The Portland daily press., 1875-08-02

rigot names, as the flrst step in the right di-
rection, the properties and peculiarities of
the several plants can be attended to after
wards-although ordinarily they are already
ascertained, and may be found recorded in
the appropriate books of reference.
1t is only necessary to refer to single de-
partment in this wide field to show its i'm
portance, that of medical botany. tits of abso-
lutte Importance that farmer should become
familiar with all the roots and herbs growing
on his own ground which may be injurious
to his focks and herds, although some of
them may without doubt contain valuable
curative properties both for them and per-
haps for the members of his own house
hold.
A very little shallow ignorance here, fire.
quently leads to the loss of some valuable do
mestic animal, whose life might have been saw
ed by even the ordinary forethought of child.
Into the wide range of economic botany and
all its kindred departments, we do not pro-
pose to enter, our whole object is to avoid
all display of learning here, even if it were in
our possession. Let farmers rid themselves
of their fears of scientific botany, and they
will be quite willing to treat it as tangible
and practical subject, something that is part
and parcel of every day life.
We venture to say that every one who will
carefully lay aside samples of the various
grasses growing on his farm and nothing
more, will find that it will lead to the be-
ginning of an herbarium in his own house
hold, and it will not be an unnatural conse-
quence that the next generation will desire to
become acquainted with the scientific as well
as the every day name of those old Acquain-
tances with whom they have been so longliv-
ing in familiar ignorance.
Useful Receipts for the Shop, the House,
hold, and the Farm.
In hardening and tempering steel clean
charcoal, anthracite, or coked bituminous coal
fire is required; such as is fit for taking a
welding heat on iron is entirely unfit for hard
ening purposes. The sulphur contained in
the coal combines with the steel to form sui
phuret of iron, and ruins its texture.
The employment of cyanide of potassium
in electroplating and other arts often results
in painful ulcers on the hands of the work.
men. Protosulphate of iron in fine powder,
rubbed up with raw linseed oil, is the best
remedial application.
When cork gets pushed down into the
neck of bottle insert loop of strong twine
and engage the cork in any direction most
convenient. Then give strong pull, and the
cork will generally yield sufficiently to be
withdrawn.
In case finger ring becomes too tight to
pass the joint of the finger, the finger should
first be held in cold water, to reduce any
swelling or Inflammation. Then wrap rag,
soaked in hot water, around the ring, to ex-
pand the metal, and, lastly, soap the finger.
A needle threaded with strong silk can then
be passed between the ring and finger, and
silk, while sliding it around the periphery of
the ring, will readily remove the latter. An
other method is to pass a piece of sewing
silk under the ring, and wind the thread in
pretty close spiralS, and closely around the
finger to the end-that below the ring-and
begin unwinding.
The best mode of oiling belt is to take it
from the pulleys and immerse it in warm
solution of tallow and oil; after allowing it to
remain few moments the belt should be i'm
merSed in water heated to 1909 Fahrenheit,
and instantly removed. This will drive the
oil and tallow in, and at the same time prop
erly temper the leather.
A simple and usually successful mode of
extracting a needle or any piece of steel or
iron broken off in the flesh, is accomplished
by the application of simple pocket mag
net. An acquaintance of ours had little
daughter who recently broke needle off in
her hand. A surgeon was called, who made
several efforts to find the needle by probing
and incisioD, but without success. After the
surgeon had left, the mother conceived the
idea of frvinp MAGNET. Ona was nrOcured
and after one or two applications OF it, the
broken fragment of needle was discovered
attached 10 the magnet. This idea will be of
especial utility to workers in iron. Machine
shop surgery is not the most delicate nor
least painful, though men heroically undergo
il rather than stand e The d1a 10
in the eye, which defies almost every ordi-
nary means for their extraction. For their
removal, small blunt-pointed bar of steel,
well-magnetized, will be found excellent, and
we should recommend that workmen liaEle
to such injuries keep such an instrument
about them. 1t would be a good plan to in
sert such bar in a pen-knife, in manner
similar to a blade.
An easy method of breaking glass to any
required form is by making a small notch, by
means of file, ON the edge of piece of glass;
then make the end of a tobacco pipe, or a rod
Of iron about the same size, red hot in the
fire apply the hot iron to the notch, and
draw it slowly along the surface of the glass,
in any direction you please; crack will be
made in the glass and will follow the direc-
tion of the iron. Round glass bottles and
TASKS may be cut in the middle by wrapping
round them worsted thread dipped IN spir-
its of tnrpentine, and settingit on fire when
fastened on the glass.
To clean and restore the elasticity of cane
chair hOftnmc Turu tho chair
ward, and with hot water and sponge wash
the cane; work well, so that is well soaked;
should it be dirty, use soap; let it dry in the
air, and it will be as tight and as firm as new,
provided none of the canes are broken.
Guns and rifles may be easily cleaned from
lead by the following: If a muzzle-loader,
stop up the nipple or communication-hole
with little wax, or if a breech.loader insert
a cork in the breech rather tightly: next
pour some quicksilver into the barrel, and
put another cork in the muzzle, then proceed
to roll il up and down the barrel, shaking it
about for a few minutes. The mercury and
the lead will form an amalagam, and leave
the barrel as clean and free from lead as the
first day it came out of the shop. The same
quicksilver can be used repeatedly by strain.
ing it through wash-leather; for the lead will
be left behind in the leather, and the quick
silver will be again fit for use.
All light woods may be dyed by immersion.
A fine crimson is made as follows: Take one
pound of ground Brazil boil in three quarts
of water, add one-half ounce of cochineal, ,and
boil another half hour; may be improved by
washing the wood previously with one-haif
ounce saffron to one quart of water; the wood
should be pear wood or sycamore. Purple
satin: One pound logwood chips, soak in
three quarts of water, boil well an hour; add
four ounces pearl ash, two ounces powdered
indigo. Black may be produced by copperas,
and nut-galls, or by japaning with two coats
ofblack japan, after which, varnish or polish,
or use size and lampblack previous to laying
on japan. A blue satin: One pound of oil Of
vitrol put in a glass bottle with four ounces
indigo, lay on the same as black. fine
green: Three pints of the strongest vinegar,
four ounces be powdered virdigris, (poison)
one-half ounce sap green, one-half ounce in
digo. A bright yellow may be stained with |
aloes; the whole may be vanished or pol |
shed.
A good way to clean black kid gloves is to |
lake teaspoon of salad oil, drop few drops |