240 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. 4 



day, was preceded by much rain, and during the 

 7 days Ibllovving we had but little rain, ahhough 

 the weather was moist, with occasional showers ; 

 and the weather is now more like what the chanire 

 of the moon on the 23d of May prognosticated. 

 I have thus far found tlie table much more correct 

 in respect to rainy than as to clear weather. I 

 remember that during, I think, the winter of 1837, 

 the changes, &c. ot' the moon for a month, indi- 

 cated wet weather according to the table. We 

 had much rain and no clear weather for three 

 weeks, but the fourth week was clear, although 

 rain was indicated. It will not require very long 

 observations for any person to be convinced, that 

 the changes, &,c. of the moon between 2 o'clock 

 in the morning and noon, are much more frequent- 

 ly followed by rain than the evening chanires. 1 

 think it will also be found, that in the fall and win- 

 ter the north-east winds accompany the rains in 

 this state, instead of the south-west winds spoken 

 of in the table. Being a fiirmer on a small scale, 

 I have found from sad experience, that fiir the last 

 five or six years we have had a spell of very wet 

 weather between the 31st of May and the 10th of 

 June, and four days of such weather have already 

 passed this month. The May wheat will proba- 

 bly be much injured, if not destroyed by the rust, 

 in consequence of this weather. If, however, the 

 season was not so backward, the May wheat 

 would be past danger ; tor some few j'ears since, 

 some crops ot that wheat were cut in this neigh- 

 borhood on the 26th May. Much of it is now in 

 bloom. 



In closing my remarks, I have this to say about 

 the weather table. In the summer season, it wii! 

 often assist the farmer who will attentively observe 

 the winds and the clouds, in judging as to the pro- 

 bability of rainy weather while about to cure his 

 hay and his fodder, &c. A. B. S. 



June 4th, 1838. 



For the Fanners' Register. 

 EASTERN SHORE RAILROAD. 



Sir — As much with a view to the spirit, as the 

 letter of **** ****, from the Eastern Shore of 

 Maryland, and as to a general discussion of the 

 subject, I address you. The Eastern Shore rail- 

 road is to cost, for il8 miles, but $8541 per mile, 

 and, with all the insinuations to the contrary, 

 will not, agreeably to the description given of the 

 ground, cost more than §10,000 per mile; at the 

 same time it will enjoy a prospect of its reasona- 

 ble share of the 50,000 travellers passing annually 

 from north to south. Fifty thousand, did I say"? 

 rather 500,000 ; for, before ten years shall have 

 elapsed, a number nearer to 500,000, than to 50,000, 

 will pass it. In short, there will be among those 

 who " travel by land or by water," sufficient to 

 pay both road and steamers, and to repress feel- 

 ings like those which have prompted this tilt 

 against the former ; for that there will be ample 

 room for both, there is not the slightest doubt. 



But how does the Eastern Shore writer sus- 

 tain himself? He thinks Ennjineer Kearney's 

 notion of Tangier quite out of the question ; for- 

 gets that, as in the case of Philadelphia, it may 

 possibly furnish an " excellent winter harbor" for 

 Baltimore, and the probability which exists of the 



ships availing themselves of that harbor, instead 

 of waiting in Hampton Roads " for a thaw." I 

 think that, were I a Baltimorean, I should hail the 



project with pleasure ; inasmuch as with 



miles back carriage from Elkton, it vvould give 

 my fellow citizens the same chance of Jiaving 

 their merchandise in winter, as Philadelphia. 

 Thatciiy, it seems, projects "a railroad from the 

 capes, to strike the railroad at Wilmington, (note 

 A;) and, when this shall be accomplislied, foreign 

 goods can be transported to those cities (P. and 

 W.) and cargoes carried by the return cars. By 

 these means Jack Tar may be kept constantly 

 at sea, tiee from the temptations and corruptions of 

 the city, and perhaps Philadelphia may regain her 

 commercial ascendency in the country." I cannot 

 see why these arguments, will not as fully and as 

 Ibrcibly apply to Baltimore, as to Philadelphia; 

 and, according to **** ****'g own showing, infi- 

 nitely more so ; for, without the Eastern Shore 

 road, the trade of north Maryland, during the sea- 

 son of interruption, in a great degree, will pass to 

 Pennsylvania. Besides, trade at all times will 

 seek that place- where supplies arrive without in- 

 terruption. 



Of the facilities of Tangier as a harbor, I am 

 ignorant; but I had thought some of the British 

 men of vi^ar had made good use of it during the 

 last war, and as to the sneers of **** **** rela- 

 tive to " the musquitoes and the marshes," and 

 "the gloomy Siberian forests," they still more 

 strongly enforce on my mind the value of the im- 

 provement. It is to form a link in the great chain 

 of coast railroad; fof another from Wilmington to 

 Charleston they begin to speak.) It is to pass 

 through a country requiring it, and thus the ser- 

 vices the road may render are incalculable. 



In page 744, of your 5th volume, and page 2 

 of the 6th, I see what is doing for Jersey, by 

 means of marl, and what may be done tor Mary- 

 land and Delaware, by means of lime; and as the 

 upper Dekiwares are now boring for finding marl 

 daily, I do not know whether a similar result 

 may not be witnessed on lower Delaware, Acco- 

 mac, and Northampton. I would observe, I 

 am ignorant of localities, and without good maps; 

 but, I do not fear being found in any grievous 

 error, as my general ground is so solid. 



As to all the routes from the south, and vice ver- 

 sa, there will be room enough, and travel enough, 

 for the Avhole of them; but, as to " the most eligi- 

 ble one" being by " Richmond, Washington, 

 and Baltimore," **** **** is mistaken, unless 

 he confines himself to those vvho wish to loiter 

 and spend money in taverns, or seek office at 

 Washington. He allows that three hours would 

 be saved fiom Portsmouth to Philadelphia, (note 

 B). It is 85 miles by water to Tangier, an^l may 

 be run in G or 7 hours. Doubtless, ere the road is 

 completed, cars will travel with perfect safety, at 

 the rate of 20 miles an hour, and this brings you 

 to Wilmington in 12 or 13 — so that I greatly sus- 

 pect more than three hours will be saved in time; 

 and I know that thrice, or more than thrice that 

 number will be saved in dollars — and especially 

 to families. Of personal conveniences I am silent. 



As to "no art" being abie to improve "the 

 Siberian forest of Delaware" it weighs as much 

 with me as the ultimate and prophetic clause of 

 the communication. Of the correctness of both, I 

 am in great doubt. Of the powers of the writer in 



