1 FEE OS OF THE LIFE-SAVERS 1
si r H
IP The Biave Coast Guaiu~ .Vho Patrol the Shore wC*
While the Storm Rages. |j3
■A. N the year 1871
Life-Saving
13Wj£Yf Service of the
United States
.//, ~ffl 11 was founded by
' r J~ 't.. 1 11 Sumner I. Kim
ball, at that time
head of the Rev
ifT-S' enue Marine Bu
reauof theTreas
ury Department.
V— He secure 'l a P"
propriations from
Congress, introduced scientific meth
ods of saving lives and ships, drilled
the men, built stations at points with
in a few miles of one another from
Maine to Florida, and along the
shores of the Great Lakes, and effected
t*uch improvements that he got the en
tire country heartily at his back. The
amount of property and the number of
lives saved, from the outset, was most
impressive. In 1574 he prepared a
bill to extend the work, to bestow
medals upon deserving life-savers, to
collect and tabulate statistics of ma
rine disasters, and to determine what
points on the const were specially
liable to maritime calamities. He
caused life-boats to be selected for
particular regions with a view to their
lituess for meeting the conditions
there existing; he investigated the
merits of various inventions in the
way of guns for shooting lines to
wrecked vessels, and of life-cars and
otUer devices for bringing persons
from wrecks to the shore. Finally,
the Bureau was separated from the
Treasury Department, and set up in
business for itself.
Our Life-Saving Service is now
unique among nations. The greater
part of our coast being practically
uninhabited aud deserted, and in
many places very dangerous to naviga
toi'3, there was need that it should be
ledulouslv watched. The entire
TIRING THE LIFE-LIXE.
stretch of coasts, about ten thousand
miles in extent, is now patrolled daily
during the stormy seasons, aud no
wreck can occur without being prompt
ly r 4 jrted, and all possible means
taken to minimize loss. The men are
perhaps the most thoroughly drilled,
intelligent and efficient body in the
world, and constant inspection and
encouragement of the worthy maintain
them at this high level. The station
buildings are commodious and well
kept, and stored with whatever can be
of use in the service, or productive of
benefit in educating the men. The
latter are paid regular salaries by the
Government, aud in case of their dis
ablement or death, pensions are pro
__ . r->
LAUNCHING THE LIFE-BOAT.
vided for them or their families. Poli
tics are kept rigorously out of the Bu
reau; and altogether, its history and
statistics are perhaps more gratifying
to the national pride and pleasure
than those of any other bureau apper
taining to our Government. Mr. Kim
ball has been the right man in the
right place, and the life-savers them
selves have magnificently supported
him by their achievements in the face
of tremendous perils and difficulties.
Collier's Weekly has a striking arti
cle on the Life-Saving Service from
which the following is taken:
The venturesome mariner may lay a
straight course past Iceland and Spits
bergen northward till he brings up
against the eternal ice, by steering due
northeast from anywhere on the coast
of Eastern Massachusetts, and keep
ing away enough to clear the project
ing headlands of Nova Sootia and New
foundland. In other words, when the
northeast wind arises in its might and
goes forth from its lair ill the Arctic
seeking whom it may devour, the first
land that it strikes squarely is Cape
Cod and the first large seaport that lies
in its track ia Boston.
The meteorologists tell us that most
of the destructive cyclone storms orig
inate in the Gulf of Mexico or else
where in the South Atlantic, and in
truth the warnings of approaching
BEACHCOMBERS AT WORK ON THE SALVAGE.
hurricanes at all seasons confirm the
truth of this theory. But be that as
it may, when the northeast wind gets
an unobstructed sweep of some thou
sands of miles down the wide stretch
of ocean that leads the Gulf Stream
northward it has a chance to develop a
degree of violence that it can hardly
attain where its course is interrupted
by outlying islands and reefs.
During the comparatively calm and
peaceful voyage that most travelers by
sea achieve from New York or Boston
to London, Liverpool or Southampton
they are told that when the ship crosses
a tract known to sailormen as "the
hole in the wall" their seamanship is
likely to be tested. The reason for
this is that until that point is reached
the southward sweep of wind and wave
is more or less modified by submerged
shallows such as the Grand Banks and
other ridges that are revealed by deep
sea soundings. It is not surprising,
therefore, that the accumulated force
of a protracted winter's gale is some
thing terrific when it breaks on the
sandy headland that forma the ex
tremity of Cape Cod.
On one of the high sand dunes that
form this promontory stands the High
land Light, looking out to sea, and
from sunset to sunrise, year in and
year out, sending its rays over leagues
of restless ocean to give warning of
the dangerous sand-bars that are
formed by waves and current all along
this coast.
The Government observers of ocean
phenomena, in their forecasts of North
Atlantic weather for the winter
mouths, habitually predict gales of
greater or less severity at intervals of
about seven or eight days covering all
this zone and extending southward as
far as Hatteras. or perhaps even till
they melt away into the gentle
trade winds of the tropics. But not
even the hydrographio office ventures
as yet to predict very far ahead the
approach of phenomenal storms such
as visited this coast at the end of
November. It conld and did give
warning several hours before the storm
began to make itself felt at the Vir
ginia capes and along up the Jersey
shore. Hurricane signals were promptly
set at every station away up the coast
as far as the jurisdiction of the United
States extended, and if the coastwise
authorities of the British possession
had only been willing to accept the
warning of American weather
prophets they, too, might have shown
danger signals for the benefit of their
seafaring population.
It is » singular characteristic of a
great many masters of vessels, from
the flag-officer of a squadron down to
the skipper of a coasting sloop, to
cherish a certain contempt for every
thing that savors of meteorological
science or official interference.
Lightships are anchored with an
eye to violent conditions of tempest,
their mooring chains are so huge and
heavy that to lift one of the links re
quires something of an effort to an
ordinary man. In spite of all, this
phenomenal gale tore theee lightships
from moorings, breaking the hugo
chain cables and sending them adrift
to work their way under sail to such
harbor as Providence might vouchsafe.
One of them, the Pollock Rip light
ship, was driven away down toward
the Delaware Capes, and was at last
picked up and towed to a place of
safety by the Belgian stoamer Switzer-
land. As this is vritten revenue
vessels are out looking for the other
lightships that are adrift, ami, as still
other storms have intervened between
then and now, the question of finding
them becomes moro and more doubt
ful.
To recount even a few of the inci
dents and adventures and daring
deeds of rescue performed alike by
men of the Life-Saving Servico and by
volunteers who manned lifeboats aud
went to the rescue of crews on board
foundering vessels that they met ou
the high seas would take far more
space than is at my disposal. Wher
ever human life was imperiled men
were ready with daring hearts and
skillful hands to rescue their fellows
SAVED BY THE BREECHES BUOY.
without hope or prospect of reward,
and while instances have been re
ported of alleged plundering o)
wrecked persous and property along
shore, the weight of evidence, on the
side of courage and faithful discharge
of duty, is largely in the lead. Heaveu
grant that the interval may be long
before such another storm descends
from the Northern Ocean!
It Housed Hi* Ambition.
The fat boarder groaned softly as lie
watched the landlady hand arouudth«
cold chicken. He saw his finish. II
■would either be a section of the back,
or a leg joint. He wasn't much oft
favorite with the landlady.
"I aui not," he sorrowfully re
marked, "a man of ambitious long
ings. I care nothing for the cares o)
state, or the applause of thousands.
But it never struck me so forcibly as
it does this evening that I would like
to be President."
"And why this evening?" inquired
the unsuspecting landlady.
"Because the President," said the
fat boarder with an unctuous fervor,
"because the President, whenever he
dines—and it's an old and beautiful
custom —is invariably waited upoi
first."
* And he took his section of bad
with a heavy sigh.—Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
The l'auln( of the Tow-Path Mule.
The speediest solution of the canal
boat difficulty is offered by M. Salliot,
of Dijos, France, who has invented ar
electric traction engine which will run
on any towpath without rails. Th<
motive power is furnished by an over
head trolley wire. The towing eabk
is fastened to the back of the engine,
and in the cab Bits a man who does th<
steering and controls the current. The
locomotive is perfectly stahle, and
stands all sorts of shunting and cross-
TOWINQ CANALBOATB BY ELECTRICITY.
ing. Experiments made in Paris were
so successful that the problem of tow
ing canalboats seemed to be solved.
This photograph, taken near one of
European capitals, shows how the
good, old, sure-footed, long-eared
friend of our fathers has been sup
planted.
EARLY CHRISTIAN COINS.
Recent Find of Alleged Messianic Coin in
l'Mli Has Aroused Numismatists.
A holy coin found by Boyer d'Agen
in Paris, and alleged to be a specimen
of the Messianic coin which was in
use among the Christians in Jeiusa
lem during the lirst century after the
F°UMD IN /%^v\
ia i a §!!'//// /J W \
CnBLSVIATIC CRUCIFIXION
birth of Christ, is stirring up consid
erable discussion in England and on
the continent. The coin bears a por
trait of the Savior, with the name of
■Jesus in Hebrew characters. On the
reverse, in Hebrew characters, is this
motto:
"The Messiah, the King, will como
in peace. He is the incarnate liviug
light of men."
The claim that this coin was in cir
3ulation in the first century after
Christ is disputed in England, whore
George Mackey, a noted coin collec
tor, shows almost an exact duplicate
of the Parisian coin. This cain was
unearthed in 1812 by a peasant's
daughter who was helping her father
dig potatoes in Ireland. On one side
is the head of the Savior, with a
Hebrew inscription as shown in the
illustration, and on the reverse a
Hebrew inscription reading:
"The Messiah has reigned. Ho came
in peace, and being made the light of
man He lives."
Walter Davis, member of the Lon
don Numismatical Society, has dis
covered that a similar coin is de
scribed in Rev. R. Walsh's "Essay OD
Ancient Coins, Medals and Gems,"
and according to this authority the
character at the back of the head is
the Hebrew letter "Aleph," and the
characters in front of the face form
the Jewish name Jesus.
Still another holy coin, one of silver
and somewhat larger than those
mentioned, was submitted some time
ago to the authorities at the British
Museum. There is no such coin there,
but the verdict passed ou the coin
submitted was "Italian coin seven
teenth century. Son of Jesse, the
Messiah, was crucified on the sixth
day and taken down on the sixtt
day. He lived."
The owner of this coiu disputes the
great age of any of these so-called
holy coins.
Scientific Child-Study in Chicago Schools,
Scientific child study has commenced
in the public schools of Chicago, and
while as yet it has reaehod no definite
stage, a beginning has been made al
least.
The most notable test now being
made is that through the medium ol
the ergograph, which is the invention
of Professor A. Mosso, of Italy, and is
for the purpose of determining th«
stored up energy of the pupil.
Apart from the ergograph tests there
are others, all of which are deemed es
sential. In the lirst place, the pupil
is weighed, then his height is carefull;
takeu, both standing and sitting.
EXAMINING A SCHOOL PURRL BY MKAN,
OF TIIF. ERGOGRAPH.
Then comes the ergograph. It con
sists of two main parts, one of which
is a cylinder, revolved by means ol
clockwork, about which a paper strij
is pasted. The working portion of the
second part is a small sliding carriage,
to whion is attached a stylographk
pen, the point of which rests upon the
paper covered cylinder. To one
end of this carriage is attached a
weight, and to the other a cord made
of twisted wire.
The arm of the pupil to be exam
ined is snapped into a rest, the lattei
having no connection with the ergo
graph, however, so that it is possible
to move only the fingers. The child's
second finger is then hooked into a
loop in the wire cord, and the pupil is
required to work the finger back and
forth in time with a metronome, a
contrivance for marking time. This
moves the carriage and the pen at
tached back and forth, and on the
paper of the cylinder, which has been
set iuto a barely perceptible motion,
the pen records an unbroken line
something like the teeth of a saw. As
the finger of the pupil weakens from
fatigue the distance he is able to pull
the carriage forward grows shorter
and shorter until he cannot move it
at all, and consequently the mark of
the pen on the paper over the cylin
der becomes almost perfectly straight.
Now, the principle upon which the
operation of the ergograph is based is
that auy one set of muscles is an in
dex to the general condition of th?
body.
Massachusetts is caring for 500 epi
eptics of all ages from four to seveutv.
[FOR FARM AND GARDEN.]
To Avoid Weevilly Seed Pea*.
A very simple as well as satisfactory
way for separating weevilly peas from
the sound ones is to place the seed in
a solution of salt and water made of a
sufficient streugth that the sound peas
will sink and the weevilly ones float.
The injured grain at the top may be
washed and fed to the stock while the
sound seed is sown. This assures an
even catch —to a certain extent —and.
better yet, the weevilly peas are not
even wasted.
Currant* for Profit.
There is no kind of small fruit that
is so sure a crop if kept from the worm
as the currant. It also generally sells
at a good price, with the advantage to
the grower that the currants will re
main on the bushes two or three
weeks, not only without injury, but
each day growing belter after they are
colored. This may not altogether pre
vent a glut in the market, but it at
least gives the currant grower more
time in which to market his fruit.
The only drawback to currant gl ow
ing is tlie currant worm, but this is so
easily killed hy timely applications of
hellebore ] owder thr.t it is really an
advantage to the g'ower who uses it
in time, as it destroys the currants of
s.) many others who would otherwise
be his coin) etitors. There is nothing
usually to be made in what everybody
can produce very easily.
Waste of Soil hy Blow hi sr.
It is always a loss to leave soil
raked through the winter, especially
if the surface soil is friable. Unless
snow comes as a covering, much of it
will be blown into adjoining tit-Ids.
Often when snow conies it will be
wind swept into banks behind fences
on its leeward side,and so soon as the
banks are formed the snow will be
darkened by clouds of fine dust,
which is dej o-i.ed on its surface.
This wind-blown soil is always ex
tremely rich,as is shown by the i nicker
growth and darker green of the grass
that giows up after the bank has
melted in spring. Always the land oil
the lee side of helds that have been
much and long plowed is richer near
the fence on the leeward side than it
is nearer the centre of the field. For
this reason, when plowing, turn the
furrows as much as possible from the
fences towards the centre of the field.
Doubtless there is much blowing of
surface dirt in summer showers,though
it is not so plain to the sight as it i<
when the dark rim lies on top of a
white bauk uf snow.
Fertilizing Orchards.
There are not many farmers who
fully appreciate the value of fertilizing
an orchard, yet this is really neces
sary —in fact just as much so as in
fertilizing any other crop—for the
trees greatly need the elements con
tained in the fertilizer, especially the
potash, in order to grow and mature a
crop.
Here are a few figures which might
illustrate: A crop of wheat of twenty
bushels to the acre removes from the
soil of'each acre in grain and straw
about twenty-nine pounds of nitro
gen, nine pounds of phosphoric acid
and five poutuls of potash.
To compare, we will allow each acre
forty apple trees. These will remove
from the soil in maturing the crop
about thirty-two pounds of nitrogen,
eight pounds of phosphoric acid and
forty-five pounds of potash. I'roin
this it can be readily seen how much
greater is the necessity of maturing for
apples than for wheat, and especially
in supplying the potash.
If the real reason for applying fer
tilizers is to stop soil exhaustion—
which is certainly truo—farmeis have
no excuse for not looking into the
matter of orchard fertilizing,and wheu
they finally do find this out, the old
excuse of'This was a good fruit coun
try once, but that day has gone by,"
will bo a thing of the past, and it is
just this that ought to have happened
years ago.
The Care of Lambs.
Lambs should have grain from the
time they are ten weeks old till the
following spring. A trough can be
set with oats in it outside of the past
ure fence, near the watering place,
with opening in the fence for the
lambs to get to it. They will then
learn to eat by the time they are four
mouths old, at which time they should
be weaued; it is better for both mother
and lamb. In weaning give them the
best they can eat, and plenty of good
water. If you have a cornfield adjoin
ing your pasture you will find it a
good thing to open the fence and let
them also have range to it. They will
do no harm, and will eat many of the
weeds aud lower leaves of the corn.
They should be kept in that way until
they are putin winter quarters, then
they should have from half a pint to a
pint equally of shelled corn and oats
per day, owing to the size and breed
of the sheep, with all they can eat of
good hay. In weaniug lambs never
take them from the mothers, but al
ways take the mothers from the lambs,
and leave tli9 lambs in the old pasture
for a week at least before moving them
to another, if necessary to move at
all. A gentle old sheep should be left
with the lambs for a leader; it makes
them more quiet and gejitle. In the
spring, as soon as there is enough
pasture, turn them out on grass for
the summer. You have then a tine
butich of sheep whose fleccif will more
than pay for the keeping. They c«n
now be handled like old sliee . There
is nothing cheaper and better for
abe*p than grass, except it may l>«>
w. Eds, of which they eat and destroy
Ui.niy aud convert iito
wool and mutton free of charge, bnt
remember they do not thrive or pay
on weeds alone.—Farm, Field and
Fireside.
The Treatment of a Lawn.
Keeping a lawn in order is not diffi
cult, but it requires attention. By de
ferring attention until the lawn shows
it needs it is one of the most certain
ways of insuring a rugged lawn.
Keeping up a lawn is simply a mat
ter of keeping up a good growth of
grass. The chief poiuts to keep in
mind are to prevent maturity (seed
production) and careful feeding.
Grass, like other field crops, requires
plant food, and, as its root system is
somewhat shallow, and the soil has
little aeration when continually in sod,
the plant food supplied must be in a
highly available form.
To prevent running to seed the
grass must bo clipped regularly. In
the spring and early summer months,
before the sun's rays have readied the
fierce heat ol' midsummer, it is advis
able to remove all grass dij pings, but
during the hot summer months the
clippings should be left 011 the lawn
to servo as a mulch. This is especial
ly true for sections subject to a mid
summer drought. The late summer
clippings should bo left as a winter
mulch. In the hot days of midsum
mer the lawn sprinklers should not be
started until bite in the afternoon.
Light, sandy soils require more pro
tection from drought than day soils.
On the former the dippings mulch is
a very imj ortant matter. On very
heavy clay soils the clippings mulch
tre ueutly Hues more harm than
good.
The plant food is the most impor
tant poiut, not only to keep up a Bolid
mat of grass, bnt also to prevent that
vitiation due to insufficient nourish
ment wli'ch with plants as with ani
mals is an inevitable invitation t«
disease. Altwn requires regularly
every year an application of nitrogen,
potash and pli >sphoric acid. All three
of these fertilizers are necessary, aud
an excess of any one or two cannot
make up for a deficiency of any oue.
A fair application, 011 the basis of one
acre, is one bag of muriate of potash
aud two bags of ai Sd phosphate; that
is, 200 pounds of the former aud 400
pounds of thj latter. These fertiliz
ers should be thoroughly mixed to
gether, an«l it will be an advantage to
mix them with an equal weight of
fine, dry earth. The best time to ap
ply is in Aug Ist or September, broad
cast. 111 the sprin ■. as soon as the
green begins to freshen, apply nitrate
of soda at the rate of 200 pounds pet
acre.
The application of the nitrate of
soda is an important matter. The fer
tilizer must be finely pulverized, and
mixed with an equal weight of fine,
dry earth. To use the nitrate without
the previous apt lieatiou of the potash
and pho ph.ites is to invite disaster.
The grass will be stimulated to a rank
growth, which it makes wholly at the
expense of its vitality. There is no
surer way to destroy a lawn.
111 cases of moss growth in ppots,
due largely to a lack of potash and
phospha:es the best treatment is to
rake over thoroughly,and aoply burnt
lime at the rate of two good liaudfuls
to the s mire yard. Rcseed the fol
lowing spring, and do not fail to use
the mineral fertilizer in August.—R.
Carwood in American Cultivator.
rivM-ticul Dairy Notes.
Salt should always be accessible.
Do not change the feed suddenly.
Clea 1 and thoroughly air stable be
fore milking.
Keep tiie dairy and stable room iu
good condition, fresh air and dean.
Do nit use within twenty days be
fore calving, nor for three to five days
afterward.
Do not move cows faster than a com
fortable walk while 011 the way to place
of milkiug or feeding. Mo savage
dogs.
Provide water iu abundance, easy
of access and always pure; fresh, but
not too cold. Do not use impure pond
water.
The milker should wear a clean
outer garment, used only wlieu milk
ing. and kept in a clean place at other
times.
Feed liberally, aud use only fresh,
palatable feedstuff's. In no case
should decomposed or mouldy material
be used.
Do not allow any stroug-flavored
food like garlic, cabbage aud turnips
to be eaten, except immediately after
milkiug.
Cleau the entire body of the cow
daily. If hair in the region of the
udder is not easily kept clean it should
be clipped.
The milker should be clean in all
respects. He should not use tobacco
when milking. He should wash and
ury his hands before milking.
Never «llow the cows to bo excited
by hard driving, abuse, loud talking
or unnecessary disturbance. Do not
expose them to cold or storms any
length of time.
Promptly remove from the herd any
animal suspected of being in bad
health, aud reject her milk. Never
add an animal to the herd until cer
tain it is fiee from disease, especially
tuberculosis.
fllnck l>o{j Dalntle*.
Chickens are sold by the piece in
Buenos Ayres. They are dressed be
fore being offered for sale, the only
feathers left upon them being those
of the tail. The same custom
prevails in China as to dogs, where a
bit of the dog's hair is always left on
the eud of the tail, even when the ani
mal is cool ed. But this is because
the Chinese consider the flesh of black
dogs the best, aud most certain to put
a brave spiiit into the body of the
•^ter