MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
write, if not so glibly, yet more sensibly, and 
more to the purpose than I do—and for one, 
I think it is about time for some of you to 
rest from hand-labor, on rainy days, and 
take up this little implement of head labor 
—the pen —for your own benefit, and the 
benefit of your own paper and its many 
thousand readers. 
You need not say that you cannot write, 
for I know better, and so do you. 
/:\ V v k /jM k that was th 113 secured—and it is only thro* PENNY "WISDOM. 
(I ) Tf j])T if /] ]] n (5 /! r f}f)T ra y 11G gl«ct, since I first tried it, that I have 
VV V V IJ tv V -V t. U.v W H V V V b een troubled. When they are in or under We would direct attention to a few rnis- 
- - -the bark, a sharp-pointed knife is the only collaneous examples of the useful applica- 
GENESE^VALLEY^HOET~SOC]ffiTY sure instrument—remove them the first an- tion of materials long valued—the causing 
_ ' - j • tuain or next early spring, if possible. This a httlo to go a great way. ” 
We gather some additional particulars of ^ an bo d< ? n0 onl ? b }’ c . Iose observation. Af- g g p PFR « 1 , 
,1 . ,. r ter they have struck into the wood and are ’ !L r-iR^-N and 1 ai er. Scnool- 
the proceedings of the annual meeting of workin J upward| x dostroy them , )y intr0 . boys display great skill in breaking their 
this Society from the daily papers of the ducing a sharp wire, or a very small sponge sblt es. Shall they be allowed to continue 
GENESEE VALLEY HQRT. SOCIETY. 
Sheet-iron ^lates and Paper.—S chool- 
them by intro- b °. vs display great skill in breakin 
■y small spoiyo-o sblte5 - Shall they bo allowed to c 
kin? their 
Remember oue truth—every article writ- city. Tho following aro the Standing Ccin- fastened to the end of a small wire dippi/uln tbe oxerciso of this interesting practice; 
ten on a scientific or practical subject does mittoes for tho year : 
some good—to tho writer, by causing him to r . " 
investigate tho subject, and to tho reader, bv , On I? nuts: 1. Barry, H. E. Hooker 
spirits of turpentine, which, if it touches sha11 vv<) ' nvito them to use the new Wer- 
them, is certain death, and I believo it is if tombur.ig sheet-iron slates ? A rnanufactur- 
the hole is wet with it. In looking for borors er in that country has invented a mode of 
in the month of October, which "is perhaps a PP 1 .V ill g il surface coating to sheet-iron, 
tho best month. I advise, that when ono is wh,ch enab!es il take freely tho mark of 
light on a dark subject, or placing an old 7 „ r r , ccs ann > ' 
one in a better light. 1 Wra " Webster, R. 
The great fault of most of us who labor se P b b ' ost) , ' 
with our hands is, that we do not think „ n Entomology 
enough. We allow others to do our think- ‘- c ' vai( j- ,. 
iug, when we could do it much better our- v . , J. egetables : 
selves if wo would only try; and depend Horace lioo 
upon it, thero is no way by which one can ' n ry" w j - J " 
get at the truo merits of a subject in which ^ J ° n £ 
he is interested, so effectually, as to attempt kmitb, I. Cooney, 
to show otliers by tenting about it. A wri- n f l \^ n [ e j! w 
ter must think, and very few who write for cre * > ' ' \ lc y, 
our press are willing to risk a mistake, and ■E.Tfcu/iiie n * 
therefore they read and observe. So, you eie ? ' JUI r N> ” ■ _ t0 ?' r 
see, the thoughtful writer benefits himself It was resolved, 
as well as his readers. mer Exhibition be 
found, be careful to look for more in the 
r . ,,, , C<1 , . .. ,, same tree. I have usually, when I neglect- 
wi w 'iff? A. Reynolds, e d to paper my young t.ees, found borers 
m. \ ebster, R. Donellan, W. Ivmg, Jo- in p 0r h aps one in six, and from those taken 
soph Frost, O F. Van Doom out, from four to twelve, showing that a 
On Entomology: L. Wotherell, J. W. quantity of eggs is usually deposited on one 
^evvaiu. tree.— Richard C. Stone, inJY. E. Farmer. 
On Vegetables :—John Donellan, James 
Vick, Horace Hooker. James Buchan. TTT'T' 1 , 
/j , r ip a n . Rome Beauty.— I his handsome apple, as 
On Botany :-Ij. Wetherell, r rancis I rent- 1 . t, 7 r< 11 
“ T ’ n r , TT we aro intormed by W. N. Gieeett. a cor- 
man, Moses Dong, Chester Dewey, G. II. ,. ncrw , T1/ i r v *t V * T r r> - 
« p p ° lesponuentof tho Western Ilort. Reviow, 
' '" r , t r rv./\ t w n requires for the full maturity of its size. 
On finance :—John J Thomas, L. Woth- _-i‘ J ■ , ’ 
erell, .1. Vick. J. II. Watts. ~ 1 / , “ VOr ’ lo ”» <m 
Execvtice Com. :—S. .1. Thomas, L. Woth- f Crfi „£,*“»/ b ° ‘l^t.onocl, therejoro 
,, r > ,, ,ar , -r> il 1{ it will pro\o of much valuoas far north 
eroll. 1'. liarry, VV. A. Reynolds. „ the g^ t0 of No»-York, where tho sea- 
It was resolved, Ihat the pnncipal Sum- sons are shorter. The unusually fine growth 
.vac. Kr, lanl/t nn tlisa lfltlink' T,, r . I . . . . J O 
which enables it to take freely tho mark of 
a slate pencil; it is said to bo much lighter, 
and much less liable to injury, than a com¬ 
mon slate. If we have sheet-iron slates, 
whyfnot sheet-iron paper. Baron Von 
Kleist, tho proprietor of some iron-works at 
Executive Com. : —J. J. Thomas, L. Weth- 
ell, 1*. Barry, VV. A. Reynolds. 
It was rosolvod, That the principal Sum- 
Farmers 
as his readers. jner Exhibition be held on the 19th of June, 0 f tho tree, its early productiveness good 
- in Corinthian Hall—the Autumn Exhibition keeping qualities, and its fair, large hand- 
Polishing Plow3. on the 16th and 17th of September in tho some fruit, have probably contributed much 
[FRS remember this against tho time 6 ? m<3 P la « e , ; and , that semi-monthly exhibi- mor e to its reputation than the quality and 
’ remunDer ^'sagamst tho time tl0ns bo he d m May and August; weekly, iUvov.-Couniry Gentleman. 
Tt \ nnw ri nws to nnhsh II- ir rvnm n T..U. .....I _ J 
you have now plows to polish. It is from a j n June and July, and the Winter Exhibition 
correspondent of the Country Gentleman-, on the 3d Saturday in January next. 
To all those who. aro expecting to go rr n r • 
through with . 1,0 old operation of polishing Tb ™ s Wed Br ~ ,n 1 mr y- ~ 
a new plow, by scraping it the coming I notico this morning, that tho hogs have 
spring. 1 would propose the following cheap taken the bark completely oft’from six of 
quantity of eggs is usually deposited on one ^eudeck, in Bohemia, has lately produced 
tree.— Richard C. Stone, in JY. E. Farmer. P a P cr of this kir;<1 l rom which great things 
_ ----- _ seem to bo expected. It is remarkable for 
Rome Beauty—T his handsome apple, as its extreme thinness, flexibility; and strength, 
we are informed by W. N. Gieeett. a cor- aD( ontin dy without flaws. It is iiBed in 
respondent of tho *V''estern Ilort. Reviow- niakin .g buttons, and various other articles 
requires for the full maturity of its size! shaped by stamping;; and it 13 capable of ro- 
color, beauty and flavor, to remain lono- on culvr| -‘g a V0T 7 bl g b I )0 -^ b - Another the 
the tree. It may be questioned, therefore, "; orld IS . ( . !VOr t0 800 the f lmes P riI,ted on . & 
if it will prove of much vuluo as far north noil, we must leato to some clair- 
us the State of New-York, where the sea- vo .Y an , tto determine; but, no sooner did our 
sons are shorter. Tho unusually fine growth nianutacturers become acquainted with tins 
of tho tree, its early productiveness good Bohemian product at the Great Exhibition, 
keeping qualities, and its fair, large hand- I tnaI l th °y instantl Y Bet their wits to work to 
some fruit, have probably contributed much 1 P r( ’ dac ? bet , ter and thinnor sheet-iron than 
more to its reputation than tho quality and : , ,0 ^ ro be , en mado in bjn £* aud - 1:1 tbe 
flavor .—Country Gentleman. “ j Birmingham department before the Exhibi- 
. _ ■__tion closed, there mado its appearance a 
V ♦ ry | book about five inches by three, consisting 
«tJ aaIv vv vv \ ^ ! y{ G C j forty-four leaves of sheet-iron, tho whole 
(V ^VjvC v D (til l y j^vV-v-rr3 ^ Cl l- ♦ j weighing about two ounces and a half.— 
_^ I We aro thus getting on ; the age of iron lit- 
: " I erature may yet arrive. 
and effectual remedy : 
my best apple trees, extending from the 
Go to any druggist shop and procure 4 roo ts upward one or two foot. Can you, or 
oz of sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol, which gome one of your readors inform me thro ’ 
wall cost from five to ten cents, according to ,,, 
the conrcience of the druggist. ' Take a stick the Rural ’ how t0 8ave tkem ? ~ riI0MAS 
and wind upon tho end a woolen rag, and i Wright, Brighton, JY. Y., bob. 1, 1853. 
LIST OE PATENT CLAIMS 
issued from TnK united states patext office Saving Heat. —— Our learned chemists 
For the week ending February 1, 1853 . have lately discovered that, in making or 
_ smelting iron, not less than seven-eights of 
Chas. B. Huxcmxsox, of Waterloo, NT. Y for a11 the heat S 0GS oft ' in wastG "> oul Y one- 
Improvement in Machinery for Cutting Band 0, - hth being, really made available for tho 
0 extrication of the metal from its stony ma- 
tie it on with a coarse strong twine, making _ " ^7” 1 T r -n i , ^ trix. What a sad waste of good fuol is here; 
a swab ; set your plow where it will be ex- HISTORY OF THE BOEKK. Elijah II. Barker, of Proctorsvdie, Vt., for Im- what a Dr0 vokin? mode of driving monev 
posed to tho sun. if convenient; then pour „ , . , provement in Frames for Lanterns. out of one’s uor.kot ! So thouo-ht Mr RmlH 
the sulpheric acid into an earthen bowl, and Tiie msecfc wbicb Pf«P a g a tes this destruc- Geo. B. Read, of New York,N. Y., foi Improved of tbe Ystalyfera iron works in Wales He 
lute it with an equal quantity of rain or June'^r ^ LdSov SUtchwl hf the Screw Wrench - found that the heat which escapes from an 
rer water. Take the swab and thorough- ® or Willism and Matthias Stratton, of Philadelphia, iron furnace is really as high as that of 
mo.sten every part of he plow that re- , mePa., for Improvement in Portable Gas Apparatus, melting brass; and he pondered how he 
tires polishing; work fast,lest the acid eat tncma^gots peneuaie mo Dark, . , j 1 mi^ht comncl this heat to rorulor enmo of 
) vour swab before vou have o-one over the eating tho pulpy part next the wood. The Benj. Shiverick, of North Sandwich, Mass., tor * m P U . s b at t0 luulu some of 
rf-'ce and be careful not to net anv on lattor P urt ot ^^P 1 - the V are vot mor « than Improvement in Feeding Rosin in the Fires of lts us ^ u . 1 3erv,< rf 3 " He J a P entle ch ® Gk 
k-10 ot an incl* in Icngtii, and art! t'iisih; re- ffl-.Vo.~~. . _ 
it the plow stand about 24 hours, then “oved, being usually found within an inch Richard Solis of New Brunswick, N. J., for Im- pass through a channel or Dme which bent 
rapo off tho scales which will have arisen °t the top ot the ground. It requires keen provement. in Manufacture of India Rubber. downwards - and pmutlv brought it under 
l over tho surface wet with the acid ; hitch , e J es t0 dlS c°ver them, but it may bo done i saa c L. Pulvermarclier, of Breslau, Prussia, for the boiler of tho steam eiio-ine which worked 
, tho team amigo ahead, and in from M- 'T e “• Votaic Badaric, and A PP »- K taTi 
en minutes to ono hour, the plow will be • f th ? 8 » ai .i. , lf narti.-ifl- r ratuses for Me<lica l and other purposes. Pateuted clover device; this economised caloric heat- 
^ __ _ s Z 3 L ^h^ it tv ^ t in Austria,October 9, 1819. • ed the boiler without any other fuel what- 
HISTORY OF THE BOBEE. 
The insect which propagates this dostruc- 
Heads. 
Elijah H. Parker, of Proctorsville, Yt., for Im¬ 
provement in Frames for Lanterns. 
quires polishing; work fast, lest tho acid oat i mmotliatoly the maggots penetrate tho bark, 
up your swab beforo you have gone over the ea f tu S P u ip)' p art next the wood. The 
surface, and bo careful not to get any on 
your clothes or skin, for it is very corrosive. 
Let the plow stand about 24 hours, then 
scrape off the scales which will have arisen 
all over tho surface wet with the acid; hitch 
1-16 of an inch in length, and are easily re¬ 
moved, being usually found within an inch 
of the top of the ground. It requires keon 
eyes to discover them, but it may bo done 
upon it just as it was about to escape at the 
top of the furnace : ho gently enticed it to 
pass through a channel or pipe which bent 
downwards; and gently brought it under 
The rationale is this. Tho outer coating s P ot - J be November, slight cut- 
of tho castings is composed of a mixture of tm & a ma y bo SGGD i through some very small 
sand and iron, more or loss porous, thus ad- P un ^tures in the bark. At this season, tho 
mitting the free passage of tho acid, which ^ vorm be found about 3-16 oi an inch 
decomposes the iron, changing it to an oxide, 111 aud t0 bave eaten in the soft bark 
and as soon as tho solid iron is reached, the and P U *I J Y pap-wood, a space as large in area, 
action of the acid terminates, or is very as middling sized bean. Up to this time 
slight, owing to a want of surface upon tbe Y bave doue very little damage, and are 
winch to act. easily removed with a sharp pointed knife. 
^ „ , Early tho next spring they commence 
Good Cow—Feed and Product. their course downward, working in tho last 
A Correspondent of the Mass. Spy, gives year’s sapwood, directly under the bark.— 
an account of a cow owned by Rev. George ^ b ' s Y Gar > their depredations are most de- 
Austria, October 9, 1849. • I ed the boiler without any othor fuel what- 
re-issued. evor, and there was a saving of three hun- 
Nehemiah Hodge, of North Adams, Mass., for dred and fifty pounds in ono year in the 
u KI,ue " We learn from tho Holmes County Far-I fera Works; and that it had also been an- 
Early tho next spring they commence rnor and Free Press, (0.) that a wonderful ■ plied to the Dundy van Works, in Scotland, 
then course downward, working in the last Datural curiosity has been discovered in that i The coal used in the Scotch works is of such 
years sapwoou, uuectly under the bark. county, in the shapo of natural “gas works.” a kind, that the wasted heat from ono fur- 
Ihis year, their depredations are most de- This discovorv was made on the farm of a nace is believed to bo enough to heat the 
tention and good management, and how running their path together in various di- : j 3 a curious kind of earth, resembling dark quarter less cost to a ton of iron than by 
much tho profit of stock may depend upon rectlons * rGm tao f°p tho ground to the 1 saw-dust. Tho owner for somo years has the old method, and I 10 shows how this 
its management. Tho statement mado bv J *- I !u tl °7i °* t ‘ 1 ^ r00t;r - ln tbe November . Leon aware of tho existence of some won- might rise to a saving of ono hundred and 
him w® are assured, has ne mrk about ° Zi IZllZ ^ s° e“ouu1 "“S *“4* thousand pounds a year for tho whole 
„.u„i, 1 .1 , , . , gtn, unu may almost always ue iouuii the discovery has been made has been culti- of Scotland. A pretty penny-saving this— 
, ung io iesu 0 actual be ow tie point \s here tboy fust entered vatod for a number of years, and it has been i a veritable creation of something out of a 
Also, trom tlio same date, third ot June, to mainly upward, and rarelv ever more than 
the fiist ol January 1853,211 days, 3,058 an inch into tho solid wood of the tree.— 
quarts. I ho average per day, fur nearly Hero they remain tho third winter of their 
six months, was a very small traction less life, and are about an inch or an inch and 
than 14 1-2 quarts, lhis milk was worth a quarter in length. The next spring they 
3 1-2 cents per quart. Amount, Ij-IOT,03.— turn their course out towards tho bark, and 
And reduced tohhds. would givo 12 hhds. when nearly through the wood, about the 
8 gallons 2 quarts. j st 0 f J uno , they aro transformed to a per- 
Actually sold Milk, tf51,82 ^ feet winged insect, which soon eats directly 
, Butter 14,00. ^65,82 out through the remaining wood and bark, 
besides milk and cream for family use in leaving a round hole about 1-4 of an inch in 
; not broken. The tation, would dwindle and die, and seeming- Plumbago Dust. — Mr. Brockden, has 
varus, following up j y burn up . After the late rains tho water taught us how to make pencils out of dust. 
>)’ nave previously W as discovered to bo agitated, and to bubble | Our black load pencils, as is pretty goner- 
tut as high as the up j a a number of places, which led Mr. ‘ ally known, aro made chiefly from Borrow- 
ltered ; they then Purdy and others to experiment, bv collect- ! dale plumbago, brought from a mine in 
it usually straight, ; U g a bottle of this gas, and setting it on Cumberland. This mine is becoming ex- 
Iv ever more ttian f ire; when;the instant a lighted match was hausted ; and a question has arisen how tho 
ood ot the tree.— touched to it, tho vapor ignited, and sent su pply shall kept up. Various com- 
rd winter of their the bottle whizzing through the house. pounds have been suggested in different 
hi or an inch and [ found tho extent of the space from quarters, but Mr. Brockden has happily hit 
e next spring they which this igneous or inflammable vapor upon an expedient, which promises wonders. 
turn their course out towards tho bark, and issues, to bo about two rods wide, and 15 or j Although pieces of pl.umbago aro scarce, 
IMPROVED RAILROAD CAR SEAT. 
IMPROVED ROOFING. 
besides milk and cream for familv use in ^ tu^uuumug m uu anu narx, beneath this, is tho common clay soil. Ex- draws out the air from beneath the parti- 
abundance family use in leaving a round hole about 1-4 ot an inch m animation in this led to the discovery of cles by means of an air pump, and then 
Tho cow has been fod on grass and hay, ahoZ'lho placooflntrancP' 31 '° ‘“ n ^ holes, perhaps half the size of a man's presses again with such enormous force as 
and had tho value of live quarts of whj I hare on tlZhth ofXno taken from a Tt to * or> ou ,* ° ‘ w . h . lch tbe ™P 0B “»“«•. to convert the mass into a sol,d block which 
per day, until Nov. 1st. and since that time, section of tr^whuh it bad snoded aTer- ,k“u ““doubtoaly many hundreds ot can be cut into oblong pnsrns smtable for 
the valuoof sixquartsof whoatshortt. The tlhS & ^ b ^l _ penc,Is. -/WWrf If or,/, _ 
m?.,l ,e 7 n changed soveral Bmes. Corn thickness of wood us of bark to cut through IMPROVED RAILROAD CAR SEAT. IMPROVED ROOFING, 
meal has been tried, cobs and corn grouno w effect its liberation. Thus they general- - - 
ani oa ' ,ut, al inixed wit! 1 pound !v occupy nearly three years in tho circle of To travellers by railroad, thero is nothing Anew mode of roofing to supersede the 
I * f n , < 1 corr1 ' no a Gl " as ou °d excei- life; I say generally, as 1 have some evidence more desirable, and, at tho same time, so use of shingles for that purpose has been 
in' UC1I1 «. 0 &°°d quality, that they aro not entirely uniform, a few rare as a comfortable seat. To furnish this invented by John McMurtry, of Lexington, 
if < l u ‘ u ! )\ 01 quantity, making the circle in two years. desideratum, an improved car seat has been Ivy., who has taken measures to secure a 
Bi ir un'.V m ,' XC< " 1 1 sca ' tn o' vatGr 'pi- 1 have been induced to write this sketch invented by William M. Warren, of Water- patent. The roofing in this instance is 
• ' ‘77'r i n °| 11101 n’ aI , a ’ omain the of the borer, as most accounts of tho insect town, Ct., who has taken measures to secure mado with planks, which are grooved in a 
irnuJi tl!'! t !*t! L U ? '* s ‘7 0 ’7 a , ^ 0U !J d " - hich I have seen, describe its courso up- a patent. By this plan a person may ad- peculiar manner, tlie upper lip being made 
n t ’.I ’ j U 10 ^ ua { 7 0 110 mdk ward, and only upward, whereas, its most just tho seat in a moment of time, so as to narrower than the lower to admit the pro- 
ThJ -il \ P‘l destructive operations are lateral and down- make it convenient for sleeping on, merely jections of a T-shapedplankcallcdacap- 
wmiil>rt'. , | l ' tl Hf 1-° ml a 9 coun ,° t* 10 ward, during its socond year,and least liablo by raising a hinged back, which is attached ping piece, by which tho lower planks are 
n .... .| L ’ U i a!-1 U1 ‘ () mi 111 any to observation, as cuttings aro rarely seen, to another fixed back—tho car scat being secured in their place and kept water-tight. 
OIK (1 tv mir tor f hn orrr^Mf. avurmra tA»» ol.. _ a? _t • * * t .1.1 . . ® ^ ^ a . . 
To travellers by railroad, thero is nothing A new mode of roofing to supersede the 
more desirable, and, at tho same time, so use of shingles for that purpose has been 
rare as a comfortablo seat. To furnish this invented by John McMurtry. of Lexington, 
__ :_1 _ v . i Tr , / . , _. _ 0 ’ 
thus productive, by groat care. 
to deposit tho eggs just above them. A tho soatj; at the upper part this strip is con- shape given to tho under side of tho top 
wash ot spirits ot turpentine, or strong ley, nected by a hinge to the adjustable back, in capping piece, so that a complete drainage 
the purpose. The logs are first sawed, unharmod 
tion of tho metal strip, is made to inclino, a 
sleeping on a “ popple” bed. 
years and never have had a tree infestod I curing it whon adjustod. 
prevent tho woather from warping it, and | 
by having only ono edge of the lower plank j 
nailed down, ample provision is made for j 
the swelling and shrinking of the wood, so j 
as to prevent it from cracking or splitting. | 
CUBIC MEASURE. 
Few persons have correct notions in re¬ 
gard to this measure, henco make most 
erroneous estimates in their computations 
of size and capacity. Somo three years 
since we ordered from the cabinet maker a 
bureau for our httlo girl. It was to contain 
one half as much as ono of the ordinary 
size, and we agreed to pay him lj*6,50 for it. 
About a week afterwards he told U 3 it was 
all ready, and wished us to stop up and see 
how wo liked if. We did so, and were chagrin¬ 
ed enough to find it a more toy, eighteen 
inches square in front,and nine drop. Tho 
man himself looked very disconcerted, and 
wo inquired what was the matter. 
•• I Uo not get enough tor tho bureau by 
one dollar : it is just half the size of the large 
onos which I sell at $15.” 
“How did you calculate its size?” 
“ By making it half as large as tho com¬ 
mon ones; they are 36 inches squaro in 
front, and 9 inches deep.” 
_ “ Vou assert then that this is just half tho 
sizo of the largo ones?” 
“ I do.” 
“ Will it hold half as much?" 
“It don't look as if it would, but I have 
nothing to do with that; it is just half the 
size.” 
“ is that the only reason why you think 
you do not get enough tor it?” 
“ It is; I have not otherwise counted its 
value.” 
*’ Would it satisfy you to receive tho same 
proportion oi $1.3 chat it is in size to the • 
common bureau?” 
He was glad enough to assent, and at our 
request wrote down tho agreement; which 
we put in our pocket, immediately tender¬ 
ing him $l ; 87i, telling him the bureau was 
just one-eighth tho size ot the other, and tho 
money was just one-eighth the price of tho 
other. Hu was astounded, and tho more so 
when we explained and exemplified tho rule. 
As ho was a poor man wo took tho bureau 
and paid tbe original price; but it was not 
worth halt the n OTey. Ho had learned a 
valuable lesson, tnat as large again each wav 
was eight times as largo altogether. 
The aftair mado somo noise in tho town, 
and caused much inquiry concerning cubic 
measure. A farmer who understood tho 
subject weli, remarked to us, in speaking of 
it, that an almost precisely similar occur¬ 
rence happened to himself that fall. A 
neighbor falling short ot hay, the previous 
Winter, borrowed ono of his stacks of somo 
sixteen loot in diameter at tho bottom.— 
When he gathered in his own crop, ho 
brought to replace what he had taken two 
similarly shaped stacks, eaeh eight feet in 
diameter at base, and then informed his 
lriend that he had fully paid the debt. The 
other told him ho had only brought one- 
tourth of what he had taken away; but for 
some time failed to convince him, until at 
last reference was fortunately made to the 
number of Ra is, and then it was all evident 
enough. 
Loch the cabinet ifiakor and tho farmer 
wero able to repeat tho table for cubic 
measure with readiness, but yet know not 
its practical applications. As little did a 
friend who called our attention to a twelve- 
inch cubic block of iron, a few weeks since, 
and whom wo asked its weight. 
•* Some fifty pounds, I suppose.” 
‘•How much do you think a cubic foot of 
water weighs?” 
“ About ten pounds.” 
Very much surprised was he to hear that 
its true weight was 62J pounds, and that 
this amount had to be multiplied by tho 
specific gravity of iron, to give the weight 
of a block of tho metal of tho same dimen¬ 
sions. 
Tho fault lies with tho teacher, who fails 
in his duty when he encumbers tbe mind of 
the child with useless lumber in tho form of 
tables of weights and measures, without 
touching their meaning and practical ap¬ 
plications. No wonder the school-room is 
so repulsive to tho child ; it would be equal¬ 
ly so to tho man. Roswell G. Smith, who 
has succeeded beyond any man in this coun¬ 
try. and perhaps any other, in simplifying 
school-books lor children, seems fully aware 
of this general fault. In a preface men¬ 
tioning his Productive System, he cites from 
tho North American Review;—“ We have 
not tho least hesitation in saying that two 
or three years in the education of almost 
every individual in this country have been 
thrown away in studying what they did not 
understand.” This is true as it is lamenta¬ 
ble. We neod practical teaching. For 
Cubic Measure and its relations there should 
be in every school-room a sot of blocks and 
vessels of various proportionate sizes, and 
the pupil thoroughly exorcised in their use, 
thus making the study as easy as it is in- 
; toresting. 
V0€AL MACHINERY OF BIRDS. 
It is difficult to account for so small a 
creature as a bird making a tone as loud as 
some animals a thousand times its size; but 
a recent discovery has shown that, in birds, 
the lungs have several openings, eammuni- 
cating with corresponding air bags or cells, 
which fill the whole cavity of the body from 
the neck downwards, and into which the air 
passes and repasses, in tho progress of Breath¬ 
ing. This is not all; tho bones are hollow, 
from which air pipes are convoyed to tho 
most solid parts of the body, even into tho 
quills and feathers. Tho air being rarified 
by the heat of thoir bodies, adds levity.— 
By forcing tho air out of the body, they can 
dart down from tho greatest heights with < 
astonishing velocity. No doubt the same j 
machinery form3 tho Basis of their vocal ^ 
power, and at once resolves tho mystery. ( 
It may serve as a comfort to us in all our ; 
calamities and afflictions, that he that loses i 
anything, and gets wisdom By it, is a gainer < 
By the loss. J 
Practice as well as praso virtno. S 
