1865.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
191 
large amount of iron enters into the construction, 
to make the distance between two rods less than 
this rule would indicate, rather than more. Indeed 
we see no objection to an indefinite multiplication 
of rods to a house, provided they are all properly 
connected with the ground and with each other. 
A building entirely inclosed, as it were, in a case of 
iron rods so connected with the earth, would be 
safe from the direct action of the lightning. 
10th. When a house is covered by a metallic 
roof, the latter should be united, in good metallic 
connection, with the lightning rods; and in this 
ease the perpendicular pipes conveying the water 
from the gutters at the eaves may be made to act 
the part of rods by soldering strips of copper to 
the metal roof and pipes above, connecting them 
with the earth by plates of metal united by similar 
strips of copper to their lower ends, or better with 
the gas or water-pipes of the city. In this case, 
however, the chimneys would be unprotected, and 
copper lightning rods soldered to the roof, and ris¬ 
ing a few feet above the chimneys, would suffice 
to receive the discharge. We say soldered to the 
roof, because if the contact was not very per¬ 
fect, a greater intensity of action would take place 
at this point, and the metal might be burnt through 
by the discharge, particularly if it were thin. 
“ 11th. As a general rule, large masses of melal 
within the building, particularly those which have 
a perpendicular elevation, ought to be connected 
with the rod.” 
Extermination of Eed Ants. 
“ N. H.,” of Albany, N. T., inquires for a remedy 
for expelling red ants when they have gained pos¬ 
session of a dwelling. If they can find convenient 
refuge in the walls of a house, it will require a long 
time to exterminate them. If the house be new, 
and the door and window casing and base boards fit 
closely, fill with putty all the holes and cracks 
where they come in. Then, keep all kinds of food 
in close vessels, so that they will have difficulty to 
find anything to eat. Procure two pieces of thin 
boards, say two feet long, eight inches wide, and 
fasten two edges together with hinges, so that they 
will close like the covers of a book. Spre.ad a lit¬ 
tle molasses on the under board, and as often as a 
few ants are seen on it, press the upper board down 
and crush them. In a few days they can all be 
destroyed. Another way is to put some molasses 
into a milk pan, and place a piece of board against 
the side of it, so that they can ascend to the top 
of the pan. They are sure to tumble into the mo¬ 
lasses ; and can not get out alone. Perhaps the 
best way is one we have previously published in 
the Agricultimst. Procure a large sponge, sprinkle 
a little sugar through it, and place it ne.ar the haunts 
of ants. When a quantity of them have collected 
in the interstices they can be killed in hot water, 
the sponge dried, baited and set again. In this way 
whole armies of the ants can be readily destroyed. 
Tanning Fur Skins. 
Mr. Byron Vaughn, Dupage Co., Ill., sends the 
following method of preparing skins with the fur on 
to the Amei'ican AgriculturUt: The skins cleaned of 
flesh are put in a liquid prepared thus; Upon 1 lb. 
of hard wood ashes, pour 4 gallons hot soft wa¬ 
ter, let stand for a few hours and strain out the li¬ 
quor, then add 3 pounds of common salt, one fourth 
pound of alum, and one pound of sulphuric acid 
(oil of vitriol). The mixture is to be made in a 
wooden tub or similar vessel, and care should be 
exercised in handling the acid, that none come in 
contact with the person or clothing. The skins are 
placed in the liquid and allowed to remain there 
from one to two hours, when they are rinsed and 
hung out to dry. Mr. V. recommends the process 
as cheap and satisfactory. He does not state if the 
skins need any oiling or other after-treatment. 
Fnrnitiire Varmisli, —A correspondent 
says, when black walnut or mahogany-colored fur¬ 
niture- becomes discolored or damaged, any one 
may; ataivcag' small-cost, “shine it up,” like new. 
Provide a few cents worth of burnt amber and 
Indian red. For mahogany color, mix Indian red 
with copal vanish till the right color is secured; 
thin with benzine, and add a little boiled linseed 
oil if it dries faster than desirable. For black wal¬ 
nut color, mix both pigments in such proportion 
as are necessary. 
Mrs. Fi’sWayof Preserving Strawberries. 
MrSi F.’s strawberry preserves- are the best in 
the world. So F. thinks, and we don’t dispute 
him. She has all the strawberries she needs, 
and many more go to waste for w.aut of hands to 
pick them. So large, firm, handsome berries, such 
as Wilson’s, or Triomphe de Gands, are selected, 
cleaned without bruising, and with these her glass 
jars are filled. Then an abundance of the highest 
flavored berries, as, for instance, Brooklyn Scarlet, 
Burr’s New Pine, Boston Pine, etc., are taken, 
picked over with great care, and washed. They 
are mixed with sugar, in judicious quantity, say 
half a pound to a pound for each pound of fruit; 
then they are put on the fire and cooked as is usual 
for preserving strawberries. Then they .arc poured 
out upon a cloth in a colander, and all the juice 
drained and squeezed out. While yet boiling hot, it 
is poured into the jars of fruit, previously plaeed in 
hot water. The jars are then sealed at once. The 
amount of sugar can be varied to suit the taste. 
The fruit will keep with more of its n.atural flavor, 
and with less danger of fermentation without any 
sugar. It can be sweetened as used on the table. 
IdDYS' 
How to Keep Hood 1%'atm’eil. 
Uncle William writes to the American Agriculturist: 
“How that wagon wheel creaks. It seems to be grumb¬ 
ling and moaning with pain, just as I felt like doing when 
I had the-rheumatism. Every boy knows that It needs 
grease or oil, to make it run easy. If It do not have this, 
it will tire everybody with the disagreeable sound, and 
soon be worn out. It is just like some people I have met, 
who needed oiling with good nature. They w ere honest, 
industrious, well meaning, and naturally affectionate, 
but oh 1 how peevish. There was my neigiibor Squire 
Savage. How I used, when a boy, to dread to pass his 
place. ‘ What are you staring at, hey?’ he VN-ould call 
out if I turned to look toward his house. ‘ Stop your 
noisy yelp,’ he siiouted one day as I was singing on my 
way to school. Suppose I did annoy him a little by my 
childish ways, he would have felt pleasanter, and I cer¬ 
tainly should, had he given me a kind word which would 
have cost him very little. There was Peter Brace, one 
of my school fellows, ‘ Peter Pickles ’ the boys nick¬ 
named him. He was always snarling at something or 
somebody. If he granted a favor, he would do it with 
such a snap that you did not like to ask him a second 
time. But I need not speak of my cross acquaintances, 
most of you have seen such persons, and know that they 
are not favorites. But how can a person keep good na- 
tured ? 1st, by making up his mind that he will act pleas¬ 
antly whether he feels so or not. It may be hard work 
to do this at times, but it can be made a habit, and appear¬ 
ing pleasant will induce pleasant feelings. 2d, Good 
health has much to do with good nature. Preserve this 
by good habits and temperance in all things. 3d, Keep a 
quiet conscience by trying to do right.—Be careful not to 
mistake pliancy for good nature. A pliant man agrees 
with everbody, has little will of his own, is ready to fol¬ 
low every body’s suggestions ; he does not know how to 
say ‘ No.’ A good natured man may be very decided in 
his opinions and yet offend none justly by his expression 
of them; he can make ‘No’ pleasanter by his way of 
saying it, than the ‘Yes’of a surly person. Try the oil 
of good nature for a month and see how easily it will 
make the wheels of life run.” 
February 14tb—Woman’s Hay. 
In England and in many places in this country, Febru¬ 
ary 14th, called Valentine’s day, is celebrated by sending 
anonymous letters, called valentines. The old Dutch 
settlers of New York had a different and curious custom. 
Previous to that day every school girl provided herself 
with a piece of cord of convenient size for a whip. With 
this she was privileged to attack any boy she might meet 
onthe 14th, (called by them “Vrowen Dagh” or Woman’s 
Day,) and give him a sound lashing. It was not fair to 
have any knots tied in the cord, and of course no boy 
■was permitted to strike back, or offer any resistance ; he 
could only use his legs and run away as fast as possible. 
As the whole matter was fairlyiunderstood, it made great 
sport. When the boys applied for a similar privilege on 
the following day, they were told that it would defeat the 
purpose of the custom, which was intended to teach them 
a lesson of manliness, never to raise their hands to strike 
a woman. Probably it was al.so thought that as the boys 
were wont to have things their own way most of the time, 
it was only fair lo let the girls have full rule at least one 
day in the year. The custom may also have made the 
boys quite careful in their treatment of the opposite sex, 
at least for some time pr evious to the 14th, fearful of the 
threat “ I’ll pay you off on Woman’s Day.” 
A LITTLE Girl was told “to spell ferment,” and give 
its meaning, with a sentence in which it was used. The 
following was literally her answer: “ F-e-r-m-e-n-t, a 
verb, signifying to wor k. I love to ferment in the garden'” 
Answer.^ to Hi-oblcmns and Hnzasles. 
The answer to No. 121, Mathematical Problem^ in Feb¬ 
ruary No., page 55, was accidentaily omitted. 1278 is the 
correct number. The following are answers to the puz¬ 
zles, etc., in the May number, page 159 : No. 147. Prob¬ 
lem.—"Viie dotted lines show \^here the figure is to be cut. 
to make the required pieces ; 
a little study will show ho-w 
to .arrange theni to form a 
square_No. 148. Curious 
Sentence. —Who saw a saw 
saw a saw ? I saw a saw 
saw a saw, but never saw a 
saw saw a saw as I saw 
that saw saw a saw_No. 149.—Illustrated Rebus. — 
Flies in when ewe can butt face it if ewe must; or. Fly 
sin when you can, but face it if you must_No. 150.—1, 
Whole, hole ; 2, spear, pear ; 3, scent, cent; 4, acorn, 
cor n-No. 151. Anagrams. —1, Idolatar y ; 2, Regula¬ 
tions; 3, Enigmatically; 4, Editorial_No. 152. French 
Riddle. —Translation. I am of all things in the world, 
the most holy ; remove my heart and I am the most bit¬ 
ter. Answer. —“ Bible,” r emove the middle b, and bile 
r emains.... No. 153. Illustrated Rebus. —April 3d will 
long be regarded a great day in the histoi-y of the United 
States, and of the world-No. 154. Mathematical Prob¬ 
lem.—5.002 inches_No. 155. Mathematical Problem. — 
5-371trs. The following sent correct answers up to May 
10th. Minne and Alice Mulligan, 137, 141, 143 ; B. F. 
Scriven, 146; E. A. Long, 141, 140 ; N. Safford, 146; T. 
S. McD., 137 ; S. C. M., 137, 141 ; “ W. F. B.,” 139, 141 , 
D. W. B. Kuntz, 137 ; E. Provost, 153 ; I. W. Beckwith, 
124, 125, 126, 127, 128,133, 134; Eddie Sheldon, 150, 153 ; 
Lucy R. Weeks, 149, 153 ; Robt. G. Weeks, 149. 150. 153 . 
Fidelia R. Lord. 150, 153, 
IVew Puzzles to be Answered. 
No. 156. Curious Sentence. —Write a correct sentence 
with the word “that” used seven times in succession. 
No. 157. Illustrated Rebus,—A timely w'aining to all. 
No. 158. Curious Latin Sentences. —1, Quis crudus pro 
lectum, album et spiravit. 2, Mens tuus ego et labor via. 
3, Bon® mali sunt desiderabiles. What is the correct 
translation ? 
No. 159. Illustrated Reins.—Worth studying by boys. 
No. 160. Conundrums.— }, Why is necessity like many 
a pettifogger ? 2, Why was Lincoln’s war policy the I'e- 
verse of Scipio’s ? 3, What gener al has been most pi'O- 
moted by the close of the war ? 4, What country in 
Europe contains the most geese ? 
