Wm 
loosened the soil and manured it. They 
love this vegetable ailment. It also is a 
protection to the roots, hooping the life of 
the shrub or vino vigorous, and thus enabled 
the more to resist the cold. In the spring 
you are ready for pleasant, remunerative 
work.— p. g. 
has been punched for the little pinion upon 
which it is to play. The next process is the 
drilling of a number of small holes all around 
the outside, and through what we would call 
its tire. Into these holes are put the little 
screws, the heads of which you can see on 
the balance wheel of your watch. In flue 
watches they arc made of gold, hut in 
cheaper kinds, of brass or other metal. 
Third Story. 
On the right, as we ascend, is a long room, 
tilled with machines for cutting, polishing 
and fitting the different kinds of wheels; 
also a furnace ill which to bake the dial 
plates. Here, also, the dials arc made, let¬ 
tered and finished. The polishing of the 
small, crooked, irregular - shaped wheels, 
arbftrcr 
iscussions 
ritnftfic anti ffitsrfnl 
AMERICAN INST. FARMERS’ CLUB 
WORK IN THE GARDEN. 
ABOUT WATCHES. 
Notes of Discussion*, Extracts from Let¬ 
ters, »Vc, 
Where mnt How to Plant an Orchard.—J. S. 
BiiowN, Warren Township, N. I-, tins forty acres 
of loam, and a sldo hill sloping North. Asks 
whero and what sorts of apple trees to plant. 
Mr. Fuller says, plant on the north slope and 
become a member of tho American Pomologienl 
Society, get Its report and fruit lists, and decide 
for himself. 
IIow to Got to Sen.—,T. P. PfTTS. Cross Creels, 
Ohio, i« advised by bis physicians to go to sea for 
his health. Wants to know how to do It. Hois 
advised to go to New Bedford and shit' on a 
whaling voyage, where ho will got wages and 
health; or next spring visit someone of tho New 
England ports, when no ships go to tho Banks of 
Newfoundland to Hall for codtlph. and ship on 
ono of them ; or spend a week In Delaware Bay, 
fishing for orabs, before doing either, to 800 how 
he likes it. 
To n Timber Inquirer.—A Georgia land agent 
informs tho Club, in answer to an inquiry for 
pine timber land, heretofore published, that on 
the Oconco Hiver, in Southwestern Georgia, 
along tho lino of tho Brunswick ltuilroad, thorn 
are plenty of good pine lands, which can bo pur¬ 
chased at |i and $2 per aero. Dr. Sulom-Counly- 
on-tho-Brain said ho had soeu those lands, but 
didn’t know whero tho market Tor tho timber 
could bo found, to which there was adequate 
means of transportation. 
Wlint Shull (lie Young Man Dot — Quo. 0. 
Prescott, Gillmanstown, N. Y,, Is twenty-four 
years old, enn earn $20 to $20 per month teach¬ 
ing school, has saved a few hundred dollars, 
wants to go West, but before going asks If ho 
shall spend $100 at a business college getting an 
acquaintance with marenutllo pursuits. Tho 
Oomumnderof the Club said if lie was going Into 
the mercantile business, ho would need to bo 
sharpened up in some way. Prof. Squelch 
would not advise the young man togo to any busi- 
If ho designed to pursue a rner- 
A few cold, frosty nights need not put an 
end to work in the garden. There ore always 
more or less odd jobs that can be done late 
in autum, and thereby gain a little precious 
time in spring. 
Axparngus Beds. 
We have noticed in our rides through the 
country many asparagus beds still covered 
with old dead weeds, which should have 
heed cut down and burned long ago. In all 
localities where the asparagus beetle (Crioceris 
“ Where the pins go to,’’ is a grave do¬ 
mestic question that, has never been satisfac¬ 
torily settled, and we think there is another 
problem equally difficult t.o answer, t. c., 
“ What becomes of all the watches?” This 
query was brought prominently t.o our mind 
by a late visit to the United States Watch 
Company’s works at Marion, N. J. Of course 
every boy, girl, man and woman wants a 
good watch, and most of them get one; and 
we cannot account for the apparent increas¬ 
ing deuiaud for them upon any other hypo¬ 
thesis than that children are constantly com¬ 
ing into the world, and as soon as they are 
large cnongh to “ come to time,” cry for a 
watch. 
In our hasty visit to the aforesaid estab¬ 
lishment., we saw many things that would, 
doubtless, interest the readers of the Rural 
New-Yorker, but want, of room compels 
us to he brief. The main building, used as 
the manufactory, is four stories high, with 
basement and attic, two hundred and fifty- 
three feet long, and substantially built of 
Iron. In the basement, the engines and boil¬ 
ers are located, which furnish tho power to 
drive the machinery in the upper stories; 
also, the punch presses, rollers, cutters, «fcc., 
which cut. out the rough materials used in 
the watches. 
First. Story. 
Here we found the offices and reception 
room ; also a large workshop, a hundred or 
more feet long, called the Lapidary and 
Forwarding Room, where the blank works 
an; turned out, and the rough forms of the 
watch put together. Arranged on four tables, 
running the entire length of the room, are 
one hundred and twenty-five small turning 
lathes, operated mainly by girls and young 
women. 
And right, here we wish to say that women 
can. do mechanical work of some kinds just as 
if any one doubts it, let, him 
|nb»strial ©epics 
THE ALKALI PLAINS. 
Can they not be Utilized tor AKrlctllturnl 
Purpose *i 
I write to vou, hoping to gain some ill¬ 
ness college. 
can tile business, ho should enter a stove at once 
and loam the business from tho bot tom tip. Tf 
he wanted to bo a bookkeeper, hire a practical 
bookkeeper to teach him, or, what is hotter, get 
a place as assistant bookkeeper and work for 
what he leaves. Ho knows from experience that 
money and time were uselessly wasted at those 
business eol logos. 
Potato Digger*.— D. A. COMPTON, Hnwloy, Pa., 
having tested, under favorable circumstances, 
some, of I ho high blown potato diggers, and 
found them miserable failures, denounced the 
men- whose names carry weight, in matters of 
agriculture who recommend them. Deacon 
Reaps said a successful potato digger must pull 
the vines, unearth the tubers, and pick them up. 
ife tiad never soon such a machine. Mr. Fuller 
announced that, he was that machine. Dr. Trim¬ 
ble wanted a bettor machine than Fur.i.Ktt, and 
announced that, ho had seen one In operation in 
New .Jersey that was good ns fur as it. went, but 
didn't go far enough. Prof. SQUELCH asked ttio 
learned doctor if ho over saw any machine that 
was not. “good as far as It went.” No reply. 
The Farmer'* Club ill California. —TIlO com¬ 
mander announced that tt was well known t.b 
Doncon Beade and Major-General Cruris b 
been on Iho Pacific slope that t hey had report¬ 
ed tho fact repeatedly to tho club; that Hon. 
GKORGFi IUu stow of California, was present, 
and he would call upon him to state how iho 
said distinguished representatives of tho Club 
impressed tbc people of California. Mr. B ut- 
STOw responded that tho people Of that. Stato 
had never seen any such men on the Pacific 
slope before, and never expected to do so again. 
This was received with satlsfnctloi^^^rof. 
Squelch asked if It was trim that 
pencil orchards with growing grope vines^*L 
success, and was informed that it undouht.^^p 
was, U’ Deacon RttADE said so. 
The Chinese In California.—Long John asked 
Mr. Baustow to say something about tho 
Chinese as laborers. He said that Chinamen are 
skillful, apt. docile, quick, ternpemto and In¬ 
dustrious, faithful in tho fulfillment of aeon- 
tract, no matter what It Is. Their normal con¬ 
dition seems to bo industry. They are frugal, 
neat, economical and miml their own business. 
We do not like them as residents, because, un¬ 
like the German, they do not become citizens 
and SOttie down and spend their IP'esand rnonoy 
with us. They acquire with great, rapidity, and 
when they have gained a competence go hack 
to China to spend their days and their money. 
We decidedly prefer t he European immigrants 
to the Chinese, and think the present treaty 
affords all the facilit ies for the introduction of 
the latter hi this country desirable. Mr. Fuller 
said wo want men willing to work, no matter 
what their nationality. I am in favor of Chines© 
just, as I am in favor of steam engines or water 
power. Prof. Squelch asserted that it was just 
as sensible to object to the Introduction of 
steam engines because they do not become citi¬ 
zens ns to denounce the introduction of such a 
class of people us tho Chinese arc conceded to 
bo by their enemies, for tho same reason. The 
truth Is, only the politicians care a fig whether 
tho Chinese como hero or not, and they only 
care because a class of religious bigots denounco 
their introduction. 
Texas Lauded.— The Commander of the Club 
introduced W. H. Parsons of Houston, Texas, 
who gave the Club a fow yards of the highest of 
hifalutlu, announced that he was Interested in 
enlisting Eastern and Northern capital In tho 
construction of railways to connect Texas with 
tho rest of the world, thereby rendering its vast 
tracts or fertile laud accessible to immigrants, 
and its products wltblu reach of marUeis, and 
enabling New-Yorkers to cut cheaper beef. Ho 
said five millions head of neat stock feed on 
Texas prairies; a quarter of tied'sells in Hous¬ 
ton for a dollar; choice cuts In Galveston (with 
35,000 inhabitants) for ten cents per pound, anil 
thousands of animals are Slaughtered for their 
horns, hides, tallow and bones; reduced to a 
form for fertilizers—nil for tho want of direct 
railway communication, refrigerator cars and 
cash capital. 
Protecting Tree* from Mice.— L. CONKT.in 
R ochester, N. Y., recommends to prevent mice 
girdling trees in winter “ Feed them, trim the 
trees, and leave the brush In piles under tho 
trees. They will peel everything before tiiey 
will touch the trunks. Even we like thin bettor 
bettor thau thick cinnamon bark.” 
UNITED STATES WATCH COMPANY’S MANUFACTORY, AT MARION, N. J 
dogs, &c. y requires a vast number of ma¬ 
chines, all of which must he made wonder¬ 
fully exact, and managed with the greatest 
skill. 
It may not he uninteresting to farmers to 
know that the fine polish given to the steel 
screws and pinions in a watch is done with 
the pith of corn stalks. . 
In another room the little wheels are 
gilded—;i process quite necessary to prevent, 
corrosion, as watches are subjected to va¬ 
rious climates and temperatures. The. jewels 
are also cut from the stones as received from 
the various portions of the world, and, after 
being polished, are set by boys and men in 
the small tubes made for the purpose. 
On this same floor the adjusting room is 
located. Before the watch goes there, it is 
sent up to the 
Motion Room, 
On tiie fourth floor, where the watch is 
put up and set in motiou. The best and 
most, skillful workmen have to be employed 
for tins purpose. Each watch is put into a 
temporary case, resembling a napkin ring, 
open on both sides, and when ready, is sent 
down to the adjoining room, where its run¬ 
ning qualities are tried. Now comes the 
test of all the works. Every watch is tick¬ 
eted for its journey through this room. It 
is first laid upon a tray, with its face down¬ 
ward, and set in motion; twelue hours after 
it is examined, and the variation in lime 
noted on the ticket; twelve hours after it is 
again examined, and if the variation in not 
too great, it is reversed, and starts on a 
twenty-four hours’ Journey on its haclc, be¬ 
ing examined every twelve hours, as before. 
If it passes the examination, it then goes up 
on racks, with one edge downward, for 
twelve or twenty-four hours, and so on, dur¬ 
ing eight to ten days, it is tried in various 
positions and temperatures, and if in any of 
these positions a variation of more than a 
certain number of seconds occurs iu twelve 
hours, it is returned again to the Motion 
Room, and there taken apart, and readjusted 
ancl started again with another ticket. All 
watches, whether high-priced or low, have 
to pass tlirough tho same trying ordeal; and 
is it any wonder that superior watches are 
made in this establishment? After a care¬ 
ful examination of all the different opera¬ 
tions and processes through which these 
watches pass, we fail to see how it is possi¬ 
ble for a poor article to ever escape from 
these rooms, and it is quite probable that 
one never did. 
In the adjusting room girls of quick per¬ 
ception, and minds as well poised as the 
balance wheel of one of the watches, are 
employed to wind up, note variations, tem¬ 
perature, &c.; and this work cannot he neg¬ 
lected week days nor Sabbaths. 
Grade* of Watches. 
Watches of various grades and styles are 
made. Stem and key winders, nickel and 
frosted movements, ns well as those with 
beautiful Damaskeen finish, it is asserted 
that this Company were the first to make 
and patent a stem winding watch in this 
country. Sixty watches are turned out every 
day from this establishment alone, or about 
three hundred and fifty per week, which 
compels us to return to our first question, 
" Where do all the watches go to ?” 
agparagi) is known to be about, this burning 
over the beds should lie strictly attended to, 
as by this means a largo number of these 
pests will be destroyed. By burning the 
weeds we destroy the seeds which they con¬ 
tain at tho time, and the ashes made will 
add something in the way of fertility to the 
soil. It is also well to give asparagus beds a 
top-dressing of manure in fall, It is never too 
late lbr the application, and it may be re¬ 
peated annually, or as often as the supply 
will permit, for we doubt if it is possible to 
make soil too rich for asparagus. 
Stmmcli. 
If the, hods of spHTaeli" havfc not already 
been covered, it. is time that it was done, be¬ 
fore heavy snows prevent. Coarse bog bay 
is better than straw, but the latter will an¬ 
swer very well for the purpose. The cover¬ 
ing should not be too deep, for if we should 
have an open winter, or a very heavy full of 
snow, the plants may be injured by being 
too warm. Similar protection is required 
for shallots, Brussel! sprouts, and for pars¬ 
nips, salsify and ot her roots that are some¬ 
times left in the rows where grown, through 
, winter. 
Vegetable Seed*. 
As the cold weather approaches, and long 
evenings come on, thresh out and clean the 
vegetable seeds, and put carefully away in a 
dry place; not forgetting to label each va¬ 
riety. Wc believe in patronizing seedsmen ; 
but it is a stile plan to save seeds of all vege¬ 
tables that are known to he good, and then 
purchase those supposed to he better, and 
ascertain the difference, if there is auy. 
Insects. 
Gather all the coconns and chrysalids of 
insects that can he found in the garden, and 
burn or put in boiling water. The new cab¬ 
bage worm, (Firm rapt »,) that lias been so 
abundant in the Eastern Stales this season, 
should he attended to now. The chrysalids 
may be found attached to the Ride of build¬ 
ings, on fences, in fact, upon almost anything 
up which tho worm could crawl, and often 
al rods away from the cabbage patch. 
formation upon a subject which. I consider 
highly important, and one which lias hither¬ 
to attracted but little notice among tho agri¬ 
cultural community. I am informed that 
within four days’journey, by rail, from here, 
(Cincinnati,) there are vast plains, situate on 
the Platte River, known as tho “ Alkali 
Plains,” so rich in the alkalies that no vege¬ 
tation will grow, excepting here and there a 
species of wire grass. So thoroughly is the 
soil impregnated with alkali, that the waters 
of certain streams which traverse these plains 
arc deadly to animal life. Tho extent of 
these Alkali Plains is unknown at the pres¬ 
ent time, I believe; but I have no doubt they 
cover hundreds of square miles. T am In¬ 
formed that in many places the surface pre¬ 
sents the appearance of hanks of snow, which 
phenomena is caused, I fancy, by the efflo¬ 
rescence of the alkali. 
1 read in the Geological Survey of Fayette 
and Bourbon counties, Kentucky, by Owen, 
that the extraordinary richness of the soils in 
tho above districts, is mainly owing to tlic 
excess of potass and soda, above the other 
counties in the State. Now, it is a well 
known fact that our soils, all over the coun¬ 
try, are becoming sterile through over crop¬ 
ping, thereby exhausting the Alkalies from 
the soil, so necessary to vegetation; for un¬ 
less there is an abundance of the alkalies, we 
can never expect good crops. 
Now, I wish these lines of mine might in¬ 
duce some persons or companies to test, the 
salts of those vast plains, with a view to 
ascertain if they could be applied to agricul¬ 
tural purposes. Wc all know the effect of 
burning a brush heap or log pile on laud 
However poor and exhausted the. land may 
appear to he, the effect on vegetation is 
magical, allowing what, chemical ingredients 
the soil has lost, and what is required to re¬ 
store it to a state of fertility. My object, in 
writing to you is to draw your attention to 
this subject; and perhaps you might favor 
us with an article hearing on the question 
whether these alkalies are potash, or soda, or 
both. Undoubtedly nitrogen is mixed with 
them, more or less, making them more valu¬ 
able still; and if those alkalies could he put 
on our markets at, say $50 per ton, or even 
less, I believe there would he an Immense 
sale of them ; for the demand would be un- 
I would take several tons every 
well as men 
drop in a moment at this factory, and learn 
the truth of our assertion. We saw scores 
of girls (one hundred are employed here) 
making those small, infinitesimal screws used 
iu watches, some of which are so minute 
that 800,000 will scarcely weigh a pound, 
with two hundred threads upon them to the 
inch, and all completely finished by girls. 
It is true that the machines upon which 
they were made are very perfect in them¬ 
selves ; still It requires skill of no mean order 
to adjust ami work them. To make and 
completely finish one of these small screws 
in some cases requires sixteen different mo¬ 
tions of the hand and foot; blit so skillful do 
many of the girls become that they will turn 
out ten to twelve hundred per day. 
To give an idea of the different operations 
required to turn out one of the small pieces 
in a watch, let us take, for instance, one of 
tho pillars that keep the two heavy outside 
plates of the watch apart. It is made from 
a piece of brass wire, of the requisite size. 
The first operation is to place it, in a lathe 
and mark the length; then reduce the end, 
cut, a thread upon it, ornament, smooth, and 
cut off, when it drops into a small box un¬ 
derneath. A quick, experienced hand will 
make twenty-two hundred of these pillars in 
ten hours. 
The smallest screws are far too minute to 
bo handled separately, (in fact, one could 
scarcely tell what the little specks before 
him were, with no assistance but tho naked 
eye;) but little, spool-like chucks, catch and 
hold them while they are being polished and 
the heads grooved. Small as they are, their 
numbers must be known, and each work¬ 
man, or woman, keep an exact account of 
the quantity made every day. 
Second Story. 
Almost the same number of lathes and 
other small machines arc running here as in 
the first story; but another kind of work is 
done. The small wheels, balances, «fec., are 
made in the same dextrous manner as the 
screws on the floor below; but the exact¬ 
ness of the work may be inferred when we 
state that the gauge used in testing each 
piece will show a variation of a thousandth 
part of an inch. Apiece of very thin tissue 
paper measured five degrees oa this gauge, 
but a workman must not consider a wheel 
or pinion finished if it varies more than one- 
half a degree / 
Let the reader take out his or her watch 
and look at the balance wheel while wc tell 
how it is made. A circular piece of sheet 
steel is first cut of the required size; a rim 
of brass is then fitted around its outside, and 
the two brazed together. It is then annealed 
to make the steel soft, a hole is then made 
through its center, and another lathe brings 
the sides down to a level, and smooth; from 
, this it goes to another lathe, where one side 
is cupped—that is, the steel is rimmed out, 
leaving a very thin rim, not thicker than a 
) piece of writing paper, all around inside of 
As. the brass ring, outside, and about the same 
^ thickness all over the bottom. Another 
L lathe saws out the bottom, leaving a small 
, cross section in the center, iu which the hole 
seven 
A few hours spent in gathering chrysalids 
now, may considerably lessen the number of 
worms next season. 
From a Correspondent. 
It is not too late yet to see to our garden 
ground. This should he plowed or spaded 
now, and the manure, what is wanted to be 
used mainly, thrown upon it, spread evenly 
or worked in with the rake or harrow. Tho 
top soil will then get the benefit, and it will 
work down some, carried there by the rains. 
In the spring your land will he in ample 
order, mellow, “ falling apart,” and rich. 
Perhaps it, need3 lime; a garden is apt to 
where this has not been specially applied. 
Apply now when the manure is put on, and 
work soil, lime and manure together with 
the rake. The lime wants to be slaked and 
spread on evenly. Apply at the rate of from 
twenty to thirty bushels to the acre, or less, 
but it should not be much less. Some soils 
will also bear salt, which may now be ap¬ 
plied at the rate of a few bushels to the acre. 
All these are of benefit to most soils. 
If you have berry hushes or grape vines 
along the borders, give these a good cover¬ 
ing of leaves in the bargain—alter having 
limited 
year myself. I have used the nitrate of soda 
in considerable quantities in England, and 
found it beneficial to crops generally. I be¬ 
lieve it came from Spain, or perhaps South 
America. 
Now, I think a double benefit might be 
derived from such an enterprise, as of manu¬ 
facturing and utilizing these alkalies, viz.; 
the employment of a number of persons in 
extracting or leaching out the salts from the 
earth, thereby causing the very soil of those 
plains to become fruitful by taking away the 
excess, and enriching the other portion of 
the country. 
If those lines should induce some person 
to inquire into the nature of these plains, to 
ascertain if these salts can be put to any 
practical U30 in agriculture, I shall he satis¬ 
fied. 1 feel certain it will pay better than 
gold digging. Wm. R. Rawlins. 
Willow Creek, Campbell Co., Ky. 
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