Vol. I.— No. 10. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



71 



and when the extreme cold is accompanied by 

 high wind, evaporation is very rapid, or the at- 

 traction of air for moisture is very great, inso- 

 much, that ice, at a temperature far below the 

 freezing point, is rapidly absorbed and wasted 

 away. 



The agency of winds in evaporation is very 

 .jreat ; hence, high winds are soon accompa 

 nied with flying clouds, and not unfrequently 

 with storms. But the quantity of water eva 

 porated, depends so much upon the surface 

 over which the wind passes, that rain or 

 snow, as a consequence, is made to depend in 

 this, and probably all countries, upon the di- 

 rection from which it comes. 



Evaporation has ever been to me a singular 

 and inexplicable phenomena; nor do I find a 

 satisfactory solution of the problem in the wri- 

 tings of the most distinguished philosophers. 

 The specific gravity of water, contrasted with 

 that of air, or even a knowledge of the physi- 

 cal properties of them both, disconnected with 

 each other, could never lead, or even suggest 

 to the mind of any man, that water could be 

 so mechanically divided, as to be suspended 

 at any height, in the form of vapor or clouds, 

 for any length of time ; much less that it could 

 be buoyed at the height of many milos, where 

 the air is greatly rarified, and there float pro- 

 miscuously, as a feather upon water. 



Without accounting satisfactorily for this 

 extremely useful operation, many have theori- 

 zed, and offered interesting explications, che- 

 rishing a belief that assiduity and further re 

 seaiches would develope the truth or falsity of 

 their reasonings. A notice of these will form 

 part of the subject of a future article. 



A SUGGESTION. 



We beg leave to suggest to our readers the 

 benefit which would result from the practice 

 of commuting to writing, from time to time, 

 such observations, connected with their busi- 

 ness, as in their several opinions, might be 

 worth being generally known, and occasional- 

 ly sending transcripts from such memoran- 

 dums, to the editors of the Genesee Farmer, as 

 it would promote the objects for which the pa- 

 per was established. 



It would be desirable if all, both far and near, 

 but more especially, a number in each county 

 adjoining, and at a distance, could be impress- 

 ed with the great advantages that would result 

 to all, by giving, in the shape of short commu- 

 nications to the editors, such facts as have a 

 bearing upon any of the subjects, open for in- 

 vestigation, in our columns, and come within 

 this purview. On the subject of the weather 

 it would be interesting to know from whence 

 proceed our long and heavy storms, both of 

 snow and rain— the direction of high winds 

 and tornadoes — their duration and effects, es- 

 pecially in producing storms, and their agency 

 .n changing temperature, &c. &c. 



To be more explicit, we would respectfully 

 suggest the expediency of submitting these 

 subjects in form of queries, to be answered as 

 5 oon as circumstances will admit. 



On the state of the weather alone, as con- 

 nected with the subject of meteorology. 



What is ttfe' general direction of winds, par- 

 ticularly high winds ? 



What are its effects in producing changes of 

 temperature, and also storms ? 



From whence do our storms, both of rain and 

 snow, proceed ? 



Please to mention theday.and if possible the 

 hour of theircommencement, and their dura- 

 tion, and likewise the depth in inches, and 

 the effect npbn the temperaturo. 



Minuteness in your description of storms 

 and tornadoes is very necessary, for the pur- 

 pose of accurate deductions. 



And as spring has commenced, on the sub- 

 ject of vegetation, connected with the time, 

 and state of weather. 



At what time did the first buds appear ? 



At what time did vegetation from the ground 

 commence ? 



What was the state of the weather for a 

 few day3 previous ? 



Did your wheat winter-kill — and how do 

 you account for it 1 



When were the first blossoms discovered ? 



On what day were they first seen on fruit 

 trees — and on what trees ? 



What is the succession of blossoming on all 

 your trees ? 



On what night, from April forward, had you 

 frost, and what its effects ? 



What was the temperature and direction of 

 the wind ? 



When did you first plant seeds, and did they 

 vegetate ? 



How late can oats be sown and come to ma- 

 turity i. 



What the Say and soil on which you planted 

 your corn ? 



Did you plant upon ridges or in furrows ? 



How soon after planting did it come up ? 



How did you guard against the corn worm ? 



How do you prevent bugs from destroying 



zation of knowledge, by imparting their own 

 mite individually, and receiving in return the 

 whole fund ihus collected. And furthermore, 

 we shall thereby be enabled to institute a com- 

 parison with other places in the same range of 

 country, as well those at a distance ; and tables 

 deduced from such observations, for eachcoun- 

 ty in the state, would be invariable, and sub- 

 jects of great curiosity to all inquiring minds. 



cucumber vines ? 



On what day did the first swallows and mar 

 tins appear and disappear? 



When do you sow or plant peas ? 



How soon after planting had you cucum- 

 bers ? 



Did your flax do well 1 



On what day did you commence wheat har- 

 vest? 



At what time was your corn suitablo for boi- 

 lin_ 



When did you plant potatoes—how prepare 

 the ground — and when fit to boil ? 



On what day can you pronounce your corn 

 secure from frost ? 



How do you select your seed corn ? 



How do you prepare your flax for getting 

 out ? 



Such are but a few among a thousand inqui- 

 ries, the answers to which would diffuse much 

 useful information. Other facts, that suggust 

 themselves to any. should receive attention ; 

 and we can discover no legitimate reason why 

 farmers and others, in circumstances suitable 

 for making observations of such general and 

 important consequence to the agricuftural in- 

 terest of the country in which they live,should 

 withhold so small and reasonable a contribu. 

 tion to the friends of useful knowledge, from 

 the inexperienced and uninformed. Moreover, 

 they can easily discover a two-fold benefit to 

 themselves ; first, a habit of correct observa- 

 tion, which reduces all our labor to a system, 

 and thereby ensuring certain results, whether 

 in increase of riches, or of successful experi 



GEOLOGY. 



[Continued from page CO.] 

 The Geod if erous Lime-rock. This is the next 

 formation above the Lias, and is about 30 feet 

 thick, where it crosses the valley of the Gene, 

 see. This is a dark coloured limesrock, con- 

 taining considerable quartoze sand, and as the 

 name indicates, full of geodes or holes. These 

 holes are frequently lined with crystals of dog- 

 tooth spar, sulphate of strontyan, barytes, and 

 lime, also some small crystals of zinc blende, 

 fluor spar, and sulphate of lead. This rock 

 when broken or struck with a hammer, gives 

 off a very disagreeable bitumious smell. This 

 rock forms the bed of the Genesee river for se- 

 veral miles above the ialls at Rochester, and is 

 the superincumbent formation over considers, 

 ble extent of country, forming by its decom- 

 position a light strong soil ; but in many pla. 

 ces there is not sufficient depth to prevent 

 crops being injured by drought. When burnt, 

 this rock forms excellent lime for plastering, 

 the quartz sand contained in it being of ser- 

 vice, as the mortar becomes more hard, than 

 when made from lime which does not contain 

 it. The lower layers of this rock are very 

 good for building, being more compact than 

 the upper ones. 



The Cornitiferous Lime-rock, or lime-rock 

 containing horn stone is the next in ascent. — 

 There is very little difference in the appear, 

 ance of this from the former rock to a superfi- 

 cial observer. The colour is not as dark as 

 the former, and the layers of horn-stone, which 



are contained in it, serve to distinguish it. 



Like the geodiferous, it makes good lime for 

 buildings when burnt, & being generally in thin 

 layers, it is very useful for making stone wall. 

 By some Geologists these two rocks are con- 

 sidered as belonging to the same formation, and 

 we confess we cannot see any very great ob- 

 jection to adding to these the third, or carbon- 

 ferous formation which overlays them. One 

 strong argument in favor of this, is the bitu- 

 minous smell, which is similar in them all. A- 

 gain, by this family connection the heaviest 

 part of the formation, the sandy lime stone 

 would be at the bottom and the lighter one, tho 

 bituminous shale would be at the top, which 

 would be in the natural order, in which they 

 would subside, allowing they all belong to the 

 same formation. 



The cornitiferous lime-rock forms the bed of 

 the Genesee river, from near Henrietta to 

 Mount Morris. This rock is generally the 

 floor of the coal formations. The next in pro- 

 gression is 



The Carboniferous rock, or bituminous shale. 

 This formation is arranged by Professor Eaton 

 under the head of cornitiferous lime-rock, but 

 e will describe it separately. It overl-.ys 

 the last mentioned rock, and forms the perpen- 

 dicular banks at Mount Morris. It is of a dark 



ments in agriculture ' .and secondly, the equali- brown color approaching to black, breaks wifh 



