Agricultural.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2343, 16 July 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Agricultural.

HOMKAND FAIIM. Tut; following is sal'l to bo a sure test for ascertaining whether wall paper contains arsenic; Take a piece of paper and pour upon it strong aqua ammonia over a saucer. If there he any arsenic present, this will dissolve it. Collect the liquid in a vial or tube, and drop in a crystal of nitrate of silver. If there be arsenic present, little yellow crystals will make their appearance about the nitrate ot silver. Arsenical green, when washed with aqua ammonia, either changes blue or fades.

The use of the pall of rattlesnakes is warmly urged by M. Koskicy, of Austria, as an antidote for snake bites. M. Koskicky, who became acquainted with the antidote in Venezuela, declares it both inexpensive and effective, as well as instantaneous in its operation, cows and dogs in the last stage of the poison recovering immediately on the remedy being administered to them.

The coffee tree is generally regarded as a native of Arabia, but by some it is said to derive its name from Caffee, a province in Naria, in Africa, where it grows in great abundance. It usually attains a height of from 15 to 20 feet, and is covered with a dark green shining foliage. The trunk is erect, but seldom exceeds two or three inches in diameter. The flowers are white in colour, and diffuse a most delicious harmless fragrance, in the midst of which the native fix their habitations. The fruit, which contains the seeds, is something like a cherry, and is at first red, though it subsequently becomes purple. The coffee tree is frequently cultivated in this country, in hothouses, as an ornamental evergreen, and, under favourable circumstances will both blossom and mature its fruit. It is evident that wo arc indebted to the Arabians for the use of this pleasant beverage, for the first rite of Eastern hospitality is the presentation of a bowl of coffee. A curious story is told of its introduction to notice. It is said that in ancient times a poor dervish, who lived in a valley in Arabia, observed a strange hilarity in bis goats on their return home every evening. To find out the cause of this bo watched them during the day, and observed that they eagerly devoured the blossoms and fruit of a tree, which hitherto ho had disregarded. He, tried the effect of this food upon himself, and was thrown into such a state of exhilaration that the neighbours thought that the old gentleman had been making too free with the brandy-bottle. He revealed to them his discovery, and then agreed that Allah had sent the coffee plant to the faithful as a substitute for the forbidden wine. In Europe coffee is said to have been first used in Italy, and it appears to have been introduced into this country about the middle of the 17th century. Buckwheat Amoxc Trees. —The Dacota man who sowed buckwheat among his young forest trees was sensible (remarked an American agriculturist). During the past fifteen years the writer has lost no opportunity of urging the sowing of buckwheat in nurseries, tree plantations, and young orchards. When trees are sot on the dark-coloured prairie soils of the west, and the ground well cultivated and bare, the surface temperature above the nitrogen-feeding roots will often roach 130 or even 140 degrees. This intense heat of the soil and the consequent heating of the lower beds of air to which the young trees are exposed is contrary to nature and her method of tree-growing. If the exposed surfaces are covered with succulent plants of buckwheat, the nitrogen-feeding roots can come up about as near to the surface as under native forest conditions ; and the lower beds of air to which the plants are exposed become relatively cool. During the past quarter of a century some experiments with a view to testing the relative effect on young trees of exposed and shaded surfaces of soil between the rows have given results too striking for popular belief. Era: Biscuit. —Two cups of warm milk, two eggs, two heaping spoonfuls of butter, half a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in warm water, one quart of sifted flour, one tcaspoonfnl of salt; mix with the butter melted but hot, the yeast, salt, and throe cups of flour together overnight, and set m a covered howl to rise. Early in the morning add the beaten eggs and the rest of the flour and set for a second rising of an hour or longer. When light roll into a sheet almost an inch thick, cut into round cakes, and lay in a llourcd baking pan. At the end of half-an-hour bake in a good oven. They are delicious cold or hot.

Oliver Dalryrnplc, the bonanza farmer of Dakota, will this spring put in 32,000 acres of wheat. In his opinion Dakota will next fall give to the world a bulk of wheat that will surprise the wildest speculators. Kasenco of quassia will drive away flies, and cucumber peel is dstested by cockroaches. A small bag of sulphur kept, in a drawer or closet that is infested with red ants will quickly disperse them. Windows should never bo washed while the sun shines on them, as it is impossible to polish them without leaving blue streaks. I’kki'aukl) Mustard,—' Take two tablespoonfnls of brown mustard, one tablespoonful ot brown sugar, and add salt and vineger to taste. French mustard ia prepared by boiling it and mixing with oil, salt, and a dash of sugar. Ov'KK TkREH HUNDRED GUINEAS FOR an Oiitruin. —-At a sale of orchids at Dornside, Lcatherhcad, comprising 500 duplicate plants, from the collection of \V. Lee, tlie sums realised were enormous. One plant was sold to Messrs Vcitch and Rons, of Chelsea, for 310 guineas, the highest price ever obtained fur a single orchid. There is more adulteration in spices than in anything else, and the making of the adulterating agents is also a business in itself. It has not been longsiuce there was a mill in Camden where fruitimporting linns, and those that manufactured prepared coeoanut, sent their coaeoauut shells, which were then grounded into power ami used for adulteration.

The greatest of American millers is W. D. Washburn, of Minneapolis. Ho has one mill that turns out five thousand barrels a day, and has interest in others whose output is enormous. There is probably no man living who is so largely interested in flour.