1847 , 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
373 
NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Transactions of the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 
for the years 1843, 4, 5, 6; to which is added the Address de¬ 
livered before the Society on the 15th of May, 1845, at the dedi¬ 
cation of their hall. 
This wealthy, influential, and useful Society was in¬ 
corporated in 1829. It has been the instrument of 
awakening a great interest in the culture of fruits, and 
has been the cause of important improvement, not only 
in horticulture, but in the general embellishment of 
the country and country residences. Besides the good 
it has accomplished in the pursuit of its legitimate ob¬ 
jects, the public is indebted to this society for the 
foundation and improvement of the Mount Auburn 
Cemetery, an object of cherished interest to the people 
of Boston and vicinity. The “Transactions” contain 
the principal doings of the Society since its organiza¬ 
tion. The mechanical execution of the work is highly 
creditable to the publishers, Messrs. Dutton & Went¬ 
worth, Boston. 
Ewbank’s Hydraulics and Mechanics ; a descriptive account 
of Hydraulic and other Machines for Raising Water, ancient and 
modern, with observations on various subjects connected with 
the Mechanic Arts; including the progressive development of 
the Steam Engine: in Five Books, illustrated by nearly three 
hundred engravings : By Thomas Ewbank. 
Messrs. Greeley &, McElrath, of New-York, have 
commenced the republication of this work, which they 
propose to complete in eight numbers, at twenty-five 
cents each. We have received the first number, which 
is got up in excellent style. The engravings are very 
neat, and convey correct ideas of the objects they are 
intended to represent. The work has the reputation 
of being the best extant, which treats of hydra.ulics 
and mechanics. 
....A 
The Commerce and Navigation of the Valley of the Mississippi; 
and also that appertaining to the City of 9t. Louis : considered 
with reference to the improvement by the General Government, of 
the Mississippi river and its tributaries; being a Report prepared 
by authority of the Delegates from the city of St. Louis for the use 
of the Chicago Convention of July 5, 1847. 
This pamphlet of thirty-two pages, embraces a 
striking exposition of the immense natural resources, 
present business, and important future prospects of the 
Great Valley of the West. We have seldom seen so 
many valuable statistical facts compiled in so small a 
space. 
In the increase of population, business, and wealth, 
the world probably affords no parallel to the Missis¬ 
sippi Valley. We are informed that at the first census, 
in 1790, the population of this valley “ did not exceed 
200,000. In 1800, it had increased to about 560.000; 
in 1810, to 1,370,000; in 1820, to 2,580,000; in 1830, 
to 4,190,000; in 1840, to 6,370; and in 1847, accor¬ 
ding to the preceding average ratio of increase, it ex¬ 
ceeds 10,520,000. In the year 1850, according to 
such ratio, it will exceed twelve millions, and be about 
equal to the population of all the Atlantic States.” 
In regard to the early navigation of the Mississippi, 
we are told that the first appearance of a keel boat on 
this stream, above the mouth of the Ohio, was in 1751, 
“ when a fleet of boats commanded by Bossu, a cap¬ 
tain of French Marines, ascended as far as Fort Char¬ 
tres.” One of these boats is said to have “ run against 
a tree,” which buyst the boat and let in such a quantity 
of water that it sunk in an hour’s time.” This is sup¬ 
posed to have been the first boat snagged on the Mis¬ 
sissippi. u From three to four months was the time 
consumed at this period, and for many years after¬ 
ward, in a voyage from New Oleans to the settlement 
in the vicinity of St. Louis; a voyage occupying a 
steamboat in 1819 twenty-seven days, but which of 
late has been accomplished in less than four days I” 
Steam navigation on the Mississippi was commenced 
in 1817. “ In 1834, the number of steamboats on the 
Mississippi and its tributaries, was 230, and their ton¬ 
nage equal to about 39,000. In 1840, the number 
was 285, with a tonnage of 49,800. In 1842, the 
number was 450, and estimating their burthen at an 
average of 200 tons each, their tonnage was 90,000. 
In 1843, the number was estimated at 572; tonnage 
134,400. In addition to the steamboats, there are es¬ 
timated to be employed on the same rivers, about 
4*000 keel and flat-boats.” 
The receipts at New Orleans from the upper coun¬ 
try, for the year 1846, are put down at $77,193,464. 
The following table shows the length of steamboat 
navigation on the principal rivers of the west: 
Mississippi, from the Gulf to St. Anthony’s Falls,. 2.200 miles. 
Missouri, from its mouth to the fool of the Rapids,. 2,000 “ 
Red River, to head of Navigation,.. 1,100 “ 
Ohio,,to Pittsburgh,. 1,000 “ 
Arkansas, to mouths of the Neosho and Verdigris,. 630 “ 
Tennessee, to Chattanooga,. 485 “ 
Wabash, to Lafayette,. 300 lf 
Illinois, to Ottawa,. 250 “ 
Cumberland, to Nashville,. 200 “ 
Osage,. 200 “ 
“ A steamboat leaving Pittsburgh, and going to New Orleans 
and being there chartered to go up the Mississippi as high as the’ 
Rapids, and thence returning to Pittsburgh, will perform a regular 
voyage of about 8,450 miles, a distance nearly equal to crossing the 
Atlantic three times.” 
The Physiology of Digestion, with Experiments on the Gastric 
Juice : by Wiilliam Beaumont, M- D-, Surgeon in the U. S. 
Army. Second Edition; published by Chauncey Goodrich, 
Burlington, Vt. , 
This work comprises an account of some of the most 
curious and instructive experiments which have ever 
been made on the physiology of Digestion. These ex¬ 
periments were made in the stomach of a living and 
healthy man, who, by the accidental discharge of a 
musket, received a wound which opened the stomach, 
and which never entirely closed. Through this aper¬ 
ture, the process of digestion could be observed and 
actually seen. Different substances were at various 
times introduced into the stomach through the opening, 
and having remained there for different lengths of time, 
were withdrawn, and the change which they had un¬ 
dergone carefully noted. The gastric juice was in 
several instances taken from the stomach, and many 
interesting experiments made with it in regard to its 
effect on articles of food. These experiments extended 
through a period of several years, and were made un¬ 
der the observation of many distinguished physicians 
and men of science. The book concludes with a sum¬ 
mary of inferences deduced from the experiments and 
observations. Some of the most important of these in¬ 
ferences are as follows: 
That animal and farinaceous aliments are more easy 
of digestion than vegetable. 
That the susceptibility of digestion does not, how¬ 
ever, depend altogether upon natural or chemical dis¬ 
tinctions. 
That digestion is facilitated by minuteness of division 
and tenderness of fibre, and retarded by opposite qua¬ 
lities. 
That the ultimate principles of aliment are always 
the same, from whatever food they may be obtained. 
That the quantity of food generally taken, is more 
than the wants of the system require; and that such 
excess, if persevered in, generally produces, not only 
functional aberration, but disease of the coats of the 
stomach. 
That bulk, as well as nutriment, is necessary to the 
articles of diet. 
That oily food is difficult of digestion, though it con¬ 
tains a large proportion of the nutrient principles. 
