The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-05-14
USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.

USEFUL KNOWLEDGE.
THE total number of strings in a
piano, when properly stretched to pro-
/ duce the right tones, exert a pull OF
over ten tons this explains why good
pianos must be durably and heavily
built.
DANGER OF USING CARBoLIC ACID. -
The veterinarian of the London Field,
in a long article on this subject, very
| properly holds that all accidents result
ing from the use Of carbolic acid in any
form are to be attributed entirely to
carlessness IN the preparation of the
acid IN the various mixtures made for
! the purpose Of destroying parasitic in
sec5s. Tho ecid in its pure form is. no
| doubt, poisonous, but the various prep
arations recommended by veterinarians
are harmless if made and used accord
| ing to directions. Farmers, as q class,
| are inclined to the use of strong reme-
! dies, and if a preparation of one fiftieth
part carbolic does good, they are
tempted to, and often do, try One-tenth
or more of the acid.
ACCORDING to French journal, straw
possesses certain properties which give
| to 1t positive value as a conductor of
| lightning. It had been observed that
straw had the quality of discharging
| Leyden jars without spark or explosion,
| and some one in the neighbOrhOOd of
! Tarbes conceived the idea of construct
| ing lightning conductors by fastening a
| wlsp or rope of straw to a deal stick by
| means OF brass wire, and Gaping the
conductor with a copper point. It is
! asserted that the experiment has been
tried on a large scale around Tarbes,
eighteen cOmmunes having been pro-
vIded with such straw conductors, only
one being erected for every sixty ar
pents, or seven hundred and fifty acres,
and that the whole region has thus
been preserved from the effects not only
of lightning, but of hail also.
In England and Wales, between 1851
and 1871, the number of males married
at the age of Is was, according to the
official statement, 35, 2O6; of females,
lO4, ,99S. There we're more marriages
at 20 than any other age-the number
of males at that age being 554, 124, and
of females, 500, ,317-tO these being
added 3, 57S and 5, 136 women married
a second time at that age. There were
IT cases in which the women were 40
years older than their husbands, and 80
cases in which the difference reached 60
years. The cases in which women have
married men very much older than
themselves were more numerous than
the converse. To every 100 English
married women between Is and So there
are born annually % children. In 1871
the number of marriages contracted was
100 112; ten years before the number
was 163, 7O6 The average duration of
married life IS stated as 25 years.
WHAT THE NATION DRINKS. i'm
ported brandies, wines, cOrdials, gin
and other spirits for the year ending
June 80, 1874 had a value, duty in
cluded, of $500, 900. They amounted, |
in all, to nearly 1900, 900 gallons. The
domestic distiller:es furnished in the |
same year 35, 900, 900 gallons to the !
trade. The brewers added 9,0OO,O 900 |
barrels or 30, 10000 gallons of malt |
liquors. The imported liquors cost the |
consumer abeut S12, 600, 600; the native
liquors cost him about 5000, 600, 900, |
and the malt liquors $500 600, 600 more,
a total of little more than S400, 600, goo,
or so to the head of the population.
But as the number of those who drink is
probably not more than 100000, the
amount for each is $50 per annum, $1.5O
a week, 25 cents a day as the average.
The sum looks large, bat ''natiOu of
drunkards" can not be made on25 cents
a day. Consequently some drinkers
must get more than their share.
PLANTING FOREST TREES. In answer
to an inquiry concerning the planting
sf forest trees-a subject which should
have attention now, before the demand
becomes imperative, as it surely viii
in the early future-the Country Gentle
man makes these suggestions: Wal |
nuts, hickory nuts, and acOrns should |
be planted as soon as gathered to insure |
perfect success in making them grow. |
If a small plat of mellow ground Is
prepared early, the nuts can be sOwn
when gathered, In drills four feet apart
and at least six inches apart in the row.
They must be kept free from weeds for
the first two years, when they should be
large enough to transplant. If no stock
is allowed to run at large, the strips of
land where they are to grow can be
fitted and the nuts planted where they
are to remain. In this case they should
be planted much thinner, and potatoes
can be grown on the strips for two or
three years. Walnut and hickory trees
are rather difficult to transplant with
success, especially if more than four or
five feet high. If the roots are not too
badly cut, and are not allowed to be ex
posed to the sun and wind, small trees
can be made to grow if care IS taken |
that no interstices ere allowed among |
the roots when replanted."