1825.] 



Si:W EXOI.AND FARMER. 



remains for tnc to tnilcc n feiv icmiirks upon 

 the probable a.lvanl;\;e of I he |)ro|)o«c(l cunal 

 beUvec-n the Hudson ami Delaware anlhorized 

 by Ihe Legislature ollliis stale, which a journey 

 over part of its propoi-ed track has nutuftilly 

 suggested. 01' the cost and CPtimales of the ca- 

 nal, and the improvmcnt of the Laclcawaxen. 

 it would be presumption in me to speak — they 

 were made under the direction of one of the 

 ablest enqjineers of the (Jrand Canal, and are 

 thence entitled to the greatest conlidence. The 

 calculations also which are found in the printed 

 documents relative to the income whicli may 

 be expected from the freight of coal, cannot 

 I apprehend, be easily disputed, more especial- 

 ]y when taken in prospective connexion with 

 the rapid increase of population and mannfacto- 

 ries, anil the consequent demand for so impor- 

 tant an article. But, independently of the prof- 

 its arising from coal, the impression on my 

 mind is, that a canal connecting the rivers Lack- 

 awaxen and Delaware with the Hudson, by one 

 of the routes described in the surveyor's report, 

 cannot fail in the lapse of a few years to become 

 a thoroughfare for agricultural and commercial 

 intercourse to a vast amount. Whoever will 

 take the trouble to examine good maps, will 

 perceive that the improvement of Ihe Delaware 

 above the place of its junction with the propo- 

 sed canal, to the point opposite to the bend of 

 the Susquehannah, will command the trade of 

 Sullivan and Delaware counties in this state, 

 and of Wayne county in Pennsylvania, and that 

 a canal of eight miles in length would there 

 join the Delaware and Susquehannah, and thence 

 affoni a water communication with Otsego, Che- 

 nanango, Broome, Courliandt, Tioga and Steu- 

 ben counties in New York, and Susquehannah, 

 Bradford and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania. 

 It cannot be expected also that many years will 

 elapse before some of the branches of the Sus- 

 quehannah will be connected with the streams 

 which run northivardly into the large lakes of 

 the interior of New-York, and thus open an in- 

 tercourse, by the route in question, with nearly 

 all the southern and middle portions of this great 

 slate. 



Again, by rendering the Lackawaxen a nav- 

 igable stream, and connecting it with the Lacka- 

 wannock, at the most favorable point, most pro- 

 bably either at Rix's or Cob's Gap, where bran- 

 ches of these streams are known almost to in- 

 terlock, and by continuing the same improve- 

 ments on the Lackawannock to its junction with 

 Susquehannah, the intercourse will at once be- 

 laid open, not only to the whole of the Wyoming 

 valley, but to the great expansion of country 

 watered by both branches of the Susquehannah 

 and their various tributaries. The western 

 branch, it is well known, opens into one of the 

 richest districts of the United States, abound- 

 ing also in bituminous coal of the finest quality. 

 That a water communication will also in due 

 time be established between the western branch 

 of the Susquehannah and the Allegany, and thus 

 open a thorough-fare to the western states, can 

 scarcely admit of a doubt. It is true, that the 

 chain of communication now alluded to between 

 the Hudson and those western regions will have 

 to contend with the competition of the Union 

 Canal between the Susquehannah und Schuyl- 

 kill, now in progress ; but the principles of a 

 fair competition are by no means objectionable, 



and it cannot but hapficn that peculiar circum- 

 -lancps, such as draft of water, comparative 

 '-'beapiifss of certain kinds of freight, state of 

 the markets, and particular inlerchts, will in- 

 cline the transportation very often to this route 

 in preference to another. 



It is not known that any great difiicuUies ex- 

 ist in the accomplishment of the various objects 

 contemplated by the Com[)any intended to act 

 under the New York and Pennsylvania laws ; the 

 elevation to be overcome is by no means very 

 formidable ; and that the waters both of the 

 Lackawaxen and Lackawannock are abundantly 

 sufficient for a slackwater navigation, has not, 

 I believe, been questioned. There is much fer- 

 tile land on both of these streams, which wants 

 only the facilities of a market to bring it from 

 a state of undisturbed nature into a speedy and 

 productive cultrvation. That an extension of 

 internal improvments involving future interests 

 of such immense and various importance will be 

 promptly supported by a discerning public, the 

 writer can scarcely permit himself to doubt. — 

 This enterprize seems to present attractions 

 both to the philanthropist and capitalist, in the 

 numerous benetits of extended intercourse and 

 cheapness of fuel ; and in the safety, durability 

 and profits of the investment it will require. 



New-York, First month 1st. 1825. 



• 221 



From files of Knjtish papers rccc ivcd at tbc office of the 

 New F.njland Farmer. 



.MACHINE FOR CUTTING GRASS. 



We have lately seen a model of a machine, 

 invented by a young mechanic of Newport, for 

 moving or cutting of Gr.iss, and to be worked 

 by a horse. The model has been inspected by 

 several gentlemen of mechanical ingenuity who 

 have expressed great confidence in the inven- 

 tion. We learn that the inventor intends apply- 

 ing for a patent tor the machine. — .Xe'svport pa. 



FISH, 

 though some of them be light and easy of digest- 

 ion, afford less nourishment than vegetables, or 

 the flesh of quadrupeds, and are, of all the anim- 

 al tribes, the most disposed to putrelaclion. — Salt 

 water fish are, in general, the best ; but when 

 salted, though less disposed to potrescency, they 

 become more difficult of digestion. — Whitings 

 and flounders are the most easily digested. Ac- 

 id sauces and pickles, by resisting putrefaction, 

 are a proper addition to fish, both as they retard 

 putrescency, and correct the relaxing tendency 

 of butler, so generally used with this kind of al- 

 ment. — 



FOWLS. 



The flesh of birds differs in quality according 

 to the food on which they live. Such as feed 

 upon grain and berries, afford, in general, good 

 nourishment ; if we except geese and ducks, 

 which are hard of digestion, especially the for- 

 mer. A young hen or chicken is tender and 

 delicate food, and extremely well adapted where 

 the digestive powers are weak. But of all tame 

 fowls, the capon is the most nutritious. 



Pure Water.— The Columbia (S. C.) Water 

 Works, which have not been cleared out for 

 three years, were drawn off on the 1st inst. and 

 only half an inch of sediment found in the bottom. 

 During the above period upwards of 50 millions 

 of gallons of water had been thrown into the 

 reservoir, and distributed through the town. 



Fire Engine. — Marquis Orcgo has just made 

 at llome a successful trial of a fire engine. By 

 this method the water propelled in mass, and 

 falling in torrents on all Ihe parts on fire, covers 

 them instantly u'ilh so groat a volume of water, 

 that the most impetuous flames are compelled 

 to yield to this species of universal inundation. 

 The experiment was made with great success 

 by the inventor, in the presence of a great num- 

 ber o( sa-catis. It perfectly succeeded, both with 

 relerence to the handiness of the manoeuvre 

 and the rapidity of the result, which did not re- 

 quire more than a few minutes. 



Cure fr,r blistered Feet. — Ctpt. Cochrane, in 

 his Travels in lluisia, says — " On the last day's 

 march I fell in with one of Napoleon's soldiers. 

 He was a lively and even serviceable compan- 

 ion, for upon complaining of my feet becoming 

 blistered, lie communicated to me as a secret, a 

 mode of cure which 1 have never known to fail. 

 It is simply to rub the feet at going to bed, with 

 spirits mixed with tallow dropped from a lighted 

 candie. On the following morning no blisters 

 will exist. The spirits seem to possess the 

 healing power. — the tallow only serving to keep 

 the skin soft and pliant. The soles of the feet, 

 the ankles and the insteps, should be rubbed . 

 well; and even where no blisters exist, the 

 application may be usefully made as a preven- 

 tive. Salt and water are a good substitute ; and 

 while on this head, L would recommend to foot 

 travellers never, to wear right and left shoes ; 

 it 19 bad economy, and indeed serves to cramp 

 the foot." 



Silk Worm in Bavaria. — A weekly agricultural 

 paper, published at Munich, (Bavaria) giyes an 

 account of the cultivation of silk in Bavaria, 

 from which it appears, that this branch of in- 

 dustry is pursued with inreasing ardour and with 

 great success, so that there is every reason to 

 expect that silk will become, in a few years, 

 a most important article of national produce. 



Great Match. — Mr Lipscomb, the equestrian, 

 who last month rode 8 horses 92 miles in four 

 hours and a half, for 200 sovereigns, started at 

 Hyde Park corner early on Saturday morning, 

 the 6th inst. to go 90 miles in 5 hours upon 8 

 horses. It was a heavy betting match, at 6 to 4 

 on time. But it was a propitious day for the 

 undertaking. The stakes were 500 sovereigns, 

 and the ground was to be the 64 mile stone oo 

 the Bath road. Mr L. won by a few minutes. 



Utility of the Hop in Medicine. — A writer ia 

 the English Farmer's Journal says, " Heretofor* 

 Sussex was a very agueish country, and to the 

 full as bad as Esses. It is no longer so ; aa 

 ague is rarely ever heard of among us; [in the 

 county of Sussex] the medical men ascribe this 

 change to the increased bitterness of our beer. 

 Hops have been used in brewing in quantities 

 infinitely beyond what was formerly practised; 

 and when malt has been dear, it may almost be 

 said that they have been sabstituted for that 

 grain : thus what the drinker of beer has lost 

 in strength and exhiliration, he may be pleas- 

 ed to find that be has gained in flavour and in 



