New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-03-22

/
France Within the last two years the greater por-
! ton has come to the United States
About 800 vessels are engaged in "sponging'D ana
| 1000 men find employment The several quantieS
are shipped under the names of sheep-wool' glove
| fine reef. velvet, yellow. and grass sponge iuo
| grounds from which the sponge Is TAKEN arc coo"
west and south of Nassau; tho hnest Dei"s '"No
from Williams Cav. Andres Island. These laSt are
mead for snrcical purposes and exported 10 the
! United States as Europe is supplied from 'he 'ioN
| terranean.
The sponge obtained at Absco IL exporter ="
| Franco, the same quality being found at hey
w tbo Amerioan market is supplied from the
latter place.
Brr11sH REPORT on PHYLIoxERA-The British
Government has lately published blue-book upon
tbe PkVllorTa rdstatrir or yine-louse insect en-
braong a letter from the British Minister IN Portu-
cal calling attention to the ravages OF the disease
and mentioning the action taken by the Govern
ment of Portugal toward the extIrpaton of the evil
The other documents presented are from the British
Consul at OportO, and numerous papers from the
French authorities DIR. Hooker, to whom the whole
subject was referred, informs the Government that
the ONLY really eecual remedy at present discovered
and one which, of course, be applied only par
tally is a complete flooding of the vineyards in
Winter. He also states that in many instances, on
the first symptoms of an attack the prompt destruc
ton of the plant burning it on the spot and the
subsequent treatment of the soil with Carbolic acid
will be of much Importance. 1t would appear that
vines of American species nave been less affected III
the Rhone district than the native varieties.
VALUE OF SEA-wEED MANURE.-It has long been
customary on the seacOast to use sea-weed lFucas
Lqminaria etc., for manure, its value for this pur
hoin OnaiN nv a 4
to stable manure. This applies. however, to sea-
weeds proper the eel-grass ZOsierd marina being of
a very different character, and, account of its
slow decomposition and different chemical cOmbina-
ton of much less value An especial feature OF the
true seaweeds consists in their large percentage OF
heterogeneous matter and in the great amount OF ash
one ANALYSIS giving for dry sea-weeds nearly per
cent of heterogeneous matter 70 of ceuose, and about
is of ash The amount of nitrogen proper may be
estimated at from II to 2per cent.
The principal objection to the use Of sea-weed
as a manure consists in its very small percentage
of phosphoric acid. This. however can be very
easily remedied by the addition OF some phosphate,
such as bOne-meal. In the large amount of pot
ash and gypsum it contains sea-weed serves adj
mirably as a dressing for grazing lands. 1t is
also worry well suited TO potatoes and other roots
tobacco flax and gTowths requiring good deal of
potash. Az an element in compost it is quito unri
vailed. owing 10 the readiness with which IT IS de-
composed and the intimate combination which it
enters into with other substances.
CARBouC ACID IN POUITRY H0USEs.-A writer in
The london Field strongly recommends the use Of
carboic acid for destroying insects in pigeon and
poultry houses asserting that it neither Injuries the
birds nor tends to drive them from their nests. He
uses il in the form of solution of two ounces OF
pyng this once a week through the aid of a water
ing pot, after the house has been carefully swept
out Besides the lice and acari that il destroys it is
also efficient in driving out 6eas. For the purpose
of expelling lice from the bodies Of pigeons. the
preferred method is said to be to mix one part of
Calverts liquid carbOlic acid with thirty parts OF
water, first mixing the acid with a very little
glycerine adding the water and shaking well before
use This is to be applied with a small brush TO the
roots of the feathers about the lower part of the
belly and around the vent where the greatest nun
Der of insects will always be found. This applica-
ton leaves no STAIN kills the vermn instantaneously
wherever il touches them. and two three applica
TONS at intervals Of a few days, sufficient to
make the foulest specimen thoroughly clean. The
writer also uses Calverts c9rbolic acid dsinfcctDg
powder busting 1t often over the bodies Of even the
young birds, without injury to them, and with
equally good results.
DRYING Up OF TIE Island OF SANTA CEUz-The
Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club contains a
suggestive paragraph III reference to the influence
of trees upon rain aud atmospheric moisture, as
shown by the experience of the island of Santa
Cruz in the West Indies. This island is said to have
been garden of freshness beauty and fertility 20
years ago it was covered with woods, trees were
everywhere abundant, and rains were prOfuse and
frequent. The recent visit of a gentleman who had
known the island in its PALMER days, revealed a
lamentabe change, oDe-fOurth of the island having
become an utter desert. The forests and trees had
been cut away, rainfalls had ceased, and the pro-
cess of desccatOn. beginning at one end of the
island, had advanced gradually and irresistbly
upon the land, until for seven miles it had become
dry and barren as the sea shore. Houses and plan
tations had been abandoned, and the advance of
desolation was watched by the people wholly I'M
able to prevent it, but knowing, almost to GER
tainty the time when their own habitatiOns their
gardens and fresh fields would be part of the
waste. Indeed, the whole island seems doomed 10
become desert. This sad result is owing entirely
according TO the belief of the inhabitants, TO the
destruction of the trees upon the island years
ago.
THE CUTTIE-FIsH AS AN ARTICLE OF FOOD.-Ac-
cording to Mr. Simmons the flesh of the large species
of cuttle-fsh was esteemed great decacy by the
ancients and at tie present time the natives of the
Polynesian Islands regard it with great favor as
food These fish frequently met with throughout
India and China, dried, and offered for sale In
Chilli they are also considered a decacy. and in
Barbadoes a species of lOlgO is often eaten. Mr.
Simmons, however, considers the flesh as tough. in
dgestble, innutritous, and uninviting. He further
states that there is extensive trade in species of
octopod in the waters of Tunis and that they
consumed largely during Lent, as coming under the
- A..l Il A.h 49,. -.