66 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 21, 1827. 



kind used ; but, I dare su.V, auyof the kinds would | 

 answer. — Ibid. 



A grocer in London (Robertson) has obtained a 

 patent for prenaring barley in the manner of 

 ground rice, and we believe it is very generally 

 used in hospitals, and as food for children.— Ed. 



INTERNAL, IMPROVEMENT. 



Tlie I'olloH ing document has been sent to all the towns in tins 

 stale, Ijing on and near the expected route fur a rail-read from 

 Boston to the Hudson river. 



The e.ijpediency of constructing a Rail Road 

 from Boston westvard to the Hudson river, must 

 depend in a great measure upon the amount of 

 travel, and the number of tons of various articles 

 to be transported. The Commissioners now en- 

 gaged in the survey, are anxious to obtitiii from 

 the several towns, on and near the proposed routes, 

 as full and accurate information as possible upon 

 this and other topics connected with the subject. 

 But the time requisite for this purpo.se is more 

 than can be spared by them from their present 

 employment. To e.xped'te the accomplisliment of 

 their arduous labours, the Commissioners have, by 

 their letter, specially requested the Railway Com- 

 mittee in Boston to afford their assistance in Bos- 

 ton, by a delegation from tlieir body. According- 

 ly, the undersigned have been appointed, 'to open 

 a correspondence with the selectmen of the sev- 

 eral towns, and other distinguished individuals, 

 with the view to obtain a minute and correctstatc- 

 ment of FACTS, so liighly important anc neces- 

 sary to the success of the enterprise.'' 



In performing the duties assigned us, and with 

 the hope to develope some of the internal resour- 

 ces of the Commonwealth, we respectful!}- solicit 

 ■n behalf of the commissioners, your immediate at- 

 rention to the following inquiries : 



1st. What number of tons of commodities are 

 annually brought in and consumed, or used, by 

 the inhabitants of the town in which you reside. 

 Prom whence are they brought, and of what ar- [ 

 tides do they consist.' j 



9d. What number of tons m your town are an- ; 

 nually raised, or wholly produced from natural 

 resources, within its limit.s, for the market ? Of 

 what articles do they ccnsist, and to what market 

 are they sent ? 



3d. What is the number, and kind of manufac- 

 tories in your town — and what number of tons, of 

 raw materials, and mantilactured fabrics, does 

 each annually tra isport, to and from market ? 



4th. What number of water povvers, if any, are 

 now occupied in your town to advantage. How 

 many unoccupied can be procured within the 

 lame. For what purposes could they be best em- 

 ployed. And, if .so, what additional number of 

 tons would they probably furnish each way, for 

 transportation .•' 



5th. What piice per ton is usually paid in your 

 'own for transportation to and from market — and 

 what proportion is now done by hired carricis? 



Cth. What number of stages weekly pass to 

 and from your town. To what lines do they be- 

 long. And what is the average number ofpas- 

 .songers? 



7th. Can good buildiiig-stonc for constructing! 

 a rail-road be obtained witiiin the limits of your 

 town. And, if so, at what pirioo per foot, running 

 measure, rough-split and deliveret] at the quar- 

 ries ? 



These questions we hope it will be in your 

 power to ans,wcv wiih a considerable degree of 



accuracy, by the assistance of such intelligent 

 persons as will be ready to co-operate with you 

 in the inquiry. The information thus obtained 

 must form the principal data, on which to calcu- 

 late the amount of business which would be facili- 

 tated by the proposed rail-road. The increase of 

 business to be e.xpected from a great diminution 

 in the cost of transportation, must be in a great 

 measure a matter of conjecture, or on which all 

 computation must be in some degree uncertain. — 

 As, however, the opinion of intelligent gentlemen 

 in different parts of the commonwealth, of the 

 probable increase of business, and of the value of 

 property, in their respective towns, consequent 

 to the proposed improvement, will be entitled to 

 great weight, we venture to propose the following 

 additional questions, to which we solicit an an- 

 swer, provided your inquiries shall enable you to 

 form an opinion. Any reasons which you may 

 think it important to give, in support of those 

 opinions, will add to the v<ilue of your answer. 



8th. What number of acres does your town 

 contain ? What is the average price per acre ? — 

 And how much would a rail-road, with an increase 

 of settlements like those now generally on the 

 Erie canal, enhance the value ? 



9lh. If the price of transportation was reduced 

 to one seventh part its present cost, so that plaster 

 of Paris, and other manures, could be cheaply 

 furnished, what additional quantity of agricultural 

 produce would your town probably furnish annual- 

 ly for the market .' 



10th. If the price of transportation was reduced 

 as above, what other articles in your town, such 

 as wood for fuel, lumber, granite, marble, lime, 

 slalc, and other building materials, iron ore, peat 

 coal, clay, &ic. would be increased in value ? And 

 what quantity, if any, would probably be annually 

 furnished for transportation ? 



Should a rail road be located through your town, 

 and owned by the state, would the land necessary 

 for the same, and the fences, be given ? 



Tlie importance and public nature of the subject 

 will excuse an earnest desire for a reply as soor. 

 as possibly consistent with your convenience. For 

 that, and any further information you may have 

 the goodness to communicate, connected with the 

 great object in view, you will please to accept a 

 grateful and lasting acknowledgement. 



With the highest respect, we have the honor to 

 be, Gentlemen, your most obedient servants, 

 AB.NER PHEI.PS. 

 N.ATHAN H.\LE. 

 HENRY S.4RGENT. 

 WlLI.r.^M FO.«TEl{. 

 ANDREW J. AI.LEN, 

 Boston, Sept. 12, 1827. J. P. BIGELOW. 



(CTPIease to direct to Dr Abner Phelps, Boston, by mail or 



ill properties of substances, when improperly ap 

 plied, in thei? examination. 



CAUTION TO FRUIT EATERS. 



The mischiefs arising from the custom with 

 many people of swallowing the stones of fruit arr- 

 very great. In the Philosophical Transactions, 

 No. 282, there is an account of a woman who suf- 

 fered violent pains in her bowels for thirty years, 

 returning once in a month, or le. r, owing to a 

 plum stone which had lodged. TI ^re is also an 

 account of a man, who, dyinj of an incurable 

 cholic, which had tormented him many years, and 

 baffled the effects of medicine, was opened after his 

 death, and in his bowels was found the cause of his 

 distemper, which was a ball composed of hard and 

 tougli matter, resembling a stone, being six inches 

 in circumference when measured, and weighing 

 an ounce and a half: in the centre of this there 

 was found the stone of a common plum. These 

 instances sufficiently prove the folly of that com 

 mon saying, that the stones of fruits are not un 

 wholesome. Cherry-stones, swallowed in great 

 qaantities, have occasioned the death of many 

 people; and there have been instances even of 

 the seeds of strawberries, and the kernels of nuts, 

 collected in a lump in the bowels, and causing 

 violent disorders, which could never be cured till 

 they were carried off. 



COTTON IMPROPER FOR WOUNDS. 

 The real cause of the ill effects of cotton when 

 applied in the dressing of wounds is to be seen in 

 its formation. On viewinif the fibres of cotton in 

 the microsrope, an ' under considerable magnify- 

 ing pov.ers, it v.ill be found that each fibre is flat, 

 like a ribbon with sharp edges, which no doubt 

 act in lacerating instead of healing wounds. — The 

 fibres of fla.v or linen, on tlie contrary, when view- 

 ed in the luicroscope under similar circ imstances, 

 and especially when the flax has been dressed in 

 the best manner, present the appearance of polish- 

 ed cylinders beautifully transparent. Hence tlic 

 superiority of linen will be self-evident. And it 

 shows that the microscope u'ill frequently afibr ! 

 an imorring test of the real causes of the good or 



BACON, HAMS, TONGUES, &c. 

 The usual composition of nitre, and culinary 

 salt has been foond to preserve meat much bet- 

 ter when a small quantity of a mixture of the ni- 

 tric and muriatic acids, in equal proportions, is add- 

 ed. A teaspoonful of this mixture is sufficient for 

 a pound of culinary salt, with the usual propor- 

 tion of nitre. We are informed that beef, mutton, 

 pork and tongues, salted in this manner during 

 the hottest days of summer, though slightly taint- 

 ed, iiave kept as long as pig's meat that was salt- 

 ed in the common way during cold weather, anil 

 that the flavor of the meat is superior to that of 

 the best hams. The composition is very similai; 

 to the superchlorate of soda, which is as powerful 

 a corrector of tainted meat, as the chloruret ol 

 sodium, or potass. If it be desirable to impart a. 

 fine smoky flavour to the meat, a dessert spoonful 

 of the impure pyroligeous acid may also be added 

 to each pound of salt. [Gaz. of Health.] 



CIDER. 



It is a matter of wonder, why, with the excep 

 tion of New-Jersey, and Dutchess and Orange 

 counties in New-York, no part of the northera 

 and middle states should have the reputation of 

 making good cidor. By good cider we mean that 

 which will not become so sour as to be unfit tc 

 drink in two or three months after it is made. 

 New-Hngland throughout, possesses a soil which 

 produces every variety of apples in the greatest 

 abundance, and yet we suspect that it will be 

 found that very little cider, comparatively, finds 

 its way from thence, either to the city of New- 

 York, or other places still farther south. At any 

 rate, we hear of none from that quarter which is 

 held in repute, like that from New-Jersey. The 

 public tables in New- York are not supplied with 

 good cider except at a charge of 25 to 50 cents a, 

 bottle. 



As cider forms a very considerable article of 

 export from our country, we take this opportunity 

 to suggest, that establishments in the interior 

 might; wo doubt not, be made T.-nfit^' ' by sending 



