446 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 7 



of them by dripping or exposure — with the addi- 

 tion of quicklime, and of salt, separately and 

 combined. Sufficient experiments I hope will be 

 made, anil the results made known through the 

 Farmers' Register. 



Having referred to the experiment of my friend 

 made with ashes and plaster, (or the effect in se- 

 curing a better "stand" of the crop, it is proper to 

 add some other particulars. The ashes were 

 from old heaps lying about negroes' houses, long 

 exposed to the weather. The gypsum did not 

 exceed one-twentieth of the mixture, and seemed 

 to have no effect, as no difference could be per- 

 ceived between the effects of the mixture, and of 

 ashes alone, the increase from both being judged 

 by the eye to be less than 10 bushels to the acre, 

 or 50 per cent, more than the land not so treated. 

 The ashes (or the mixture) were used to cover 

 the grain after dropping it, and in quantity as 

 much as a large double handful at each place. 

 This would probably have been too much, if the 

 season had been dry — for the manured corn 

 showed some tendency to "firing," in the intervals 

 between rains, though it proceeded to no injurious 

 extent. 



PROPOSED RAIL ROAD EROM LYNCHBURG 

 TO ABINGDON. 



[The following copy of a petition is circulating 

 through the newspapers, without any mark of its ori- 

 gin or authority. But we give it a place here because 

 it is believed to express the views of the people of 

 Lynchburg, and of a large adjacent region, and which 

 will be pressed by them on the Legislature of Virgin- 

 ia at the approaching session.] 



To the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 

 Virginia. 



"The petition of the undersigned citizens of the 

 of most respectfully represents: 



"That authority has been granted to establish a 

 rail road between the cities of New Orleans and 

 Nashville, by the legislature of Louisiana, with 

 the consent ol those states whose territory will be 

 traversed by such road. Engineers have been ac- 

 tively engaged in surveying the proposed route, 

 and have progressed so far as to justify the offer- 

 ing of proposals for contracts for constructing fifty 

 miles of the road. When this work shall have 

 been completed, five hundred aud thirty-eight 

 miles of the distance between the town of Lynch- 

 burg, on James River, and the city of New Or- 

 leans, will remain, and on which, when a similar 

 road shall have been made, there will be a contin- 

 ued line of rail road from the waters of the James 

 River to those of the Mississippi. 



"A considerable part of this distance lies within 

 the borders of Virginia, and your petitioners res- 

 pectfully pray the General Assembly of Virginia. 

 to incorporate a company for the purpose of con- 

 structing a rail road from the town of Lynchburg, 

 by Buford's Gap in the Blue Ridge of Mountains, 

 to some point on the Tennessee line, with the pur- 

 pose of uniting the same with such rail road as 

 the Legislature of Tennessee, may direct, or au- 

 thorise to be formed from Nashville to the Virgin- 

 ia line. Your petitioners further pray, that & the 

 privilege be granted to such incorporated company, 



or to the James River and Kanawha Company, of 

 extending a similar road from Lynchburg to the 

 city of Richmond, so as to intersect and be con- 

 nected with the Richmond and Fredericksburg Rail 

 Road. 



"The great and obvious advantages which flow 

 from the undertaking in question, "and its execu- 

 tion as promptly as the resources of the country 

 will justify, are generally acknowledged. By it a 

 continuous line of rail road will be at no remote 

 period made from the city of New Orleans to the 

 city of Boston, passing through the heart of this 

 Commonwealth, near to her finest river and great- 

 est public work, and her capital. The numerous 

 passengers which such a rapid and convenient 

 mode of transportation will necessarily tempt with- 

 in the limits of the state, must bring with them 

 great benefits. Such a thoroughfare, uninterrupt- 

 ed as it must be by any competing route, will intro- 

 duce much wealth on its borders. To the com- 

 pany, and the community, it will be found a most 

 profitable investment. The tract of country 

 through winch the proposed road will pass, is one 

 of the most fertile in soil, and abundant in mine- 

 ral products within the United States, and possess- 

 ing the inestimable advantage of being blessed 

 with a climate of great salubrity. The contem- 

 plated road will open an easy communication from 

 the interior of a vast, rich and populous country, 

 to cities convenient to navigation, and where the 

 trade may seek transportation by sea vessels, 

 while it will enhance the value of the productions 

 of the farmers, and contribute to the rapid growth 

 of the cities. It will serve (ogive a sure and rapid 

 means of conveyance to travellers, and the mails, 

 to and from the most distant parts of the republic, 

 and will contribute largely to the increase ol the 

 profits of the James River and Kanawha Compa- 

 ny, by drawing thereto the transportation of do- 

 mestic produce and foreign goods of much bulk, 

 between the town of Lynchburg and the city of 

 Richmond. Believing that these obvious and nu- 

 merous benefits to the state, from the formation of 

 such a road as that proposed by your petitioners, 

 will be generally acknowledged, ^j ie y forbear a 

 minute enumeration of others, and content them- 

 selves with the expression of the confident opin- 

 ion, that funds adequate to this great object can 

 readily be obtained, and with praying that the 

 general assembly will pass an act to incorporate a 

 company for the purpose aforesaid, and to author- 

 ise books, under the superintendence of suitable 

 commissioners, to be opened at such places as may 

 seem proper, for receiving subscriptions in such 

 company; and they will ever pray, &c." 



From the Fredericksburg Arena. 

 CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO CANAL. 



We have recently had an opportunity of inspect- 

 ing the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, from George- 

 town to Harper's Ferry, and take the earliest op- 

 portunity of expressing the admiration winch a 

 sight of that magnificent improvement necessa- 

 rily inspires. It is unique. There is no canal in 

 this country — nor, we believe, in Europe — of any 

 thing like the length, which approaches it in di- 

 mensions. In comparison, the Hudson and Erie 

 canal is a mill race. Nor is admiration confined 

 to its vast dimensions: — the difficulties surmount- 

 ed; the rugged country through which it. passes; 

 the solid and beautiful masonry of the locks and 



