1875.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
391 
way to some plant or whatever it happens to come across, 
throws out its long arms and waits for prey. It reminds 
me of a lazy fisherman, who fixes himself in a comfortable 
position, and then throws out several lines to tempt the 
sprightly little fishes. Bat the lazy fisherman, as well 
as the Hydra, makes a very uncertain living, for not al¬ 
ways are the fishes to be tempted by the bait, and the 
lively little creatures for which the Hydra is fishing, seem 
to be on the alert, and so both fisherman and Hydra are 
often obliged to take in their lines without having caught 
their suppers. But when the Hydra has good luck—when 
some poor creature runs against one of the long arms—it 
is immediately seized by the arm, and then the other 
arms are wound around it, and it is forced down the gap¬ 
ing mouth into the bag-like stomach—actually swallowed 
alive ; under the microscope we can see the little captive 
through the transparent walls of the stomach, moving 
about, until a film gathers around it, gradually hiding it 
from sight, until the whole is lost to view. 
Sometimes the animal slips out of its long arms, and 
escapes from the Hydra, but if it happens to be an animal 
with a soft body—no shelly covering to protect it—it soon 
dies. Those little wart-like prominences on the arms 
are the receptacles of poison darts, which the Hydra 
thrusts into its victim; these paralyze and soon kill it. 
The Hydras increase in a funny way; little bud-like 
knobs start out anywhere on the body of the parent, and 
these are the young Hydras just beginning to grow ; after 
a short time, arms are developed on the little ones, and 
they begin to catch their own food while still fast to the 
parent. After a while, when the young have become old 
enough, they break away from .the parent, and swim 
about, and at length attach themselves to whatever they 
please, and spreading out their fishing-lines, catch their 
prey, and raise families in the same way their parents 
did before them. 
-— ■». —- 
Aunt Sue’s Chats. 
Isaiah S.—The letters for the alphabetical arithmetic, 
when placed in order from one to nought (or ten), form a 
word or sentence; and as a puzzle one may sometimes 
discover the “ key," anagramatically, when he is not able 
to work out the sum. 
Eddie F. G. asks why Boston is called “ the Hub.” It 
was the name Dr. Holmes gave it, when he facetiously 
suggested that the whole of Creation turned on its axis. 
I can give you the “ nicknames ” of several other cities, 
which names suggest “ their origin” New York is called 
Gotham ; Philadelphia, the Quaker City; Baltimore, the 
Monumental City; New Orleans, the Crescent City; 
Washington, the City of Magnificent Distances; Cincin¬ 
nati, the Queen City (or jocularly Porkopolis); New 
Haven, the Elm City; Detroit, the City of the Straits; 
Chicago, the Garden City ; Pittsburgh, the Smoky City ; 
Cleveland, the Forest City; Indianopolis, the Railroad 
City ; St. Louis, the Mound City; Louisville, the Falls 
City; Keokuk, the Gate City; Brooklyn, the City of 
Churches. 
M. L. E.—“ The difference between cashmere and 
merino ” is simply—that merino is twilled on both sides 
and cashmere on only one. 
Clara L. wants the “ pattern of a pretty, cheap, easily- 
made card-basket.” I think I can suit you exactly, Clara. 
Cut two hexagons out of white card-board; one a little 
larger than the other, as shown in figs. 1 and 2. Paste them 
together, one on top of the other-. Cut a little hole with a 
Ft//. 2 
Figs. 1 and 2.— bottom of card-basket. 
punch, in the centre of each side of the base, as in the pat¬ 
tern, and place it under a weight to dry, while you cut out 
six pieces like fig. 3. These pieces you may paint, or 
“spatter,” (with ferns, etc.,) or decorate in any manner 
you choose. Then tie it all together with narrow ribbon, 
leaving the bows outside at the bottom of the basket, and 
inside at the top. If that is not simple enough, you can 
cut the six pieces of the shape of fig. 4, stick fancy paper 
on it, bind it with ribbon, and sew the sides together, and 
the base (fig. 1), which must also be bound with narrow 
ribbon. You can vary the style of ornamentation, ac¬ 
cording to “ your own sweet will.”—[The pattern given 
going back and forth, they at last all reached their old 
home. That cat had no idea of being a pioneer. 
Fig. 3.— ORNAMENTAL SIDE-PIECE. 
here is just half the proper size; Aunt Sue sent her 
drawing the full size, but it takes up more room than we 
could spare; you can easily draw a pattern just twice the 
size given here, upon a piece of paper, to serve as a 
guide.—E d.] 
English Girl.—To the best of my knowledge and be¬ 
lief, “ Queen Victoria’s crown ” contains 1 large sapphire 
and 16 smaller ones, 11 emeralds, 1 large ruby and 4 
smaller ones, 1,364 brilliants, 277 pearls, 1,273 rose dia¬ 
monds, and 147 other diamonds. It was made in 1838, 
principally with jewels taken from old crowns. 
Mushrooms.—A little girl (whose letter is not at hand) 
wishes to know how to tell mushrooms from toad stools. 
This is a difficult matter to tell, but a very easy one to 
show. The editors inform me that they expect soon to 
have something on the subject for the old folks, and she 
will be perhaps able to learn something from that. 
More about Cats. 
A kind lady in Wisconsin sends you this;—The story 
in the August Agriculturist about the kitten and the doll, 
reminds me of a kitten I had when a little girl. A neigh¬ 
bor gave me a little gray and white kitten, and shortly 
after another neighbor had the misfortune to lose in one 
night an old hen and her entire brood, save one poor little 
chick; that one she gave to me. The pets were soon on 
the best of terms. When chick got old enough to use 
her wings a little, the two would have great sport. Chick 
would go round and round the house as fast as her legs 
aided by outstretched wings could carry her, with kitty 
close to her heels ; when he caught her, they would have 
a rough and tumble play-for a while, and then another 
race. When tired of out-door sports, kitty would get on 
his bed and chick would fly up and nestle down close to 
him ; kitty would wash her feathers, cat. fashion, and 
when she was all cleaned up nicely, they would sleep, 
kitty’s paws encircling chick’s neck. Kitty would never 
hurt her, though lie often pretended he was going to bite 
her. Chick, when she had grown to be a hen, never for¬ 
got sleeping with kit, for, as long as she lived, she de¬ 
lighted to steal into the house and make a nest in some 
corner on a lot of rags, nor would she scruple to get 
upon the bed if allowed. 
Though many cats are of a roving disposition, all are 
not, for some of them have a great love for home. I will 
tell you of what happened to one of the pioneers of Wis¬ 
consin. When the state was first settled, cats were scarce 
and mice plenty, and people would take a great deal of 
trouble to obtain a cat. One family which was moving 
into the state, while on the way, procured an old cat and 
two kittens. The family traveled twenty miles from the 
place where they got the cat and kittens, and camped for 
the night, for there were then no railroads or hotels; 
when they arose in the morning, they found pussy had 
deserted with her two babies. Great was the surprise of 
her former owner, to find that on the second day after 
their departure puss and her babies were safe in their old 
quarters. As puss could carry but one kitten at a time, 
she must have traveled the entire twenty miles three 
times over, besides hunting her food; she doubtless car¬ 
ried one for some distance, and leaving it in a safe 
place, returned and brought up the other one, and by thus 
-— i — - 
Aunt Site’s* IMizzle-lEox. 
POSITIVES AND COMPARATIVES. 
(Example. —Lick, liquor.) 
1. An animal, a rope. 2. Part of the body, a beverage. 
3. A spice, a flower. 4. An exclamation, a margin. 5. A 
sanctuary, a poet. 6. An exclamation, a propeller. 7. A 
vegetable, a nook. 8. An exclamation, an element. 
Bessie. 
NUMERICAL ENIGMAS. 
1. I am composed of 26 letters : 
My 17, 1, 10, is an article of clothing. 
My 10, 2, 18, 26, 16, 4,13, is a kind of support. 
My 9, 22, is an adverb. 
My 17, 11, 7, 3, 19, 9, 15, is a girl’s name. 
My 5, 15, 25, 20, 11, is used on the plains. 
My 14, 21, 24, 23, 13, is an imaginary being. 
My 8, 12, 1, 16, is an insect. 
My whole is an old, well-known proverb. L. S. H. 
2. I am composed of 24 letters : 
My 16, 12, 24, is a weapon. 
My 11, 13, 12, 20, one likes to be during a storm. 
My 23, 3, 19, 21, 10, 7, is astonishing. 
My 9, 14, 24, 4, is a suggestion. 
My 5, 17, 18, 15, 8, is to^raise. 
My 2, 22, 1, is a nickname and a crime. 
My 2, 22, 1, 6, is an article of clothing. 
My whole is a message which effected a reconcilia¬ 
tion between two men who had quarreled in the 
morning. Addie. 
DOUBLE ACROSTIC. 
1. To architects a name well known, 
In books on architecture shown. 
2. A word that leads to all success; 
If you would know it, do no less. 
3. When in the darkest ways we glide, 
This is a safe and certain guide. 
4. One from whose lips each zealous word 
By eager patriots was heard. 
5. A plant imperfect, not complete 
In all that we with pleasure greet. 
6. In climbing upward as we rise. 
What forms our steps t’wards azure skies? 
Primals—finals name a book 
For which most others we forsook. IIenrt. 
NAMES OP RIVERS, ETC.—ENIGMATICALLY EXPRESSED. 
1. A variety of grapes. 2. What a tree cannot live 
without. 3. Suggestion of an African Chief. 4. What a 
miser does, and a girl’s name. 5. The first Bishop of 
Jerusalem. 6. A domestic animal and where she feeds. 
7. A relative and an animal. Mary E. S. 
DIAMOND PUZZLE. 
1. A vowel. 2. To place. 3. A fright. 4. A lover of 
children. 5. To go out. 6. Necessary to playing bil¬ 
liards. 7. A vowel. Little One. 
CHARACTERISTIC INITIALS. 
(Example. —“Cultivated .Statesman”—Charles .Sumner.) 
1. Just., Good and Wise. 2. Writes Cultivated Books. 
3. Safe Counsellor. 4. Mighty Artist,. 5. Daring Orator. 
6. Bold Traveller. 7. Always Lamented. 8. Temperance 
Story Teller. 9. Graceful Genius. 10. Every Day Ever 
New Stories. M. P. 
CROSS WORD. 
My first is in parch but not in dry, 
My next is in head but not in eye, 
My third is in wheat but not in hay. 
My fourth is in river but not in bay, 
My fifth is in pelf but not in gold. 
My sixth is in rude but not in bold. 
My seventh is in light but not in day, 
My eighth is in June but not in May, 
My ninth is in stone but not in rock, 
My tenth is in clasp but not in lock, 
My eleventh is in slow but not in late, 
My whole is what all should cultivate. Mamie, 
pi. 
Noe fo liet stom tropimtan lures fo het sceneic fo ann- 
rems, si na tomsal aubstole license ni grader ot rousefly. 
ANSWERS TO TUZZLES IN THE AUGUST NUMBER. 
Anagrams of famous Battlf.s.—1. Marston Moor. 2. 
Marathon. 3. Sebastopol. 4. Culloden. 5. Bunker Hill. 6. 
Austerlitz. 7. Solterino. 8. Cowpens. 
Numerical Enigmas.— 1. Skating. 2. Benjamin Franklin. 
Pi.—Economy is the easy chair of old age. 
Square Words— 1.—N OKA 2.—H O R N 
OMEN OHIO 
R E IN RIFT 
ANNA NOTE 
Cross Word.—P hiladelphia. 
Charade.— Bismarck (his Mark). 
Decapitations.— 1. Gloss, loss. 2. Glove, love. 3. Frock, 
rock. 4. Flint, lint. 
Double Acrostic.—C— ale — B— Cactus, Balsam. 
A— meli —A 
C— ame — L 
T— liame —S 
U— tic —A 
S—ubstratu—M 
Hidden Games.— 1. Whist. 2. Jackstones. 3. Bagatelle. 
4. Marbles. 5. Dominoes. 
Transposed Aphorism.— After a storm comes a calm. 
Thanks for letters, puzzles, etc., to American Jack, Julia 
E. G., Little One. L. W. B., Frank M. G., Mary A. E.. F. D. 
K., M. H. II., Allie W„ Sam. J. S., Gertie L. B., Lidie S. 
H., E-sie B. M„ Kate J. C„ Mary E. S., Sphinx, Amanda 
H., Geo. II. F., and Mrs. M. 
I would respectfully suggest to my nieces and nephews 
that numerical enigmas made upon their own names, or 
upon the name of one of their friends, are not ot sufficiently 
general interest to be published. 
Send communications intended for Aunt Sue to Box 111, 
P. O., Brooklyn, N. Y., and not to 245 Broadway. 
