•208 



THE GENESEE FAR3IER 



July 2, 183i. 



MISCELLANIES. 



The Mississippi. — The length of pas- 

 sage from New-Orleans to Louisville has 

 been shortened about 42 miles, by cut- 

 ting off two bends in the Mississippi river. 

 The first at the bend into which Red riv- 

 er empties itself. The distance round 

 that bend was 18 miles. On the 14th of 

 January last,Captain Shreves, the super 

 intendant for improving the navigation of 

 the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, com- 

 menced making an excavation across the 

 neck of land, at the narrowest point. — 

 The object was effected by cutting a ca- 

 nal 17 feet wide by 22 feet deep, after 

 felling all the timber in the vicinity. — 

 The water was let through the canal a- 

 bout the 23th of Jan., fourteen days after 

 the commencement of the work. In 

 two days the water had excavated a 

 channel to such an extent, that the steam- 

 er Belvidere passed up through it. On 

 the same day the U. S. steamer Heliop- 

 olis passed up the channel. Since that 

 time the steam boats have all passed 

 through the same cut off up and do>>n. 

 In five days it was the main channel of 

 the river, being about half a mile in 

 width, and of equal depth with the other 

 parts of the river. The excavation was 

 made by the steam snag boat Heliopolis, 

 in an unexampled and expeditious man- 

 ner. By laying the boat-head on the 

 shore, two scrapers of large size were 

 worked by lines from four windlasses on 

 the main shaft of the boat. Two lines 

 to each scraper, one a six inch line, to 

 haul the scraper into the bow of the boat, 

 the other, a three and half inch line, 

 passed through the leading block on the 

 shore, as far as was necessary, and fasten- 

 ed to the back end of the scraper to draw 

 it out. In this manner, the scrapers 

 were kept in continual operation ; load- 

 ed and unloaded by their own motion, 

 attended by two men each, moving the 

 earth out and throwing it into the river, 

 where it was washed away at the rate of 

 at least a ton weight per minute. 



The other bend, 200 miles above 

 Natches, which has been cut off, is not 

 so perfect a navigation. The distance 

 round it is 24 miles. That channel has 

 been formed by cutting a small ditch 

 through two years ago. Last fall the tim- 

 ber was cut off the banks. Six or eight 

 steamboats have passed up through it. 

 Tt is believed that it will wash this year 

 to such an extent that it will be the main 

 channel of the river next year. The sa- 

 ving to the navingation will be equally as 

 that at Red River. — Con-, (turf Mnq. 



Coir Cabbage. — This is the name of a 

 vegetable recently introduced into this 

 country. It grows from six to twelve 

 feet high, and affords an abundant sup- 

 ply of green fodder for cattle. The stalks 

 live four years. In Fiance thev are per- 

 mitted to stand out all winter, but in this 

 country they should be defended from 

 rlie frost by a sheaf of straw well secured 

 at the top. The N. E. Farmer states that 



" sixty plants are said to afford sufficient 

 provender for a cow a year ; and as the 

 side shoots only are to be used, it lasts 

 four years without fresh planting. A 

 square of 60 feet will contain 256 plants, 

 four feet apart, or 16 more than 4 cows 

 require for a year's provender without 

 the aid of any other food." — Mass. Yeo- 

 man. 



Aurora Boreahs. — It is very curious, 

 that the gentlemen attached to the north- 

 ern expedition of Capt. Sir John Frank- 

 lin and Captain B echy, never observed 

 that the aurora was accompanied by any 

 noise. The Rev. Mr. Dunbar inserts a 

 paper in the last number of the Edin- 

 burgh Journal of Geographical Science, 

 in which he asserts, that during a six 

 years' residence in one of the islands of 

 the Hebrides, he heard a crackling noise 

 almost every winter evening when the 

 phenomenon was visible. 



Literary and Scientific Societies of 

 the city of New-York. 



As matter of remembrance and reference, 

 we consider short statistical articles, both 

 valuable and profitable. Every newspaper 

 reader has not a library, neither is he able 

 to procure and study our statute books ; there- 

 fore, we must be permitted to believe, that 

 these articles are well received by the gen- 

 erality of our readers: we feel a becoming 

 I pride, too, for our chief city, which is equal- 

 ly the boast of the state and the nation. 



New York Historical Society,Jawes Kent, 

 President, F. Depeyster. jr. Secretary. In- 

 corporate I in the year 1809, for the purpose 

 of discovering, procuring, and preserving 

 whatever may relate to the natural, civil, 

 literary, medical, and ecclesiastical history 

 of the United States, and particularly of the 

 state of New York. The Society now pos- 

 sesses a library of about ten thousand vol- 

 umes of great value. The state and gener- 

 al government regularly contribute every 

 printed document issued by them respective- 

 ly. The Society has also files of newspa- 

 pers nearly complete from the year 1704 to 

 the present date. [The Boston News Let- 

 ter was the first newspaper printed in Ame- 

 rica. A file commencing with its first num- 

 ber is in the library of the Historical Socie- 

 ty.] Its historical manuscripts are very val- 

 uable ; among them are to be found the pa- 

 pers of General Gates, Baron Steuben, Ge- 

 neral Gage, Governor Colden, and several 

 original le ters of General Washington. — 

 They possess also a valuable collection of 

 ancient and modern gold, silver, and copper 

 coins and medals. 

 New York Society Library ; founded 1754 ; 

 number of volumes, 22.ouo. 



Neiv-York Athenmim, founded in 1824, 

 for the promotion of science and literature. 

 Lectures are delivered under its patronage 

 upon a number of the most interesting bran- 

 ches of knowledge. It has a fund of #27, 

 000. Peter A. Jay, President, F. Depeys- 

 ter, jun. Cor. Sec. 



The Lyceum of Natural History, was 

 chartered in 1818, has a Library, and an ex- 

 tensive and rapidly increasing Museum of 

 Natural History. Joseph Delafield, Presi- 

 dent. 



New York Literary and Scientific Society. 

 David Hosack, President, F. Depeyster, jr. 

 Recor. Sec'y. 



The American Academy of Fine Arts, in- 

 corporated 1808. Edward I ivingston (Sec. 

 of State) was its first President ; then De- 

 Witt Clinton ; to whom John Trumbull 

 succeeded. F. Depeyster, jr. Secretary.— 

 This Academy was opened in the Instution 

 in 1816. 



National Academy of Design ; instituted 

 in 1820 ; and devoted to paintina.sculpture, 

 fee. J. B. F. Morse, President." 



Clinton Hall Assaciation ; incorporated 

 in 1830; for the cultivation and promotion 

 of literature, science, and the arts. Clinton 

 Hall was built by this association ; and cos, 

 about #50.000— Clinton Hotel is under the 

 same roof, and was built by Philip Hone; 

 Esq. and cost about the same. 



A'etu York Law Institute ; incorporated in 

 1830, for " literary purposes, the cultivation 

 of legal science, the amendment of juris- 

 prudence, the providing of a seminary oi 

 learning in the law, and the formation "of a 

 law library." 



Neto York Sacred Music Society ; insti- 

 tuted in 1823. 



DISSOLUTION. 



THE co-partnership heretofore existing between 

 the subscribers, under the firm of E Peck and 

 Co. is this day dissolved b\ mutual consent 



EVCRARD PECK, 

 DAVID HOYT, 

 may 6, 1831. SAM'L D PORTER. 



[D = The subscribers having purchased the Stock 

 in Trade of the late firm of E. Peck and Co., will 

 continue the business of Book Selling, Printing, 

 and Book Binding, at the old stand, under the firm 

 of Hoyt, Porter and Co. 



DAVID HOYT, 

 SA.VI'L D PORTER, 

 may 6. LUTHER TUCKER. 



[TT'The subscriber, having connected himscli 

 in business vvitli David Hoyt and Samuel D 

 Porter, has removed his Printing Establishment 

 to the old stand of E. Pece and Co., where he 

 will continue the publication of the Daily AdverCi' 

 ser, Rochester Republican, and Geneste Farmer, un- 

 der the firm of Luther TucKt R and Co. 

 may 6. LUTHKR TUCKER. 



BOOKS, STATIONARY, &C. 



THE subBciibers; successors to E. Peck & Co. 

 at the old stand. No 83 Carroll-street, Roches- 

 ter, have now on hand the most complete stock ot 

 Books, in the various departments of Science, Lit- 

 erature and Art, ever offered to the citizens of the 

 "Genesee Country." Among them are comprised 

 most of the works ever required by the Attorney, 

 Physician or Divine, to make up their Library, and 

 all the Sch"ol Bonks used in the Common and 

 Classical Schools of the State. Town and Social 

 Libraries furnished on the most liberal terms, and 

 at very low prices. Any work not on hand, fur 

 Dished if to be found in the eastern cities, on shorl 

 notice. They have also gone very extensively into 

 the Paper Hanging trade, and have now on hand 

 a great assortment of Paper Hangings and Bo 

 of every description, from 30 cents to $1,25 cents 

 pet- piece. In the variety, beauty and quality ot 

 this article, thev stand unrivalled. Having a Boot 

 Bindery and Printing Office attached t" their est ■ I > 

 lishment, thev are prepared la i!" Job Work in ei- 

 ther of those branches of business in Biiperior style, 

 their stock of stationary is very complete, compris- 

 ing almost all things ever called for in that line. 

 They have now on hand 500 rent (royal, 



medium, demy and royal Printing Paper, from 

 of the best manufactories in the state. Printers 

 supplied with News Paper tad News and Book I 

 of superior qualities, at low pri.<'s In somi futun 

 number of the farmer, they propose giving a cata» 

 logue of some of the principal Books. Countrj 

 Merchants supplied on the most liberal terms. Tin- 

 customers of the late firm of E. Peck £ Co. art 

 particularly requested to call. Orders from abroad 

 thankfully received and prompt!) attended to. 



HOYT, PORTERS CO. 

 H., P. & Co., are agents for the North American 

 Id view. American Quarterly do.. London Quarter- 

 ly do., Edinburgh do. Westminster do., Christian 

 Spectator, Biblical Repository, American Journal 

 ot Medicine, delivered in Rochester at subscriptioi 

 price. 



