No. 20.-VOL. 9. AGRICULTURE. AMERICAN FARMER-BALTIMORE, AUGUST 3, 1827. curly, and much smoother and more valuable than The four top leaves of a plant of ten, are, in (From the Richmond Enquirer.) TO THE TOBACCO PLANTERS. As the price of wheat must necessarily remain low while a general peace continues, and its produc tion has been very much curtailed of late years, from the uncertainty of making good crops, our at tention will consequently be more and more turned to the culture of tobacco; and as 30 to 50 per cent. has generally been lost on this crop, from want of better management, feeling it a duty, I take pleasure in pointing out your defects, and in suggesting the proper amendments-and to those who are sceptical, I recommend a partial trial and experiment. Hence the great advantage from high topping, As I shall recommend nothing more than what has since we all certainly know that kind nature's good been practised by some of you to great and very arrangement causes the branches and limbs of all satisfactory, as well as profitable success, I hope vegetation, from the grass to the tree, to bud and others will feel a confidence, so far at least, as to spring out further and further apart as they apmake the trial. My object is merely to communi-proach the top. Nature's design and wisdom, in oate to all, a knowledge of the advantages discover this regulation, cannot but be manifest to any one ed and enjoyed by a few. who will reflect a moment upon the subject: it is to prevent the upper from stifling and suffocating the lower, if I may be indulged to use such terms on the subject of vegetation. TOPPING AND PRIMING. Two great errors are in general practice, in topping and priming. On the rich land you generally As the same rules are also applicable to the cultop too low; almost all the tobacco made on the ture of tobacco on thin land, such as can just bare rich land is too large, too coarse and curly, in con-ly produce a crop, I need say but little, particularly sequence of topping too low and planting too far as I am not disposed to encourage its culture on apart On such land as you generally turn out and poor land; on such as one-third to half the Virginia make ten leaves to the plant, you should aim at crop is made, which neither pays for the labour nor making twelve at least, by topping to about sixteen, loss of soil. and not finish priming when you top, but commence But it is the general, current, and very erroneous again when the four top leaves get about half grown opinion, that much of the fine high priced tobacco If the seasons should produce a rapid growth, in- has been made on poor land. It will be well to cordulge some of the suckers the high topping, and rect this error, as it has caused much injury, and permitting the suckers to remain awhile, during the great loss of labour, and final destruction and death rapid growth of a wet summer, will cause the to a great deal of thin land, either poor originally, leaves to be smaller, grow slower, and of finer tex or in the last stage of consumption, by the Virginia ture. When the four top leaves get half grown, killing mode of cultivation. It is true, however, to prime off two more, and sucker clean; by this time a notorious degree, that several poor counties have you can determine whether your crop will probably of late been very conspicuous, and, perhaps, mecome to the knife late or early: if late, prime off ritoriously celebrated, for making fine high prictwo more in a short time; and if you shoald shortly ed tobacco; but the fine tobacco was not made on thereafter apprehend its suffering from dry weather, poor land, when the land was actually poor; it was prime off two more. This will, in general, bring made on the richest, liveliest spots that could be you to the tenth, middle, or latter erd of Septem- picked out in those poor counties; and the poverty ber, with ten leaves to a plant. if the drought of the circumjacent lands and country, tends very should then have been so severe as to have kept much to brighten and increase the fine flavour in back the growth too much, and the leaves now be curing, because the atmosphere of a high, dry poor much too small and no rain yet, prime off two more country is much sweeter and purer than it can and take your chance with the remaining eight, possibly be in a rich country, particularly low mud which will weigh as much, when ripe, as any great-lands, rich low grounds on rivers of wide bottoms, er number would, if permitted to remain. where the exhalations keep the air highly impreg But if the crop should not suffer from dry wea-nated with too much oxygen and other acrimonious ther, your plants will produce at least twelve good and deleterious matter, which the tobacco imbibed leaves; and if the seasons should be very good, to too great an extent in its growth, and should be thirteen to fourteen might well be made. Nothing thrown off in curing, and would lose in a purer is easier than to keep down the size of the leaves, state of atmosphere, in the process of what you and prevent them from getting too large, if you will call, coming and going. Consequently it would be only top high and indulge the suckers to a proper of great advantage to the flavour of low ground extent in the early part of the summer, when the tobacco, to take it up to the high land of pure air seasons are favourable to rapid growth. Sucker and to be cured. It is as impracticable to make rich or prime judiciously, as the rains subside and dry wea-fine high priced tobacco on poor land, or rather on ther sets in. By turning out a superabundance of leaves, it enables you to speculate on the weather in this crop with more certainty, than any other ever known to the writer. Some planters always make fine tobacco. The tobacco on the middling rich land, of light, quick, active qualities, should be topped high also, and treated in the same manner as recommended for the rich. Two great advantages result from high topping: it causes the upper leaves to branch out from the stalk much farther apart than the low er, which gives them more benefit from the genial rays of the sun, and latent properties and substances of the air, which feed the plants by absorption; and the upper leaves have a better shape, not so No. 20.-VOL. 9. poor tobacco hills, as it is impossible for nature to generate something from nothing, without any primeval essential matter to act upon. 158 has been made, but much the greater part has been produced by the rich land, with the aid of the art of high curing, with but little or no fire. CUTTING AND FLAVOUR. These two terms appear at first to be unconnected; but as the latter depends very much upon the former, I have united them. No one essential is more material to the value of tobacco, than a good fine flavour. One of the greatest errors is committed, in cutting before it gets entirely ripe, which is the chief cause why so much is defective in flavour, colour, and substance; and why so much feels rich and thick without looking or being so. As tobacco is an aromatic plant, and one of the most fragrant and odoriferous that is indigenous to this country, when ripened and cured to its greatest perfection, it is not strange that so much of it should lack those qualities when cut before it is ripe; particularly when we take into consideration, that the odours of nearly all the aromatic family are very delicate and volatile, and never acquired in the greatest degree, till the last stages of their growth, and some never fully consummated till they get through the process of curing, which is peculiarly the case with tea and tobacco. Much of the flavour, as well as substance and weight, are lost by premature cutting. But these are not all the losses from it: the impracticability of curing with a good, lively, healthy colour. A dull dingy hue will inevitably be the aspect of all that is cut green, cure it as you may. But it can be cured of a bright colour, which will soon fade away, like a thin, poor patient in a fever, after it abates and subsides. And I hazard nothing in the declaration, that every rich plant cut in perfection, fully ripe, whether on rich or thin land, bottom or high land, may be cured of good colour and flavour, that will be lasting and delicious to the taste and smell. And although good colour and flavour constitutes the chief value, yet no more than about one-tenth of the Virginia crop has ever come to market with these great advantages. Of all the plants known to the writer, tobacco is constituted and composed of the richest, strongest, and most delicious, and also the most delightful ingredients. The alcohol or spirit, the oil and opium, the sugar or saccharine matter, the mucilaginous wax and gums, the acids and nitre, with several of the other volatile salts, &c. all so harmoniously combined, constitutes this the richest and most de licious compound ever engendered and generated in any one plant. No wonder, then, that all classes of every country and clime, from the savage to the civilized part of mankind, should take delight in its use. It forms the traveller's companion, and the philosopher's aid. It is the old bachelor's antidote; the epicure's last resort, and sailor's and soldier's third daily ration. It keeps open the centinel's eyes; and besides medical, and many other good effects, it cheers the watchman in the silence of the night. Wonderful weed of American origin! COLOUR. Many incorrect and erroneous opinions have gone into circulation respecting colour; impressions have been extensively made in the country that yellow is Then to account for and explain the erroneous a favourite colour. A bright lively colour is invaopinions in circulation, that much of the fine high riably admired by the purchasers, who give the priced tobacco has been made on poor land, let the highest prices. But neither brown, red, nor yellow following fact suffice, the evidence of which abounds will do. A rich mixture of red and yellow on the extensively amongst you. Many of you who have under side of the leaf is desirable. Such a mixture not rich land, have resorted to the necessity of pick-as is to be found in fat lightwood, and brilliant, rich, ing the best spots of your thin land with only a thin bright mahogany. The dull brown and dark dingy coat of soil, and that coat nearly all composed of colours, are very objectionable. The next best co vegetable matter, scraped into hills, which caused lour to the favourite one just described, is a rich, deep them to be tolerably rich, active and productive for yellowish green, or rather the fat lightwood colour, one or two years, and this is generally new ground. with a slight admixture or tinge of green; but it is In this way, a part of the fine high priced tobacco so much the worse of the green, in the ratio that it contains that shade which lessens the fine flavour and detracts from the value. All rich, ripe tobacco, can be cured of the fat lightwood colour with its rich aspect-and as the greater proportion of you understand two processes which can produce the effect, and you can obtain the information from each other, a description (which is difficult,) is deemed unnecessary. tematic plan. One or two patriotic and publick to furnish the remedy against this disease. The spirited individuals have recently attempted to causes are inexplicable from any thing yet known awaken attention to the cultivation of the tea plant. upon the subject. In some seasons it is much more Béne, an African plant, which yields an oil, it is severe than others. New lands are less subject to it affirmed, not inferior to that of olives, has been than old; and hitherto the Mexican least of all the tried, and succeeds well. Indigo was formerly a species. Rot is the next grand source of apprehenprime object of attention with the planters. The sion to planters, to lowness of prices. cultivation has been, of late, in a great measure Sugar cane is a very rich and abundant article of A similar colour, in a faint and feeble degree, can abandoned, either because deemed less profitable the growth of Louisiana, raised chiefly on the coast, be given to the poor, thin tobacco, and is certainly than the cotton crop used to be, or because it is a the shore of the gulf, the bayous Teche, Lafourche, a handsome dressing for it in the new state, and is species of cultivation considered unhealthy, and fa and Plaquemine, and some parts of Attakapas, south well calculated to take with superficial judges. But tal to the hands. The rice yields abundantly, and of 31°. It is propagated by cutting, or slips of the as such a dressing injures the stamina, and increas-is remarkably fair. The extent of lands favourable cane stalks, called rattoons, laid horizontally in fures the fading in going through the sweat, either on to the cultivation of the low land rice, is almost in- rows in the latter part of February. The shoots land or at sea, it should never be attempted, as it is definite, and were not the other grand staples deem-start from eyes at the joints of the slip. When an injury, and will never take with any competented more profitable, no limits could be assigned to grown, it resembles the rankest broom corn, or perjudge. the amount that might be raised. At present very haps, more nearly, Egyptian millet. When maturThe dapple, or pieball, is very much admired by little more than is required for home consumption, ed, it resembles, except the seed spikes, or tassels, many purchasers who are esteemed good judges; is raised in a country where an immense extent of that species of maize, called at the north, Carolina and when this aspect is given to that which is very swamp might be profitably devoted to that article. corn. When it is cut for the mill, or expressing the potent, it is similar to Jamaica 4th and 5th proof The lands in this state bring tobacco of the finest saccharine sap, they generally cut off something rum, which can lose a great deal of strength and quality. That, which is cultivated in the vicinity more than a foot from the top, for slips, or rattoons still be sufficiently good and strong. But those va- of Natchitoches, is said to equal that of Cuba. But for planting. The rows are planted in rich lands six riegated colours are a disadvantage. The variega the culture is not deemed so practicable, or so profeet apart. It requires the richest soil, the vegetable tion is produced either by too rapid curing, which fitable as that of the present staples. mould of which ought to be at least a foot in depth. exhausts the lightest coloured parts too much, or by The cotton cultivated here, is an annual plant, There are three or four varieties, or species, in culbruising in pressing; and when the bruised parts growing from six to ten feet high; and the larger tivation here, as the African, the Otaheite, the West come to be acted upon by the air, either in or out stalks of the size of a man's wrist, throwing out a Indian, and the ribband cane. The Otaheite grows of the hogshead, they fade and exhaust: this bruis- number of branches, on which form large and beau- luxuriantly, and ripens considerably earlier than the ing is the cause why manufactured tobacco fades tiful whitish yellow blossoms, much resembling West Indian; but is said to contain saccharine matsooner than leaf, both being equally exposed to air, those of the white hollyhock. The leaf, too, is not ter, in comparison with that, only as two to three. and of equal quality originally. A competent judge unlike that of that plant. A cotton field in flower is The ribband cane is a new and beautiful species, so had rather have the under side of the leaf, stem a most brilliant and gaudy spectacle. On the cups called, from its being marked with purple and paand fibres, all of one colour, of the fat lightwood of the flowers form balls, or, as they are cailed, rallel stripes, that have on the stalk the appearance appearance; and this uniformity in colour proves forms, in which grow three or four elliptical seeds, of ribbands. We have seen it of greater size and the maximum, and is the best evidence of rich, well four times as large as a wheat kernel, and of an oily height than any other species, and it is said to be cured tobacco, in its highest perfections of growth consistency. The cotton is the down, with which highly charged with saccharine juice. Its grand and curing. most oily seeds are enveloped in the mysterious advantage over the other kinds is, that it does not operations of nature, either for the preservation of require so long a period for ripening, by some weeks, the seed, or that the down may act, as sail and bal-as either of the other species. It can, probably, be loon, to transport the seed on the "wings of the raised two degrees farther north, than any other wind." The planting is from March until the middle of May, in drill rows, six feet apart. Much more is planted than is expected to stand. It is thinned carefully, and ploughs, in the form of scrapers, are used, as the technical phrase is, to scrape it out. It is generally kept perfectly clear of weeds. In Several years ago, a great number of planters September, the process of picking commences, and took up the impression, that the purchasers were is renewed two or three times, as successive courses fond of hard fired tobacco, from the erroneous of forms ripen and open. The weather admits of opinion of some of them, who said they liked to this operation, with comfort to the hands, until the smell the effects of fire, because it was an evidence season calls for the cleaning off and burning the old that it was well cured; but they have since dísco-stalks, in order to commence ploughing for a new vered their error, and no one is now fond of the smell of smoke, which is a great objection in every market in Europe, as well as America. FIRING AND CURING. Firing has been carried to great excess and very much to the injury of tobacco of late years, both in smoking it too much, and parching and curing it up too rapidly. The smoke is a very objectionable flavour, and the excessive parching makes the leaf too crisp, and destroys the valuable elasticity. It should be well cured, with as little fire as possible Some cure it very well without fire. To be concluded in our next.) AGRICULTURE OF LOUISIANA. crop. It is one of the advantages of this crop, that kind yet attempted. They are making trials of this cane in Opelousas, on Red river, and about Natchez. We have seen it this season in a great number of places in those regions. It is not unlikely that it will become acclimated considerably north even of these points Cane is understood to be productive in China, where the frost is much more severe than in any places where it has been attempted in this country. When the habits of plants, in undergoing the process of naturalization to the climate, are better understood, it may be that this rich and most necessary species of cultivation will be extended to points of a more northern latitude, than have yet been even in contemplation. The disadvantage of ribband cane (for every thing has its disadvantages,) is, that it has a harder rind, or bark, than the other kinds, and will require rollers for grinding it, to be driven with steam, instead of horse power, which is generally used for grinding the common kinds. We copy an article on the agriculture of LouisiThe sugar cane is a very hardy plant, not liable ana, from the second number of the Rev. Mr. Flint's The kinds of cotton which are chiefly cultivated, to the diseases of either cotton or indigo. It is culWestern Review, which is published at Cincinnati. Mr. Flint is well known as a writer of talents and are Louisiana green seed, or Tennessee, and recent-tivated much in the same way with maize. It ripens industry; whose personal acquaintance with the y Mexican. The green seed has not so fine a sta- according to the season it experiences. Rains reWestern country, fondness for literature, and viva-ple, but is less subject to the destructive malady tard, and drought accelerates its maturity. The Icity of spirit and style, particularly qualify him to called the rot. The Mexican is both of a finer sta abundance of the crop depends upon the number of render the periodical work which he has undertaken ple, yields more abundantly, and has not hitherto joints in the stalk that ripen before the frost, so as suffered from rot. It is getting into common adop- to have the proper saccharine juice, to granulate to both entertaining and instructive. [Nat. Gaz. tion, and the importation of seed from Tampico and sugar. A slight frost favours that fermentation Agriculture here is in its infancy, and in a state Vera Cruz is becoming a considerable business. Sea which is necessary to the production of the sugar of roughness, adapted only to the labour of negroes, island cotton grows well on grounds, that have been from the sap. A severe frost at once destroys the and has for its object little more than to obtain the exhausted by the continued cultivation of the other vegetation of the cane. The cane lies a short time greatest amount of the staple crop. A great num kinds. All the species exhaust the soil, and the after it is cut, to favour this fermentation. It is then ber of rich fruits and valuable productions, conge-seed, which accumulates in prodigious quantities passed between two iron cylinders, by which the nial to such a soil and climate, have been wholly about the gins, furnishes an admirable manure for cane is crushed, and the sap forced out by expresunattempted. Experiments, except in regard to the exhausted soil. The rot is a disease, from which sion. It flows into boilers, and the process is simply the best kinds of cotton, and the best modes of the balls that begin to form, after flowering, mould- that of evaporation by boiling. The crop, when in treating it, or the kind of cane which is most pro-er and fall. No series of properly conducted expe- growth, has great beauty of appearance. The sap ductive, have not yet been commenced on any sys-riments have been made, to ascertain the cause, or is so rich in the stalk of the cane as to have almost the gummy consistence of syrup, and sugar exists there as nearly in a concrete form, as it can in solution. An acre of good ground, properly tended, will yield in common years 1200 pounds, besides molasses. It was formerly a question in this state, which was the most profitable crop, this or cotton. Accurate tables, g ving the number of hands, the amount of expenditure, and the average value of product from each hand, for a number of successive years, have been published. From them it would appear, that sugar was the most productive crop, even when cotton bore a better price than at present. The cultivation of cane is diminishing in the islands. That of cotton seems to be every where increasing There is a great extent of sugar lands, not yet brought into cultivation in this state. We do not as yet grow enough for the consumption of our own country. There seems to be every inducement, then, to extend this cultivation in Louisiana, and wherever there is any probability that it can be suc cessfully cultivated; and it is an omen for good, that the planters all over this state are turning their at tention to this species of culture. No cultivation in our country yields so rich a harvest. General Hampton estimates the value of his crop of the present year at one hundred thousand dollars. A French planter, in Attakapas, with se ven hands only, has sold his crop for 2500 dollars. Planters with a moderate force, have realized 10,000 dollars for their crop of the past season. The mo lasses is calculated to pay the plantation expenses, and to leave the sugar nett profit. The work is ad mitted to be severe for the hands, requiring when the process of making the sugar is commenced, to be pushed night and day. It has been a general impression, even in this state, where the truth ought to be best known, if it is so, that sugar could not be made to profit unless the planter had a large force and capital, and could rear expensive sugar houses and machinery. This general impression has hitherto deterred small planters from attempt ing to cultivate the cane. But it has recently been received as a fact, amply demonstrated by experiment, that sugar can be made to profit, with as small a capital as is required to commence a cotton plantation. put to hatching. I have under my eyes the excel- ing principles that ought to be kept in view in the Agreeably to the statements of Mr. Wood and Louisiana is the home of the peach and the fig tree, the orange and the grape. No fruit is raised with greater ease, or abundance, than figs in this state. A slip, stuck in a proper soil, soon becomes water, is as the square of the velocity with which it a fruit-bearing tree. There can be no doubt, that the moves, and consequently the load is inversely as olive will flourish. The orange trees were killed to the square of the velocity, it follows, that when a the ground in the severe frosts of the winter of Mons Matthew Bonafous, Director of the Royal horse moves with a speed greater than that above 1823; they are beginning to be in a bearing state Botanic Garden of Turin, and a member, too, of mentioned, the load he is able to draw, will be far again. Such is a sketch of the staples of Louisiana, our Linnæan Society of Paris, did last year obtain, less than if he moved slower. which has the most productive agriculture, accord-on his farm near that capital, no less than 305 lbs. The resistance to the progress of carriages on a ing to the number of hands employed, and acres of cocoons from three ounces of seeds, and con-rail-road of the best construction is governed by tilled, in the United States, or perhaps in the world. sumed only 2,887 lbs. of mulberry leaves, the whole laws widely different. According to experiments of It is believed, that no country, with the same popu-in the short space of 45 days! 'This must be someMessrs. Coulomb and Vince, this resistance remains lation, exports of its own growth, articles of as thing like 38 lbs. of raw silk. I remember well, very nearly the same, whatever may be the velocimuch value, as the state of Louisiana. that in my young days, it was thought to be a very ty, except in-so-far as relates to atmospheric resistsuccessful undertaking to make 6 or 7 lbs. from an ance, which, though inconsiderable, at the greatest ounce of seeds, and during 55 and 60 days of un-speed attainable upon a rail-road, is to be estimated interrupted cares. FELIX PASCALIS. HORTICULTURE. (From the North American.) RAIL ROADS. SIR, I beg leave to remark, that your query (of the 30th ult) respecting the quantity of silk worms which could be fed by the mulberry trees planted, or provided for, at Kingston, (R. I.) by Joshua Letter from Lieut. Col. S. H. Long, U. States TopoClark, Esq. and of the raw silk which they could graphical Engineer, to Philip E. Thomas, Esq. afford, cannot be answered with any degree of certainty. Various means, however, must have been taken to ascertain by approximation, the number of full grown and thrifty trees which should eventually be had or hired in season for any proportion of seeds on the same principle as that encountered by bodies in their passage through water. The amount of this resistance, according to Mr. Wood, is equal to 1 200 part of the load, on a horizontal rail-way, weight of carriages being included. Hence a traction of 112 pounds, or one horse power, will propel on a level rail-road, 22,400 pounds, or 10 tons, through the distance of 20 miles per day. It is obvious that a horse exerting the force above mentioned, cannot attain a speed greater than four Philadelphia, April 16, 1827. or five miles an hour, without serious injury, neverSir,-Agreeably to promise I submit a few state-theless, for the sake of a more extensive application ments in relation to the subject of rail-roads, having of the principles involved in the discussion before for their object a developement of some of the lead-us, we shall suppose him capable of moving with this force at any rate of speed not exceeding eleven miles per hour. *Name given in France to silk culturists. TABLE III. reference to canals the weight of boats is not in-useful effect will be equal to that of 5 horses.- Mr. Wood, in the treatise before alluded to, estimates the expense of a locomote engine, including first cost, cost of repairs, fuel and attendance, as equal to the expense of four horses, every thing included. But, as horses can be procured and subsisted somewhat cheaper in this country than in England, we shall estimate the expense of an engine as equal to that of five horses, which is proba-gether omitted in the tables. bly near the truth, inasmuch as machinery and fuel will cost much less in this country than in England, owing in no small degree, to the great difference in the expense of procuring coal and other fuel, in the two countries. As a mere matter of convenience, we shall regard the power of such an engine as equal to that of five horses, actually hitched, or five and a half horses, (the expense being the same, or very nearly so, in both cases) as may suit the occasion, the weight of the engine being five tons. From these premises, the following tables, exhibiting the comparative advantages of canals and rail-roads, and of animal and mechanical labour, are constructed. We would farther premise, that all descents are to be regarded as equivalent to levels of the same extent, inasmuch as the maximum speed admissible. in descending a plane, whatever its inclination, ought not to exceed that determined upon, as most proper for level roads; and, although no locomotive power, except that of gravitation, may be required in the descent, the usual power (or rather Showing the comparative advantages of Canals and the means of generating it) whether animal or me TABLE I. Rail-roads. TABLE II. rail-road. chanical, must descend in company with the load, being indefinite, Height of Plane. Length indefinite. Amount of power re quired to elevate 55 tons, being the load for 5 horses. No. of miles on a hori zontal road equivalent to height of plane. Time required to as cend, the power being equal to that of 51 Cost of transportation, estimated at the rate of one cent per ton 20SADRUJUR per horizontal mile. Dols Cts. 26.4 1 6 60 All ascents, whatever may be the length of the as 55 number of tons that can be conveyed upward daily, feet. dg.m miles horses. on inclined planes of a given length, and of differShowing the comparative advantages of Animal and ent heights, by means of a given power;-the time Mechanical Labour. min. tons, tons. cts. 0 0.5 5.5 5 55 26.40 34 1.5 105.62 17 4.5 118.82 345 145.23 10 6 required to ascend such planes with a given load and power, (viz: 55 tons, and 5 horses;)-the number of horses required to ascend each plane, with a speed of six miles per hour;-and the cost of ascending, estimating at the rate of one cent per ton, for each horizontal mile. We would further premise, that the daily performance of a horse is to be rated at six miles per hour, for 2 h. and 20 m. of each day; that a locomotive engine, weighing five tons, can perform, during every hour of the day, the la- It is apparent from Table III. that the cost of bour of five horses actually employed, independent transportation on a rail-road will be greatly enhancly of its own locomotion and that of its tenders;—of ed by the passage of hilis;-also that the extra exmiles. miles. horses. 5 horses independently of its own locomotion;-or, pense thus accruing will add quite as much to the of 6 horses inclusive of its own locomotion and that cost of transportation, as the tolls upon a horizontal of its entire train of carriages, the whole weight be- road for the distance corresponding to the height, as ing 60 tons.-N. B. It may here be suggested, that represented in column 3d of the table. Whether in all estimates of mechanical labour in its applica- this expense is incurred in the purchase of power to tion to transportation upon rail-roads, a locomotive surmount the height, or in the payment of tolls, may engine, in order to perform the work of five horses be regarded as a matter of little moment, either to actually hitched, in addition to the conveyance of the public or the proprietors of the road, provided its own weight and that of its tender (the sum of an adequate power for the passage of inclinwhich may be estimated at from 6 to 10 tons) must ed planes, is always at hand. Nevertheless, the possess the power of 6 horses. In conformity to this mode of conveyance being much more simple view of the subject, a locomotive engine of the pow- and uniform on a level, than on an inclined road, horizontal road, will afford a useful effect applicable even at the expense of horizontal distances, nearly er just intimated, and moving with its train on a it is obvious that wherever hills can be avoided, to the purposes of commerce, equal to that of 5 or quite equal to those stated in the table, this meahorses, and when serving in the capacity of a sta- sure is to be preferred. tionary engine at the head of an inclined plane, its hours. tons. 24 50 20 48 12 6 40 2334567800 In the construction of the foregoing tables, no al lowance has been made for the unavoidable deten tions that must occur, both on canals and rail roads; of course the daily performance will be somewhat less than that stated in the tables:-Moreover, in Agreeably to the statements in Table IV. it may be inferred that when the inclination of a plane is 3 degrees, or 277 feet in the mile:-its length à mile; the load 55 tons, and the power 5 horses;-the time required to ascend at a speed of 6 miles per hour, will be about 55 minutes, and the load for 54 horses, or one locomotive engine, about 5 tons. On LADIES' DEPARTMENT. (From the Berkshire American.) MISCELLANEOUS. POPULATION TABLES. [We submit, herewith, a long extract from "Darby's Geographical Dictionary, and we are persuadOur matronly correspondent, from the Mountain, ed that the publication of it will at the same time the supposition that the horses employed for the is doubtless a praiseworthy example of industry. gratify and instruct our readers, and serve to make conveyance of the load, (the inclination, number of But being, as we are, an incompetent judge of the known over the United States, a work which seems horses, &c. being the same as just stated,) are ex-subject on which she writes, and not having at hand to have been compiled with great care and fidelity. clusively employed in the ascent of the plane, the any data by which we may compare her account The view taken of the progressive population of number of ascents will be eleven, and of descents, with the household achievements of other ladies, the United States, in the Geographical Dictionary, ten, amounting to a distance of 10 miles, which, we are somewhat at a loss to know what compliis in a peculiar manner interesting, and leads the being travelled at the rate of 6 miles per hour, and ment we ought to pay her. Having, however, no mind to anticipations of the future destiny of this allowing only two-thirds of a minute for turning, fears that examples of domestic industry will injure nation, which few at this time are led to indulge. hitching, &c. on each arrival at the top and bottom the more youthful part of her sex, we have no sort Whether the prodigious result shewn, as the ag of the plane, will occupy two hours nearly. In case of demurs against publishing her statement. It is gregate accumulation of the inhabitants through a locomotive engine of the power just mentioned, from Mrs. Freelove Drury, of Florida, and goes on the ensuing century, will be realized to its full exwere substituted for horses, the time required to to state: that tent, must remain for time to determine; but the ascend such a plane, (the load, &c. as before) with actual increase since 1790, would seem to warrant its entire train of carriages, would be as follows, the calculation in Table III. It is not, however, the viz: time required for the engine to ascend unac population taken in mass, which constitutes the incompanied by its load, 5 minutes-time required to terest of these tables, but it is the elements and draw its load upward, in proportions of 5 tons, in 5 distribution of that population, which must arrest minutes each, 55 minutes, amounting to one hour, the attention of the statesman and philosopher. It no allowance being made for detentions. is impossible to carry the view forward only for the coming half century, without feeling a conviction that the power, resources, and political relations of the United States are merely in embryo; and farther, that serious interior changes must be consequent to such a central aggregation as stated in Table VI. We leave farther reflection to our readers, for the present.] In case the same labour, (load, &c. as before) were to be performed by means of a stationary en gine, or horses operating at the head of the plane by means of an endless chain or cable,-the power, or number of horses requisite to the conveyance of 50 tons (which is equal to the load of a locomotive engine exclusively of itself and its tender,) will be that of 50 horses, and the time 5 minutes-or, if the power be equal to that of 5 horses, the time will be 50 minutes, no allowance being made for detentions or extra friction. It is manifest, that Tables III. and IV. have a direct allusion to the passage of inclined planes by means of locomotive engines. The mode of ascent just intimated, is, that the engine first ascend the plane unattended by any part of its load, and become stationary at the summit, where its power is to be applied, by means of an endless chain located within the ascending rail track, and other appropri ate gearing, for the purpose of drawing up its load, either in portions, or the whole at once, as may be deemed most expedient. In column 2d of Table III. is represented the power or stress required to draw upward on planes of different inclinations, a load of 55 tons. Hence, we may infer what ought to be the strength of a chain adequate to the traction of the whole or any portion of the load. In the event of a single ascending rail-track being inadequate to the conveyance of the whole amount of tonnage on the read, additional tracks may be constructed, as the occasion may require. In regard to stationary engines, it is pretty certain that two will be required at the head of every inclined plane, in order to insure an uninterrupted traffic on the road. Their power as adapted to the ascent of planes of different inclinations, is indicated by the number of horses in column 4th of Table IV. An estimate of their cost and the expense at tending them would require more data than I have at command, A full investigation of the subject we have had under consideration, would require far more time and attention, than I have it in my power at present to bestow. The foregoing remarks and statements, although they may not be entirely free from inaccuracies, are believed to be a near approximation to the truth, and are cheerfully submitted, with the hope that they may be of some service to the cause of the great work you have in prospect. I have the honour to be, Sir, very respectfully, Your most obedient serv't, PHILIP E. THOMAS, ESQ.-Baltimore. "In the year 1823, she hatcheled, carded and spun of tow and linen yarn, 89 runs* and 10 knots; picked the wool, and spun of woollen yarn, 56 runs and 10 knots; doubled and twisted 10 runs of yarn; spooled and quilled 237 runs; whitened 56 yards of cloth; knit 5 pair of socks, 3 pair of stockings, and 4 pair of mittens; made 13 shirts, coats, 10 pair of pantaloons, 2 slips, 2 spencers, 5 vests, 6 towels, 6 table cloths, 4 pair of pillow-cases, 3 sheets, and 4 meal bags. (From La Belle Assemblee, for June.) A paradise quite you here have got, "Go! go! you must seek for one," he said; Should dwell alone-go, look for a bride!" I felt that I was indeed alone, Her hair was gemm'd with jewels and gold, I led her o'er my favourite walks, And the evening dew fell upon her hair, I went and I knelt at your feet, sweet love, You smiled and blush'd, and I won my bride, TABLE I. B. B. B. Free white males, *A "run," as we are informed, is 20 knots; each knot being composed of 40 threads, and each thread of sufficient length to reach once round a reel, such as was formerly considered a necessary article in the furniture of good housewives, and is still to be seen in many of the farm houses in New England. Total whites |