•SUME 14 
OOB'E’S BUBAL WEW-YOBKER 
—n- s 
3S3 . 
Scientific and Useful. 
AERIAL NAVIGATION. 
Comparatively, the world is in its infancy; ^ 
the railroads are the first step towards the 
substitute for muscle in traveling on land, 
and the steamships the first move from float- 
ing with the tide and tacking about by aid of ^ 
the wind ; but though the speed of the fast- j 
est. animals by land is beaten, there has 
been no successful means of moving through 
the air, so that, although the race horse lias • 
no real value for fast motion, the birds can 1 
still laugh at the benighted intellect of the 11 
boasted human race ; for they can change - 
their climate at pleasure, moving into a 
warmer atmosphere without any of the la¬ 
bored, slow and dangerous modes of locomo¬ 
tion at the command of reason — instinct i 
being still superior, in many respects, to tho 
most ingenious efforts of self-conceited man ! 
It is folly to suppose, there can beany trav¬ 
eling through tho air till means of action are t 
brought to bear on it similar to the wheels { 
on water, or at least in the same contradis- ( 
tinetion from the windmill sails ns from the g 
water wheel—then invent a rudder and one 
to act, also to rise or descend, and the air 
machine will bo the cheapest means of t rav¬ 
eling. Some light kind of fuel will be requi¬ 
site ; and it appeal's the step from present 
ways of carrying passengers, &c., to tho ma¬ 
chine forced through the ah', will be less dif¬ 
ficult than the one from motion by force of 
animal muscle to present modes of loco¬ 
motion. 
it will not be any renowned or learned 
man who will discover the way to imitate 
the flight of birds and to surpass their speed 
in the same ratio as the engines do that of 
the animal of land ; for what are tho great 
and honored of the present in any age ? They 
merely loam from former clever men, and 
have the tact to work on the minds of man¬ 
kind in general, who raise them up to places 
of honor, &c. Those who are the greatest 
benefactors to their fellow men seldom gain 
any credit, for some wily, cunning man is 
almost certain to worm from them the se¬ 
cret of the plan and turn it to account as 
their own original idea. 
Working Farmer. 
—r--- 
TANNING AND DYEING SHEEP SKINS. 
In answer to a question, a correspondent 
of the Scientific American says:—Wash, the 
pelts in warm water, and remove all fleshy 
matter from the inner surface, # then clean 
the wool with soft soap, and rinse the soap 
thoroughly out. Second, apply to the flesh 
side, the following mixture for each pelt: 
Common salt and ground alum, one-quarter 
pound of each, and half an ounce of borax. 
Dissolve the whole in one. quart of hot water. 
When cool enough to bear the hand, add rye 
meal to make a thick paste, and spread the 
mixture on the flesh side of the pelt. Fold 
tho pelt, lengthwise, and let it remain two 
weeks in an .airy and shady place, t hen re¬ 
move the paste from the surface ; wash and 
dry. When nearly dry, scrape the flesh side 
with a knife, working the pelt until it be¬ 
comes thoroughly soft. A beautiful blue 
may be imparted to the wool by using the 
following recipe :— Add. a wine-glassful of 
sulphuric ucid to a gallon of water. Put into 
the solution a tablespoonful or more of im¬ 
perial blue, regulating the quantity of the 
dyestuff to the shade of blue required. Put 
in the pelts and boil for ten minutes. After 
boiling, the pelt will need working again, to 
make it soft. 
-4“*-*- 
OPIUM EATING AMONG ANIMALS. 
of ammonia in water ; write with the solu¬ 
tion and it will give a yellow color, when 
hea ted, which will disappear when cold.—A. 
Ross. 
Permit me to inform Nellie RTrsHMORE 
that skimmed milk can bn used to write in¬ 
visibly ; and to make it. visible, pass a hot 
Iron over the paper. The writing will appear 
a pale brown color like scorched milk, which 
it is. Lemon juice is said to answer ns well, 
but I have not seen it tried.— Mrs. P. C. 
Hammond. 
Sulitiurtc acid, one part.; soft water 20 
parts; mix together, to write with a quill 
pen, which writing can be read only after 
heating it.—D. IV. H , Ligonier , Ind. 
still (Bronomit. 
HANGING WHATNOT. 
In answer to Lula Howard’s inquiry in 
the Rural New-Yorker of May 3d, I send 
the enclosed sketch of a hanging Whatnot. 
Get some neat small-figured wall paper and 
some nice bordering (eight strip velvet border 
under its influence, the hair is retained in a 
moist condition for a long time. 
,S teamed Indian Pudding .—Take one tea¬ 
cup sweet milk, half teacup buttermilk, half 
teacup molasses, two cups Indian meal, one 
of flour, one of English currants, one teaspoon 
saleratus and a little sail ; put it in a basin, 
set in a steamer over boiling water for two 
hours; serve with a sauce made of butter 
and sugar or sweetened cream. Yon will 
have the best pudding ever made; for my 
husband says so.—o. G. II. 
Ifirdtmcal, ['adding. — Take tart, mellow 
apples; pare and slice them ; spread in a 
buttered, deep t in. Make the batter as fol¬ 
lows : — QUO cup sweet erbutu, half cup sweet 
milk, a little salt., one teaspoon cream tartar, 
half teaspoon soda ; pour over the apples and 
bake. It. is excellent eaten with sweet cream 
and sugar—M rs. H. a. Brown. 
How to Kpep Nausage.—Sausages will keep 
splendidly if stuffed in sldns, partially cooked, 
packed in stone jars and melted lard poured 
over them. Beal the mouth of the jar with 
circular pieces of paper smeared with flour 
paste, and put in a dry, cool cellar. 
(Still) 
WHAT OUR BIRDS EAT. 
The Agricultural Gazette of India is re¬ 
sponsible for the assertion that, when ani¬ 
mals have once learned to know the taste 
and properties of opium, they become as 
fond of it as human beings. Li China, it is 
necessary to fence the poppy fields very care¬ 
fully to keep out the cattle. Horses and 
cows that have become accustomed to being 
fed on poppies, sicken and die if deprived of 
them. Hogs fed on poppy-heads fatten | 
quickly, hut they must then be slaughtered. 
Bees prefer t his to any other food, and rats 
come to opium factories to enjoy breathing 
* the very dust of it. 
- -¥-*■■¥ - 
SCIENTIFIC AND USEFUL NOTTS, 
Invisible Ink .—Here is an answer to Nel¬ 
lie Rushmore :—If you write with oil of 
vitriol very much diluted, so as to prevent 
its destroying the paper, the manuscript will 
be invisible except when hold to the fire, 
when the letters will appear black. Dissolve 
equal parts of sulphate of copper and muriate 
is the nicest) and six or eight yards of the 
very heaviest picture cord to hang it with. 
Make the shelvesiueh boards, planed on 
both Bides, and cut in the form shown or any 
other fancy shape. About sixteen inches 
wide from the back corner to the front edge 
(through the middle of the shelf) is the proper 
width for the lower sliclf, and each shelf 
above should be an inch or an inch and a 
half narrower than the one next below it. 
Put a back on each shelf of siding, or ot her 
thin stuff, as high as the bordering will cover, 
ami bevel the back side at the top, so that 
the upper edge shall not show. Bore holes 
in each corner just large enough to admit t he 
cord, and tack a strip of pasteboard or build¬ 
ing felt around the front edge as wide as the 
bordering will cover. 
In papering the shelves, be very careful 
not to leave any blistered places, as they will 
cause t he paper to break. They should be 
pricked and rubbed down, and the papered 
surface will stand as much wear as a var¬ 
nished one. 
Put bordering on the back and around the 
front edge, and it is ready to put together. 
Adjust the cord to the top shelf first, tying a 
knot under each corner to hold it up, then 
hang it up and put on the other shelves in 
their order, tying a knot under each one. 
About ten inches or one foot apart is as near 
together as they should be placed. 
I. H, Rogers. 
- 4-*-4 - 
DOMESTIC BREVITIES. 
Good. Hair Od.—A correspondent asks us 
to republish a recipe, given some years ago, 
for a mixture for the hair, that is regarded as 
the most cleanly, agreeable and safe, as fol¬ 
lows:—Pure fresh castor oil, two ounces; co¬ 
logne spirits (ninety-five per cent.), sixteen 
ounces. The oil is freely dissolved in the 
spirit, and the solution is clear and beautiful. 
It may be perfumed in any way to suit the 
fancy. A cheap and very good dressing for 
the hair, is made by dissolving four ounces 
of perfectly pure dense glycerine in twelve 
ounces of rose water. Glycerine evaporates 
only at a high temperature, and, therefore, 
John W. Robinson read a paper before ol 
the Northern Illinois Horticultural Society, 
from which wo make the following extracts lli 
for Rural New-Yorker renders : |!’ 
The red-tailed buzzard feeds upon squirrels, gt 
rabbits, rats and mice, and, therefore, is the 
farmer’s friend, Tho sparrow hawk occa- 
sionally takes a barnyard fowl, but feeds ^ 
principally on mice aud moles. Tho king p 
bird eats gadflies, botflies, ami various other n 
insects, and 80 me times fruit, but is not de- y 
etructive to fruit to any great degree. Tim 
great crested fly catcher and pewo.e are fast ( , 
friends of tho orclmrdist, and live cm insects y 
solely. The bobolink eats the seeds of weeds, 
insects, and, at the South, rice. Sportsmen „ 
eagerly kill it for the delicacy of its flesh. il 
The red winged black bird in the* spring / 
lives principally on cut worms, wire worms, | 
caterpillars and the larva- of noxious insects ; s 
later, they attack corn, and also eat the seeds t 
of various plants. The purple graekle follows ' L 
the plowman in tho spring, aud destroys the r 
larva; of many noxious insects. Tho Bali.i 1 
more oriole feeds on beetles, curoulio, pea < 
curcullo, and the long-snouted nut weevil, j 
and, w • may add in parenthesis, it is thor¬ 
oughly detested by the fruit growers in south- £ 
I ern Illinois. The orchard oriole, a wren, is , 
too little known and appreciated by orclmrd- 
ists. It devours hosts of worms and noxious 1 
insects, and is tho most industrious bird the 
writer knows. The meadow lark lives prin- ' 
oipally on subterranean larvae. The blue jay, 
this pert and showy bird, the writer considers 
mean, deceitful, tyranieal uud sly, yet he is 
one of the few birds which eat the orchard 
catberpillar. 
Tiie butcher bird is one of the most indus¬ 
trious of the feathered tribe, and feeds on 
catterpillurs, spiders, grasshoppers, etc. The 
cedar bird eats tho canker worm. The white¬ 
breasted nut hatch, and American creeper 
live on tree insects solely. Robins eat. grubs, 
the larva- <>P the May beetle and cut worms, 
aud are especially destructive to the canker 
worm and codling moth. The finch futullly 
includes about twenty varieties and subdi¬ 
visions. They spreap over large tracts of 
Country, in search of grubs, Iarvm of insects 
and seeds, The American red start is a gay 
little follow, flitting about from place to place 
after swarms of flics, Tho warblers are a 
great service to the fanner and horticulturist, 
i for they destroy greal multitudes of noxious 
t insects. 
Home wrens, the patient, persevering and 
• yet I irave little fellows, feed exclusively on 
oat ter pi liars and insects. The black-chapped 
titmouse eats the larva; and cocoons of the 
codlingVnoth. 
Woodpeckers are the true laborers for man, 
their chief food being tree larva;. The Amer- 
; iean or rain crow is a quiet bird, having a 
■, timid and retiring disposition. He guts the 
s tent of every orchard eatterpillar he meets. 
I The American pa rt ridge or quail, is one of the 
»- intermitting destroyers of the chinch bug 
i) and the sriped pumpkin bug, and is one of 
e the most valuable of birds to the farmer and 
1. horticulturist. 
e The essayist believed that fanners and hor- 
>r ticulturists lwl not discriminated enough 
is between friends and foes ; and he noticed a 
e number of cases where the indiscriminate 
is slaughter of birds had worked evil to tho 
3 , products of the farm and garden. 
Jiulustiiutl 
WHAT SOCIETIES ARE DOING. 
Premium Lint of Auirrlcan Ponwloglcnt Ho- 
c-iet y. $500 have been offeree! by the Massachu¬ 
setts Society for Promoting Agriculture, and 
$100, each, are tendered by the following gen¬ 
tlemen, for premiums, and the promotion of 
the objects of tho Society, viz.: Hun. Albert 
Fearing. I’reft't (llnghnm Ag'l Hoc-.; Joint Cum¬ 
mings, E.sq., PrpVl Middlesex Ag'l Son,; Dr. 
Nathan Durfoe, Ex-Proa't Bristol Central Ag. 
Hoc.; William Knowlton, Esq., Ex-Fioa't Wor¬ 
cester S. E. Ag'l Hoc.; Charles O. Whitmore, 
Esq., Boston; Gardner Brewer, Esq., Boston. 
The following prizes will therefore lie offered, 
in accordance with the above generous dona¬ 
tions : 
. Ipplett. —For the largest, and best, collection of 
Apples, correctly named, from any State or So¬ 
ciety, three of oach variety 1st Premium, the 
Society's Silver Medal and $50; 2d do.. Bronze 
Medal and $25. For the largest and best col¬ 
lection, correctly named, grown by one Indi¬ 
vidual. three of each variety —1st Prem., Silver 
Medal and $50; 2d do., Bronze Medal and | 
1‘carS. For the largest and best collodion of 
Pears, correctly named, from any Slate or So¬ 
ciety, three of ouch variety tsl Prem.. Silver 
Medal and $25; 2d do., Bronze Medal and $25. 
For tho largest and best, collection, correctly 
named, grown by one Individual, throe of each 
variety- 1st Prem., Silver Medal and $00; 3d 
do., Bronze Medal and $25. 
Grape*. For tlu- largest, and host colleel ion 
of named Native Grapes, from any State or So¬ 
ciety, three hunches of each variety—1st Prem., 
Silver Medal and $50; 2d do., Bronze Medal and 
$25 For l he largest and best rolled ton of named 
Native Hiuptfl. grown by one Individual, three 
buurhes of each variety 1st Prem.,Silver Medal 
and $50; 2d dm. Bronze Medal and $25. For the 
largest and befit collection of named Grapes, 
grown west of Rocky Mountains, two hunches 
of oach variety Hllvisr Medal and 850. For tho 
largest and best. collection of Native Grapes, 
correct lv named, grown south of the southern 
line of Virginia, Tennessee. Missouri. Are., two 
bunches of each variety -Sliver Modal ui.-I $50. 
For the largest, arid best collection of Grapes 
grown under rlnsF. two bunches of each variety 
- Silver Medal and $50. 
I rac/n s. For tne largest aud heat collection 
of Poaclu-s, correct ly named, from any State or 
Society, throe of ouch variety l«i Prom., Stiver 
Modal*and $50; 2d do.. Bronze Medal and $25. 
For the largest and best collection, correctly 
named, grown by one Individual, throe of each 
variety Silver Medal and $50; 2d do.. Bronze 
Medal and $25. 
J J lvrnH.~ For the largest and host collection of 
Plums, correctly named, from any State or So- 
clelv, three of each variety—1st Pram., Silver 
Medal and $50; 2d do.. Bronze Medal and $25. 
For tho largest ntid befit collodion, correctly 
named, grow* by one individual, three speci¬ 
mens of each variety 1st Prem., Silver Medal 
and $50; 2d do., Bronze Medal and $25. 
Seedling /•’/ nit*. Best, col lection of seedling 
Apples, grown by one imlivULual Silver Medal. 
Best collection of seedling I’carn, grown L> one 
individual —Silver Medal. Boat collection of 
seedling luinly Native Grapes, either from na¬ 
tive seeds or hybrids, grown by nnn individual— 
Silver Medal. Best collection of seedling Plums, 
grown by one individual—Silver Medal. Best 
collection of seedling Peaches, grown by one 
indiv iduad—Silver Modal. 
Fi(/«, Best, collection of fresh Figs, grown In 
open air—Silver Medal. Befit exhibition of dried 
Figs, grown and cured In the United States Sil¬ 
ver Medal, 
OiWM/ftJ.—Best collection of, grown In open 
air Silver Medal. 
Lemons.- Best collection of, grown in open 
air Silver Medal. 
Rat-tins — Best, collection of, grown In open 
air— Silver Medal. 
/tried /-Vi'Its.- Largest and best collection of, 
with ft d de. eriptloii and expense of process— 
Silver Medal. 
( U 7 t/e,i. i i arts.—Largest and best collection 
of, giving fnjI description of process aud ex¬ 
penses— Silver Medal. 
Premiums are subject to the general rule of 
restriction, that where objects are not worthy, 
prizes will be withheld. No State Society or 
individual can compete for more than one pre- 
U" i with the same variety or varieties of 
fruits. 
Marylntid Hlnu* Poultry Atia’n. Such an or¬ 
ganization was effected at Baltimore, May 9, 
and the I'ol lowing officers elected : I'ren. —W. S. 
G. Bv kick. V in r-1'raft#,- K. S. G. Woidcrmati, 
It. T.Town, E. Whitman, Baltimore; John Bus- 
sins, Washington, !>.( ' ; Glum. 14. Collin, Prince 
George's; E, A, W endell, Albany, N. V.; J. M. 
Wade, Philadelphia, Pa.; W. H Churchman, • 
Wilmington, Del.; A. Goebel, Canada; Augus¬ 
tus Shrlver, Westminster; John boats, Fred¬ 
erick ; C.C. Magruder, Prince George's; George 
Coulton, Howard Co.; lion. Win. II. Tuck, An¬ 
napolis; Major Win Matthews, Port Tobacco; 
Win. B. I'assln, Georgetown. D. ; Joseph H. 
Bradley, Montgomery. 75rus.-Geo. Schwinn. 
Financial Set. -John W11 liar, Iter. See. -C. P. 
Powell. Cor. See. James E. Rooms. Kx.C am. 
G. W. P. Sf nnz, John I). Gate ford, C. D. Par¬ 
ker, Andrew Miller, Dr P. V. Benson. The 
time tlxed for the first exhibition was June 6. 
\. V. State Ag. Hoc.—At, a late meeting of 
the Executive Committee of this Society, Lu¬ 
ther II. Tucker tendered his resignation as 
Treasurer uf the Society. The resignation was 
accepted, and Mr. Adin Thayer chosou in his 
place. It- J. Swan, Vice-President from the 7th 
District, also resigned, and Mr. Wadsworth of 
Geneseo was substituted. 
New Euglnnd Pairs In 1973 —Tho following 
arc the dates fixed for the Fairs named New 
England Fair, Sept.2-5; New Hampshire State 
Fair, Sept. 30, Oct. 1-3; Maseoma Iliver Valley, 
Sept. HC18; Connecticut lUver Valiev, Sept.I) 11; 
Merrimack County, Sept. 25, 26; Hillsborough 
County, Sept, 23,24; Graft on County, Sept,. 23 25. 
WnnBImro, \t ., Ag. Hoc. Officers elect for 
1873: Fr'x. Luther Wtiitcomu. Vies-Pres. 
Dexter Wait. Directors. —George O. Randall, 
Jlenry M. Kidder, Marcus VV. Johnson, Myron 
Shine, Charles Ryder, Francis White, Franklin 
.Johnson. See. and Treats. -N. C. Johnson. 
Slmnuichiinclt* Hurl. Hoc. -This Society is to 
make a grand exhibition of Rhododendrons, on 
pout, at Common, commencing June 5, and con¬ 
tinue two weeks. We acknowledge the receipt 
of complimentary tickets from tho Secretary, 
E. W. Bus well. 
The Franklin Co., Mr., Ag. Hoc. holds its 
next. Fair at Farmington, Sept. 23, 34 
Barnwell, fc- CL, Ag. Hoe.—The 1th annual Fair 
is to be held at Barnwell, Nov. 24-20. 
