The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-04-03

and labOa will be saved, as a stove pol
ished with this mixture will remain
bright long time. It should be ap-
piled when the stove is nearly cold, and
with a dry brush rubbed until it Is dry
and shining.
LUNAR SoLITUDE.-It is argued by
Prof. Proctor and other eminent astron-
Omers that the moon is uninhabitable
because it has no atmosphere to sustain
human or brute life; and that it has no
atmosphere because its valleys, as seen
through the telescope, are absolutely
dark when the mountains shade them
from the sun, instead of being lighted
like ours by atmospheric refraction, and
because stars becomes invisible upon
reaching the planets apparent disk.
To KEEP PoTAToEs FROM SPRoUTING.
To prevent the termination of pota-
toes in winter stores, it is recommended
to expose them to the vapor of sulphu-
rOus acid, which is simply the fumes of
burning sulphur. If not entirely effect
nal in accomplishing the object, it will
at least retard or modify the sprouting
to such an extent as to render the iDju-
ry caused thereby very slight. The fla
vor of the potato is not affected in the
least by this treatment, nor is its vitali-
ty diminished, the action being simply
to retard or prevent the formation and
growth of the eyes.
How TO Bon EGGs.-Put the required
number of eggs into q saucepan, con-
tanning boiling water sufficient TO cover
them, and put it lii a place on the range
where u will keep boiling hot, but not
boil. Let them stand seven minutes.
When taken mp they will be found
thickly and deliciously jellied through
out, and perfectly digestible. 1t is a
much better and more certain way than
boiling them. Another method is, to
let them boil gently for thirty minutes.
This is an excellent plan for persons
like hard boiled eggs, or for invalids,
aS eggs cooked for this length of time
can be easily digested by the most deli
cate stOmachs.
CURRANTs.- old red dutch and
white dutch are good sorts, and under
the best culture and proper pruning,
will be five times as large as when grow
ing neglected in grass A fine appear
ance is made on the table with cherry
and white grape currants mixed, the
cherry being often half an inch in
diameter 1--WE have measured the berries
five-eighths), and the white grape
nearly as large. The Versailles closely
resembles the cherry, and both possess
the desirably quality of hanging long
on the bush, during which time the
flavor improves and they become less
acid. Victoria and Prince Albert are
valuable for their Iateness. ANY good
garden soil is suitable for currants,
which should be kept clean and Guilt
waited, and old wood pruned out and
thrifty shoots left.
RAT POIsoS.-The following method
of preparing poison for rats is said to be
more effectual than moistening grain
with a solution of strychnine Make q
clear solution of arsenite of potash, by
boiling in n large iron kettle one part of
white arsenic, one of carbonate of pot
ash, aud twenty-five of water, stirring
the whole well together; add % parts
of water, and introduce, while warm, 80
parts of barley, wheat or oats, stirring
frequently during % to SO hours then
heat the grain and stir it with paddle
until it appears dry externally. For
use in the house it may be advisable to
color the grain by adding 1900 parts of
liquid fuchsin. Clean the kettle after
use by securing with lime. In most
NANlCEs llOMCNOIs lLG dAbCLlllC VI DOidSu
can be obtained ready made, and thus
the trouble and danger of preparation
is saved.
PERMANENT GRAss.-Water meadows
are amongst the most productive of per-
mane1t grass lands. But the manage
ment of water meadows is very fire.
quently iniudicious. No cattle should
be allowed upon an irrigated meadow,
nor should the water be permitted to run
continually over one-spot. A meadow
thus treated very soon becomes a mo-
rass, and is then spoiled. A dressing
of bone-dust is remarkably beneficial
to water meadows, greatly thickening
the grass and improving the quality of
the hay. An application of plaster the
next year still further improves the
meadow. AS soon as the hay becomes
inferior in quality and decreases in
in quantity it is restored by n repetition
of this treatment. The opportunities
for making water meadows are frequent,
and as their value becomes appreciated
they will become much more common
than they now are.
DRIED BLOOD AS FERTILIzER.-Th
process of granulating the blood of
hogs, to be used as a fertilizer, is be-
coming business OF considerable i'm
portance in connection with the pork
packing establishments of the west. 1t
is cooked and dried to black powder,
and is in fine grains. The blood of a
hog is worth for this purpose about
three cents before it is prepared. One
establishment in Wisconsin, which uses
up five thousand swine per day, receives
for the blood alone one hundred and
Gffvr Inllnrg Tho 60 10
tire season must equal a handsome for
tune. 1t is gratifying to learn that
waste substances, which were formerly
suffered to become n nuisance, are row
made to yield a revenue, instead of be-
ing allowed to spread disease and suf-
fering over a community. We have
never used any commercial fertilizer
which left its mark so plainly written
as fresh blood from a hog slaughtered
on a moving field.