The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-07-09

cylinder saw order.
SQUIRRELS IN A Hollow TREE. "A
correspondent of Hardwick's Science,
Gossip states that a hollow tree was cut
down in Kent, last February, when ont
tumbled upwards Of thirty squirrels,
most Of which were dormant or in a
state of semi-slcep. On being reused,
they dispersed TO various parts Of the
cOpee. They had stored n large stock
Of nuts in the hollow. II is common to
find squirrels thus slowed away for the
winter, but not often in such numbers
together.
ALLoY RESEMBLING SrEEL.-An al
10y with the properties Of steel may be
formed, according to n French patent,
by fuBing together iron, tungsten and
nickel, in a crucible, by the aid Of a lux
prepared by melting together 3G parts
Of boracic acid, 80 of calcined quartz
and 30 Of carbonate of lime. For the
first quality Of alloy % per cent, of
iron, 7 Of tungsten and of nickel are
employed for the second quality, %
per cent. Of soft iron, 1 of tungsten
aud half of nickel for the third
quality, " per cent. Of soft iron, 2 Of
tungsten and of nickel.
TCRrENrISE. Venice turpentinc is
obtained from the larch, and is said to
be obtained in peculiar sacs in the up
per part of the stem, and to be obtained
by puncturing them. 1t is II ropy Ii
quid, cOlorlcss, or brownish green, hay
ing II somewhat unpleasant odor and
bitter taste. Oil Of turpentine is the
most plentiful and useful Of oils, 1t is
obtained in this country from n species
of pine very plentiful in the CaroIinas,
Georgia and Alabama. The tree Is
known as the long lcaved pine (pihuus
hUSiraijS), and il found only where the
original forest has not been removed,
MErmYL VIOLET OS WooL. For 10
pounds Of wool boil / ounce Of metLyl
violet in n soap bath prepared by boil
ing pound Of washing soap, and dye
the articles at ljS degrees. TO produce
II bIucr shade, first dye III II bath of
mcthyl violet alone, NJ lao deg to ljS
deg, and then boil for hour in Il soap
bath Of pound Of soap. The wool,
however, in this case must be dyed a
few shades darker, since the soap bath
renders the color lighter. The color
obtained in this way il toIerably pure,
and very lively. A desired shade may
be produced by boiling the wool for
hour in Il bath of 3 pounds of Chambers
salt, pound OF sulphuric acid and |
ounce of methyI violet,
REPRESENTATIONS or PmoTOGKAPuS. A
simple invention for the preservation Of
cards, photographs, etc, from injury by
moisture or dirt consists Of II prepare
ton of gutta- pcrCha in solution. The
liquid il thrown, in II very fine spray,
over the article by an atomiHer. When
the liquid has in part evapOratcd, which
it soon does, it leaves the object cOnted
over with a thin, translucent film, I'M
pcryious TO water. The gutta- perchn
should first be purified, amt it then is
soluble in chlOrOform or ether. The
process of dissolving the gum is in it.
self purifying. A drawing or photo.
graph protected by this film can be
washed with safety. The preparation
soitcns at II temperature Of $50 degrees
l'ahr., but to this only Il rare accident
would subject it.
TRAVELLING ON THE FAKM.-Did any
of your readers ever think OF the amount
Of travel it takes TO raise II crop OF corn
| never saw nm illustration in print, aud
| Thought | would give you one. | have
n twenty acre field, forty by eighty rods.
70 break this up would take one hun.
bred and sixty-six miles; narrowing it,
about forty miles furrowing ont, nine
~ miles planting, forty-iiye miles, if
with n planter, and if dropped and then
covered, ninety miles and for each
blowing of two furrows in n row, ninety
miles, or five plowingS, four hundred
and fifty miles. Thus you will see it
takes about eight or nine hundred miles
of travel to raise twenty acres Of corn,
not counting going to aud returning
from the field. Besides, there IL re-
planting, thinning, rolling, etc.-Mdi
ana Formcr.
The FisHlNG FROG.-Writers ON ma
tural history describe IL hideous reptile,
known as the fishing frog, which angles
for lts game as expertly and with as
great success M the most adrOit ny-
fisher. lie il a clumsy, awkward swim
mor, but nature has compensated him
for his unwieldincss by furnishing him
with an equivalent for a rod and line,
with bait always ready for use. Two
elongated tentaclesspring from his nose,
which taper away like actual fishing
rods. To the end Of them il attached
by n slender iilament, which serves the
purpose Of II line, n bait in the form of
II shiny bit of membrane. The hooks
are set in the mouth of the fisherman
below, and in order to induce the fish
to venture within reach of them, the
angler stlrs up the mud Mt the bottom
with his fins and tail. This a]ttracts the
fish and conceals him from their obscr-
walton. He then plies his rod the gilt
tcrlng bait CLOVIS in the water like n liy-
ing insect. The da2ed fish are taken in
great numbers, perfectly circumventcd
by the trick of the crafty angler.
AN ~UNFORrUNATE ISLAND. Some
months ago, the little Island of Niccros,
IN the Grccian Archipelago, was shaken
by a series of earthquakes, which did
much damage, aud eliminated in the
bursting of the highest peak on the
island, and the discharge of n flood of
steam and boiling water, which threat
ened to inundate the whole island and
destroy every living thing on it. The
mountain, however, suddenly ceased to
boil over, and it was hoped for Il time
there would be no recurrence of the I'M
pleasant phenomena. But, the other
day, the mountain resumed its horrid
%belching, emitting such volumes of
scalding water that existence on the
island has become almost intolerable.
The ground is convulsed with earth.