564 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[No. 9 



from the nostrils very offensive. His lieart was 

 not afliected. The4ih was in the same situation. 

 As soon as I discovered the disease was a fatal 

 one, I separated my horses, and moved them a 

 quarter ol a mile from the house; but it did not 

 have the desired effect. I have two horses that I 

 think will recover. Ail of my horses were affect- 

 ed but one that had the staggers a lew weeks 

 previous, and 3 colls. They were led with cut 

 oats and lodder, and when they were used they 

 had corn. They were all led in one stable except 

 the colts, and all ran in the same pasture during 

 the day, but my saddle horse ; he remained in the 

 stable, except when in use. He was the last at- 

 tacked, and had the disease light, I think in con- 

 sequence o( his being bled very freely before and 

 alter he was taken. One of my neighbors had a 

 mare and coll, that remained in my pasture all ihe 

 summer and fall, which were not affected. The 

 food that was given the horses had not been dam- 

 aged, and was sweet and sound ; they were water- 

 ed in Pasquotank River. The stables were litter- 

 ed with corn-stalks and wheat-straw — were dry, 

 and had no unpleasant smell that I was aware of. 

 The horses had salt once or twice a week. Feel- 

 ing very anxious to account tor the cause of the 

 affection, and knowing no better source for infor- 

 mation than your Register, I have applied to 

 you, thinking that you or some of your subscribers 

 may account satisfactorily for it. 



Thomas Harvey. 



A SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVING CHIMNEYS. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Surry Court-house, Va. Nov. 7th, 1838. 



A plan has suggested itself to me lor the con- 

 struction, as I think, of an improved chimney. It 

 is simply this : in a common chimney, from about 

 the middle of the hearth, and just under the spot 

 designed for the fire, let there descend a channel 

 or opening, in an inclined direction towards the 

 back, so as to pass out on the back of the chimney 

 the thickness of six or eight bricks below the level 

 of the hearth. The size and form of this feeder, 

 as I would call it, can be varied according to 

 choice. I should prefer having this, or at least the 

 inner part, long and narrow, say one half the width 

 of the fire-place, and to stretch across, or in the 

 direction of the fuel laid on, so as to keep up a 

 current of fresh air to the whole at once. The 

 outer part of this opening may be of a different 

 form; roimd, square, or in any shape sufficiently 

 large to admit of the passage of the ashes, &c. 

 outward, and a current of air inward. 



The advantages to be derived fr-om this plan, 

 are, 1 think, several ; and one of which is of par- 

 ticular importance. This is derived from the 

 continual current of atmospheric air streaming 

 through this channel, and by this means affording 

 to the combustible matter, from an inexhaustible 

 flource, an abundant supply of oxygen gas, tlie 

 necessary and indispensable agent of all combus- 

 tions ; thus feeding the flame from without, (in- 

 stead of from within the room, to the great detri- 

 ment of tlie air for animal respiration,) which is a 

 matter deserving much more attention than is 



fenerally given to it. Close confined rooms, with 

 res burning in them for a length of time, the 



burning of candles, lamps, &c., and the breathing 

 of persons in the same room, hav,e a poisonous ef- 

 fect upon the lungs of animals. This, no doubt, is 

 the source of many pulmonary and latal diseases. 

 We should ever keep in mind, that combustion 

 and animal respiration are supported from the 

 i?ame source ; and to be regardless of this, is to be 

 regardless of our health, and consequently our 

 happiness. But this is not the only advantage to 

 be derived from this plan. It would supersede 

 the disagreeable and dangerous job of taking up 

 and moving the ashes from the hearth, which ia 

 so li-equently necessary. These, as they were 

 formed, would be saved or separated from the 

 coarser unburnt coal by small rods of iron, or a 

 coarse wire grate, let into the hearth over the 

 mouth of the fiieder, and conducted away through 

 the opening into whatever may be prepared lor 

 their reception. Some precaution would be ne- 

 cessary in keeping the fresh ashes fiom the wind 

 during dry weather. D. S. 



THE NORFOLK COMMERCIAL CONVENTION. 



The second commercial convention of Virginia 

 has been recently held ; and the manner of its 

 procedure, and conclusions reached, are, in the 

 general, such as to promise well for the improve- 

 ment and commercial independence of the state. 

 This convention, more fortunate than its predeces- 

 sor, kept clear of party questions, and even of the 

 suspicion or imputation of the influence of party 

 objects. This was as it should be ; and Virgin- 

 ians and Carolinians, of different political parties, 

 and of various interests, met here, with the one 

 common object which all zealously and earnestly 

 urged — that of sustaining the commercial inde- 

 pendence and general good of the states which 

 they represented. 



The most important and practical results of the 

 deliberations of the body, will be presented in the 

 reports of committees considered and deliberately 

 approved, and in the resolutions founded thereon, 

 and adopted by the convention. These were, the 

 report of the general committee on the causes of, 

 and remedies for, the decline of our direct trade 

 with Europe — the report of the committee on 

 afrriculture — the report of the committee on manu- 

 factures — and the report of the committee on bank- 

 inor — together with the resolutions on each, as 

 amended and passed by the convention ; and also 

 the single general resolution adopted on the poli- 

 cy of the commonwealth in regard to internal im- 

 provements, by the construction of canals, rail- 

 ways, &c. This subject, important as it is in it- 

 self; was here but subsidiary to the main object of 

 the convention, and should by no means have 

 been permitted to occupy the foremost ground in 

 debate, and the greater part of the whole time of 

 the session. But, unluckily, some thought an op- 

 posite course expedient; and which was more 



