78 



<^1)C jfarmcr's iHontljlij llisitor. 



many, nnd is used for iiinkiiig files and other 

 tools. 



The India eteel called lyoolz is said to he n 

 natural steel, coiilaiiiiiig a suiall |iorlioii of oilier 

 ineinls. 



Blislercd Sleet, or sket of remenlnliov, is (u'epar- 

 ed liy lliii ilirfct ciJinliiiMition oliriiu and carhoii. 

 For this purpose, the iron in liars is put in layers 

 alK'rnatin^ wiih powdered ehareoal, in a close 

 furnace, anil exposed for seven or eif;lit <la_vs to 

 a heat of aliont 70 ileff. WcMl^ewood, and then 

 suffered to cool lor as many days more. 'I'lie 

 bars, on heini; InUen onl, are I'overed with hlist- 

 ers, havs accpiired a hriltle <pialiiy, and exliiliit 

 in the fracture a imil'orni crystalline appearance. 

 The decree of carhoni/ation is varied accordini; 

 to the pur|)oses for which the steel is intiMiiled, 

 and the best (|nalitics of iron {Itnssian and Swed- 

 ish) are useil for the Hnc^st kinds of steel. 



Tilled SUel is made from blistered steel, mode- 

 rately healed, and subjected to the aciiiui of a 

 tilt hammer, by which means its tenacity and 

 tiensity are increased, and it is thus adapted to 

 use. 



Shear Steal is made from blistered or naiural 

 Bteel, refned by piliiif: tliiii burs into fa^jrots, 

 which are brought lo a wehlin;,' heat in a rever- 

 balory furnace, and haujmered or rolled again 

 into bars: ihis operation is lepeated several 

 times to produce I he finest kinds of shear steel, 

 which are disliniruished by the names of hnlj- 

 shear, sinf^h-sliear, and douhle-shear, or steel of 1 

 maric, of 2 tmtrlis. of 3 marks, «Ste., acconling to 

 the niir her of times it has been piled. 



Cast y'-eel is made by breaking blistered steel 

 into small pieces, and melting in close crucibles, 

 from which it is pomed iiilo iron moulds; the ingol 

 is then reduced to a bar by h.innncring or rolling, 

 as ilescribeil under the head of u.allcahio iron, 

 these operations being performed with great care. 

 Cast sleel is the finest kind of sleel, and best 

 ada[ited for most purposes; it is known by a ve- 

 ry fine, (!ven,and close grain, and a silvery homo- 

 geneous fracture; it is veiy brittle, and acquires 

 extreme hardness, but is diflicnltto weld without 

 the use of flux. The other kinds of steel have a 

 similar appearance to cast steel, but the grain is 

 coarser and less homogeneous; they are softer 

 and less brittle, luid weld more readily. A 

 fibrous or lamellar appearance in tiie fiacture in- 

 dicate an imperfect steel. A material of great 

 toughness and elasticity, as well as hardness, is 

 made by forging together rleel and iron, forming 

 the celebrated damask sieel,w\t\e\\ is used for sword 

 blades, springs, cSoc. ; the damasked appearance 

 is produced by the action of a diluted acid, which 

 gives a black tint to the steel parts, whilst the iron 

 remains while. Various yojK^ steels, or alloys of 

 steel with silver, platina, rhodiurn, aluminium, have 

 been made with a view to imitating the Damas- 

 cus steel, vvootz, &c., and improiing the lidirica- 

 tion of some of the finer kinds of surgical and 

 other instruments. 



rROl'lJRTIES or STEEL. 



The best steel possesses the fid lowing charac- 

 ters: heated to rednes.s, anil plunged iiuo cold 

 water, it becomes hv.rd enough to scratch glass, 

 and to resist the besi fili-s ; the hardness is uni- 

 form throughout the piece ; after beini; temper- 

 ed, it is not easily broken; it welds readily; it 

 does not cr:ick or split ; it lie:n> a very high heat, 

 and preserves the capability of hardening after 

 repeated working; the irrain is fine, even, and 

 homogeneous, and it receives a brilliajit polish, 

 lis specific gravity is 7,810, being greater than 

 that of iron. 



Test. — Break a few burs, taken at lanilom ; 

 make tools of them, and try them in the severest 

 tnamier. 



IIAnDENINO AND TE.MPF.UI.NG STEEI. 



On ihi.'se oper.ilions the quality of manufac- 

 tured steel in a great measure (h^pends. 



llurdeiiini; is etiecled by healing the steel to n 

 rlierry reil, or imlil the scales of nxyd are loos- 

 ened on the snrliice, and plunging it into a liquid, 

 or placing it iu contact with some cooling sid)- 

 Riancis the ilegree of hardness depiuids on the 

 heat and the rapidity of cooling, riteel is thus 

 rendered so hard as to resist the haiilcst files, 

 and it becomes at the same time extremely hril- 

 tle. Tlie degree of heat and the Irmperaliire 

 iind luiture of the cooling medium imisl be cho- 

 pen with reference to the qualiiy of the sleel and 

 the purjioso for wtueli it in intended. Colil wa- 



ter, mercury, and acids give tlie gratest^haid- 

 ness; oils and liitiy subsiance.--, sand, wct iion 

 scales or cinders, &c., give an inferior degree 

 iif hariluess, bill prevent the cracks which are 

 caused by too rapid cooling. The lower the beat 

 at which the sleel beeoinea hard, the better. 



Temperinjr. — Sleel in its hardest state being too 

 brillle lor mosi pui|ioses, the requisile streuglh 

 and elasticity are obiained by tempering, or let- 

 lim; dotal llic temper, as the workmen term it, 

 winch is perlbrmed by healing the hardened steel 

 to a certain degree, and letting it cool gradually. 

 'I'he requisile heat is usually ascertained by the 

 color wliich the surlace of the sleel assumes from 

 the film of oxyd thus formed. The degrees of 

 heat to which these several colors correspond, 

 ;u'e as follows: 



At 4:30' F.dir., a 

 fiiint yellow. 



At 450'- Kahr., a 

 straw color. 



At 470-=' 

 yellow. 



At 490^ 

 color. 



very Suitable fiir hard in- 

 slinmenls; as liam- 

 [lale mer faces, drills lor 



hard substances, &c. 

 For instruments reqiiir- 

 Fahr., a full iiig bard edges vyith- 

 out elasticily ; as 

 " a brown shears, scissors, tools 



fiir turning iron and 

 sleel. 

 English files are used exclusively at the arse- 

 nals and armories. 



Files should be made of the best cast steel. 

 The teeth are generally cut at an angle of (iO'^ 

 with the centre line; at a smaller angle, the teeth 

 are apt to choke, and at a greater angle, they do 

 not cut. 



In choositijr files, they should be examined to 

 see that they are straight, that they are Wee from 

 cracks and flaws, and that they are cut regularly. 

 The teelli sljould not be turned or broken by 

 filing on iron or tempered steel. One out ef 

 each dozen may be tried on a piece of tempered 

 sleel, such as the taiig of a file screwed in a vice ; 

 the file should '• take " in its whole length, both 

 on the flat and edge, and should not cut in draw- 

 ing hack ; it should not make furrows, or show 

 a tendency to deviate from the direclion given to 

 it by the hand. The quality id' the sleel may be 

 delermined by breaking some of the files, and 

 working ihe steel in the forge. 



Case Hardenirtg is the conversion of ihe sur- 

 fiice of wj'ought iron into sleel, lijr the purpose 

 of adapling it to receive a polish, o-- to hear fric- 

 tion, &c. : ihis is effected by heating the iron to 

 a cherry red, in a close vessel, in contact with 

 carbonaceous materials, and iheii plunging it iii- 

 lo cold water. liones, leather, hoofs and horns 

 of animals, are generally used tor Ihis purpose, 

 after having been burnt or roasted, so that they 

 can be [mlverized. Soot is also frequently used. 



Kcclniming Bog Meadow. 



The following staiementto the Worcester A g- 

 ricullural Society, is copied from the "Abstract 

 of neanus from Agricuhmal Socielics,'' prepared 

 by the Secretary of the Commonwealih : 



Sl'ATEME.NT OF GEORGE UEN.NY. 



The subject of reclaiming swamp or bog mead- 

 ow should be so well underslood at this lime, as 

 11) make unnecessary, remarks from any one of 

 the presimt generation. Mr. Jareil Elliot, of Con- 

 necticut, an experienced farmer of the last ceii- 

 tuiy, gave an excellent account of lii< mode, 

 which was published in J747, (in his '• Essays on 

 Field llusbandrj,") in u hich he said, " ihe mead- 

 ow was deemed so poor, none would lake it up. 

 1 was pitied, as being about to wasle a great deal 

 of money, hill lliey comforted ihemsclyes, that if 

 spent it unprolitably, others that stood in need of 

 it, would get it. They are now of another <qiin- 

 ioii. Some are ileterred from such an imderlak- 

 iiig as that of draining their laud, by reason of 

 the great charge. They terrify themselves with- 

 out reason." 



Such was the language of one, who, more than 

 a hundred years since, was engaged in improv- 

 ing, for profit, those wa.ste spots, now to be tbnnd 

 neglecli'd on many fiirms. You having referred 

 to iliis niglecl, and requested some aicounl of 

 the meiiih>w on iny farm. I make the atleinpl, not 

 however wiihout ihe feeling, that to properly uti- 

 derslaml the descriplion of any improvement on 

 wet hmds, ihe eije, as well as the ear, should l)o 

 called inio service. 



About six years since I coinnieiiced reclaim- 

 ing, and reclaimed nnd linvo now in progress 



about 21 acres. An attempt has been made to 

 do something with Ihe upland and p.iriiig plow, 

 also with an insiriiinent like a harrow, suhslitu- 

 ling for the teelh, plow cullers, and adding rollers, 

 which, on meadows fiee from slumps may be 

 found usefiil. My meadow being liberally sup- 

 plied !vvilh large slumps and trunks of trees 

 under the bog, experience has led me to adopt 

 ihe paring process with the bog hoe, as the 

 mo,-t economical. 



It m.iy seem superfluous to mention, that, pre- 

 viousjto this, a process of thorough draining was 

 gone through wlih,by opt-ii dilches. I have plough- 

 ed, pared, anil bmiit, lidding gravel; pared and 

 carted off the tin f ; pared .iml l)nrnt,adiling or l«jv- 

 ng nothing but the ashes ; ustd ihe liarroic-like 

 in.strnment above referred to, taking ofi' loose turf 

 and adding compost ; [iu all cases seeding down 

 to grass;) also, have pared and burnt, and taken 

 oft' crops of rye, oat.*, corn, pol.ilocs and carrots. 

 The mud vvill generally pay for ditching Paring, 

 burniug, and ^luiufiing liave been done, Ihe hind 

 having been made ready for seed, for 825 per 

 acre, from which should he deducted the value 

 of wood (/ho' up. 



Mr. Elfnl, before referred lo, said, "S.vamps 

 that are full of wood and brush, and covered with 

 moss, if they are deep soil and can he drained, 

 will make good land lor corn and grass. "If ex- 

 perience one hundred years since would warrant 

 lliis remark, we may ha safe now in saying thai 

 such lands will " make goorl land" lor English 

 grass, and amply remuheiaie the faruu-r for .-my 

 expenses incurred in reclaiming' iheiii. Mr. I'hin- 

 liey, who is good anlhoriiy, lliinks his recluimed 

 iiie.idow wortli more than .§400 per acre for cul- 

 tivation. 



The average price of English hay may be stil- 

 ted at §10 per loii. If I. md thus renovated will 

 produce two tons to the acri', which is less than 

 experience has shown — deduciing, say one-tliiril 

 lor the expense of harvesiing — there will remain 

 an amount equivalent lo ihe interest of $200 per 

 acre. Swamp meadows may be rendered pro- 

 ductive at an expense not exceeding that of re- 

 claiming many of our iqilands: to accomplish 

 which — 



1st. Drain [lerfecily ; not ommitting margin or 

 bonier dilches. 



2d. Pare as deep as the tliickiie.ss of the sward. 



Jill. Kuril Ihe inrf completely, reiliicin^' the 

 whole to ashes, which may be done, if sntltcienlly 

 dry, as spread, oi be galliired into heaps, iu which ' 

 case care must be used that the fire does not talie 

 siudi hold of the ground as lo injure it. 



4th. Spread the ashes, plow shallow, which 

 may be done with a horse, wiih shoes made lor 

 the |)urpose. 



5lli. II' the time of year ))ermil, commence 

 cnllivation with a root crop, after which, liiy dowij 

 to gr.'iss. IManure will do no damage. 



Ctli. If from any cause Ihe laud cannot be pared 

 harrow the turf, add compost, and seed lo gra.ss; 

 iu which way good crops have been ohlaiiied. — 

 These hints ;ipply more pariicniarly to wet inead- 

 o.vs, where it is necessary to employ mostly man- 

 ual labor. 



IVeslhoro', Dec. 3, >S45. 



The Iiivisable Gases. 



Those invislhle spirits wliich may be ahiiosl said 

 to preside over .-li) llial is lo he learneil of .\gri- 

 cultuial Chemisiry — we allude lo the gases: oxy- 

 gen, livdrogen, nitrogen, and carbonic jicid — 

 have all the misfurlime of being impercepliblu 

 to the eye. Whelher dame Nature, in makiiii; 

 them so, had not some litlli; joke in hand, for the 

 purpose of stulit\ mg ihe w i dom of those of her 

 children who refuse to adinil all evidence but 

 that of iheir 'loiti'ij eyes, she does not lell us iu 

 words: but she seems lo point rather sigiiificaully 

 lo some such conclusion in h;iving based all the 

 processi's revealed in animal and vegetable phys- 

 iology upon the aciion t>\' ini'isiblc agents: ani- 

 mals and vegetables grow and derive Iheir in- 

 I'rease onl of iMailer which, iu its original foriu, 

 is perceptible lo the mind, hul iwl lo the fi/c, and 

 which, on their dealh and decomposiiioii, will re- 

 tlini lo the same invisible slalc 



What a fund of reflection does this simple fact 

 ort'er to the agriculturisl, who is willing to believe 

 that man w;is inleiided to cnllivaic ibe eailh 

 ici'M Ills mind as well as his body. Imngine liiui 

 taking a walk over his farm, in July, immediately 

 after a finarl iluuuler-slorm ; a delicious and pe- 



