Aural grtotontg.
[COMMUNICATED.]
CLIMATE AND EXERCISE.
MESSRS. EDITORS :—ln your excellent Fam
ily Paper I sometimes notice half-truths on
various subjects, original and selected, and
though not, of course, endorsed by you, yet
admitted for the sake of "giving all . a hear
ing" for truth's sake and for the general
good. I scan your Agricultural columns
too with some interest, from having been
brought up amid the operations of draining
and subsoiling and the entire routine of farm
life on two continents. Arid what brings me
out now is an article in your space of " Ru
ral Economy " of Nov. 22, 1866, under the
heading, "Heavy-soled Shoes for the Ladies,"
from Moore's Rural. It is, I think, one of
those one-sided, wretched half-truths which
we now and again "hear promulgated by
those of whom we might expect better. We
all know the healthful value and influence
of out door exercise in pure air—the necessity
of suitable clothing for the body and feet,
according to the season; but the entire arti
ticle in question is by fact and implication,
though unintentionally, a reproach and libel
upon the women of America! If England
and America were in all respects alike, there
would be force in the advice of your co
temporary, but there is little parallelism be
tween the two countries on such a matter.
It may be, as alleged by Mr. Rural, that the
"fine color, clear complexion and superb
busts" of the English ladies are kept up by
out-door exercise, but that does not prove
that the same sort and degree of exercise
would create and Maintain such physical
perfevtion in America. Undoubtedly, there
are causes " of the rich blood of the English
women, and their almost universal fine looks
and matronly beauty at fifty, when at that
age American women are pale, sallow and
wrinkled ;" but these are not merely out-door
exercise.
Take a dozen emigrants newly landed on
our shores from Britain—they are farmers,
or farm-laborers, and intend to follow that
occupation still, in this the land of their
adoption. See them after a year's residence
in the country. They,haVe had nothing but
out-door labor ; remember their robust ap
pearance when they landed a year ago and
compare it with their now altered and com
paratively bleached looks ! The first winter
they ridiculed the idea of' buckskin mite for
a frosty morning—true they had seen frost,
and curling clubs' and curling matches for
Beef arid Greens, and deep snows, too--deep
enough.to " stop the mails ;" but—pshaw !
We don't want mits—a clap or two round
the shoulders is all we want to keep our
hands warm. But another year causes a
change, and in a few years more (they don't
know hardly how it's come—but) they are
compelled to say that ten years ago' they
could stand more in their shirt sleeves than
they can now .with an over-coat. Has it
been a want of out-door exercise that has
caused all this breaking down ? No It's
the climate, Sir I Its the climate that is the
cause of all this, and not in the out-door ex
ercise taken by the ladies of England does
the " secret " of their physical superiority
lie, but chiefly and essentially in the temper
ate climate and atmosphere in which they
live. There are other minor causes for this:
their insular position, surrounded by the
briny ocean, good roads and foot-paths from
one end of the land to the other, town and
country, for pedestrians—all encouraging to
walking exercise, but the grand cause of
superior strength and constitution is the
healthy climate. So, Mr. Rural; it is not, by
any means, the out-door walking that is the
Alpha and Omega. of English beauty, sym
metry and perfection, but the natural result
and the product of a climate. comparatively
free of those atmospheric vicissitudes that
undermine and bring to premature . decay
the human constitution. CLYDE.
CLEANSE YOUR CELLARS.
Now is the time to clean your collars.—
You should not only clean them, but cleanse
them; To be sure, no one ever seen the cel
lar, and some people seem to clean only for
"some other people to see." It is far more
important that the pantry and cellar should
be thoroughly neat and free from ill odors.
than that the "best room" should be swept
and garnished.
In the first place, half the so-called cellars
are unworthy the name; they are only pits
digged neath the kitchen floor, and only a
sand or clay bottom. It is of course for
more difficult to keep such a one neat and
sweet than one with a hard cement floor,
with boxes and bins for storing vegetables
separately, and shelves for fruit, and cup
boards for all sorts of things, of which house
keepers have such a great supply.
Of . course,. there should be windows on
every side to secure a free circulation, and
consequently free ventilation. Then every
scrap of refuse should be removed, and, as
far as possible, all vegetables which will
keep just as well out of as in the cellar had
better be taken out, as the oder from most
of them is far from pleasant.
Sweep down all cobwebs, and whitewash
overhead and everywhere, finally, where a
brush can go. Lime is a powerful disinfect
ant, and you can't make too free use of it.
A foul cellar will poison the whole house.
The light gasses will find their way up to
the rooms above, and persons inhaling such
a vitiated air may
. be seized with terrible
illness, and yet be in total ignorance as to
the source of trouble. A yearly cleansing
is not sufficient ; it should be looked after
weekly. Look at the pork and beef, to see
if covered with brine, and if it be sweet and
good.
if you keep milk or butter in the cellar,
there ought not to be any thing else kept
there. Butter is so easily tainted with ill
odors . ; one night's time being sufficient to
spoil the best and sweetest. Pine vessels
should never be used in the dairy. Do not
THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1867.
put your butter in a pine pail to carry it to
market; even in No short a time it will con
tract a taste of the pine, which will spoil it
for all purposes.. MRS. J. T.
EARTH WORMS-HOW AND WHAT THEY
MESSRS. EDITORS :—I see that you have
published an article about the habits of
earth worms, which useful little creatures
seems to be much underrated. They may
eat earth, as your author asserts, but I have
never seen them do it, although I have seen
them eat other things with great voracity,
and have also seen them reject particles of
earth which adhered to their proper food,
such as dead spears of grass, roots •and
leaves.
I have watched them feeding for hours at
a time, and retain a lively recollection of
several rheumatic attacks, resulting from
the wetting I got while so watching them: •
They feed at the surface only when the
.withered vegetation is wet. with rain or dew
and is in a soft .and pliable state.. Then
their food found at the surface is dry and
too harsh for their mouths to manage; they
retire to the congenial depths or the ground,
delighting in heaps of "long'! manure, which
they reduce to a homogeneous mass of.corn
post with great rapidity'by consuming the
vegetable, and uridigested_ parts, thereof,
thus transforming the latter matter from' a
vegetable to an animal , character,leaving
the . mass at its lowest chemical
. status,and
so fit for the food of plants. Indeed I dolibt
if any atoms, of vegetation can decay
. atid
be again fit food for other vegetable organ
isms without intervening decomposition:in
animal digestive apparatus. At all events,
it is easy to prove that earth worms are
compost makers, and if we do not give them
time to properly manufacture their I" pro
duct " while the manure is in the compost
heap, they . will appear in the fields and then
complete the job, and further, their work in
the fields yields another benefit by their
boring and opening of the soil.
Their manner of eating is worth noticing.
If you seat yourself upon a grass-plat Or be
side the strawberry bed, during a light rain in
warm weather, and have the patienceto sit
perfectly still for ten or fifteen minutes, you
will see innumerable worm heads. protruding
cautiously from . the ground, and 'feeling
around until a spear of soft and recently
killed grass is found. The worm touches it
first with the extreme point. of the head,
and then the point retracts inward, much
like the toe of a stocking when you touch it
with your finger to commence turning it:
then the worm shortens its length, the other
end being fast anchored in the hole; this ac
tion makes a bight in the spear of grass,
and then the worm crawls along the outside
of his supper until the parts diverge, too
much, when he takes another pull, and so
on until the grass is loosened from its own
roots - and.safely swallowed. I have •observed
that if a particle of earth.adhere co the food
it is shoved along as the swallowing pro
gresses, and not allowed to enter the.mouth.
The final act of swallowing the end, and
biting off the lump of root' which is some
times attached, I have never seen, as that is
performed within.thc hole; but ,I have fre
quently seen the. worm re-appear with a
pellet of earth loalanced upon its head, or it
may be only the piece of root-if his supper
was clean, which he deposits at the surface
beside his hole, when he prowls around for
more food while it is good.
When two worms seize opposite ends of
the same spear, the pulling and hauling is
most comical, reminding one strongly of
his early days when he strung grains of
corn on opposite ends of a string and fed
two rival gobblers. The worm fight gene
rally ends by the breakage of the grass, but
if too strong for their strength they both
swallow until their heads touch each other,
when they both get," leaving the morsel,
. which they will not touch again. I have
often:seen these worms breaking off the
dead parts of strawberry leaves, rejecting
the living parts, and have also seen them
apparently sucking the pollen- from straw
berry flowers. In. the fall large tufts of dead
leaves may be seen drawn partially within
the worm holes, possible by way of stoppers
to keep out the cold.—Sci. Am. * * *
gritittiftr.
[COMMUNICATED.]
SWISS MANUFACTURES
Our sister Republic of the Alps displays
ingenuity, energy and industry, that will
compare with those of the most favored por
tions of our own country. Its productive in
dustry is equaled by that of no people in
Europe. Some claim for Switzerland that
its inhabitants produce more than those of
any other country on the globe. Its exports
amounted last year, to nearly $33 per inhabi
tant. These statements will appear the
more remarkable, when it is recollected that
Switzerland is almost bare of raw material;
but notwithstanding this, and its remote
position inland, its wares come into successful
competition with the manufactures of every
other country, not only on account of their
cheapness`, tut for the superior skill and in
tegrity of their workmanship. Our own
country imports largely from Switzerland.
Who has not a Swiss watch in his house ?
We receive from this country watches, mu
sic -boxes, mathematical instruments, silks,
ribbons, cheese, straw-ware, spirits, wines,
jewelry, cigars, &c.
Much of the prosperity of the country, is,
no doubt, due to the superior intelligence of
the people, and the general diffusion of edu
cation among the masses. Care has been
taken to allow the children time to acquire
at least the simple rudiments of an educa
tion, before being placed in constant employ
ment. This contrasts strongly with the
system pursued by England, where children
of very tender years, are employed constant
ly, and no opportunity given of acquiring
any information, except that necessary to
perform some simple mechanic.lal opera
tion. The effect has been to lower the con
dition of the laboring classes, while among
the Swiss and in other continental coun
tries, where a more enlightened policy has
been pursued, they are constantly becoming
more skilled and intelligent. It is to be re
gretted, that in our own favored country,
there are places where children of tender
years are kept constantly employed in manu
facturing establishments, without an oppor
tunity being given them to embrace the ad
vantages of our free schools. S 9 far as,this is
persisted in, it will lead to the satne_prOeess
of degradation as in England; and Will- re
sult in giving 'us a class of worktnen , not
only deficient in skill, but incapable of ad-1
vaneement. Among the 20,902 persons be
tween the ages of 6 and 18, engaged in re
gular employment in this pity, there are no
doubt many - who are deprived of every
'means of procuring an education,' unless it
bo in the Sunday-schools.
The above remarks, do, not apply_ to all of
Switzerland, but only to the Protestant can
tons and cities. - Away from these, all is ig
norance-and stupidity. No greater contrast
can be imagined between people inhabiting
the same country, than exists between the
Protestant and the Catholic Swiss in this
particular.
The liberal form of government of Swit
zerland is productive of a better understand
ing between the ,employer and employed;
there is a feeling, of common brotherhood
, ,
and common interest, which binds them to
&
z? ether 'not the repelling influence of aristo
cratic pretensions which leads to constant
misunderstanding, strikes and lock-outs.
The ingenuity of the people is remarkable
and' the careful and economic Manner, in
'which 'they conduct their business, more
than compensates for the want of raw ma
terial, their distance from the seaboard; and
'from the great commercial centres.
As almost all manufacturing operations
are now done by power produced by steam
or - water motors, the question of the expense
of procuring power, affects the location of,
industrial establishments. One of England's
great advantages lies in the abundance and
cheapness of coal, by which power, is pro
duced. In Switzerland, advantage is taken
of the numerous streams flowing from the
mountains, fed by melting snow and ice, and
equalized in their flow' by the numerous
lakes. These are made to give motion to
the establishments scattered through the
valleys. As the water power is not always
found at the most desirable place to loute
works, numerous ingenious arrangements
are made to convey the power from the
- wheels or other motors. In one instance,
where the wheel is placed in a narrow gorge,
180 feet deep, the power is conveyed by a
line of shafting, 380 feet, to the manufactory.
Another novel mode of transmitting:power,
is by wire ropes. The most remarkable in
stance is at Schaffhausen, on the Rhine.
Here is a considerable water power, a por
tion of which has been Utilized by wheels
placed on the mine side of the river as the
;town, but until lately,'* large volume of
water flowed by, on the opposite' side, unim
proved. To use this water power, three
large turbines were erected, and the power
conveyed from them to the opposite side of
the river, a distance of 370 feet, by rope
gearing, wire ropes working into grooved
wheels of 15 feet diameter. From this
point the power is conveyed up the stream,
and distributed by rope-gearing to a num
ber of establishments throughout the town.
The amount of power distributed in this
manner is 700 horse, and the distance it is
conveyed, over 3000 feet. These works are
constructed by a company "Wasserwerk
Gesellschaft," who sell or rent out the power
to the different works, at a less rate than it
can be produced by steam, in the most fa
voured location for procuring fuel.
The hydraulic motors used by the Swiss
are generally good ; almost every known
appliance for procuring power being used,
from the simple impact or flutter wheel,
seen in some of the old saw mills of this
country, to the overshot wheel constructed
upon scientific principles, giving a co-efft
.cient of the power equal to 75 per cent., and
the turbine producing even a higher per
centage.
The greatest economy is practised in the
use of fuel, it being scarce and dear. Smoke
is not seen to issue from their chimneys.
To prevent this no legal enactments are
necessary there; such waste of fuel-as is in
dicated by large volumes of black smoke is
suing' from chimneys would be ruinous to the
manufacturers.
While iron ore is abundant in many parts
of Switzerland, there is not sufficient smelt
ed for the use of the country, on account of
the scarcity of fuel, and large quantities of
iron are therefore imported. The small fur
naces they have, are managed with the
greatest economy in fuel. The heat, which
with us is permitted to escape at the tunnel
head, is made to pass through another cham
ber, in which the ore is heated:before being
charged into the furnace. In some instances,
ovens are constructed in the masonry of the
stack; in which the bread of the entire neigh
borhood is baked by the heat otherwise
wasted; and even'around the arches, where
the blast enters the furnace, drying closets
are formed, in which the 'apples are dried to
make "Schnitz," that indispensible article
of food, one of the constituent parts of the
famous "Dampf Knauf and Schnitz," of the
German farmers of our State.
The Swiss steam-engines are much thought
of; such care is taken in their arrangements
that some consume but from 2 to 4 pounds
of coal per horse-power per hour. The ma
jority of steam engines in operation in this
city consume from sto 8 pounds. Some of
the establishments for building machinery
are very extensive, one employing 1200
hands. From these shops, work is. sent to
all parts of the world, and locomotives are
now being constructed there to run upon
roads in England. Sugar mills, steamboat
engines, water motors, and machinery of all
kinds, are also manufactured.
The comparative freedom from war which
Switzerland has enjoyed, has no doubt done
much to stimulate its industry and extend its
manufactures, There has been no war since
1815, except the difficulties of 1848, which
wore speedily terminated by the expulsion
of the Jesuits. How soon will it be neces
sary for our country to rid itself of these
enemies of civil liberty, civilization and pro
gress,—these meddlers in the affairs of state
in every country in which they have had a
fast hold? We were made to feel their in
fluence during our late war, in the manner
in which they marshalled and voted, the
Roman datliolics casting their influence, in
every instance, against e government and
freedom. •
Those of our citizens interested in me
chanics or*manufactures, who visit. Europe
will do well to pay some attention to the
Swiss establishments. P. M.
Mifurtionunts.
INSURE YOUR LIFE
IN YOUR OWN HOME COMPANY
AMERICAN
Loll a.MN - - .41 z` - - . ig 4. dr.* NO§ 0+ die - - al =4. ir4-11
S. E. Cps. FOURTH .& WALNUT STS
Insurers in this Company have. the additional' guarantee of the
CAPITAL STOCK all paid up IN CASE, which, together with
.GASH ASSETS, Ilow on hand amount to
$1,516,461 81.
INCOME FOR THE YEAR 1866,
$766,537 80-
LOSSES PAID DURING THE YEAR AMOUNTING TO
$21.1213,000 COCO.
Losses Paid Promptly.
DIVIDENDS MADE ANNUALLY; thus aiding the insured to
pay premiums.'
The last DIVIDEND on nll Mutual Polices in force January Ist,
1667, was
Fifty = par ce,3t3.t.
. i . ~ . 11U~ .~ ~ ~ ~
Its Trustees are well known citizens in our midst, entitling it
to more consideration than those whose managers residein distant
cities.
Alexander Whilldin,
J. Edgar Thomson,
George"Nngent,
lion. James Pollock,
L. M. Whilldln,
P. B. Mingle,
Albert C. Roberts
ALEX. WHILLDIN, President.
GEO. NUGENT, Vice-President.
JOIIN C. SIMS, Actuary
JOHN S. WILSON, Secretary and Treaanrer.
CHARLES G. ROI3ESON, Assistant Secretary
GIRARD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY,
PHILADELPHIA
CASTE ASSETS, ' $300,000
Office, 639 S. E, Cor. Chestnut and Seventh
Streets.
DIRECTORS.
Silas Yerkes, Jr.,
Alfred S. Gillett,
N. S. Lawrence,
Chas. I. Dupont,
Thos. Craven,
Furman Sheppard,
Thos. Mac Kellar,
Jno. Supplee,
Henry F. Kenney,
Joseph Klapp, M. D.
Jno. W. Claghorn,
Income for the year 1866,
Losses paid and accrued,
THOMAS CRAVEN, President
ALFRED S. GILLRTT, Vico-President.
JAS. B. ALVORD, Secretary.
STRICT ECONOMY IN MANAGEMENT.
PROVIDENT LIFE AND TREST CO.,
OP PHILADELPHIA.
OFFICE No. 111. SOUTH FOURTH - STREET
Commenced' business 7th mo. 24,1865.
Organized to extend the benefits of Life Insurance among members
of the Society of Friends. All good risks, of whatever denomination,
solicited.
ROWLAND PARRY, . SAMUEL R. SHIPLEY,•
Actuary. President.
THOMAS WISTAR, M.D., J. B. TOWNSEND,
Medical Examiner. Legal Adviser,
The Company, in addition to the security arising from the arm
mutation of premiums, gives the insured the advantage of an actual
paid up , capital. AU the profits of the Insurance are divided among the
insured.
Life Policies and Endowments in all the most approved forms.
Annuities granted on favorable terms. fe2B-ly
CLERGYMEN,
Wishing to avail themselves of the advantages of LIRE INSUR
ANCE, In any of its forms, can obtain special Savors, which will be
of great aid to them in securing and maintaining their Policies, by
addressing or calling upon the subscriber, Generab Agent for Penn
sylvania, Delaware, and .New Jersey, of
The Security Life Insurance and Annuity
Company, of Nevi York.
COMPETENT LOCAL AGENTS and SOLICITORS wanted for this
excellent and well-established Company, to whom liberal commis
sion will be paid.
PERSONS WISHING TO INSURE
May find it for their interest to do so through the subscriber, who
will give reliable information, and insure in other companies when
desired. REV. W. W. McNAIR,
OS Walnut Streets, Philadelphia:
REFERENCES.—The Secretaries of the Boards of the Presbyterian
Church.
Feb. 21-3 m.
II =II MI rzll air.L'lls Coin-a-I
Hair Restorative
WONDER OF THE WORLD !
The hair can be restored and scalp cleansed by the use of Bere
nice Hair Restorative, manufactured at the Laboratory of
H. FRICKE, 930 ARCH STREET
No family should be without it.
NEW PERFUME.
XILOES.OI. O OM 3^lM "lETIC3TOIFILM.
For tho Handkerchief. Has no superior. Manufactured by
je2o H. FRICKE, 930 Arch Street. •
THE
WISE. MEN OF THE LAND,
The Divine, the Physician, the Judge
USE DAILY,
IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND' RECOMMEND
To all Invalids and Sufferers
From
Dyspepsia, Sick Headache, Sour Stomach, Costiveness,
Heartburn, Indigestion, Piles, Bilious Attacks, Liver
Complaints, Gout and Rhenmatio Affections,
NATURE'S OWN
GREAT AND GOOD REMEDY,
TARRANT'S
Effervescent Seltzer Aperient,
As the
BEST AND MOST RELIABLE MEDICINE
Ever offered to the people for the above class of diseases.
The nursing babe, its brothers and sisters, its parents
and grand-parents, will all find this pleasant remedy well
adapted for their different complaints.
MANUFACTURED ONLY BY
TARRANT & CO.,
VS GREENWICH & 100 WARREN Ste., N. Y.
For sale by all Druggists.
No. 3.838 Cllaesisttmxt Eltre•et.
Curtains and Shades hung in the best manner. Carpets neatly
owed and fitted. Furniture repaired, re-upholstered and van
ished. Old Mattresses renovated at
SOMETHING NEW Prepared Cork Mittresseg, Cork Staffing
William J. Howard,
Henry K. Bennett,.
Isaac Hitzlehurst,
George W Hill,
John M. Chestnut,
John Wanamaker.
GEO. W. JENKINS ,
Manufacturer of choice Confectionery. Every variety of
Sugar, Molasses and Cocoanut Candies.
ALSO,
Wholesale Dealer in Foreign Fruits, Nuts, &c., &c.
GEO, W. JENKINS,
1037 Spring Garden Street, Union Square,
PHILADELPHIA.
$103,934 72
47,09&00
Peter Cooper's Gelatine
Will make
DELICIOUS JELLIES
With great ease. Also,
.111.11.NWE, CILIRLOTTE RUSSE, Rte.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE WITH THE PACKAGES.
For sale by Grocers and Druggists. Depot, N 0.17 MIMING-SLIP
New York. mar2S-3m
WALL ?AP
AND FINE WINDOW SHADES MANIT•
FACTORED.
Beautiful designs, as low as $1.50, $1.75 and $2, with Fixtures.
PAPER HANGINGS, Gold and Plain DECORATIONS, neatly
hung, by practical workmen, at
JOHNSTON'S Depot.
[TheNo. is 1033] SPRING GARDEN Street,
Below Eleventh.
S T IE. A mc
Dyeing and Scouring Establishment.
MRS. E. W. SMITH,
No. 28 N. Fifth St., below Arch, Phila.
Ladies' Dresses, Cloaks, Shawls, Ribbons, &c., dyed in
any color, and finished equal to new.
Gentlemen's Coats, Pants and Vests cleaned, dyed and
repaired.
Printed by JAS B. RODGERS,
ROBERTSON & CO,'S
GENERAL UPHOLSTERY,
Hair, Husk, Straw and SpiingMattresses,
WHOLESALE OR RETAIL.;
.1338 Chestnut -Street.
CONFECTION
MARBLEO- 1..4 WORK S 1:41.
fa EEN li ABOVE 7- 1 MIN
52 eg^ 54 North, Sixth. Street.