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Read Ebook: The Rural Magazine and Literary Evening Fire-Side Vol. 1 No. 05 (1820) by Various
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Few of our native trees are more useful for fuel, and the manufacture of potash; and as the means of affording a great and almost inexhaustible supply of sugar, it becomes an object of great importance, even to the farmer, who is desirous of transmitting a valuable inheritance to his children. It is my intention to plant this tree in the place of a line of the Athenian poplars, which I have been obliged to cut down after eight years luxuriant growth, from their injurious effect on the adjoining fields, by the extension of their roots to sixty and seventy feet, throwing up a little forest of suckers.
Theory of Vegetation.
See Priestly's Experiments and Observations on different kinds of Air, begun in 1767.
Recherches chemiques sur la vegetation, chap. ii.
This was a discovery of Sennebier.
When deprived of light, plants are pale, lax and dropsical; restored to it, they recover their colour, consistency and odour. If a plant be placed in a cellar, into which is admitted a small portion of light through a window or cranny, thither the plant directs its growth, and even acquires an unnatural length in its attempt to reach it. These facts admitted, no one can doubt the agency of light in vegetation; but in relation to this agency, various opinions exist; one, that light enters vegetable matter, and combines with it; another, that it makes no part either of the vegetable or of its aliment, but directly influences substances which are alimentary; and a third, that besides the last effect, it stimulates the organs of plants to the exercise of their natural functions.
It is by a knowledge of this fact, that gardeners bleach chicony and cellery, &c.
See Fourcroy, vol. viii.
See Chaptal on vegetation.
Knight's Observations, &c.
Davy's Elements.
MANURES OF GREEN CROPS.
When old pastures are broken up, and made arable, not only has the soil been enriched by the death and slow decay of the plants which have left soluble matters in the soil; but the leaves and roots of the grasses living at the time, and occupying so large a part of the surface, afford saccharine, mucilaginous, and extractive matters, which become immediately the food of the crop, and the gradual decomposition affords a supply for successive years.
ESSAY ON AGRICULTURE.
His quiet and unsophisticated modes of thinking and living, indispose him to listen with eagerness to the solicitations of intrigue or sedition, and it is proverbial that the contagious frenzy of revolution, extends not without difficulty, to the cautious, reflective, and well balanced mind of the farmer.
NEW YORK, March 27, 1820.
A Mr. James Lee, in England, discovered that the process of steeping and dew retting flax, or hemp, was not necessary; and that if treated and dressed dry, it will be superior in every respect, produce more, and make considerable return to the land, as fodder for cattle and as manure.
A patent was granted to him in 1812; and of such importance was it considered, that he obtained an act of parliament to keep his specification secret for seven years. This may be a reason why so little has been known of it in this country. I have, however, one of his machines in my possession, and have dressed flax with it. It consists of a break, or as he called it, a scraper, to separate the boon out of the stem, &c.--it is then passed through a pair of finely fluted rollers, and is finished and ready for the hackle.
The flax plants, when ripe, are to be pulled, to be spread and dried the same as hay, laying the roots in one direction; when dry, to be carried into the barn: And from the report of a committee of the house of commons on the petition of James Lee, and also on petition of Lee and Bundy, respecting their new machine for this purpose, it appears that the following are the results of Mr. Lee's discovery:
It also appeared in evidence before the committee, that
or a saving in proportion as 90 to 33.
I have, however, never made the experiment of weighing the flax, and then ascertaining its produce when retted; but from the knowledge of those who gave evidence to this point, have no doubt of its correctness.
There is another advantage; the flax dressed in a dry state becomes much whiter, and is easier bleached--merely washing it in soap and water makes it white: the finest particles of flax are also saved, which are essential to the manufacture of lace, or very fine linen: the seed is also all preserved.
Mr. Brande, professor of chymistry at the Royal Institution, made some experiments on the nutritious quality of the chaff: the result was, an eighth of nutritious matter. Mr. Lee says, it is equal to a crop of oats for feeding cattle; and it appeared also, that horses, when accustomed to it, prefer it to clover chaff.
Having thus briefly stated the advantages of the dry method of dressing flax, I will proceed to give some account of the machines for preparing it, which have been invented since Mr. Lee's. The best appears to be Hill and Bundy's, for which Mr. Bundy obtained a patent, in England. It consists of two machines, a breaker and a rubber; the first for separating the harle from the boon; the second cleanses it from small particles of wood and bark, left by the breaker.
The breaker consists of fine fluted rollers, so disposed as to draw the flax through them, at the same time to take off the woody parts from it; once passing through is generally sufficient. It is a machine combining great mechanical skill, and on an entirely different principle from Mr. Lee's, and is not liable to get out of order.
The rubber is made to have the same effect as rubbing by hand would, to cleanse the fibre, and open and subdivide it, to produce the finest thread.
Mr. Lee has invented a new machine, consisting of fluted rollers, to work by water or horse power: it is different from Hill and Bundy's, which is worked by hand; and the rollers work differently.
Having never made any of the machines, I can only state the probable cost. Hill and Bundy's one breaker and two rubbers, could be furnished for about 0. Lee's machine, at from 60 to . His new machine I have never seen a draft of, and could not tell the cost.
The high cost of Hill and Bundy's machine will prevent our farmers generally from obtaining it. But what better business can be done, than purchasing the flax, in its dry state, from the farmer, to manufacture it in this way; and every town might employ its paupers in dressing flax by these machines: they might also be introduced into our state prisons and penitentiaries with good effect.
Having given you this hasty sketch of the recent improvement in dressing flax, I would suggest to our agricultural societies generally, to procure one of the machines, as there can be no doubt of their answering. The general introduction of them would not only promote greatly our agricultural prosperity, but also the domestic manufactures of this state.
AGRICULTURAL MEMORANDA.
CANKER ON PLUM TREES.
S. SOUTHWICK, Esq.
Yours, &c. ARBOREUM.
ON DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES.
SIR--The Montgomery Agricultural Society have announced the following 40 premiums to be awarded to ladies in October, 1820. As some of them are novel, their publication in the Plough Boy, I am persuaded, will have an excellent effect, as an example.
To the lady who shall produce the best piece of cloth, made of merino wool, spun in the family, not less than 15 yards,
For the best piece of cloth made of common wool, spun in the family, not less than 15 yards, 6
For the best piece of flannel, spun in the family, of merino wool, not less than 20 yards, 6
For the best piece of flannel made of common wool, spun in the family, not less than 20 yards, 5
For the best pair of rose blankets, spun and made in the county, 5
For the best piece of carpeting, spun in the family, 6
For the best external covering for beds, spun in the county, 4
For the best hearth rug, spun and made in the family, 3
For the best pair of worsted stockings, made and knit in the family, 1
For the best pair of woollen stockings, spun and knit in the family, 1
For the best pair of cotton stockings, knit in the family, 1
For the best pair of linen stockings, spun and knit in the family, 1
For the best half pound of sewing linen thread, spun in the family, 4
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