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Agricultural.
r
W Grapes and Walls.
I hfeve long contended that “rot” or
mildew which has been so fatal to all
varieties of grapes in this section, was
simply indigestion or want of matur
ity in the sap, which requires heat,
light and air for it perfection in nutri
tion or assimilation. Admitting this,
it is very well seen why grapes on
walls, and especially brick walls,
rarely, if ever have the rot. The rot
in the vineyard and on the trellis gen
erally takes place in the heavy, dewy,
still nights and days of July, when
the grapes are in the highest state of
growth, and is most fatal when the
crop is largest, for without apparent
cause the grapes suddenly turn black
ish and fall off. The sap comes in
1 great profusion' into the leaves, the
moht atmosphere prevents its elabo
ration, and the juices, which ordina
rily nurture the grape, are not ma
tured, or are rather overfilled, and
lindigestion ensues. How is it on the
wall? The necessity of the position
in trimming and tieing the vine gives
them good expose re to the air, the
sun ai^d heat of the r^u and its light.
Then wall acoU^H||lates heat all
the day long and giWs it out gradual
ly all the night. This heat dries the
leaves and matures the sap, and the
grape remains healthy. This year the
early grape shoots after the bunches
had begun to show themselves were
killed by the frosts ; a second crop of
inferior vigor appeared, but more
scant in quality, which on the trellises
and the stakes failed to make a crop.
But recently I pulled from the wails
a very good mess of white and red
grapes. Nevertheless, for the first
time in fifty years’ observation, the
l grapes on the walls were partially
touched with mildew. The reason is
apparent. This has bedli the rainiest
I season in my memory ; the walls did
Lnot receive their usual sunshine, and
consequently the grapes nhar.d to a
pall extent the part of those on the
sllis and stake in the open air, yet
wall was potent enough to ripen
lost of its fruit and keep the leaves of
the vine comparatively green, while
^the stems of the vineyard are as bare
in midwinter. I conclude, then,
lat while the great mass of our people
innot afford to build walls specially
the vine,as is done by the wealthy
England and some other countries,
rery man may have a few choice
[nes wherever there is a dwelling and
louses. Such culture involves but
expense, and aff >rds pleasant
feation to the master of the house-
id and most delicious fruit to the
imily.
Does It Fay to Grind the Corn With
the Cob 1
writer fed five work horses upon cob-
meal, mixed with cut hay, for several
years, and their health remained
excellent,
We do not wish to convey the idea
that corncobs of themselves would be
worth grinding, but corn in the ear
can be ground whole as cheaply asoorn
can be shelled and ground ; and, if
the farmer is short of fodder, there
can be no doubt that it is wisdom to
grind oob and all.
-» +
Beethoven’s Deafness.
We are frequently asked this que~-
ion, and upon the strength of several
fears’ experience we can only answer
r that under some clruum-tances it does,
while under others it might prove un
profitable The Live Stock Journal
sti tes the case so fairly and clearly,
and so in accordance with our own
views, that we make room for au ex
tract upon the subject: “ It depends
upon the facilities for grinding and
the kind of stock to be fed. Sheep
grind corn better than cattle, and
therefore they utilize the nutriment
in whole corn better. The cob con
tains more actual nutriment than is
generally supposed. It shows ou
analysis 42.6 per cent, of carbo-hy
drates, 1.4 per cent, of albuminoids,
and tho same of fat. It is quite safe
to say that cobs have oue-half the
value of hay when fed with food rich
in nitrogen, which it so greatly lacks;
and when the cob is ground fine in
burr mill stones there is nothing ir-
jurious to animals in it. There is
much said about the dauger of feeding
cob-meal, but there is no foundation
for this prejudice.
When the oob is ground flue with
the com it must certainly be in a
much belter condition for feeding than
com in the ear, when cattle swallow a
large part of the cob without masticat
ing it any more than is necessary for
swallowing it. ¥et the cob does not
pass i u anything like the proportion the
graiu does ; and while millions of cat
tle are fattened every year in the West
on Qi‘T com,sensible people will not be
alarmed at the dauger of feeding well-
ground cobs.
Where mills are prerared for grind
ing cobs it will pay to grind in the ear
as in addition to the nutriment in the
cob, it saves shelling, and the cob mix
ed with the meal sepi rates the partic-
oles of meal, so that it goes into the
stomach in a more porous ooudition,
the gastrio juice thus penetrates It
lore perfectly, and the meal is digest
ion eaten alone. The
A Soene at a Theatre.
When Beethoven’s Fidel io was pro
duced at the Karnthuerthor Theatre,
Vienna, the question was discussed as
to whether Beethoven should be
asked for his co-operation by conduct
ing it. Beethoven cruel infirmity
which continued to grow worse,
should have caused the rejection of
this idea, but the desire of seeing him
once more at the head of an orohestra
rendered the persons cone, rned,incap
able of due reserve. The unfortunate
composer was, therefore, asked to di
rect the study of his work, and, un
conscious of his misfortune, unhesita
tingly accepted. It was resolved, how
ever, to give him as a coadj utor tfc e
Capellmeister Umlauf, who was to
stand behind his chair and restore
order among the instrumental host, it
by chance the composer’s deafness
should throw them into disorde . Ur-
lackily, this; recar.tion proved insuffi
cient, as we shall see.
On the day of renearsal, Beethoven,
accompanied by .Schindler, went to
the theatre and took bis seat at the
conductor’s desk. The overture went
off without auy hitch, but at tbe very
first vocal number—the duet between
Jacquino and Marcelina—there ..was
confusion among the artistic phalanx.
Alas I it was only too ceitain that the
master did not hear a note of the
vocal parts, and could not, therefore,
be relied ou to mark tne proper mo
ment for each artist to join in. Amid
the general confusion Umlauf restored
silence, parleyed for an instuit with
the two singers, and gave the singal
de capo. Again it was impossible to go
through with the number to the end ;
the instrumentalists followed faitn-
fully the beat of their conductor, but
the singers getting perplexed and
troubled, were unable to keep time.
This state of things could not con
tinue, and it was imperative, at what
ever price, to inform Beethoven of the
impossibility. But no one could un
dertake the ungrateful task. Duport
dared not venture ; for Umlauf there
was something particularly delicate
in making such a communication,
and it was only natural that he should
endeavor to escape the task. While
thepoiut was being discussed. Beet
hoven moved about uneasily in his
chair, turning his head right and left
so as to read iu the physiognomies
around him what was going ou ; but
on every side he behel’d only mute
impassability. ‘Siddenly,” svys
Schindler, “he called me in an im
perious voice, and, holding out his
tablets, ordered me to give him the
solution of the enigma. Trembling
all over, I traced the words : “Let me
eLtreat you not to proceed. I will ex
plain more fully when you are at
home.” He gave one leap from his
chair, and, getting over the nit-rail
ing, exclaimed : “Let us go quickly !”
He then ran at one breath to his
lodgings, then In the Pt'arrgasse,
Leiuigrube suburb.
When he*got indoors his strength
failed him. He fell inertly on the
sofa and, covering his face up with
his hands, remaiued motionless till
diuuer-time. Alter he sat down to
table, too, it was impossible to extort
a word from him. That fatal Novem
ber day,” adds Schindler, "was the
most sorrowful one in the career of
the poor composer, who was so terri
bly tried. However great his an
guish qiay have been on previous oc
casions, never before had he received
so fearful a blow, *
Theatrical Deadheads.
One of the mysteries in railway ope
rations is that so much is done in tbe
way of courting the non-payiug theat
rical business. A representive of The
Journal, a day or two since, chanced
to be in one of the local outside offices
when one of those cheeky advance
agents of a theatrical troupe came in.
The first thing he called for was a
railway guide, the looking over of
which, laying out his route for a cou
ple of weeks, occupied fully fifteen
minutes. His first requeot was a pass
for himself and his lithographer to a
point 384 miles away, with a doze'n of
stop-ofls. Then, in a few days his
programme distributer would be
along,and he wished a pas3 for him and
some 800 pounds of baggage. Then, at
the same time, there would be boxes
weighing 1300 pounds, which he
wished sent through to the terminus
of the route laid out, free. This was
all consented to. The advance agent
then remarked that there was 25
cents a day storage on the last named
box, which he wished the local agent
would arrange with the baggageman
to throw off. He then asked for an or-
d< r for the treasurer of the troupe for
the thirteen tickets, in which the
amount (one cent per mile for each)
would be stated. Then the matter of
connection was bought un and
it was found necessary to hold
the train thirty to forty minuUs
at three points, that they might fulfill
their engagements. This was all ar
ranged. Then the advance agent re
marked that their scenery was bulky,
and probably it would be necessary to
put it on a special car to carry it.
Just then a sturdy farmer who pro
posed to immigrate to a Kansas point
came in, stating that himself and his
wife, his wife’s sis ter and seven chil
dren were to immigrate there and he
wanted the lowest rate. Tne local
agent named the rate, which was two
and three-quarter cents per mile per
head, carried this side of the Missouri
River, and an arbitrary rate was added
on the west side. Here the baggage
question came up, and it was found
that it would cost him some $18 to g< t
it through, owing to excess iu weight.
The farmer, who was going west to
furnish produce which would be car
ried over these very roads, accepted
the situation, called for the tickets,
b t. as he pulled out his pocket booa,
said : “Look here, captain, can’t you
put a little chap we have, about six
years old, through free?” “Well, no;
but I tell you what I will do—I will
get him through for half fare.” The
farmer paid his money and left, but
the advance agent was still there us-
iDg the paper of the railroad company
and writing two or three telegrams
whi%h he wished sent free. The re
porter left at this juncture, thinking
that were he a general manager the
theatrical party should pay big rate s
and the horny-handed farmer should
be the favored one of the two.
Laughing and Crying tor Pretty
Women.
Not Equal to the Task.
A. Young Belglau woman who lately
died bequeathed her entire foituue,
valued at about $200,000,to the Belgian
Army. Ten regiments, however, by
speoial designation, are cut off from
the inheritance.
Dr. Brinton does not take stock in
Mr. Herbert Bpenoer’s remarks about
Americans killing themselves with
overwork. He says that the life in
surance companies, whose purpose it
is to get testimony for business uses
rather tliau for after-dinner speeches,
show in their tablet that the expecta
tion of life Is lu this oouutry rattier
better ou the graud average thau In
ingland, B’ranoe, or Germany.
One of the English Postmaster Gen
eral’s most commendable innovations
is, we hear, likely to meet with that
failure which might have been fore
told for it. The experiment of hand
ing over the official ledgers of the
Postoffloe Savings Bank to the female
staff has not beeu proved satisfactory,
the amount of work obtained hitherto
from the male officials having proved
far too severe a task for their lady
successors. Though the experi
ment may result iu demonstrat
ing what was already recognized by
all national people—the inferior capac
ity of women for continued labor at
high pressure—it by no means follows
that employment will not be found in
such departments of the British Civil
Service as the Postoffioe for a large
aud constantly 'Increasing force of
female clerks, with possibly the con
sequence of intensifying the pressure
upon the youug men who haye not
received a professional or an industrial
education, aud so stimulating them to
emigration to the United Slates cr the
Australian colouies.
Letters.
Letters, at least the letu rs of most
people, are unsatisfactory after long
absence. The mystery that we want
t# penetrate, the soul that we waut to
reach with our soul, cauuot uuvell
itself to us ou a sheet of paper, even if
it yearus to do so, aud is willing to leq
us knjiw as much as we oau under-
The approach of age shows itself first
about the eyes. Lines come, faintly
at first, then deeper aud deeper, until
the incipient crow’s feet are indicated,
developed, revealed. The woman
who, looking in her glass, preceives
these fatal lines diverging from the
outer corners of her eyes, knows th t
she has reached an era- in her life.
She recognizes it witn a sigh, if she be
a vain, a lpvely ora wcrdly woman ;
with a smile, perhaps, if she has chil
dren in whom she can live her own
youth over again. But it can never
be a gay smile. None of us, men or
women, like to feel youth—that
precious possession—slipping away
from us. But we should never be on
the look-out for crow’s feee or gray
hairs. Looking for them is sure to
bring them, for thinking about them
brings them. Tears form a part of the
language of the eyes, wbich is efo-
quent enough when sparingly used,
aud which should be sparingly used
for other reasons than that of adding
to their mute eloquence. Tears are a
disfiguring expression of emotion and
those who get into the habit of weep
ing over every Bmali vexation do
much toward acquiring a careworn,
miserable t xpression, and are sure to
look old before their time,
Excessive weeping has been known
not only to injure, but actually to
destroy the sight. Few women look
pretty, or even interesting, in tears,
though it has long been a pleasant
fiction in poetry and romance to sup
pose that they do. Many women,
some men and most children make
most disfiguring and distorting gri
maces while crying; and the lady
who thinks she can work upon a
man’s feeling by a liberal display of
tears should carefully study a becom
ing mode of producing them before
her looking-glass* Grimaces soften no
hearts, and tears accompanied by the
usual distortion have a hardening
effect, if not a visible one. In a pret
tily-written book, now probably out of
print, purporting to be the story of the
life of oueof Milton’s wives, the author
rnakts that poet say of his w>fe’s eyes
aft» r crying that they reiembled “ the
sun’s clear shining after rain ”—a very
pretty natural object indeed, but dur
ing the rain itself the observer is not
inclined to be so complimentary.
Grimaces of a somewhat similar
order are frequently made during the
action of laughter. Care should al
ways be taken with children to pre
vent their falling into this habit. It
frequently reaches such a pitch as to
render the laughter positively unsight
ly.
The face is distorted and out of
drawing, the eyes disappear, aud the
lips aie drawn up, revealing half an
inch of pale pink gum. This peculiar
ity sometimes runs in families, partly
from unconscious imitation. I know
one family whose grimaces during
laughter are most ludicrously alike.
When they are all assembled at the
dinper-table, aud a joke goes rouud
there is not a single eye left in the
family. Much, if not all, of this could
be prevented by due care in childhood.
The laugh can be cultivated quite as
much as the voice. Actresses take
lessons in laughing with, occasionally,
very charming resuits. I do not,
however, advise that such teaching
should begin in early childhood, least
it might des; roy spontaneity and pro
duce an effect of artificiality; but I
very strongly recommend mothers to
check a disposition to make grimaces
during their children’s indulgence of
mirth.
Chinese Inventor of Printing.
In an interesting article on print
ing iu China, the North China Herald
says that the first great promoter of the
art of printing was Feng Ying Wang,
who in 932 A. D. advised the Emperor
to have the Confuoian classes printed
with wooden blocks engraved for the
purpose. The first books were printed
iu a regular manner, and in pursuance
of a decree in 953. The mariner’s ©om-
pass and rockets were invented about
the same time, showing that at this
period men’s minds were much stirred
toward invention. Twenty years
after the ediot the blocks of the classics
were pronounced ready, and were put
ou Bale. Large-sized editions, which
were the only ones printed at first,
were soon succeeded by pocket edi
tions. The works printed under the
Lang emperors at Hangchow were
celebrated for their beauty; those of
Western China came next, aud those
of Fokhieu last.
Movable types of copper aud lead
were tried about the same time; but it
was thought that mistakes were more
numerous with them, aud therefore
the fixed blocks were prepared. Paper
made from cotton was tried, but it
was found so expensive that the bam
boo-made paper held its ground. In
the Bung dynasty the method was
also tried of engraving on soft clay
and afterward hardening it by
baking. The separate characters were
not thicker than ordinary copper
coins. Each of them was in fact, a
Heal. An iron plate was prepared
with a facing of turpentine, wax, and
the ashes of burnt paper. Over this
was placed an iron frame, in whioh
the clay types were set u’p uutil it
was full. Tne wiiole was then suffi
ciently heated to melt the wax fac
ing. Au iron plate was placed above
the types, making them perfectly
level, the wax being just soft enough
to allow the types to sink in to the
proper depth.
This being done, it would be possible
to print several hundred or thousand
oopies with great rapiditv. Two forms
prepared in this way were ready for
the pressman’s use so that when he
had done with one he would proceed
with another without delay. Here
is undoubtedly the principle of the,
printing press of Europe, althougl
western printers can dispense* with
so ft wax bed for types, and can oLt
a level surface without this devi
Perhaps the need of capital to lay i
stock of types, the want of a good ty
metal easily cut and sufficiently ha
and the superior beauty of the Chm
characters when caived in wood, ha 1
prevented the wide employment of l
movable types which are so oonvi
nient for all alphabetic writing,
inventor of this mode of printin
movable types five centuries b
they were invented in Europe,
named Pi Sheng.
Artificial Parchment.
Messrs. Herold & Gawalowski, of
Brunn, make as follows a strong artifi
cial jlarchmeLt,impermeable by water,
and capable of serving for the diaph
ragm In osmotic operations on solu
tions of impure sugar, etc.: The wool
len or cotton tissues are frefod, by
washing, from tl^e foreign substances,
such as gum, starch, etc., which may
cover them. They are then placed iu
a hath slightly charged with paper
pulp ; aud to make this pulp penetrate
more deeply, they are passed between
two rollers, which slightly compress
them. The principal operatlou con
sists In steeping the product for a few
seconds In a bath of concentrated sul
phurio acid, after which it undergoes
a series of washings in water aud
ammonlaoal liquor, until It haHjost all
traoe of acid or base. It is theu com
pressed between twa steel rollers,
dried betweeu two others covered with
felt, aud finally calendered, when the
tB are fit fuuipe.
Itemical.
In Russia the people use the thei
mometer of Leslie, an Englishman J
Tn Germany that of Reaumur,
Frenchman; in Franoe that of Ci
sius, a Swede ; and in Eugland at
America that of Fahrenheit, a G4
man.
Milk powder, mixed with powder oj
beef, is reported aa having been usee
sucvoasiully by Dr. Dujardin Beaus
melz in keeping up the strength of
consumptive patients. For use both
articles are dissolved in ordinary milk,
aud the stomach is said to be very tol-
erani of the mixture.
In ruling upon the respeotive liabil
ity of landlord and tenant for the (
negligent construction or bad condi
tion of a building, Chief Justice
Brigham of Boston says that the land
lord alone is responsible for the bad
construction, but tbe tenant may be,
made to pay any damages caused by t|
negligent use of it. For instance,
landlord is liable for injuries cat
by a defective trap door, but the
ant is liable for irj uries caused bj
trap door left open.
Tlppoo (which means tiger) Bj
turned tiger to very practical pun
An euormous one was found chaj
near his treasury, and au atM
who offended him, or a prisoner
disposed of, met the fate of Daniel J
with different final results. Then
still extant au illustration of Tip|
idea of playful pleasantry in the si
of a mechanical tilger, life s ! ze,
de vised that Tlppoo could make
llgl^ on any unsuspecting person
| whose agony tyjd fear afforded him tt
I keenest gratif