No. 10. 



Inland Navigation to the West. 



317 



not correct, perhaps it will lead to the truth 

 — in which case I shall be abundantly repaid 

 for my trouble. 



It is well known that the substance form- 

 ing the cells of all plants, is a compound of 

 nitrogenous matter with one or more of the 

 alkalies, together with silex, &c. It is also 

 well known, that if the cellular matter is 

 deficient in alkaline substances, &c., it is 

 comparatively weak, and unable to contain 

 the matters deposited in it. It is well 

 known, too, that the alkalies regulate the 

 formation of the acids in the healtliy vege- 

 table, and that when there is not a sufficient 

 supply of alkaline bases, the vegetable either 

 contains a superabundance of acid or its 

 growth is impeded. In the former case the 

 vegetable is not fit for culinary purposes. 



Now, I believe, that in the case of the 

 disease of the potatoe, the cause is a defi- 

 ciency of alkaline bases. This is manifest 

 in the want of power in the cellular sub- 

 stance to perform its office, and it is also 

 manifest in the presence of acid in the po- 

 tatoe. 



In consequence of this deficiency of alka- 

 line substances, the potatoe plant forms an 

 alkali peculiar to itself, which is very poi- 

 sonous in its nature; and which, I doubt not, 

 produces the fatal eftect sometimes conse- 

 quent upon eating the diseased potatoe. 



If this theory be correct, the proper reme- 

 dy is to supply the alkaline substances, such 

 as lime, good strong ashes or soda, one or 

 more of them ; and not use quite so much 

 or so rich manure as is commonly used. 



Chemico. 



Honesdale, Pa. 



Inland Navigation to the "West. 



The rolling flood of waters now pouring 

 alono- by the Ohio, and the vast distances to 

 which products are borne by the numerous 

 steamers on its bosom, remind us of the 

 great, and, compared with any other portion 

 of the earth, most extraordinary extent of 

 the inland navigation of the West. Let us 

 take some particulars. It is considered a 

 great voyage from New York to Liverpool ; 

 yet one may take a single steamboat tnp on 

 the waters of the Mississippi equal to that. 

 Look at this : 



Miles. 

 New Orleans to Natchez, 294 



Natchez to the mouth of Ohio, 718 

 From the Ohio to St. Louis, 172 



St. Louis to Weston, 500 



Weston to Council Bluffs, 800 



Bouncil Bluffs to Fort Mandan, 824 

 Fort Mandan to the Yellow Stone, 224 



This is the length of a voyage from New 

 York to Liverpool — all performed inland — 

 the point of departure being one hundred 

 miles from the sea ! Such is one of the voy- 

 ages that may be performed in the great 

 valley of the West. 



But take another: suppose a boat takes 

 in produce from Pittsburg to New Orleans, 

 and should there be chartered to take stores 

 to the Fur Company's Fort, at the mouth of 

 the Yellow Stone, and then returns to Pitts- 

 burg, what will be her voyage: 



Miles. 



Pittsburg to Cincinnati, 498 



Cincinnati to Louisville, 137 



Louisville to mouth of Ohio, 345 



Mouth of Ohio to New Orleans, 1012 



New Orleans to St. Louis, 1184 



St. Louis to Weston, 500 



Weston to the Yellow Stone, 1348 



Yellow Stone to St. Louis, 1848 



St. Louis to the Ohio, 172 



The Ohio to Pittsburg, 980 



Total voyage, 8024 



Eight thousand miles might a steamboat 

 run on the waters of the West in a regular 

 voyage, before she returned to her original 

 port ! — Cincinnati Chronicle. 



Total voyage, 



3032 



Artificial Egg-Hatcher. — Your corres- 

 pondent "Sessima," {Gardener'' s Chronicle, 

 Nov. 3()th,) asks, "Can any one inform us of 

 the success of this instrument 3 Is there 

 more than one kind of it !" At the late ex- 

 hibition of the Smithfield Club, there was 

 an ingenious machine for this purpose, ex- 

 hibited by Mr. Bermingharn, and called the 

 Portable Couvoise. It is made of tin, con- 

 tained in a wooden case — is very portable, 

 and the price very moderate, as a machine 

 capable of hatching two dozen eggs, may be 

 had for 'M. 3s. or 4/. 4s. The machine is in 

 extensive use in France — not only for game, 

 but on the farm-yard. 



The Penny Postage, so successfiil in Eng- 

 land, has given rise to another and import- 

 ant reform. Parliament has introduced a 

 provision in the charters of rail-road compa- 

 nies, compelling each to carry third class 

 passengers at a rate not exceeding a penny 

 a mile. Many of the leading roads hereto- 

 fore incorporated have taken the hint and 

 reduced their fare, and now thousands are 

 in the habit of visiting their friends residing 

 at a distance, seeing curiosities and new 

 places hitherto deemed inaccessible in con- 

 sequence of high rates. 



