Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-01-28
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

CURIOUS FACTS. One of the great natu-
raj phenomena of the beehive is the massa-
creing of the drones. 1t was at one time
asserted that the worker-bees did not use
their stings against the stingless males, but
merely pushed them out to die This idea,
however, resulted from the massacre being
always committed at the bottom Of the hive.
whittier the poor drones retire in cluster in
July and August, as if aware of the doom
impending over them. AS usual, by one of
his ingenious expedients, Huber discovered
the truth. Six swarms were put on glass
tables, beneath which the watchers placed
themselves. "This contrivance," says HUI
Der, succeeded to admiration. On the 18th
Of July, we saw the workers. actually mas
saere the males, in the whole six swarms,
at the same hour, and with the same peculi-
%arities. The glass table was covered with
bees full Of animation, which few upon the
drones as they came from the bottom Of the
hive seized them by the antenue, the
limbs, and the wing, and after having drag
ged them about, so to speak, after quarter
ing them, they killed them by repeated
stings directed between the rings of the bel
ly. The moment that this formidable weap-
on reached them, was the last Of their exis-
tence-they stretched their wings and expir-
ed. At the same time, as if the workers did
not consider them as dead, as they appeared
to US, they still struck the sting so deep that
it could hardly be withdrawn; and these
bees we're obliged to turn round upon them
selves, with a screw,like motion, before the
stings could be disengaged. Next day, we
witnessed new scenes Of carnage. During
three hours, the bees f%uriously destroyed
the males. They had massacred all their
own on the preceding day, but now attacked
those which, driven from the neighboring
hives, had taken refuge among them. The
following days no drones remained in the
hives"
Why DO ANIMALS NEED SALT ?-Profes-
sor James r. johnson Of Scotland, says:
upward Of half the saline matter of blood
(57 per cent consists of common salt, and
this is partly discharged every day through
the skin and kidneys the necessity of con-
tinued supplies of it to the healthy body be-
m sufficiently obvious. The bile also
contains soda Gone Of the ingredients of salt)
as a special and Indispensable constituent,
and so do all the cartilages Of the body
Stint the supply of salt thereafter, and Meth
er will the bile be able to properly assist d.
gestion nor the cartilages to be built up
again as fast as they naturally waste. It is
better to place salt where stock can have
free access to it than to give it occasionally
in small quantities. They will help them
selves to what they need, if allowed to do so,
at pleasure; otherwise when they become
salt hungry they may take more than is
wholesome" ..as.
PLASTER AND ITS UsEs.-Plaster in the
different branches of science is known by
different names. In the arts it is plaster;
in mineralogy it is gypsum in chemistry it
is sulphate Of lime. Sulphuric acid has an
affinity for ammonia, and when it finds am
monia it breaks up its partnership with the
lime and combines with the ammonia, form
ing sulphate of ammonia, and this is nom
volatile. The lime finds a companion, when
deserted by the acid, in oarbonic acid, form
ing carbonate of lime.
Hence it will be seen that when the far
mer has ammonia in the soil, put there by
himself in manure, or in any other manner,
liable to waste, the plaster will fix it there,
and in all such cases it can be applied to the
ground with profit. The odor about stables
and manure heaps is escaping ammonia, and
the farmer can judiciously use a little plas-
ter in both places, saving the ammonia for
his land.
REMEDY FOR LocKJAw.-Says a writer in
the Scientific American.
Let any one who has an attack of lockjaw
take a small quantity of spirits of turpentine.
warm it and pour it on the wound-no mat
ter where the wound is, Or what its nature
is--and relief will follow in less than one
minute. Nothing better can be applied to q
severe cut or bruise than cold tuapentine it
will give certain relief almost instantly
Turpentine is also a sovereign remedy for
Group. Saturate a piece of flannel with it,
and place the flannel on the throat AMI chest,
and in very severe cases three to five drops
on a lump of sugar may be taken i~nwardly.
Every family should have a bottle of turpen-
tine on hand.
APPLE SNow.-Put twelve good, tart ap-
pies in cold water, and set them over the
fire f; when soft, drain the water, strip the
skins off the apples, core them, and lay them
in a deep dish. Beat the whites of twelve
eggs to a stiff froth put half a pound of
fnely-powdered white sugar to the apples;
beat them to a stiff froth. and add the beat
en- eggs. Beat the whole to a stiff snow
then turn into a desert dish.
DRIED Eaas.-The eggs must be beaten
to a uniform consistency and poured in thin
layers upon polished iron plates, which are
placed in a current of hot air the paste rap
idly dries, and must be packed in hermeti-
cally sealed cases. When required for use
the dried egg can be dissolved in cold water
and beaten to foam like fresh eggs, It is
said that eggs can be preserved for years in
this way, and that they retain their agreea-
bic flavor to the last.
SoALDED OATs.-An old farmer, says the
Ohio Farmer, claims that there is no feed
so good to keep animals in flesh during win
ter as scalded oats. For mares, COWS, and
sheep, that are to raise young, it is superior
to almost any other feed, as it not only puts
the animals in good condition to furnish
milk %abundantly, but the young at birth are
strong and active. Wheat bran is also an
excellent feed for breeding animals given in
the form of a mess.
FARMING WILL PAY.-Thousands who
have tried it find that farming pays-and
pays we'll for the labor. To get the best pay
in farming as in everything else. q man must
have brains and use them. Health, mus