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2 The National Metropolis. To the Editors of The Georgia Grange : In my last letter, I intimated my in tention to write something about Wash ington City affairs. I will now redeem that pledge. And I begin by observ ing that there has been a wonderful im provement in the city, generally, since I removed from that place to Columbus, Mississippi, in 1858. The population has nearly doubled since that time ; and the number of buildings erected bears a fair proportion to the increase of popu lation. I observed, during my late visit to Washington, whole blocks, and, indeed, whole squares of buildings, of a superior class, erected on lots that wei e vacant when I left that city. The most marked improvements are found in the northern part of the city, though there has been a great deal of building in-all sections of the metropolis. Large sums have been expended by the Government in the enlargement of some of the pub lic buildings, and in improving previ ously existing ones. The Treasury building has since been extended and finished at great cost. Improvements have also been made on the General Postoffice; and also in the interior of the Patent office. And now, new and very expensive buildings are in course of erection for the War and Navy De partments, in the vicinity of the old War Department; and, I suppose,when they are fully completed, will cover all the space occupied by the War Depart ment, as well as that on which the buildings are now being erected. When completed, these buildings will excel, I presume, all the Department edifices hitherto erected. When one beholds the many millions that have been ex pended on Government buildings in Washington, and the cost of those now in course of erection, and sees the ad mirable adaptation of those buildings to the ends for which they were erected, it would seem that the question of the removal of the Capital of the nation ought never more to be agitated. It is worthy of note, also, that vast improvements have been made on the streets of the city. They have, in many' places, been greatly improved by pro per grading, and by excellent pave ments. I was surprised to find how large a portion of the streets of the city had been paved within the last three years. And, then, the material used for paving, is, of itself, of a superior order. The Nicholson pavement was tried on many of the streets, but this is now being supplanted by the concrete. If the concrete should prove to be as durable as it is claimed to be, it will supercede all other materials for paving in our principal cities. It certainly is very desirable on account of the smooth ness of the surface of the streets on which it is used. You can scarcely im agine a more agreeable sensation than that which is experienced while you are trundled along in a buggy, or car riage, over these concrete pavements, at the rate of twelve or fifteen miles an hour, without seeming adequately to realize the very rapid speed at which you are traveling, and without experi encing any disagreeable fatigue in the operation. If the eccentric John Ran dolph could now be raised from the dead, and be permitted to revisit Washington —the place of so many years of his public toils—he would hardly characterize it, at present, as “a city of guilded poverty aud magnificent distances.” A large portion of the city is now fully built up, and the long spaces of vacant lots, so numerous in Mr. Ran dolph’s day, are now mostly occupied by magnificent edifices, either private or public. Indeed, Washington has become a beautiful city, and it is des tined, I think, ultimately, to be one of the most attractive cities on the conti nent. When the question as to the permancy of the Capital is fully settled, persons of wealth and culture will doubtless be attracted to the National metropolis, from all parts of our own country, and also from foreign coun tries ; and will be likely to make it the place of their permanent abode. The high social advantages which the so ciety of such a city always affords ; the privilege of listening to the debaters in Congress, and the arguments in the Supreme Court ; and the opportunity of hearing the lectures of the most dis tinguished men of this country, and of other countries, in the winter season ; together with the salubrity of the cli mate, and the excellent church and school privileges which it holds out, must make Washington, ultimately, a great and fashionable and wealthy city. Considerable expense and pains have also been bestowed in grading the grounds around the Capitol, and in many other sections of the city belong ing to the General Government. The park, which formerly embraced only the grounds surrounding the Smithsonian Institute, is to be extended from the river below the Washington Monument soas to embrace the grounds surround ing the Capitol; and a splendidboulvard, surrounding the whole, paved with con crete, will add to its attraction and contribute greatly to its interest. Presi dent Grant will find here ample con venience for testing the speed and the mettle of his fine horses ; and, at the same time, enjoy the advantage of a good airing without the inconvenience of encountering clouds of dust, as hither to. But the President will not be alone in this regard. The diplomatic corps, the secretaries of the different departments of the Government, and the wealthy citizens generally, who are able to possess a “splendid tournout,” together with their respective families and attaches,will, doubtless, enjoy many a “pleasant drive” around this beautiful park. Adorned with flowers, and plants, and shade trees, with serpentive w r alks and bubbling fountains, and facinating fish-pools, etc., it will also beguile the footsteps of the toiling clerks, the nurses with their prattling children, and, indeed, all who can spare an hour from the cares of business. So that from early dawn to “dewy eve,” its drives and walks may be expected to present, as in panoramic vision, an epitomy of all the world. In my next letter, I shall say some thing about the halls of Congress, the Supreme Court-room, and other apart ments in the Capitol buildings. For the Georgia Grange.] Artificial Irrigation. As a means of enhancing the pro ductability of the soil, artificial irriga tion has but few, if any superiors,where it is practicable. I might say this, from the vast results of the system intro duced and carried to a great degree of perfection by the ancient Egyptians, in the Valley of the Nile, where rains fell but seldom, or more modernly, in the Salt Lake region of North America, where the same aridity of the summer season prevails, and necessarily forces the farmers to the irrigation of the soil. But I would speak from personal experience, in this temperate region of vernal and summer showers, where the swift flowing -waters, and undulating plains afford such ample scope for a vast extension, and far greater perfec tion of the wonderful art. But I am aware that the system has been, and will still be met with the objection, that where showers fall freely it will not avail much ; yet experience proves that there is an inherent, life-giving power in running water that stimulates the growth of vegetation surprisingly, even during the wet seasons. Observation by the most scrupulous will prove this to be true, if they will but notice the more luxuriant growth of almost all the production of the soil planted by the swift running waters. We do not argue that stagnant water benefits, but injures the growth when allowed to stand upon it, and, even if pure water is allowed to stand in abund ance on the land, it then hinders the growth, soon losing its life-giving powers. In the beginning of the late war, it was my pleasure to experiment on a small scale, having two bold running springs that were capable of watering several acres. The water was turned out by means of small dams, into ditches that wound around the base of the higher lands. At intervals the water was turned out of the ditch as re quired to cover freely the lower lands. This was done by cutting the bank on the lower side of the stream with the spade. It was turn on the land in the latter part of the winter, and continued at intervals till near manuring time; as it was a meadow, mixed with clover, herds grass, and timothy, all of which growed far more luxuriently than those parts of the same meadow, with the richness of soil that were not irrigated. Parts of the grass irrigated were mown twice against mowing time. This experiment, as well as observa tion and historic facts, satisfies me that were the waters of the South properly utilized, it would aff< r I o ie of the first means *f enriching <.ur countrv. GEOKGM (SO®** I have been induced to write this, hoping that it may be of use to that pursuit that underlies all other callings that support the physical man. It will cost but little labor to make a fair trial. X. Northern Corn not Suitable for Seed in the South.—Mr. J. R. Max well, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, planted forty-eight acres of land with very choice Lakeside, Mass., corn. The crop proved an entire failure, or twenty five bushels of nubbins. He remarks that of his own white corn he could have raised at least 750 bushels. After various experiments he concludes that Northern grain is not adapted to our climate. j|aentifie attb fiotes. Cremation. Scientists are now discussing the pro priety of resorting to the ancient Greek method of disposing of the dead by burning,—the dictates of affection to be satisfied by preserving the ashes in an urn, or some other proper receptacle. This is advocated upon the following grounds: Ist. The decomposition into original elements, to which all bodies are sooner or later subject, is a slow combustion, so that, after all, by the action of fire nature’s work is but an ticipated. 2. All other methods, having for their object preservation of the remains fora greater or less time, are at last defeated by the untiring agencies of nature. Burying in caves, the openings to which were sealed up; embalming, in -which the Egyptians so greatly excelled; of depositing the corpse under the earth’s surface, our usual method, encased in wood, stone or metal, only serve to delay but never to prevent the inevitable change. Burials at sea are, of course, ~~ exceptional, being an unavoidable dis position of the body, which is soon de voured by fishes. The social question here presents it self, which of these various methods is best for the survivors and the general interest of our race ? Besides the space occupied by ceme teries, a matter of great importance in crowded populations, burial under the soil is full of danger to the living. Hence interments within the precincts of large cities is now forbidden. But, wherever situated, underground burials are polluting our water sources for our children’s children, and occupying space that must one day be dwelt upon or utilized by living men. The question of economy, all important to the masses, also comes in here. The revival of this ancient method would relieve us of costly, sometimes ghastly, funerals. The widow and orphan have too often . surrendered their slender means to show what they have been taught to regard as decent respect to the memory of the departed in a display of plumes and scarfs and a pompous funeral ceremony over the unconscious clay. Lastly, the danger to the living of standing upon damp soil, and often with uncovered head, in inclement weather: not a few deaths are traceable to paying this last sad tribute of respect. Though we are not yet prepared to dispense with our time-honored custom of burving our dead out of sight, the subject has nevertheless assumed such importance that companies are forming in England to select suitable localities, and to make the necessary preparations,. for the disposal of corpses by crema tion '. Apple Trees.—ln 1.000 apple trees, planted so deeply that an ordinary spade, thrust square down will not reach the first roots, not a single case of bark-bursting or blighting has oc curred. The Soaring of Birds. There are few persons who have not gazed with interest and admiration upon birds, especially of the vulture species, as they move in ascending and descend ing circles, floating lazily in the upper atmosphere, apparently without the slightest effort. Dr. Pettigrew, an eminent naturalist, thinks, from his investigations, that the wing during the act of soaring assumes a spiral form and a continuous spiral movement coincided in by a special action of each separate feather. That the three forces in flight are the muscular and elastic force of the wing, thrown,when extended, into a spiral, the weight of the body and the recoil of the air. These forces act, react and combine, thus birds traverse the serial ocean; the wild goose drives his train along invisible tracks ; the albatross and petrel sail through the tempest undisturbed by its clamor, and the condor, with his vast pinions, floats in calm majesty over the lofty Andes. An explanation not altogether satis factory, but better than no explanation at all. Diversity of Color. Physiologists hastily assumed that in the negro there was a singular net work beneath the skin which was the source of his blackness, and they made this their warrant for separating him specially from the white race; but more acute microscopic observation has proved the existence in all men of that network —in the white in the temperate zone, as well as in the black in the tor rid. It is in man everywhere, and is susceptible of those subtle influences which produce different degrees of color. It contributes to man’s comfort, and fits him for all climates. Those Portuguese who have been long settled in Africa and the East In- dies, have become perfectly black in color; so, also, Greeks and Turks are changing into the dusky and sable. The Jew, whose invariable identity is everywhere conspicuous, and w’ho is everywhere testifying to the truth of Scripture, as an inhabitant of all lands ( yet with a resting-place in none, repre sents color in all degrees. In the plain ofjthe Ganges, his skin is jet black ; in Syria, he is of a dusky hue ; in Poland, his hair is light and his complexion ruddy ; on the Malabar coast, in one colony—the older—he is black ; in the other colony —the younger —he is com paratively fair. “ For 1800 years,” says Professor Owens, whose authority none will dispute, “ that race (the Jews) have been dispersed in different lati tudes and climates and they have pre served themselves distinct from inter mixture with other races of mankind. ! There are some Jews still lingering in the valley of the Jordan, who have been oppressed by the successive con querors of Syria for ages —a low race of people —and described by trustworthy travelers as being black as any Ethiopic races. Others of the Jewish people, participating in European civilization and dwelling in the northern nations, show instances of light complexion, the blue eyes and fair hair of the Scan dinavian families. The condition of the Hebrew since their dispersion, has not been such as to admit of much ad mixture by the proselyetism of house hold slaves. We are thus led to acc.oun for the difference in color by influence of climate, withot having to refer them to i original or special distinctions. Integrity.—Be and continue poor while others around you grow rich by ’ fraud and disloyalty ; be without place or power while others beg their way upwards; bear the pain of disappointed hopes while others gain their’s bv flat . tery ; forego the gracious press of the hand for which others cringe , and crawl. Wrap yourself in your own virtue, and seek a friend and your daily bread, if vou have in such a course grown gray, with unblenched honor, bless God and die. — He intzelm ann. Reasoning Power of Rats. An American vessel, on a late voyage, being greatly infested by these vermin, the captain prepared a trap by balancing a barrel head on pivots over the mouth of a barrel half filled with water. On the center of this barrel he fastened a piece of pork. The tilting of the head as soon as a rat leaped upon it, of course threw him into the water below, though quite a number was thus de stroyed, after a few nights none were found in the barrel though the bait had disappeared. The captain, therefore, set himself to watch, and discovered that the animals, after a careful survey of the premises, divided into two par ties, one of which climbed up on one side, and placing their fore paws over the edge, held down that side of the revolving platform, while the others crossed from the opposite side, detached the bait and removed it to the floor for the benefit of the entire community. Could human reason farther go? MisrellanD. No Moustaches. In the London Illustrated News col lection of “curious wills,” it appears that in one Mr. Henry Budd declared by his will, proved in 1862, that : “In case mv son Edward shall wear mous taches, then the devise hereinbefore contained in favor of him, his appoint ees, heirs, and assigns of my said estate called Pepper Park, shall be void ; and I devise the same estate to my son William, his appointees, heirs, and assigns. And in case my said son William shall wear moustaches then the devise hereinbefore contained in favor of him, his appointees, heirs, and assigns of my said estate called Twick enham Park shall be void ; and I de vise the said estate to my said son Edward, his appointees, heirs, and assigns.” Mr. Budd’s example was followed in April, 1369, by Mr. Flem ing, an appraiser and upholsterer of Pimlico, who by his will* gave to the different men in his emply £lO each; but those who persisted in wearing the moustache, £5 only. Portrait**. Bishop George would never have his portrait taken. “If I were -O,” he said, “it would be engraved and hung in some good brother’s parlor, and by and by the good brother would fail in busi ness or die, and his effects would be put up for public sale, and the voluble auctioneer would come across- me in a pile of household trumpery, and as he held me suspended by thumb and fin ger, he would cry, ‘Now, gentlemen, here’s your chance ! your only chance ! perhops your last chance ’. to buy a biship ! How much am I bid for a bishop? Twelve and half cents for a bishop! only a York shilling for a Methodist bishop! Do I hear any more ? Going! going ! gone ! Only twelve and a half cents, dog cheap for a Methodist bishop !’ ” Change** of a Century. The nineteenth century has witnessed many and great discoveries. In 1809, Fulton took out the first patent for the invention of the steam boat. The first steamboat which made a regular trip across the Atlantic ocean was the Savannah, in 1819. The first public application to prac tical use of gas for illumination was made in 1802. In 1813, the streets of London were for the first time lighted with gas. In 1813, there was built in Waltham, Massachusetts, a mill, believed to have been the first in the wor Id which com bined all the requirements of making finished cloth from raw cotton. In 1790, there were only twenty-five postoffices in the whole country, and up to 1837 the rates of postage were twen ty-five cents for a letter'sent over four hundred miles. In 1807, wooden clocks commenced to be made by machinery. This ushered in the era of cheap clocks. About the year 1833, the first railrcad of any considerable length in the United States was constructed. In 1340, the first experiments in photography were made bv Daguerre. | About 1840, the first express busi ness was established. The anthracite coal business may be said to have begun in 1820. In 1836, the patent for the invention of matches was granted. In 1845, the first telegram was sent. Steel pens were introduced for use in 1803. The first successful trial of a reaper took place in 1833. In 1846, Elias Howe obtained a pa tent for his first sewing machine. The first successful method of mak ing vulcanized India rubber was patent ed in 1839. Policy. A celebrated statesman, who con trived to hold office both under the gov ernment of Queen Mary the Papist, and Queen Elizabeth the Protestant, was asked how he was able to keep place under the reign of two such opposite sovereigns. “By always imitating the willow instead of the oak” was the re ply. That is, casting aside the oak like inflexibility of principle, and adopt ing the willow-like mobility of policy, he was able to hold his position and re ceive emolument under both sovereigns. It is a fact that the real policy-man invariably sacrifices principle, integrity, virtue, manliness, when they conflict with selfish interest. — Maxom. The August Newman. The Japanese reply to the card of Rev. Dr. Newman was sharp enough, if intended for a retort, to puncture the hide of a rhinoceros. As is well well known, that Reverend personage has been appointed by Gen. Grant in spector of Consulates, which enables him to travel round the world at the expense of tax-payers. While in Japan, he sought admission to a criminal court but was refused, where upon he sent in his card thus : “ Rev. Dr. J. P. Newman, Chaplain of the United States Senate and Special Friend of President Grant.” In reply, the Court expressed its great grief that there was no person present of sufficient rank and dignity to receive such an august Amer ican. Woman. The North German Gazette published an article the other day with the object of warning German electors against permitting themselves to be influenced in the exercise of their electoral func tions by the opinions of their wives. “All the qualities of woman,” says the organ of Prince Bismark, “are made to disturb and bewilder the factors of political life, and to bring misfortune on the affairs of man.” The cause of the dread of the weaker sex expressed by the official journal, lies in the alle gation that the women of Germany are, in general, subject to clerical dictation. Exercise. —Mr. Webster, who was a great worker, used to say that "he could do more in six hours than he could in eight. He meant, that, by rightly throwing in two hours of exercise in the open air—fishing in the bay at Marshfield, or following a trout-brook at Boscawen —he could make the re maining six hours of more use than all the eight together. That system was the secret of the Greek and Roman physical training. Physical training was not a thing for boys alone, but for men, and, in Sparta, for women also. No One Perfect.—One day you will be pleased with a friend, and the next day disappointed in him. It will be so to the end ; and you must make up your mind to it, and not quarrel unless for very grave cause. Your friend, you have found out, is not perfect. Nor are you ; and you cannot expect to get much more than you give. You must look for much weakness, foolishness, and vanity in human nature ; it is un happy if you are too sharp in seeing them. — Country Parson. The Tongue.—The Delaware whip ping-post is not the only relic of an cient jurisprudence. There is a law, it seems, in Maryland providing for the conviction and punishment of common scolds—or rather such offenders are recognized by the common law still in force in that State ; and a woman in Baltimore has just been arrested for malicious volubility. The punishment is “boring a hole in the tongue.” The German Parliament adopted a resolution thanking the people of En gland, for their recent public demon strations for the endorsement of the ac tion of the German Government in its present conflict with the ecclesiastical power of the Pope, and the resident Roman Catholic clergy.