1853. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



485 



others into similar observations. We really hope 

 Dr. HuBCi^RD has a thousand turkies ! 



Coal against Sinews. — Professor Henry, Pres- 

 ident of the Mechanics' Institute of Washington, 

 says: "It has been proved that, on an average, 

 four ounces of coal are sufficient to draw, on a 

 railroad, one ton a mile. It has also been found 

 on experiment that a man working on a tread-mill 

 continually for eight hours, will elevate one and 

 one-half millions of pounds one foot high. 



Now good Cornish engines will perform the 

 same work by the expenditure of a pound and a 

 half of coal. It follows from these data that 

 about 5 tons of coal would evolve as much power 

 during its combustion as would be equal to the 

 continued labor of an able-bodied man for 20 years, 

 at the rate of eight hours per day ; or, in other 

 words, to the average power of a man during the 

 active period of his life." 



Going Up. — Wood is now selling in this city for 

 eight dollars a cord, with the prospect of a decided 

 upward tendency. Coal is also advancing. Flour 

 sells for seven dollars, and seven dollars and twen- 

 ty-five cents. All kinds of provisions are sold at 

 enormous prices. Every article of groceries, too, 

 has risen within the last month, and dealers assure 

 purchasers that it will be for their interest to make 

 immediate purchases, as provisions are still "go- 

 ing up. ' ' — Ckronicle. 



Exhibition of Horses. — There tvill be an exhi- 

 bition of imported blood and American breeds of 

 Horses at Springfield on the 10th, 20th, 21st and 

 22d days of October. The Exhibition is not local 

 or sectional in its objects, but all citizens of the 

 Union are invited to send their contributions and 

 to join in the competition for the premiums. We 

 are glad to notice this new interest in regard to 

 the Horse. We will publish the rules and regu- 

 lations and list of the premiums next week. 



China — Interesting Extracts. — We take the 

 following extracts from an authentic work, pub- 

 lished by Mr. Williams, who, from a long residence 

 in China, has been enabled to write knowingly 

 upon the various subjects embraced in his work : 



Animals of China. — The denseness of the pop 

 ulation has long since entirely driven out all wild 

 quadrupeds ; and there are also few domestic ones, 

 such as are found in Eastern countries. Beasts 

 of burden are in a grout degree superseded by the 

 means of transport afforded liy the numerous rivei's 

 and canals, and by the coulies or porters, a class 

 of athletic men, who take the place of animals in 

 carrying burdens and in dragging boats. Animals 

 are excluded, to leave more food for men. There 

 are no meadows for feeding cattle ; but the entire 

 soil is used in raising food for the inhabitants 

 Wild cats are sometimes caught, and are con 

 sidered a great dainty. Monkeys are found in the 



south-west provinces. What few horses and assea 

 are found in China are small, and very inferior in 

 every respect. The buffalo is sometimes used in 

 plowing. Dromedaries are used between Peking 

 and Tartary. There are also hogs, goats, and 

 sheep. There is but one variety of dogs in the' 

 country, an animal about one foot high and two 

 long, resembling a small spaniel. Rats are very 

 abundant, and furnish the common people with 

 meat. They are very large and destructive to crops. 



Of the birds in China, there are the eagle, the 

 falcon, the magpie, crows, sparrows, cormorants, 

 curlews, quails, pigeons, larks, pheasants, the rice 

 birds, and many species of aquatic birds. Cor- 

 morants are used by the Chinese for catching fish. 

 The falcon is imperial property, and the magpie is 

 sacred to the reigning family. 



Fish form a very important part of the food of 

 the Chinese, and great care is taken in raising 

 them in artificial fish ponds. The gold and silver 

 fishes are kept in glass globes as ornaments. 

 Among the fish eaten, are the cod, sturgeon, mul- 

 let, carp, perch, sea-bream, &c ; crab-fish and 

 oysters are common on the coast. 



The larger species of reptiles are unknown in 

 China. Frogs, lizards, and fresh water tortoises 

 are common. Venomous serpents are very rare. 



23ott'3 Department. 



KINDNESS TO ANIMALS. 



Once, when his father and the workmen had 

 been cutting down a quantity of timber, Isaac dis- 

 covered a squirrel's nest in a hole of one of the 

 trees that had fallen. It contained four new-born 

 little ones, their eyes not yet opened. He was 

 greatly tempted to carry them home, but they 

 were so young that they needed their mother's 

 milk. So after examining them he put them back 

 in the nest, and with his usual busy helpfulness 

 went to assist in stripping bark from the trees. 

 When he went home from his work toward evening, 

 he felt curious to know how the mother squirrel 

 would behave when she returned and found her 

 home was gone. He accordingly hid himself in a 

 bush to watch her proceedings. About dusk, she 

 came running along the stone wall with a nut in 

 her mouth, and went with all speed to the old 

 familiar tree. Finding nothing but a stump re- 

 maining there, she dropped the nui and looked 

 around in evident dismay. She went smelling all 

 about the ground, then mounted the stump to take 

 a survey of the country. She raised herself on 

 her hind legs, and snuffed the air with an appear- 

 ance of great perplexity and distress. She ran 

 round the stump several times, occasionally raising 

 herself on her hind legs and peering about in every 

 direction, to discover what had become of her 

 young family. At last she jumped upon the pros- 

 trate trunk of the tree, and ran along till she 

 came to the hole where the babies were concealed. 

 What the manner of their meeting was nobody 

 can tell ; but doubtless the mother's lieart beat 

 violently when she discovered her lost treasures 

 all safe on the warm little bed of moss she had so 

 carefully prepared for them. After staying a few 

 minutes to give them their supper, she came out, 

 and scampered off through the bushes. In about 

 fifteen minutes she returned and took one of the 



