«II)C JTavmcv's iHontl)lij llisitor. 



175 



still in the fulness of Ills |inine, is n rare instance 

 of what integrity, enterprise and industry may 

 accoini>lisli in llie self arcliiteetiire of n man's 

 tbrlnne. Twelve years af;o lie eaine lo tliis 

 coinitry a raw Scotcli boy, (iesli liom llie inaiiii- 

 liictoril'S ot' Olas^'ow, in wliicli lie had passed 

 his whole lile, liom cij;lit yearsoicj, as acornmon 

 operative. Alter spending two years upon a 

 (arm in ("anada, he came into the Stales ami 

 hired hirnscll'as a tntde spinner in the factory at 

 Brainard's Uridge. Commending himself to his 

 employers as much hy his strict integrity and 

 sterii ng good sense as hy his indominatalile en- 

 ergy, he was soon advanced to the superinten- 

 dence of the works, liom winch station six years 

 ago only, he came to his present location in Ad- 

 ams. I'rom that licno, without foreign aid of any 

 kind, and sohdy hy thorough, systematic, mitiring 

 industry, with a keen Scotch insight into men 

 und things, his husiness has been eminently suc- 

 cessful. The firm have the reputation of making 

 the best \v;ii-p in the country. The whole husi- 

 ness, Horn the hnying of tho cotton, its dusting, 

 carding, spinning, ilyeing, drying and winding 

 upon Ihe beam, to its sale in the market, is under 

 their constant supervision. They spin '20,000 

 yards per week oi' warps which are composed 

 of 1800 threads each ; nearly eiioui;h, if extend- 

 ed in a single thread, to girdle the earth. 



From the Boston Cultivator. 

 The Potato Disease. 



A Prize Essay, by H. Cox, condensed from ihe 



Journal of ihe Rtijul .ii^ricuHurul Society 

 of England. 



We shall attempt to give only a brief abstract 

 of this essay ; though we are inclined to give 

 more, inasmuch as there is a general accordance 

 of the views of this writer with our own, as our 

 friends and readers will observe by comparing it 

 Willi what we have said and written during the 

 three years in which this journal has been pub- 

 lished. \Ve have however only slight attacli- 

 inents to the theory herein maintained, and are 

 re.idy to embrace any other when its merits are 

 based on a foundation sufficiently substantial. 



'I'lie author commences hy saying, that the 

 failure of the potato crop in 1845, has given rise 

 to many theories as lo its cause, some imagining 

 that it was a fungus, wliile others contend tli.it it 

 was caused by atmospheric infl:ieuces ; this lat- 

 ter is the view the auilior maintains, principally 

 on the ground that many other vegetables were 

 alfected hy similar disease at the same time cit- 

 ing ill this connexion, the ash, oak, poplar, hazel, 

 the vine, the aj)ple, pear and plum ; but particu- 

 larly the walnut, the French beau, mangel wnrt- 

 zel, carrots und turnips. In the ease of the wal- 

 nut, it gave out of two bushels of fruit not a sin- 

 gle nut, but that exhibited signs of disease. lis 

 leaves exhibited also the symptoms of disease. — 

 All the early varieties of turnips decayed at the 

 top ;the Swedes were affi'cted almost as much as 

 the piilaloes, the orange globe mangel wurlzel 

 were affected in the proportion of one in five, 

 carrots at the rate of one in eight. i'\ir. Cox then 

 proceeds to state other (acts in resard to the dis- 

 ease, and shows that certain varieties were less 

 subject to it than others, and esfiecially those 

 which Were nearly mature at the time when ilie 

 supposed cause began to operate, and cited the 

 ash-leaf kidney, which was dug the first week in 

 August, and nosymptotns of disease ap[>eared in 

 tliein. On the contrary, those which were a 

 month or six weeks later, and were dug early in 

 September were nearly lost. 



In the first week in April, our author planted a 

 piece with second early kinds, called prolific, and 

 a few china orange jiotatoes. The rows run 

 north :ind south ; one end running up a steepisli 

 bank, the other descending into a damp peal. — 

 The higher parts of ilie field were prtorer than 

 'the lower, the potatoes on the latter grew luxii- 

 rienl and rank, and covered the ground so that 

 no air could circulate among them. Now the 

 rale at which the ends were affected was as fol- 

 lows : lliosj on the upper and poorer soil were 

 affected at t!ie rate ol'mie in 27, those at the low- 

 er end, in the rich ground, at the rate of one in 

 four. The affection first appears in a lirown 

 spot where the tuber is connected with haulm. — 

 To ascertain which were diseased, the author 

 sliceil off a portion at this extremity from which 

 a practical hint is given, viz: to save from entire 



loss, ascerlain in ibis way the part of the diseas- 

 ed condition, and use them before they have af- 

 fected the tube lo any important extent; by se- 

 lecting for keeping those whiidi are not diseased, 

 a great saving is elfecled. Of the cause of the 

 disease in 18ir>, .Mr. Cox believes lliat ihe cold 

 damp weather in the latler part of July ami firsl 

 of .August when il is usually dry, and which was 

 succeeded hy hot sultry wc-ather, had much to 

 do in causing tho disease of that year. Tho ilis- 

 easo is considered as simply a decay which be- 

 gan ill the stalks.* 



The author next proeeeils to consider the pre- 

 cautions which afford the best hope tor averting 

 the disease. 



1. To choose sound tut)ers for seed. 



2. Choose dry ground which is not over rich ; 

 this precaution is regarded as one of great im- 

 portance. 



.'}. Choose manures which do not ferment 

 readily, as charcoal dust, peat ashes, &c. An 

 experiment detailed at some hnigtli, shows the 

 great advantage of charcoal and peat ashes, over 

 guano, cow dung, horse dung, &c. 



4. (live plenty of room that air may freely cir- 

 culate through the crop. 



The author decid'dly discourages autuuin plant- 

 ing, as has been recommended hy some wri- 

 ters. 



Taking u/> and >9<oruisr. — Let potatoes be har- 

 vested in dry weather. If designed for planting, 

 they may lie three or four days on the ground ; 

 but if designed for eating, they should not lie 

 longer than three or four hours. They should 

 be |iut in a dry siluaiion, as under a shed, and if 

 they lie thick should be turned to prevent fer- 

 inenlation, and while here the diseased ones are 

 picked oiil. The potatoes should afterwards be 

 stored in a dark and moderately damp place, so 

 damp at least, as not to generate any dust on the 

 hoiiom of ihe store house. A store house express- 

 ly fir their presi^rvalion is recommendeil, where 

 they can be examined, ventilated, and the poor 

 ones removed. 



*At one tiin? we eiiteruined similar views as to the 

 part first alTected, bat have been caused to alter theui, by 

 later and more carelul observations. The part first dis- 

 eased is the stem, winch is connected wiib the seed tu- 

 bers, and the stalks ; the disease tends upward. The oth- 

 er vegetables are affected in common with the potato 

 phn:, we have observed every year, and precisely at the 

 period, when the pilatT itselt' is alfected. examples of 

 which have been stated in this journal. [Am. Juur. of 

 .Agriculture. 



.Ilaiiufacturing at Lowell and liawrcace. 



The ibllowing letter to the editor of the IJan- 

 gor Whig and Courier gives an interesling ac- 

 count of what is now going on near the Mjiri- 

 inack River, iMassaclmsetts. 



LoivKLL, October 1'^, 1847. 



Long time ago, I promised to give you some 

 account of what is now doing on the AlerrimacK 

 river. The reason of my delay, is obvious to you, 

 and after so long a time, 1 proceed to fiillii in 

 part my promise. 



The work at the new city progresses rapidly, 

 and il is expecleil the dam will hrj finished ih'is 

 fill. As the mode of hiiilding t!iis uueipialled 

 work, I remarked that the flam slands on a leilge, 

 the entire distance of 'JOO feet, and to prevent 

 water escaping under it and through the seams, 

 the ledge was smoothed off, and in many pl.ices 

 lowered several feel, thus cutting a trench in the 

 big rock to set the dim in. The dam is of solid 

 masonry, laid in hydr.iulic cement. Its breadth 

 ls_;ju feet at tin; bottom, il.^ greatest height is 40 

 feet, and when fiiiisheil will present a level oI'DOii 

 feel in lenglb, .iiid in liiues of lieshet will present 

 a fiill of abonl 2i feet, lliiis forming one of the 

 most beaiKiful water falls on the continent of 

 .■\meric.i. 



The up river side of the dam, is of a gradual 

 curve Inwards the top, so that no sharp corners 

 are presented to the ice, which sweeps down ihe 

 .Merrimack river some sjirings with irresistible 

 fury. You, al Hiiigor, know well how to appre- 

 ciate such visits of h.irdeued water, when borne 

 along willi ils own licpiid n.ature. 



Tin; I'2ssex company (which is the water pow- 

 er company) have erecteil a large iron foundry 

 and 111 ii;liiiie shop, and are building a steam s.iw 

 mill and planing mill, and a large number ol 

 streets. 'I'hey are also erecting a large cotton 



separate company, with a capital of 1,500,000.— 

 The cuiial is nearly completed for one mile liom 

 the dam, which is 100 feet wide at the dam, and 



00 feet at the foot. All ibis work is done under 

 the cyi.' and direi^lion of Clias. 11. Slarrow, Esq. 

 who IS agent and treasurer of the Essex Compa- 

 ny, and under whose direclioii every thing moves 

 on with order and power, lie is a gentleman 



01 very extensive infonnalioii and manly views. 

 Al Lawrence there is being erected by lar tlie 



largest woolen iiiaiuifactory in this country. Its 

 capital is ,$1,000,000, il occupies 1000 from on iho 

 river, and also the canal, and runs back 1000 

 feet. 



At the head of^ ibis establishment, is our Sam- 

 uel Lawrence, Csq. which is a gnaraiilue of its 

 success. He is the manager ol the IMiddlescx 

 company in this city, the success of which has 

 been of great advantage in the woolen manu- 

 factures of this comitiy, and which turns out 

 now .'61,500,000 worth of cloth jier annum. The 

 Bay Slate Company, which is llie name of tho 

 company of Lawrence, is iiiiicb more extensive, 

 in the proportion of seventy to forty-four. 



1 should give you the size of the buildings of 

 the ISay Slate Co. They have one building next 

 to the river, which is 1000 feet long, by 50 feet 

 broad, 4 stories high, and has a wing at each <nid 

 200 feet long; this building is for store house, 

 dying, &c. The factories consist of four bnild- 

 iiigs each 200 feet long, 51 feet wide, and eight 

 slorieshigh. 'I'liese last stand end to each other, 

 about 200 feet from, and p.irallel to the first build- 

 ing. The boarding houses are situated on the op- 

 posite siiie of the canal. 



Lowell is not yet finished, but the big canal is 

 nearly compleled. There are two large hiuldiiigs 

 now about being built, one is for a cotton factory 

 for the H i<oit company, which is to be 510 li.'Ct 

 long, dfj lijet wide, and 3 stories high : the other 

 is for a machine shop, 400 feet long, IGO feet 

 wiile, wilh a court in Ihe centre, 300 feet long by 

 50 broad, the building to be 3 stories high. These 

 descriplions will enable you to judge something 

 of the magnitude of the business in the old Bay 

 Slate, and the confidence the cilizens have in 

 manufiicturing. 



1 said that the Miildlesex Woolen Miiniifac- 

 tiiring Company, was the largest on the continent 

 of America, but I should have said it was the 

 largest on the globe, and that's true 1 believe. — 

 This old Bay Slate is small, but she has power. 



How to Make Good Vinegar. 



Common honsehnld vinegar is usually obtain- 

 ed from wine, cider, malt, fermenled sugar, 

 molasses, &c., the alcohol contained in them be- 

 ing converted inlo aclivt; acid by the absorption 

 of o.xygen, which is more or less intermixed wilh 

 gum, sugar, and other vagetable liialter. The 

 principal reipiisiles necessary to form any ofthe.se 

 sub.Tlaiices into good vinegar, are, contact with 

 the air of any temperature between 70 and 80 

 deg. P., the presence of alcohol, and the addi- 

 timi of some extraneous vcgelable matter to pro- 

 mote llie acetous fermentaiion. 



I'lne, iiiiadullerateil ciiler-viiiegar, reduced to 

 proper slrenglh, is coiisiilere<l llie best fin- gene- 

 ral use ill this coiiuliy, and is always allaiiiable 

 by those who possess apple orchards, or eidi.-r of 

 their own, and should be iinre abiindanlly sup- 

 plied in in.iiket than jt is. An excellent article 

 may he made by piuiing away good strong cider, 

 without adding any thing to it, in mie or more 

 siibsl.iiiti.il casks in a warm place under cover, 

 wilh the hung holes open, but covered w itii fine 

 giiaze, in order to admit the air, and then let il 

 gradually undergo the necessary lininenlntion. — 

 If the casks are fiecjuciitly shaken, and their 

 contents occasionally drawn from one to anolhtr, 

 the process is hastened. When lit fur tist^, a 

 small portion of the vinegKr shoiihl be drawn 

 from each cask, and its place snp|ilied wilh a like 

 ipiaiitily of cider that is fresh. In large estab- 

 lishments the operation may he carried on with 

 a number of casks at once, worked in pairs, hy 

 commencing with one filled with good vinegar 

 and another of the same capacity filled with pure 

 cider. First draw out one (pi.-irt or a gallon, as 

 may be, from the cask cimlaining the vinegar, 

 ami replace it with an equal quantity from lli.it 

 which contains the cider. Thus, by coiilinuing 

 iliH operation daily, for some weeks, one or more 

 hogsheads, of good, wholesome vinegar may be 



raanufactory called the Atlantic, which is for a I formed, without the addition of any foreign 



