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Ashburton Guardian, Volume 1, Issue 124, 10 July 1880, Page 3

A lady who was frequently annoyed by the loquacity of her .servants, being asked why she didn’t try dumb waiters replied : —“I have tried them, but they don t answer.” An old bachelor having been laughed at by a bevy of pretty girls, told them they were small potatoes. “ vYe may be small potatoes,” replied one of the maidens, “ but we are sweet ones.” American Criticism. —Hero is a lively specimen of American criticism, taken from the San Jose (Gal.) Argus ;—Our old friend Le Due is on deck again, this time with a large volume on the “Diseases of Swine,” and in forwarding it to ua he expresses the hope ' that we will give the work a careful perusal, and favor the Department of Agriculture with such criticisirn as we think it deserves. We have given the work a careful perusal—that is,' we tore the wrapper off and looked at the gorgeous chromo of a “ microscopic section of the mucous membrane of the intestines- of Mr. Harris’ pig.” In our humble judgment, this is the best chromo on a mucous membrane of the intestines of Mr. Harris’ pig .that has ever been placed before the gaze of an admiring and art-loving people. Tlie perspective is fine, though the chiaroscuro is a little off. The subject is a grand one, calculated to bring into play the artist’s power of imagination, and giving ftPOps t.Q a rich Oriental fancy that dwarfs into insignificance the pretentious efforts of Doro' In fact, we mistook this masterpiece at first sight for a finely executed copy of Turner’s “ Slave Ship.” The letterpress of this new novel of Le Due’s is a marvel of skill; the introduction of Oregon quads gives a unique effect to the impression. ’ As to the text, we have never had experience with sick pigs, and can’t criticise the chapters oo that subject. In his circular letter, t q us. .Mr, Le Due says: —“ If remedies have been employed wjth any degree of success, please state the ingredients and the proportions in which ijhey are compounded, and the quality riven.” We employed a remedy once to cure a neighbor's pig of the pernicious habit of rooting up our garden. The ingredients were nitre, sulphur, carbon, lead, and an old-fashioned musket ; proportions, two handfuls of powder to a pint of shot. We are happy to inform thp Agricultural Department that the degree of success was simply immense. The pig was cured, and lasted our family several months. Regarding hogs we are better posted. There are lots of them in San Jose that want 10 dollars’ worth of advertising for a dollar and six bits. There is no cure for them.