arirttwr. 
neglected vegetables. 
The years and, in some instances centu¬ 
ries required to popular ize the most common 
vegetable cultivated, should teach us a les¬ 
son in regard to the introduction of new 
species and varieties. It required two ceutu- 
,j L > a to teach the masses in Europe and 
America how to cultivate and make use of 
the tomato, and almost as long a time to dis¬ 
cover the value of the potato. Indifference, 
prejudice and ignorance combined are al¬ 
ways opposed to new things of any kind. It 
matters not in what form they come, there 
are sure hr be scores of doubters, if no worse, 
w ho stand ready to decry innovations upon 
old paths. 
The general intelligence of Americans ren¬ 
ders them, in part, an exception to the rule, 
and it is quite likely that in somo instances 
they arc a little too hasty in catching at new 
tilings, hut upon tho whole they come out 
on the right side, and this shows progress. 
There is, however, one prevailing fault 
among nnr cultivators of the soil, and it is 
this,—they soon give up a tiling unless there 
is a large margin for profit. Experimenting 
for experiment’s sake, or to gain knowledge 
in relation to a plant or the best system of 
culture, does not suit, them; consequently 
failures are often the result of «<m-persist.on- 
cy, instead of the worthlessness of the thing 
in hand. \Vo have seen this in our vegeta¬ 
ble gardens more conspicuously than else¬ 
where, and even at this day there are num¬ 
bers of valuable roots almost entirely un¬ 
known to our people. Wu will mention two 
which appear to he worthy of attention. 
Tiiburoii* ItooiiMl Vetcti. -(tsithvrua iuberoaus.) 
This plant grows with a slcnder.slraggling, 
turning stem, three to four feet high. The 
liowers resemble the pea, and of a deep rose 
color. The edible tubers arc produced at. 
the ends of the roots. They are oblong in 
shape and two or three inches in length and 
an inch in diameter. The inside is white 
but of a rather firm texture and resembles 
unboiled peas, but when cooked It has a 
(lavor somewhat similar to the chestnut. 
Each plant produces from twenty to forty of 
these tubers. The advantage this plant lias 
over the common potato is in the value of 
the vino, which is greedily eaten by cattle. 
Tubers planted in spring will give a fine 
crop in autumn and may he stored for winter 
ice the same as our common potato. The 
L'HAjpni- tnberosm has been cultivated in 
portions of Europe for a number of years, 
and it is well worthy of the attention of our 
agriculturists. 
Apios Tnberosn. 
This is another neglected tuberous rooted 
plant, belonging to tiie same family as the 
tuberous rooted vetch. It grows wild in 
nearly every low swamp from the Atlantic 
coast to the Rocky Mountains. It is a beau¬ 
tiful, slender, climbing vine, bearing racemes 
of brownish purple flowers. Its subterrane¬ 
an stems produce long strings of farinaceous 
tubers, one or two inches long and one inch 
or more in diameter. The plant succeeds 
best in low, moist ground, but we are not 
aware that any considerable number of ex¬ 
periments have been made to improve it, or 
learn whether it will thrive under cultiva¬ 
tion in high, dry soils. Without, doubt a few 
generations of seedlings only would be neo- 
c—sary to produce a valuable esculent from 
ibis, at present, neglected tuber. It. is cer¬ 
tainly 1 mrtly, vigorous and productive, be¬ 
sides possessing valuable nutritive qualities. 
WASPS AND CABBAGE WORMS, 
The green cabbage worm appears to 
have met a very formidable enemy in the 
Texas mud wasp. Mr. Wm. II. Williams 
of Clear Creek, Texas, in a private note to 
us relating to some of the iuseels of his 
Slate, makes a statement in regard to the 
destruction of the cabbage worm by wasps, 
which we think is not generally known. 
He says:—“ I wish to call your attention to 
the usefulness of wasps in the garden. An 
enormous wasp nest was found in the gable 
of my cottage,and it was suffered to remain 
for belter observing their habits, and so final¬ 
ly, a great colony of them formed there. 
Tiiis spring, when the green cabbage worm 
began its ravages on my bed of cabbages, 
these creatures, assisted by the mud wasp, 
began to gather the worms, which they did 
persistently and systematically, beginning 
with the light of each day; carefully hunt¬ 
ing the worms from leaf to leaf and plant 
to plant; capturing and carrying them off 
t° feed to their young, and as the wasps 
"ere in great numbers the worms were soon 
exterminated and the plants saved from 
total destruction. The habit the wasps had 
tallen into in their raid upon the worms did 
“; >l eulir ®ly disappear when the worms had 
1 ''appeared, hut an occasional grub or cut¬ 
worm, or some other hairless larva, was 
pounced upon and taken by piecemeal, when 
loo bulky, to keep up the supply of food for 
t e j oung broods. At the same time this 
too b 
t the j 
was going on ripe peaches in Hie orchard 
were neglected by the wasps. I have the 
idea to build a waspery next year, and look 
further into this creature’s capacities as a 
caterpillar hunter. 
-—-- 
Tomatoes in November. 
A Missocm lady, just before frost touches 
the vines, pulls up such as have the largest 
number of green tomatoes upon them, and 
hangs them in a room or out-house where 
they will not freeze. There they ripen, and 
the season of this fruit is lengthened in this 
way several weeks. 
Ijitbustrial Machines. 
THE BICKFORD FAMILY KNITTING 
MACHINE. 
Knitting work, after the old fashion, 
may be all very handy for women to carry 
about or take, up to fill in little scraps of 
afghans, blankets, tidies, caps, skirts, jack¬ 
ets, &c., &c. 
Referring to the engraving, it Will he seen 
the machine consists of the following parts: 
A, thumb-srew to fasten machine tillable; 
B, yarn-stand ; C, pins for bobbins; D, yarn- 
carrier, «fcc., sliding-ring to which carrier is 
attached; E, machine bundle; F, buckle; 
G, weights; H, revolving cylinders; I, 
needle cylinders; J, ring clasp; K,cam and 
screw for changing length of stitch; L, indi¬ 
cator, to Show distance moved ; MM, swing- 
cams and their thumb screws; NN, pins for 
knitting flat web. 
Tiie needles or books are operated by 
cams inside the revolving cylinder. As 
these cams are carried around by the cyl¬ 
inder, the bent part or foot of the needle 
passes through the curved space between the 
cams; and as the needles are held from mov¬ 
ing sidewise, by being placed in grooves 
formed in the needle cylinder, I, they un¬ 
forced up and down as desired. Each row 
of loops is also sustained until the next is 
formed, by means of the needles themselves, 
THE KICKFORD FAMILY KNITTING MACHINE. 
long stocking or a pair of socks; but when, 
by tiie use of a knitting machine, the same 
woman can do as much in an hour, and be¬ 
sides the knitting of hosiery, can produce a 
great variety of knit goods for domestic wear 
or Bale, it becomes a question of economy 
machine, shu can do ever so much more. 
The accompanying cut represents an illus¬ 
tration of Dana Bickford's Family Knit¬ 
ting Machine, which commends itself to the 
favorable consideration of every housekeeper 
by its simplicity of construction, ease of 
operation, certainty of performance and the 
low price at which it is sold. Add to these 
the gieut variety of articles which can he turn the crank to cause the machine to knit 
made upon it, and we have all the requisites continuously. As the work progresses, we 
and capabilities of a family machine, which can change the length of stitch, seam, heel, 
should have a place in every household, both gore, toe off, or make such changes as we 
for domestic economy and the promotion of desire. As the machine has no tension, it 
agreeable domestic industry. The range of does not wear or tear the yarn, which can 
wmk which it can produce is anything he raveled and knit over fifty times if ncces- 
which the most expert operator can knit or 
crochet by hand, from a watch cord or baby 
sock to a lady’s sucqueor a bed blanket. It 
is capable of many changes by which a great 
variety of stitches cun he made, suitable for 
a great variety of work. Besides a variety 
of hosiery, there can be made flat web, bul- 
moral work, tufted work, fringe, cord, open- 
sary. Different cylinders are supplied, con¬ 
taining different numbers of needles for 
coarse and tine work. Extra needles and 
pins and bobbin winder are also furnished. 
The machine is covered by seven patents, 
bearing dates from September 10 , 1867, to 
•Tuly 6 , I860,and further applications are 
pending. Great improvements have recent- 
work, diamond stitch, zig-zag, herring hone, ly been made over the old Automatic, which 
pine-apple, honey-comb, &e., for scarfs, Mr. Bickford first sold in Boston, and they 
time, and a week of leisure hours thus cm- | as the needle cylinder prevents their bend- 
ployed may result in the turning out of a I ing inward, and keeps them in a vertical 
position. 
On the bottom of the revolving cylinder 
are formed, teeth which mesh into a bevel 
gear turned by the crank, E. The yarn 
being wound upon a bobbin, is placed on one 
of the pins, C. It is passed over the yarn 
whether she can afford to save her scraps of stand, B, and thence Hi rough a hook in the 
time in the tedious process of band knitting lop of a bent bar, D, called the “carrier.” 
when, by the outlay ot a few dollars for a This carrier is fastened to the revolving cyl¬ 
inder, II, which carries the cams, and trav¬ 
els with it, carrying the yarn, and holding 
it in just tiie rigid position to he caught by 
the hook of each needle as the latter is de¬ 
pressed by the action of the cams. 
We have now all the conditions for knit¬ 
ting a straight tube. Wo attach the buckle, 
F, hang on the weights, and have but to 
now sell a better machine here for $25 than 
they sold in Boston for $30. The improve¬ 
ments are in the too-and-beet process, so as 
not to loop up or change the stitch, and also 
in the large number of new fancy stitches, 
which are made by raising or depressing the 
needles. Address for further information, 
or books of explanation, etc., Dana Bick¬ 
fokd, 689 Broadway, New York.—s. d. ii. 
Scientific anir 
HYDROCHLORIC) ACID NOT A SOL¬ 
VENT OF SILICA. 
Mn. James A. Whitney, in his article 
on salt and silica, in the Rural New- 
Yorker of t.lio 191 Ii inst., makes the asser¬ 
tion that hydrochloric acid is a solvent of 
silica. He slates that hydrochloric acid is 
produced in Ihesoil by (lie decomposition of 
suit and that the acid so formed, “ acting on 
tiie sand <jrains , dissolves the silica ami in¬ 
sures the greater percentage of Ibis element, 
which analysis of the ash has shown to ex¬ 
ist in tlm st raw of the grain grown on salted, 
sandy land.” Sait in the presence of iron 
is decomposed, chloride of iron formed, and 
the sodium liberated becomes caustic soda, 
which is a solvent, of silica. It is the soda, 
not the salt, which docs ihe work. Hydro¬ 
chloric aciil has no action on silica, but it 
lias on silicates. The East India cane is not 
covered with silica, but wilh a, silicate, and 
the action of hydrochloric acid, like all 
acids, is on Ihe base. 
“Thereis no acid, except fluoric, which 
can directly dissolve dry or calcined silica,” 
“ Uuk,” Appleton's Edition , 1865. 
“Native sili a, whether crystalline or 
amorphous, is insoluble in ail acids, except 
hydrofluoric,” Walt's Chemistry, Vol. V, p. 
241.” 
He states that when salt is decomposed in 
the soil that Ihe chlorine combines with hy¬ 
drogen, forming muriatic acid. When water 
is combined with chlorine in the dark, as 
under the surface of Ihe soil, it will remain 
as chlorine and water; hut in tlie presence 
of strong light,.or at a very high heat—ml 
heat—hydrochloric acid is formed ( Booth , p. 
436). When hydrochloric acid comes in 
contact wilh ft silicate of iron, the acid is it 
self decomposed, and a chloride of iron is 
formed and the silica is set free (see Mrrs 
chERL icii and others.) Hydrochloric acid, 
potash and silica are easily made to com¬ 
bine; but pure hydrochloric and pure silica 
never. He Slnles that hydrochloric acid is 
j one of the most powerful solvents of silica, 
known in chemistry. This is a gross mis¬ 
take. Hydrofluoric acid and the alkali are 
the great solvents of silica. 
He further says, “[ will, however, attempt 
to make plain, even to hini, the manner in 
which salt dissolves silica when disseminated 
in the soil;” but instead of showing that 
salt is a solvent, he introduces hydrochloric 
acid. This is strange 
& logic and is equal to the 
I?— ^ YFlS. statement made by Mr. 
P \ i.\ e, some years ago, 
™ that lie could convert 
waters all into hydrogen 
or into oxygen just as lie pleased; but wc 
still wait for the marvel. 
If Mr. Whitney lias made a new dis¬ 
covery in chemistry and lias formed in the 
laboratory the chemical combination oi'silica 
with pare hydrochloric acid , he has accom¬ 
plished something, and the world should 
know of it; but I affirm that he has made 
no sucli discovery, and further that he can¬ 
not give the name of a single modern chemist 
who makes the statement that pure sand 
silica is soluble in hydrochloric acid by di¬ 
rect action. In a discussion such as the 
foregoing where extraordinary assertions 
are made, it is necessary that external evi¬ 
dence be introduced in support of ihe facts 
set forth. As I have differed with Mr. 
Wiiitney I have deemed it proper and 
necessary to give authorities in support of 
my position. Mr. W. gives none. lie con¬ 
founds id! through his letter silica with the 
silicates. This subject I lliink is now ex¬ 
hausted for all practical purposes, and in 
conclusion hope that Mr, Wiiitney by this 
time sees the error of his way. 
Washington, D. 0. Thomas Taylor. 
■■■■ . . 
USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC) ITEMS. 
Geoloalcnl Dln oveilot In Ne\v-Hniiip*lili‘e. 
Prof. Hitchcock, whose party are mak¬ 
ing a geological survey in the White Moun¬ 
tains, lias electrified the people in the vicin¬ 
ity by the discovery that one of the Twin 
Mountains is a solid mass of jasper. In 
Waterville the Professor made a discovery 
which he regards as not only interesting, but 
highly important, and going far to determine 
the age of the mountains of the State. lie 
found ihe Labrador spar formation, which 
is next to the Oldest rock, in ledges. This 
rock has never before been found in New 
England, but is that which is found in con¬ 
nection wilh the rich ores of iron among the 
Adirondack Mountains of New York. The I 
party is now engaged in fixing the limits of 
this formation. 
OnilK<> Wood. 
The Scientific American says:—Mr. Geo. 
YY . Moody of Waxahachio, Texas, has obiig- 
ingly sent us a specimen of orange wood, 
sometimes called Bois d'arc. He informs us 
that it is indigenous to Texas, and is there 
valued highly for carriage and wagon build¬ 
ing. Gttangea of weather never affect it, 
ami Wheels made of it have boon in use for 
ton or fifteen years without neodiug repair, 
while other wheels in the same locality re¬ 
quire to have the tires shrunk once a year. 
Vehicles built of this wood command higher 
prices by thirty per cent than those of ordi¬ 
nary limber. Laud with this timber grow¬ 
ing on it can bo bought for from three to five 
dollars per acre. The wood yields a beau¬ 
tiful orange dye, for which the sawdust, now 
valueless, can no doubt bo used. Mr. Moody 
anticipates that, when railroads are extend¬ 
ed to his section of the country, one stick of 
this timber will he of more value than an 
acre of the land is now. 
be fjcrbsimm* 
CHAINS vs. STANCHIONS. 
I noticed I lie inquiry in the Rchal New- 
Yorker of July 22d for “ stanchions,” and 
also the replies in that of August 19th, 
which not being in accord with my expe¬ 
rience, I will throw in my mile. I have 
moved on a farm of my own this spring for 
the first time. My stableis titled up with 
stanchions similar to those used by Messrs. 
Mallory & Logan, which I shall remove 
and lit up as shown in tile accompanying 
sketch: 
A is simply a round pole two or two and 
a half inches in diameter, running from ihe 
floor to n plank spiked on the under side of 
the upper joists, passing through a two-inch 
Iwdo at both bottom and top, B is a chain 
to be bought at the hardware store or made 
to order with five or six rings, with a link 
between them on one end and a T on the 
other fastening to ring d by a small swivel; 
c is a peg to bang it up by when the cattle 
are turned out. 
A manger twelve feet in bight and a par¬ 
tition to extend back between the cal tie two 
feet from the manger, with partings in the 
manger high enough to prevent quarreling 
between every one. The stanchion a, to he 
placed in the farther corner from Ihe door, 
six inches from the manger and two from 
the partition of the single stall thus formed. 
The length of chain between the inside 
ring and T.should only lie enough for calves, 
while the whole length should be sufficient 
for a large ox, and those between for differ¬ 
ent sizes. Now for my reasons: 
Twelve or thirteen year* ago my father 
built a new barn with shed across one end 
and stable both in burn and shed. Wc bad 
always used the old fashioned bows which 
I suppose every one has seen. YVe had 
enough to equip one stable, so mi met) ling 
had to he fixed for the oilier. We fixed 
upon stanchions as the handiest and made 
some like the sketch of Mr. Mallory. 
Our cows were fed by the same hand off 
of the same mow and ran together in the 
same yard in the day time. Those fastened 
with hows came out in fine order in Ihe 
spring; ihe others “spring poor.” 1 for¬ 
got to say we loft tiie alley and manger all 
one in front of the stanchions, feeding on 
the floor. Wo noticed that when ihe floor 
was clean in front of the stanchions the 
CUltie would Cat about one-third or maybe 
half of a heavy foddering before they would 
have the rest pushed out of reach. We 
then constructed a manger and then added 
to its bight until it reached about two feet, 
which did very well. 
The next trouble was that die underlings 
at one end would bo out of bay in a very 
short time while a great heap would accu¬ 
mulate at the other, YVe then parted off in 
both stables for two In a dish, which was 
some better; but the evil was slid there. 
A parting lie tween every une made a manger 
which was correct for feeding hay, &c. 
Still there is a great difference between 
tiie condition of cattle wintered in the two 
stables, and for eight or nine years we have 
put, the young, hardy cows (that could not 
lie got into ihe bows) in the stanchions, and 
the result, has been the same every time. 
Hence l think stanchions too confining, and 
my cows shall have a good, solid stall 3 feet 
wi<|e, with a good, smooth manger, tight 
enough to feed anything in, and tiie bottom 
on a level with the feet of the beast, or 
higher, and fastened as above.—F. 8. Heath, 
Erie Co., Pa. 
