180 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEE. 



June 



published in America. It will make a handsome 

 duodecimo volume of between 300 and 400 pages, 

 and at once supply a long sought desideratum. 



••• 



A Lecture on Coal. 



We learii from the Glasgow (Scotland) Herald 

 that Professor H. D. Cogers — formerly of Penn- 

 sylvania, but now Professor of natural science in 

 the Glasgow University — delivered a lecture be- 

 fore the Geographical Society of that city on the 

 26th of February, on "Coal, its Distribution, Pow- 

 er and Products." 



There are three chief peculiarities observable in 

 every seam of coal. First, An invariable stratum 

 of fire clay — the fire clay of the Scottish fields — 

 which evidently served as a bed for the roots of 

 trees, and the over lying profuse matter of coal 

 vegetation. Second, The vegetation itself, often 

 accumulated in immense thickness, compressed, 

 macerated and, in its upper portion, stratified and 

 laid even by the action of water. Thirdly, The 

 overlaying shale, or roof of the coal seam, con- 

 taining, in the seft mud or fine sand of which it 

 has been composed, beautiful impressions of ferns 

 and other plants of the carboniferous age. Aa- 

 other unfailing characteristic of coal seams is their 

 uniform stratification, especially in their upper 

 layers, showing conclusively that the seams have 

 been subjected to the leveling action of water in 

 the vast bays and lagoons in which the vegetable 

 mass first grew and then subsided. In on« in- 

 stance, that of the American coal fields, this mark 

 of uniform stratification extends over an area of 

 14,000 square miles, thus showing that the physi- 

 cal geography of the period when the coal was 

 formed must have been of a character and upon a 

 scale of which we can now form but a limited con- 

 ception. 



There are different qualities of coal — anthracite, 

 or compressed coke, semi-bituminous and bitumin- 

 ous — in one great coal field in Pennsylvania. 

 Subterranean heat acting in one part upon a vast 

 scale distilled the bituminous matter from coal 

 that was once bituminous, and at the center of 

 greatest heat anthracite coal was produced. Grad- 

 ually, from this center of heat, coal was obtained, 

 varying from anthracite to qualities containing 

 twenty per cent, and thirty per cent, of bitumin- 

 ous matter, and so on to the unaltered coal con- 

 taining its full proportions of bitumen. Professor 

 Rogers attributes the petroleum of the oil wells to 

 the distillation of the bituminous coal. He stated 

 that " the subterranean heat which converted the 

 bituminous into anthracite coal had the effect of 

 distilling from that coal the rock oil or petroleum 

 of commerce, which, creeping into the fissures of 

 the strata and impregnating the porous sandstones, 

 remained collected, as it were, in vast underground 

 tanks for the use of the present generation." The 

 theory of Professor Rogers respecting the sources 

 of American petroleum is different from that of 

 most geologists. 



With respect to the power of coal in effecting 

 mechanical work by combustion, when applied to 

 operate an engine through steam pressure, one 

 pound is equal to the full day's work of a man, 

 and three tuns of coal is equal to the work of a 

 m«m for twenty years — almost his entire working 

 life ! The productive power of a nation is in di- 

 rect ratio to the coal at its command. The area of 

 the coal fields of Great Britain is 8,189 square 



miles of bituminous coal, and 3, "720 square miles of 

 anthracite in Great Britain and Ireland. In France, 

 the coal area is 1,V19 square miles of inferior coal; 

 Belgium, 518 square miles; Prussia, .600 square 

 miles; Spain, 3,408 square miles, and Russia scarce- 

 ly 100 square miles. The British coal fields are 

 able to sustain the national prosperity for ages to 

 come. But the American coal fields embrace an 

 area of no less than 200,000 square miles — about 

 twenty times greater than those of all Europe ! 

 "How cheering for the future," said Professor 

 Rogers, " must be the prospect as it regards the 

 material prosperity and industrial development of 

 those vast coal regions of America which, in the 

 course of Providence, must be intended to bestow 

 happines and comfort upon unteld millions of that 

 comparatively virgin country." 



From the Country Gentleman. 



The Ben Davis Apple. 



Synonyms — New York Pippin, BALTiMoaE Red, Etc. 



We have had this popular South Western apple 

 in our nursery for several years. First received 

 from J. Downer & Son of Todd Co., Ky., who say 

 of it — "one of the finest and most beautiful apples 

 known here ; originated in this country." 



We have the same from J. A. Carpenter, of Cob- 

 den, 111., as Baltimore Red, under which name he 

 says it is very popular in that section. 



After careful examination of fruit and compari- 

 son of wood, am satisfied the N. Y. Pippin of Very 

 Aldrich and other Illinois nurserymen is the same. 



At the recent meeting of the Ohio Pomological 

 Society, in the discussion on this apple. Dr. Warder 

 remarked that all who had investigated the matter 

 were convinced that the apple called the New York 

 Pippin was of Southern origin. He formerly had 

 some doubts on the question of its identity with 

 Ben Davis of Downing and Southern Kentucky, 

 but was now satisfied it was the same, and that Ben 

 Davis was its true name. 



Mr. Charles Downing in a communication to the 

 secretary of the society remarks — "I fruited the 

 New York Pippin and the Ben Davis the past sea- 

 son, and find them identical. Mr. Downer of Ken- 

 tucky, informs me that the Ben Davis has been 

 known in that section for forty years, (the tree 

 often grown from suckers ;) if so, the name Ben 

 Davis should have the preference." 



It will be known and sent out from the nurseries 

 of Ohio as the Ben Davis. 



The tree is very hardy, a fine grower in the nur- 

 sery ; makes an orchard tree of large size, with 

 spreading top ; an early bearer, fruit quite large, 

 always fair, beautifully striped with dark red on 

 lighter red or yellowish ground. Flesh fine grain- 

 ed, tender, juicy, good. In use all winter. 



Columbus, Ohio, May, 1863. A. G. Hanfoed. 



— The above apple is largely cultivated in Clay, 

 Wabash, Effingham and other counties in this 

 State, and known under several local names. 

 During tha past three years we have found it the 

 leading apple on the apple stands at Cairo, after 

 the first of February. 



The vigorous growth and great productiveness 

 must make it a favorite. 



Mr. Aldrich has verified that it is valuable in the 

 north part of the State. We have not fruited it 

 as yet, but have planted it rather largely. 



The tree is a rapid, upright grower, with dark 

 colored shoots. Ed. 



