The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-12-05
AQnarla.
A DELIGHTFUL HONE ENTERTAINMENT.

rtuHtiSH-coDverted by nv own expert.
ments in the really delightful science, which
experiments have SO far been conducted with
less than a dollars expense. I have made
my own te' porary tank, peopled with liv.
ing things of my own collecting, and con
Quoted my experiments with no other in.
structions than those incidentally pick cd up
by observations and miscellaneous read
ing. My aquarium has become such a
source of unfailing instruction to myself and
to certain bona Jife residents" Of my domi-
cIllitry territory" that from pure graft
tude and good will, | dc sire to provoke 9TH
ers to establish similar domestic muse
um." can assure your readers that certain
intelligent young persons who call me by
pleasant names, desire no entertainment or
recreation SO much as houi or two Of
observation and conversation upon the ma
turc. habits, &C., of the inhabitants of my
imdroviscd aquarium 1t is source of in
terest and delight to both sexes and all ages,
and Is comparatively inexpensive even
when properly constructed aquarium is
purchased OF the maker. Let me then, give
my experience TO your readers, or at least
coun'cl>, founded on my experience, how to
begin aqddriuHist"g economically. When
some practice has been attained, no family
that can afford it Will long delay the pur-
chase of proper tank for a permanent
aquarium.
BUTT is not with purchasing that am at
present concerned. l seek TO promote only
the tIste iOr this study The squore form
l. decid dly the best for an aquarium; that
i having four pePeadicutar sides. This
4 form iavOgS touch c.user observation Of the
+ c c'ltents, and would recommend every pur-
/ chaser 10 select IT. But any form will do
. FOR initiation. Take "A common glass vase
/ or globe, such a one as l. used for gold fish
3 place therein two or three pieces OF rock, one
: OF which should rise little above the sur
face o. the water, 50 as to allow amphibious
creatures 10 rest there occasionally. Obtain
small root ef any water plant, plenty of
winch may be found N any pond or brook,
whjcl fix carefully, spreading the roots out
on the bottom oi the vase, supplying suf-
fgirnt ci The soil to give it neurIshuent.-
Then cover over with pebbles 10 the depth
Of two or three inches. \ little sand sprin-
kled upon these, is, think, an Improvement
The sand, pebbles, and rocks must be well
washed before belEg put INTO the vase. |
ain speaking now Of a freSh-wa aquarium
and would say that there are water plants
that do not require thus to be rooted bat
draw their lille from the water alone in
; winch tuev float They are the best for the
purpose wuen they can be procured. The
others VIII do however, very well, as IL
ih,y are carefully pl ed, with not too
much sol, and the root is well covered with
bebbleS aud sand, the water will not be
made turb.d, or at least only the frs; sup
ply.
The arrangements completed fill your
vase wit!, water, say to three -fOurths lis
d0pth. And, to complete these hints in
reference TO the mechanical par; of the bu-
Siuess. let me add that. until your plant
i has -rown sufficiently to develop oxygen
enough, winch may be three or four weeks
or more. the water in the vase should be re
E nvweC once or twice 4 week according as
IT'S purity or impurity suggests. This is
costly done. Obtain about foot and
hail. or Two feet according to the dcpth of
your vase, OF sutta percnn tuS'u-, or wnICn
make IA cyphon, which every one knows
nnw to use. You may always have some
water at the bottom. In rcp'enishng, it is
best 10 small garden watering can, as
thc water is thus largely oxygcnated while
being poured in And IL, with a small syr-
iugr, YOU every other day dray out little
water and force in the same quan,ity-say
. the syrauge twice iiiled--the water will be
aeratcd, and require changing less frequent
ly.
From tins point commences the real in
pie this glass house. You must avoid the
/ common error of cyercrowding it. What
. :. technically call9i tenement houses" are
+ not favorable to life and health. Your vase
residence is small, and your means of ven
+ tillatiOn-of obtaining OXygen-imperiect
/ until your plant is iuilgrown. First, you
viii want some inmates who will keep the
house clean. The freSh-~ater snail is your
sclcCngGr. Obtain half dozen Of these
/ Take piece of whalebone or small wire, a
/ pice ot thin muslin or musquito net, and
stick, and make a small land ny net such as
anglers u-c; very small one " II answer
/ every purpose. At this season water r-snaiis
ara abundant In gny brook or pond, the
. latter especially, where dead leaves have tai
len, YOU will find scores of these little black
/ >hrled h,u>e-ceaners and scayengers -
Push your landing net under the leaves and
bring them up. Some snaiis will be in your
net: some still cling 20 the leaves And
7 supply yourself just now white you can, so
T that il you make another aquarium, or pur-
Jhase larger one, you have your scaven-
/ gers ready. Your reserved stock may be
/ kept in IA wide neckcd bottle, with water
and two or three dead leaves. renewing the
I water a. often as required.
/ insignificant or eAen unsght'y as snails
/ may seem at first, they will not have been
/ III their new house, uuder your observation
] more than an hour or two, before they Will
excite your wonder and admiration. Here
/ is one travelling on the side OF the vase IT
( sal 5 along ike ship in Il calm sea 4; 1t seems
/ To adhere TO the ass, yet it is ever moving
/ forward, without sign of motion. Here Is
another afioat, which might have suggested
the idea on which n new steamer is being
! built in England for which the speed is fix
( d at Thirty miles an hour, the principal OF
which is that the bulk and weight are be-
! low the water line; it floats shell downward
! and the body is perfectly formed b. at, the
gunwales of which are level with the sur.
face of the water. How gracefully and light.
/ ly it floats! Touch it gently, and it takes
! in sail in other words retires into its shell,
but still floats. Renew the alarm by SER
/ ond touch, and it falls. suddenly as leaden
ball, TO the bottom of the vase. Watch it
now. For awhile it shows no signs of life.
All. there protrHd,s orc Of its white anter-
nae; now a second; then the creature paus-
es 1t is waiting to see if the danger is pas.
! Now the little cbon mountain moves. But
your new acquaintance is more inclined to
swim than creep, so he turns over on his
back, readjusts his bont, and, buoyant as
cork, comes again to the surface.
You have been again to the brook and
have brought home-what? o, nIthtng
but a horrible tadpolc! Nothing and horri-
BILE, is.it? Wait awhile. Put it into tum.
bier of water for an hour or two, that II
may seour itself, as anglers put worms in
sand Now put it in your aquarium. 1t is
now horrible now. Watch it for few days.
How vivacious, aud what antics it plays!-
At length it becomes comparatively sedate.
See it is undergoing change. pair of
limbs are protrudins from below its shoul-
ders The body IS now semi Transporter
and day by day you can see the process by
which is evolved new creature, with dlf-