Until  within  a  comparatively  recent  period  the 
cheaper  forma  of  mioroacopes  were  mere  toys, 
very  imperfect  in  their  optical  and  mechanical 
properties,  and  of  little  value  except  aa  curiosi¬ 
ties,  There  were  good  microscopes,  though  the 
best  then  were  not  so  good  as  now — but  they 
were  exi)€usivo  —  far  beyond  popular  reach. 
Only  a  few  students  of  science  could  afford  to  in¬ 
vestigate  by  moans  of  the  microscope.  Latterly, 
however  the  manufactiure  of  the  microscope  has 
entered  on  a  new  ora.  Improvements  have  been 
devised  which  adapt  the  microscope  to  popular 
use  making  it  cheap  in  price  easily  managed,  and 
in  short  “  a  microscoijc  for  tlie  ijcoplc.”  Three 
of  these  styles  manufactured  by  T.  H.  McAni/- 
isTKK,  No.  49  Nassau  Ht.,  N.  V,,  seem  to  us  best 
adapted  for  jwpular  use  and  are  included  in  om* 
Premium  List  to  TtuEAL  agents.  They  are 
ligured  on  this  inigo,  and  named  respectively  tlie 
“  Household”  and  the  “  Youths”  or  pocket  mi- 
croHcoix',  the  latter  an  inexi^ensive  instrument 
suital>le  for  use  iit  the  fields,  witli  brass  body  six 
inches  high,  and  costing  only  tliree  dollars.  It 
will  be  found  however  that  the  household  micro- 
scoijf.',  costing  only  five  dollars  will  give  much 
Ixdhjr  satisfaction.  With  this  will  be  sent  two 
crown  glass  objeetives.  affording  magnifjing 
powers  of  every  rajige  from  20  to  100  diamoters 
or  4U0  to  10,000  areas.  The  “lIouHebold”  is  a 
comisjiind  iuiej'oseo{)e,  having  all  the  essential 
pai’ta  of  a  fij’st-class  instrument,  aniiniatm'cmodel 
of  the  most  ajjproved  jiatterns,  with  a  range  of 
magnifying  |>ower  adapting  it  to  the  investigation 
of  the  itiinutiin  of  animal  and  vegetable  Ufe.  The 
animaleulii!  (smunouly  present  in  pond  wahjr,  the 
)X)llen  of  llowers,  &c.,  can  be  observed  and 
stiKliwl  by  ita  use. 
Tlie  “  Botanical  ”  Microscope,  not  given  in  tlm 
illusb  atiotis,  is  a  very  bandy  little  instrument, 
wliieh  Is  of  great  use  to  the  investigator,  on  ac¬ 
count  of  Its  very  convenient  size  and  shape. 
Those  desii'ing  any  of  these  instruments,  will 
find  full  and  e.vaet  particulars  by  consulting  oiu’ 
Premium  List,  or  can  get  complete  catalogues  by 
addi’essing  Mr.  McAllister  as  above. 
tlie  mountains  when  the  spring  arrives,  and  re¬ 
main  away  till  autumn,  when  they  return  with 
fine  flocks  of  young  ones,  which  they  have  raised 
without  care  or  feed  from  their  owuw. 
The  statement  was  sometliing  of  a  eurprise  to 
us.  In  our  community  the  young  turkeys  are 
carefully  hunted  up.  bronghthoineandfed  every 
day  unli)  they  have  attalniid  some  size.  'I’his  is 
isirhaps  luxessiuy  in  a  densely  pojmlated  agri¬ 
cultural  district ;  hut  those!  se^ini-wild  niouiiljiin 
turkeys  were  eeriainly  as  fine  as  any  we  have 
seen  anywhere.  We  weighed  one  gobbler,  wbicb 
tm  tnxl  the  scale  at  thirty-two  pounds,  and  num¬ 
bers  of  tliem  weighed  from  twenty-two  te>  twen¬ 
ty-eight  ))Ounds  each.  As  table  birds  they  were 
equal  to  any  we  have  (!ver  tri«l.  Many  of  our 
readers  who  live  in  vvoodwl  momitainous  districts, 
should  take  a  hint  from  this  and  what  tliey  can 
do  in  turkey  raising.  They  may  be  raised  in 
roomy  place.s  at  a  small  expense,  and  always  com¬ 
mand  a  fair  piiee  in  the  market. 
Some  farmers  object  to  having  turkeys  i-oain- 
uig  over  their  fields  before  the  liaivest  is  gatli- 
ered,  but  the  objotttlon  is  groundless,  'lliey 
really  do  no  injury  to  the  grain  crops,  wliilo  they 
consume  innuinerahle  insects  of  all  kinds,  whieii 
would  he  detrimental  to  (h<.!  faj’joers'  iotorosts. 
It  is  true  a  (lock  will  be  destiTictive  to  a  field  of 
buckwheat,  if  they  find  it ;  hut  even  here  the 
loss  is  not  great,  as  it  is  marketed  in  th(!  shape  of 
poultry  instead  of  Hour. 
To  give  some  idea  of  the  turkey  business,  it 
may  be  stated  that  the  ammal  luoduct  of  Bucks 
Coimty,  Pa.,  alone,  is  over  4!200,hi)()  worth.  Tliis 
may  stagger  some  readers  who  have  given  tlie 
subject  no  attention ;  but  when  it  is  known  that 
there  arc  six  tliousand  farms  in  the  Comity,  and 
tm’kcys  arc  raised  on  nearly  all  of  them,  the  lig- 
lu'es  will  not  be  so  suriirising. — Praciical  Famm\ 
advertisement,  and  farmers  especially  will  do 
well  to  send  for  his  free  wcalelistof  prices.  This 
bsi  embraces  scales  of  every  size,  and  in  these 
days  of  general  rascaUty,  it  is  especially  im- 
portaut  that  farmers  taking  grain  or  other  pro¬ 
duce  to  market  should  have  at  home  facilities  for 
weighing  before  starting.  One  farmer  writes  to 
Mr.  Jones  that  he  lest  year  lost  one  hundred  and 
eighty-five  buBhels  of  wheat  because  he  thought 
EATING  AND  LAYING  OF  HENS, 
In  an  article,  some  time  ago,  I  took  the  ground 
tliat  “tlio  fowls  which  eat  most  ai’e,  as  a  rule, 
the  most  profitable,”  this  1  re-assort  and  will  try 
to  prove.  To  start  with,  it  Is  the  some  with  all 
animals  kept  for  the  jjriHiuctiou  of  flesh,  as  cows, 
hogs,  sheep,  and  fattening  cattle.  Let  me  cite 
some  instances, 
Ist.  In  Geimany,  in  1871  or  72,  an  experiment 
was  made  as  follows :  Foim  Dutch  cows,  two 
large  and  two  small,  were  selected  and  put  in  two 
pens,  two  in  each,  and  both  were  fed  all  the 
green  corn  they  would  eat ;  at^  the  end  of  six¬ 
teen  days  the  largo  pair  had  eaten  4,921  iHjuuds 
of  lucem  and  given  272  quarts  of  milk,  and  tiio 
light  pair  had  eaten  3,869  pounds  of  lucern  aud 
given  192  quarts  of  milk ;  the  heavy  jialr  had 
given  6  quarts  of  milk  for  each  100  pounds  of 
lucem  cousnuK'd,  and  the  light  pair  had  only 
given  5  quarts. 
2d.  In  Dr.  Miles’  experiments  at  the  Mich. 
Agricultiu'al  College,  six  pigs  of  the  same  litter 
were  put  in  two  perns — throe  in  a  jien— aud  In 
both  pens  the  pigs  wore  allowed  all  the  corn 
meal  they  could  eat.  One  pig  in  pen  B  met  with 
an  accident  aud  was  killed.  When  30  weeks  old 
the  pigs  weighed  as  follows :  Pen  A,  pig  1,  .59  lbs.; 
pig  2,  69  Ihs.;  pig  3,  133  lbs.  Pen  B,  pig  4,  156 
lbs.,  aud  pig  6,  142  lbs. 
The  pigs  in  pen  B  ate  61  per  cent,  more  food 
than  those  Jji  pen  A,  and  gained  92  per  cent, 
more.  Tins  result  was  owing  to  pigs  1  and  2, 
though  pei-feetly  healthy,  gaining  so  Uttle.  At 
this  time  the  Dr.  jmt  the  three  pigs  of  iien  A  In¬ 
to  three  pens.  Dmriig  the  first  week  pig  1  atv! 
11  lbs.  of  meal,  pig  2  ate  12X  Ihs.,  and  pig  3  ate 
25>^  lbs.  Dmlng  the  month  the  pigs  ate  and 
gained  as  follows  :  Pig  1  ate  48>^  lbs,  lost  1  lb.; 
pig  2  ato  513^  lbs.  and  gained  4  lbs.,  aud  pig  3 
ate  100  lbs  and  gained  19)^  lbs. 
I  have  no  time  to  hunt  up  experiments  with 
sheep  and  cattle,  but  all  will  recollect  that  most 
\vriter8  adrise  getting  those  "capable  of  eating, 
digesting  and  assimilating  the  most  food." 
I  have  bred  Jjight  and  Dark  Bi-ahmas,  Buff 
Cochins,  Black  Spanish,  Hambm’glis,  Dorkings 
and  Dunghills,  and  wll  give  you  some  figm-es. 
Flock  No.  1.  All  Light.  Bi'uhuias. 
Dr.  Cr. 
30  fowls  at.  50<3......  *10.00  EKg»,lC0  do*,. ...*00.4.1 
Fe«d .  2L1Z  Chicks  Bold 18.21 
Eggs  sol .  6.00  On  hand . 31.00 
Total . *41.12  Total . *110.14 
Less . *41.12 
*'!4.02 
This  leaves  $74.02  profit  on  the  flock,  or  nearly 
$2.60  per  head. 
Flock  No.  2.  Black  Spaoiab. 
Dr.  Cr. 
30  fowls  ut  50c . *10.00  172  doz.  of  eggs, .*34.44 
Feed .  12.17  Chicks  sold 9.11 
Eggs  set . 2.34  Ouhaud . 17.00 
Total . *29,61  Total.... ......*«, 1.(6 
Less . *29.01 
Leaves... *31,04 
This,  as  you  will  see,  gives  a  profit  of  $31.04, 
or  little  over  $1  each. 
Now,  with  this  in  view,  am  I  not  justified  in  the 
grounds  I  take  ?  My  reasons  for  preferring  the 
Brahma  can  be  readily  seen,  their  eggs  brought 
me  double  what  the  others  did.  A  neighbor  who 
has  kept  Houdaus  and  White  Leghorns  finds 
they  lay  no  better  and  at  no  better  season  than 
the  Spanish.  TLoro  has  been  considerable  "bi- 
falutin  "  theorizing  done  to  show  tliat  the  Bi  ah- 
mas  were  poor  layers,  the  above  account  shows 
them  to  he  nearly  as  good  layers  as  tlie  Spanish, 
and  the  following  from  the  Poultry  World,  p.  204, 
June,  1876,  will  show  something.  “Six  Light 
Brahmas  arid  six  'White  Leghorns  were  put  on 
trial  aud  an  account  kept  witli  each  for  one  year. 
The  first  two  months  the  Leghorns  fii’st  matm-- 
ing  got  the  start,  but  after  the  Brahmas  got  to 
laying  tbey  steadily  gained,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
year  the  account  stood  thus:  Average,  Leghorns. 
171  eggs  each,  and  Brahmas  168  oach," 
On  page  237,  July  No.,  of  same  year-,  J.  W.  P. 
Hovey  says  of  Light  Br^nas :  "  With  me  they 
excel  as  layers,  not  excepting  Houdaus,  Spanish, 
Leghorns  aud  Hamburge.”  Now  I  will  close, 
though  I  may  at  some  time  send  you  my  idea  on 
feeding  poultry.  A.  M.  Van  Auken. 
Port  Hotvard,  Wis. 
he  could  not  afford  to  buy  a  set  of  scales.  Now 
he  is  bound  to  have  a  set,  afford  it  or  not.  Be¬ 
sides  this,  thrifty  farmers  need  a  set  of  accurate 
scales  to  keep  a  record  of  the  experiments  which 
every  good  far'mer  should  moke  in  feeding  and 
weighing  stock  of  various  kinds,  as  also,  what  his 
produce  costs  hinr,  what  is  tho  effect  of  various 
fertibzers,  etc.  Wo  know  the  Jones’  Scales  to  be 
fir.8t-class,  and  his  system  of  doing  biisiness  cer- 
tairrly  commends  itself  to  the  confidence  of  all. 
Send  to  Jones  of  Binghamton,  N.  Y,,  for  iris  free 
price  list. 
aitli  alsftul 
(iDitr  premium  l^rlirlfs 
THE  ABSORPTIVE  POWER  OF  SOIL 
It  is  an  importarrt  discovery  of  recent  date, 
that  soils  have  the  power  of  separ  ating  not  only 
ammoiria,  but  other  bases  also,  from  their  solu¬ 
tions,  and  of  boldirrg  them  with  great  tenacity 
after  their  absorption.  TTirrs  100  grains  of  clay 
soil,  taken  fronr  tho  plastic  clay  formation  of 
England,  absorbed  1,0.50  grains  of  potash  fronr 
a  solution  of  caustic  potash  contairring  one  per 
cerrt.  of  the  alkali.  It  is  interesting  to  observe 
that  the  liqirid  was  not,  in  this  case,  filtered 
through  the  soil,  but  tho  cold  solution  was  mere¬ 
ly  left  in  contact  with  it  for  twelve  hours. 
I  It  has  boon  firrtbcr  slrowir  that  soils  have  the 
ability  to  separate  the  alkaline  bases  from  the 
acids  with  which  Drey  arc  combined.  Vlrerr 
saline  solutions  were  slowly  filtered  through  soils 
five  or  six  niches  deep,  the  liquids  which  passed 
through  were  deprived  of  their  aUtaline  bases,  as 
jxitasb,  soda,  ammotua  and  muguesia,  arrd  only 
the  acids  wore  to  be  found  iir  conrbuiation  with 
some  other  base.  Thus,  when  muriate  of  am- 
mouia  was  filtered  through  the  soil  the  amrrrorria 
was  removed,  arrd  a  corresponding  quantity  of 
litrre,  in  combination  with  mm'iatic  acid,  was 
found  in  the  filtered  liqtrld.  In  tho  same  way 
sulphate  of  potaslr  was  deprived  of  its  base,  and 
the  Liquid  collected  gave  sulphate  of  lime. 
Those  soils  which  have  the  greatest  amount  of 
capillary  jxrrosity  will  condense  the  greatest 
amount  of  irranirrial  substances  on  their  internal 
Bvu'faces,  will  retain  them  longest  agaiust  the  ad¬ 
verse  solvent  action  of  water,  and  will  give  them 
out  most  readily  to  tire  rootlets  of  the  growiirg 
plant. 
A  mass  of  adhesive  clay  will  absorb  but  a  very 
slight  anrouut  of  available  manui'e ;  but  if  this 
saute  mass  is  rendered  friable,  by  mecharucal 
processes,  its  power  of  absorption  is  amazittgly 
increased.  In  >icw  of  what  has  been  stated,  it  is 
very  clear  that  one  way  in  which  plowing  in¬ 
creases  the  fertility  of  larrd  is  by  increasiug  its 
porosity  by  pulverization. 
Again,  many  luaniuial  substances  exist  in  the 
soil,  which,  being  insoluble,  exercise  no  action 
on  the  growth  or  plants,  and  conDibute  nothing 
to  their  nutrition ;  but  by  the  slow,  though  reg¬ 
ular  action  of  the  frosts  and  the  rain,  the  air  and 
the  sunshine,  insoluble  and  refractory  eompoimds 
are  reduced  to  a  soluble  state,  and  are  appropri¬ 
ated  and  held  on  deposit  by  the  soil  to  tire  credit 
of  the  next  cultivated  crop.  Tins  explains  the 
well  known  fact  that  soils,  which  have  been 
cropped  to  the  very  verge  of  barremiess,  will  re¬ 
cover  their  fertility  if  allowed  to  remain  long 
enough  under  tho  action  of  cliraatie  influeiiees  to 
saturate  the  soil  with  the  necessary  plant-food, 
which  they  have  uidocked  from  their'  chemical 
combinations,  and  given  to  the  soil  in  a  proper 
physical  condition.  I'liese  changes  are  brought 
about  more  rairidly  when  certain  meclrauroal 
changes  of  oonoitiu'u  are  wrought  upon  tho  soil. 
Carbonic  acid  is  one  of  the  most  active  of  the 
agents  employeri  in  bringing  the  insoluble  or¬ 
ganic  matter  in  the  soil  into  that  phjTiical  condi¬ 
tion  in  whidi  it  becomes  available  us  plant-food. 
In  order  that  this  acid  may  be  formed,  it  is  es¬ 
sential  that  the  oarhouaoeonB  matter  in  the  soil 
should  he  brought  into  direct  contact  with  the 
atmosphere,  from  which  they  procure  the  oxy¬ 
gen  necessary  to  convert  them  into  carbonic  md. 
POPULARIZING  THE  MICROSCOPE 
The  progress  of  popular  science  is  nowhere 
more  notably  shown  than  in  the  general  demand 
for  instriirnentB  needed  for  scientific  investiga¬ 
tions.  For'  oxaraido  there  are  thousands  of 
families  where  now  the  microscoiio  is  in  frequent 
use  as  a  diversion  or  for  studying  the  wonders  of 
natm'e,  in  which  ten  or  twenty  years  ago  the 
pur  chase  and  use  of  such  an  instriimtUit  would 
have  boeir  rmthonght  of.  There  is  an  inej’easiug 
interest  felt  everywhere  on  this  subject,  and  in¬ 
structions  for  the  use  of  microscopes  are  eagerly 
read.  Probably  tho  ebeapouing  of  those  instr'u- 
nients  as  well  as  the  improvomouts  in  their  con¬ 
struction,  have  added  to  their  iropularity.  In 
the  country,  and  especially  during  tho  growing 
season  a  good  rnlcruscu}X)  becomes  a  constant 
Hom’ce  of  instruction  and  amusement.  The 
wonders  of  iuseot  and  partially  of  vegetable  bfc 
are  opened  by  its  nse  as  by  nothing  else.  Every 
SELF-REGISTERING  MILK  SCALE, 
Among  the  new  and  valuable  improvements  in 
Dairy  Machinery  is  the  Revolving  Beam  Milk 
Keule,  invented  and  patented  by  JoNiis  of  Bing¬ 
hamton.  Tliis^Heale  weighs  aud  registers  each 
mess  of  milk  as  I'oceived  at  the  cheese  factory  or 
creamery,  and  without  the  posaibUity  of  a  mis¬ 
take,  saving  time  and  bad  feeling  on  the  part  of 
milit  producer  and  the  manufacturer.  This  scale 
is  a  novelty,  and  in  tho  irerfectuess  of  its  opera¬ 
tions  is  chai-acteristic  of  Jones  himself,  who  has 
often  iuti'oduoed  similar  novelties  aud  always 
with  distinguished  success.  Wo  do  not  doubt 
that  this  milk  scale  deserves  and  wiU  meet  with 
While  visiting  a  poultry  show  at  Tamaqua, 
Pa.,  a  short  time  since,  our  attention  was  drawn 
to  some  line  large  turkeys,  and  especially  to 
a  pair  marked  "  Wild  Tmkeys."  The  cock  bird 
in  this  pen  was  the  handsomest  turkey  we  ever 
saw.  In  symmetry  he  seemed  to  be  perfect, 
while  his  plumage  was  simply  superb.  He  was 
a  three-year-  old  bird,  but  showed  none  of  the 
symptoms  of  age  or  debility. 
This  pair  of  birds  made  such  an  impi'easion 
on  us  that  we  hunted  up  the  exhibitor  to  learn 
their  history.  He  said  this  cock  was  hatched 
from  an  egg  found  in  a  wild  hen’s  nest  in  the 
mountains,  and  was  raised  on  the  farm.  But 
since  he  was  a  year  old,  he  and  bis  mate  take  to 
McA.LI.ilST'ICR.’S  HO'USEH.OXjD  MICnOSCOPES. 
branch  of  natural  science  is  under  obligations  to  j  genei'al  favor  among  the  dairying  public.  It  ^  vill 
the  microscope,  and  it  is  of  frequent  use  in  be  sold  as  are  all  the  Jones  scales  on  tire  systi  3m 
solving  problems  wbicb  daily  arise  in  any  family  inaugm-ated  by  bimaolf — direct  sales  to  the  ua  sr, 
of  active  minds.  For  the  family  circle,  aud  es-  freight  prepaid,  aud  no  pay  requir-ed  where  f  uU 
peeially  where  there  are  children  it  is  invaluable,  satisfaction  is  not  given.  This  system  takes  .  all 
Teachers  in  country  schools  will  also  find  it  an  risk  froiri  the  purchaser,  while  the  popularity  ar  id 
important  help  in  enlisting  the  interest  of  their  perfection  of  the  Jones'  scales  ai'e  such,  that  tl  i© 
pupils  in  the  natni'al  sciences.  The  bias  thus  sender  Iras  an  absolute  certainty  of  having  th«  cu 
given  in  early  life  will  often  affect  for  good  the  accepted. 
entire  after  career.  The  attention  of  readers  is  invited  to  Jone  s' 
w  long  as  stagnant  water  remains  in  the  soil,  or 
so  long  as  the  soil  is  in  u  dense  or  very  compact 
condittou,  it  is  in^ssible  for  the  carbon  to  b© 
oouTertediuto  acia.— 
Journal  of  Chemistry. 
