1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



143 



proceeding ; but that when it was necessary, the 

 best time to prune large limbs was in Septem- 

 ber. 



The subject for next Monday's discussion is, 

 "Sheep Ilusbandri/." 



ECHOES. 



A good ear cannot distinguish one sound from 

 another, unless there is an interval of one-ninth 

 of a second between the arrival of the two sounds. 

 Sounds must, therefore, succeed each other at 

 an interval of one-ninth of a second, in order to 

 be heard distinctly. Now. the velocity of sound 

 being eleven hundred and twenty feet a second, 

 in one-ninth of a second, the sound would travel 

 one hundred and twenty-four feet. 



Repeated echoes happen when two obstacles 

 are placed opposite to one another, as parallel 

 walls, for example, which reflect the sound suc- 

 cessively. 



At Ademach, in Bohemia, there is an echo 

 which repeats seven syllables three times ; at 

 Woodstock, in England, there is one which re- 

 peats a sound seventeen times during the day, 

 and twenty times during the night. An echo in 

 the villa Smionetta, near Milan, is said to repeat 

 a (sharp sound thirty times audibly. The most 

 celebrated echo among the ancients, was that of 

 the Metelli, at Rome, which, according to tradi- 

 tion, was capable of repeating the first line of 

 ffineid, containing fifteen syllables, eight times 

 distinctly. 



Dr. Birch describes an echo at Roseneath, Ar- 

 gyleshire, which, it is said, does not now exist. 

 When eight or ten notes were played upon a 

 trumpet, they were returned by this echo upon a 

 key a third lower than the original notes, and 

 shortly after upon a key still lower. Dr. Page 

 describes an echo in Fairfax county, Virginia, 

 which possesses a similar curious property. This 

 echo gives three distinct reflections, the second 

 echo much the most distinct. Twenty notes 

 plaj'ed upon a flute, are returned with perfect 

 clearness. But the most singular property of this 

 echo is, that some notes in the scale are not re- 

 turned in their places, but are supplied with 

 notes which are either thirds, fifths, or octaves. 



There is a surprising echo between two barns 

 at Belvidere, Alleghany county, N. Y. The echo 

 repeats eleven times a word of one, two or three 

 syllables ; it has been heard to repeat thirteen 

 times. By placing oneself in the centre, between 

 the two barns, there will be a double echo, one 

 in the direction of each barn, and a monosylla- 

 ble will be repeated twenty-two times. 



A striking and beautiful efi"ect of echo is pro- 

 duced in certain localities by the Swiss moun- 

 taineers, who contrive to sing their Rans de 

 Vaches in such time that the reflected notes form 

 an agreeable accompaniment to the air itself. — 

 Prof. Silliman. 



Injustice in Flowages. — In another column 

 may be found a second article from Judge 

 French's forthcoming book "On Drainage," to 

 •which we wish to call the especial attention of 

 the reader. There is no subject, in our opinion, 

 that so imperatively calls the attention of the 



Legislature of this Commonwealth, as that of 

 flowages. All the mill acts ought to be repealed, 

 and an entirely new form and spirit of legislation 

 enacted, more in accordance with justice and the 

 common rights which every where exist between 

 man and man. We hope that some enterprising 

 and fearless champion of the "Rights of Man" 

 will be found in our present legislature who will 

 devote himself to this work, and institute such 

 proceedings as will call public attentfon to the 

 outrageous partialities and inequalities that now 

 exist, and result in the enactment of laws on the 

 subject more in accordance with common sense 

 and common justice, and the spirit of the age. 



For the New England Farmer. 



"MILCH coysrs, and dairy FABMING."* 



I have just completed an examination of Mr. 

 Flint's book with the above title, and cannot for- 

 bear to say a word in its praise. 



In the first place, its size and style both com- 

 mend it. Very few agricultural writers exhibit 

 so much literary taste as is to be seen in this 

 work. The paper and print are also superior. 

 This makes one feel comfortable in reading it, 

 and banishes the suspicion of its being like "Pe- 

 ter Pindar's razor," made only to sell. He, how- 

 ever, who gets up a book with mean type and 

 cheap paper, having a view to profit, in my judg- 

 ment commits a blunder. 



Many of the cuts are very good and some are 

 very poor. But the general execution of the 

 work makes ample amends for trifling imperfec- 

 tions in this particular. 



It has come at a time, too, when such a work 

 was very much needed. A great deal has been 

 written within a few years, in relation to the sub- 

 jects of which it treats, and a very large propor- 

 tion of what has been written, is utterly worth- 

 less. To find the valuable part, would be a great- 

 er labor than to extract a "kernel of wheat" from 

 two bushels of chaff". In the ti'ansactions of hosts 

 of Agricultural Societies in different States, in 

 newspapers, in periodicals, articles upon the sub- 

 ject are everywhere scattered, which have accom- 

 plished their purpose, and will never be worth 

 bringing again to the light. Many writers have 

 a particular object in view, and their statements 

 are neither valuable nor trustworthy. Cattle 

 breeders are able to find no defects in the breed 

 which they favor, and no merits in any other. 

 Stock speculators praise those only, which for 

 the moment will yield the largest profit. Men, 

 therefore, who were really desirous to get cor- 

 rect information on this branch of farm economy, 

 were at a loss where to find it. 



This work of Mr. Flint supplies the deficiency. 

 It may be regarded not only as comprising the 

 opinions of the author, which years of experience 

 as Secretary of the Board of Agriculture have 

 made valuable, but also as a compendium of well 

 digested and reliable public opinion. By this is 

 meant, the opinion of a very large majority of 

 those, who have given so much attention to the 



* Milch Cows and Dairi Fabmiuq. By C. L. Flint, Secretary 

 of the Board of Agriculture. 



