DOUGLAS' IMPUOVED 1IYDRA1 LIC RAM. 
In answer to inquiries on the subject we 
have heretofore dluded to the Ilydi-aulic 
Ram, and commended it to fanners and oth¬ 
ers. We now give a'brief description of 
one of the best in use — Douglas’ Improved 
— with engTavings illusti'ating its operation. 
The Hydraulic Ram, though compara¬ 
tively little known, is a very simple and ef¬ 
fective machine — the most ingenious and 
valuable, for the purpase to w'hich it is 
adapted, yet developed in hydraulics. It Is 
self-acting — raising water by its own im¬ 
pulse — and though not a perpetual motion 
comes very near that important desidera¬ 
tum. It is an admirable contrivance for 
supplying dwellings, barn-yards, gardens, 
factories, <fec. &c. with running water, and 
we are surprised that it is not more gener¬ 
ally used for such purposes. Of its value 
and utility, we have abundant evidence — 
and as nothing adds more to the comfort 
and convenience of the farm-house than a 
pure stream of water, we especially com¬ 
mend the machine to our agricultural friends. 
The above engraving represents the Ram 
in operation. A is the spring, the water of 
which it is desirable to elevate to the barn, 
or house, or fountain. B, the pipe convey¬ 
ing water from the spring to the Hydraulic 
Ram, and from the spring to the ram there 
must of course be a fall. C is the ram.— 
D, D, pipe conveying w’uter to a irough fur 
cattle, wdiich might of course be carried in 
any other direction desired. E, pipe sup¬ 
plying water to a fountain. A fall of not 
less than eighteen inches at the spring, and 
a quantity of water not less than half a gal¬ 
lon per minute, are necessary to operate the 
ram; but the greater the fall and the quan¬ 
tity of water furnished, the greater will be 
the quantity of water raised, and the high¬ 
er will it be conveyed. The ram will force 
w'ater from either a brook or spring to any 
required distance, in proportion to the tall i 
obtained. The quantity of Avater drawn j 
from the spring may be varied by means of i 
an adjustor attached to the ram. 
Douglas’ Rams are composed of iron and 
brass, rendering them durable, while thc} 
are neat, compact and portable. There are 
five different sizes, vaiydng in weight from 
22 to 125 lbs., and adapted for the follow¬ 
ing sized drive pipes, (or pipes from spring 
to ram,) viz., No. 2, inch caliber—No. 3, 
1 inch—No. 4, 1;^ or 1-^ inch—No. 5, 2 
inch — No. 6, 2-^ inch. Also, for discharge 
pipes of from |- to 1|- inch caliber. The 
discharge pipes should vary some, according 
to the distance the w^ater is conveyed — 
I e., the greater the distance, the larger the 
pipe required. [The ram and pipes, when 
set up for use in a cold clim’&te, should be 
placed some two or three feet below the 
surface of the ground, and so covered as to 
be secure from fros’t] 
The following figure gives a more per¬ 
fect view of the ram, and will convey a clear 
idea of its operation: 
LIST OF PATENTS 
I.Wl'KlO FROM THE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, 
For the week ending April 16, 1850. 
To J. Ashborn, of Walcotville, Conn., for im¬ 
provement in guitar heads and capo d’astra. 
To H. Baldwin, of Nashville, N. H., for im¬ 
provement in car couplings. 
To C. Bauchman, of North Whitehall, Penn., 
for improvement in machines for breaking hides. 
To James Boon, of Lancaster, Pa., for improve¬ 
ment in cast iron Car-wheels. 
To R. Cook, of Saratoga Spring.s, N. Y., for 
improvement in hydraulic blowers for furnaces, 
&c. 
To J. T. Davy, of Troy, N. Y., for improve¬ 
ment in grates for cooking stoves. 
To Willard Day, of Brooklyn, N. Y., for im¬ 
provement in sub-marine telescopes. 
To C. M. Ferris, of New Milford, Conn., and 
Nathan Swan, of Paterson, N. J., for improvement 
in preparing clay for brick-machines. 
To J. H. Lillie, of Joliet, Ill., for improvement 
in electro-magnetic engines. 
To J. B. Fuller & G. W. Pierce, of Worcester, 
Mass., for trap for catching flies. | 
To T. Harvey, of Baltimore, Md., for combined 
.shutter and sash fastener. 
To E. Ripley, of Troy, N. Y., for improvement 
in the construction of bases for stands. 
To J. Ruck, of New York, N. Y., for. improve¬ 
ment in piano forte action. 
To M. & S. S. Sage, of Windsor, N. Y., for 
improvement in attachment of harrow to seed 
planter. 
To A. Sandoe, of Mifflingtown, Pa., for improve¬ 
ment in gearing for seed planters. 
• To A. B. Seymour, of New York, N. Y., for 
compound tubular rail. 
To D. M. Smith, of Springfield, Vt., (Assign¬ 
or to T. Chadbourne, of Concord, N. H.,) for im¬ 
provement in sewing machines. 
DESIGNS. 
To J. D. Green &. G. Warren, of Troy, N. Y., 
for designs for cooking stoves. 
Steam Wagon. —The committee appoint¬ 
ed by the citizens of Houston, Texas, to ex¬ 
amine and report upon the “principles and 
practicability of a steam wagon or locomotive 
engine, projected by Captain Wm. Wood,” 
have reported that they believe such a ma¬ 
chine well adapted to the wants of this 
country, that a very small expense would 
rsut rondc condition to receive 
ii; alter which, from its construction, it would 
soon so consolidate and improve them as to 
render little expense necessary to keep them 
in repair.— Set. Am. 
^.^Thh useful and the beautiftU are never 
far asunder. 
MOORE’S RURAL KEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND EAMILY JOURNAL. 
diologi]. 
GEOLOGICAL PRESUMPTIONS. 
- ! 
NUMBER VL 
ON THE COOLING AND CONTRACTION OF THF, GLOBE. 
The fact of the contraction of the bulk of 
the globe follow'S from the reasoning a 
priori, of its having at one period of its 
formation existed in a melted fluid state, and 
in cooling passed from the incandescent to 
a point at which w'ater condensed and took 
the fluid form from the vapory condition; 
after which all the sedimentary rocks were 
formed, a distinct creation of more than ten 
thousand feet in thickness. Thc great con¬ 
traction took place in the nucleus—the prim¬ 
itive granitic mass, in much the greatest 
degree in cooling fr®m the melted state to a 
point that watery vapor would condense; 
yet that the same power has been constant¬ 
ly in action from that period to this must 
follow, although in a regular diminishing 
degree, and there can be no doubt that it is 
still exercising its force, as may btjrinferred 
from the change of the levels of vast re¬ 
gions of land, in various parts of the globe, 
; as is well known and as has been before 
stated. 
The sedimentary rocks, or those suppo¬ 
sed to have been deposited by water, em¬ 
brace all those lying in nearly a horizontal 
position, exhibiting stratification, and gene¬ 
rally containing organic remains of petrified 
animals and vegetables. These deposited 
strata constitute the slates, limestones, sand¬ 
stones, and argilaceous rocks, and are pre¬ 
sumed to have been deposited in or from 
water, as they are filled with the remains of 
aquatic animals and plants. Having this 
origin they ought, if no disturbance had ta¬ 
ken place, to have been level without in¬ 
clination or dip; a position rarely found to 
exist. They are found lying at various 
angles, with abrupt foldings or plications, 
and taking exactly those positions that must 
occur from the contraction of the base upon 
which they rest, sometimes bending or m- 
denting inwards, and at others easing the 
pressure by rising and forming axes of in¬ 
clination in the highest mountains known. 
The proofs that there has been a great 
action of this kind in the primitive rocks, or 
those composing the original and primeval 
mass of the globe, are inferred from the im¬ 
mense rents found every where in those 
rocks, and the transfusion of different mate¬ 
rials filling up the fissures. The metals of 
iron, gold, copper and tin, are found occupy¬ 
ing these dykes, and often, in naining, the 
wall rocks on each side of the vein, are as dis¬ 
tinct and the sides comport in outline and 
irregularities, as if parted on the instant. 
This agent is a power of immense dynamic 
ability, as is palpably shown in the contrac¬ 
tion of metals, wood, water and stone, and 
is entitled to a much greater consideration 
in the present appearance of the globe, than 
is generally attributed to it 
The flattening of the polar axes may have 
resulted from the fact that those points Avere 
the first to be effected by congelation and 
contraction. The eruptions of volcanoes, 
may be also the result in some cases, of 
thc construction and pinching of the con¬ 
stantly lessening bands encircling the still 
fluid mass, and which is still silently and 
slowly progressing. 
It is difficult to account for the rising of 
water in artesian wells, w'hich produce con¬ 
stant issues of water, whether bored on the 
lowest levels or highest hills. It is stultify¬ 
ing common sense, to talk of tapping a her¬ 
metically sealed tube, or duct, having a 
fountain or supply at a higher level, when 
they do not exist within many leagues often 
of these self-acting jets of water, and can¬ 
not be supposed to exist in all localities.— 
Water issuing at the sxu-face can be pro¬ 
cured in all situations, when the earth is 
penetrated to a sufficent depth, and always 
at an increase of heat, equal to one degree 
for eveiy 45 feet, which would not be the 
case if drawn from a higher source near the 
surface. 
We constantly hear of local jarrings, and 
tremblings of the earth in various places, 
which are confined to limited extents, with¬ 
out any of thc concomitants of the true cen¬ 
tral out-bursts of vapors, flames, or disrup¬ 
tions of the earth, and which are probably 
notliing more than the slipping and bending 
of the joints of the stratified rocks, of some 
of the inferior strata. There are occasional 
sudden agitations of the waters of lakes, a 
sudden elevation of tidal wawes, which as 
suddenly subside without any apparent 
l^ii, ur uruui\. C, drive or supply pipo, 
from spring to ram. G, pipe conveying water to 
house or other point required for use. B, D, A, E, 
I, the ram. J, the plank or other foundation to 
which the ram is secured.] 
The cost will depend upon the size of the 
Ram, and the length of pipe required. The 
prices of the Ram vary from $10 to $25, ac¬ 
cording to size. Lead pipe, 1 inch caliber, 
costs about 11 cents a foot—1-^ inch, 15 
cents. Both Rams and pipe may be ob¬ 
tained of Rapalje <fe Briggs, who are the 
Rochester agents- for the manufacturers. 
DITCHING AND FENC ING MACHINE. 
I Mr. B. T. Stowell, of Wadam’s Grove, 
Stephenson Co., Ill., describes a machine 
which he has in operation, which does the 
work of fifty men, and is worked with the 
greatest ease with an ordinary breaking 
team, with two hands to tend it. It is so 
constructed that it will make any manner of 
ditch fence, or a fence of all sod. T his 
machine will lay up, of all sod from one 
half to three quarters of a mile per day, 
three or four feet wide at the bottom, one 
foot at the top, and four feet high, which, 
with stake and single rider, will form a sub¬ 
stantial fence which will last for years.— 
Mr. S. says, I can build machines with ca¬ 
pacity for making larger fence, if required. 
The fence in every instance gives perfect 
satisfaction. I have made as high as from 
160 to 200 rods per day, and I can with 
safety venture the assertion, that more can 
be earned with this machme, than any oth¬ 
er requiring the same amount of capital, in 
the West. 
The machine is so constructed as to cut 
any depth at a single cutting, according to 
the strength of the team; not attempting, 
however, to cut the entire depth at one cut¬ 
ting, wliich has been tried, and in dry prai¬ 
rie invariably failed. The fence is formed 
by driving round several times; of double 
ditch, this machine will make from 80 to 
100 rods per day. It will also operate suc¬ 
cessfully for excavating and grading upon 
railroads and canals; also for tui’npiking; 
the plan being such that a machine can be 
constructed of any desirable size. Letters 
Patent have been secured upon the above. 
New Gunpowder. — The European jour¬ 
nals inform us of a new gunpowder invent¬ 
ed by M. Hugondre, assayer of the mint at 
Constantinople, which, we learn from the 
Savannah (Ga.) Repubhean, has already 
been produced in that place by Mr. John 
Carruthers, and proves all that it was re¬ 
presented to be. It is composed of the fol¬ 
lowing ingredients, \iz : one part in weight 
of yellow prussiate of ciystalized potash, 
one part of powdered white sugar, and two 
parts of chlorate of potash. These are to 
be all fii'st pulverized, and then effectually 
mixed Ly pounding in a bronze mortm- with 
a wooden pestle. It was claimed that this 
powder possessed three times the force, 
weight for weight, of the common powder 
used in war, and is recommended by the 
inventor not^to be used as a life extinguish¬ 
ing agent, but in other cases (mining, &c.) 
where a strong explosive force is required. 
NEW SASH SUPPORTER, 
A SUBSTITUTE for Weights and pullies in 
supporting window sash has been invented 
and patented by Mr. J. A. Pease, of Phila¬ 
delphia. The cheapness at which it can be 
afforded and the manner and ease with which 
it works, render it a valuable invention; it 
is very simple in its construction and ad¬ 
mirably answers the purpose for which it is 
intended. It consists of a metal box with a 
shaft or roller covered in the centre with 
India rubber or other elastic substance; the 
ends of the shaft play in the journals of the 
box, which is placed in the frame of the 
window. The bearing of the elastic roller 
upon the sash holds it in any desired posi¬ 
tion, and at the same time allows the sash 
to be moved with ease; it is not liable to get 
out of order, and the roller being efastic 
does not wear the sash; it also keeps the 
sash from being shaken by the wind. We 
have no doubt but that it will come into gen¬ 
eral use, as the saving by its use over the 
weights and pullies is from one to two dol¬ 
lars per window. — Sci. Am. 
USES OF CHARCOAL. 
The Horticulturist for April, publishes 
the following report of an experiment made 
by C. Robinson, of New Haven:— 
My cistern, holding fifteen bogheads, is 
filled from the roof of my house, standing 
near a street much frequented, although 
regularly watered during the summer season. 
Whether the difficulty has arisen from the 
dust from the street, or from the fact that 
a grape vine overhangs a part of the roof, 
or because the cistern is closely covered, the 
water has nearly all the time had a slight 
unpleasant smell. 
Last summer the difficulty became so 
great that I was compelled to have the cis¬ 
tern emptied and thoroughly scoured. This 
winter the trouble has been greater than 
usual; so great as to drive me to the unwel¬ 
come conclusion, that my cistern must be 
again broken up, emptied and cleansed. 
Such was the condition of things when 
I made thc experiment above described; 
and I very naturally went a step farther. 
Taking about six quarts of clean charcoal, 
finely powdered, I wet it thoroughly in a 
pail, and then poured it through the water 
pipe into my cistern. 
In ten days the whole difficulty was 
removed. Indeed, the water became as 
clear, pure, sweet and soft as the purest 
wliich falls from the sky. 
cause; no report or smoke or flames are ob¬ 
served, and may be due to some change of 
the rocky bottom, or to a sudden extrica¬ 
tion of gas displacing the water, and escap¬ 
ing, the water settles to its original position. 
This phenomenon has twice or three times 
been observed on Lake Ontario, within a 
few years past 
It is one of the general laws of nature, 
that all matter expands by heat and con¬ 
tracts by cold. Iron, from the melted to 
the cold state, shrinks one 96th of its bulk, 
or a mass a mile long in cooling, would be 
five feet shorter than when in a fluid state, 
and melted earthy matter follows that rule 
in a greater or less degree, according to its 
composition. The cracks or fissures in the 
trap rocks of Lake Superior, in which the 
rich copper veins are found, occur once in 
about half a mile, and range in width from 
2 feet to 10 and 15. In the lead-bearing 
rocks of Iowa and Wisconsin, the fissures 
or crevices, as the miners term them, in 
which are found deposited the lead ore, lie 
in ranges, at about 100 yards distance from 
each other, over a vast extent of country— 
in the direction east and west, 25 degrees 
south, (speaking from memory.) 
A general and fixed law seems to pre¬ 
vail in all cases, adapted to all matter, caus¬ 
ing it to undergo change of form, as it ab¬ 
sorbs or loses caloric, in certain determined 
ratios, depending upon its pecuhar constitu¬ 
ency. There is one remarkable and wisely 
gifted departure from this rule, whereby ice 
is caused to be larger and lighter than wa¬ 
ter, a' wse provision of the Creator, or, in 
the northern regions, the whole rivers, lakes 
and streams would become solid, as the 
rocky strata of the earth. Water contracts 
from any point of temperature to 39 de¬ 
grees of the scale, and then commences ex¬ 
panding as it cools to 32, the freezing point 
and at 33 begins contracting again, and 
follows the rules of other matter ad infini¬ 
tum, as far as is known. 
The next chapter will be given to the 
consideration of the prevailing theories, of 
the manner in which the sedimentary rocks 
were formed and deposited. r. t. 
NEWSPAPER READING. 
The Popular Press is the People’s col¬ 
lege, their lecture-room, their tuition. Ma¬ 
ny a man has grown in mental stature—is 
more enlightened, liberal and humane—by 
virtue of the single journal which he has 
read thoroughly and thoughtfully through 
the last ten or fifteen years. Many a fam¬ 
ily of children is growing up to lives of 
greater usefulness and worth because of 
such a journal which has been read and 
thrown aside as a thing of no account— 
which the subscriber has often resolved to 
stop, so as to save something toward the 
proper education of his sons! The differ¬ 
ence in general intelligence and ideas of life 
between a family which has grown up reg¬ 
ular readers of some good journal and an¬ 
other of equal natural capacities in which 
no journal has been taken nor habitually 
read, is very remarkable. And thus thou¬ 
sands whose education is said to have been 
neglected—who have enjoyed no privileges 
beyond those common to the humblest— 
are growing up to fill responsible positions, 
and fill them worthily, by virtue of the hour 
or tw'o per day that they have been able to 
devote to a judicious selection from the cur¬ 
rent Literature of the time. Let none be 
discouraged, then, by their lack of opportu¬ 
nity or means for Liberal Education, as^it is 
called. Such education, wisely directed, is 
desirable but not indispensable. He who 
steadily improves the opportunities within 
the reach of all, will find himself, not imfit- 
ted for a responsible position and a sphere 
of efficient well doing. He who in any 
sphere does liis best shall find at length that 
his ability is gi-eater than he had imagined. 
The Lesson. —Its Teachings.—K friend 
called upon us yesterday morning, says the 
Buffalo Express, and paid a small balance 
due with this remark:—I have watched 
with peculiar interest the late trial of Prof 
Webster for the murder of Dr. Parkman— 
I have read the testimony attentively and 
carefully to satisfy myself of the guilt or 
innocence of the accused, and of the motive 
which prompted the act, if guilt should be 
established. The man has been convicted. 
His trouble and disgrace has been brought 
upon him by being m debt. I have firmly 
resolved, as God will aid me in the effort, 
to owe no man anything.” We were struck 
with the impression this lesson had made 
upon the mind, and could but secretly and 
fervently wish that its teachings might be¬ 
come universally effective. 
Teach self-denial, and make its practice 
pleasurable, and you create for the world a 
destiny more sublime than ever issued from 
the brain of the wildest dreamer. 
He who gives for sake of thanks, knows 
not the pleasure of giving. 
