North Carolina Newspapers

: "-, The Hlskirc VOL IX.--THIRD SERIES ' " "sIlISBTOyTIaP g ( I WASHINGTON NOTES. rJrmhi'l Implements and Machines (SL of the Patent Officer Washington-, I. C, April 6, 1878. Every one admires the wonderful acVicveiet of that little insect the "busy tee " that manages to construct its treasure-house upon the highest principles of curiUecring skill, (combining in its hex . uoiial cells the strength of the arch and the compactness of cubes) and then fills ii with golden honey from the filth of a sty, if nothing better offers. Hut this is no evidence of reason or intelligence on the part of the bee, for its ten thousandth progenitor made just M.pd "d honey fronAhe flowers of Eden. Hat he nuked and ignorant Adau., who cu 1 1 vated the -arden with a sharp stick, and his al most helpless helpmeet who made the first female robe of fig leaves, with bark fibre for thread aiuUx thorn for a needle, have become in a thousand generations of toil and study but a little lower than the au tls, and the present race of men, iu civ ilized countries, are .masters of physical j.nture ami have subdued all ..the element to their use. , sroxesT Tin: investors. If vou wish to be well convinced of the progress of the world in all useful arts unuUcieiices, go with me for an hour to 4i. .o-ii.l vnnin nf the Patent Grace. Ihe me iii"' " guiHJi intendent of this' department, Mr. 11 C. (iHI. is a most affable and obliging gentleman, who will show us all the won .ders of the place. Not all, fur it would require the hard labor of months to make to make the most casual examination ot the many thousands of models in this vast ctillectian. The model casetf the l'atent Office ogives us a picture otVthe inventive .r..iiin nf tlm world. Here before us is the practical Tirain power of many thou hand men, who gave many sleepless nights a.id toilsome days to evolve from a crude lirst idea,, a perfect machine or .contri vance, whose achievements should im press themselves upon the fortuues of the great world itself. The field of invention, discovery ami application as rexresentcd heir, covers every department of human interest or imlustry. Think of everything strange, uev or curious that you .ever heard "of, and then come here to find it duplicated with variations, perhaps a hundred times. We bovs tfifty years ago used to drop five grains of corn to a hill and a pump kin seed or bean, o; every fifth hill, and it took a smart boy to -keep up .with, two . hoes in covering. Just think of (i 17 corn hoppers patented up to This may nerve 'as an. illustration to show how the W(trk of invention goes on" in .every de partment of human iudustry. One would naturally suppose that about everything valuable had been found out, and that there was "nothing new under the sun." . Ojiite tothc contrar', past success only btitimlates to new exertion and achieve ment. The year 1877 shows 13,(510 pat- cuts granted, a larger number than in any previous year, except ISdO, in which 1:1,-U&l-patcnts were issued. Before the fire last sunimer the rooms and cases -of the Patent .Office contained, iboutr 200,000 models, and nearly half of these were in jured or utterly destroyed by the confla gration. Many of.tltc half consumed models are .Iteiug Restored, and as you walk through the long halls of the "burnt district" and see the piles upon piles of ruined models, you wonder at the terrible holocaust of brain work a work tbathad cost the iuventive genius of the country half a century to build up and the fire fielid only a few hours to destroy. r.VUJUXU IMPLEMKSTS -VXD MACUINKS. the farmer is tho world's almoner. Standing at his granary door he distrib utes the fruits of the soil to hungry- mil iums. Famine-stricken nations show what would be the fate of tho world with out prosperity to tho farming interest. The primary aud paramount importance of this industry has naturally turned the eftorts of. inventors strongly in this direc tion. More than thirty thousand patents have been granted for tools, contrivances and processesto benefit tke farmer. At the very foundation of. all these is the plow. In Italy they still use the old sharpened stick harnessed to a doirkev with a grass rope, after the fashion of the early Komaus. In fact the farming im plements of that country, ate almost iden- , ucai wun tnose louml in the ruins of rompei, aud show that ItalyJias stood still nearly two tuousiiud years. In perfect ing the. plow, America has outstripped all qther countries, and out imiuovednm plements of this cUss wte annually more vu.ui ciuu,iuj,uuu in labor as compared wuu the rude old woodeu plows of th7 last century. The Siime beueficient in--fluencc of invention is felt in every de partment of agriculture.- The planter, the reaper, the thresher, the corn-sheller, the straw cutter these with a hundred other contrivances give to tM farmer iron arnia aud steel fingers, that with wonder ful speed and economy, enabliug him to double or quadruple his production with ery little increase of outlay. CUBIQS1TIES OF THE PATEXT OFFICE. Invention has done more iu the line ef manufacture than any other, department of human enterprise. Our improved ma- nnery can turn out goods of "many de- Bcriptions which compote successfully Uh tac cheap labor but poorer machine of Europe. Amongst the models that . l-r lustrate this fact is that of the Nelson Knitting Machiae, now in use at liock- ford, Illinois. It s the only perfect knit ting machine yet invented, completing its work in an admirable style without the use of the needle at the heel or toe of the stocking. There are only twelve of these machines -yet in operation. They turn out 5,000 pairs of stockings a week, and are tended by"a.boy whose wages are $16 a month, making the cost of knitting each pair ont-ixth of a mill. Old ladies must abandon knitting, unless they preserve it as a source of recreation, or to be used as an accompaniment to the gossip of a tea table. Iu 1840, Mr. Biddle, of Cleavelaud, phio,jiiurloyed twenty men. aud boys, to manufacture twenty thujiandH'ood scria a -.day. If you go into the Cleveland Screw Works now, you wiirsee two girls tending two machines wliicji turn out two hundred and forty thousand screws a dav. If you were in the old town of. Nurem burg, Germany the centre of the toy trade of the world yourmight see ban-els and boxes filled with thousands of little wheels, pinions, springs aud other parts of clock or toy machinery; aud these all go from Connecticut, the State that first inspired the inventive genius of the coun try by producing basswood pumpkin seeds. It still stauds at the head of the list, having taken out 607 patents, or one to 875 inhabitants, in the year 1877. The Germans are not great inventors, but their women and children use car loads of our little brass and iron gimeracks and turn them into clocks or toys, and send them back to America for Christmas infts to the children. . , Excuse me for devoting this eutire let ter, as I might a dozen more, to tl sub ject of American patents. If you come to Washington spend an hour or two iu tlie model room, and you will see some of the springs and wheels that move the world. J. L. T. OXORES.SIOXAL WOIIK. Hut little progress has been made in legislation during the past week. The Pacilic-ailroad funding bill which brings the Uniou and Central Pacific to account, and compels them to -provide for the pay ment of their honest debts, is likely to pass within a few days: and tho same vote which does this will favoi the con struction of Jhe Texas and Pacific as a competing line, and the only possible pro tection ugaiusfthe exactions of the pre sent Pacific road. The South is harmoni zing with the West, and the two together can secure a measure fraught with ui.told benefits to both. J. L. T. GOV. VANCE INVITED TO MACON GA. SPEAK IN Raleigh Observer. An invitation has been extended to Governor Vance by the representatives of the Ladies Memorial Association of Ma con Georgia, to deliver an address of dedi cation upon laying the corner-stone ot a monument to the Confederate dead who lie buried there. The letter requesting hi acceptance of the high honor is so patriotic and earnest in its expression or deep sen timent for the dead, and so full ot regard for the name and services of our Govern or that we quote it in full : Macox, Ga., April 1, 18 d. Gov. Z. B. Vance, llaleiyh, N. C. : Dear Siu : On the iiUth of this month there is to. be" laid iu tliis city the corner stone of a monument in honor of the dead .'.i.i:.. e .1... i ' 'IM... soiuiciB oi tut; vuiiicociac iii;ij. i siu uudersigned, representing the Ladies' Memoral Association, who have this mat ter in charge, as well as all of our citizens, desire upon this occasion, au address of dedication of the monument being erect ed. -After much consideration by the committee, of the many men who upheld the fortuues ot the ( 'onfedcrsfcy in .the. great struggle, you have been chosen to make the address. In requesting your acceptance of this invitation we wish to assure you of our concurrent and earnest desire that you accede to our request. The-important' part that you bore in the last clays of the war when North Carolina was overrun by armed men, makes your name dear to every Confederate soldier. Therefore it is especially appropriate that you act n prominent part In rendering tribute to the memory and transmitting to future times a true record of the cause for which the Confederate soldiers died. We .request, if possible, 'an early' reply and a notification by telegram if it is" entirely impracticable for yim to be with us on the :26th of this month. We are, very respet fully, Jxo. P. Four and others, " Coanuittce. The next Legislature, should propose an amendment to the constitution restoring the election of judges to the Legislature, as well as the election of as many other officers as possible. There are too many elections. Char. Vein. Bight. We go for it. ircAman. Let us send men to the next General Assembly whir will represent not only the political faith but the material interests of their constituents ; who, while no oue will deprive them of the right to gratify the promptings of a reasonable ambition, will not be so bifsy grinding their own , axes that they can have no leisure to at tend to the wants of those whom lliey -represent. Let our lanre commercial towns idace in the House and Senate a few political, influential, clear-headed . merchants, half a dozen energetic mauu- ' facturers, while theouutry at large adds a plentiful sprinkling of hard-fisted far iu:-rs. Factteville Gazette. POPULAlt CLAMOR. We exceedingly regret to not the cry which seems to have been recently raised against Chief Justice Smith of the Su preme Court Bench. When Gov. Vance appointed him to fill the vacancy occa sioned by the death of Chief Justice Pear son the general sentiment:of the pres3 and, it seemed, of the people was that the mantle of a great jurist had fallen on no unworthy shoulders, and thai the angust dignity and illustrious character of this department of the State government could suffer no derogation when placed iu the keeping of such a man. The name of Hon. W. X. H. Smith has been for. many years before the people of North Carolina, promiueutly, and never, to our recollection, except.to crown Jt with,! honor and to couple it witu teriuioi hearty and affectionate praise. Asa lawyer, he has won a spotless reputation, achieved a high position, accomplished singular success, and won the confidence of all who sought him in professionalintcrcourse; asacitizen, hehasbeeueverforemostin demonstrating his l0ve and his loyalty for his people and his-ebuutry ? as. a man his character is without a spot, aud those who best know him esteem his as a gentleman. There needs to be. then, something more than . . . , events to justify us in turning our backs J J upon the recent heart approval which , , A . !. . . , , we were so glad to give ot the judicial r i- i appointment of Gov. Vance surely no - J.1 .-4- tic. -J ii thing emanating tioni Judge Smith has " , ,.',". . ! made us deem him the less worthy man, , , . , - , , hi K' the less able judge ; indeed, his published letter is fuli.of quiet diguity, calm patience and a consciousness of recitude. No one could deprecate -more than we did the status of our society and the framing of our laws, whereby such decisions as those in the Milleraud Driver cases were ren dered necessary and no one expressed j more boldly such deprecation ; but we are mi- i. i ii.i r.i . i i not willing to hold the Chief Justice or .. , .. , . . . his associates responsible tor a defeat in ' 1 organic law, and we hope that the time has not yet come in the history of our , party when it is prepared, uuder the spur of excited feeling, to do gross injustice to ft tried and valued publie servant. North Carolina Gazette. Of a truth it may be said of the bell punch, "there's millions in it." Some time ago we endeavored to show that un- der the Moffett law at last a million and a half of dollars could be raised in this State. That was uot an overestimate. ! The city of St. Louis, which has about oue-half of the population of North Caro- Iina7 contains upwards of 4,000 drinking saloons. The Globe-Democrat allows the average income daily of each to be 10 a very low figure, the same as we allowed for our State in our receut calculation, it makes the aggregate receipts 640,000 dai- ly, or 14,000,000 annually. Reckoning the ratio bctwecu malt and alcoholic drinks as four to one, St. Louis would re alize under the Moffett law 8520 daily, or 81,893,000 annually. The Globe-Democrat strenuously advocates tho introdue lion of the bell-punch in that city; and in doing so, uses these poiuted words: "The bell-punch is coming, as sure as fate, and we may as well recognize it. Nothing can be said against it. No one need pay his taxes iu this way if he does not want to." Why can we not have the law in North Carolina T There is noth ing compulsory about it, aud we have yet to hear oue siuglegood argument advanc- ed against it. Hal. New. Let it a trial.- THE FISH IIATCIIKUV. A novel machine, has been tested by tho . United States Fish Commissioners which will, it is hoped, prevent the heavy loss always incurred by the transporta tion of small fry over tlie long railroad routes. The machine consists of a series of long levers with peculiar buckets on the end, in which tha fish eggs are placed. These levers project from the centre of the scow, in which they are placed, out over the gunwales, and are made to dip in and out of the water at slow and regu lar intervals, by the revolution of the shaft or cylinder to which they are attach ed, the eggs being in constantly changing water and receiving that requisite amount of agitation which is necessary ' for their hatching. The Fish Commissioners have fitted up a fleet of four scows, each pro vided with a steam apparatus, and this squadron was. started oat of Baltimore for the South Atlantic shad streams, mak ing Avoca, near the mouth of the Boan okc Biver, Albemarle Sound, in our State, tlie base of operations. Ltd. Netcs. A Good Mine. The May Sholerminc, uear the head of Hidden Treasure gulch, is owned by Messrs Hall, Hubbell and Delong, and has been worked by a full force of meu, aud looks well. The rock is the same red quartz that is minded from the Fairview and "Reefs mines, and has attracted much attention from the capitalists and experts. We are pleased to note that this party of southern young men have met with such flattering pros pect in the Hills. We understand their mine is named after one of North Caro liua's famous belles, who has already made her marks iu Washington society. Ulaek mils Herald. Mr. Hall, iu the above, is our former townsman, Mr. Stockton Hall, au eu terpiising and live man. Success to him. DISCOMFORTS OF THE SICK. Those only who have passed weary days and wakeful nights iu weakness and pain on a bed of sick neps, with powers of en durance enfeebled, nnd 1 every fonn of physical and mental sensibility ncntely active, can comprehend the multitude and misery of the discomforts which beset the sick. Noise in its hideously infinite var iety ; creaking boards, whiebno deftly made screw has been devised to secure; rattling china and ware, not yet replaced by ingeniously-devised substitutes per haps the old wooden bowl and, platter on dumb waiter for food, and articles par tially protected with rubber for general use; falling coals and cinders surely pre ventable by the employment of wooden tougs and silent. ash-pans : uafsU door fastenings, possibt apparatus constricted for use with locks temjMirarily fasten back ; glaring lights, that irritate the wakeful, and make the dozing dream and start; puzzling shadows, or lugubrious darkness, evils instantly remediable if only it were possible to se cure a soft and shaded light. These are a few of the surface grievances of the first stage of.illuess, when the head aches, the faculties of hearing aud sight are preter natnrally intensified, and a morbid fancy extracts suffering and bewilderment from ; every disturbing circumstance, however ; small, ,. I hen comes the stage of helplessnsess, I , . . , ,. . x . ' I when the sick person lies in the paralyz- ; . . , J i lug grip of his malady, perhaps uncon- i . , v . ' , 1 i scums or delirious, and those about want I ... , . , , ... , xl w , of the aids which skill and thought can !. . , . . , necessities safely, promptly, and with the least distress or disturbance in the pa tient and surroundings. It is seldom pos sible to say precisely how little or how much the surroundings of a seemingly nncouscious person affect him. In this Dei'iod lit n II ill llau niirvirnf i-nnti!riii. . ' ees, and arrangements of every class, for . . . .. r . . ' the ministration of comforts to the sick, , . . . . 7 lint :lli mil iniinrh.nit n-irf m tia ti-n.i f - , . ... Ta . . , ,, of the enterprise bestowed by designers and producers of appliances useful iu this phase of sickness. For example, a thor oughly efficient feeder suitable for use ill the case of au adult does not exist, and expert nurses revive tho old-fashioned butter boat. A shaded hand lamp, of no greater weight than may be borne on a finger, and so contrived that the light will fall at the point required, without assailing the eyes of the patient, is not j yet devised. Complicated and costly beds, quite out of reach of any middle classs family, and therefore available only for ; the wealthy, or the fortunate inmates ef hopitals, alone meet the requirement of . cleanliness without discomfort. The like . is true of nearly all the apparatus for the ; relief of pain by change of posture, and for securing immunity from pressure, or steadiness in a particular position. The rich and the poor are provided, but not the multitude in narrow circumstances with small and inelastic fiuancial rescour ces. The stages of convalescence rs in many respects the most trying of all.- It is then that petty auuoyances, such as arise from noises, draughts, smoke, foui vapors, bad or ill managed light, impropei cooked food, nauseous remedies administered iu uncleanly and uncomfortable cups or glasses, knives, forks, and spoons that turn over with a clatter, things that fall or are readily knocked down, irriating wall papers, hard, lumpy, or two soft beds, burdensome or cold bedclothes, beds that can only be put in order with labor and confusioiir There is scarcely an ar ticle or piece of apparatus, for the sick chamber which is not obviously suscepti ble of improvement, and would not repay the thought expended upon it, if placed within reach of families with small in comes, who feel tlie cost of comfort iu sickness. None of these matters are be neath the consideration of the medical practioner. In no small proportion of cases they are relatively of high moment. It is ueither wise nor safe to leave the i-.ii re of sueh details to nurses, whether trained or domestic. The' physician should be able to direct those in charge of the sick what to provide, where to obtaiu all necessary appliances, ami how to usb the in when at hand. This is a matter of more than common importance, and it is with the view of reminding the profession and the producers of special apparatus efticieutaud inexpensive of the couspicu ous part their enterprise should play in mini mizinglhe discomforts of the sick, we bring the subject under notice Lan cet. SNAKE CANNIBALISM. A contributor to the ikicutiftc American, iu an article which appeared in the issue of March 10, 1373, descriptive of the hab its of snakes, expressed tho opinion that there were no ophiophwji, or snake-eating snakes, in this country. We have received several communica tions in which the writers cite incidents .W thir observation which seem to prove the contrary. One correspondent, II., of Poughkeepsie X. Y.. writes "While rambling through the wikkIs near Dedham. Mass., one af teruoon, some years ago, I suddenly came upon a large black snake iu theact ot swai owing a garter shake of about half its own size. He had succeeded in getting down nearly oue, half the length of his prey, head first, and was so completely gorged as to be incapable of moving. A few blows from a stout stick dispatched him. The black snake measured 4 feet 8 inches in length." Mr. F. N. Parker, of Newberry, S. C, also observes: "We have here a black and white snake we call the king snake, which will leave any other kind ot food to eat a snake. There was oqe brought in town a few daws ago with a much larg er snake tlian itself hanging from its muoth half swallowed. , THE MANUFACTURE OF DAUDS. Art degraded to a trade. the 5TW- ntne calls ft, " nnf'tWt i an insult to honest industry. It is because the daubs are made to be sold for what they are not the business of making aud mount ing imitation works of art is objectiona ble. The daubs, known to the trade as ''buckeyes,' are turned out by the thous and, some shops in this city being able to produce them at the rate of a hundred a day. About nine-tenths of them are copies of landscapes. The "artists" need only so much skill as will enable them to handle a common paint brush or to man age a stencil plate. In many of the shops the most of the work is done by boys and girls earning from fifty cents to a dollar a day. The maturer workmen paint by the piece, getting from fifty, cents to two dol lars for each painting. They paint entirely by rule, usingpaiuts and canvas prepared by the mauufactur ers. The canvas costs about ei"rht cents a square yard. Poor artists are employ- J ed by the day to touch up the pictnres,which arc varnished to hide their move glaring faults, and then flash i ugly mounted in imitation gilt frames. The entire cost of paintings and frames is about one-fifth the cost of go.d frames; yet when new they ap pear very attractive to the inexperienced, especially when display under gas light in auction rooms. Placarded as choice collections of American audforeign artists, daubs, which can be bought of the man ufacturers at the rate of 850 a dozen, of ten selHbr 80 or a piece. The largest manufactory of such paint ings in the city occupies the whole of a three story building. The most of the pictures go out of the city. The owner said to the Tribune reporter: "I get or ders from all parts of the country now, and cau fill an order for a hundred pic tures within a few hours' notice." The prices of this maker range from 5?" 30 to 8100 a dozen, frames included, most of these pictures being .'iix- inches, a size convenient for the economical cutting of cauvas. At a rival shop the prices rang ed from $40 to 8150 a dozeu. Another manufacturer of "buckeyes" of a smaller size sells for 81G a dozen. The swindling devices adopted by deal ers in these fraudulent pictures are those of mock autioneers every where ; and the manufacturers abet the swindle by signing their daubs with the names of popular painters ingeniously misspelled, or with initals wanting. It is a common trick of hankers of these pictures to profess to be artists in distress and willing to leave valuable pictures as security for a small loan ; or they are about to leave the city to fulfill a profitable engagement, and would be glad to sell at a great sacri fice to raise the money needed for the journey. A geniieimiu wno iook apuiui- ing as ti security for ;i loan of $30, t.ie other day, discovered soon after that the regular price of the picture "by the doz en" was fifty American. cents a piece ! Xrtcntjte THE GATLING GUN ALOFT In the old days of yard arm toyaidarnil naval conflicts, it was always customary to station good marksmen iu tlie tops, their duty being to pick off the enemy's officers and disable the crews of the spar deck guns. Other men stationed aloft were provided with haad grenades, small explosive shells, which they threw upon the deck of the hostile vessel. The light mitrailleuse now used on men-of-war is a far" more formidable means of offense than either single rifles or grenades, and in fact, it renders impossible the working of exposed gnus on any craft within the range of the hail of bullets w hich it pro- Our engraving, from the London Illus trated NeTcs, presents an American Gat lin" gun as arranged for use in the main top" a British man-of-war, a significant example of the avidity with which foreign nations adopt the inventions which ori ginate on this side of the Atlantic, espe cially when the same are of superior val ue for war purposes. The gun as here de picted consists of a number of gun barrels, which mav be as many as te-i, fixed around the main shaft, which isaNo combined with a "Tooved "carrier," to hold the cartridges, dropped into it one by one ; and with a cylinder, in which are cut slots for as manv gun locks as there are barrels to lie fired". The whole of the alnive apparatus is raised or lowered, or moved to the rig'it or left, bv working a handle at the side. There is a dram fixed on the top, contaiu iu" a50 cartridges, set iu rows ; this is s arranged as to be the feeder, by dropping the cartridge in succession into the car rier from which they are shifted by luck action into the gun barrels, successively brought round with each revolution of Hi i-vlindcr. 1 he eaiioer oi uiegun oai rels is 0-4.5 inch ; tficy can oe cnargeu au - - tired with groat rapidity, discharging II c or six shoU iu a second-tfcnc -t can A CUBIC MILE OF 1 IU M ANIT Y. A fanciful gunins suggests that it i$ now time to celebrate the completion of the first cubic mile of humanity, aud gives a calculation to show that the bodies jjf all-mankind, from the first Adam down to the Adams just born, if closely -packed wnnout diminution of volume, would ex actly fill that space. Here are his figures. winch oar mathematicians who have nothiug else to do may verify if they can. According to the orthodox chronology has been inhabited about 6,000 years, or 170 generations. Its present, population is about fifteen hundred minions; but this density "of population must have been sUwly reached, si nee all are de- scenaedlrom an original pair. Consc-. qoently be take present sevrn hundred and fifty millions, as the avers jrc population of the vvorhl ffom the Wginning until now, making the aggregate; of human bodies during tlie 170 generations, Pii;,500 millions. Siuee many die in infancy, ami half are women, the average weight of each body is taken as seventyfour pounds. The aggregate weight of all mankind to date must accordingly be 4,tlx! million tons, or a little more than the weight of a cubic mile of sea water. Since the human body, with the lungs not inflated, is a tride heavier than sea water, our calculator assumes that his es timated 4,212 million tons of humauity would fill the same space as 4.205 million tons of sea water, or precisely one c u bu rn! Je. Taking the same figures and exercising the same freedom in striking averages, the mathematically inclined may deduce any number of amusing results. Ior in stance, assuming tlm average length of humanity to be a little uuder four feet, the bodies of all mankind, living and dead, placed end to end, would just make a bridge from tlie earth to the sun ! Svicn tijic A in erica a . NEW MODE OF WAUMING BOAD CABS. BAIL- An experiment wits lately m ule by ihe New York Elevated Bail road Company in the use of a newly invented apparatus for heating a train of cars by the surplus steam from a locomotive, and satisfactory results were obtained. The apparatus consists of a chain of pipes extending through the cars on each side, connected between the cars and the locomotive by an elastic hose, wound to prevent condensation, and with couplings similar to those used for the car brakes. The dome, or some convenient steam maiu on the locomotive, is tapped for a small pipe, in which is a valve, by which the engineer or fireman can control the heat in the cars. Under the car body are two expansion valves to allow vent for the air when steam is first turned on, and also to allow the cold water of condensa tion to be freed from the pipes and to prevent freezing. The pipes inside the cars are inclosed within other and thin ner pipes, and the space between the two is packed with fine dried sand. The heat from the hot steam pipes is imparted to the cand, which radiates it through the thin outer pipe. By this means the heat of 350 which is imparted to the inner pipe is given off so gradually as to keep the cars comfortable heated for two hours. !o that by charging the ap paratus before tlie train starts, and from time to time throwing into it tlie surplus steam which would otherwise! have to be blown off ami wasted, the necessity for stoves is obviated, as well as the danger of fire in case of accident. It is also claim ed that the proper ventilation of tlie ears is rendered easier by this process than by the use of stoves. Scientific American. IMPBOVED PBOPAGATION BY CUTTINGS. Peter Henderson described last winter, j iu the Ayriculturiiit, an improved mode he was then using for the propagation of ger aniums. His object was. in the first place, to avoid theexhaustion of the parent plants by the removal of cuttings abruptly ; and, secondly, to make sure work. He takes the young shoot which is tobe used as a cutting, and snaps it short leaving it hang ing by a small portion of the bark. This shred is sufficient to sustain tlie cutting, without any material injury from wilting, until it forms a callus, which precedes the formation of roots. In from eight tb twelve'days if is deraeliH.l and p itted iu two and three inch pots. It is rath r less shaded and watered than ordinary cut tings, and firms roots in ab'ut eight to t'.vclve days more. Last fall Mr. Hender son propagated about 10,000 plants of the tricolor class without loing one per cent. With the common method he thinks he would have lot fifty per cent. Tins mode is applicable to the almiilon begonia, car nation cactus, lautaua, oleander, etc., by using young (inripened shoots". If the shoot does not break, but simply bends to a knee, a knife may be used for cut ting alwiit two thirds through. The river and hajbor bill h:i;s been print ed. It contains the following appropria tions for North Carolina Cape Fear river 83.0'X); Boanoke, 81,00; Nense river, 20,000; Currituck Sound and North l iver bar,. S20,00'J; Scuppornong river, 82,000; Edenton harbor, 4,XX). Among the riv ers, &c, ordered toTie surveyed arc the Yadkin river, North Carolina; Dan river, from Chirks ville via Danville, Va., to Danbury N. C; Trent ami Chowan rivers, v.ntli f':it-it1iu:TT Nense river fVo:;i S.uiili- - 7- d to Uul,uboro ;i:ui thrr Tar liver f .- '.-l. i ,r ..II t.i I II Ull'n X I Hal. Observer. A BRITISH MAN-OFAVAR CAPSIZES 4 Oue more disaster, Ihfs time Attended ' with terrible loss of life, ! to: be addedM the long listen casualties vhich;artrttt& the last few years, have TTtUketf'llffe British navy The training ship Eurydn. a wooden vessel of l fcmswTion Jrnrel 24, strock by n sqaalloff the IVof Wight,' and almost immediately capsizedtmd Muk' Carrying down with her soma 400 sailor! Nothing but the grosset enretessnesi andi bad seamanship can nee nnt for irdl aster i.f this kim?. 3? similar fateoicur-J red to the irohclnd Captain, fit iTHbre- meiaberwl some years sg $ bntthat wnrf directly attributable to her low free-board and otherwise- - faulty construct foriViUtwi her desfgnerpaid for his error bv belrir wita heriFor -wooden' sailing ia-i sel thus to be wrecked h ple4ioiiitnaIbttt is more discreditable than the raiamingof the Vanguard by tho Iron Drake, r snn- dry other events which lead to theicoui vietion that l!ritih war vessels Stamp" more in need of protection against the men who handle them than agahrst the enemies they are-to confront. Srientifle A itwrica h . -1 ttractirc Home. Thi re is use in beau ty. It makes homo attractive, its exterior more respectable, our lives happier, our dispositions sweeter, an'd ph-r-octal and domestic intercourse more "refined. Bv all means plant some little thing of grace to temper the rugged surroundings of the front yard. Its silent, though eloquent language, will speak-to the visitor or tho passer by a word of eulogy for yon. Tl o least flower or shrub will be some attrac tion ; a curved path winding between trees to the house, a mound of stones and shells with the ivy trailing over them, the flow ering siu nb or the -turf of fern and all sueh things are attractive and form a pleasing object for the eye of even tho most indifferent beholder. 1'iiral Messen ger. HAMPTON AS VIEWKD THBOUGII NOBTHKBN GLASSES. Gath, writing from Charleston, South Carolina, to the Philadelphia limes, says: "I did not see a drunken person in Char leston. The negroes, who swarmed the principal streets live years ago, am uo longer au impediment, but the auimated time of day is at tlie opening and dismis sal of school, when black and white chil dren hurry on w'rth their hooks; the whole rising generation sec-ms to bo leaning. About one-third of. the police are. negroe even under conservative rulcJThc labor of the State has of its ovjn motion settled down to contract. Wade Hampton has almost universal honor and confidence, and the scurvy elements in Edgefield and elsewhere get no countenance in belittling him. He wiMrbc the next Governor of" the State, if his life is spared, and he pre sents a model to aspiring Southern states men of how mildness, honor, faith and loyalty invariably triumph over sullen ness, severity and selfishness. The Edge field district is almost w ithout respect in South Carolina, and at the mention of it the average native gives a smile of pity. Said one stump speaker, long before the war: 'When the devil took the LonHu to the mountain he said, 'All that Vou sr'e I will give Vou to worship me ex. eept Edgefield! That" mine ! I can't- let Edgefield go." III- tended to apply to the .republican pli liciuus of tlie coautv. SOUND WOUDS OF ADVICE, Tiinl every girl should rea-l; ( i il ls first learn to be g:od -daughters, obedient, kind, and gentle to your parents; kind, though'4itd to your brother, for in you he should li:id iTcomforting,- c.iarita7 ble, fin-giving friend, a r?ady companion, your sympathy a open as the day and as sweet as the fragrance of flowers. A sis ter's office is a noble and gentle one. It is hers to n r.suade to virtue, to w in to wis dom's ways, to gather graces and strew flowers around the home altar. Lot. every sister meditate on what she is, and w hat she ought to be ; on -her olicti, her duty, her pleasure, her life, for 'tis to be a mod el and set au example of-virtue, patienco and fin liearam e, to be the smile and light of home, jiml w hen you enter your second home, as a partner to one who has prom ised to love and cherish yon, then thesn few words of advice may help you to make your home aud friuuls happy. A eeitain little, dam-el, being aggrava ted beyond endurance by her big brother, fell down on her knees, and cried: "O Lord! bless my brother Tom. He lies, he steals, he swears. All boys do; us girls don't. Amen." Teacher with reading class; Boy read ing): "And he .jailed down th river-'' TcacheY? Why are ships called she?" Uoy (precociously alive to the re sponsibility of his -Rex) : "Ik-cause they need men to manage them." A Detroit boy stood.au umbrella with a cord tied to it, in a public doorway. Eleven persons thought that that umbrel la was theirs, and cairied it with them the length of the string. Then theysud denly dropped it and went off without mice looking back or stopping to pick jt up again. l';iscal, who married a ruby haired girl a year ago, retuiiu-d to his mothcr-for a visit on Sunday, and she discovered that W.iad become baldrheaded. His mother attempted to brush a few stray locks-over tho Mi.ite hp't, but ho patiently fcaid, "Don't-spoil it; that i.s where Mary- laj down her plan of batt!i,"' " ' " - f7! - T S It - M .'if ;i . . ni 4 ' HI ill Ml ' j! 'if 1 11 . i 'i i 1 4- A: t f . i