* 
1 
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Written for Moore's Ktir.il New-Yorker. 
SCIENTIFIC NOTES, 
lamb’s knittino machine. 
This useful machine, invented by I. W. 
Lamb, and manufactured in Rochester by a 
company organized for that purpose, is rapidly 
coming into favor, and trill no doubt some day 
supersede almost entirely the practice of knit¬ 
ting by hand. It is by some regarded as second 
in importance only to the sewing machine. I 
will not attempt any explanation of its novel 
mechanism, for it. would be difficult to (make 
an intelligible description without the aid of u 
diagram; but its most available features are 
that it is not cumbrous, and therefore not ex¬ 
pensive, is only about two feet in length, can 
be fastened to a table, aud is easily worked by a 
crank, two set of needles being used, which can 
be so adjusted as to make the stitches more or 
less close, and the work of any desirable width. 
By this machine a great variety of articles of 
common use may be made, such as stockings, 
glove?, shawls, afghans, chair covers, blankets, 
etc. The machine can bo worked very rapidly, 
and its work is well done. Those who have 
tried it say that its management, is not difficult 
to he acquired, and if this is 60 , it will no doubt 
soon take its place among the most, important 
labor-saviug inventions of the day. 
ORIGIN OP PETROLEUM. 
As I have heard a great many inquiries made 
about the origin of petroleum, and as there, 
seems to be some conflict of opinion on the sub¬ 
ject, I submit to your readers the following, 
which I found in a daily paper, and which 
accords with the views of those best capable of 
jndging ot the matter: —“The formation of 
the North American continent, the great uphea¬ 
val of which threw off the water and discovered 
the land, deposited vast fields of salty marsh 
grass and seaweed in the beds where petroleum 
is now fonnd. This vegetable deposit, in the 
transformation, became covered with succes¬ 
sive layers of sand, shutting up the vegetation in 
its salt, water beds. The action of the internal heat 
of the earth upon this vegetation and salt water 
could not consume the vegetable matter, nor 
could it drive off the salt water in vapor, for the 
hardening of the sand into rock cut off all 
means of escape. As a result, the heat distilled 
the vegetation, extracting the carbon and hydro¬ 
gen comprising them—hence the formation of 
the hydro-carbonic compound known as potro- 
leum. The 6ame natural heat which performed 
the work of distillation would uaturally crack 
the rock above, to some extent—hence the fis¬ 
sures through which the oil has been forced np 
in some localities, producing the olI-Bprhigs.” 
I find in William Wright’s interesting little 
work on the “Oil Regions of Pennsylvania,” 
the following interesting phenomena illustrat¬ 
ing the 
LAWLESSNESS OP OIL-SPRINGS. 
“ Precisely as every human being has his own 
set of features, tone of voice, and the like, so 
each Individual oil-spring has characteristics, I 
with regard to the escape of water, gas, petro¬ 
leum, or all three. In one, tho flow of the last- 
named will bo continuous and uniform, day and 
night, not varying more from week to week 
than a spring-brook. It may or may not be 
accompanied by a large escape of gas, visible to 
the naked eye, though it ordinarily is by some. 
In such a flowing concern there is no noise, 
except the 6plash of the liquid hilling into the 
tank. But in others a regular periodicity takes 
place in the discharge. The Coquette well, for 
example, emits a succession of sounds as loud 
and sharp as the exhausts of a small steam 
engine, and occurring in tolerable order in every 
ten seconds, In such a manner as 1,3, 3, 4; 1, 3; 
1, 3, 3; 1, 2, U, 4; sometime* two of these com¬ 
ing off together by aa extraordinary effort. A 
copious discharge of gas comes off with each of 
these eructations, ascending from the tube like 
a thin smoke, to mingle with the atmosphere. 
The Wild-Cat well, at Petroleum Centre, and 
the Yankee, on Cherry Run, remain silent for 
forty and twenty minutes respectively; then 
begin to foam and spirt, the oil coming off at 
first only in drops, but increasing by degrees 
until the tube belches forth quite freely; these 
dischargee afterwards decrease in violence, and 
finally stop altogether, after the lapse ol from 
five to eight minutes. Each escape of liquid Is 
accompanied liy a sharp report, which may bo 
beard one hundred yards off or more. * * * 
Others again are found to remain quiescent for 
twenty-one or twenty-two hours in the day; 
then to break forth in one continuous flow, or 
a succession of belchings, for the other two or 
three hours." 
DIAMONDS IN CALIFORNIA. 
The “California diamond," so-called, has 
been in use tor years as an article of cheap jew¬ 
elry, but it is uow asserted that the gennlne 
mineral has been found in the mountain streams 
of that State. Several of these precious stones, 
fouud at Cherokee Ravine, Bat to county, North 
San Juan, Nevada county, uud at PiaccrvUle, 
were submitted to the Inspection of skilllul lapi¬ 
daries, and pronounced “simon-pure.” They 
were found in "sluices, or pudding-boxes used 
for placer milling," and their average value was 
seventy-five dollars. w. m. 
Cast Iron Nails. —Cast-iron nails are now 
extensively used, aud are found to rust much 
lees rapidly under the iniluence of the atmos¬ 
phere than ordinary uails, or even those made 
of copper. They are used especially in making 
roofs lor manufactories which produce gases 
that corrode common wrought-lron. The uails, 
after being cast from very hot metal in sand- 
moulds, are rendered malleable by being exposed 
to a red heat for 73 hours in refractory retorts 
containing pulverized oxide of iron and sawdust, 
and then allowed to cool slowly. 
Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
CRYSTALIZED MAPLE SUGAR. 
Eds. Rural:— In reading No. 33 of the Rural, 
I find an article which speaks of finding crystal- 
ized maple sugar in a jug of maple 6lrup, and a 
request to be advised of the fact if any other 
person had seen any thing of the kind. 
Having spent many years in the south-west 
part of the State of N. Y., where much maple 
sugar was made every year, and my husband be¬ 
ing iu the practice of making onr own sweetening, 
we often put np a quantity of molasses for par¬ 
ticular uses; and one spring we thought we 
would take the first run of sap, because it made 
better molasses or sirup than later runs. I filled 
a jug containing between two and three gallons, 
and stopped it very tight, as tight as I could 
with a cork, and let it stand till autumn, when 
we used the sirup which was very clear and 
pleasant; and, finding particles of grained sugar 
near the bottom of the sirup after it had all been 
drawn out, I put the jug in a kettleof water and let 
it boll awhile and we drained out about a quart of 
crystalized sugar. It had the appearance of 
alum in color, only much clearer, and was of 
every conceivable shape and form,and of a purely 
sweet taste. h. k. 
Pleasant Valley, N. Y. 
-- l 4 .- 
Written for Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
A CURIOUS FACT. 
W. M. asks for an explanation of " a curious 
fact," a detailed statement of which will be 
found in the Rural New-Yorker of Oct. 14th. 
If molten iron is more dense thau the solid, 
the solid should swim on the fluid, for the same 
reason that wood does on water, viz., because 
it is lighter. No other reason is necessary, be¬ 
cause this is all-sufficient. The one fact is not 
more curious than the other. Bat in your quo¬ 
tation, it is said, that irou, as “it changes from 
the molten to a solid condition, is contracted ;” 
but this cannot be, if the detailed experiment is 
as etated, and I know it is, for I hive tried it, 
and know the fact. The “ specific gravity ” (of 
iren,) is less “in a solid state" than in a molten 
form. This is true of many substances, also, 
that they expand in changing from a liquid to a 
solid state. Of these are sulphur, many salts in 
iflimg 
XTAOriJRAIj FLYING MACHINE. 
(Tim accompanying engravi». and description of a 
proposed novel Flying Mnch.lt". by a Baltimore cor- 
respopdent of the Scientific American, will attract the 
attention of all interested in the subject of a-rial navi¬ 
gation. For the Illustration we are indebted to the 
crystalizing, bismuth and antimony, and prob- courteous editors of the excellent journal named.] 
ably many others. It would be a great curiosity 
if the lighter solid iron shonld sink in the 
heavier molten iron. c. d. 
A MAGNANIMOUS DANE. 
During the wars that raged from 1659 to lfiOO, 
bet ween Frederick III. of Denmark and Charles 
Gustavus of 8weden, after a battle, In which the 
victory had remained with the Danes, a stout 
burgher of Flensborg was about to refresh him¬ 
self, ere retiring to have his wounds dressed, 
with a draught of beer from a wooden bottle, 
when an imploring cry from a wounded Swede, 
lying on the field, made him turn, and with the 
very few words of Sidney—“ Thy need is greater 
You have of late published several articles on 
the subject of flying machines, and are, it is 
therefore to be presumed, disposed to invite 
discussion of the question, believing, doubtless, 
that the time will come when man will subject 
the air, as he has the other elements, to hir, con¬ 
trol. I venture to submit for publication a plan, 
tome apparently simple and feasible, that occur¬ 
red to me many years ago, but that I have never 
found opportunity to put to the test of experi¬ 
ment. It is to do -what man has already done 
upon the earth — make use of the powers of the 
inferior animals given to him to be his servants 
to effect his purposes. There are many birds 
noted lor strength of wing and endurance in 
flight. The brown eagle and the American 
swan particularly suggest themselves. I pro¬ 
pose to obtain a number of such birds (swans 
would probably be the most easily entrapped, 
but it might be a question whether they would 
aud cords to a frame woik, which shall sustaina 13 a good fellow among las playmat 
basket large enough to hold a man standing or * s selfish and quarrelsome, 
sitting, so that the greater part of his body shall What is it then to be a man, and wh: 
be below the points by which the basket is to be i30 i’ s imitate in men ? Why, it is mar 
swung, precisely as a chronometer is swung ^ rave * n time of danger. It is manly ' 
with free play in all directions. The frame-work spectfol to your superiors, reverenti: 
should be hollow, .is well to give the greatest generous to your equals, kind to 
strength with least weight as to afford passage reriors, charitable to the poor, fc 
way for cords which should lead from the man F° ar associates. It is manly also 
occupying the ear to a light apparatus fitted op- I ^ 0D an< * o!:)e y y° ur parents, 
on the back or wings of each bird, by which the Imitate men-good men, in these th 
driver could, at pleasure, compress the wings to ^ ear y° UD = friends, and you will be n 
compel a descent or release them for flight. A I matter wlj at °I clothes you wear. 
similar arrangement of cords might regulate the i -•- 
direction of llight, by drawing the head of the THE SECRET. 
bird to one side or the other. j - 
I have attempted to rive a sketch of my plan, j There wero two little sisters at tl 
which may be comprehensible to a draughts- t ’*mom nobody could see without lo 
man, and, if remodeled by him, may be pre- *key were a l wa J a so happy together, 
sentable ( with the explanation) to the public, if the same books and the same playth 
you see fit to introduce them. ' ncver a <l uarrel sprang up between 1 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
TRYING TO BE A MAN. 
BY UNCLE TRUE. 
As I was going along the street the other day 
I met a little fellow, of about fourteen years of 
age, wearing a silk hat and carrying a cane. His 
hat was such as men wear, and of the latest style, 
and his cane was one of those dandyfied affairs 
which are carried as ornaments by “children of a 
larger growth." He was a bright eyed, rosy- 
cheeked boy, pleasant to look at and no donbt 
pleasant to know; but it was very comical to see 
the grave air and measured gait he kept up, as 
though he was bent on forcing the public into 
believing that he was really a mao. Why it was 
about as far from th8 rim of his hat to its crown 
as it was from hie head to his waist: and instead 
of appearing dignified, he only put yon in mind 
of Tom Thumb in full dress. As he strutted 
along the street, men and women turned around 
smilingly to look after him, and he seemed to be 
the occasion of no small amusement on the 
part of those ragged, urchins who carry “the 
papers” and run on errands. 
It is a very common wish among boys to be¬ 
come men: and a very proper desire it is too, 
when they have correct notions of what it is to 
be a man. When they think, with the boy we 
have just described, that it consists in throwing 
off the jacket and loose cap, and putting on a long- 
tafled coat and high hat, why it is a very foolish 
symptom. Some boys even go farther than the 
one we have named, and think it is manly to 
smoke cigars, and chew tobacco, and use those 
horrible words which we sometimes hear loafers 
indulge in. Bat do boys ever think, I wonder, 
that a grown-up human being may wear fine 
clothes, and may look quite like a great, strong 
fellow, and yet not be a man, in any good sense 
of that term ? If such a person has vices and 
degraded habits he is no more a man, than a boy 
Is a “goodfellow” among his playmates, if he 
is selfish and quarrelsome. 
What is it then to be a man, and what should 
boys imitate in men ? Why, it is manly to be 
brave in time of danger. It is manly to be re¬ 
spectful to your superiors, reverential to the 
aged, generous to your equals, kind to your in¬ 
feriors, charitable to the poor, forbearing 
with your associates. It is manly also to honor 
God and obey your parents. 
Imitate men—good men, iu these things, my 
dear young friends, and yon will be manly, no 
thau mine”—he knelt down by the fallen enemy bear onr summer beats;) ascertain by experi- 
to pour the liquor in his mouth. His requital 
was a pistol-shot in the shoulder from the 
treacherous Swede. 
“Rascal!” he cried, “I would have befriend¬ 
ed you, and you would murder me in return! 
Now will l punish you. I would have given 
you the whole bottle; but now you shall have 
only half." And drinking off half himself, he 
gave the rest to the Swede. 
The king hearing the story, sent for the burgh¬ 
er, and asked him how he eame to spare the life 
of such a ra9cal. 
“Sire,” said the honest burgher, “I could 
never kill a wouuded enemy.” 
“ Thou meritest to be made a noble,” the king 
said, and created him one immediately, giving 
him as armorial bearings a wooden bottle pierc¬ 
ed with an arrow! 
The family only lately became extinct in the 
person of an old maiden lady .—Book of Bolden 
Deeds. 
■ » • » 
THE OLDEST REPUBLIC ON EARTH. 
Tub American Quarterly Review contains a 
letter from G. W. Irving, Esq., giving a sketch 
of his visit to San Marino, a small republic in 
Italy, between the Appenines, the Po, and the 
Adriatic. The territory ot this state is only forty 
miles in circumference, and its population about 
7,000. The republic was lounded more than 
1,400 years ago, on moral principles, industry, 
and equity, aud baa preserved its liberty and in¬ 
dependence amid all the wars and discords which 
have raged arouud it. Bonaparte respected 
it, and sent au embassy to express his sentiments 
of friendship and fraternity. It is governed by 
a captain regent, chosen every six months by 
the representatives of the people (sixty six In 
number,) who a re chosen every six months by 
the people. The taxes are light, the farm-houses 
are neat,, the fields well cultivated, aud on all 
sides are seen comfort and plenty, the happy 
effect of morality, simplicity, and frugality. 
Antidote to Strychnia. —The fact has re- 
ment their power of raising and sustaining ad¬ 
ditional weight to that o'f their own bodies, and 
attach them by jackets fitted around their bodies 
| Men Who Cannot Make Sdeecues.— One of 
the most singular developments of the times is 
the appearance in American public life of a class 
of men who cannot make speeches. Thus, we 
have a Lieutenant General who, when he is fairly 
cornered by the admiring crowd, will make two 
or three polite bows, but will not let a word out 
of his mouth any more than he would Pember¬ 
ton out of Vieksburg, or Lee ont of Richmond. 
Gen. Sherman, on similar occasions, attempts 
but the most meagre replies, although he is 
ready and pungent enough with his pen. Gen. 
Thomas returns thanks, and that is all; while 
the gallant Sheridan simply says : " excuse me 
boys, you know I never make speeches.— Boston 
Journal. 
The Mystic Three.— Three forks to Jupiter’s 
thunderbolt; three prougs to Neptuue's trident; 
three heads to Cerberus; three legs on the 
tripod, or stool on which the Pythian priestess 
vaticinated; three names to the sun — Sol, 
Appollo, Liberi; three also to the moon—Hecate, 
Diana and Luna; throe ablutions 'at sacrifices; 
three bows on approaching royalty; once, 
twice, thrice, and away, says the boys; and 
three balls are the ominous emblem of the pawn¬ 
brokers. 
- + --- 
Animated Nature.—I t has been stated that 
there are 70,000 species of animals known to nat¬ 
uralists. These include 1,200 mammalia, 4,000 
birds, 1,500 amphibia, 7,000 fishes, 4,500 mul- 
lusca, ol5annelides, 359 Crustacea, 13,S arachnids, 
12,000 insects, 1,100 enthelmenta, 208 radiaria, 
208 medusa, 5St> zoophyta, 291 rotaria, 391 iu- 
fusoria. 
— -■ 1 —— ■ - - 
Horseflesh and Steam.—I t may not be gen¬ 
erally kuown that the highest speed ever attained 
by horseflesh was four miles in eleveu miuutes. 
The highest speed of the locomotive, well 
_a . )__ _ _ ti _ . .i 
I have drawn the figure to admit the use of 
ten birds, estimating that each could carry 
twenty pounds, as it is stated that eagles often 
carry off lambs and kids in their talons. The 
circle could easily be enlarged, or another circle 
could be added on the outside, and each bird 
might swing in all directions within its circle, 
as does the basket car in the ceuter. 
fa* ttu fjmiwj 
For Moore’s Sural New-Yorker. 
MISCELLANEOUS ENIGMA. 
I am composed of 8*1 letters. 
My 25, 5, 21,11,15, 30, 06 is despised by all. 
My 3, S, IS, 32, 9, *21 is a town in Michigan. 
My 1,19,15, 30 is a man’s name. 
My 31, 21,12, 24 is used for ornament as well as use. 
My 23, 2, 13, 8.25, IT is a kind of tree. 
My 13, 6,2*2,19,1, 4 is a county in Iowa. 
My 19,20,10, I t. 2 Is a useful animal. 
My 7, 2T, 29,19 Is useful in a great many ways. 
My whole is a Proverb. 
Greenville, Mich. E. Nairn. 
er- Answer in two weeks. 
For Moore's Rural New-Yorker. 
AN ANAGRAM. 
Nklfbd trfea e fa rid padtres; 
Owh thha tno t'os a diftier? 
Rhtee si on nauoi reeh fo steahr, 
Htat difn otn reeh na nde. 
E wre isth ilfar dolwr oro nloy ster, 
Lgivin ro ydgiu, eoun erwe eslbdse. 
Athens, Pa. H. A. Welles. 
Answer in two weeks. 
For Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM. 
A man having purchased an orchard of sixty-fonr 
trees, observed that there were no three trees in the 
same straight row, with the exception of eleven, which 
were all in one straight line. Required the nnmber of 
straight lines that may be formed by joining these 
trees. d. s. 
Oneida, Mich. 
Jiff - Answer in two weeks. 
ceutly been made out by Dr. Kuraack, a German, authenticated, was on one of our Hues, at the 
that the chemical principal tannin is the best rate of seventy-eight miles an hour. 
known antidote to the terrible poison, strychnia. __ 
Various bodies contain tannin, but the most 
. ... „ 1 . , , , Chinese Morality. — Every man in China 
convenient source of it is gall nuts, or oak bark. m ., * . . e .. 
1 ® must pay up hxs debts at the beginning of the 
Green tea holds a good deal ot taumn, but is not „ , , , . . „ ..,, ,. . . , 
„ ,,, . , , , • , , \ year, and also at a time ot the religious festival, 
eligible, Inasmuch as when administered in the ui * 
. . . _ .. about the middle ot the year. If unable to settle 
doses ueeessary to be effective, it is in itselt al- .. . . , . . 
. < , at these times, his business stops until his debts 
most a polBon. We fear very little practical aro ^ 
benefit can accrue from this discovery of the ’__ 
German doctor, inasmuch as every grain of A man iu the right, with God on his side, is in 
strychnia requires lor its neutralization no less ma jority though he be alone, lor God is 
than two and a half drachms of tannin. above M populations of the earth. 
ANSWER TO ENIGMAS. Ac., IN No. 823, 
Answer to Miscellaneous Enigma: 
Plow deep while sluggards sleep, 
Aud you shall have corn to sell and to keep. 
Answer to Charade:—Second-sight. 
Answer to Anagram: 
AU along the branches creeping, 
Through the velvet foliage peeping, 
Little infant fruits we see, 
Nursing into luxury. 
Answer to Arithmetical ProblemGeese, 57>f cts ; 
ducks 34M cts. 
There wero two little sisters at the house, 
whom nobody could see without loving, for 
they were always so happy together. They ha! 
the same books and the same playthings, but 
never a quarrel sprang np between them—ro 
cross words, no pouts, no slaps, no running 
away in a pet. On the green before the d«or, 
trundling hoop, playing with Rover, helping 
mother, they were always the same sweet-tem¬ 
pered little girls. 
“ Yon never seem to quarrel,” I said to them 
one day,—“how is it yon are always so happy 
together?” 
Tiicy luoUia up, and ttie eldest answered:— 
“ I s’pose it’s because Addie lets me, and 1 let 
Addie.” 
I thought for a moment. “Ah, that is it,” I 
said:—“She lets you, andvoulether; that is it." 
Did you ever think what an apple of discord 
“ not letting ” is among children ? Even now, 
while I have been writing, a great cry was 
heard under the window. I looked ont. 
“Gerty, what is the matter?" 
“Mary won’t let me have her ball,” bellows 
Gerty. 
“ Well, Gerty wouldn’t let me have her pencil 
in school,” cried Mary, “ and I don’t want she 
should have my ball.” 
“ Fie, fie; is that the way sisters [should treat 
each other?" 
" She shan’t have my pencil," muttered Gerty; 
“she’ll only lose it." 
“And you’ll only lose my ball,” retorted 
Mary; “ and I shan’t let; you have it." 
The “ not-letting" principle is downright dis¬ 
obligingness, and a disobliging spirit begets a 
great deal of quarreling. 
These little girls, Addie and her sister, have 
got the true secret of good manners. Addie. 
lets Rose, and Rose lets Addie. They are yield¬ 
ing, kind, unselfish, and always ready to oblige 
each other. Neither wishes to have her own 
way at the expense of the other. And are they 
not'happy? Oh, yes! and do you not love 
them already ? 
Not to return one good office for another is 
inhuman; bnt to return evil for good is diaboli¬ 
cal. There are too many even of this sort, who, 
the more they owe the more they hate. There 
is nothing more dangerous than to oblige those 
people; for when they are conscious of not pay¬ 
ing the debt, they wish the creditor out of the 
way , Seneca, 
If you make a thing perfectly plain and sim - 
pie to a man, he will give yon no credit—he will 
think he knew it before. 
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS. 
The Litti.e CoRroRAL.—This new first class 
monthly for the children is wiuuiug its [way 
everywhere. Forney’s Philadelphia Daily Press 
says of it: — “ Judging from the appearance of 
the numbers before ua, The Little Corporal is 
destined to.become the great children’s paper of 
America" Subscription price, ?1 a year.. Spec¬ 
imen copies ten cents. Address ^Alfred L. 
Sewell, publisher, Chicago, HI. 
