liiSi 
Twtar. 
AUGUST 14. 
MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-xorker 
PRESERVING FISH. 
Sketches from the Alps to the Adriatic 
NUMBER ONE. 
Leaving Munich—Artists Festival—The German Stu¬ 
dent.—Entering the Alps—Boat Ride on Walchen See 
— Wallgau. 
When the time came for me to leave Munich I 
wag rejoiced, for my course lay towards the Alps, 
whose snowy summits I had seen almost daily from 
the church towers ef the city. During the last 
few days of my stay I had been threatened with a 
fever, and I longed to quench my burning thirst at 
the snow-fed springs among the mountains, and 
feel the fresh breeze that roamed over their 
summits. 
One pleasant afternoon the cars bore me from 
Munich to the village of Starnberg, at the foot of 
a lake of the same name, about fifteen miles long. 
I intended to go up the lake in the small steam¬ 
boat and then resume my favorite mode of travel¬ 
ing on foot. On my way to the lake I stopped a 
couple of hours at a small station to witness the 
Artists’ Festival, which is given once a year by the 
artists of Munich. Last year it was a splendid af¬ 
fair, but this it was nothing but a gathering of 
some thousands of people in a grove of pines and 
oaks. They amused themselves in true German 
style, that is, every one did what pleased him best. 
Some danced on the green sward, and some sung; 
many lay under the trees and drank beer. There 
was no programme for the occasion, but the people 
seemed to have come there to observe one another, 
talk with their friends, and for the sake of being 
in the country. Such amusements would scarcely 
be exciting or noisy enough for an American as¬ 
semblage. I parted with regret from a few young 
American students, whose acquaintance I had 
made in Munich, and whose society had rendered 
my sojourn in that city far more profitable and 
agreeable than it would otherwise have been. 
The little steamboat went up the lake in the 
evening, and I took passage for the small village of 
Seeshaupt, at the upper extremity. During the 
voyage my attention was attracted to a young 
man, having the dress and air of a German student. 
His well filled Swiss knapsack and stout staff, hint¬ 
ed that he had started on a trip among the moun¬ 
tains, and I decided from his appearance, that if 
our routes should chance to lie parallel, his com¬ 
pany would be desirable. I was surprised, when I 
addressed him, to find that he designed going 
through Switzerland to the south of Italy, and 
comforted myself with the reflection that I was not 
the only traveler going to Rome in midsummer.— 
We had a pleasant conversation, over some mugs 
of foaming beer and brown bread and butter, on 
the shore of the lake, before the rustic inn of 
Seeshaupt, and then with a wish that we might 
meet again, we shook hands, and he shouldered his 
knapsack for a few miles’ walk before bed-time. I 
little thought when I saw his Btudent cap disap¬ 
pear over tho hill, that afterwards I should run 
against him in the mournful Roman Forum, and 
he should be my best companion in the Eternal 
City. 
I remained at the inn, and slept in a room over a 
stable, which was reached by crossing a bridge ten 
feet from the ground. The window looked out on 
the lake, which was but a few rods distant, and I 
fell asleep while listening to the dreamy plashing 
of the waves along the sandy beach. 
Next morning I wa3 awakened by two or three 
birds that flew into tho open window, and twit¬ 
tered their merry melodies, while perched on the 
bed post and table. When I stirred they were 
frightened and flew out to a pear tree close by, that 
was white with fragrant blossoms. The sun had 
already risen, but was partly obscured by heavy 
fogs which ascended from the surface of the water. 
They soon cleared away, however, and at six 
o’clock there was a clear and delightfully fresh at¬ 
mosphere. Everything was bright and rejoicing 
when I started on my day’s journey. Northward 
flashed the clear waters of the lake in the slanting 
sunbeams,—southward rose into the blue heaven 
the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. The peasants 
were going to the fields with implements of labor 
on their shoulders—the dew-drops sparkled in the 
grass—and varied and incessant strains of bird- 
music filled the air. 
I journeyed over foot paths which led through 
fir forests and over flowery meadows, until I came 
to the village of Sindelsdorf, where I struck the 
post-road again. The road there makes a tedious 
bend round the foot of Kochel Bee. This lake is 
not particularly pretty, but the valley by which the 
road enters among the mountains terminates at its 
head. One enters suddenly among the Alps, for 
they raise their hoary sides like a wall along the 
edge of the low lands. The road ascends steeply 
for two or three miles, and a ravine, darkened by 
dense fir forests, yawns on the right, while rocky 
precipices rise upon the left. It has a startling ef¬ 
fect to look in among the sombre shadows of the 
pines, and see these long and solemn halls of Na¬ 
ture, closed up by an abrupt precipice of rock.— 
Soon after leaving the lake a foot path turns off from 
the main road and leads to a romantic water-fall — 
A small stream tumbles down a deep cleft, leaping 
from basin to basin, and sending a roar that is ren¬ 
dered cjoubly impressive by the loneliness of the 
spot add the sombre aspect of the surrounding 
trees. I passed another waterfall, and after walk¬ 
ing about an hour, came to a descending part of 
the road, and saw below me the dark waters of 
Walchen See. I had not anticipated beholding 
anything very beautiful, and therefore was agreea¬ 
bly surprised, for Walchen Bee is a perfect gem of 
a lake. It is about three miles broad, and perhaps 
somewhat more in length. It is hemmed in on all 
sides by forest-covered mountains, and southward, 
behind and above those along the Bhore, rise the 
grey rocky peaks of a much higher range. The 
waters which, from their great depth and the 
mountain shadows flung into them, are very dark, 
abound in fish. 
While descending towards the lake, I met a wo¬ 
man who abruptly aBked me where I was going. I 
perceived the cause of her inquisitiveness, when she 
mentioned that she kept boats, and it would just 
help me along on my journey to ride to the head 
of the lake which would cost only fifteen kreuzers. 
ROCIIESTIER COLLEGIA r l'I'] INSTITUTE. 
The Rochester Collegiate Institute is plea¬ 
santly situated, in a healthy locality, at the corner 
of Atwater and Oregon streets. The whole build¬ 
ing is admirably adapted to the purpose for which 
it was intended, and no labor and expense have 
been spared to render it comfortable and attractive. 
The apartments, designed for two students each, 
are well ventilated, lighted with gas, and provided 
with single beds, tables and other appropriate furni¬ 
ture, and in each story is a bathiDg room. 
The whole Institute is under the immediate 
supervision of tho energetic and capable Princi¬ 
pal, J. E. Dexter, A. M., (who is now the sole 
proprietor,) aided by talented Instructors. The 
Classic Department, under the chargo of Prof. 
N. W. Benedict, deserves particular notice. Ilia 
success in imparting instruction in the Ancient 
Languages has been unparalleled, and the thorough 
knowledge of Greek and Latin authors obtained by 
his students, truly surprising. It is evident that 
I had no objection to the ride, and she returned 
with me to the boat-house, and directed her daugh¬ 
ter, a girl of about seventeen, to row me to a point 
a couple of miles distant, near the head of the 
lake. If my rower had been pretty the ride would 
have been as romantic as auy adventure which 
often befals the traveler; but her bare and unclean 
feet, which she braced firmly against the boat for 
the purpose of rowing, her hands, enlarged and 
made rough by severe manual labor, her tanned 
and freckled face, and yellow, sun colored hair, 
scarcely verified the imagination’s picture of a 
pretty mountain maiden. She informed me that 
she tended her father’s cows and goats on the 
mountains, and she had often climbed to the sum¬ 
mits of those around the lake. In summer time, 
when travelers were plenty, she was much employ¬ 
ed in rowing boats, and the skill and swiftness with 
which she sent mine along, proved her an expert. 
When we reached the landing place she pulled the 
boat to the beach, and pointed out the foot-path 
that led to the main road which I followed to the 
little village of Wallgau, where I found humble 
quarters for the night. 
My sleeping room was one of the quaintest and 
queerest I ever had the privilege of occupying.— 
The roof was low and the assemblage of things so 
promiscuous and odd, that in starting from a 
sound sleep in the night, one could distinctly see 
any spectre the imagination happened to form. 
The village itself consists of a church, an inn, 
and about a dozen houses, built in a different style 
from any that I had before seen. The buildings 
are only one story high, the roofs project several 
feet over the eaves, and are just slanting enough 
to throw off the rain. Numerous large stones and 
poles, laid on the roofs, indicate that the wind 
sometimes blows with dangerous violence. On 
the side of the church is a large rude fresco paint¬ 
ing, representing scenes from the life of some 
saint, and from one end rises a tall, slim spire in 
the Byzantine style, with a black dome, or rather 
ball, on the summit Below the village are some 
large meadows, with dozens of regular log cabins 
for storing the hay, scattered over them. The 
huts have the same style of roofs as the houses, and 
large stones lay thickly on them. Beyond these 
meadows the valley grows narrower, and is full of 
trees and bushes, among which feed herds of cows 
and goats, attended by shepherds. The noise of 
the bells which the animals wear was incessant 
and sounded from far up the mountain side. 
G. p. w. 
REVOLUTIONARY VERSES. 
The following ingenious composition appeared 
in a Philadelphia newspaper many years ago.— 
Who the author was, we cannot ascertain. Its pe¬ 
culiarity consists in the manner in which it may 
be read, viz.: in three different ways,—1st. Let the 
whole be read in the order in which it is written; 
2d. Then the lines downward on the left of each 
comma in every line; and 3d. In the same man¬ 
ner on the right of each comma. By the first 
reading you will observe that the revolutionary 
cause is condemned, and by the others it is en¬ 
couraged and lauded: 
Hark! hark! the trumpet Bounds, the din of war’s alarm, 
O'er seas and solid grounds, doth call us all to arms; 
Who for King George doth stand, their honors soon shall 
shine; 
Their ruin is at hand, who with the Congress join. 
The acts of Parliament, in them I much delight, 
I hate their cursed intent, who for Congress fight. 
The Tories of the day, they are my daily toast, 
They soon will sneak away, who Independence boast; 
Who non-resistence hold, they have my hand and heart. 
May they for slaves be sold, who act a Whiggish part; 
On Mansfield, North and’Bute, may daily blessings pour, 
Confusion and dispute, on Congress evermore; 
To North and British lord, may honors still be done, 
I wish a block or cord, to General Washington. 
the mode which he pursues is widely different 
from tho course ordinarily practised. Those who 
are accustomed to regard this branch of education 
as dry and dull, if not absolutely useless and super¬ 
fluous, would marvel at the zeal and earnestness 
evinced by those who, under Prof. Benedict’s care, 
are making these Ancient Languages their own, 
and becoming as well acquainted with them as 
with their mother tongue. To one anxious to pur¬ 
sue a classical course, this school offers unrivaled 
inducements. Prof. B. was for a number of years 
the Principal of tho old Collegiate Institute in this 
city, which was so popular until the building was 
destroyed by fire a few years ago; and the success 
of this new Institute is owing in a great measure 
to his connection with the school. 
But the Classics are not taught to the exclusion 
of other branches. Mathematics and the Natural 
Sciences receive a full amount of attention, nor 
are the Modern Languages or Music neglected. A 
FUNGUS FLOWER ON A BOY’S LEG. 
An account of a singular fungus flower growing 
from a boy’s leg was published in the papers of Lan¬ 
caster, Pennsylvania, and being copied into the 
leading journals of the country, attracted consider¬ 
able attention. Many doubted the truth of the 
statement altogether, while others expressed a de 
sire that the facts should be set forth accompanied 
by the names of those who had seen the singular 
phenomenon. Our correspondent, Jacob Stauffer, 
has furnished the Lancaster Times with the follow¬ 
ing interesting letter on the subject: 
Mr. Editor:— Dr. Wm. Baker, of this city,having 
received a daguerreotype of the singular phenome¬ 
non noised about in the papers, I was permitted to 
copy it, and also portions of a letter relative to the 
subject. 
It appears that a certain child of this place, at 
two years of age, became afflicted with the hip dis¬ 
ease, and lingered on and grew, having attained to 
the age of fourteen years at the period of his death, 
a few weeks since. During a period of nine months 
previous to his death, numerous abscesses were 
formed, and the lad was nearly reduced to a skel¬ 
eton. 
A day or two previous to his death, during the 
night, a double stem and two flowers grew from the 
calf of one of his legs, a little below the knee-joint, 
the limb being apparently much swollen. The 
writer states that “ hundreds of seeds were found 
in the room after the boy’s death, similar to those of 
the passion flower,” and that “ all say the flower re¬ 
sembles the passion rose.” 
The attending physician, Dr. Hawley, deemed it 
so wonderful as to require other witnesses to testify 
to the fact, and he accordingly called in Dr. Ste¬ 
vens, the Rev. Mr. Walker, and many others. 
This flower (fungus) grew in one night to the 
height of three and a half inches, and has since been 
sent to New York, where it is undergoing a tho¬ 
rough investigation, and will no doubt be litho¬ 
graphed and described by those having a better 
opportunity to enter into the minutim. 
As to the seeds like those of the passsion flower, 
—it is obvious that there must be some mistake,— 
since it requires weeks to mature the pulpy fruit in 
which the seed is contained, and to flower and 
fruit in one night is altogether out of the question, 
except in fungi. I must say that to me it appears 
a mere fungus, and I have seen similar productions 
on a smaller scale grow from insects. But the 
pleasure of mystery is so charming that one feels 
loath to dispel it; and the “passion flower” was so 
named (Passiflone) from being supposed to repre¬ 
sent, in the appendages of its flower, the passion of 
our Savior. 
Dr. Lindley illustrates one or two species ot 
sphairia—one a celebrated remedy among the Chi¬ 
nese, much praised in Du Halde’s book; another 
of larger size, the Sphocria Robertsii, growing from 
a large caterpillar of New Zealand moth, called 
Hepialus virescens. The stripe grows to the length 
of six or eight inches, with a dense spike of spo- 
rules, and side buds springing from the head of the 
caterpillar. 
Datrochet has witnessed the growth of a species 
of fungi (Pencillium) from globules of milk, and 
every entomologist, who has suffered his insects to 
remain in a damp place, has to his sorrow found 
them covered with fungi in a short time, of which 
I have an ample collection now on hand. 
Mr. Graham attributes the rapid destruction 
caused by fungi amongst living tissue, not to the 
mere exhaustion consequent on their nutrition, but 
to the agency of dead mycelium acting as a putre¬ 
factive ferment. 
well-filled Library and Cabinet are connected with 
the school; also, a full apparatus for instruction 
in Philosophy and Chemistry, Anatomy and Physi¬ 
ology. The Ladies’ Department is under the 
charge of an accomplished and experienced In¬ 
structress. Messrs. J. V. R. Chapman and C. R. 
Davis have the direction of the Commercial De¬ 
partment,. Prof. A. Lathrop, formerly one of the 
principal teachers in the Female Seminary at 
Canandaigua, is now connected with this school. 
Aside from those already mentioned, the Circular 
givesthe names of the following Teachers:—Profs. 
A. H. Mixer and T. McCauley Balentink, Miss 
Anna Marsh, Prof. Kalbpleisch and N. S. Barnes, 
M. D., constituting in all, a very complete and com¬ 
petent Faculty. 3 he school is worthy the attention 
of all, especially thosb at a distance, who wish to 
find the advantages of a thorough literary course, 
combined with the comforts of a well-ordered and 
pleasant home. 
Moris. Robins has published a work in French 
proving the effects of fungi on animal structures, 
and showing that many cutaneous diseases are at¬ 
tended with the growth of fungi, such as the case 
Muscardine, Porrigo lupinosa and others. 
All admit that few subjects are more obscure 
than the cause of the production of parasite fungi. 
The searching power of the miscroscope has failed 
to reveal the minute reproductive bodies of such 
fungi. Whether in a gaseous state or an elemen¬ 
tary principle, resulting under certain conditions 
in their formation, is a matter of doubt and specu¬ 
lation; nor will it be philosophically known until 
i greater improvements are made in optics, that 
wonderful source which has already revealed much 
that was equally mysterious to earlier investiga¬ 
tors. J. Stauffer. 
Lancaster, July 13, 1858. 
PRINCIPLE OF THE THERMOMETER. 
The thermometer in an instrument for determin¬ 
ing heat or temperature. The principle of its 
construction is founded upon the expansion of 
bodies under the influence of heat; and mercury, 
as expanding more uniformly under equal incre¬ 
ments of heat within the range of atmospheric 
temperature, is usually employed in their construc¬ 
tion. The conditions, necessary to a good ther¬ 
mometer, are that the bore of the tube be of equal 
size throughout, the'zero and 32 degrees, or freez¬ 
ing point, accurately determined, and the gradua¬ 
tions performed with exactness. For the purpose 
of meterological observations, it is necessary that 
they be compared with a standard thermometer, 
that their index errors may be ascertained, and ap¬ 
plied at the time of reading. The thermometer 
most generally used and regarded as a standard in 
this country and in England, is that of Fahrenhiet, 
the scale of which is determined by dividing the 
space between 32 degrees (freezing point of water) 
and 212 degrees (boiling point of water) into 180 
parts, called degrees. By continuing these divi¬ 
sions both above and below these points, the scale 
may be continued at pleasure for the requirements 
of extreme temperature. 
Tenderness to Animals.—H e that can look with 
rapture upon the agonies of an unoffending and 
unresisting animal, will soon learn to view the suf¬ 
ferings of a fellow-creature with indifference; and 
in time he will acquire the power of viewing them 
with triumph, if that fellow-creature should be¬ 
come the victim of his resentment, be it just or 
unjust. But the minds of children are open to im¬ 
pressions of every sort, and, indeed, wonderful is 
the facility with which a judicious instructor may 
habituate them to tender emotions. I have, there¬ 
fore, always considered mercy to beings of an in¬ 
ferior species as a virtue which children are very 
capable of learning, but which is most difficult to 
be taught if the heart has been once familiarized 
to spectacles of distress, and has been permitted 
either to behold the pangs of any living creature 
with cold insensibility, or to inflict them with wan¬ 
ton barbarity. — Dr. Parr. 
Ages of our Distinguished Statesmen at 
Theit Death — The following table will lie in¬ 
teresting at this time, as showing the age of many 
of our distinguished statesmen at the time of their 
death: 
Born. Died. Age. 
General Washington.1732 1799 67 
Benjamin Franklin_1708 1790 67 
John Adams___..._..1735 1826 91 
Th imas Jefferson_1743 1826 83 
John Q. Adams_1767 1848 81 
Andrew Jackson.-..1767 1845 78 
Henry Clay.-•.1777 1852 75 
John 0. Calhoun.1782 1850 68 
Daniel WeWer_1785 1852 70 
Thomas H. Benton_....1782 1858 76 
Eds. Rural: —Perhaps the gentleman who fur¬ 
nished us last winter with Buch valuable informa¬ 
tion in regard to preserving birds, Ac,, could now 
give some hints how to preserve fish; and if so, he 
would be conferring a great favor on a— Young 
Ruralist, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y, 1858. 
Remarks. —As desired, we give the method of 
preserving fish, from the same source, and we 
hope the valuable information thuB imparted, will 
be of advantage to many of our readers. 
The fish should be procured as fresh as possible, 
more especially if it is one to which the scales are 
not very closely attached. Lay it on one side, and 
cut out the gills with a pair of scissors; then in¬ 
troduce a little tow or sponge, to prevent tho 
blood from flowing, carefully wiping the sides of 
the fish with a sponge. Let tho fins be raised and 
gently extended, and a piece of paper larger, and 
something the same shape, be placed under them. 
Coat the paper with a weak solution of gum arabic; 
puts’milar pieces on top of the fins, press them 
together, and they will soon dry and adhere. This 
will preserve them from injury during the opera¬ 
tion of stuffing. After the fins are thus secured, 
tako a piece of tissue paper and press it gently on 
the sides of tho fish. The glutinous naatter of the 
fish will make it adhere firmly, and form a strong 
protection to the scales; but on fish whose scales 
very easily rub off, it is not amiss to put on the 
paper with gum water. When this is thoroughly 
dry, lay the fish on a soft cloth, and open it, with 
sharp scissors, from the bottom of the tail fin to 
the snout. Next cut across the spine at the junc¬ 
tion of the head, cutting bone and muscles all 
across, but be very careful not to cut the skin. 
Then skin it from head to tail very carefully, cut¬ 
ting off all the fin bones with scissors, as well as 
the spine at the taiL Clean the head, thf optical 
openings and gills. 
Tho skin, being wiped dry, must be anointed 
with arsenical soap, and stuffed with cottoD, which 
must be so managed as to leave no prominences 
on the outside when properly filled. A straight 
wire from the tail to the skull is sufficient Sew it 
up, and set it aside in the air to dry, but not ex¬ 
posed to the rays of the sun. In a few days tho 
papers that enclose the fins may be removed by 
dampening them with a sponge, and the tissue 
paper can be removed in tho same way from the 
body. Glass eyes may now be introduced after 
filling tho orbits with cotton and a little cement. 
The skin may now be varnished and laid aside to 
dry. Many fish have semi-transparent cartilages 
connected with the eyes. These must be imitated 
where they exist, with starch and gum arabic. 
Tho skins of all fish without scales, must have fre¬ 
quent coats of spirits of turpentine, but require no 
varnish, as their skins are generally dull. If, after 
a time, the varnish should rise into scales, it may 
be removed by nitric acid diluted with water, 
which when applied to the surface will loosen it so 
that it may be rubbed off with a brush. 
Fish can be easily preserved in spirits, and the 
only preparation needed is to remove the mucus 
by washing it in soft water, using a soft brush for 
that purpose. w. v. 
A WORD TO YOUNG RURALISTS. 
Look here all ye little boys and girls who are 
readers of the Rural, I want to have a little talk 
with you. Have you bro’t in the chips for mother 
and the pail of water, and has she said, “ now I am 
done with you, go and play?” I was going to say 
something to you about the yard; going to tell 
you how pleasant it would be to have it looking 
nice and smooth and clean. Go all around your 
father’s farm, see how he has cut down the weeds 
from the fence side, the underbrush has been dug 
up and burned. How beautiful it looks. But just 
come into the yard here! What a change! Bur¬ 
dock, and Plantain, and Mallows, big stones and 
little stones, and chips, both great and small, scat¬ 
tered far away from the main pile, and boards of 
all sizes, and here an old barrel or two maybe, and 
there an old hen-coop tipped over. It don’t look 
over nice does it? Now, suppose the eldest one 
among you in each family says, “ Lets work in the 
yard a half an hour to night (father and mother 
will surely spare you that length of time) and a 
half an hour to-morrow night and every day until 
we get it to looking as tidy as father’s farm.” 
First, you must fix upon some place the most 
out of sight to set up the barrels and hen coop.— 
Don’t throw them up any how in a bunch, but fix 
them very straight Then pitch up all the boards, 
some may be rotten, throw them on the chips and 
pile the others neatly beside the barrels. Now, 
rake up the chips very closely, and gather the 
stones in one place. But the half hour is up, and 
mother says the boys must go for the cows and 
she wants the girls to pick a pail of peas in 
the lot The yard looks better already, and you 
find yourself turning to take a last look as you 
start away. 
The next half hour you must spend in pulling 
up the plantain, for its all going to seed and there’B 
no chance for the grass to grow. It will take a 
good many half hours before you get it all up; but 
don’t be discouraged,after it is done sow it thickly 
with the grass seed. Now dig up tho burdocks 
and drive some stakes if necessary and tie up the 
bushes, perhaps some may want trimming near the 
ground. When this is all finished and the ground 
clear get the corn cutter (if you have no grass 
hook and can’t afford to get one) make it sharp and 
cut the grass and everything else smoothly off.— 
You will be astonished at the result of your labors. 
Afterwards you must keep watch of it, and when 
any one throws down a board or stone, or anything 
pick them up, and put them in their places. When 
the grass grows cut it down; and ask mother to 
please not throw suds around on the grass, it 
makes the weeds grow. She might throw it in a 
tub and you could carry it to the young fruit trees. 
Don’t read this and then forget about it, but take 
heed and maybe you will hear again from 
Aunt Martha. 
Many a man’s vices have at first been nothing 
worse than good qualities run wild. 
