Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-10-05

great change il has effected on the face of the
country, and the complete revolution it has
made in the whole farming practice, we can
not be too thankful to Mr.. Smith, of Dean
ston, the author of it''
Tea in South Carolina A correspondent
of the New York Herald, writing from Green
vile, South Carolina, says:
The very first person met in this place
was the somewhat celebrated Junius Smith,
the originator of Atlantic steam navigation.
He IS now seventy years old, and as active as
boy. He has bought plantation here. and
has planted it with tea. As the first tea plant
er, and the experiment in the United States
will possess some interest, will devote my
next letter to the subject. merely saying now
that the tea plant has been introduced into
this region with success, and have no doubt
will prove OF as great advantage as the cotton
plant has been.'' "
Facts tn the Gro,vth of Plants-We make
the following interesting scientific extract
from papers prepared by Judge Meigs, to be
read before the Farmers Club of the Ameri-
can Institute
Silica, from a Greek word signitying peb
bic, is the characteristic ingredient of a varie-
ty OF sIllceous minerals, among which rock
crystal, quartz, chalcedony, and flint, may be
deemed nearly pure silica. Rock crystal heat
ed red hot and then quenched with water, be-
comes friable and Opaque. Reduce this to
powder, and we have one form OF the pure
silica. In this state it is insolube in water.
But when melted with three parts of carbonate
v of potash, it forms glass, which is soluble
in water. From this solution formerly called
liquor of flints,) the concentrated acids throw
down the silica in the form Of a gelatinous
hydrate. Silica presents another very remark
able character. which is, that if we reverse the
above proportions, and fuse together a mixture
of one part of carbonate of potash and three
parts of pulverized rock crystal or OF calclned
flint, we then obtain a transparent fusible
compound insoluble in water-slmply glass.
CHOW, plants use silica more especially for
the external coats of their stem. fruits, shells,
sc. Straw is beautifully coated with the
crystal. BY close observation, it will be seen
that by the various motions of the straw, from
winds or other causes, the crystal surface 5
broken into minute rings. This is observable
more especially in wheat straw and on rattan.
The rings are larger or smaller in proportion
10 the forces which have bent or twisted the
stems during their existence in the field.
Silica has been dissolved by heat and
steam. and thus carried up as a vapor, and then
fallen like hoar frost. Plants, besides this
power of using crystal 10 cover their stems.
fruits, nuts, petals, Gas in the flower g Eter'
nal,'O also use the metals to color their flow
ers. We initiate the flowers in our stained
glass, as seen in our churches. Violets have
been subjected 10 chemical anal ysis, and found
to contain gold. The analogy between the
art IF i.,b1 in III
metals, and the power of vegetables 10 eabo
rate their colors from metals, is wonderfully
striking"
Raising Of CGlves best method O.
raising calves, we think, is TO do so by hand
If taken from the cow as soon as dropped
there will be no difficulty in teaching it TO eat
Loblolly, made of half pint of corn meal ant
pint of new milk, given TO it about three
times day, will be sufficient 10 keep it. II il
the easiest thing imaginable TO teach the cal
TO suck up lis food -; by simply pressing III
head into the pan containing the mixture, will
one hand, and inserting the re-fnger Of thu
- other into lis mouth, it will instinctively sucl
up its beverage. If it is desirable TO husban,
your milk, you may begin to decrease tn
e, quantity which you add 10 your loblolly. wheI
~ the calf is about three weeks old, putting il
oil
"a bly, forgets its taste altogether. When thu
T. calf is six weeks old you may turn it out in
81 grass lot; but if You desire 10 push its growth
- continue It's lobolly twice day; by doing 81
Ne you will increase its size fully one-third.
y Use Of Guano.-The Rockville (Md.) Jour
=. nal says Several hundred tons of Peruvian
- - guano have already been brought into thi
Is county for present use. The statement W
"a made some time since, of from four to fv
no hundred tons, will fall short of the quantit
~ that will be used besides this, other fertili
~ zers have been literally ordered. This ncreas
or every year, in the use of guano and other i'm
10 proving substances in this county, shows tina
~ healthy state of feeling exists here upon tn
n subject of improvement In a few years more
= we have not doubt that Montgomery will b
classed among the most fertile and productiv
counties of the State.
~ Cofton'-The Huntsville (Texas) Banne
,g says:
o at is now reduced TO a certainty that tn
~, cotton crop of this Stale is 10 be taken by tn
y worms. They have probably appeared in ev
re- cry section of the country by this time. Al
az the crops upon the Trinity below this, wer
- destroyed last week; so were also the crop
nd on Lake Creek, and in the neighborhood o
io Montgomery. The worms did not max
1o their appearance in this county until few
~ days ago. They have by this time fnishe
ID the work of destruction here.''
If An editor off toward sunset has fallen int
cd the hands of the Philistines, and breaks fortl
d, In the following heart Coving appeal Per
4 leys Pic Mic.
Sheriff snare I'll at DreSc