THE CULTIVATOR. 
139 
whs visited with a tremendous thunder stormy accompa¬ 
nied by a heavy and long continued fall of rain, which 
did partial damage in some places, by lodging the heavy 
eared grain. The accounts from all parts of the country 
seem to concur in the opinion that the entire produce 
will hardly amount to an usual average, throughout the 
kingdom; this arises chiefly from a deficiency of plant, 
which was early complained of and which the continued 
fine weather has not been able to overcome. The sup¬ 
plies of foreign wheat, although they have slightly de¬ 
creased, are still liberal. 
The Farmer’s Magazine for August, just published, 
contains a very interesting memoir and portrait of Ro¬ 
bert Bake well, well known as the originator of the Dish- 
ley or New Leicester breed of sheep; being the first of 
a series of biographies of eminent British farmers. 
I am yours, very truly, 
P. L. Simmonds. 
A letter from our correspondent “ Tweedside,” at 
Roxburgh, Scotland, is necessarily deferred till our next. 
DYNAMOMETERS. 
Below we give figures of two of the most esteemed 
dynamometers in use,—Regnier’s and Cottam and Hal- 
lam’s. The word dynamometer signifies a measure of 
power, and it is to this purpose it is applied. In agri¬ 
culture it has proved of the greatest value in determining 
the force applied to move different kinds of plows in the 
same soil, thus fixing the question of ease of draft, a point 
of the greatest consequence to the farmer, but which had 
hitherto been too much neglected. The very great su¬ 
periority of the modern plow, over the old one, may be 
attributed in no slight degree, to the multiplied experi¬ 
ments made with the dynamometer in determining that 
degree of inclination in the share and mold board, best 
combining ease of execution, with perfection of the 
work done. 
Regnier's Dynamometer. — (Fig. 79) 
The first of these instruments, or Regnier’s, consists of 
two flat plates of steel of a curved form, increasing in 
thickness towards the ends which unite into solid cylin¬ 
drical loops; the curved sides of the plates being placed 
opposite to each other, and the whole forming an entire 
eliptic spring. On applying this instrument in the line 
of draft as a link, it becomes lengthened in proportion to 
the force or draft exerted, the curved sides being drawn 
together. A cross rod attached to one plate, acting on a 
crank secured to the other one, moves an index or point¬ 
er; which shows on a figured scale the force exerted, 
down to half hundred weights. This instrument is very 
simple and accurate, but there is one great difficulty 
found in noticing the movements of the index, when at¬ 
tached to the plow, so rapid will be its vibrations, ow¬ 
ing to the fluctuations in the force required at different 
parts of the furrow. 
Cottam Hallam's Dynamometer .— (Fig. 80.) 
To correct this defect, and furnish a more perfect scale 
to the instrument, Messrs. Cottam and Hallam, agricultu¬ 
ral implement makers of London, produced their im¬ 
proved dynamometer, (fig. 80.) To prevent the vibra¬ 
tions caused by the obstructions met by the plow in the 
soil, the makers have attached a small brass pump filled 
with oil, the piston of which has one or two small aper¬ 
tures. There being no outlet from the pump, and the 
piston rod being worked by the same crank as the index, 
it is evident that whatever may be the sudenness of the 
shock, the oil having to pass from one side of the piston 
to the other, the rapidity of vibration will be greatly di¬ 
minished by the resistance the oil offers, and hence the 
average rate of force exerted can be more accurately as¬ 
certained. The scale of this dynamometer is more per¬ 
fect than the other, the divisions marking quarter hun¬ 
dreds with precision. 
We are of the opinion that dynamometers might be 
made on the plan of the patent spiral spring balance, 
which would form a perfect measure of power, and be 
afforded at a rate which would enable every neighbor¬ 
hood of farmers to possess one. Nothing more would be 
necessary than to use a larger steel wire for the spiral 
spring, and give a corresponding degree of strength to 
the other parts of the balance. If a single coil did not 
give the requisite stiffness of spring, or offer sufficient re¬ 
sistance to the force exerted, two might be used, or com¬ 
bined in a single implement. We wish that some of our 
machinists would turn their attention to the subject of 
dynamometers; for we are confident that if a good in¬ 
strument of the kind was in the market, and afforded at 
a reasonable rate, great numbers of them would be dis¬ 
posed of. At least we should hope every agricultural 
association would possess one, indispensible as they have 
become to a proper decision on the merits of the various 
plows offered for premiums at the meetings of these asso¬ 
ciations. The figures we copy from Johnston’s New 
Farmer’s Encyclopedia. 
ONONDAGA SALT. 
Salt is an article of such universal consumption, and 
is so necessary to the health of men and animals, that 
every thing relating to it deserves attention. Viewing 
the matter in this light, it was with the greatest surprise 
that we read in the Journal of Commerce, an article on 
salt, which has been somewhat extensively copied, in 
which is the following sentence: 
“ There is no substitute for Turk’s Island salt manu¬ 
factured in this country, either on the shores of the At¬ 
lantic, or from the springs of the interior. None of the 
domestic salt will preserve provisions when exported.” 
It is very rare that a public journalist commits so gross 
a blunder, as is contained in this paragraph, and as the 
question is one in which the state and the country has a 
great interest, particularly at the present time, when the 
commercial regulations of England have become such as 
to render the exportation of our salted provisions possi¬ 
ble, we must request our readers to examine it for them¬ 
selves. It is very certain the assertion of the Journal of 
Commerce could not have been made by any person ac¬ 
quainted with the analysis of the Onondaga salt, made by 
the State Mineralogist, Dr. Beck, and to be found in the 
Geological report (not Geographical, as some of the pa¬ 
pers have it,) made to our legislature in Feb. 1838. That 
examination shows beyond a peradventure, that there is 
no salt known, certainly not the Turk's Island, which 
contains so great a percent of pure salt, (Chloride of so¬ 
dium ,) as the Onondaga coarse salt; or indeed several of 
the other kinds manufactured there. But as many of our 
readers may not have seen the report alluded to, we give 
the table containing the results of the analysis, entire, 
that the several proportions of pure salt, and foreign sub¬ 
stances, in the several specimens, may be seen at a glance. 
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Thus it will be seen that there are no less than five 
kinds of salt manufactured in the town of Salina, superior 
to Turk’s Island or Liverpool salt, in purity. It cannot 
be disputed, however, that the best of these for packing 
pork, and beef, whether for home use, or for exporta¬ 
tion, is coarse salt, made by solar evaporation at the Sy¬ 
racuse vats. “ This salt is in large, hard, and white 
crystals, which suffer little change by exposure to the 
air; and is the purest salt that can be manufactured.” 
But this assertion of the Journal of Commerce, is shown 
in the reply made by Mr. Spencer, the superintendent, to 
be as unfounded in fact, so far as regards the preserva¬ 
tion of provisions for exportation, or for voyages, as it 
is in theory. 
But while it can be thus conclusively shown that no salt 
in the world is of purer quality, or better adapted for the 
preservation of provisions, than the Onondaga coarse 
salt, it is certain that much complaint has been made 
with regard to the preservative qualities of the fine salt 
made by boiling. This may be attributed to several cau¬ 
ses, some of which may be seen in the table. Of these 
is the amount of foreign ingredients, principally sulphates 
of lime, and the water left in the salt by careless or un¬ 
skilful drying. Another thing that renders this fine salt 
less fit for packing purposes, is that it does not keep the 
layers of meat sufficiently separated for the proper per¬ 
colation or penetration of the brine to every part, as the 
coarse salt does. 
It is certain, however, that unless great vigilance is 
exercised on the part of the inspector, and superinten¬ 
dent of the Salines, an imperfect article, and one unfit 
for packing provisions, will be occasionally produced. 
It is a common practice in making fine salt, to add lime 
to the water, to assist in separating the impurities which 
exist in the water in the shape of salts of lime and mag¬ 
nesia, as it comes from the earth, as it is supposed to 
render the separation more perfect, and render the con¬ 
version into salt by boiling more expeditious. In the 
report of Dr. Beck, to which we have alluded, the che¬ 
mical changes which render the use of lime proper, are 
clearly detailed, as well as the consequences which must 
result when improperly used by the manufacturer. The 
following extracts from the report will show the opin¬ 
ion of Dr. B.: 
“ I should observe, however, that the advantage gain¬ 
ed by the use of lime, depends upon its purity, and upon 
the )ime allowed for its precipitation, before the salting 
commences. When added to the salt during the boiling, 
it impairs its purity, and may be a fraudulent operation, 
unless great care is taken in again removing it by the 
pans with which the kettles are supplied.” And again: 
“It seems to me, therefore, that there can be no good 
objection to the use of lime if it be confined to the reser¬ 
voirs, as it causes the more speedy separation of the 
earthy matters, and renders the subsequent salting more 
rapid and perfect. But I would repeat, that in order to 
secure its beneficial effects, the lime should be in as caus¬ 
tic or pure a state, as it can conveniently be obtained. 
Lime which has been air slacked, or which has been 
previously used in a similar operation, cannot be advan¬ 
tageously employed; indeed it answers no better than so 
much sand or clay. And with regard to the addition of 
this substance to the brine while boiling, I can only say, 
that if the resulting earthy matters be carefully removed, 
its use may be tolerated; but it cannot be concealed, that 
in such cases, there is a strong temptation to hurry the 
process to completion, and thus mix up the earthy ingre¬ 
dients with the salt.” 
There is scarcely any subject of more importance to 
the state, and we may justly add to the United States, 
than the successful management of our salines, and the 
character and quality of the salt produced. There is no 
country in the world where salt is as cheap as it in this; 
a result clearly owing to competition; for although it 
should be proved, as asserted by some, that salt can be 
imported cheaper than it can be manufactured at our sa¬ 
lines, it by no means follows that consumers would ob¬ 
tain it cheap, were it not for the competition of our O- 
nondaga, or other American salt. The statement of Mr. 
Spencer, that “ previous to the commencement of the 
manufacture of coarse salt at our springs, in 1820 or ’21, 
the price of foreign salt by the cargo in New-York, was 
from sixty to eighty cents per bushel; and during the 
last war with Great Britain, was two dollars per bushel,” 
shows conclusively what we might again be brought to, 
should we, by any mistaken course of national or state 
policy, shut up, or abandon, this great source of state and 
national wealth, and individual comfort and prosper¬ 
ity. 
But while we wish to repel every unjust attack on our 
Onondaga Salines, particularly one so utterly incorrect as 
the one made by the Journal of Commerce; while we 
wish those who think the salt interest of the state a 
c small affair,’ to remember that at our salines in the year 
1841, were made 3,340,769 bushels of salt, while there 
were imported into the city of New-York, in the same 
time, only 1,522,233 bushels, we must insist that any 
mismanagement of this property of the state shall be 
freely canvassed, and any imperfections, especially such 
as result from carelessness or fraud, promptly pointed 
out. It is only in this way, that the high character of 
the Onondaga salt can be sustained; and the objections 
which the interested, or the ignorant, bring against it, 
fully refuted and done away. In this matter there is no 
one so deeply interested as the farmer; if there are frauds 
in the manufacture, they are the men who are directly 
or indirectly injured; and we shall endeavor to keep 
them informed as to the facts in all matters relating to 
salt and its quality. We know that in former years very 
impure salt has been vended, for we have suffered from 
its use; we know also, that if packers of provisions, beef 
or pork, will use Onondaga coarse salt, it will keep as 
long, and as sweet, as if packed with any other salt that 
can be named. It must be remembered too, that most of 
the losses which have arisen from the use of fine salt, 
have been caused by measuring instead of weighing the 
salt used. The weight of Turks Island is nearly double 
that of the Onondaga fine salt per bushel, yet packers, ac- 
cumstomed to using the first, in using the last, adopt the 
same quantity by measure. Is it wonderful that provi¬ 
sions should not keep, thus salted? The analysis of 
Dr. Beck, shows that the fine salt is equal in purity to the 
Liverpool, or Turks Island; all that is wanting is quan¬ 
tity. Weigh and not measure, and all will be safe. 
