... ........ 
MOOSE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AS AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
rararft ana 
BLACK KNOT ON PLUM TREES, 
WWW Wfr WhrW* tj, t> , rn . , 
Eds. Rural :—On page 159 current vol- 
.. ^ nme, I find an article by Wm. H. Read, on 
PEARS DWARFED ON THEIR OWN STOCKS. the black Uot oa P lum trees > in which he as- 
- cribes this injury to the effect produced by al- 
Editors Rural:— Much has been said and lowing the decaying fruit to remain upon the 
published upon the benefits of growing the branches, upon which insects feed, and after 
pear on quince stocks rather than its own the fruit fails to furnish them food, they per- 
roots for certain purposes, among the most forate the branches communicating the poi- 
prominent of which are its earlier maturity son, which produces the black knot, 
and more compact growth. These two, I be- That decaying fruit of the plum or peach 
lieve, are the real advantages claimed over the often affects ihe branches with which such 
standard growth. Let us consider those two fruit comes in contact, we readily admit, but 
points in particular aud also other facts per- that this causes the black knot we cannot con¬ 
taining to the advantage and disadvantage of scnt to. If this is the cause, how are we to 
growing the pear on the quince or pear stocks, account for those excresences appearing upon 
Facts derived from careful experiments and young shoots not more than one foot high, 
trials of growing the two under the same cir- and those springing from the roots of trees 
cumstances, should and will eventually decide that had not produced lruit ? I have seen 
which will prove most profitable to the raiser, many such instances, and have examined the 
1st. The pear budded on the quince is very cuticle with a magnifying glass, but could not 
liable to break off at the union which is al- discover that it had been perforated by any 
ways more or less imperfect. Thousands of insect. 
trees are lost from this cause alone, one which The black knot is most prevalent upon the 
has no influence on pears budded on their own Damson plums,—next to those, I think, the 
stocks. old English Green Gsge is most affected — 
2d. The quince is always subject to the The American Morello cherry is often entire- 
borer, and unless grafted so low that it is ly killed by the black knot, while the Kentish 
planted beneath the surface, they will, with- cherry, growing in close contact with it, is not 
out great care, destroy it in two or three in the least affected. 
years—the pear is exempt from it. Prof. Brown, who was one of the most ae- 
3d. The pear budded on the quince is much complished Americau vegetable Physiologists, 
more liable to the fire blight, than when bud- ascribed the prevalence of this injury in some 
dtd on its own stock. ' species of trees more than in others to the pe- 
4th. The lile of the pear on the quince is culiar structure of the bark, calculated to re- 
less than half of that on the pear stock. ceive and nourish the sporules of certain 
5th. The pear on the quince requires more cryptogamus plants or fungi, which, from 
attention and higher culture Ilian on its own their minuteness and specific gravity, are 
roots to produce the same results. floated in the atmosphere, and finding suitable 
dtd on it« own stock. ' species of trees more than in others to the pe- 
4th. The lile of the pear on the quince is culiar structure of the bark, calculated to re- 
less than half of that on the pear stock. ceive and nourish the sporules of certain 
5th. The pear on the quince requires more cryptogamus plants or fungi, which, from 
attention and higher culture Ilian on its own their minuteness and specific gravity, are 
roots to produce the same results. floated in the atmosphere, and finding suitable 
6. After the first few years, and often after receptacles in the cuticle and bark of certain 
the first year, that the pear on the quince trees, increase to that extent as to rupture the 
comes into bearing, the same variety on the hark and cause the black knot upon plum, 
pear stock in the same circumstances, will cherry and some other trees. 
bear as much if not more fruit than the other, Whatever may be the cause of these bunch- 
and continue to increase in quantity yearly ee, one thing is certain—that upon examining 
over the other. thrifty shoots that are affected, with a magnt- 
7. By far the largest proportion of varie- fying glass, discolored streaks in the bark may 
ties are not improved in size or quality if as be detected some distance below where the 
good on the quince as on their own roots or bark is ruptured, and unless the limb is cut 
bottoms with the same pruning and culture, below where these streaks can thus be detect- 
It takes from three to five years from the ed, the knot will surely break out again, 
bud to bring the pear on the quince into That the different species of cryptogamus 
beating. And how is this done ? Ihe bud parasitic plants are doing much injury to the 
is cut back the first year to within a foot ol products of the agriculturist and horticultu- 
the ground so as to form the head low. Each r 1st, there is no doubt, and their rapid in- 
eubsequeut year it is headed back about bait oi crease within the last few years is enlisting 
each year s growth, which makes a low busby the attention of vegetable physiologists at this 
top, and which tends to form fruit buds and time in Europe as well as in America, bat 
bring the trees into bearing. Now, precisely as yet no perfect antidote has been discovered 
the same effect is produced by trimming the to put a stop to their increase cr prevent 
pear tree in the same manner when budded on their injurious effects. r, 
its own stock. That is, the bead is formed Now Haven, Oswego Co., May -ii i 860 . 
low, the fruit spurs and buds are forced out,--- 
and the tree is also brought into bearing from MILDEW ON GOOSEBERRIES. 
the third to the fifth year from the bud, and - 
which bears as fruitfully from the commence- ^ a * e ’ vcr A general complaints have been 
meut as the other. Besides, if rightly pruned, ™ de < hflt this / ruit 13 * u ? often ruined 
.. . r . , v, ’ by mildew—ad sease which attacks the bushes, 
l is as perfect and as effectually dwaried as on causing the foliage to wither and curl, and the 
f ho nmnoo r__ _i e u » . 
, THE CULTURE OF STRAWBERRIES. 
The New York Horticultural Society, at 
a recent conversational meeting, arrived at the 
following conclusions in regard to the best 
method of cultivating strawberries : 
“ The best soil for the strawberry was stated 
to be a gravelly loam. The land should be 
well drained, aud to every acre applied twenty 
bushels of leached ashes, ten bushels of lime, 
and two or three pounds of salt. The ground 
should be well broken up ; animal manures 
should be eschewed ; leaf is the be3t, and this 
should he carefully spaded in. About the 
first of July is the best time to set out the 
plants. In doing this, pains should be taken 
to have them firmly rooted. The roots should 
be eighteen inches apart, and the plants a 
foot apart. 
Sometimes it will be well to allow greater 
interval, in which case the interstices can be 
filled up from the growth of the runners.— 
After setting out the plants, throw on a cov¬ 
ering of tan-bark an inch or an inch and a 
half in depth, then water them plentifully, and 
the moisture will be retained a loDg time.— 
After cold weather comes on cover the straw¬ 
berry beds and the walks with clean straw, 
throwing over a little brush, or something to 
keep the straw in its place. In the Spring re¬ 
move the straw and make use of some fertili¬ 
zing agent to give the plants vigor, as sul¬ 
phate of soda, sulphate of ammonia, or nitrate 
of potash. Keep the roots out, see that the 
plants are bountifully watered, and let noth¬ 
ing intervene to disturb or retard their growth 
till you gather the fruit. The beds should be 
made over as often as every three years.” 
Hoe cabbages often and whilst the dew is 
on. What you do before the sun evaporates 
the dew, is so much gained, it otherwise you 
would be dozing in bed. Beans, cucumbers, 
melons and squashes we think should not be 
hotd whilst the leaves are wet. By such 
treatment they are apt to become rusty. 
laiuesto 
the quince 
fruit to puff up aud fall. I am persuaded 
A waau w jsuaa auu IBII. X am fJViSUCMJrU 
In short, these facts arc all established to a that in very maDy, perhaps in most cases, this 
eater or less extent by the following recom evd * s tke re6ub ’ (,t ' careless management. We 
greater or less extent by the following recom evil is the result, of careless management. We 
mendations by the advocates of the dwarf pear o® Kerall Y hi,d the gooseberry set in a shady 
tree8 1 place, or by the side ol a fence or building 
‘ , , where it is completely stifled for want of a free' 
1 st. they recommend that the strongest circulation of air; often under old trees which 
growing quinces be used only for budding ihe prevent the access of sunlight, and where the 
pear on, thus wishing to bring it a 3 near the mos t healthy shrubs might, with reason, be 
standard growth as possible. 2d. They re- <0 il an open situation 
7i,„ e J. J , . be allowed the gooseberry and not too close 
he setting of the tree deep that it an arrangement in the lines, and if common 
may root from the pear above the bud, and hay wet with salt water or pickle, be spread 
say that it makes a stronger, better, and around the roots, these preventives, with care- 
loDger lived tree. ^ pruning, will in ninety-nine cases in a 
If Ihe foregoing remarks are well founded SlATlw complained of.- 
r a, • a ; Grass, trash hoed from the avenues in the 
Id it not be well for those intending to garden, or grass and weeds taken from the 
plant, the pear to give this matter due consid- beds, with cornstalks, or any vegetable mat- 
eration? ^ Stephen H. Ainsworth. ter > we have found equally efficacious.— 
t^West BioomtioM, Out. Co., n. Y. The gooseberry is too valuable a fruit to be 
■-- renounced, and we had better exert ourselves 
CLASSIFICATION OF GARDEN SEEDS, somewhat, rather than allow its destruction, 
- an evil as easily obviated as the mildew has 
Hardy. —Asparagus, Corn Salad, English /\ n; ud to be. —Truckman, in German- 
Dwarf Beans, Ixeks, Onions, Parsley, Pars- tmni IcIe S ra P ,t - 
nips, Peas, Spinach, Salsify. ’•'“***“ 
Half-Hardy. — Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, lxcR ? ASINC l T ” K SlzE 0E Flowers.—A hor- 
Cabbeges, Cauliflowers, Celery Cress Fu , of the suburbs of Versailles, hi 
j- JV T ,. „ ’ re8? ’ j Studying the physiology of the vegetable king- 
dire, Kale, Ixitluce, Radish, lurmp. dom, conceived the idea that the smallness of 
Tender .—Beans (Kidney and Pole,) Cu- certain plants—the violet, for example—was 
cumbers, Egg Plant, Indian Corn, Melons, owing to an atmospheric pressure too great for 
Okra, Pumpkin, Pepper, Squash Tomato *hcir delicate organs. Having fixed ibis idea 
Quick in Geminating.—Beam Broccoli in J! 8 mitd ,1 he florist conceived ihe notion of 
Pni.,, c rfln nv.x , ’ putting his idea into practice. Providing hint- 
Cucumber, Corn, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Cross, 8e ]f w ith a small balloon, rendered sufficiently 
Endive, Kale, Melon, Lettuce, Pumpkin, Ra- tight to prevent the escape of any gas, he 
dish, Salsify, Squash, Turnip, Tomato. launched it into the air, having attached to it 
Medium in Germinating — Artichoke As- a silken cord twelve hundred nieiros long. In- 
paragus, Bfaue, (English Dwarf,) Beet, Car- ‘ ,f a ( ' ar > the ballooni sustained a ilower- 
v_i>i„„* Li n • « pot of Parma violets. This experiment has 
;< ffg J, ( kia, Onion, I epper, 1 eas, been going on about two months with the most 
and herbs in general. wonderful results, in the shape of violets as 
Tardy in Germinating. —Celery, Corn Sal- large as Bengal roses. It is expected that the 
ad, Leek, Parsley, Parsnip, Spinach. above experiment may be turned to some ae- 
P Can he Transplanted. —Artichoke, Aspara- coun ^ 
gus, Beans (English Dwarf.) Broccoli, Cauli- 
flower, Cabbage, Celery, Cress, Egg Plant „• ,^ CKBERRY — Iu «®wer to inqni- 
a r ; i L ™ . nes, we will say we have seen this iruit on the 
Endive, Kale, Lettuce, Leek, Radish, Turnip, grounds of Mr. Needham, who brought it in- 
lomato. j ASt Rivekr. to notice. It appeared to he generally small 
EiiBt Bloomfield, r N. Y. and its taste iusipjd. The Fruit Committee 
" ' 1 - °f Massachusetts Horticultural Society dcci- 
An Acquisition. —Cuttings of the Zante ded it to be “ unworthy of cultivation.” 
currant, a species of small grape, have been —-- x , , . __ 
introduced into ibis country from France. If Budding and inoculation of rcees may be 
successful, this fruit will be a great addition performed next month. Lately planted shrubs 
to our stock lor domestic cookery. should bo frequently watered in dry weather. 
above experiment may be turned to some ac¬ 
count. 
PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES, 
Strawberries for bottling, or preserving, 
except for jam, should be ripe, but not in the 
least soft. Make a syrnp of a pound of sugar 
for each pound of fruit. The sugar should 
be double-r. fined, although refined sugar does 
very well; the only difference is in the color 
of tho preserve, which is not so brilliant when 
done with other than crushed or loaf sugar.— 
To each pound of sugar put a teacup of wa¬ 
ter ; set it over a gentle fire, and stir it until 
it is all dissolved ; when boiling hot, put in 
the fruit, having picked off every hull and im¬ 
perfect berry ; let them boil very gently in a 
covered kettle until, by cutting one open, you 
find it cooked through. That will be known 
by is having ihe tame color throughout — 
Take ikem from the syrup with a skimmer, 
and spread them on flat dishes, and let them re¬ 
main until cold ; boil tho syrup until quite 
thick ; and let it cool and settle ; put the Iruit 
into jars or pots, aud strain or pour the syrup 
carefully over, leaving the sediment which will 
be at the bottom of the pitcher. The next 
day, cover with several papers wet with sugar 
boiled to candy ; set them in a cool, airy 
place. Strawberries keep perfectly well made 
with seven pounds of sugar to ten of fruit; 
they should be done as directed above, aDd 
the yrnp cooked quite thick. A pint of red 
currant-juice, and a pound of sugar for it, to 
to three pounds of strawberries; make the 
syrup very beautiful.— Lady's Book. 
Strawberry Jam, or Marmalade.— Pick 
ripe strawberries tree frem every hull; put 
three-quarters of a poirod of sugar to every 
pound of fruit; crush them together to a 
smooth mass ; then put it in a preserving ket¬ 
tle over a gentle fire ; stir it with a wooden 
or silver spoon until it is jelly-like and thick ; 
let it do slowly for some time, then try some 
on a plate; if, when cold, it is like jelly, it is 
enough. Put in small jars or tumblers, and 
secure as directed. Currant-juice, with a pound 
of sugar to a pint, to four or five pounds of 
strawberries, and the required quantity of 
sugar, makes the jam very Dice. Half a 
pound of sugar for each pound of fruit will 
make a very fine jam, or marmalade, which is 
the same, cooked until it i3 very thick, and re¬ 
duced ; take care that it does not burn.— lb. 
lo Bottle Fruit.— Cherries, strawberries' 
sliced pine-apple, plums, apricots, gooseberries, 
•fee., may be preserved, in the following man- 
uer to be used the same as fresh fruitGath¬ 
er the fruit before it is very ripe ; put it in 
wide mouthed bottles made for the. purpose; 
fill them as full as they will hold, and cork 
them tight; and seal the cork ; put some hay 
(broomstraw will do) in a large saucepan ; 
set iu the bottles, with hay between them, to 
prevent their touching ; then fill the saucepan 
with water to the necks of the bottles, and 
set it over the fire until the water is nearly 
boiling; then take it off; let it stand until 
the bottles are cold ; then keep them in a cool 
place until wanted, when the fruit will be 
found equal to fresh.— lb. 
To Remove Rust From Knives, «fec._ 
Cover the knives with sweet oil well rubbed 
on, and after two days, take a lump of fresh 
lime, and rub till all the rust disappears. It 
forms a sort of soap with the oil, which car¬ 
ries off all the rust. 
To Clean Brass.— Rub the tarnished or 
rusted brass, by means of a cloth or sponge, 
with diluted acid, such as the sulphuric, or 
even with strong vinegar. Afterwards wa*h 
it with hot water to remove the acid, and fin¬ 
ish with dry w hiting. 
To broil hams properly, the slices should be 
first soaked in hot water,''dried in a cloth, aud 
broiled on a gridiron over a clear fire. 
LIST OF PATENTS 
Inved from the United Stales 2'aie/it ojp.ee for the week 
ending June 6 , 1855. 
James Albro, Elizabeton, N. J.. for improvement in 
restoring blocks for printing oil clothe. 
Lncien A. Butts, Cuba, N. Y., for improvement In seed 
planters. 
Daniel Bloclier and Geo. JL Blocher, Cumberland, for 
improvement in burning brick. 
Ernest Bahr, Rochester, Ind., for improved ship ven¬ 
tilator. 
Thomas Champion, Washington, for improvement in 
feeding water to steam boilers. 
P. J Coogan, Charleston, for improved arrangement of 
drains for sewers. 
Chas. H. Dana, West Lebanon, N H., for improvement 
in seed planters. 
Lewis W. Clover, Louisville, for improvement in wash¬ 
ing machines. 
William H. Degges, Washington, improvement in the 
soak pits of brick machines. 
William H. Degges, Washington, for improvement in 
brick machinas. 
Andrew Dietz and John G. Dunham, Raritan, N. J. for 
improvement in reaping and mowing machines. ’ 
Thomas Estiack, of Philadelphia, for improved mode 
of securing washboards to walls. 
William Fischer, Philade'phia, for method of compos¬ 
ing music. 
Franklin J. French, Whittingham Vt., for improve¬ 
ment in boot jacks. 
Luthor Hill, Stoneham, Mass., for improved machine 
for skiving boot and shoe counters. 
M. G. Hubbard, New York, for improvement in grain 
and grass harvesters. 
Lansing E. Hopkins, Brooklyn, for improvement in the 
process of manufacturing hats. 
Wil iam R. Jackson, Baltimore, for improvement in 
floating cabins for steam and other vessels. 
Edwin A. Jeffrey, Corning, N. Y., for double acting 
pump. 
Harrison Toring, BostoD, for improvement in appara¬ 
tus for bleaching rags. 
William S. Lough borough, Rochester, for improvement 
in fastenings for carpets. 
Samuel J. McDongall. Brooklyn, for Improvement in 
hydro-carbon vapor apparatus. 
Taniel Minthorn, New York, for improved brace for 
supporting garments. 
Sylvanus Perkins, Pittsburgh, improvement in wagon 
wheels. 
Andrew Rankin, Newark, for improvement in the man¬ 
ufacture of bat-\ 
Samuel J. H. Smith, Boston, improved portfolio. 
George. S. O. Spence, Boston, improved furnace for 
warming buildings. 
Joseph D. Spiller, Concord, bench rest. 
Harlon H. Thayer, Sandwich, improvement in machine 
forkneadiDg clay. 
0. B. Tomiin-on, Athens. Pa . for improvement in the 
manufacture of ornamental felt cloth. 
Henry Webster, Beetown, Wis., for improvement in 
steam engine regulators. 
Hiram Wheelock, Boston, improvement in gas regula¬ 
tors. 
Wm. C. Whipple and Wm. C. Bowe, Westville, Ct.. for 
improved melodeon. 
Wm. Whiteside and John Shinn, Philadelphia, for im¬ 
provement in looms. 
George W. Zeigler, Tiffin, Ohio, for improvement In 
boot coupling machines. 
Wm. Darker, Jr., of West Philadelphia, assignor to J. 
B Thompson, Philadelphia, for improvement in ring 
spinning frames. 
Anthony Poliak, Philadelphia, improvement in wrought 
iron beam and girders. 
RB- ISSUES. 
Barton H. Jeuks, Brldesburgh, Pa., for improvement 
in looms—original patent dated April 3, 1856. 
A NOVELTY IN RAILROADING. 
Something new was learned by New York 
State Engineers in the use of the first loco¬ 
motive ran upon the Copiapo railroad, in 
Chili, South America. This was, that there 
is water, whose boiling is quite as much a 
process of making stone as one of generating 
steam. They were were astonished down 
there to observe the difficulty of getting up 
steam within a week after the engiue was put 
upon the road. The machine soon became 
nearly useless. On examination a deep de¬ 
posit of stone, hard enough on its lower 
edge to scratch glass, was discovered upon the 
sides and bottom of the boiler and around its 
flues. Tests chemically applied showed that 
it was composed of magnesia, carbonate of 
lime, and earthy matter. Subsequent obser¬ 
vations showed that the water of this coun 
try deposited this scale in steam boilers at the 
rate of one quarter of au inch a week. To 
obviate this great difficulty the railroad com¬ 
pany were obliged to distil sea-water for the 
use of their locomotives. Mr. Bullions, the 
accomplished Assistant Superintendent of the 
Central at Albany, tells us that the water 
thus produced costs two cents a gallon. 
This Gopiapo, a somewhat unknown port 
with us, has a large trade, which is nearly 
monopolized by two American houses. The 
railroad company get prices for traffic aud 
travel that are prices, its track is 75 miles 
long. Fifty miles of it is from Copiago up 
into the mountains—20 of which traverses 
the desert of Attacama, where there is not a 
drop of water, aud where, consequently, beasts 
of draught and burden suffer and too frequent¬ 
ly perish. Freight for these 50 miles is $10 
a ton. The passenger fare is $4,25. 
The down freights to the coast are made up 
of silver and copper ores, silver in the bar. 
and nickel. Twenty cars a clay come in, 
loaded with these articles. Yet the up freights 
exceed the products of the mines. The peo¬ 
ple eat more than they make, so to speak._ 
More food is sent up into the mountains than 
minerals comedown.— Buff. Bern. 
Equestrian Statue of Washington — The 
Ames Manufacturing Company, in Chicopee, 
are casting a colossal equestrian statue of 
Washington, to stand in Union Square, New 
York. It was modelled by H. K. Brown, of 
Leyden, Massachusetts, and as a work of art 
is spoken of in the highest terms of praise.— 
The Springfield Republican says :—“ Piece 
after piece has been sent off every one of 
which was perfect, and on the morning of our 
visit to the establishment, Washington him¬ 
self, leg'ess and handless, and sitting on a 
saddle that was horseless, was finding his dig¬ 
nified way out of the sand.” 
Tub Morgan Iron AYorks have just com¬ 
pleted the second iron lighter for the Panama 
Railroad Company. Tlie dimensioDs of this 
boat are as follows length 75 feet, beam 
30 feet, depth 5 feet; and it is built expressly 
for light draft and facility of transhipment. 
The first lighter of this class, built at the Ful¬ 
ton Iron Works, was shipped in sections by 
the schooner Pedee, on the 21st ult,, for As- 
pinwall. From Aspinwall it will be trans¬ 
ported by railroad to Panama. 
A FACTORY TURNED INTO A MILL. 
We passed through the old cotton factory 
of Lower Lockport a day or two since and 
found it undergoing an important chaDge lor 
the better. It has been purchased by (J. B. 
Moore & Co., and the extensive and expen¬ 
sive machinery for the manufacture of cotton 
is being displaced, and other machinery ad¬ 
mirable and complete of its kind is being rap¬ 
idly constructed in its stead, which will soon 
be busy in preparing the staff of lile from the 
staple product of our own soil. The propel¬ 
ling power is to be the water in the canal, in 
its passage from the upper to the lower level, 
giving a fall to that place of something over 
fifty leet. 
There are already constructed and in their 
places, two overshot water wheels, one of 
twenty-four and the other of twenty-two feet 
in diameter. The upper and larger wheel, has 
spur segments on each rim, working into 
three feet pinions. It i3 designed to make 
three and one hall revolutions per minute.— 
The counter-shaft is to make twenty-six and 
two thirds revolutions per minute, with head- 
wheels driving an upright shaft thirty nine 
revolutions per minute. The mortise-wheel 
on upright working into twenty-inch pinions, 
which give two hundred revolutions per minute 
to three four feet mill-stones. The lower 
wheel which receives its water from the up¬ 
per wheel i3 designed to make four and a 
quarter revolutious per minute. The spur 
pit wheel on the end of this water-wheel shaft 
is eleven feet in diameter, working into pin¬ 
ions three feet ten inches in diameter, which 
gives thirteen and a half revolutions of coun- 
ter-ehat't, with head pit-wheel working into 
crown wheel, gives thirty-two revolutions per 
minute to upright shaft. The mortise wheel 
working into pinions of sixteen inches in di¬ 
ameter, give two hundred revolutions per 
munite to three more runs of stone, making 
six runs in all, each run being designed to 
grind fifteen bushels of wheat per hour.— 
Lockport Journal. 
Suspension Bridge at Carthage.— The 
Committee of the Common Conned have ac¬ 
cepted the plaD for this new structure, as sub¬ 
mitted by the Engineers, Messrs. Kauffman & 
Bisstll. The towers are to be of 6tone, 10 
leet square at the base, and 4 feet at the top, 
resting on limestone rock. Height of base 
above water, 140 feet, height ot towers 85 
feet. Materials of towers, limestone, with free¬ 
stone base and capital. Distance between tow¬ 
ers 380 feet. Total length of roadway 760 ft., 
width do. 18 feet. The cables will be about 15 
inches in circumference, anchored 14 feet deep 
in solid limestone at each end. Ultimate 
strength of cables, beside the weight of the 
bridge, 900 tons. The heaviest load that 
can be placed on the bridge, if the floi r- 
ing were crowded with men a thick as they 
could stand, would be 100 tons. Surplus of 
strength 800 tons. The Niagara bridge has 
towers 14 feet square at the base, and strengih 
of 1,200 tons. The cost of this structure will 
be about $15,000, and it is the design to have 
ihe work beg oh very soon. It will be an or¬ 
nament as well as a great advantage to the 
north part of the city, on both sides of the 
river.— Democrat. 
Electricity and Gravitation. —Professor 
Faraday says that we are on the verge of im¬ 
portant discoveries concernirg ihe nature of 
physical forces, and tbeir relation to life and 
physiology. He expressed an opinion that all 
“ forces” have a similar dual property, and 
that even “gravitation” will be ultimately 
determined to possess it. One force cannot 
be called into action in electiicity without the 
other, and they are always equal. When the 
north poles of lour powerful magnets are 
placed together at right angles, so as to form 
a deep square cell, iu the centre of that cell 
there is no magnetic attraction at all. The 
“ northness” and “ southness” of a magnet, 
Professor Faraday, in contusion, said, took 
place in curved lines outside, not inside a 
magnet—an opinion somewhat similar to that 
held by Newton as regarded gravitation. 
Launch of the Steam Frigate Merrimac. 
—In July, 1854, the keel of this United 
States steamer was laid in the Navy-Yard at 
Charlestown, Mass., and the work has been 
pushed forward with such vigor that on the 
14th she was successfully launched. She is 
built in the strongest manner, chiefly of live- 
oak timber and plank, and there have been 
used iu her hull 226,740 pounds of iron, and 
189,778 pounds of bolt copper. Her dimen¬ 
sions are 3,800 tons carpenters’ measurement. 
She is to be propelled with Griffith’s English 
patent propeller, having two blades 16 feet in 
diameter. Her engine will be 800 horse¬ 
power. 
Progress of Reaping Machines. — We 
have been informed by a manufacturer of ag¬ 
ricultural implements—one who is excellent 
authority—that between fifteen and sixteen 
thousand reaping machines will be manufac¬ 
tured aud sold this year in our country. Tho 
demand is so great that manufacturers cannot 
make them fast enough for their orders. This 
affords evidence of agricultural prosperity, as 
the cost of these machines will amount to 
nearly two millions of dollars. Our farmers 
exhibit wisdom in using and patronizing ma¬ 
chinery. A reaping machine will save the 
price of itself in one season.— Sci. Am. 
A new “ Cornish engine ” has been put up 
in the Schuykill Water Works. Phildelphia. 
The Philadelphia Ledger says, that the build¬ 
ers of this engine guaranteed it to do the duty 
of lifting 50,000,000 lbs. one foot high with 
one hundred lbs. of coal. 
The London Times says the Calcutta 
Railway in Hindostan is now open 123 miles. 
600 miles more are under contract. 1,000 
miles of railway and 3,000 of telegraph are ex¬ 
pected to be completed in Britishlndia within 
three years. 
