162 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
May 
welding several parts together; this will prevent the 
interruption occasioned to the passage of electricity 
through links or loose joints. [In some instances we 
have heard of the parts of the rods being so made that 
one would screw- into the other, making the connection 
more perfect than it otherwise could be.—E ds.] 
2. file points of the rod above should be gilt, since 
the conducting power of iron is impaired by oxidation. 
3. The rod should descend into the ground far enough 
to be always in contact with moist earth. This depth 
will vary in different places. In some places five feet 
will be sufficient; in others six or seven will be required; 
and in soils particularly dry, it may be prudent in the 
season of thunder-storms, to connect the bottom of the 
rod (by means of a chain or the rod continued,) with a 
well or vein of water. The chain or rod may be in¬ 
closed in some substance, or be painted w r ith a thick 
coat of lamp-black to keep it from from rusting. When 
the bottom of the rod terminates in the ground, it may 
branch off in several directions. 
4. The height of the rod above the building should 
be regulated on this principle;, that a lightning rod will 
protect a space in every direction from it, of twice its 
length above the building. 
5. The rod should be fastened to the house by wood¬ 
en in preference to iron stays; for though electricity 
takes the shortest route, yet in case the rod were im¬ 
perfect, the passage of the fluid into the building would 
be favored by iron bolts. [We have seen blocks of 
wood used for fastening the rods to the building; in 
some instances, thimbles or cylinders of glass, or horn, 
have been inserted in the blocks for the rods to pass 
through. It is argued that, as the glass and horn are 
non-conductors of electricity, the fluid is not liable to 
be led into the building at the points where the i*ods are 
attached, but by leaving the rod insolated, allows the 
electricity to pass downward without interruption.— 
Eds.] 
6. The kitchen chimney, being that alone in which a 
fire is usually kept during the summer, requires to be 
especially protected. 
7. Paint made of lamp-black is best suited to light¬ 
ning rods, this substance being a better conductor than 
other kinds of paint. 
In addition to the remarks of Prof. Olmstead, it 
may be proper to call attention to some essential par¬ 
ticulars. It should be remembered that the attractive 
power of the rod only extends through a certain space, 
which, according to Prof. O.’s calculations, is twice 
the length which the rod projects above the building. 
A sufficient number of rods must therefore be provided 
to protect the whole surface of the building. 
Practical electricians state that during thunder storms, 
there are three different discharges of lightning; “ from 
the earth to the clouds; from the clouds to the earth; 
and through the atmosphere from one cloud to another.” 
The latter discharges are said to be more frequent than 
any others, and often take the earth in their course. 
They were formerly called “ rebounding strokes of light¬ 
ning.” 
“ To meet these various discharges of lightning,” 
says an anonymous writer in the New England Farmer, 
u we must have conductors armed at all parts; that is, 
they should present in all directions, an attracting in¬ 
fluence, by which the electric fluid may be discharged 
gradually and silently, without an explosion. The ex¬ 
plosion prevented, all harm is prevented. This at¬ 
tracting or receiving power, as it is more properly 
termed, depends on the points; hence the greater the 
number of points and sharp and rough corners, the 
greater the protecting power. Conductors should not 
only be armed with these numerous points, and should 
be pointed to the ground, but they should be placed on 
the most exposed parts of the building.” If these rules 
are correct, and they certainly correspond with our ob¬ 
servation, it follows that square rods, with jagged cor¬ 
ners, presenting numerous points, will afford to a build¬ 
ing much more protection than round rods. 
NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Graham’s American Monthly Magazine; George Graham, 
editor : published by G. R. Graham & Co., Philadelphia. 
We have received the May number of this beautiful 
literary work. The embellishments consist of a spirited 
and elegant picture illustrating a dance of Mandan 
women ; a picture of the “ Lover’s Leap,” on the Chat¬ 
tahoochee river, Georgia ; and a “ Colored Flower”— 
the latter exceedingly beautiful, and in a style different 
from anything we have before seen. The contents em¬ 
brace several well-written articles by J. FennimorE 
Cooper, W. H. C. Hosmer*, S. D. Phelps, and others. 
The terms of this work are three dollars a year in ad¬ 
vance. 
Transactions of Rensseleaek County Agricultural Society 
for the year 1846. 
We are indebted to George Vail, Esq., for a copy 
of the above pamphlet, which embraces 106 pages of 
interesting matter in reference to the operations of this 
Society for the past year, including the able addresses of 
Gould & Vail —the former delivered at the last show 
of the Society, and the latter at the last annual meeting 
in February. This Society is constantly gaining friends 
and influence, and few associations are doing more than 
this for the advancement of the public good. 
The American Journal of Insanity, edited by the officers of the 
New-York State Lunatic Asylum, Utica. 
The present is the third volume of this valuable pub¬ 
lication, which we hope is extensively read, as it is cal 
culated to be very beneficial by giving information in re¬ 
gard to the proper modes of treating insanity. It is 
published quarterly at one dollar per annum. 
A Book for every Farmer : The American Veterinarian, or 
Diseases of Domestic Animals,.shoeing the Causes, Symptoms, 
and Remedies, and Rules for Restoring and Preserving Health ; 
with directions for Breeding and Training; by S. W. Cole, edi¬ 
tor of the Agricultural Department of the Boston Cultivator, &c. . 
Boston. John P. Jewett & Co. 
This will be found a useful book. It has one advan¬ 
tage over any other of the kind which has appeared here, 
that is, it speaks of diseases under the names by which 
they are known in this country, and the remedies pre¬ 
scribed are generally within the reach of every farmer, 
and may frequently be had on his own farm. This is 
quite a convenience, to say nothing of the saving in a 
pecuniary view. We recommend the work, and second 
the suggestion that it should be in the possession not only 
of farmers, but of every one who keeps a “horse, 
cow, sheep, pig, dog, or a few fowls.” A few copies 
have been left for sale at our office, at fifty cents each 
It is very neatly printed, and well bound. 
The English Spelling Book : designed to teach Orthography and 
Orthoepy, with a critical Analysis of the Language, and a Clas¬ 
sification of its Elements on a new plan ; with appropriate Les¬ 
sons for the Instruction and Improvement of the Young : by the 
American Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. New- 
York. Leavitt, Trow & Co. 
This book appears to be the first of a series, which it 
is designed to publish, under the direction of the Execu¬ 
tive Committee of the American Society for the Diffusion 
of Useful Knowledge. From a brief examination of it, 
we are inclined to think it is well calculated for its ob¬ 
ject. We think the analysis and classification of lan¬ 
guage will be found very useful. 
Pork Business in Cincinnati. —Over 3000 hogs 
were cut and packed by a single pork house in Cincinna¬ 
ti, in three consecutive days, the past winter. 
