104 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



MISCE.L>L,AIVY 



The following extracts are from a small pamphlet lately repiib- 



lislied by Lilly * Wait, and Carter * Mendee, entitled 



KNOWLEDGE FOR THE PEOPLE, 



WHY AND BECAirSE. 



TThy does u-atcr thrown on a brisk and flaming fire 

 apipnrentUj increase the combustion :' 



Because the water is converted into steam, which 

 expanding and mixing witli the flame, causes it to 

 spread out into a much larger volume than it other- 

 wise would have occupied. — Arnotl. 



Why are strong flames often seen at the chimney top 

 of foundry furnaces ? 



Because the heat of the furnace is so great that 

 the smoke burns on reaching the oxygen of the at- 

 mosphere. 



Wiy will that part of the curtains of a room which 

 has been exposed to the sun, be often faded, while those 

 parts which have not been so exposed retain their orig- 

 inal colors ? 



Because the oxygen which existed in a solid 

 form in the dye of the curtains, will be rendered 

 aeriform by die rays of the sun, and will go off in 

 the state of oxygen gas. 



IVhy are urns for hot loater, tea-pots, cojfet-pols, 

 SfC, made with wooden or ivory handles '.' 



Because, if metal were used, it would conduct 

 the heat so readily that the hand could not bear 

 to touch them ; whereas wood and ivory are non- 

 conductors of heat. 



ff'hy does a gate in an iron railing shut loosely and 

 easily in a cold day, and stick in a warm one ? 



Because, in the latter, there is a greater expan- 

 sion of the gate and railing than of the earth on 

 which they are placed. 



ff'hy will a vessel which has been filled to the lip 

 with warm liquid, not be full when the liquid has 

 cooled ? 



Because of the expansion of the fluid by heat. 

 Hence some cunning dealers in liquids make their 

 purchases in very cold weather, and their sales in 

 warm weather. 



IFIuj is a glass stopper, sticking fast in the neck of 

 a bottle, often released by surrounding the neck with a 

 cloth taken out of hot water, or by immersing the bot- 

 tle up to the neck '} 



Because the binding ring is thus heated and ex- 

 panded sooner than the stopper, and so becomes 

 slack or loose upon it. 



fVhy does straw or flannel prevent the freezing of 

 water in pipes during tvintcr ? 



Because it is a slow conducting screen or cover- 

 ing, and thus prevents heat passing out of the pipe. 

 By the same means the heat is retained in steam 

 pipes. 



Tfliy have ice-houses double tcalls, and why do luine 

 coolers consist of double vessels ? 



Because air tills the intervals between the walls 

 or vessels ; or in some cases the space is filled with 

 straw, sawdust or charcoal, all which are non-con- 

 ductors of heat. , . 



ffhy have some houses double windows ? 



Because the air inclosed between the two win- 

 dows g'eatly prevents the escape of heat which is 

 produced within the house in winter. Thus, air is 

 an imperfect conductor of heat. Houses wliich 

 have double windows are likewise more quiet than 

 others, from the air being also a bad conductor of 

 Bound. 



Why is a decanter of cold water when brought into 

 a warm room, speedily covered tvith dew ? 



Because the temperature of the decanter is lower 

 than that of the air immediately around it. The 

 dew may be wiped oflf again and again, but will be 

 constantly reproduced till the temperatures are 

 equal. Upon this principle, the most convenient 

 sort of hygiometcr, or instrument for measuring 

 tlie quantiry of vapor in the atmosphere, is con- 

 structed. 



Why are porous vessels used for ivine-coolers ? 

 Because, being dipped in water, they imbibe a 

 quantity of it, which gradually evaporates ; and, as 

 a part of the heat necessary to convert the water 

 into vapor will be taken from a bottle of wine 

 l)l<iced in it, the wine is considerable cooled. 



Jfliy does the breath or perspiration of animals [of 

 horses in particular, after strong exertion,) become 

 strikingly visible in cold or damp tveaiher 9 



Because the vapor (invisible while at a higher 

 temperature) is thickly precipitated, by the air v.ith 

 which it is mixed being too cold to preserve it in- 

 visible. 



Why is profuse perspiration so cooling to laboring 

 men, and all evaporation productive of cold ? 



Because of the necessity of a large quantity of 

 caloric bting combined with fluids, to convert them 

 into vapor or gas. 



Why do persons take cold by sitlijig in icet clothes'? 



Because they suddenly lose a large portion of 

 heat, which is carried off from the body by the 

 evaporation of the water from the clothes. 



Why in hot countries, do persons coniinualhj throw 

 water on curtains which Ihexeform the sides of apart- 

 ments ? 



Because the evaporation of the water absorbs a 

 vast deal of heat, and snakes the apartments cool 

 and refreshing. 



Why are assembly-rooms ventilated ? 



Because of the motion produced by the changed 

 weight ofair, when healed. The air which is with- 

 in the room becomes warmer than the external air, 

 and the latter then presses in at every opening or 

 crevice to displace the former. 



Why does the sulphuric acid in fire bottles so often 

 fail in igniting the match ? 



Because the aciil is continually attracting mois- 

 ture from the air, owing to the imperfect manner 

 of closing the bottles. 



Oct. 12, 1831. 



jVeic England Farmer and Horticultural Journal. 

 Tliis is a weekly paper devoted to agriculture, gar- 

 dening;, and rural economy ; edited by Thomas G. Fes- 

 sENDEN, assisted by various agricultural writers, and by 

 Ihe observatious of the best practical farmers in New 

 England. It is printed in a quarto form, (paged) making 

 a volume of 416 pages annually, to which a title page 

 and index ai-e furnished gratis. This journal has been 

 publislied for nine years ; during which time the most 

 assiduous exertions have been made by the Editor to 

 make it acceptable and useful to the farmer and the hor- 

 ticulturist. From the increasing number and respecta- 

 bility of its correspondents, and the means now at tha 

 command of the Editor, the Publisher feels a cunhdence 

 in recommending it to the favorable notice of the public, 

 as a journal with regard to whose future character they 

 will not be disappointed. By a vote of the Board of Visi- 

 tors of the Botanic Gardeu at Cambridge, the intelligent 

 Curator of that establishment has been requested Id 

 make known, through Ihe New England Farmer, the 

 details and results of his experiments in various horti- 

 cultural subjects — the choice of soil, and situation, with 

 regard to various plants, ^c ; — and by a vote of the 

 Massachusetts Horticultiu'al Society, all commvinications 

 on horiicullural subjects, addressed to the President, are 

 to be published regularly in the New England Farmer, 

 so that this journal will contain the complete Transac- 

 tions of the Society. 



By concentrating all these advantages, it is thought 

 that the volumes of the New England Farmer will con- 

 tain so large a collection of useful facts and experiments 

 connected with agriculture and its kindred branches of 

 gardening, orcharding, &c, as to be found worthy a 

 place in the Library of every farmer. A weekly report 

 of the sales of the c«ttle at Brighton — the state of tUa 

 markets, crops, &c — and occasionally drawings of agri- 

 cultural implements, &c, will be found in this journal. 



The New England Farmer is published every Wednes- 

 day evening at the low price of $3 00 per annum, from 

 which a discount of 50 cents is made to those who pay 

 in advance. It will not he sent to new subscribers at a 

 distance without payment being made in advance. 



[lj"Gentleinen who procure five subscribers, and for- 

 ward the payment for the same, will be allowed a sixth 

 copy gratis. New subscribers can be furnished with the 

 back numbers of the current volume. 



[O'Editors with whom we exchange, who may feel 

 disposed to pive this one or two insertions, will confer a 

 favor that will be reciprocated with pleasure on any oc- 

 casion. 



The atmosphere never dark on a icindy night. — Sev- 

 eral years since, when travelling by night in the mail 

 coach, in the depth of winter and during the absence of the 

 moon, I was surprised to observe, tnat, though dense 

 clouds covered every part of the horizon, and not a sin- 

 gle star could be seen, yet the night was far fiom being 

 dark and large objects near the road were easily discerned 

 On expressing my surprise to the driver, he replied, ' The 

 wind is very high, and during a great many years that I 

 I have been upon the road, I never knew it to be dark 

 on a windy night.' The observation was at that time 

 new to me ; but subsequent experience has convinced 

 me that it w^ true — Loudon's Magazine of A^'atural 

 History. 



Different . methods of improving in Knowledge. — 

 There are five eminent means or methods, whereby the 

 mind is improved in knowledge, and these are — observa- 

 tion, reading, instruction by lectures, conversation, and 

 meditation ; the last of which is in a more peculiar man- 

 ner called study. Each of these five methods has its pe- 

 culiar advantages, by which it materially assists the 

 others, and its peculiar defects, which need to be supplied 

 by the' assistance of the rest. Reading maketh a full 

 man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man. 



A sunflower was raised in Charleston, S. C. 

 this season, the seeded part of which was a foo^ in 

 diameter. 



A''otice. 

 The subscriber wishes to procure a small quantity, 

 say half a pint, of acorns from each species of oak grow- 

 ing in New England, with the specific, or where not 

 known, the common name. It is desirable that they 

 should be sent in by the 1st of November, with the coi^ 

 tributor's name, as they are to be forwarded to the Loi> 

 don Horticultural Society. Any reasonable expense with 

 regard to the above will be cheerfully paid. 



4t J. B. RUSSELL. 



Binding. 



Subscribers to the New England Farmer are informed 



that they can have their volumes neatly half bound and 



lettered, at 75 cts. per volume, by leaving them at tlw 



Farmer office. Aug. 3. 



Published every Wednesd,iy Evening, at ^3 per annam, 

 payable at the end of the year — but thoBe who pay within 

 sixty days from the time of subscribing, are entitled to a de- 

 duction offifty cents. 



53= No paper will be sent to a distance without payment 

 being made in advance. 



Printed for J. B. Rcsseli., by I. R. Bctts— by whom 

 all descriptions of Printing can be executed to meet th« 

 wishes of customers. Orders for printing received by J. B. 

 Russell, at th(i Agricultural Warehouse, No. 52 North 

 Market Street. agents. 



New Yorlc—G ■ Thorburn & Sons, G7 Liberty-street 

 .■J/Aony— Wm. Tiiorbubn, 347 Market-street. 

 I'hUadelphia— 1). & C. Landketh.83 Chestnut-street. 

 Baltimore— G. B.Smith, Editor of the American Farmer. 

 t;incinnali—S. C. Parkhubst,23 Lower Markel-slrcet. 

 Flushing, N. Y. \Vm. Prince &SoNs,Pi'op.Lia.Bol. Garden 

 .Middlebury, Kf.— Wight Chapman. 

 Hartford— Goodwin &. Co. Booksellers. 

 Springfield, Ms. — E. Edwards. 

 Newburyport, Ebenezer Stedman, Bookseller. 

 PoHsmoiith, N. H. J. W. Foster, Bookseller. 

 Portland, jl/?.— Samdzl Colman, Bookseller. 

 jjnirusta , Me. Wm. Mann. 



Halifa.r, N. S.— P. J. Holland, Esq. Recorder olE«« 

 ilontrea!. L. C.— Henry Hillock. 



