Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-10-30

VALUE OF WEEDS TO WATER "A late num-
Der OF the London AgricuI,urlst has comuu-
ncation from the famous farmer, Mr. j. j.
Mech, wherein that gentleman takes the groul d
that weeds are water purifiers, aad relates OF a
stream ot twenty live gallons per minute of
pure water trom drain sunk into his pond
whlch he cut twelve feet deep thirty years
ago; that weeds grow and thrive 10 the ponds,
aud he has annually to rake out large quaDt-
ties OF them They look, he remarks, very
beautiful as they grow 10 the peucid water,
which Is used for household purposes A visi.
Tor said to him one day that il his pond had a
pair of swans 10 il, it ruId be- free of weeds,
aoa airicnd presented him with pair, aud very
soon they cleared the poEd, pulling the weeds
up by the roots and feeding ou them Mr.,
Mcchls family. tie says, were greatly delighted
with the graceful swans, and the removal of
the weedy obstructlons to boating, but although
the pond was tree OF weeds the water was
10 lougcr pure and pellucld, but decidedly mud.
dy 10 Taste, and when the steam issued from
TIE kettle, the smell of mud Was uDmistakable.
No one appeared to think it could be the
swans, but at last he came to the conclusion
aud despite family and other remonstrances re-
turDed them to their original ownar After
short period the weeds reappeared aud as they
'umcd its ciearness aud purity, and Richard
vas himself again. What the weeds do for
The water aud its occupants the land vegeta-
!l1n does for the air; men, animals and other
-Vlng creatures poison 1t, while veget alton alb
sorDS the II jnrlous gases, and reconv erts them
Into wholesome food for man and beast, filling
The atmosphere with that precious hydrogen
without which men and animals and other liy
log creatures could 10 longer exist. So it is In
the vast ocean, whose living occupants and
vegetation probably exceed in duautity that
which is OH laud We owe to the river vege-
tatlon much OF the purity of the water. 1t is
the excess Of impurities from our towns which
are beyond Its powers OF appropriation.
NINE OF DIAMONDS. " Farious reasons are
assigned to account for the Uine of diamonds
being called the curse of Scotland. First.
Mary, OF Lorraine, introduced the game Of CO.
mcte into Scotland, at which tho une of da-
moods is the winning card, and ruined many
Scottish courtiers thereby Second. Because
George Campbell, 10 the reign of Mary Stuart,
stole nine diamonds out of the Scottish crown
the whole OF Scotland was taxed for it, and the
card was called, 10 consequence, not ouy the
curse oi Scotani but said "Geh hrge Camp
tell. Third. James, Duke of York, is said
10 have Introduced the game into Scotland,
which by others is ascribed to Mary, Of Lor-
Eane. Fourth. The Nine Of Damosds Pope,
at Pope Joan, aud Scotch Prcshyterians gave
II tad name accordingly Fifth. Because
every ninth king Of Scotland was bad king,
ana diamonds representing royalty, the uine of
Ii,amoods was therefore stigmatizad Sixth.
because, according to false report, the Duke
OF Cumberland wrote a cruel order at Culodeu
Oh the back Of the card 10 question Seventh,
and lastly. The DaIrympc (Earlof Stair fami-
~ was family Of Whigs, to one of whom
Scotland owed the massacre of Glencoe, and to
another the defeat of the inrigues of the
quarts at the French court. The DalrympIes
'ore nlne lozenges (satircwise) in their coat Of
arms, bearing some resemblance to the nine of
diamonds, to which card the Scottish Jac,btes
al are sad to have given the name Of the Curse
ol Scotland, . in token of their hatred of name,
,I'c and OF the memory of Stair and Dalrym-
pe' What is wanted is the date at which the
Dasne Was first given.
a., telegram from Kingston, Jamaica. states
Inat the Cuban steamer Octava and her cargo
'; Gave been released from seizure by the British
",;o'eTnment aud surrendered TO their nrosnec-
live owuer 'A'' p'o'pe'-