No. 9. 



Bread Stuffs. 



283 



vering water at the top of the syphon, and the 

 other at the end of the longer leg; (see 

 p. 217 Cabinet) ; sixth, a weight to secure 

 the opening of the valve (F); and, seventh, 

 a spring for the same purpose. 



He was also the inventor of rams to be 

 propelled by distinct power. 



A Mr. Haghette combined the ram with 

 the syphon, to raise the water to a higher 

 level than the top of the syphon ; the water 

 being delivered from the top. 



In 1845 two patents were taken out in the 

 United States for improvements on the ram. 

 One by B. S. Benson, of Baltimore, for a 

 double acting ram, used for raising pure by 

 means of impure water ; a peculiar form of 

 stop valve ; a spring to insure the opening of 

 the same, and an arrangement to stop the 

 ram when the supply of water fails, and start 

 it again when it is sufficient. 



The other, by Erastus W. Ellsworth, of 

 East Windsor, Connecticut, for a syphon 

 ram, which, from the specification, I judge 

 to be much, if not exactly, like the one pa- 

 tented by Bolton in 1797. 



Applications have also been made by a 

 gentleman in Chester County, Pa., for a 

 double acting ram. 



The above gives a condensed view of the 

 principal improvements which have from 

 time to time been suggested upon the ram. 



After a careful investigation of all the 

 plans which have come to my notice, and 

 from numerous experiments, I have come to 

 the conclusion, that the most simple form of 

 ram is preferable in every respect. The 

 parts which need repair should be easily 

 reached ; those which need replacing should 

 be as simple and cheap as possible to be good. 

 The size of the machine should be accurately 

 proportioned to the circumstances of the situ- 

 ation. 



The driving pipe (B) should be of a pro- 

 portionate size and length. The length 

 should not be governed by the diameter, as 

 the article on page 248 of the Cabinet asserts; 

 but by all the attending circumstances: the 

 head or fall, the elevation to be raised, and 

 the supply from the spring or brook. 



In all cases where a ram is properly made 

 and put up, the following rule will apply to 

 determine the amount of water which can be 

 furnished. 



Measure the amount the spring or brook 

 discharges in a given time. Ascertain the 

 greatest amount of head or fall that can be 

 obtained, and the elevation to which the 

 water is to be raised. Then divide the ele- 

 vation by the head or fall, and the amount of 

 water by the quotient. Deduct 30 per cent, 

 from this result, and it will give the amount 

 delivered in the given time. 



For e.xample, suppose an elevation of 60 

 feet, with a fall ot 5 feet. The supply, 4 

 gallons per minute, or 5760 gallons per day. 



60 5760 



Then -5 = 12 ; then -^ = 480 : and 480 



— 30 per cent. = 336 gallons gallons raised 

 per day. 



This rule can be depended upon when the 

 ram is properly made and put up. But 

 every defect, either in proportion or mechan- 

 ism, causes an additional deduction from the 

 amount raised. A small allowance mutt be 

 made for distance. Rams well constructed 

 will raise water 30 times the fall, and will 

 generally operate for months without any 

 attention. The repairs are simple and easily 

 effected by any person, being less difficult 

 than those of the ordinary house pump. The 

 cost of a ram, put up and ready for opera- 

 ration, is generally less than that of a pump 

 and well, in the same situation. 



H. P. M. BiRKINBINE. 



Philadelphia. March 27th, 1847. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Bread Staffs. 



I take from one of our Philadelphia pa- 

 pers, though I am unable to designate it, the 

 following statement of the business carried 

 on here in bread stuffs. The sales of flour, 

 corn meal, wheat, and corn, during the week 

 commencing 26th of first month, and ending- 

 the 1st of second month, both inclusive, are 

 stated to be as follow : 



"Flour — The sales for export including 

 some lots taken on speculation, amounted to 

 47,500 barrels at $5 62^ to ,^6 25 per bar- 

 rel ; and extra at $6 50, averag- 

 ing $6 8285,000 



Corn Meal— Sales of 34,000 bar- 

 rels for export at $3 75 to $4 75, 

 part for future delivery, averag- 

 ing 84 44 150,940 



Wheat— Sales of 32,000 bushels 

 Penna. White at 81 35 to 81 40, 

 and 30,000 do. red at $1 15 to 

 81 35, 82,000 



Corn — Sales of 65,000 bushels 

 Penna. yellow, at 80 to 98 cts., 

 and 10,000 do. Southern White 

 at 87^ cts., averaging 90 cts., 54,000 



Total, $571,940 



Here then we have upwards of five hun- 

 dred and seventy thousand dollars as the re- 

 sult of one week's transactions in breadstuff?, 

 which is an unusually large amount. W^hen 

 the great Pennsylvania Railroad is com- 

 pleted, connecting our city with St. Louis by 

 an iron band, in operation at all periods of 



