1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



345 



American ones. This skill ami care, derived from 

 custom ami experience, it would be well for us to 

 imitate. 



G. 



From the Silk Culturist. 

 AGRICULTURAL JURISPRUDEIVCE. 



In the case of Greenleaf vs. Francis lately tried 

 and decided by the Supreme Judicial Court of 

 Massachusetts, a quesiion of agricultural jurispru- 

 dence was presented and settled, which ought to 

 be known to every fiirmer. The defendant sunk 

 a new well in his own land, but so near the land oi' 

 the plaintilFas to draw away the water from his, the 

 plaintiff's well, for which the action was brought. 

 It appeared in evidence, ihat the plainlilPs well had 

 been supplied b}' a natural subterranean current, 

 or spring in the defendant's land, and that by dig- 

 ging the new well, the defendant had diverted it 

 from its former course. The court decided the de- 

 fendant had a right to diir a well on his own pre- 

 mises, and if the plaintiff's well was injured there- 

 by it was a damage Avithoutany injury. 



From the Genesee Fanner. 

 DRINKS IN HARVEST. 



One of the greatest triumphs of the temperance 

 reform, and one, the beneficial influence of which 

 is most ielt by the farmer, has been achieved in 

 the harvest field. Where spirits have been ban- 

 ished, we no longer see such shocking work made 

 by the sows and pigs, (as a fiicelious farming 

 friend, strongly attached to the sickle, persists in 

 calling the cradle,) among the wheat, and the 

 greater quantity of grain saved, and the superior 

 neatness of the work done, should induce every 

 farmer to exclude alcoholic drinks at once from 

 his fields. We have seen the time, when about 

 four o'clock some of the laborers might be seen 

 snoring under the corners of the fences, or the 

 shadow of a wheat rick, laid by, by the spirit of 

 rum or whiskey; and (hose who continued their 

 operations went whooping and hallowing through 

 the field, throwing the grain about at such a fear- 



ingredients, are easily made, and make excellent 

 drink. JMilk and water is preferred by manj^, and 

 combines in a good degree the above desired quali- 

 ties; water to which a small quantity of oat meal 

 has been added is used in Scotland to some extent, 

 and its use has been introduced into this country; 

 but perhaps the drink most profitable to all, 

 the most effectual m quenching thirst and the 

 least liable to ))roduce injurious eflects, is cold wa- 

 ter made sufTicienlly sweet with molasses — maple 

 is the best — a little ginger of good quality stirred 

 in, and a little acid of some kind, lemon juice, or 

 even common vinegar, added to suit the taste. 

 This makes a pleasant and healthy drink, worthy 

 of trial 



G. 



REPORT TO THE THIRD ANNUAL MEETING 

 OF THE STOCKHOLDERS OF THE RICH- 

 MOND, FREDERICKSBURG AND POTOMAC 

 RAIL ROAD COMPANY. 



June 20, 1836. 



In conformity to the act incorporating the stock- 

 holders of the Richmond, Fredericksburg and 

 Potomac Rail Road Company, the President and 

 Directors who were appointed on the 20th day of 

 June, 1S35, render the following account of their 

 proceedings to the stockholders at their annual 

 meeting, on the 20th of June, 1836. 



In the last annual report of the stockholders, it 

 was stated that a line of railway had been located 

 between Richmond and the JVJattaponi, superior 

 even to the sanguine anticipations of the board, 

 and the execution of which it was ascertained, 

 would be effected at a considerable reduction from 

 the first estimate of the engineer. _ The hope was 

 expressed that ihe examinations then making be- 

 tween the ]Mat!aponi and Fredericksburg would 

 result in improvements equally important, in which 

 case it was confidently anticipated that the whole 

 expense of the work to Fredericksburg, including 

 tlie cost of depots, warehouses, and water-stations, 

 locomotive engines, cars and carriages, would 

 not exceed an aggregate sum of ^650,000 in- 

 stead of !g763,182 21 cents, the first estimate. 



The hopes of the board as to a diminution of 



ful rate, that had Israelitish damsels been glean- expense in the location of this last portion of the 



ing after them, wheat enough in a day might 

 have been gathered, not only to have clothed the 

 lair gatherers in fine Hnen, but jiurchascd hus- 

 bands to boot. 



But in ridding ourselves of one evil, we must 

 be carellil not to run into another. Because we 

 have become temperate in the use of spirits, that 

 is no reason why we should become intemperate 

 in the use of water; and there is reason to appre- 

 hend, from the frequent injuries sustained by drink- 

 ing too much cold water in very warm weather, 

 or when the body is overheated, that such is the 

 fi:ict. Men who labor hard, and sweat freely, 

 must have the means of sustaining perspiration, 

 or nature soon becomes exhausted; they must 



ine were realized only in part, and since the last 

 meeting of the stockholders, a great enhancement 

 has taken place in the prices of labor and provi- 

 sions in every portion of the country. This en- 

 hancement has been probably less felt in Virginia 

 than elsewhere, but it has still existed to a sufficient 

 extent to make it necessary to add to the contract 

 prices of much of the work. From the above 

 causes, the whole expenditure for a rail road and 

 for moving power, whilst it will still be considera- 

 bly within the first estimate of the engineer, will 

 exceed what, at the last meeting of siockholders, 

 it was hoped would cover it. As far as the board 

 can now judge, the whole expenditure to Freder- 

 burg will not vary materially from an aggre- 



drink and drink freely, and it would be well if I gale sum of .-RiTSOjOOO. 

 something could always be taken which would j On the 13th of February last, the road being 

 not only assuage the thirst, but afford permanent i then ready for transportation from Richmond as 

 benefit. If some little pains, or a little expense, far as South Anna River, it was thought expedi- 

 is necessary to accomplish this, the farmer will ' ent to open it for use to that point. The whole of 



find hiniself, in the end, well rewarded. Good 

 beers, of which hops and molasses are the active 

 Vol. IV— 41 



the first division, extending to the North Anna has 

 been in use since the 15th of last month. Within 



