Year: 1870

Extract from Murnt IIaisteed's Letter


from rasbourg, France. to the Gin


esnnatt Commercfai.


And speaking of the war, soldiers are
more numerous in the streets than at Metz
They are gathered here from AlgIers as
well as Paris. aud they are the more inter-
esting, for here are the Norsh Africans,
known as the Turcos, corps made famous
for their exploits in the Italian war. There
are over twenty thousand of them in the
French army, and here they are swarming
on the banks OF the Rhine, ready to ad-
vance into Germany. It has been said in
our country that these Turcos are not
negroes, but Arabs, Moors, Algerines.
There has been notion of depriving black
men OF the credit of their desperate ex-
ploits.


The truth is, that the majority of them
are lot negroes, but that many of them
are. / have seen dozens and scores of
them with those strangely marked negro
features of which it is now necessary for
politicians in America to speak with such
profound respect. Some of them are a
shade blacker than the blackest black men
| have seen in our happy country. A tarred
stick would make white mark on some
of them. There are Arabs too and French
men; and the shades of color are SO fine
and SO various that it is puzzling often to
tell the Africanized Frenchman from the
Frenchified African. All wear the Zouave
dress, including the red cap and tassel, and
the sun when it has fair play has power
full influence in harmonzing complexions
Great confidence is expressed in the Tur-
cos rs fighters In stature and strength
they are good deal above the average of
the French army. sThe colored troops
fought nobly," it will be recalled, was Oft
en- officially certified in the American war,
and it will be worth remembering
when the deeds of valor of
the TuTcos are recorded that full
share of them must be attributed to full
blooded black men. Much is said of the
walk IS if they had the strength and agility
of tigers. Their calves would grace an
English footman, and they pick up their
feet as if they were never in the way. The
Straebourgers are little shy of these sons
of the desert but they indicate amiability
of temper. Half a dozen of them stopped
two nurse girls on the street and made love
to the babies they had in charge.


There was real African jollity and af-
fectionateness in their grimaces and gam
boiling fer the benefit of the babies. They
may have had an idea that the way to
touch the hearts of the girls was to win the
confidence Of the babies, but this was not
the appearance the interview had, however
reasonable the inference may be. The
Iarcos are not exempt from fondness for
strong drink. One of them passed just now,
supported by two devoted companions,
his eyes sot," and believing like
a caif-a most ludicrous sound. The
camp of the Turcos presents no peculiari-
ties with the exception of the heightened
complexion of the soldiers. All the French
soldiers have, as you are aware. the tents
that our boys called "dog tents.'' Each
carries piece Of tent-pole and of can
vas, and when they halt for the night
they do not wait for the baggage wag-
ons that never come up when want
ed. Why should not the employment
of Africans by the French lin Eu-
ropean wars be hint to the
English 2 The Great trouble in England
seems to be want of men for the army
and the fact that the British soldier is the
most extravagant in the world in the con-
sumption of wages, food and clothing, with
the exception of the American, who ig the
most destructive of creatures and the prodi-
gal son of soldiers. They are talking of
their army in England, and they could
hardly put in the field at a years notice,
regular troops equal in number to a
Fionoh efnay cnrna- But England
has the ocean and the Indies. Men are
more abundant in Asia than in Africa, and
the Sepoy is good soldier, though he has
a powerful prejudice against pigs fat. The
Great Eastern is idle, and she could bring
a division of Sepoys every trip. England,
If she would put herself in trim for war on
the Continent, should bring up her Sc
poys. There are plenty OF warlike Elm
doos and they do with margelously little
to eat and to wear. The sMoors and
the Tartars have battled on the plains
of Europe, and we may yet see the
Sepoys and the Turcos restoring
the balance of power in combats on the
Rhine. Let us urge upon England the
bringing up of the Seapoys, and when
America must take part in foreign wars,
we may find it well to muster our Chinese.
If we are to have the brotherhood of man
preached to all the nations anew and effec-
lively, we must give the most remete and
strange races on the earth opportunity to
slaughter each other on q stage Europe
will serve for the present, in sight of all
enlightened men, and make way for the
softer influences Of better civilization by
the acquisition of that mutual respect that
the shedding of blood promotes.


Mnnag ement OF Land,


In treating of the importance and the
waited land, the Ohio Farmer makes the
following observations:


On clay soil, with favorable season, good
erops-a always looked fer where sod ia
turned, and even to the second and third
will &ho IF
hereis just the point that should be noted
Clay land should never be plowed until
manure is required, and tho best guide to
be governed by is cease plowing before
the decaying sod hassdisappeared, stock to
clover, pillow Under one crop, and then use
as moving land, applying manure to sur
face until it is desired to use again for
grain crops.


Many OF our most successful farmers
never put a forkful of manure upon plowed
ground, but use all that can be collected
upon their grass land, and do not raise
moro than three crops IN succession upon
pl6wed fields before returning it to grass.
1t is well known to every farmer that barn
yard manure multiplies labor when put
upon land used for hoed crops. weeds will
grow and piowing and hoeing will not
eradicate them, and double labor is requir-
ed to obtain even medium crop.


lfap animal is allowed to get poor, more
feed is required to sustain lite and strength
In said animal than in one always kept in
good condition, and so it is with land.
When by over-plowing and heavy drought
upon the soil fertility is lost. it requires
double the amount of feed to reclaim it
than would have been required to have
kept it in 8 good state OF productiveness by
proper treatment.


MANUFACTURE OF RUSSIA IRoN.-A recent
writer gives the details, for long time
kept secret, of the method by which the
fine Russia shest-isone are manipulated
and prepared foc the market. According
to the statement the operator first INNER
ses the sheet in bath of dilate acid, till
the black oxide all scales OF, assisting the
operation, if necessary, by q wire brush.
The oxide being all removed from sheet,
it is Immediately thoroughly washed under
jets Of water till the acid is all taken Off
After the washing, and before the sheet has
time to dry, it is plunged into an alkaline
bath, TO prevent the access