logous to the Martin process; that is, "bodie, 
differing in fusability are readily melted in the 
presence of each other, and united in a new 
homogeneous body.” This composition, it is 
said, produces a very hard, fine-grained, close 
metal, with an average test strength of from 
3000 to 3300 pounds, as indicated on a twelve 
inch bar of the material. Snoh a metal is 
admirably adapted for plows, as it combines 
lightness and strength, takes a very high polish, 
and does not crumble. Any practical farmer 
will appreciate such points of excellence. 
The plow shown in the illustration is known 
as the " Diamond” Iron Plow, audis constructed 
in part of this metal. Its advantages may be 
briefly summed up. It is very light in actual 
weight of metal and light of draft, 
because the hardness and tonghness 
of the iron permits of its sparing 
use, and its dose, fine grain causes 
it to scour freely. The construction 
_ of the plow, aside from the metal 
mMjm os^d, is such as to give it, acoord- 
- ing to the makers, a true center 
k ii draft, a good wheel, a perfeot 
“ spread round," steady running 
qualities; and a simple, convenient 
device for holding the handles. 
The jointer, an important part, 
is, it may be seen, attaohed to the 
land-side of the plow, and is ad¬ 
justable at both ends of the 
wrought-iron arm. This keeps It 
always in place, and unaffected by 
a change of beam. It works equally 
well at any depth at which the plow may be 
worked. The coulter being attached at the 
same point is subject to the same conditions, 
when used. 
Messrs. L. & C. have added five new patterns 
to their already large list, and altogether the 
plow comes to us so highly recommended that 
we think it to the interest of our readers to pro¬ 
cure fuller information concerning the imple¬ 
ment, if they are interested in tho subject of 
plows. Inquiries addressed as above will meet 
with courteous attention. 
cent, of profit. These thoughts and facts have 
a pertinence and force at this spring season of 
the year, when farm operations are commencing. 
All nature with its effective though silent forces 
is at the farmer’s service, if he will but comply 
with, or prepare the w f ay for their operation. 
Nature works ceaselessly, and he must not bo 
idle. Whether his area of arable land bo large 
or small, he can always find paying, profitable 
employment in cultivating his fields, not only at 
seed time, bnt during the greater portion of the 
poriod of crop growth. 
have a practical application to the peculiar 
conditions of this prairie oountry. 
step into autumn. Many species have differ¬ 
ently colored blossoms in different plants as in 
the case of Lupinua polyphyllus, blue to white ; 
Veronica Virginica, white to pink; Oentauroa 
Americana, pale purple to very deep rich pur¬ 
ple ; Hibiscus Moscheutos, pale rose to white; 
and Drummond Phlox, the wildlings of which 
I havo seen as various in hue—red, white, pur¬ 
ple, variegated, &c., as I ever saw in Northern 
Gardens. 
THE INFLUENCE OF AIR IN THE GROWTH 
OF PLANTS. 
PROFE8SOR LEVI BTOCKBRIDGE. 
Though the soil is the theater of tho farmer’s 
operations in the production of crops, yet the 
known fact that, on the average, ninety-five 
pounds in a hundred of the dry weight of our 
agricultural plants come either directly or in¬ 
directly from the air, and only five pounds from 
the soil, should lead him to diligent inquiry for 
the method by which he may aid his plants in 
TALKS UPON THE PRAIRIES, 
The Timber Culture Act 
FRONTIER, 
:e t, 
ri;lr.1CrUO = IBOIMZi3 
KStAMAl OO ,MI CM ,_; 
witliiu three years, and the balance in four 
years; that the trees shall not be less than 
twelve feet apart each way; and that they shall 
bo cultivated and kept in a good healthy growing 
condition for eight years from the time of entry. 
This law originated, no doubt, in a purpose 
to aid one of tho most important enterprises 
that can engage tho attention of our Western 
people. Bnt unfortunately there are some pro¬ 
visions in the law that render it, to a very great 
degree, inoperative. Hence “ Frontier” is not 
alone in the belief that the interests of tho 
prairie country demand either an essential 
modification of this "Timber Culture Act" or 
its repeal. The great objection to this law is 
that it demands the planting of too much land 
to trees, and at the same time requires tho 
planting of too small a number of trees. That 
is, iu one direction it demands too much and in 
tho other too little. Now the breaking of 40 
acres, the planting of the same to trees, and the 
culture of these for eight years, will cost much 
more than the original 100 acres were worth 
without making allowance for possible losses 
by drought, grasshoppers and fire. Hence few 
will carry out the provisions of the act in good 
faith. Probably not one in a hundred has the 
moans of supporting his family and fulfilling 
the terms of tho contract, eveu if disposed to 
do so. Then trees planted twelve feet apart 
AN IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING MA¬ 
CHINES. 
Improvements in sewing machines may be 
said to have begun a very short time after the 
first machine was made and practically tested ; 
and they have increased and multiplied from 
that time. These improvements, however, were 
more a matter of detail than innovation, and 
were what an artist would call “ fimshing 
touches.” It is alrnoHt proverbial that the "last ” 
finishing touch has never been given to a pic¬ 
ture, and the same holds good when reference is 
had to sewing-machines. It is so rare that it 
becomes noteworthy when we can make mention 
of an actual modification in sewing maofaine con¬ 
struction that has tbe efleer, of creating a new 
price of mechanism out of a familiar object. 
This is precisely what the Davis Vertical Feed, as 
applied to tbe Davis Sewing Machine, does. It 
is unnecessary to say that the " feed " is a most 
important part of a machine. Upon its accu¬ 
racy depends regularity, strength, evenness 
and perfection of istitch. The vital fault has 
been, heretofore, that the under-ply, moving 
faster than the upper, because of the pressar- 
foot holding back, while the feed is moving for¬ 
ward the fabric, both ends of the goods would 
never oome out evenly, and the under-ply had, 
Vertical Feed-Bar, (which comes down on the 
goods close behind the needle,) by means of a 
lever connecting the two and also with the needle 
bar, so that at the time the needle has reached 
its lowest point the full pressure is trans¬ 
mitted to the feed-bar; and at which time 
the needle-bar and feed-bar are both moved, 
laterally, the desired length of a stitch, both 
moving iu unison at their highest and lowest 
points; thus the presser-foot is always raised 
from the fabric when the feed takes place, 
thereby presenting no resistance to seainB or 
ridges whde feeding. 
The needle being in the fabric, moving with the 
Vertical-feed with its full pressure on the goods, 
renders the feed sure and strong and the stitch 
uniform in length. 
The needle being in the goods at the time the 
feed takes place, renders it impossible to full 
one pioce wile the other is stretched. The Ver¬ 
tical feed-bar being behind the needle, renders 
it capable of sowing elastic goods, making a 
smooth and flexible seam with 3titch alike on 
both Bides, thus enabling the sewing of any num¬ 
ber of thicknesses without basting, and operat¬ 
ing with equal facility on the heaviest as well as 
the lightest, fabrics. 
The samples of work we have seen are really 
handsome and free from the objections common 
in machine work. 
Tills “ feed ” is exclusively applied to the ma¬ 
chines made by the Davis 8. M. Company, Wa¬ 
tertown, N. Y., who make the Davis machine. 
There are a number of minor improvement* not 
found in other machines, which, altogether, go 
to make a sewing machine that is most desirable. 
Samples of work, pamphlets and information as 
to details will be gratuitously supplied by the 
company. 
reflection that the land is boiug made easier to 
hoe. On snch soils as have been named, and to 
a reasonable extent, this is a cheaper way to ob¬ 
tain tho food of plants, than in the form of yard 
manure or commercial fertilizers. In fact, the 
two last methods should never be employed, 
until the first has been carried to its utmost ex¬ 
tent, or only in connection with the practice of 
the first. He who expends money to supply the 
land with manure in any form, and then neglects 
its tillage, does not regard good husbandry, or 
business principles, but exponds oapital without 
proper effort to enable it to produce paying re¬ 
sults. 
Tillage means fertility, it means increased 
crops, regard being had to both the soil and to 
mauurial substances applied to it. And the 
farmer who most thoroughly aud judioiously 
tills his fields will, other things being equal, 
Beoure the largest returns aud the highest per 
A NEW PLOW METAL 
The amount of thought and well directed ex¬ 
periment devoted to the improvement of plows 
has simplified and improved the work of plow¬ 
ing to an extent that surpasses reasonable expec¬ 
tations even. While the form of the plow has 
beeu modified in as many different degrees, as 
there were colors in Joseph’s coat, it is in the 
metal used that the greatest Improvement 
is noted. A new combination or metals, 
which in their fused state have been christened 
" Diamond " by the founders, Messrs. Lawrence 
& Chapin, Kalamazoo, Mich., is a valuable im¬ 
provement. Steel, wrought irou and cold-blast 
oharcool cast-iron are fused by a process ana- 
