1859. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



221 



of all dams and embankments, the capacity of 

 gates and sluice-ways, the agreed or ascertained 

 rights of flowage, connected with all mills and 

 reservoirs within their jurisdiction, and such oth- 

 er matters as might be necessary to make defi- 

 nite the respective rights of the parties, would 

 tend to lessen litigation, and quiet much disa- 

 greeable and expensive controversy. 



In those States, too, where it is deemed con- 

 stitutional, provision might be made by proceed- 

 ing before the same commissioners, for compul- 

 sory outfalls, upon proper compensation to own- 

 ers, and even for partial or full contribution by 

 unwilling owners, where lands are so situated 

 that it is necessary, for the good of the whole, to 

 interfere with property of owners who refuse to 

 join in the enterprise. 



"WONDEBPUIi POWER OP FTJEIi. 



It is well known to modern engineers, (re- 

 marks an English journal,) that there is virtue in 

 a bushel of coal properly consumed, to raise sev- 

 enty millions of pound weight a foot high. This 

 is actually the average effect of an engine work- 

 ing in Huel Towan, Cornwall, England. Let us 

 pause a moment and consider what this is equiv- 

 alent to in matters of practice. The ascent of 

 Mount Blanc from the valley of Chamouni is con- 

 sidered, and with justice, as the most toilsome 

 feat that a strong man can execute in two days. 

 The combustion of tvyo pounds of coal would 

 place him on the summit. The Menai bridge, 

 one of the most stupendous works of art that 

 has been raised by man in the modern ages, 

 consists of a. mass of iron not less than four mil- 

 lions of pounds in weight, suspended at a medi- 

 um height of about 120 feet above the level of 

 the sea. The consumption of seven bushels of 

 coal would suffice to raise it to the place where 

 it hangs. The great pyramid of Egypt is com- 

 posed of granite. It is seven hundred feet, in 

 the side of its base, and five hundred in perpen- 

 dicular height, and stands on eleven acres of 

 land. Its weight is therefore 12,700 millions of 

 pounds, at a medium height of 125 feet; conse- 

 quently, it would be raised by the effort of about 

 630 chaldrons of coal, a quantity consumed in 

 some foundries in a week. The annual consump- 

 tion of coal in London is estimated at 1,500,000 

 chaldrons. The effort of this quantity would 

 suffice to raise a cubical block of marble, 2,200 

 feet in the side, through a space equal to its own 

 height, or to pile one mountain on another. The 

 Monte Nuovo, near Pozzueli, which was erupted 

 in a single night by volcanic fire, might have 

 been raised by such an effort from a depth of 

 40,000 feet, or about eight miles. It will be seen 

 that in the above statement, the inherent power 

 of fuel is, of necessity, greatly underrated. It is 

 not pretended by engineers that the economy of 

 fuel is yet pushed to its utmost limit, or that the 

 ■whole effective power is obtained in any applica- 

 tion of fire yet devised ; so that were we to say 

 100 millions, instead of 70, we should probably 

 06 nearer the truth. — Maine Farmer. 



THE CONCOED FARMERS' CLUB. 



The meetings of this association have been at- 

 tended through the winter, and the discussions 

 sustained with unusual spirit and ability. The 

 annual meeting was held Nov. 11, when the fol- 

 lowing gentlemen were chosen officers for the 

 ensuing year; — N. H. Warken, President ; S. 

 H. Rhoades, Vice President ; Joseph Rey- 

 nolds, Secretary ; Elijah Wood, Jr., Treasurer. 



The President and Secretary were appointed 

 to assign places of meeting, and subjects for dis- 

 cussion, on each week during the season. At the 

 next meeting, Nov. 18, this Committee reported 

 the following list of subjects to be discussed, in 

 the order in which they are presented. The gen- 

 tleman at whose house the Club meets, is ex- 

 pected to read an essay upon the subject to be 

 discussed on that evening. These essays are read 

 before the discussion. Farm Buildings, Rotation 

 of Crops, Farm Implements, Market Gardening, 

 Reclaiming Swamp Lands, Horses, Agricultural 

 Books, Diseases of Farm Stock, New Plants for 

 Cultivation, Manures, Swine, Grain Crops, Drain- 

 ing, Root Crops, Garden Fruits, Pasture Lands, 

 Soiling Cows, Poultry, Flower Gardening, and 

 Corn Culture. 



At the second and third meetings, the subject 

 of Farm Buildings, especially the structure and 

 internal arrangement of Barns, was fully dis- 

 cussed. On the fourth evening, an interesting 

 discussion was had, on Farm Implements. At 

 the fifth meeting which was held, the subject of 

 Market Gardening was discussed. In this sub- 

 ject was included the expediency and profit of 

 farmers raising vegetables for the market, the 

 best methods of cultivating certain vegetables, 

 and the best and most profitable ways of convey- 

 ing them to market, and disposing of them. The 

 present mode of marketing produce is very labo- 

 rious, and takes much of the time of the produ- 

 cer, and there seemed to be a general conviction 

 that some other method must be adopted. 

 If the produce of a town or neighborhood could 

 be conveyed to market, by railroad, and deliver- 

 ed to an agent or agents, who should dispose of 

 it for the producer, for a commission of a certain 

 per cent, on the price obtained, it was thought 

 it would be a better way than that pursued at 

 present. This subject is now fairly before far- 

 mers, and if the managers of railroads will af- 

 ford the needful accommodation, some plan will 

 be devised, that will relieve them of the necessi- 

 ty and hardship of spending so large a part of 

 their time in dragging loads of produce to mar- 

 ket. Could some feasible plan be devised to ac- 

 complish this object, in which the expense should 

 not absorb all the profits, it would open a new 

 source of employment to farmers, and enable 



