ht jtonltrg-IWb. 
THE N. Y. STATE POULTRY FAIR. 
The Socond Annual Fair of this Society was 
held in New York City on the 1st to the Oth Inst, 
The arrangements wore an improvement on 
those of the last Fair; they were not without 
their faults, hut as n generality they were good 
and met with the approbation of exhibitors. 
The Entries were not as large as at the 11 red Fair, 
but. many of the fowls shown were superior 
looking birds. There were not as many imported 
fowls on exhibition as at the previous show, and 
these wore inferior in appearance to those bred 
in thU country. 
Ilondnns, Creve-Coeurs and I«u Flechcs. 
In Class G, some beautiful Houdans were on 
exhibition from Pennsylvania —tbo finest we 
think wo ever saw at any show. The cock was 
truly a magnificent looking bird, and far supe¬ 
rior, Iia our opinion, to any imported. 
In the show of Creve-Coeurs, there were a few 
fine specimens, but the larger portion were im¬ 
perfect In their markings, and presented to the 
beholder a motley and inferior group. The La 
Fleshes on exhibition wore very fine, and not 
inferior to those shown at the first Fair. But we 
must bo free to say we saw other fowls which 
impressed us much more favorably than did the 
French breeds, as ft whole. 
Brahmas and Cochins. 
In this class there aa ere some line specimens of 
Dark, Light and BuIT Ilmlimns shown. Many of 
these birds looked nobly and Impressed the be¬ 
holder strongly in their favor. The markings 
of many of them of each color were imperfect, 
as compared with what we had boen taught of 
the pure brood; still we were highly gridiiled to 
8ceao inauy entries made for competition. It 
evinces a disposition on the part of breeders to 
he willing to compare notes, and hence remedy 
any defect they may observe in their breeds- 
This comparison of notes will undoubtedly have 
Its effect more plainly discernible in future ex¬ 
hibitions, for there seems to be a determination 
on the part of breeders to excel in those birds. 
In Cochins the show was remarkably good- 
many of the birds boing perfect. There were a 
few In this class that, had u large sitarc of the 
Shanghai blood predominating. A gentleman of 
Philadelphia had on exhibition a flue coop of 
While Cochins, ivbioh were for sale—a cook and 
three Irons— the curd on lire ooop naming the 
price at- £100. Wo saw several trios offered for 
sale at prices ranging from $30 to $80, but none, 
in our opinion, could compare with the hundred 
dollar coop of birds. 
Durkiiigs, Mimuinh, Leghorns, &c. 
In class C, the number of pure-blood White 
and Gray Dorkings was quite limited; but few 
coops rvere above the average. There was a 
time when this breed of fowls avus sought for 
and bred to good advantage, but it seems that 
time is past. The Gray Dorkings wore very im- 
perfeot, and not Avhnt avc expected to see of 
those noble birds. Hero there is u chance for 
improvement. The Silver and Speckled varieties 
Avore few. 
Some line coops of Black Spanish were on ex¬ 
hibition, with many that Avere hardly worth the 
entering fee. 
There Avere some very good White and Brown 
Leghorns on exhibition Avhich were really note- 
Avortby, though llie number of entries was not 
large. 
In Dominiques there Avere only a few coops 
shown, and those, Ave uro sorry to say, Avere not 
superior birds. 
The Hamburg*. 
This breed wus largely represented and showed 
off to good advantage, und we venture the asser¬ 
tion that a finer lot of birds was Hover seen 
grouped together. The Golden aud Silver Pen¬ 
ciled Avore perfect beauties and it would be hard 
to discriminate Avhioh of many of the coops avci o 
the host, thoir markings being perfect. In fact, 
the same may be said with regard to the Golden 
and Silver Spangled varieties. 
The Game* and Polands. 
ThoDorby lied Game Cock, a portrait, of which 
we gave iu the group of premium fowls In the 
.Rural in April last, Wits again on exhibition, 
and could not bo surpassed, in oor opinion, in 
perfectness of plumage, &c„ by any of his 
numerous competitors. Muuy of the birds in 
this class were truly tine specimens of the game 
breed. The Red Game Ban turns Avere largely 
represented, as also Avore the English Black and 
BroAvn Reds; but few of Ihe Grays Avere shown 
in comparison to the number of other varieties. 
We beliovo not to exceed iiaif a dozen coops of 
Spanglod aud Sumatra Games avoio on ex¬ 
hibition. 
Among the Polands Ave observed many raro 
birds, especially in the White, Black, Silver 
and Golden varieties. The Blue and Buff colors 
also received their share of attention. 
The Bantam Breed. 
In this class of little breeds, many beautiful 
und superior birds were shown, among AA'hleh wo 
may mention, Avithout detracting from the 
merits of others, the White, Silver and Golden 
Soabrights, Black, Nankin, Gray and Dominique, 
attracting, because of their diminutive size, a 
largo share of attention. The Japan and Pekin 
varieties Avere a novelty in their Avay, as were 
also the Cochin Bantams. 
Golden and Silver Pheasaut*. 
A few coops of these birds were on exhibition, 
which were as beautiful as they Avere rare. One 
or tAvo breods other than those named abovo 
were shown, and, as a rule, Avere good aud per¬ 
fect birds. 
Pea Fowls. 
There were but a very few coops of this 1'oavI 
shOAvn, and these exhibited no noteAVorthy fea¬ 
tures. 
Bronze, White and Hull Turkeys. 
In this class there were some very good birds 
of each variety exhibited. Of the Bronze avo 
observed tAvo, at least, superior turkey cocks— 
in fact, the largest birds we recollect to have 
seen, and as perfect in markings as could be de- 
Blred. The White and Buff had their good quali¬ 
ties, and were shown off to good advantage. 
The Crested Turkey, 
as sboAvn in the Rural of December 4, avus on 
exhibition, as was also another crested fowl of 
the turkey species, of Brazilian origin, which 
bus been domesticated in that country, and is 
known under the name of Guam We rather 
suspect, from the resemblance of this bird to the 
“Crested Turkey," that the latter is nothing 
more nor less than a cross of the Guan and the 
Bronze Turkey. The inference is that some sea¬ 
faring Yankee, with an eye to business, has im¬ 
ported from Brazil, the hen Guan, aud one of 
our shrewd Connecticut Yankees has consum¬ 
mated the cross here referred to as a curiosity— 
if not for money making. 
Tlie Capoas. 
Thero were on exhibition a couple of coops of 
j capons that were in appearance nearly as large 
as turkeys, and were a credit to the class ex¬ 
hibited, proving to Die satisfaction of the most 
skeptical that such things can be done, and so 
well done as to pay, not only in the mweltyof 
the fowls, securing lingo size, &c., but also to the 
pockets of t he brooder. 
Aquatic Fowls. 
This class of fowls was largely represented. 
The Ducks and Geese portrayed in the Rural, 
Dec. 1th, wore on exhibition, and elicited much 
praise. The Rouens, Aylesbury and other varie¬ 
ties of ducks received much attention. Bremen, 
Toulon, Chinese, American Wild and the com¬ 
mon Gray Geese were shown oil to good advan- 
tugc, there boing some fine fowls of each class 
on exhibition. 
Pigeon* 
wore not as largely represented as avc had antic¬ 
ipated ; still there avus one coop of White, Black, 
Blue and Buff Carriers that Avore lndood Avorthy 
of especial mention. They were the finest speci¬ 
mens avo have ever soon at any show. Other 
varieties, such as the Jacobin, Fan tat!, Cinna¬ 
mon, and iu l'aet nearly all the leading breeds 
lately portrayed In the Rural, avcio on exhibi¬ 
tion. 
Incubator*. 
Two of these artificial machines Avere on exhibi¬ 
tion, one of Avhich avos performing the functions 
of maternity, having during the day (Saturday) 
successfully hatched out young chicks. This 
incubator was of French origin, (not patented) 
and under the charge of a French goilllCmiUi 
Avho took special pains to explain tho modus 
operandi by Avhich the Avork of incubation 
was performed. D seems to the uninitiated that 
such tilings, as hatching “chicks" Avitli an arti¬ 
ficial mother could not ho done successfully— 
nevertheless such a Btato of tilings occurred 
under our oavii observation. An illustration of 
the other incubator was given In these columns 
in January lust. 
fcell-Fpedina Boxes. 
There was on exhibition a sclf-foeding box for 
poultry which attracted considerable attention, 
but which to us avus no ucav thing, we having 
scon it in operation some years ago. This, how- 
over, is made iu u modified form and patented. 
Hens undoubtedly Avould have to bo educated 
to its use before if could become useful. The 
machine is of hopper form. The food is put In 
tho hopper und a spring affixed, so that whon 
the fowl steps upon a loot-board the lid of tho 
foed-box (lies open, tbo IoavIs help themselves to 
the feed they desire, and, on shipping off tho 
platform, the lid drops dOAvn and the box closes. 
It is said that by the use of this machine a great 
Avasto of feed is obviated. 
Tho Fair is no discredit to tho managers, if 
it does not prove » success pecuniarily. 
— ■ * » » 
INQUIRIES 
About Ayle*bitry Duck* and Game Fowls. 
In a former number of the Rural New- 
Yorker it was stated that the breed of Ayles¬ 
bury ducks that Mr. John Giles of Connecticut, 
brought Avith him from England, hud while bills. 
I have also scon itBtatcd that the pure Aylesbury 
ducks have fleshrCQU>rc<l bills. Now, those I have 
raised, have oue-half of them, wange^olored bills 
and the other half lipid yellow. In other respects 
they correspond precisely with tho accepted 
authorities. Will you please to give me your 
opinion on this subject? 
I also purchased a pair of whtto-legged Derby 
Game fowls and find that thoir chickens have 
black, while and yellow legs. As tho old opes are 
exceedingly handsome und Avore stated to have 
taken the premium at the Fair, l Avould bo very 
much obliged to you if you would reconcile 
these'inconsistencies. E. jj„ SUuMburgh, N. F. 
The pure Aylesbury duck should have a 
white or flesh-colored bill. Those Imported 
by John Giles of Connecticut had white 
bills and were said to be pure. John K. 
Fowler, an English breeder of note, says: 
“ My idea of a perfect Aylesbury drake is, 
that in plumage they should be of the purest 
snoiv white all over. The bill should be 
long, and when viewed in front appear much 
like a woodcock's; it should be, iu prize 
birds, of a delicate flesh color, without spot 
or blemish, and with a slight fleshy excres- 
encc where the feathers commence. If it 
occasionally has a very light creamy tint it 
would not disqualify, but any approach to 
dark buff or yelkw is fatal to the pen." E. 
15. will observe from the above, that his birds 
arc anything but the pure breed, or, as Mr. 
Fowler says, prize birds. 
We are at a loss to account for the “ in¬ 
consistencies," as represented in the chicks 
of the Red Derby Game fowls. The pure¬ 
bred Derby Game—both cock and hen- 
should have legs, feel und nails perfectly 
white. Wc know of no red game fowls hav¬ 
ing yellow legs, unless it lie the “ Red-breast¬ 
ed Ginger Reds." It may be that, though 
the pair of fowls purchased by “ E. 15. ” are 
pure, still the hen might have been allowed, 
before or after lie purchased her, to have con¬ 
nection with other cocks; if so, the ova hav¬ 
ing once been Impregnated, she ivill not pro¬ 
duce full-blood fowls for a long time there¬ 
after, though she run witii none other than 
full-blood cocks. The greatest care, there¬ 
fore, is necessary to keep the breed pure, 
and this should be understood by breeders— 
more especially the new beginners. The 
Derby Red Game have been bred pure for 
over a hundred years. If, by chance, any 
chicks were hatched that bad not the dis¬ 
tinctive marks of the parent stock, they 
were removed from the flock at once, and 
in this way the purity of the breed has been 
maintained for so many years.— l. 
lonwstic (Econotun. 
CONDUCTED BY MARY A. E. WAGER. 
PEARS AND QUINCES. 
BY JULIA COLMAN. 
Many good pears are spoiled by being 
eaten too soon. Liko apples, but unlike 
most other fruits, they ripen naturally after 
being gathered ; that is the pulp perfects its 
sweet juices and exquisite flavors after the 
seeds are ripe, and the fruit has parted read¬ 
ily from the tree. But pears are much 
shorter lived than most apples, and much 
more precise as to the exact time when they 
should be eaten. A single day often makes 
a great difference. They must, not be very 
warm or they will rot, and they will ripen 
faster in the dark than in the light. Con¬ 
noisseurs say that no place suits them better 
than linen chests or closets. Many store 
them in dark closets when gathered and 
watching them closely, bring out daily such 
us have attained perfection. 
Experience will soon teach the indications 
of maturity. Wo do not pretend to very 
extensive knowledge in this matter. Of 
course the fruit growers could give much 
better and more extensive information; but 
avo have seen so many fine pears wasted by 
being eaten before they are at their best, 
especially by those who purchase, that a few 
hints can hardly seem amiss. Of course 
when wanted on the table immediately they 
must bo selected ivheu in (heir best condi¬ 
tion. liut they are then much more, expen¬ 
sive, and we have usually found it in every 
Avay more satisfactory to purchase them 
when hard, and ripen them ourselves, hasten¬ 
ing or retarding the process according to the 
abovo hints. 
Very few pears are sufficiently juicy to be 
served raw w itli sugar like peaches. They 
are generally preferred from the hand, and 
they make an excellent dessert if house¬ 
keepers would only be content to have no 
other dessert with them. This eating a full 
dinner, and then a full dessert, and then 
fruit after that, makes the fruit (!) very 
unwholesome in Uqj estimation of some peo¬ 
ple, If the latter had the wit to reverse the 
process, and cat the fruit first, they might 
find a iicav idea or two. 
“Cooking pears” are often poor, hard, 
flavorless things, at Ica^lhis i" tho usual 
character of those sold for that purpose, not 
so much because they are better Hum others 
when cooked as that they arc good for 
nothing unless cooked. Some of the fitter 
flavored pears are delicious when cooked, 
taken cither hard or mellow, though in the 
latter case they need but little cooking. 
The poorest varieties are almost as flavor¬ 
less after cooking as before, and the molasses 
they are sometimes boiled in does not im¬ 
prove them to my taste. 1 suppose, how¬ 
ever, it is quite as wholesome us sugar, 
perhaps more so, only it is commonly used 
too freely. 
Pears may be cooked whole with stems 
and skins on, or pared or quartered, or both. 
But in any case they should he steamed 
gently until perfectly tender. Test with a 
straAv. Very palatable flavoring for poor 
pears is sliced green ginger or broken cin¬ 
namon, in small proportions, say an ounce 
of either to half a peck of pears, with sugar 
to the taste. Remove the spices as soon as 
the juice is delicately flavored with them. 
But tho most Avbolesome flavorings arc other 
tart fruits with which they can be cooked, 
as lemons or apples, or quinces or cranber¬ 
ries. With lemons in sections, pared or 
unpared, the pears, Avholc or quartered, but 
with the skins still on, make a very pretty 
dish. With other fruits they should be fully 
dressed, or rather undressed. With apples 
Ihe pears may need cooking awhile first, aud 
in all cases the cooking should be very gen¬ 
tle, to preserve the aroma of the fruit, and to 
prevent its breaking. With cranberries 
stem the latter fruit first, and if wanted 
extra nice strain out the skins and stew the 
pears in the juice. Of course any of these 
preparations may be canned. 
Pears are of very little value baked, unless 
they are of the more juicy varieties. Even 
then, with all but the best, it is desirable 
to pour over them a thin sirup when they 
arc taken from the oven. With the dryer 
kinds there should be water and sugar in the 
dish while baking. 
quince*. 
Quinces are one of the most delicious 
fruits ever spoiled with too much sugar. 
They do not seem to be generally appre¬ 
ciated, unless jellied or preserved. But there 
are many other desirable Avays of using 
them. We must premise, however, that 
there is a great difference in the kinds. The 
tipple quince, now .quite common, known 
by ks rounded form, and its yellow hue, is 
the most tender and the most delicately 
flavored. They should be stewed half an 
hour or until perfectly tender. They can he 
used alone, but. to most tastes they are pre¬ 
ferable when the intense flavor is softened 
with half or two-thirds apple or pear, 
stewed gently together and sweetened to 
the taste. With the pear, especially, they 
form a very delicate and delicious dish. 
The clean cores and skius may be steeped 
together fifteen or twenty minutes, and tho 
water drained off ami used to stew quinces 
alone or with the other fruits. These con¬ 
tain the gelatinous principle which makes 
quince jelly so thick and firm. It has, how¬ 
ever, very little of the fine flavor of tho 
fruit (unless, indeed, the parings are thicker 
than economy dictates,) so that, when jellies 
are made of these only it requires much 
sugar to impart a taste. But if drained out, 
and stewed with the quinces, aud then 
drained without pressing, a delightful jelly 
can lie made without requiring much sugar. 
This is more wholesome than tho old- 
fashioned jellies, but. to keep long it must be 
put bot into air-tight cans, after tbo common 
mode of canning fruit. The quinces that 
were drained can bn mixed witli stewed 
apple, boiled up together once to make them 
homogeneous, and served warm or cold. 
Quinces and apples in equal quantities, 
stewed, mashed and strained, make a fine 
marmalade, which is very good also for 
tarts. Quinces, pears and cranberries, iu 
about equal quantities, stewed together and 
strained, also make nice tarts, but this Is 
more of a mixture of flavors than we often 
make. If any think it an improvement on 
apple and quince, or apple and cranberry, 
they are welcome to it. Canning is the 
most desirable mode of preserving quinces. 
They are more digestible than when pre¬ 
served in sugar, and then they can be used 
in any of the above recipes. They are also 
very desirable to bo used with dried apples, 
of which avc may treat more fully hereafter, 
and avc hope to make the dish so desirable 
to our lady friends that they shall Avish they 
had “canned more quinces iu the season of 
them.” 
-♦♦♦- 
CONTRIBUTED RECIPES. 
Dyeing Black. —To ten emits’ Avortli of ex¬ 
tract of logwood add tw r o cents’ worth of 
verdigris. This will make a pail of dye. 
Wash your goods in strong soap suds; then 
put them from the suds into the dye. Have 
your dye in an old iron kettle; better if it is 
rusty; let it remain in the dye an hour or 
two, stirring it occasionally; then bang it 
up to drain; wash the goods again In suds, 
three or four waters; then rinse in cleat 
water thoroughly, and the color will not rub 
off. —Mary E. Winters, York Station. 
First wet the goods to be dyed thoroughly 
in Avcak lye. To throe pounds of goods use 
two ounces extract of logwood, one-half 
ounce blue vitriol, copperas the size of a 
hazel-nut. Dissolve all in hot water, putting 
the extract in a separate kettle; dip the 
goods iu the vitriol water, stir them well for 
live minutes; then pour lye, vitriol Avater 
and all into tho kettle containing the ex¬ 
tract, let them remain there for twenty 
minutes, Stirling them most of the time; let 
it come nearly to a boil, having all hot When 
you begin; then hang them in the air until 
nearly dry; then pour over them boiling 
soap suds, as strong as can be made; stand 
until nearly cool, when rinse in tAvo or three 
waters, and 1 Avarrant il not to rub off.—M. 
S. K., Grand Rapids, Mich. 
Indian Bread. —Berry Briar of Albion, 
contributes the following:—“ Six quarts of 
Indian meal, two quarts of coarse flour, salt; 
scald the meal with Iavo quarts boiling wa¬ 
ter, stir with a pudding stick; when cool 
enough to allow the band to mix it, add half 
a teacup of molasses and a quart or less of 
‘sail rising yeast.’ Add a little water to In¬ 
crease the moisture, mix it with the hand by 
stirring it in a large pan until it is smooth, 
but thick, so it has to be pressed into the 
basins, A common iron kettle is an excel¬ 
lent thing to bake it in. Let it set in a warm 
place until the top begins to crack open; 
then put it in the oven. Do not bake too fast." 
The Queen of Paddings .—The following is 
a favorite dessert wherever it has been tried: 
A quart of milk; a pint of bread crumbs; 
eight eggs ; reserve whites of four, sweeten 
milk to taste, put in crumbs, beat eggs lively 
and add to milk and crumbs; then bake. 
When done, cool it, beat the whites of the 
four eggs to a stiff froth, mix a cup of white 
sugar, and spread on top of the pudding and 
bake to a light brown. To be served Avith 
flavored cream.— a. x. 
Row to Malte Sop >SS?ap.~Boil twenty-five 
pounds of tried grease in two pails of strong 
lye. Next day add another pailful of bot lye ; 
also the following day, if there is grease on 
the top of the soap. Afterwards add a 
pailful of hot water each day until the bar¬ 
rel is filled.—M rs. S. C. Cleveland, Penn 
Yan,N. Y. 
-- 
WuHhlng Fluid,— Experience Rives a recipe In 
Rural of October 0th, but will confer a favor 
br giving tbo proportionate amount of soda- 
ash and lime, and Loav to prepare it for use.— 
Reader. 
Hard and Brittle I*le Lrunt.— Mrs. H. M. COD- 
dinq Avishes to be informed by some good lady 
Iaoav to make pie crust thut will be hard and brit¬ 
tle Avhen cold. 1 
>rrrnltfi t mib HsrfitL 
THE EARTH'S SHAPE-LAPLACE’S 
THEORY. 
A writer in the Scientific Opinion says 
that the oblate spheroidal form of the earth, 
Avhich has been adduced as proof of its origi¬ 
nal fluidity, is one of the supports of La¬ 
place’s nebular hypothesis; but that in fact 
the supposition of such original fluidity is 
not necessary in order to account for such 
form. lie says that if, for the purpose of 
illustration, a spherical form he as tuned for 
the earth,—or indeed any other form capable 
of rotation about a fixed axis,—it is easily 
shown that it must always tend to assume 
and maintain the form of an oblate spheroid, 
simply from causes at present in action, such 
as rain, rivers, and glaciers. The material 
eroded from circumpolar continents must bo 
spread upon the bottom of the equatorial 
ocean. This form is that of equilibrium be¬ 
tween tho centripetal and conirtfhgal forces; 
und the conditions required to bring it about 
upon a revolving globe, are an aqueous and 
an atmospheric envelope, time, and an 
internal source of disturbing power. He 
concludes that Laplace’s hypothesis in no 
manner derives an argument for its support 
from the present form of the earth. 
— - 
WONDERS OF THE SPECTROSCOPE. 
That wonderful instrument, the spectro¬ 
scope, continues to enlarge our acquaintance 
with the composition of our solar system, 
and even of the fixed stars and the comets. 
Father SOcehi has made the astonishing dis¬ 
covery of the vapor of Avater in the vicinity 
of the sun-spots, and Ave now know that our 
luminary contains also in its atmosphere 
hydrogen, sodium, iron, magnesium, calcium, 
copper, cobalt, barium, and nickel. The 
same observer has recently ascertained that 
tlie planet Uranus has an atmosphere of con¬ 
siderable extent, and generally transparent. 
The spectrum of a comet, corresponds exact¬ 
ly with thut given by ignited carbon vapor , 
so that a comet is little more than a barrel¬ 
ful of petroleum on tiro; and the variable 
star p Gemini is found to be surrounded by 
an envelope of burning gas. As regards some 
of them, at least, we can no longer, there¬ 
fore, “ doubt that the stars arc tire.”— Lippin- 
cott's Magazine. 
-4 + » 
PROTECTING ROOFS FROM FIRE. 
A Wash composed of lime, salt, and fine 
sand, or wood ashes, put on in the ordinary 
Avay of whitewashing, la said to render the 
roof fifty-fold more safe against taking fire 
from falling cinders or otherwise in case of 
lire in the vicinity. It pays the expense a 
hundred-fold in its preserving influence 
against the effect of the weather; the older 
and more weather-beaten the shingles, tho 
more benefit derived. Such shingles arc 
generally more or less warped, rough and 
cracked, The application of wash, by Avet- 
ting the upper surface, restores them to their 
original or first form, thereby closing the 
spaces between the shingles, and the lime and 
sand, by tilling up the cracks and pores in 
the shingle itself, prevent, its warping for 
years, if not forever.— Fireman's Journal. 
-- 
ANOTHER MOON FOR THE EARTH. 
A German scientist has recently created a 
considerable sensation by the publication of 
a pamphlet, in which he takes the ground 
that the zodiacal light proceeds from a 
gaseous ring surrounding tho earth at a dis¬ 
tance of only a few thousand miles from its 
surface. This gas, he thinks, is in a state of 
quiet combustion, but is now last cooling ' 
off, and, as a consequence, will soon burst 
and aggregate into a globular mass, and 
form a second moon for the earth, inside of 
the orbit of our present luminary, His idea 
Is founded on the now generally received 
theory that all the planets and moons have 
been formed in that, manner. The supposi¬ 
tion is possible. We know but little of the 
cause or constitution of the phenomenon 
knoAvn as the zodiacal light.— Mining Press. 
-*-♦-*>- 
THE SPONGE. 
The best quality of sponge is gathered in 
the Mediterranean Sea; but an excellent 
quality is found upon the rocks of the Ba¬ 
hamas and the coast of Florida. The 
sponge, when torn from the rocks to Avhich 
it adheres, appears at first as a heavy, black, 
looking mass, having a strong and offensive 
odor. In order to dean the sponge, it is 
buried in the earth for some weeks, at the 
end of which time all the organic matter 
will be decomposed, only the pure fibrous 
skeleton remaining. The sponge, when 
purified, is liable to become exceedingly 
hard, aud to obviate this the purified sponge 
is immersed in water containing from ten to 
twenty per cent, of glycerine; after being 
squeezed dry, it will be eutircly soft aud 
elastic. 
m 
JLi 
