172 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Apeil 



with the cows of Mr. Chenery,) a pistol bullet 

 would not be more inevitably prompt, in deadly 

 efficacy, than the blending and administering of 

 "chalk and vinegar." An acid and anti-acid com- 

 bined must by acknowledged chemical law evolve 

 "carbonic acid gas," and this, in large qviantities, 

 if received into a stomach, is deleterious in the 

 extreme. And here I would state a case, that be- 

 came cognizant to me, as occurring in this place, 

 some years since, of a young lady recovering from 

 a tj'jihoid fever, and while in a most feeble condi- 

 tion, having swallowed from the hand of her phy- 

 sician what he denominated a "foaming draught", 

 (being a full mixture of sub carbonate soda 

 and tartaric acid,) expired before aid could be ad- 

 ministered, the carbonic acid gas evolved at once 

 producing strangulation. Availing myself of the 

 very appropriate remarks, Messrs. Editors, you 

 appended to your correspondent's communication, 

 I offer these few suggestions, earnestly cautioning 

 all persons to avoid a proposed remedy so utterly 

 opposed to all well attested chemical laws, and, 

 may I say, so repugnant to all judicious treatment. 

 The presence of any great quantities of gaseous 

 formation in the stomach, Ave all know, is ever at- 

 tended with the most distressing consequences. 



To establish my doctrine, I simply would cite a 

 stoi-y told me by a present distinguished physi- 

 cian of Boston, relative to the decease of an ances- 

 tor of his, "whose death, as recorded on the tomb 

 stone, was occasioned by an over-indulgence on 

 a supper of beans, which produced a windy colic, 

 and wafted his soul to heaven." Urgently, then, 

 I advise all to shun the admixture of "chalk and 

 vinegar," or any other agent disposed to an undue 

 evolution of "carbonic acid gas" in ihi stomach, 

 even if its result be a salt of highly purgative 

 character, Avhich that from "chalk and vinegar" 

 surely is not. Oak Hill. 



Feb. 15, 1860. 



STEAM CULTIVATION. 



This is the great topic at present with English 

 farmers. A paper "On the Forces used in Agri- 

 4 , culture," recently read before the "Society of 

 Arts," by Mr. J. C. Morton, is exciting much dis- 

 cussion. The money value of power as exerted by 

 steam, by horse, and by man, is stated by Mr. 

 Morton to be as follows : steam can meet a certain 

 continuous force, at a cost of six cents per hour ; 

 the same, if supplied by horses, would cost 20 cts., 

 and if supplied by manual labor, no less than 

 $3,60 per hour. In the remarks which followed 

 we are glad to perceive that the importance of im- 

 proving the directing power — the English laborer 

 — both as regards his physical and mental forces, 

 was urged by every speaker. Prof. AVilson of the 

 University of Edinburgh, remarked, that 



"To the laboring man steam has been, and al- 

 ways Avill be, a friend ; it relieves him from the 

 hardest and worst portion of his duties, and rais- 

 es the value of his higher (mental) power — skilled 

 labor. The industrial history of the country 

 teems with evidence of the benefits conferred by 

 steam machinery on the working classes, not less 

 ill increased employment than in increased wages 



for it; and few departments of industry offer 

 greater opportunities for its development, than in 

 that connected with the productive powers of the 

 soil. But the machine, to be complete, needs the 

 directing skill of the man. He is essentially one 

 of its working parts ; and as in mechanics it is an 

 axiom that the strength of the whole is only equal 

 to its weakest part, it is clear that the efficiency 

 of the machinery we use materially depends upon 

 the knowledge and skill with which it is directed. 

 I cannot refrain from expressing a very strong 

 opinion that our flirmers will find it to be greatly 

 to their interests in a pecuniary point of view, to 

 say nothing of higher motives, to endeavor at 

 once to improve the condition, both moral and 

 physical, of their laborers, and prepare them for 

 the new duties they will be expected to perform." 



For the New England Farmer. 

 LONG ISLAND LANDS. 



Gentlemex : — The advertisement and notice in 

 your paper of the Lands on Long Island for sale 

 by me have elicited numerous inquiries, and know- 

 ing the interest you feel in the subject of agricul- 

 ture generally, I venture to ask your permission 

 to answer a few of the queries through your col- 

 umns. One of the many correspondents asks what 

 we propose to use for cellar walls in the absence 

 of stone upon the land. I answer, we use bricks, 

 which are made in the vicinity, and can be had at 

 from §4 to $6 per thousand. Also, stone, which 

 can be easily obtained at small cost. 



Some persons have used a "Gravel Wall," from 

 the material taken from the cellar a few feet be- 

 low the surface, with a small quantity of lime and 

 cement. I visited a gentleman a few days since, 

 who has lately erected a fine house upon a farm of 

 200 acres, originally a part of this tract adver- 

 tised, and he has one of the finest cellars I ever 

 saw, made in this way, and he informed me it cost 

 much less than either brick or stone. I am asXed 

 about Avater. There are several streams in the 

 immediate vicinity of this tract, and, as I say in 

 the advertisement, we can procure the best water 

 in the world, by wells 20 to 40 feet deep. Also, 

 as to cost of fencing ; we do not propose to fence 

 at present, except around the garden and build- 

 ings. I believe it is generally conceded that it is 

 far better to keep cattle yarded, soil-feeding, and 

 save all the manure ; this is now the practice 

 here. But chestnut and locust timber is abund- 

 ant in the immediate vicinity, and fencing mate- 

 rial can be had at very reasonable prices. 



Another writer asks, is there any "Fever and 

 Ague ?" Answer ; none. Also, can produce be 

 marketed at remunerative prices ? Yes. Every 

 thing that grows upon the Island can be sold at 

 once for cash, at the highest market price tiiat the 

 cities of New York and Brooklyn afford, and they 

 are the best in this country, if not in the world. 

 Everything, even to a bundle of rye straw, can be 

 sold every day for cash, and this is the great ad- 

 vantage that Long Island fiirmers and gardeners 

 have over other parts of the State. The Long 

 Island R,ailroad Company transport freight at low 

 prices, and they propose to continue, (as they have 

 done,) running a nightly train to deliver by a 

 barge of their own in connection with their Rail- 

 road, produce of all kinds at the princij)a} market 



