of chemistry, 
in its relation to the objects and occurrences of everyday 
life, as of the highest practical importance. There is 
scarcely an operation going on around us in the natural 
world which is not the result of some chemical law. 
Rain, ice, heat and cold, and the growth of all plants are 
results of chemical laws and changes, and to the study of 
these, we would direct the first attention of the child. 
Building fires, cooking, washing, soil culture, &c., are 
chemical operations, and we would early teach the prin¬ 
ciples involved, and the interesting changes and exchanges 
taking place among the atoms of the materials we handle, 
not only as a matter of immediate interest, but also with 
a view to the practical advantages resulting from a 
knowledge of the why and how. It has been customary to 
take the child at once from the elementary branches to 
the study of the abstruse principles o[ what is usually 
termed •* Natural Philosophy,” embracing Mechanics, 
Hydraulics, Hydrostatics, Electricity, Astronomy, <fcc. 
Now while these are important and should occupy a due 
portion of the advanced student’s attention, we would 
begin by directing him, or her, to the simpler and more 
practical teachings afforded by chemistry. To illustrate, 
we would show the child what takes place when vinegar 
and saleratus are united, or when a mass of wood or coal 
is put into the stove and apparently consumed ; how a 
beautiful and variegated plant or flower comes up from 
the ground ; how from eating bread alone, is produced 
bones, nails, hair, blood, flesh, skin, nerves, &c ; how 
soda or saleratus added to sour milk, produces sweet, 
light biscuits, and a thousand other similar things that 
almost every day’s experience presents to observation. 
The study of them is easy—not half so difficult as the law 
of falling bodies, the compound lever, the theories of 
light and electricity, the motions of heavenly bodies, &c., 
which are among the things discussed in the most ele¬ 
mentary school “ Natural Philosophy.” 
One hinderance to the introduction of the study of 
chemistry in our public schools, and in the family has been 
the lack of suitable books on the subject. Books without 
number have been written, but we have met with no one 
which seemed to be just adapted to the popular want. 
Children’s chemistries has been either a “ baby talk,” or 
the cramped attempts of sturdy intellect to gambol in 
childish sports. A suitable book would, in our opinion, 
be one which should commence with the simplest princi¬ 
ples, and develop these by illustrations drawn from ob¬ 
jects and chemical changes immediately under the obser¬ 
vation of every one. The work should begin with a de¬ 
scription ofsimple, cheap experiments to be performed 
bythe scholar with apparatus every where at hand. To 
illustrate ; instead of a homily upon simple and com¬ 
pound bodies, we would mix before him or instruct him 
to mix the ingredients of a cake, for example, and show 
how the flour, sugar, soda, milk, butter, &c., in them¬ 
selves so different from each other, when united, form 
a homogenous mass so entirely unlike any one of the 
original elementary substances entering into the com¬ 
pound. (We of course speak of these as elementary in 
a relative sense only.) To inculcate the idea of a gas, we 
would fill a glass vessel with clear vinegar, put apiece of 
chalk or soda in the bottom, and turn over it a glass tum¬ 
bler filled with water or vinegar, and point to the bubbles 
of gas rising into the tumbler. So every principle of 
synthesis and analyses (composition and decomposition) 
might be illustrated. There is scarcely a kitchen that 
docs not contain apparatus enough to exhibit the primary 
principles of chemistry. We did not commence, however, 
to write a treatise on chemistry, but call attention to what 
kind of a book is wanted to adapt this important and use¬ 
ful branch of knowledge to the wants of the masses. We 
were led to this topic by an examination of a work on 
chemistry just published by A. S. Barnes & Co., of this 
city, fiom the pen of Prof. John A. Porter, of Yale Col¬ 
lege.* Though in many respects not quite the kind of 
book we have indicated above, it comes, perhaps, the 
nearest to it of any we have yet examined. A marked 
valuable feature is the simplicity of the apparatus em¬ 
ployed or recommended for showing some of he more im¬ 
portant principles of chemistry. A few earthen bowls, 
glass tumblers, common clay smoking pipes, bits of metal, 
and cheap substances obtainable at any country drug¬ 
store, have a prominent place in the experiments illus¬ 
trated in the book. For a school book to be studied with 
the living teacher, it is very good. Though most of the 
principles of the science are stated in plain language there 
is rather too much brevity, and too great an aim at com¬ 
pleteness, to fully adapt it to the comprehension of small¬ 
er children, and to the uneducated “ children of larger 
growth,” whom we would enlist in the study of this in¬ 
teresting and useful science. For a systematic work, the 
preliminary hundred pages devoted to light, heat, magnet¬ 
ism and electricity, are very well,but for an elementary 
work we would commence with the elements, composi¬ 
tion and decomposition of bodies, and at first only intro¬ 
duce so much upon heat, light, &c., as might come in 
naturally to explain phenomena. But with these sugges¬ 
tions we still commend the work as eminently worthy of 
general introduction, not only as a text book in public 
schools, but also as a text-book and reading book in 
the family. 
*470 pages. Retail Price $1. 
A PRACTICAL TREATISE ON THE HIVE AND HONEY-BEE, by 
L. L. Langstroth, with an introduction by Rev. 
Robert Baird, D. D. Second edition, enlarged and 
illustrated with numerous engravings. Published by 
C. M. Saxton & Co., New-York, 1857. Price $1 50"; 
or $1 60 if prepaid by mail. 
The experience of any one engaged in bee-culture for fif¬ 
teen or twenty years, is worth giving to the public ; and 
especial value is to be attached to the observations and 
discoveries of such a man as Mr. Langstroth, who has 
made the instincts and habits ofbees a matter of thorough 
and systematic study. The second edition of his treatise 
on bees has received our carelul attention, and we gladly 
recommend it as superior to anything hitherto published. 
It is not a mere re-issue from stereotype plates, but each 
chapter bears marks of revision, and much new valuable 
matter has been added. Those who have the first edition 
will need this also. As a manual of bee-culture it is indeed 
liable to the objection of being too diffuse, and too full of 
remarks on other subjects. It would bear considerable 
pruning, and this process would both increase the value 
and diminish the cost of what remained. There is also a 
little want of harmony between the parts, as if the book 
had been a long time in passing through the press. 
But while we are free to say this, we rely upon the 
work as a most complete repository of facts, old and new ; 
and one who has never seen it will be surprised to find 
what progress has been made in this department of natu¬ 
ral history within a few years. No owner of half a dozen 
stocks of bees can afford to be without this volume. 
This is not the place for discussing the details of Mr. 
Langstroth’s system of management, of which we will 
only say that its adoption will remove many embarrass¬ 
ments that have stood in the way of bee-culture ; and 
while we are not sanguine in respect to all the results 
hinted at, we think it bids fair to supersede other systems. 
An interesting chapter on a species of the honey-bee 
found in Italy and carried thence to Germany, will be en¬ 
tirely new to most persons. We shall have more to say 
of this Italian bee at some other time. It has been iden¬ 
tified as one of the species described by Aristotle, 2,200 
years ago, and supposed to have become extinct. The 
earliest account of it in modern times referred to by Mr. 
Langstroth, is found in a German periodical of 1848." We 
are surprised however, that it should have escaped his 
notice that fifty yeai s ago, Spinola, in describing the in¬ 
sect of Liguria, mentioned this very species as different 
from the common bee, distinguishing it from others de¬ 
scribed by Reaumur, Della Rocca and Latreielle, and 
claiming that it was the very one known to Aristotle. 
He said the ancients spoke of it as “ more gemle than the 
common bee, swdfier in its .movements, far more un¬ 
wearied with labor, and securing more honey.” These 
statements correspond-with the representations that now 
come to us irom Germany ; and we sincerely hope that 
success will attend the effort to introduce this invaluable 
bee into the United States. When this has once been 
done, it will be easy to multiply them indefinitely by Mr. 
Langstroth’s methods of forming artificial colonies. 
Niagara to Quebec.— J. P. Jewett & Co., have pub¬ 
lished a pretty and convenient Panoramic Guide from 
Niagara to Quebec, which will be particularly interesting 
to those traveling over that route, either on a pleasure or 
business excursion. It contains descriptions and il¬ 
lustrations of the scenery on the route, besides a folding 
panorama opening out to near 12 feet in length, upon 
which is a connected picture of Niagara Falls and River, 
Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, &r. , with numer¬ 
ous illustrations of the objects of interest to be seen by the 
voyager. Price $1. 
Devon Herd-Book. —The third volume of this book is 
in course of preparation by Sanford Howard, of Boston, 
and will probably be ready for delivery in July. 
The Special Freaimasns for 
3^T £3 tul 1o £3 o:r*.1 foers 
offered in our May Number, are still continued. See page 
117. They are worth looking to, particularly if you chance 
to want a supply of seed to sow for soiling, or green cattle 
feed. 
Sugar-Cane Seed for Soiling 
at a Low Price. 
As stated in a note on page 128, we shall have a small 
surplus of this seed, at the close of our free dn-tribution, 
which is now about over for the season. This we shall be 
glad to have our subsciibers try for soiling purposes. We 
have planted it in hills and drills, on a variety of soil, 
and with various fertilzers. We have just had a plot 
sown broadcast, at the rate of 10 pounds of seed to the 
acre, to see how it would grow in this manner. It will 
be cut at different stages of maturity and fed out, and the 
results noted. We shall, be pleased to have our subscri¬ 
bers, who are so disposed, use our surplus of a hundred 
pounds or so, which we had provided to be sure of enough 
to meet all calls from our subscribers. To those who wiil 
try it for cattle feed, we will furnish what we have after 
June 1st, and in such quantities as they may desire, and 
at whatever price they may choose to pay towards its ori¬ 
ginal cost, or, to avoid too great a demand, we w ill say at 
50 cents a pound. As stated on page 128, it can be sown in 
drills, for soiling, at any time in June. We will put it up 
in bags holding a pound or more, as may be desired, and 
forward it by express or otherwise. The applications will 
be filled, as fast as received, until our supply is exhausted. 
Any money received afterwards will be returned at once 
to the subscribers. 
This seed is of the best quality, and we are confident 
that, at least, none better has been offered in the coun¬ 
try than both what we now have, and the 1,400 pounds we 
have scattered among our subscribers. 
Crop Prospects—Oier last Item. 
For several days we have had a great number of gloomy 
reports from various parts of the country. To-day (May 
22), as we go to press, a large Western mail brings a 
batch of letters of an entirely different tone. . 
The sun now shines clear and warm, and Spring seems 
to have returned 
l -d’ " Forty Cents a Line. 
RATS, ROACHES, BED BUGS, INSECTS, &e. 
The London Quarterly Review, 
The New-York Daily State Register and others, on 
“ COSTAR’S ” Rat, Roach, &c., EXTERMINATOR, 
“COSTAR’S” Bed bug EXTERMINATOR, 
“ COSTAR’S ” ELECTRIC POWDER, for Ants, &c. 
The London Quarterly Review contains near a column, 
and the New- York Daily State Register, of May the 1st 
says : “No judicious housekeeper should defer purchas¬ 
ing a supply of these invaluable remedies for clearing 
their houses of all sorts of vermin. With all confidence 
we can recommend them as indispensable articles for 
every family.” 
The New-York Journal for April has the following: 
“ ‘ Costar’s ’ Remedies for all domestic pests, such as 
Rats, Cock Roaches, Bed Bugs, Ants, Fleas, &c , are 
said to be invaluable ; indeed, we can speak from actual 
knowledge of their rare merits. The name of ‘ Costar ’ 
is a ‘ household word ’ to New-Yorkers and his Depot, 
No. 388 Broadway, New-York, is thronged by thousands 
daily. As the Summer approaches we advise every one 
who would be rid of the above named pests to send and 
procure a timely supply of the Exterminator. Druggists 
and Dealers also should send their orders early, if they 
would secure a trade in articles for which there is a con¬ 
stant demand , and on which a fair profit may be realized.’- 
“ COSTAR’S” 
Principal Depot, No. 388 Broadway, New-York, and 
sold by DRUGGISTS and DEALERS everywhere inthe 
United States, Canadas, West Ind ies and South America. 
See Advertisement. Full particulars by mail. 
