The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-07-10
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.

TOPICS FOR THE FARM.
How to Wash Laces.-Cover half a
dozen wine or porter bottles with old
stockings, sewed on to fit as tightly as
possible. On these basic the soiled lace,
carefully catching down every tiny loop
10 the border. The work is tedious but
necessary. When the lace is fastened,
cover the bottle in hot suds made of fine
soap, and change the cooling suds to hot
still, put the bottle in the boiler, and let
it boil twoor three hours, bv which time
the lace will be quite clean. Set the
bottle in the air, and leave it till the
lace is nearly but not quite dry. Then
rip the lace of carefully, and press it in
q book for a lew hours. 1t will come
out spotless-not too white-and with
the almost imperceptible stiffness which
new lace has. Even point lace emerges
unscathed from this process. With half
a dozen bottles much lace can be
cleaned at once, and the lace can be
tackled on at odd minutes.
English Saddle HOrses.-The re-
quisite qualifications of an English
lady's saddle horse, according to the
Agricultural Gazette, London, are as fol-
lows: Here all the caprice of fashion
and the weight of the breeders intelli-
gence are concentrated. The great aim
being to secure an animal light in the
hand, springy in his PAGES, with that due
0f nd rh oh rr-il
bear wear and tear, because ladies, once
up, unless thorough horsewomen, think,
"Oh, he's horse, and ne must go!" l
can almost challenge the seller on the
point whether the horse has carried a
lady by observing the unequal wear of
the forelegs. The near leg in cantering
bearing all the concussion, is often very
iooped, if not archy, in comparison. In
this class of horse length of limb and
pastern Joint is desirable-lo1g pastern,
good knees, deep shoulders, deep, blood
like quarters, the feet sound, hoof dark
colored.
Why Bees Work in the Dark.-Every
one knows what fresh honey is like a
clear yellow syrup, without any trace of
solid sugar in it. After strainiDg, it
gradually assumes crystal appearance
lit candies, as the saying is, and ulti-
mately becomes a solid mass of sugar.
1t has been suspected that this change is
due to Photographic action-the same
agent which alters the molecular ar
rangement of the iodide of silver on the
excited collodion plate and determines
the formation of camphor and iodine
crystals in bottle, causes honey to as
sumo a crystalline form. NJ. Scheiber
iuclosed honey in well-corked TASKS,
some OF which he kept in perfect dark
ness, while the others were exposed to
the light. The result has been that that
portion exposed to the light soon crystal
Lies, while that kept in the dark re-
mains unchanged. Hence we see why
the bees are SO careful to work in the
dark, and why they are so careful to
obscure the glass windows which are
sometimes placed. in their hives. The
existence of the young depends on the
liquidity of the saccharine food pre-
sented to them, and if light were al
lowed access to this, in all probability ii
would prove fatal to the inmates of the
hive Western Farm journal.
Neuralgia.-For this distressing
malady there is very simple and
efficient remedy. We have tried it with
uniform success, but we have rarely
found sufferer who would make a
thorough use of it. 1t is 80 simple that
most people prefer to suffer than to
properly try it. 1t is this: Get a piece
| of the common saL-anamoniac, and every
hour or so bite Oft piece as big as a
| pea and swallow it. If more con.
venient, wash it down with water; OF
| dissolve half drachm of the sal,
| ammoniac in an ounce of water, and
take tablespoonful every three minutes
or so. An, overdose can do no harm
nor is the su bstance especially disagreea.
Bile to take. In from one to three hours
relief will be obtained, in four-ffths OF
the cases. Why people won't try this
simple remedy, after being told of it by
| one who has tried it, is to us wonder
but so it is Vor Popuk.
A New Product from Beets.-The
wonders of nature are amazing, and we
have to thank chemistry for presenting
| to us the extraordinary disclosure;
made through constant experimenting
| in the laboratory. The common sugar
beet, erewhile a mere food for cattle
was, within the memory of some per
sons yet living, discovered to contain 1
pure, crystalllzable sugar. After many
] years labor a successful process was in
vented to utilize this discovery, and nov
not far from one thousand million tonl
of beet sugar are made annually il
Europe, with vast, indeed incalculable
profit to agriculture. But sugar is no
the only product of this homely root
A great quantity of molasses is pro
duced from the refuse of the suga
manufacture; large quantity of spirit
is distilled from the refuse Of the mo
lasses; from the refuse of this las
potash is made, and used as fertilizer
Now more wonderful discovery thai
all these has come to light. From tn
refuse of the distlllation of alcohol ther
is now produced a combustjble ga
which can be condensed into volatil
liquid, known as chloride of methy
This chloride of methyl has been use,
in the preparation of some of the bril-
liant aniline colors, but it has been nov
found to be valuable refrigeratin
agent. By rapidly evaporating it,
| temperature of more than sixty degree
below zero can be produced and mair
tanned, and mercury can be reduced
solid metal by this means. But tn
, grand value of the discovery will be i
the use of this product of the modes
: beet root in the manufacture of ic'
What vast possibilities may exist in
simple root! and what boundless wol
, ders are embodied in the commonest pr
ducts of nature! Surely there can /
; no more ennobling study for the min'
or work for the hands of man, than tn;
1 which brings to his view the exquisit