THE CULTIVATOR. 
179 
“when they will not be suffered to live. Their only 
home is the grave, and even their repose here is not al¬ 
ways secure.” 
We forbear to give further extracts at present, as the 
work deserves to be read in detail to be fully apprecia¬ 
ted. The future numbers will embrace remarks on cul¬ 
tivation in general—live stock of every description—the 
breeding, rearing, and fattening of stock—the dairy— 
horticulture—rural architecture—agricultural schools and 
experimental farms—veterinary establishments, &c. &c. 
The present No. contains 100 pages, octavo, and it is 
expected the work will embrace 10 numbers of the same 
size—the price for which is $5. Published for the Au¬ 
thor, by A. D. Phelps, Boston. 
The following extract from the Mark-Lane Express, 
shows the favorable reception which Mr. Colman’s 
work has met in England: 
“ The readers of the Farmer’s Magazine , who have 
already perused the Count de Gourcy’s Agricultural Tour, 
will be forcibly struck with the marked difference of 
character of the two works, and which, in this very early 
state of the publication, shows that, whereas the Count 
was content with giving a pleasant narrative of what he 
saw—only, as it were, skimming the surface—Mr. Col- 
man will go more profoundly and practically into his 
subject, and which induces us to augur well of the result. 
We were prep^ ed to expect that he woultl treat the sub¬ 
ject in rather an English manner; and with the exception 
of some few remarks, in which, we think, he does not 
make sufficient allowance for the different state of the 
social body as a whole, in England, as compared with 
the United States, we are right well pleased with what 
we have perused. 
“The remarks which he makes on the relative state and 
position of the several classes of the agricultural body in 
England are not only interesting, but furnish matter for 
serious reflection, seeing that they are made in a spirit 
devoid of that prejudice which but too frequently dis¬ 
plays itself in works of a similar character.” 
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS. 
This document of 335 pages, is one of the most valua¬ 
ble that has been issued. The Commissioner, Mr. H. L. 
Ellsworth, is entitled to great credit for his indefatiga¬ 
ble zeal and industry in the collection and diffusion of 
useful facts, which cannot fail to be of great advantage to 
the country. The dissemination of valuable seeds, is of 
itself an object of great importance. Of these, Mr. Ells¬ 
worth has distributed no less than twelve thousand pack¬ 
ages during the past year. He mentions a variety of rice 
now cnltivated in high latitudes and even on the edge of 
the snows of the Himalaya mountains, from which cir¬ 
cumstance he concludes there is every reason to believe 
that upland rice will flourish wherever Indian corn will 
ripen. Some seed has been ordered for this country, 
which Mr. E. hopes ere long to have ready for distribu¬ 
tion. The multicole rye has been considerably diffused in 
this country, and we shall probably soon know what suc- 
t cess has attended its cultivation. 
Mr. Ellsworth speaks of the construction of houses of 
unburnt clay. Several experiments recently made in the 
United States and Canada, seem to prove the expediency 
of erecting houses of this description. With a good foun¬ 
dation of stone, there is no doubt of their durability. In 
Egypt, unburnt bricks have been found in arches, unde¬ 
cayed, that have stood the lapse of 2,000 years. Mr. E. 
has himself erected one of these houses near the capitol 
at Washington, which appears as handsome as the best 
brick houses. It is warm in winter and cool in summer, 
and where clay is abundant and timber scarce, he does 
not hesitate to recommend this mode of building. 
A process for preserving wood , by Dr. Boucherie, of the 
French Academy, is spoken of, by which it is said, wood 
has been rendered so hard that the wheel of a rail-road 
car, leaves no trace after more than a year’s use. 
A machine for ditching, by which, wfitli ten yoke of ox¬ 
en and five hands, ten miles of ditch, 14 inches deep and 
28 inches wide at the top, may be excavated in one day. 
at an expense not exceeding 3 cents per rod. A larger 
machine will excavate a ditch three feet deep. 
Hosiery is now made in this country with astonishing 
rapidity, by the aid of the power-weaving loom—an 
American invention, not yet introduced into England. It 
is a full day’s work to knit by hand two pair of drawers. 
A girl with the power-loom, will make twenty pairs in a 
day. A piece 2S inches long and one inch wide, can be 
knit in one minute. 
Hooks and eyes. Thirty years ago the price was $1,50 
per gross; now it is only 15 to 20 cents. At one estab¬ 
lishment in New Britain, Conn., 80,000 to 100,000 pairs 
are made per day, and plated by a galvanic battery, or the 
cold silver process. The value of this article consumed 
in a year is stated to be $750,000. 
Mr. Burden’s improved horse-shoes are spoken of. At 
a factory recently erected by Mr. B. at Troy, fifty tons 
of these shoes are turned out per day. They are sold at 
the price of only five cents per pound, which brings a set 
of shoes at about twenty-five cents. It is believed that 
these shoes can be exported to Europe to good profit. 
The improvements in the manufacture and making up 
of leather, have greatly reduced the price of shoes. 
Those who have not turned their attention to this matter 
may be surprised to learn that leather made water proof, 
will last a third longer than other kinds. The annual sa¬ 
ving in the cost of this article in the United States, by this 
improvement, is estimated at not less than $16,000. A 
very simple composition of rosin, bees-wax, and tallow, 
applied warm to the soles and uppers, so as to thorough¬ 
ly saturate the leather, is found very effectual for this pur¬ 
pose. 
By the new process of sugar making , invented by Prof. 
Mapes, one establishment in the city of New-York pro¬ 
duces from 15,000 to 20,000 pounds of sugar per day from 
common West India molasses. The sugar is generally 
superior in quality to that made from the cane in Louisi¬ 
ana. Molasses which has become sour, is often used with 
good effect. 
The electro-magnetic telegraph, is spoken of as one of 
the great improvements of the age—one that is destined 
to exercise a great, and it is believed, a happy effect in the 
transmission of intelligence from one section of the coun¬ 
try to another. Experiments already made in England 
and on the continent, leave no doubt of its practicability, 
and this will ere long be further tested on the rail-road 
route between Washington and Baltimore. The rapidity 
of communication by this means, is truly astonishing. The 
rate at which the electro-magnetic fluid passes, according 
to Mr. Wheatstone, is 288,000 miles, (equal to eleven and 
a half times around the globe.) in one second! We see 
the “streak” of lightning in the heavens, but it leaves no 
trace; the stream is passed m less than a twinkling of an 
eye, and is gone far beyond our sight. In the same man¬ 
ner, with equal swiftness, the electro-magnetic fluid, un¬ 
erringly conveys the intelligence entrusted to its opera¬ 
tion. The medium employed is simply a copper wire, 
insulated and extended on posts, at an expense not ex¬ 
ceeding $150 per mile. The advantages of this mode of 
communication must be obvious both in war and peace. 
The most extreme points of the country can enjoy the 
earliest intelligence of the markets, and thus be prepared 
against speculation. Criminals will be deterred from the 
commission of crimes, under the hope of escape upon the 
“ iron horse,” for the mandate of justice, outrunning their 
flight, will greet their arrival at the first stopping-place. 
The experiment of illuminating the streets of Paris 
with the electric spark, it is said have been quite success¬ 
ful. 
The culture of pumpkins on grass land, is spoken of as 
a very advantageous mode. Holes were dug and filled 
with manure proper for vines, and the seeds planted. The 
vines did not begin to run till after the grass was mowed 
for hay. By the time the meadow was wanted for fall 
pasture, the squashes were ripe, taken from the vines and 
weighed. From two seeds planted, between six and se¬ 
ven hundred pounds of squashes were produced. It is 
computed that an acre planted by this mode, allowing 
about 90 hills to the acre, would produce about 18 tons 
of pumpkins or squashes. 
