CHANGES OF A CENTURY.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1518, 28 March 1882, Page 4

CHANGES OF A CENTURY.

Thb Nineteenth century has witnessed manyrriuul very great discoveries and shang«si >' In 1809 Fulton took out his first patent fio^tiiecinvention of a steamboat. The first steamships which made regu*r,trip? across the Atlantic Ocean were ihVSirius and the Great Western in 1836> V ' The .first public application to practical use of gas for illumination was made in 1802. In the 1813 there was built in Walfcham, Massachusetts, a mill, believed to have been the first in the world which combined all the requirements of making finished cloth from the raw cotton. In 1790 there were only 25 post offices in America, and up to 1837 the rate of postage was 23 cents for a letter sent over 400 miles. In 1807 wooden clocks began to be made by machinery. This ushered in the «ra of cheap clocks. About the year 1833 the first railroad of any considerable length in the United States was constructed. , In 1840 the first experiments in photography were made by Daguerre. (1 About 1840 thefiast express business was established. The" anthractie coal busines may be said to have been begun in 1820. In 1836 the patent for the invention of matches was invented. Steel pens were introduced for use in 1803. The first successful trial of a reaper took place in 1833. -In 1840 Elias Howe obtained a patent for liis first sowing machine. The first successful method of mailing vulcanised india-rubber was invented in 1839. In 1844 the magnetic telegraph was first brought into practical use.

"The source of weakness to every nation under heaven," says Josh Billings, comes from the fact that its women have so little to do and so much to say." As the season for the use of many agricultural implements closes, the careful farmer will clean and oil them, and then place them under shelter. Careful treatment of a piece of machinery will preserve it wonderfully. Aninventivegeuiusfilledasmalltarletan sack with a spoonful of cayenne pepper and tacked it over a rathole. When the rat bounced out his eyes were peppered by the sifting from the shaken sack. -He squealed like a pig and escaped. The whole tribe have since migrated. . Darwin acknowledged himself matched when his little niece asked him seriously what a cat has that no other animal has ? He gave it up after mature deliberation, and then the sly puss answered, ' Kittens.' Jost after election a gentleman approached a defeated candidate with ' How do you feel ?' ' Well pretty much as Lazarus felt.' ' Lazarus ? What do you mean ?' ' Why, Lazarus was licked by dogs, and so was I.' The worst hindrance to grass in its early stages of growth is weeds ; next to that strong growing grain crops. The best condition is absolutely clean ground, with no other seeds upon it besides those of the grasses. Weeds aic usually strong feeders. They draw from the soil nutriment that should be taken by useful plants; they pump out moisture and shade young plants. Onk Sunday evening a well-known revivalist preached from the text: ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest them me ?' In the audience there was an engineer named Saul, who was accompanied by his wife and little girl. The re^eicnd gentleman repeated his text several times : ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest tlinu me ?' At last the daughter of Saul, thinking that the text had a personal application, looked up in the face of her father and said t (Don't mind him, father ; he's been drinking !' You will have more cK-am fiom the deepsetting than from the .shallow pan system. Keep the cream A\here tho temperature will not rise above TiOdeg, and it will be sweet, even if you only churn once a week. Cicain that is ju&fc on the point of turning sour is claimed by some to make better flavoured and sweeter butter than that made from sweet cieam. A timkly suggestion, on its travels without credit, is to the effect that before removing a threshing machaine to another farm it should be uin ivnpty for fhe to ten minutes at a high 1 ate of speed in order to throw out any seeds of cheat, cockle, &c, and to discharge particles of smut that may havo adhered to it. In this way the germs of weeds or fungi will be left where raised and not introduced by this medium as a pest to other fields. The last Duke of Portland was a peculiar character. He was always tearing down and building up, making underground passages and a subterranean riding-school, disguising himself as a " navvy" to escape attention, and hating women. The present Duke is quite a different person, and has settled £100,000 on his step-mother. SoKKBb has running roots, and can only be killed by ploughing it under deeply and growing some other crop that will smother it. If the ground is too wet to grow grass and clover it should be drained, As the ground is probably well seeded with sorrel, it will bo necessary to presevere some time before it can be wholly cleared of it. When the ground is well drained a good application of lime would be useful.

Notable Events in t 1881.—A correspondent writes to the Spectnto) :—: — It is worthy to be recorded that 1881 is notable for the largest census ever taken in the British Islands, the largest volunteer review ever held in the British Islauds,the hottest day and the coldest ever scientifically recorded in England, the greatest number of comets ever seen in the same year in England, the highest high jump, the quickest quarter-mile run, and the largest score at cricket ever made by one batsman in one innings ; the quickest sea-passage on record between England and Australia and between England and North America!

Tpk Homeless Author of "Home Sweet Home." —ln the London OUy Press we read : The author of ' Home Sweet Home," T. H. Payne, a poor, but genial 1 hearted man, was walking with a friend in London, and, pointing to one of the most aristocratic houses in Mayfair, he said : " Under those windows I composed the song of ' Home Sweet Heine,' as I wandered without food, or a semblance of shelter I could call my own. Many a night since I wrote those words, that issued out of my heart by absolute want of a home, have I passed and repassed in this locality, and heard a siren voice coming from within those gilded walls, in the depth of a dim, cold London winter, warbling ' Home, Sweet Home,' while I, the author of them, knew no bed to call my own. I have been in the heart of Paris, Berlin, London, or some other city, and have heard people singing 'Home, Sweet Home,' without a penny to b\vy the next meal, or a place to put my head in. The world has literally sung my song until every heart is familiar with its melody. My country has turned me ruthlessly from office, and in my old age I have to submit to humiliation for bread." It has been hinted by those who ought to know, that ' the genial hearted, man's improvidence caused bis family no slight trouble and expense.