F A R JM E R S ' REGISTER 



549 



tirely off, and ofteniimes cuttino: off qjiite a num- 

 ber ol'the fruit. Cannot and shall not these ihhige 

 be prevenlcd ? There is a law to prevent our 

 properly Irom being injured, and if a man injures 

 our trees by shooiing into them, oiiglit lie not: to 

 Euller the penalties of this h\\v7 Surely he had, 

 and that too with a double force; but who has ever 

 yet prosecuted a man for shootings birds in his or- 

 chards ? has it been done by any man ? if so he 

 deserves the praise and good wishes of every farm- 

 er. If it has not been done, if we have patiently 

 submitted to this outrage upon our properly in 

 times past, let us resolve we will do it no longer — 

 let us (the larmers) awake to this subject and say 

 it shall be so no more, and exert ourselves to put 

 a stop to such gross insult and abuse. If you or- 

 der the sportsman off your premises, he is affront- 

 ed and thinks he is doing no harm. What strange 

 ideas some men have of property at the present day, 

 10 think they may do what they please upon their 

 neighbors' grounds. Would they be pleased to 

 have their own premises thus invaded and their 

 property destroyed'? We think not. They know 

 they do wrong, or they would not run away at the 

 approach of tlie owner. We concur with your 

 friend in considering "the person who destroys the 

 birds on his premises, in the same light as though 

 he robbed his purse." 



For one I hope there will be more interest taken 

 in the preservation of birds, so that the lime may 

 soon come when they shall become our familiar 

 friends, and ieel that we are their protectors rather 

 than enemies. 



Yours, &c. 



J. M. II ART WELT.. 



Medford, Mass., Aug, 25th, 1S40. 



THE NOVEL ARTIFICIAL WATER POWER, CON- 

 STRUCTED BY THE SHAKERS OF CANTER- 

 BURY. 



From tlio Fanner's INIonllily Visitor. 



Our next object of attention was the artificial 

 water-power created by the first family at an al- 

 most incredible amount of labor and expense. 

 The Shaker village is situated at the hi<ih point 

 near the sources of the Soucook river running into 

 the Merrimack from the north-east, and above the 

 mill seals found upon the stream. Here, where 

 no natural stream ever ran, they have created a 

 more permanent and durable water-power than 

 can be fotnid within the distance of ten miles. To 

 make this water-power effective in ihe dry as well 

 as in wet seasons, no less than eight artificial 

 ponds covering from five to thirty acres each have 

 been created, one rising above the other, and each 

 furnishing a stream large enough to carry different 

 mills and factories. To leed the stream with a 

 constant supply of water there was not at first any 

 considerable stream or body of water. It was com- 

 menced by damming around a small meadow in 

 which the melting of the snow in the spring caused 

 the water to collect. Oiher reservoirs created in 

 the same way succeeded to the first ; until a per- 

 manent and highly valuable water-power was 

 completed by the purchase of a considerable 

 swamp or morass up-hill at the distance of nearly 

 two miles, which was dammed up lo retain the wa- 

 ter in the same manner, and from which a trench 



or Hitch through the rough stony ground was form- 

 ed for the whole distance. The dams which con- 

 stiiute in some instances two sides and nearly half 

 of a reservoir have been made by a prodigious la- 

 bor in collecting and arranging stones and gravel. 

 It being found that the water would ooze through 

 the natural ground, that has been dug up to give 

 place to other materials, as gravelly clay and rocks, 

 which should make the dam water-tight. 



The immense work done to create this artificial 

 water-power, being at a distance from any tra- 

 velled road and from the villages of the Shakers, 

 has probably never attracted the attention ol'a hun- 

 dred persons who have viewed and estimated ita 

 magnitude. We know nothing of the kind effect- 

 ed by individual enterprise any where within the 

 limits of Ihe state. It is true there are works con- 

 nected with the water-power of factory establish- 

 ments that have cost more money ; but there are 

 none where such labor has been perlbrmed, and 

 such expense incurred merely for the purpose of 

 the individual domestic convenience of those per- 

 forming the labor. 



At the lower point upon this artificial stream is, 



1. A building 3.5 by 50 feet and two stories, 

 containing apparatus and machinery for carding 

 wool. 



2. A building with a machine for sawing wood. 

 At this place, being near an extensive and beau- 

 tiiul woodlot, the lliel used by the family is pre- 

 pared, being sawed and split of that size which is 

 most effective in imparting heat. With stoves of 

 their own invention and construction, with rooms 

 fully finished, the brethren obtain double the effect 

 ii-om half the quantity of fuel generally consumed. 

 In the preparation there is not a particle of wood 

 wasted ; for even the finest saw-dust is carefully 

 preserved for use. 



3. Rising to the outlet of the third pond from 

 the foot isan extensive building eighty feet by 

 forty and Ihree stories high — a building framed of 

 stouter timber than is often found in the largest 

 structures. This building covers a grist-mill with 

 four runs of stones, of which is one set of burrs 

 for the manufacture of fiour. This mill is visited 

 by customers ten, fifteen and twenty miles distant, 

 who are unable to find another so good ; and it is 

 remarkable that the Shaker stream made upon the 

 dry land fails not for water, when others upon 

 running natural streams give over their customers 

 in time of drought. 



Under the same roof and moved by the same 

 wheel is a mill for sawing common boards li-oni 

 logs — a circular saw for slitting — a machine lor 

 sawing pail staves — a mill for grinding malt — also, 

 a shop fbr manufacturing measures, as half bush- 

 els, pecks, &c. 



The great wheel which moves the machinery 

 of this building is thirty-four leet in diameter, and 

 the space in which its under part traverses is drill- 

 ed out of the solid rock some eighteen or twenty 

 feet deep, of twice that length, and some twelve 

 to fifteen feet in width. 



The dust of the several saw-mills falls directly 

 to a basement into which, on the opening of doors, 

 cart and oxen are backed to carry it away for the 

 profitable uses to which it is applied : the surf,ice 

 slabs of the sawed lumber are all preserved for 

 fuel or some other economical purpose, so that no 

 fragment on the premises of the brethren is left to 

 be wasted. 



