FEB. 23. 
MOORE’S RURiVL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
fttjpit anti fatoit. 
ORNAMENTAL TREES-NO. I. 
It cannot be said that our people do not ap¬ 
preciate rural beauty. What other country 
under similar circumstances, exhibits equal en¬ 
thusiasm in the matter of the arrangement and 
decoration of the grounds around the home¬ 
stead. We speak in a general sense, and have 
no hesitation in stating that the taste for rustic 
decoration is a characteristic of the intelligent 
portion of the community. If that taste has not 
been educated and directed into the proper 
channel; if disappointment has resulted from 
an injudicious selection of trees, shrubs and 
flowers, the fault lies with the educators ; with 
the journals and professional advisers, who have 
undertaken the duty of directing the public in 
these matters. We deem it unnecessary to 
draw attention to the advantages which result 
from beautifying and adorning our homes by 
grouping around them natural forms symmet¬ 
rical in outline, and fresh with perpetual ver¬ 
dure. The dwelling is no sooner habitable 
than there is a demand for shade trees, and who 
will live in the country or even the suburbs of 
the city, and dispense with flowers; who would 
thus refuse to accept these glowing offerings of 
nature that could find a spot to plant even a sol¬ 
itary rose bush ! 
DECIDUOUS TREES. 
There is now no want of variety in trees, or 
shrubs, or flowers. Our native forest trees, ma¬ 
jestic in their wild habitats have been domesti¬ 
cated, and minister to the comfort of the dwel¬ 
lers in exposed situations, supplying a grateful 
shade from the “ deep darting rays” of the sum¬ 
mer sun. And, though in winter they lose their 
foliage, their branches weighed down with crys¬ 
tal pendents or covered with a fleecy coat, have 
still charms for the admirer of natural beauty. 
While the commercial and economic impor¬ 
tance of fruit-growing secures for that branch of 
culture an amount of attention which we cannot 
claim for objects of decoration, calculated only 
to minister to the more refined senses, yet we 
should not fulfill our duty were we to overlook 
the claims of a large portion of our readers to be 
informed how they may make a choice and 
suitable selection of ornamental trees and 
shrubs, and what flowers will bloom longest in 
the cottage garden and demand the least care 
and nursing. There is the greater necessity for 
advice, since many novelties have been intro¬ 
duced not yet fully tested,and which, if planted 
in some localities and under unfavorable cir¬ 
cumstances, may lead to disappointments. Be¬ 
sides, a few old and familiar friends have* 
become a little unpopular, partly from their hav¬ 
ing become what is termed common, and partly 
because some bold and confident writer has 
chosen to level his gun, and with his Lot grape 
sweep them from the face of the earth. With 
the true student of nature no tree or plant is 
common, —each is beautiful in its suitable posi¬ 
tion, and none should be wholly condemned.— 
Even the rapid growing, odoriferous Ailanlhus 
lias its advantages, and to us, is a beautiful ob¬ 
ject in a proper situation,—with its towering 
top, long frond-like pinnate leaves, remarkable 
for their luxuriance, imparting a tropical aspect. 
But the denunciations of an eminent and pop¬ 
ular writer was pronounced against it; all at 
once it was regarded as a nuisance. 
However, for shade trees, we should prefer 
many others now within our reach, though we 
still hope to see our familiar friend maintain its 
place in all extensive pleasure grounds and 
parks. The Silver Maple has superseded both 
the Ailanthus and Silver Poplar or Abelc tree, its 
brother in adversity ; and until some facetious 
observer shall prefer some overwhelming charge 
against its now fair proportions, we bespeak for 
the Silver Maple, Acer dasgacarpum, the first 
place among popular shade trees. It grows ra¬ 
pidly, is easily propagated, and is comparatively 
free from the attacks of destructive insects. 
The Sugar Maple ( Acer saccharinum) is 
another very desirable species of the same fam¬ 
ily ; and though generally a little higher in 
price and not as luxuriantor rapid in its growth, 
is much chosen for a shade tree. It is well 
known in many parts of the country as supply¬ 
ing the delicious sugar which bears its name.— 
Still more admired by some, is the Norway 
Maple, ( Acer platanoidcs,) remarkable for its 
broad and beautiful foliage, forming one of the 
best shade trees. And we have Elms in variety: 
the most graceful of our native species is the 
American Weeping Elm, a vigorous and hand¬ 
some tree, when full grown, forming an attrac¬ 
tive object, judiciously disposed, with sufficient 
space to display its noble pendulous branches. 
The American Linden or Basswood is so well 
known that we need only call attention to its 
claims to be enumerated among popular shade 
trees, especially on account of its ample light 
green foliage, and numerous fragrant flowers.— 
Insects are rather partial to it in some localities. 
The field of Arboriculture is so pleasing and 
ample that we could be induced to devote too 
much of our time and attention to the objects of 
interest it encloses. Without noticing the spe¬ 
cial attractions of the Horse Chestnut ; the va¬ 
rieties of Asii ; the shining Beecii with green 
and copper foliage, so striking when grouped 
with other trees, or attempting to describe the 
beauty of the paper Birch, the pendulous vari¬ 
ety of which, is perhaps the most select of all 
we have mentioned ; we are obliged to pass to 
the subject of treatment in transplanting orna¬ 
mental trees; for without some precaution in 
removing them, and care in replanting, many 
of the most promising may linger for a time, and 
finally be cast out. As a general thing pur¬ 
chasers must be content with such roots as the 
nurseryman may find it convenient to fur¬ 
nish, the top of course may be large and good 
looking, but it is the roots we are peculiarly in¬ 
terested in ; many find it difficult to secure a 
good sized tree with an ample supply of unin¬ 
jured roots. The best course we can recom¬ 
mend is for planters to be satisfied with trees of 
a smaller size. Large trees cannot be safely 
removed from the ground without denuding 
them of a portion of their roots and mutilating 
more. 
As a general rule we would say plant small 
or medium sized trees. Prune the roots a little, 
and the branches well, when transplanting ; 
secure them when planted to a stake so as to 
prevent their disturbance by the wind. Never 
add fresh manure to the soil at the time of plant¬ 
ing. And if the planting is done late in spring 
apply water when a portion of the soil has been 
returned in covering the roots. If the soil is 
below medium quality as to fertility, too sandy 
or gravelly, add a compost of rich clay loam, 
and a little vegetable mold. If* of a stiff clav, 
add a portion of light sandy loam or sand, and 
vegetable or leaf mold. This compost should 
be spread in the bottom of the- hole prepared 
for the roots, or well mixed with the entire soil 
which has been dug out. In digging holes it 
must be borne in mind that the lower stratum 
of soil should be kept distinct from the upper 
or active soil; so that the active soil may be 
filled in around the roots, leaving the lower and 
less fertile for the surface, to be meliorated by 
the action of the atmosphere. 
One of the most important operations due to 
the transplanted tree is that of mulching, —that 
is, spreading over the surface for a few feet from 
the trunk, a litter of straw, leaves, or other sim¬ 
ilar material. Litter from the stable yard with 
some leaves from the woods, will suit the pur¬ 
pose ; this protects the young roots from ihe 
sudden changes of temperature, as well as in 
summer from the extreme heat of the sun, and 
prevents undue evaporation. 
These and a few other precautions as to prun¬ 
ing, stirring the soil when necessary, and a gen¬ 
eral attention to avoid casualties, will ensure 
the planter from disappointment, and thus en¬ 
courage him in his laudable endeavors to add 
to the happiness of his family and the general 
beauty of the country around him. Supplied 
with an infinite variety of vegetable forms, who 
is so selfish as to omit to cherish the gifts of na¬ 
ture, designed to minister to the senses with 
which we have been wisely endowed, who is so 
dull of apprehension as not to see in the tree 
and flower the hand and skill of the Eternal— 
the least of whose works are far beyond the 
cunning of human art.—s. 
CRANBERRY CULTURE. 
The following statement is from the Middle¬ 
sex (Mass.) Ag’l Transactions, and was made 
by Addison Flint, of North Reading : 
In the autumn of 1843, I built a dam and 
flowed the swamp from that time till August, 
1846 ; then let off the water. 
The following October, burnt over the swamp, 
and set the vines. The vines were cut up with 
a sharp hoe or shovel, and set in hills, three and 
a half feet apart; the bunches about the size of 
a quart measure. 
In raising from the seed, I planted in Octo¬ 
ber, 1846, about half an acre; crushing each 
berry between the thumb and finger, and plac¬ 
ing it just under the mud ; single berries in a 
hill, three and a half feet apart. Also, sowed 
broadcast a number of bushels the following 
spring. Very few vines appeared from them 
for two or three years ; no berries till 1852, then 
very small; in 1853, good size, in quantity, 
worth picking. 
My practice has been to stop the water in Oc¬ 
tober, and keep it on till May, or until the 
weather is warm enough to start vegetation— 
then lower it down to the top of the vines, and 
keep it on them until I think the spring frosts 
are over ; then let the vines be fairly out of the 
water until the berries are grown—say from the 
10th to the 15th of August—then draw it off 
for ripening and picking. 
We found three or four small beds of native 
vines on the swamp, after we let off the water 
to set the vines, and a few very fine berries ; 
there is now probably a dozen beds that bear 
berries. 
In 1850, we picked seventeen bushels of ber¬ 
ries on the swamp ; in 1851, twenty-eight bush¬ 
els ; in 1852, ninety-three bushels; in 1853,we 
estimated them at one hundred and fifty bushels. 
In 1852, the native vines produced by estima¬ 
tion, before selling, forty bushels; the trans¬ 
planted vines, sixty bushels ; the increase this 
year is, principally, from the transplanted vines. 
I now give you a statement of the proceeds : 
1850 picked 17 bushels, sold 15}< bushels for $26,20 
1851 
“ 28 
“ “ 26 
“ 
1852 
“ 93 
“ “ 93 
« 
1853 
“ 52 
barrels, “ 52 
ban-els 
1854 
“ 47 
« “ 47 
“ 
1855 
“ 50 
by estimation, 
probable 
$15S1,00 
Remarks. —Since the above statement was 
made, we have learned from Mr. Flint, that he 
had just fifty barrels of cranberries as his crop 
of 1855, which he sold for thirteen dollars a bar¬ 
rel, delivered at the depot two miles from the 
house, making the pretty sum of six hundred and 
fifty dollars, as the product of two acres of what 
was quite recently an almost worthless bog 
meadow. Mr. Flint also states that in looking 
about he notices a good many tracts of land ap¬ 
parently as good for the cranberry crop as his, 
and that some of the pieces might much more 
readily be flowed and reclaimed than his own.— 
N. E. Farmer. 
The N. E. Farmer, says that common hard 
soap applied to the end of a recently pruned 
vine will effectually stop the bleeding. 
THE PEACH PROSPECT. 
Eds. Rural ;—Being often accosted as to the 
prospect for peaches the coming year, permit 
me to state that an examination was made to¬ 
day (the 18th inst.) from cuttings taken from 
six different peach trees ; and after a critical in¬ 
spection of all the blossom buds, the result was 
an average of about one-half of all the buds 
from the six different trees, had black spots in 
the centre of each bud, which is a sure evidence 
of the blight of the fruit. My own experience 
in peach culture for the last 20 years in the 
town of Irondequoit, has demonstrated to me 
that when a severe winter had destroyed one- 
half of the buds, the effect was not unfavorable 
to very good crop of the very best fruit. If 
the mischief slops here, let us thank Heaven 
and take courage.—H. N. L., Greece, Feb. 18,1856. 
Pears on Quince Stocks. —I have tried graft¬ 
ing the Virgalicu and other pears on the quince 
stock, but though growing well the first sum- 
, mer, they died during the winter following.— 
My soil is a gravelly loam, and appears well 
adapted to different kinds of fruit. I should 
like to know why I cannot succeed in this case? 
—Farmer, Orleans Go., N. Y. 
Remarks. —The common quince stock is of 
too slow a growth to be used as a stock for pears. 
The Angers quince, and some other rapid and 
vigorous growers, are the only ones employed 
by nurserymen.— Eds. 
A Seasonable Hint. —A horticultural friend, 
in a private letter, suggests our calling the at¬ 
tention of our readers to the necessity of re¬ 
moving the snow from around dwarf trees and 
ornamental shrubs,where their branches are cov¬ 
ered, as if not looked to, the snow as it settles 
will break them down and greatly inj'ure, if it 
does not entirely destroy them. It will not do 
to wait for a thaw, as the snow settles constant¬ 
ly even in cold weather. 
ftomistit fcflttflray, 
HONEY RECIPE. — DETESTABLE FRAUD. 
Good honey is an article which man, with all 
his wisdom and knowledge, is not capable of 
making. Chemists may analyze honey with 
the greatest possible accuracy, and tell us ex¬ 
actly what substances enter into its composi¬ 
tion ; but let them take those same substances, 
and mingle them in their most exact propor¬ 
tions, and the production will not be honey ! 
No man has ever made honey ; and no mor¬ 
tal, unaided man will ever be able to make good 
honey without the aid of bees. 
There are scores, and for aught I know, thou¬ 
sands, of impostors, going through the country, 
selling honey recipes, for almost any price, from 
one dollar to one cent; and positively affirming, 
that honey made according to their recipes will 
be “ superior" to bees’ honey. 
There has been in different papers for some 
time past, an advertisement headed “ a hand¬ 
some income to be made at home ! and that $1,000 
may be made in a year by an outlay of $10, in 
every town throughout .the Union ! and that full 
particulars would be given on the receipt of 
12)^ cents.” This amount I forwarded, and re¬ 
ceived a little circular, stating that pure bees’ 
honey might be made by any one at the rate of 
one hundred lbs. in twenty minutes, without the 
aid of bees ! and that now, since he had got my 
12)4 cents, lie would tell how pure bees’ honey 
could be made, or an article far superior to that 
made by bees, for $5 ! and costing but five or 
six cents per pound ! 
I forwarded $5, and received a recipe to 
make honey similar to those which have been 
scattered about the country for almost any price. 
The ingredients were sugar and water, and two 
lbs. of bee bread honey ! Then followed a few 
grains of this aromatic, a few drops of acid, so 
much pulverized drugs, and last of all, so much 
pure bees' honey! The honey of bees is an in¬ 
dispensable ingredient in this mixture, though 
I am assured, also, that the Prof, was at the 
State Fair at Elmira, scattering his circulars 
and selling his recipes, and dealing out his 
honey; and averring that there “was not a 
particle of bees’ honey in it.” 
I have not time nor space to show up the ex¬ 
tent of this imposition, but if any one is partic¬ 
ularly anxious to know, let them lay out $5 for 
a recipe, and $3 or $4 for nostrums to make a 
compound which is no more like honey than 
poor molasses, and they will be well satisfied 
that they have been pretty nicely 
Humbugged. 
Coloring Butter with Carrots. —Some who 
practice this commend it, as not only improving 
the appearance of the butter, but the flavor and 
quality. The following is the process :—To 
cream for 5 lbs. of butter take a good sized or¬ 
ange carrot, wash clean and grate off the deep¬ 
est colored portion, pour a teacupful of warm 
water to it, let it stand a short time, then strain 
through a cloth, and add to the cream just be¬ 
fore churning. If our readers try it, will they 
give us the result ?— Eds. Rural. 
Carrot Coffee. —A substitute for coffee may 
be made from carrots, which, if well prepared, 
is equal to that in common use. Select the 
smoothest carrots and wash them clean. Then 
cut them into small pieces, dry slowly until 
thoroughly dry. Then brown slightly, and it 
is ready for use. No grinding is necessary.— 
D. Young, Groveland, Liv. Co., JY. Y. 
Crackers. —“A Farmer’s Family” want a 
good recipe for making crackers. If some of 
our lady readers will send us such, (as well as 
others they know to be good,) we’ll print ’em.— 
Eds. 
ffrijauit gits, &t. 
LIST OP PATENTS, 
Issued from the United States Patent Office for the 
week ending January SO, 18!>6. 
Albert Bisbee, Chelsea, Mass., improvement in means for 
operating the throttle valve of steam engines. 
Jos. T. Capewell, Woodbury, Conn., improvement in 
shot pouches. 
Thomas J. Carleton and Stephen Post, York, O., im¬ 
proved field fences. 
Geo. R. Comstock, Manheim, N. Y., improvement in lo¬ 
comotive furnace grates. 
Henry N. Degraw, Piermont, improvement in machine 
for replacing railroad cars. 
Louis T. Dellaissize, New Orleans, improvement in brick 
machines. 
Chas. Foster, Philadelphia, improvement in scaffolds. 
Moses G. Farmer, Salem, improvement in telegraphic 
registers. 
Stephen J. Gold, New Haven, improvement in apparatus 
for heating buildings by steam. 
John Hinkley, Huron, O., improvement in universal 
joints for connecting shafts, &c. 
Hazard Knowles, New York, mortising tool. 
Noah W. Kumber, Cincinnati, improvement in pill mak¬ 
ing machines. 
Daniel Lloyd, New York, improved apparatus for sten¬ 
ciling window shades. 
Adolph C. Moestue, Kane Co., Ill., improvement in mas¬ 
tic for covering walls; 
Lucius Page, Cavendish, Yt., improvement in grinding 
mills. 
Jos. N. Pitts, Blackstone, Mass., improvement in ma¬ 
chines for cutting flocks and paper stock. 
Rufus Porter, Washington, D. C., improved punching 
machines. 
Geo. M. Ramsay, New York, improved hinge. 
II G. Robertson, Greenville, Tenn., improvement in bee 
hives. 
Riley Root and Samuel G. Holyoke, Galesburg, HI., im¬ 
provement in machines for clearing snow from railroad 
tracks. 
Henry F. Shaw, South Boston, improvement in screw 
jacks. 
Chas. F. Thomas, Taunton, improved chimney cowls. 
Philos B. Tyler, Springfield, improved method of attach¬ 
ing teeth to saw plates. 
Elbridge Webber, Gardiner, improved device in treenail 
machines. 
Thos. Winans, Baltimore, improvement in buggy wagons. 
Geo. D. Young, Plymouth, improvement in belt and hand 
fastenings. 
Daniel Dod, Brooklyn, assignor to himself and Henry F. 
Read, same place, improved soldering iron. 
Horace L. Houghton, Springfield, Yt., assignor to Abel 
H. Grennell, same place, improvement in machines for cut¬ 
tings moldings on marble. 
Edward Kershaw, Boston, assignor to himsell and Henry 
M. Hooper & Co., same place, improved cell lock. 
Jos. Weis, Bordentown, N. J., improvement in flouring 
mills. 
RE-ISSUES. 
Amory Felton, Troy, improvement in grinding mills.— 
Patented January 2, 1855. 
John Reily, Hart Prairie, Wis., improvement In harvest¬ 
ing machines. Patented November 20, 1855. 
For the week ending Feb. 5. 
Charles H. Bush, of Fall River, improvement in the bell 
stench trap. . 
Solomon Bernheiael,Tyrone Township, Pa., improvement 
in corn dryers. 
Wm. Ball, Chicopee, improved ore washer. 
A. H. Caryl, Sandusky, improved raking attachment to 
harvesters. 
Levi Chapman, New York, improved photographic plate 
vise. 
John Cook, Westmoreland, N. Y., improvement in lugs 
for cast iron shingles. 
E. N. Dickerson, New York, and E. K. Root, Hartford, 
improvement in pumps. 
P. S. Elbert, Chicago, improvement in heating feed water 
apparatus for locomotives. 
John G. Ernst, York, Pa., improved saw set. 
Major II. Fisher, Sing Sing, assignor to Joseph A. Hyde, 
Bridgewater, Mass., improvement in cutting files. 
E. S. French, Binghampton, N. Y., improvement in three 
wheeled vehicles. 
Thomas Firth, Cincinnati, improved feed water apparatus 
to steam boilers. 
Thomas Gissinger, Alleghany, Pa., improved bench vise. 
Elisha Harris, Providence, improvement in machines for 
bending ship’siiooks. 
Oliver S. Hazard and Isaac Peck, Coventry, R. I., improve¬ 
ment in machinery for making ropes. 
Henry J. Hughes, Davenport, Iowa, improvement in brick 
presses. 
Samuel Macferran, Philadelphia, improvement in hot air 
furnaces. 
Richard Montgomery, New.York, improvement in car¬ 
riage springs. 
S. S. Mills and M. Bissell, of Charleston, improvement in 
weighing scales. 
Stephen C. Mendenhall, Richmond, la., improvement in 
flour bolts. 
George R. Moore, Mount Joy, Pa., improvement in fire 
pokers. 
Francis Morandi, Boston, improvement in lanterns. 
Samuel Peck, New Haven, improved fastening for the 
hinges of daguerreotype cases. 
Myer Phineas, New York, improved metallic pens. 
Juan Pattison, Brooklyn, improvement in oscillating 
steam engines. 
B. F. Ray, Baltimore, improvement in harvesters. 
John J. Snider, Lancaster, 0., improvement in saw mills\ 
Alfred Swingle, Boston, assignor to Elmer Townsend, of* 
same place, improvement in sewing machines. 
Harriet V. Terry, Boston, admi'x of Wm. D. Terry, dec’d, 
improved mode of constructing cast iron buildings. 
S. I. Trask, Guilford Centre, N. Y., improved alarm lock. 
Otis Tufts, Boston, improvement in making wrought iron 
shafts. 
John B. Wentworth, Lynn, improvement in machines for 
softening leather. 
Abner Whiteley, Springfield, O., improvement in grain 
and grass harvesters. 
Abner Whiteley, Springfield, Ohio, improvement in belt 
fastenings. 
John Standing, Fall River, assignorto himself and James 
Baxendale, Providence, R. I., improved movement for the 
doctors of calico printing machines. 
C. C. Terrill, Shullsburgh, Wis., assignor to himself and 
Samuel Crawford, of Mineral Point, Wis., improvement in 
many-chambered breech loading cannon. 
John M. Wimley, Philadelphia, assignor to himself and 
W. II. Penrose, of same place, improvement in the mode of 
attaching composition soles to hoots and shoes. 
Charles II. Bergman, New York, improvement in writing 
desks. 
RE-ISSUES. 
Chas.W. Brown, Boston, improved tonuging and grooving 
machine. Patented Aug. 14, 1844. Re-issued Feb. 5, ’56. 
additional improvements. 
Abner Whiteley, Springfield, 0., improvement in candle¬ 
sticks. Patented Jan. 8, 1856. 
0. P. Temlinson, Athens, Pa., improvement in the manu¬ 
facture of ornamental felt cloth. Patented June 5, 1865. 
Lewis W. Leeds and R. Morris Smith, Philadelphia, im¬ 
provement in hydraulic heaters. Patented May 16, 1854. 
design. 
Hermann E. Wesche, Philadelphia, assignor to Robert 
Wood, of same place, design for gates. 
Sounds are distinct at twice the distance on 
the water that they are on the land. 
THE CORNING CLOCK. 
The astronomical clock which Mr. Coming’s 
munificence has bestowed upon the Albany 
University, is destined to play an important 
part in railroad matters. It is to be used for 
the purpose of regulating all the clocks on the 
Central Railaoad, between this city and Buffalo. 
It will do this by the means of a telegraph wire 
made expressly for the purpose. The signals 
may be given in either of two ways. First:— 
They can send over the line a certain number 
of times a day, so that the error of the clock at 
each station may be instantly perceived. Or, 
second :—The station clocks can, at small ex¬ 
pense, be so adjusted that if wrong they will oe 
set precisely right by the automaton action of 
the astronomical clock, at least twice a day, and 
can never vary more from the Albany time than 
the station clock gains or loses in the interval 
between the time-signals. 
This arrangement wall of course involve con¬ 
siderable outlay and additional annual expense, 
on the part of the Trustees of the Observatory ; 
but we cannot doubt that the directors of the 
N. Y. Central Railroad will indemnify them. 
We hope, indeed, to hear that all railroads in 
this vicinity will promptly avail themselves of 
the opportunity which will now be put within 
their reach, of introducing astronomical time. 
In the State of New York alone there are 4,316 
miles of Railroad on which, during the past 
year, there were more than 33,000,000 of pas¬ 
sengers. All this property and life is interest¬ 
ed in whatever will purchase accuracy of time, 
in consequent security against collision and dis¬ 
aster. And we close this allusion to the subject 
by congratulating all concerned upon the es¬ 
tablishment in our midst of an Observatory so 
brilliantly equipped, and which, in addition to 
the advancement of pure and abstract science, 
promises to render such essential services to 
the commercial and material interests of our 
State, and the welfare of tbe whole traveling 
public.— Knickerbocker. 
EFFECT OF FROST ON RAILROADS. 
Among the troubles of railroad management, 
and the drawbacks upon railroad profits, is the 
mischievous influence of frost upon iron, cast 
and wrought. All the lines throughout the 
Northern States' have suffered this winter from 
this cause—some of them much more than oth¬ 
ers. The difference in the amount of damage 
severally sustained by them, or rather in the 
number of their accidents from frost, are due to 
the difference in the quality of the iron used for 
making axles and wheels. Good metal stands 
the test bravely, while the poor succumbs, and 
betrays the traveler and troubles the engineer. 
The fracture of wheels and axles takes place 
mostly in the early morning, about sunrise, 
when, as w 7 e heard a Welch “driver” say, the 
frost begins to “ move out.” The day succeed¬ 
ing one of intense cold, is more fatal to iron 
under strain, it is said, than the cold day itself. 
Straining is said to be a severer test than per¬ 
cussion. During the last three weeks upon the 
Eastern end of the Albany and Utica division 
of the Central Road, six large six-inch axles in 
dtiving wheels were snapped off. 
Last week the spokes of one of the five foot 
driving wheels of an express engine were all 
jerked off the hub at a crack, and the rim of the 
wheel was thrown up on the cab. The fracture 
of the axles take place in all cases close to the 
wheel. The break is vertical, and with a com¬ 
paratively plain face, where the iron is inferior, 
and jagged and stringy where it is excellent.— 
Alb. Journal. 
Bread Baked by Steam. —We have before us 
(not with the intention of eating the whole of 
it, however,) a huge loaf of bread, baked by 
steam, at the State Farm School in Monson.— 
Messrs. Blanchard & Kimball of this city have, 
after a course of experiments, made an oven 
which is successfully heated by steam, and 
which now does all the baking for the Monson 
institution. It is said to bake meats very finely, 
and the bread is certainly baked excellently 
well. The steam surrounds the oven, and can 
be maintained at a given temperature with 
great evenness. The success of this experiment 
would seem to show that large hotels, and all 
public institutions, can do nearly every variety 
of cooking by steam. Steak cannot be broiled 
over live coals, nor chestnuts roasted in the 
ashes by steam, but all the rest, we believe, is 
provided for.— Springfield Republican. 
Stuffing Horse Collars. — In stuffing horse 
collar blocks, the leather for the collar is sewed 
up into tubular form, and placed lengthwise be¬ 
fore a sort of cylinder and plunger. The old 
plan is to take a small bundle of the straw, 
which is cut into lengths .of 16 or 18 inches, 
double the same in the middle by hand, and 
place it before the plunger; the latter sends 
the straw down into the leather, and packs it 
solidly, nest in nest. An improvement, how¬ 
ever, has recently been made, consisting in a 
contrivance which feeds the straw up in proper 
quantities, when the plunger comes forward, 
doubles the straw, and rams it down into the 
leather. The hand operations before mentioned 
are in this way avoided, and the work is done 
better and with greater facility.— N. Y. Obs. 
The Law of Patents. —Judge Nelson has de¬ 
cided that the circumstance that a person has 
had an idea of an improvement in his head, or 
has sketched it upon paper, has drawn it, and 
then gives it up, neglects it, does not, in judg¬ 
ment of law, constitute him an original and first 
inventor. It is not the person who has only 
produced the idea that is entitled to protection 
as an inventor, hut the person who has embodied 
the idea into a practical machine, and rendered 
it to practical use. 
