290 
MR. LEWIS G. MORRIS IN ENGLAND. 
is maae In this manner: A pair of stout cedar, 
chestnut or locust stakes are set strong, just 
wide enough apart to admit a large rail between, 
having a two-inch round tenon upon the top of 
each, to receive a strong cap, upon which a 
heavy rail is sometimes laid after the space be¬ 
low is filled up with rails, lapping one upon 
another, between the stakes. This kind offence 
is most commonly built on a ditch bank. In 
fact, it seems in some districts as though the 
people have no idea of ever building a fence ex¬ 
cept they first dig a ditch, whether the land is 
wet or dry. The best style of fence upon these 
banks would be palisades, which might be 
made as follows:—Cut the stuff four feet long, 
of lasting wood, and split it the size of rails, 
and sharpen the upper ends; set these in the 
line of the centre of the bank, and throw the 
dirt around them. This is done by one hand to 
put them, one at a time, in place and hold them, 
while another throws dirt enough around to se¬ 
cure them. They should stand about four inches 
apart, and project above the top of the bank 
about two and a half feet, No animal will 
ever climb over such a fence from the bottom 
of a ditch, nor vice versa. The fence will be bet¬ 
ter, if a strip of board is nailed along the face 
of the stakes, about four inches from the top as 
that prevents any one piece being removed out 
of place. Perhaps a wire stretched along and 
nailed to each stake, would be cheaper than 
wood strips. This kind of fence will be found 
to be a very cheap and good one, wherever the 
owner has, or will dig a ditch. It takes less 
timber than a rail fence, and will last as long 
with less repairs. I would recommend gentle¬ 
men who are troubled with cattle pushing 
through hedges, to stretch a wire along through 
the limbs, or perhaps two of them. Generally 
speaking, the Virginia fences are very good, and 
in such abundance that they are a most enor¬ 
mous tax upon industry. 
Solon Robinson. 
MR. LEWIS G. MORRIS IN ENGLAND. 
Since Mr. Morris’ arrival in England, in May, 
we have been favored by several letters from 
him. In his last, dated Exeter, July 24th, he 
had just witnessed the great Show of the Royal 
Agricultural Society, with which he was highly 
pleased. Aside from this, he had often visited 
Smithfieid and Covent-Garden Markets, the two 
largest for fat stock, and fruits and vegetables, 
in the kingdom. He was also at the late Mr. 
Thomas Bates’ celebrated sale of stock, where 
he purchased a few shorthorns, and at Mr. Jonas 
Webbs’ annual sale of Southdowns, at which he 
bought several of his prime sheep. In addition 
to these, he has purchased some choice Devons, 
all of which are daily expected in the United 
States. 
With the exception of passing three weeks in 
London, he writes us he has been constantly 
travelling in England, Scotland, and Ireland, 
examining the husbandry and manufactures of 
these countries. Several implements which he 
has seen at work on the farms there, he much 
admires, but thinks them better fitted for the ad¬ 
vanced state of cultivation there, than for the 
rapid and rather careless manner in which we 
do things in the United States. However, with 
proper modifications, he is of opinion that they 
may be made highly useful in our country, and 
with this view he will bring over some with 
him, on his return, to serve as models for our 
implement manufactory, if we deem them suited 
to our own country. We wish more of our citi¬ 
zens would go abroad with the laudable objects 
of Mr. Morris; they would then make tours of ben¬ 
efit to our countrymen, as well as of pleasure 
to themselves. In thus becoming acquainted, 
with foreign improvements in agriculture 
and its implements, and introducing them into 
practice, on their return, they would add to our 
wealth and productiveness, and confer a last¬ 
ing benefit upon their fellows. 
RICE THRESHERS. 
The difficulty of threshing rice by machinery, 
has long prevented the construction of such a 
machine as would effect the purpose, at a rea¬ 
sonable price. Rice is one of the most obsti¬ 
nate grains to separate from the straw. This is 
owing to the two-fold obstacle of very brittle 
straw, which yet holds the grain with a most 
tenacious grasp. To effect their separation, hith¬ 
erto, nothing has been found adequate, short of 
a very expensive machine, costing many hun¬ 
dred dollars, and such could only be afforded 
on the large and exclusively rice plantations. 
Recently, however, a much less complicated ma¬ 
chine has been patented, which costs less than 
$100, and requires only the power of the ordi¬ 
nary grain thresher to propel it, and is adapted to 
all the other small grains, as well as to rice. The 
introduction of this machine, with a small rice 
huller, will do much to secure the cultivation of 
this valuable grain where it has been entirely 
neglected, and augment the product where it has 
been an object of minor attention. 
Crossing the Pheasant with the Domesti¬ 
cated Hen. —Mr. Dixon, an English author who 
has recently published a very interesting work 
on poultry, thus summarily disposes of a popu¬ 
lar notion :—I have not met with one authentic 
fact of the race of pheasants having been really 
incorporated with fowls, so as to originate a 
mixed race, capable of continuation with itself, 
but with many that prove the extreme improba¬ 
bility of such a thing happening. The vulgar 
notions that hens kept by the sides of planta¬ 
tions therefore become the mothers of half-bred 
chickens, by which pheasant blood is again 
transmitted to their progeny, and that hens, 
whose plumage in some measure resembles that 
of the cock pheasant, are therefore hybrid indi¬ 
viduals, are too vague to be listened to in the 
absence of clearer evidence, which is not yet 
forthcoming. But it will not be easy to eradi¬ 
cate this prejudice from the public mind. 
Kettles.— Brass kettles, before using, should 
be carefully cleansed with salt and vinegar. 
