1848. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
93 
found them to be “ delicate, nourishing and wholesome, 
resembling in flavor sugared cream, or sweet-almond 
paste.” In Brazil, the abdomens of yellow ants are 
eaten by many persons. Humboldt states that in some 
of the South American countries, ants are mixed with 
resin, and eaten as a sauce. In Siam ants’ eggs are 
considered a luxury; they are sent to table curried, or 
rolled in green leaves, mingled with fine slices or shreds 
of fat pork. In Sweden, ants are distilled along with 
rye, to give a flavor to the inferior kinds of brandy. 
Chemists have ascertained that ants secrete a pleasant 
kind of vinegar, or a peculiar acid called formic acid. We 
derive these facts from an article on “Useful Insects 
and their Products,” in the Scottish Quarterly Journal 
of Agriculture. 
Grub-Eaters. -—In order to acquire that plumpness 
which is deemed in the East a beauty, the women of 
Arabia and Turkey swallow, every morning, three spe¬ 
cimens of a grub dug out of the filtjl of the garden and 
fried in butter. Turkish women cfiok and eat a cer¬ 
tain beetle in butter to fatten themselves. When an 
English traveller expressed his su/prise and disgust at 
some Arabs eating insects, the m<fn justly retorted that 
it was poor afiectation in a person who could swallow 
raw oysters. The first man that ever made the experi¬ 
ment of swallowing a raw oyster must have been a 
rare brave fellow; but while we thank him for introdu¬ 
cing us to this delicious mollusk, we may regret that 
he did not display his gastronomic courage upon cock¬ 
chafers, and other small short-horns. J. H. Fennell , 
in Scottish Quar. Jour. Jig. 
India Rubber Boat. —A correspondent wishes to 
know whether such an article has ever been used—its 
cost—and whether it could be had in the city of New- 
York. Perhaps our friend of the Spirit of the Times 
can answer. 
Method of distinguishing Iron from Steel.— 
Drop a little weak aquafortis on the metal ; let it re¬ 
main for a few minutes, and then wash it off with wa¬ 
ter. If it is steel, the spot will be black ; but if iron, 
the spot will be whitish grey. 
Creosote possesses the power of coagulating albu¬ 
men, and rendering all animal substances imputrescible. 
It is to this principle that smoke owes its powers in 
preserving meat. 
The Fig. —In countries where the fig is cultivated, 
certain species of gall-flies are made to assist in ripen¬ 
ing the fruit. “The fig consists of a pulp, containing 
a number of seed-like pericarps, inclosed in a rind. It 
has no visible flower, for the fruit rises immediately 
from the joints of the tree, in the form of little buds 
with a perforation at the end, but not opening or show¬ 
ing any thing like petals or the ordinary parts of fruc¬ 
tification. As the fig enlarges, the flower comes to 
maturity in its concealment; and in some countries the 
fruit is improved by a singular operation called capri 
fication. This is performed by suspending on threads 
above the cultivated figs, branches of the wild fig 
which are full of a species of gall-fly. When the in 
sect has become winged, it quits the wild figs, and pe 
netrates the cultivated figs for the purpose of laying its 
eggs; and thus it appears both to insure the fructifica¬ 
tion, by dispersing the pollen, and afterwards to hasten 
the ripening, by puncturing the pulp, and causing adis 
persion or circulation of the nutricious juices.”* A si¬ 
milar effect is sometimes accomplished by puncturing 
the figs with straws dipped in olive oil. 
Keeping Pumpkins. —Our friend Dr. Holmes, of the 
Maine Farmer , states that he had a pumpkin, of the 
growth of 1847, presented him on the fourth of July. 
It had been kept in a dry room where the temperature 
had not been below the freezing point. If the Doctor 
will get some seed of the “seven years” pumpkin 
and raise a lot of that variety, he will find it no rarity to 
have sound pumpkins on the fourth of July, or at any 
other time. We have frequently seen those that wer® 
four or five years old, and we cannot say how much 
longer they would keep. 
Fruitfulness.-— John Lewis, of Knox county, Ohio, 
says that in 1834, he set out a young apple-tree of the 
variety known by the name of Milam, and in 1846, 12 
years from the time of transplanting, it bore thirty-five 
measured bushels of apples. The Milam is a fine va¬ 
riety, cultivated in central and southern Ohio, of medi¬ 
um size, of a greenish color with dull red stripes, and 
of a mild sub-acid flavor. 
PRICES OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. 
New-York, Aug-. 14, 1848. 
FLOUR—Genesee per bbl. $5.37£a85.50—Ohio, $5a$5.12£ 
GRAIN-—Wheat, per bu., white Ohio SI (JG—red 91 cts.—Corn, 
round yellow, 68 c — White Virginia 61, cts.—Rye, 70a71c.—Oats, 
40n42e. dull. 
BUTTER—Orange County, per lb., 15a17c.—Western, dairy, 
llal2£ c. 
CHEESE—per lb., 5£a7c. 
PORK—Mess, per bbl., $11.37£a$l 1.50—Prime, $8.94a$9. 
HAMS—Smoked Western, per lb., 6a9c. 
LARD—in kegs, per lb., 7fa7|c. 
HEMP—American dew rotted, per ton, $135a$145. 
HOPS—First sort, per lb., 5c. 
COTTON—Upland and Florida, per lb., 5a7£c.-New Orleans aM 
Alabama, 5a8|c. 
WOOL—(Boston prices,) Aug 12. 
Prime or Saxon fleeces, washed per lb.. 42^45 ets. 
American full blood fleeces,. 38a40 “ 
“ half blood do . 30a32 “ 
“ one-fourth blood and common,. 28a29 “ 
There is little doing in salted provisions. Beef is heavy 
and without sales. There is fair inquiry for butter and cheese of 
good qualities The demand for flour and grain is moderate. Cot¬ 
ton is heavy. The wool trade is still dull, and sales light. 
TO SEEDSMEN AND NURSERYMEN. 
QRDKRS will be received by the undersigned for the purchasa 
^ and transmission of seeds, plants, shrubs and trees, from the 
most celebrated French Nurseries, on moderate terms and with des¬ 
patch. LIVINGSTON, WELLS & CO., 10 Wall-st. 
New-York, Sept. 1,1848.—2t. 
Vegetable svbatence* used the Arts. 
NURSERY OF J. J. THOMAS. 
Macedon, Wayne Co ., N- Y. 
T HIS Nursery now contains many thousand fine trees, of large, 
handsome, and thrifty growth, consisting of Apples, Pears, 
Peaches, Cherries, Apricots, &c., of the best standard sorts, as well 
as the finest only of new and newly introduced varieties; all of in¬ 
ferior merit being rejected; and in no case are any propagated for 
sale except those thoroughly proved in bearing. 
When purchasers desire, selections of the best for affording a re¬ 
gular succession of fruit through the season, will be made by the 
proprietor. 
A carefully assorted collection of hardy ornamental trees, shrubs, 
and herbaceous perennial plants, will be furnished at very moderate 
prices. 
Trees for canal and railroad conveyance, will be well packed in 
bundles, enclosed in strong mats, with the roots mudded and enca¬ 
sed in wet moss, so as perfectly to preclude all danger of injury. 
All communications, post-paid, to be directed Macedon,'Wayne 
Co., N. Y. __ 
TO WOOL GROWERS. 
T HAVE recently sold my flock of Paular Merino Sheep to A. H. 
Avery; who has on hand a number of young Paular Bucks for 
sale. Also, a few ram lambs, sired by a buck from the flock of J. 
A. Tainter Esq , imported from Europe in 1846. This Buck is of 
extraordinary size, and his first fleece—well washed and free from 
gum—weighed near 10 lbs. 
It is believed the lambs, from this splendid young buck, will ex¬ 
ceed in size and amount of wool, even those heavy fleeced Paular?, 
which I have heretofore sold. Orders addressed to A. II. Avery, 
Galway, Saratoga county, N. Y , will be promptly attended to. 
Aug. 1, 1848—It. R. A. AVERY. 
ASHES FOR SALE. 
T HE subscriber has on hand at his Soap and Candle Manufac¬ 
tory in Cabotville, situated a few rods from the Railroad, and 
a short distance from the Connecticut river, Six or Eight thousand 
bushels of Leached Ashes, mostly from hard wood, which are 
constantly accumulating, and which will be delivered on board a 
boat, or the cars, on reasonable terms—affording an excellent op¬ 
portunity for Long Island farmers, or others having access to rad- 
road or water communication, to improve their lands. For furth©i 
I particulars address 31. UTGELOW, 
| May 1, 184c— 6t. Cabotville, Masa 
