THE FARMER'S MONTHLY VISITOR. 



13.5 



Ijcfiiii! the wind. In the north, a series of high 

 iiilis stietcliing beyond each other for five or ten 

 iiMli.-i, wiiich "divide the waters flowing into the 



Irit. Lawrence from those of the Magalloway and 

 Connecticut, beyond wliicli, as far as tlie eye 

 could reach, lay the extended table-lands of Can- 

 ] ada, unbroken by any abrujit elevation. To the 

 east, the lofty granite ranges of Maine, Mt. Bige- 

 low and Mt. Abraham. Farther south, the im- 

 meroiis large lakes near Umbagog and the Dia- 

 iiiniiil Hills, while in the farthest distance were 

 Mill llic lofty peaks of the White Mountains, and 

 tn ilic west lay the Lakes and tributary streams 

 (I llic Connecticut, and the rolling ranges of the 

 <;rrc'ii Mountains. 



\s our stock of provisions was entirely ex- 

 h.iiist.d, we were obliged to descend the moun- 

 tain and return to our catnp, without visiting the 

 inoiuuiicnt wliicli marks the boundary between 

 Maine, New Haiii|isliire, and Canada, intending 

 ■ 10 return after obtaining a further supply of pro- 

 visions, in order to explore the Magalloway to its 

 sources. 



In this intention we were disappointed, by con- 

 tiiuied and severe storms, and the extremely low 

 water in the river, which rendered it imi)ossible 

 for our canoe to ascend. 



The width of the Magalloway at the most 

 northerly point where we Faw it, which could not 

 have been more than four or five miles from the 

 monument, as laid down on the map of the Stale 

 by Carrigain, seemed to confirm the opinion of 

 Dr. Stephenson, who in his description of this 

 section, in Dr. Jackson's third Annual Report on 

 the Geology of Maine, declares that the bounda- 

 ly line is several miles too far south ; or, in other 

 words, that the water-shed lines between the 

 somces of the Magalloway and the Chaudier, 

 have not been ascertained with sufiicieut accu- 

 racy. 



Tlie examination of the country adjacent to the 

 rivi-r ])resented little of interest to the geologist. 

 The banks of the river consist mostly of an allu- 

 vial deposit, raised only a few feet from its level, 

 and stretching back several miles on either side. 

 Rarely are the rocks seen in place. The shores 

 of Parmachene Lake are lined with rounded peb- 

 bles of granite, ja,~per, and hornstone, except at 

 the southern jioiiit, where the blocks of granite 

 are very laiije and angular, and piled together in 

 the greatest confusion. Talcose slate occurs in 

 place on the liver. 



At the |)oint where the river enters within the 

 limits of New Hampshire, the rocks are uniform- 

 ly granite, which extend from near Capt. Wil- 

 son's, in Township No. 5, 3d range in Maine, to 

 the north of Clear stream, where v^•e left our 

 canoo, in order to cross on foot and return to 

 Colebi-ook, there being a tolerable road from Capt. 

 Bragg's, in Errol, through the Dixville Notch to 

 Coleiaook. 



This Notch maybe regarded as one of the 

 most remarkable exhibitions of natural scenery 

 in the State, perhajis even surpassing the famous 

 Notch of the White Mountains in pictmesque 

 grandeur. 



A natural defile through the high mountains 

 which extend in a jjeiieral north and south diree- 

 fion through the town of Dixville, aflTords admi- 

 rable facilities for the construction of a new road 

 to Portland, which may become of importance to 

 this part of the country. 



The angular and precipitous appearance of the 

 mica slate rocks, rising hundreds of feet almost 

 perpendicularly on either side, is strikingly dif- 

 ferent from the rounded and water-worn appear- 

 ance of most of the primitive rocks throughout 

 the northern part of the United States, and seems 

 to come nearer to tiio scenery of the Alps than 

 any thing else in New England. Sketches of the 

 scenery were pieserved, and will be presented 

 with the final Report. It is evident that so inter- 

 esting a spot as this must, when known, draw 

 tliitlier a portion, at least, of the numerous visi- 

 tants to the picturesque scenery of the State. 



Although it rained severely when we arrived at 

 Colebrook, which we regarded as the continua 

 lion of the storm by which we had been so long 

 lollowed, we wore surprised to learn that nearly 

 the whole of tho month had been clear and iilca 

 sant throughout the whole of this part of the 

 State. 



In conclusion, we would remark that the geo 

 logical and topographical information which 'w< 

 obtained will «|iiH_'ar on the map to be appended 



to the final Report of the State Geologist. Spe^ 

 cimens of the principal rocks also have been de- 

 posited in the State Cabinet. 

 Section from Concord to JVahefidd, by Messrs. Whit- 

 ney and Jl illiams. 



The section from Concord to Wakefield is one 

 of uniform geological character, and possesses 

 little interest. 



Commencing at the alluvion of the river Mer- 

 rimack, and rising by a sharp ascent to the level 

 of the sandy diluvion, which extends for miles 

 on each side of the river, the underlaying rock, 

 granite, is seen only once in place during the first 

 seven miles. About 1-2 mile from the village of 

 London, granite occurs in situ, and continues to 

 the eastern line of the State. Near Loudon, 

 and for several miles beyond, it is crossed by 

 occasional beds of mica slate, having a general 

 N. E. and S. W. direction, and di|)i)ing to the 

 S. E. 



The Granite rocks in this vicinity are found, 

 when freshly uncovered, to be covered with the 

 marks of diluvial agency, and, as would be ex- 

 pected in a section of the country where such 

 immense masses of diluvial detritus are collect- 

 ed, they are often deep and very distinct. Their 

 direction near the village of Loudon, varied from 

 12 deg. to 25 deg. west of north. Near the aca- 

 demy in Gilmanlon, they rmi N. 27deg. W. Gil- 

 manton is covered by a series of high diluvial 

 hills, evidently the detritus of granite rocks 

 brought from the northward. 



The soil in many parts of the town is very fer- 

 tile, and has been brought to a high state of cul- 

 tivation, and no part of the State presents a more 

 pleasing and picturesque appearance to the eye 

 of the agriculturist. The simple minerals and 

 ores contained in the granite of this region are 

 few in number and destitute of interest. Quartz 

 crystals of considerable size are said to be found 

 near Shellcanip pond. A considerable quantity 

 of bog iron ore of good quality was formerly ob- 

 tained from Lougee pond, in tlie S. E. corner of 

 the town of Gilmanton. It was taken from the 

 bed of the lake by means of long tongs, and car- 

 ried to the iron works village to be smelted. The 

 quantity of ore w\is evidently iiia<lc(piate to sup- 

 ply a furnare lijr any length of time. 



From Gilmanton through the remaining part 

 of this sectional line, the rocks are uniformly of 

 granite, covered, as usual, with huge boulders of 

 granite and mica slate. 



Great Moose mountain, which forms the divid- 

 ing line between Brookfield and Middleton, con- 

 sists entirely of granite, and is elevated 1404 feet 

 above the sea. 



(To be continued in tlie next No. of the Visitor.) 



Agriculture. 



The following tabular view and the deductions 

 from it, are well worthy of the attention of all, 

 and are a complete refittation of Mr. Gisborne'# 

 observation that England was not fitted to be an 

 agricultural country. This paper was compiled 

 to show that GreatBritain could produce a suffi- 

 cient quantity of v.heat to support its inhabitants. 

 It is now submitted by a correspondent of the 

 Gloucestershire Chronicle, as furnishing data upon 

 the Corn Law question deserving of considera- 

 tion : — 



The population of G. Britain in 1831, lfl,GOO,000 

 England, 13,350,000 



Scotland, 2,400,000 



Wales, 850,000 



The occupations are in 

 Agriculture, Occupiers, 

 Laborers, 



Miners, 



Manufacturers, 



Millers, Bakers, Butchers, 

 Tailors,Shoeinakcrs,Hattcrs, 

 Shopkeepers, 

 Builders, Artificers, &c. 



Pro[irietors and Annuitants, 

 Divinity, Law, and Physic, 



Soldiers and Sailors, 

 Disabled Paiijiers, 



1,500,000 

 4,800,000 



■( 



fi50,000 

 2,400,000 



900,000 

 ,1,080,000 

 2,100,000 



600,000 



1,120,000 

 450,000 



4,740,000 



1,570,000 

 8:30,000 

 1 10,000 



The area of Great Britain is 



England, 

 Scotland, 

 Wales, 



0,000,000 

 acres. 



34,000,000 

 20,000,000 

 0,000,000 



60,000,000 



This consists of 



25,000,000 Acres in mountain, pasture, wood and 

 wastes. 



15,000,000 Acres in meadow and lowland pas- 

 tures. 



20,000,000 Acres in arable. 



60,000,000 



Dividing the arable into 4, there will be 5 mill- 

 tons acres of land for wheat ; and allowing 22 

 bushels an acre, the produce will be 110 millions 

 of bushels, or 13,700,000 quarters. 



One bushel of wheat flour makes eighteen 41b. 

 loaves of bread. 



The consumption per head per week will ne- 

 ver exceed 1 1-2 loaf, or 78 loaves in the year; 

 eqital to 4 1-4 bushels of flour. 



To make 4 1-4 bushels of flour, 5 bushels of 

 wheat is an ample allowance ; so the consump- 

 tion will be five bushels of wheat per bead ou 

 the population of 16,600,000, which gives 83,000,- 

 000 of bushels, or 10,375,000 quarters ; leaving a 

 surplus produce of 3,375,000 quarters for seed 

 and other purposes ; or, supposing the 5,000,000 

 of acres in wheat to produce only 20 bushels an 

 acre, there would be 700,000,000 bushels or 12,- 

 500,000 quarters, which would still be equal to 5 

 bushels per head on the population, and leave 

 2,125,000 quarters of seed, Sec. But it is believed 

 that since the year 1831, the period when the 

 proportions of the arable, pasture, waste, and 

 woodlands, were estimated, more land considera- 

 bly has been brought into cultivation, so as to 

 provide for the increase in the population to this 

 period ; and which is borne out by the fact that 

 from 1831 to 1837, both years exclusive, the total 

 importation did not reach two millions of quar- 

 ters ; not being an average of 300,000 quarters; 

 and that of this quantity 1,500,000 were imported 

 in the year 1831, leaving only 500,000 quarters 

 for the importation of the six years ending Christ- 

 mas, 1837. 



Lauds in Coos County. 



Situated among the mountains in the northern 

 part of the State and far removed fi-om the mar- 

 ket, the farming lands of Coos County have been 

 very generally undervalued. From its northern 

 position and its vicinity to lofty and snow covered 

 mountains, it is undoubtedly subjected to occa- 

 sional inconveniences from frosts, which fall with 

 less severity ujjon the southern portions of the 

 State. But with all these disadvantages, there 

 are qualities in the soil of the greater part of 

 that new and enterprising county, which in 

 our opinion, are equally worthy of considera- 

 tion. 



A great ])ortion of the soil is covered in its 

 natural state with a giant growth of rock maple, 

 yellow biicli and beech, mingled upon the lower 

 portions of its surface, with fir, spruce and other 

 scattered evergreens. Upon this land the soil is 

 almost invariably of great depth and surpassing 

 fertility. In some parts the rich, dark colored 

 loam which constitutes the top soil, extends to a 

 depth of two or three feet, and when first clear- 

 ed yields upon an average more tlian thirty bush- 

 els of wheat to the acre. For the production of 

 wheat, oats and hay, the county of Coos is sur- 

 passed by no part of the State. Indeed, it pro- 

 duces in proportion to its population, a greater 

 amount of each and all of those articles, than any 

 other county. In many sections, its grass lands, 

 after having been mown for twenty years in suc- 

 cession without manuring, and untouched by the 

 plough, still vield a more than middling burthen 

 of hay. During the year 1839, 26,710 bushels of 

 wheat, 82,583 bushels of oats, and 26,078 tons of 

 hay, were produced in this county. 



Drought effects in most seasons many of the 

 towns in our lower counties to an extent which 

 in some cases renders it quite as fatal to the in- 

 terests of the farmer, as the earliest and heaviest 

 frosts of the north. From this evil, the fine, 

 strong lands in Whifefield, Lancaster, Colebrook, 

 Steioartstnwn, and many other jiarts of Coos, are 

 comparatively free. A drought so severe as to 

 cut oft" the crops to anv considerable extent, rare- 



