may be felt on this part, when it is very deficient on most of the other points. The parts, on the other hand, which are generally the last in being covered with flesh, are the point of the shoulder-joint, and the top of the shoulder. If these parts are, therefore, felt to be well covered, the other and better parts of the animal may be considered ripe. Ripeness of condition, however, can only be rightly ascertained by handling, for there is a great difference between the apparent and real fatness of an ox. The flesh of an apparently fat ox to the eye, may, on being handled by a judge, feel loose and flabby; but a truly fat ox always feels "hard fat." With such the butcher is seldom deceived, while loose handlers give no assurance of killing well. It is proper, in judging of the weight of a fat ox, to view his gait while walking towards you, which will, if the ox has been well fed, be accompanied with a heavy rolling tread on the ground. In this way a judge can at once come very near to its weight. ing neck in sheep indicates a weakness of constitution, arising from breeding in and in. Some of the rules for cattle and sheep are applicable to swine. Swine should have broad straight backs, round ribs, thin hair, thin skin, small tails, short and fine muscles, pricked ears, small and fine bones, and round and well turned shoulders and hams. In conclusion, it is obvious that these rules for judging live-stock are not founded upon arbitrary assumptions. Had no natural means of judging existed, man could no doubt have contrived rules to suit his own convenience; and in such a case, he would probably have chosen such as he could have most easily applied; but unless they could be applied to the growing, as well as the mature condition of animals, they would be of little value. But we have seen that natural means of judging do exist, and although they cannot be easily undersood without much observation and practice, yet, by practice, they can be acquired, and easily applied to the existing circumThe application of all these rules and consider-stances of the animal, whatever these may be. ations to the judging of lean stock, constitutes the Any person, it is true, cannot at once perceive chief difficulty to the judge. An ox, in high con- that their necessary tendency is to lead to a correct dition in so far as its condition alone is under con- judgement. Long and careful personal observation sideration, can be judged of, as we have seen, by any is requisite to convince the mind of their value in one; and sometimes the fatness may be so great that respect. Tuition, without practical observaas obviously to deform the symmetry to any ob- tion, cannot of itself do it. It has been the study server. The superiority of a judge to others, in these of nature, in short, which has enabled man to escases, consists in estimating the weight, observing|tablish these rules for his guidance; and as all the the purity of the blood, and valuing the points of the animal. But in judging of a lean ox, its future condition and symmetry must be foreseen. The rules which I have attempted to describe, will, if studied practically, enable an inquiring observer to foresee these points; and in judging between a number of valuable points, it should be remembered, that purity of breeding will always insure aptitude to fatten, which, in its turn, will insure the largest remuneration for the food consumed. Sheep, both fat and lean, may be judged of by nearly the same rules. The purity of breeding will be seen in the large full prominent eys, the elean thin bone of the head and legs, and the large thin pricked up ears, set on each side of the top of the head, and in the short, thick, smooth, clear hair of the face and legs. The section of the form of the fat sheep is even more mathematically like a parallelogram than that of the fat ox. The touch of the skin is also the same in kind, and is as sure an indication of the disposition to fatten as in the ox. In regard that wool varies so greatly in the many breeds of sheep, I can only make this general remark on the fleece best suited to every breed, namely, the whole body should be well covered with wool, with the exception of the face and legs, which are always covered with hair. A large covering of wool, not only protects them against the inclemencies of the weather, and the coldness and dampness of the ground, but it supplies a large fleece to be disposed of to the wool buyer. One deviation from the rules of judging cattle, must be made while judging sheep, to which I have already alluded, namely, while the neck of the ox should be thin, that of the sheep should be thick; because a thin necked sheep is found to possess a weak spine, and is generally a bad feeder. A thin neck has thus the same effects on sheep that a small tail has on cattle. As in cattle, a droop operations of nature are regulated by general laws, these rules must be of universal application. It is clearly established by observation, as an uniform principle of judgement, that when an ox, in a growing state, presents a certain degree of purity of breeding, a certain form of body, and a certain kind of handling of its skin, a certain result is undeviatingly exhibited in the mature state from these given premonitory symptoms. Should this result conduce to the acquisition of wealth, we are anxious to possess the growing animal which exhibits such favorable points; and, on the other hand, we are as anxious to avoid the possession of that animal which exhibits unfavorable points, unless at a very depreciated value. Now, it has been ascertained by experience, that pure breeding, perfect form, and fine touch, make the best mature animal. Hence these points will insure both the growing and the mature animal a ready market and a good price; and hence also, that breed which constantly presents these points, deserves, by its intrinsic worth, to be generally cultivated. From the New England Farmer. CUT AND UNCUT POTATOES FOR PLANTING. Mr. Fessenden-The following details of an experiment to ascertain the relative advantage of planting cut or uncut potatoes is at your service for publication if you think it of sufficient importance. I planted this year alternate rows of cut and uncut potatoes. I put four pieces into each hill of the cut potatoes and two potatoes into each hill of the whole potatoes. The hills were three feet apart, each way, and of course the number of hills in an acre was 4840. The produce of the rows, planted with cut potatoes was at the rate of three hundred and fifty-five bushels the acre, or twenty and difficult to construct, and to secure from destruction by storms, but they are not legal substitutes for complete enclosures, and he who uses them does so at his peril-and he can have no redress for any depredations of animals trespassing on a field fenced partly in this manner, because it is not under a "lawful enclosure." three thousand five hundred and twenty pounds. | fences" jutting into the river, or creeks, to such disThe produce of the rows planted with whole po- tances as circumstances require and permit. But tatoes was at the rate of four-hundred and filty- these jutting fences are not only very expensive eight bushels or thirty-two thousand and sixty pounds. The difference in the crop in favor of whole potatoes was at the rate of one-hundred and twenty-two bushels the acre, but as there were twenty-two bushels more of seed the acre used in planting the whole potatoes the nett gain was only one-hundred bushels. However, as one bushel of potatoes at the season of planting is usually worth two bushels at harvest time, it will be more accurate to calculate the gain at seventyeight bushels. The kind of potatoes planted was the "white blue nose" which is decidedly the best potato for the table I have ever cultivated, though a moderate bearer unless it receive generous treat ment. Ellsworth, (Me.) 3d Nov. 1834. For the Farmers' Register. PETITION FOR AN AMENDMENT OF THE LAW RIVER. [Lest it should be supposed that the appearance of the following petition indicates some opposition to the former one asking for a more general change in the law of enclosures, it is proper to state that the two petitions originated with different persons, and in distant parts of the country—and though without concert, and asking for relief in different modes, the two petitions, so far from being in conflict, will serve to aid each other's object. Public notice was advertised of the intention of offering this petition, some months before the publication of the other.] To the General Assembly of Virginia. showeth: That your petitioners are owners or occupiers of land lying on, and partly bounded by, the navigable tide waters of James River, or some of its tributary streams. That in addition to the hardship and injustice which, in common with most of our fellow citizens, we suffer from the general operation of the law respecting enclosures, (which general hardships we do not mean here to discuss,) your petitioners are subjected to other and peculiar injuries, from which they may be easily secured by legislative interposition, without any loss or disadvantage to the community in general, and without inflicting wrong on any individual citizen whatever. But greater evils are felt where the waters, though deep, are more narrow. There also, generally, all stock, except hogs, are effectually kept from pass-. ing, by the miry nature of the bottoni and margins of the creeks. But hogs cannot be stopped by these obstacles, nor by any depth of water, nor even by a considerable width, as well as depth: and if a field of 100 acres was thus exposed to the encroachment of a single hog trained to mischief, there would be no legal remedy, or safeguard, except fencing the whole water line. The fences thus required by the law along the margins of rivers and navigable creeks, are by far the most expensive in our part of Virginia, where fencing has become generally a most burdensome tax on agriculture. The adjacent lands in almost every case are divested of all timber suitable for fencing, which makes it necessary to bring it from distant places: most of the water lines are marshy, or otherwise not easily accessible to carts: and withal so crooked as often to need fences of double the length of straight courses: and after being constructed at such great expense, fences in these places are immediately and always in danger from storms, high tides, and the concealed attacks of mischievous hogs, or their owners who may desire to profit by such depredations. If there was any compensating benefit (by whomsoever it might be received) for all the waste of fencing along the borders of deep tide water, we should hesitate to ask your honorable body for this boon, however great its value would be to us. But in fact, the granting of our prayer for relief will encroach on no man's rights, and scarcely in the slightest degree on any one's interest, whether that interest be in the use of his own, or of his neighbor's fields. The scanty supply of food obtained by live stock along the margins of rivers and creeks, and from which they might be debarred by the desired change in the law, is scarcely worth as much as the expense and risk incurred by stock being allowed to range at large in such places: and the whole profit thus derived from stock, is certainly not equal to the tenth part of the expense of the fencing which is now necessary for gaining that profit, and for no other purpose. We therefore pray of your honorable body that the general provisions of the law passed at the That by the existing law, the navigable rivers last session, which makes the Upper Appomattox and their creeks and tributaries, however wide and a lawful fence, may be extended to all parts of the deep, are not legally a barrier against the trespass-tide waters of James River, its creeks and tribues of live stock from neighboring lands—and there-tary streams, navigable by vessels drawing four fore that the water boundaries of farms must be feet depth of water-and that "stops," or "water kept covered by a "lawful fence," or the owner of fences," under proper regulations, may be made the land be subject to suffer, without redress, any lawful fences between the adjoining lands, on the extent of depredations from mischievous animals. same side of a water course, The great width of the Lower James River makes it in most places, an actual and sufficient obstruction to the crossing of animals-and therefore the land owners may, and often do, dispense with fences along the shores, by making "water All which is respectfully submitted, OBSERVATIONS AND QUERIES RESPECTING other borings, as well as the ordinary springs in ARTESIAN WELLS. To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. William and Mary College, Nov. 18, 1834. The process of boring for water which of late years has been practiced with so much success in many parts of Europe and this country, has furnished scientific inquirers with an opportunity of verifying one of the most important truths which modern investigation has disclosed. I allude to the existence of very intense heat at great depths in the earth, and the progressive diminution of temperature in approaching the surface. This view of the interior condition of the globe, though by no means of modern origin, has, until a comparatively recent time, been deservedly classed with the thousand other speculations concerning our planet, to which the ingenuity and eloquence of theorists have given temporary celebrity. But in the present day, the doctrine has assumed a more imposing attitude. Even in its reference to the entire mass of the earth, it is sustained by the concurrent evidence of a multitude of facts, while so far as it relates to depths which observation has actually explored, it has acquired the character of established truth. their vicinity, I have drawn up a list of inquiries, embracing several subjects to which their attention might be advantageously directed. It will be seen that only part of these relate to the temperature of the wells. The others refer to various points of examination either interesting on account of their probable bearing upon the former, or from their own intrinsic importance in a scientific, as well as practical point of view. In connection with the enumeration of these several points of inquiry, directions and explanations are added for the benefit of the observer, together with such facts, derived from observations abroad, as are likely to furnish a guide to researches in our own country. The subjects to which I would here solicit investigation are embraced in the following queries. 1. What is the general temperature of the ordinary springs in the vicinity? In reference to this query I would remark, that in comparing the temperatures at different depths in the earth with the temperature at the surface, it is necessary that the mean temperature of the surface should first be ascertained. To do this with great accuracy requires a series of observations with the thermometer, continued for many years, and made at short intervals. But as this could not It is now very generally admitted, that the tem- in general be expected, an approximation may be perature of the earth, at great depths, is much obtained. by observing the temperature of the higher than at the surface, and that the increase springs, in the neighborhood, particularly, such as begins to be perceived as soon as we penetrate be-issue from a considerable depth. Of course, much low the limit at which external impressions of caution will be necessary in the selection of springs temperature become insensible. The numerous for observation, and in some districts it will be alobservations which have been made of late years most impracticable to find any whose temperature in the mines and Artesian Wells of Europe, have would correspond to the mean of that at the surnot only established the general fact of an increas- face. Such a difficulty, for instance, would occur ing temperature, but have determined for many in some neighborhoods among our mountains, places in Great Britain and on the Continent, the where mineral springs of various temperatures precise depth at which the augmentation begins, abound. But even there the freestone and limeand the rate of increase which subsequently occurs. stone springs which have obtained their steady But as yet I believe no observations of a similar temperature by percolation through the superficial nature have been made in this country, though the strata of sandstone and calcareous rock, would genumber and depth of our Artesian Wells would nerally furnish a very close approximation to the seem naturally to invite attention to the subject. In mean. In less broken regions, where the springs Western Virginia, Alabama, and some of the are fed from deep strata of gravel, sand, and clay, Northern States, this investigation might be car- their temperature is uniform throughout extensive ried on with great success. Nor should it be ob- districts, and approaches very nearly to the mean jected, that these researches are only matters of of superficial heat. Of course, such springs as scientific curiosity, and that they cannot be subser- will give this mean, must preserve their temperavient to any useful purpose. Much that is valua- ture unchanged throughout the year. If, thereble might flow from a careful examination of tem-fore, observations made at different seasons, indiperatures and other circumstances connected with cate any considerable variation in the temperature our Artesian Wells. Discoveries bearing upon of a spring, no exact inference as to the mean can the economy of these wells have actually attended be deduced from a single observation. But if the such researches in some parts of Europe, and there variation be very small, as for instance, one or two are doubtless others still to be achieved. Nor is it degrees at opposite periods of the year, the mean unreasonable to expect even useful lights in agri- may be very closely approached by taking the culture from an accurate investigation of the tem- average or half-sum of the two extreme temperaperatures of the superficial strata of the globe. tures. Indeed, this method might frequently be Already observations of an analogous nature have resorted to with advantage, as a substitute for nudisclosed the curious and important truth that in merous atmospheric observations. As the impreshigh latitudes the near temperature of the earth is sions of external temperature travel downwards at less diminished than that of the atmosphere, and a very slow rate, we should not expect to find even hence Wahlenberg, and after him Kuppfer, have comparatively superficial springs promptly sympaexplained the fact that many deep-rooted plants thising in the changes that occur above. Moreand trees attain a vigorous growth in situations over, as these impressions grow fainter in their where, from the general coldness of the air, it progress through the earth, and at length become would be thought impossible for them to exist. entirely imperceptible, the fluctuation of temperature in springs even at a depth of twenty feet will present but a small fraction of the corresponding variation at the surface. It appears therefore, that In the hope that some of your readers either in our western counties, or in Alabama, may be induced to institute observations on the salt wells or a few observations, made upon springs, will be of Centigrade scale, 11.82 degrees or 53° 27 by that greater use in determining the mean annual tem- of Fahrenheit. perature of a place, than a great number, made in Comparative observations at depths of from one the ordinary way, by exposing the thermometer to to fifteen feet, have been made at Edinburgh,Strasthe air. In reference to this topic, it may be re-burg and Zurich, and the mean temperatures at marked, in conclusion, that the determination of these depths ascertained for each month in the this mean is far from being unimportant to the ag- year. From these it would appear, that even at riculturist; for it contributes a large item to his the depth of a few feet the annual variation of knowledge of climate, and as we all know climate temperature is very much reduced. Thus at is continually influencing the results of his opera- Edinburgh, the mean temperature of the hottest tions, and should be thoroughly understood, to se-month by a thermometer in the air, being 59° 36, cure them the highest attainable success. and that of the coldest by the same instrument 2. What are the general features of the sur- 38° 3, the corresponding mean temperatures at rounding country? the depth of eight feet below the surface were 3. What rocks show themselves in the neigh-respectively 50 and 42°-thus giving for the anborhood, and how are they disposed? If, inclined, in what direction do they dip? 4. Through what strata does the well or boring penetrate, and what is the thickness of each stratum? The investigations here suggested, though destitute of any immediate practical use, of which the farmer might avail himself, are, nevertheless, of a nature to interest him from the light which they may throw upon the origin and peculiar character of the springs and Artesian Wells in his vicinity. In a geological point of view, they are of the utmost importance, and such is the growing connection between geology and agriculture, that whatever promotes the one must either now, or at some future day, contribute to the advancement of the other. 5. To what height does the water rise in the well, and is its height uniform or fluctuating? If the latter, in what conditions of the weather, or other influencing circumstances, does it rise and fall? 6. What is the character of the water? Is it like that of the common springs in the vicinity, or, if not, in what respects is it peculiar? 7. Is any gaseous matter discharged with the water? If so, what is its nature? A chemical analysis of the gas thus evolved, would not, in general, be practicable, but the determination of one or two of its most obvious properties would not be attended with any great difficulty, and might suffice to determine its nature. Thus its odor, if it possess any, its effect upon a lighted taper, its absorbability by cold water, and its effect upon the color of a slip of paper moistened with a solution of sugar of lead, would be matters of very ready observation. 8. What is the temperature of the water at the surface, and at successive depths of 50, 100, 150, &c. feet? nual variation on the surface 20°, and for that at eight feet below only 8°. Again at Strasburg, the warmest month having a mean of 62° 6, and the coldest of 28° 4 at the surface-these means at the depth of fifteen were respectively 52° 8 and 43° 8-giving an annual variation at this depth but little exceeding one-fourth of that at the surface. In looking over these observations, it is interesting to remark the successive arrival at a given depth of the impressions of temperature from above, long after these impressions have declined or ceased upon the surface. Thus, even at the depth of eight feet, the highest temperature is not experienced until September, and the lowest until February. Winter and summer, as it were, arriving a month or more after they have occurred above. It is obvious from these statements, that changes of season become imperceptible at a comparatively small distance beneath the soil, and that the climate of the earth at the depth of 50 or 100 feet is perfectly uniform throughout the year. Hence springs issuing from this region may be expected to present little or no variation in their temperature. Beneath the depth at which this uniformity first becomes manifest, it has already been said, that the temperature progressively increases as we descend. A statement of some of the evidences by which this curious law has been established, may not prove unacceptable or useless to such of your readers as are interested in the observations to which this communication particularly refers. Gensanne, who was the first to experiment upon the comparative temperatures at different depths, obtained in the lead mines of Giromagny the following results. At a depth of 101 metres the temperature was 183 (6 220 66 206 (C 433 13 1 19 O 22 7 15 6 Allusion has already been made to the interesting fact of an increased temperature at great depths below the surface of the earth. This increase, as was before intimated, does not begin until we pass Sanssure in the salt pits of Berne found at a depth the limit at which the impressions transmitted of 108 metres, a temperature of 14° 4 Centigrade from the surface become insensible. Of course, the distance of this limit from the surface, will vary with the nature of the intervening strata, being greatest always in those soils which most readily transmit the temperature from above. According to the observations which have been continued for the last fifty years in the caves beneath the Observatory in Paris, the temperature at the depth of eighty-three feet, has, during this long period, remained perfectly uniform; being by the The observations of Cordier, a celebrated French geologist, being among the most complete and satisfactory that have yet been published, may with propriety be here transcribed. They were made in the three great coal mines of Carmeaux, Littry and Decise, and the temperatures were obtained both from the rocks and springs at different depths. Near Bex, 47 32 feet. In Saxony. These observations were made with extreme care, so as to avoid the influence of all local causes that might vitiate the results. To these might be added the numerous and accurate observations of Daubuisson in Saxony and Brittany-De Trebra in the former, and Fox in Cornwall. Our own continent has, as yet, witnessed but a single observation of the kind; one made by the learned and enterprising Humboldt in the silver mine of Guanaxuato in Mexico. This observation is chiefly valuable on account of the great depth at which it was made, viz: 522 metres, or nearly 1800 feet. The mean temperature at the surface being 60° 4 of Fahrenheit; he found the thermometer below to stand at the enormous height of 96° 44. But the experiments bearing most directly on the query last proposed, are those which have been made in varions Artesian Wells in Europe. The following results were obtained by M. De Bellevue, in a well of this description on the sea side near Rochelle. In the Artesian Well near Rochelle, to which we have already referred, the rate of augmentation was still more considerable than in either of the above examples. There the thermometer rose 3° 6' by an increase of depth amounting to 54 feet-which is at the rate of one degree to 15 feet. Certainly no fact can be more curious or interesting than the comparatively high temperature of the water in the lower parts of these wells. From the known tendency of warm water to ascend and give place to that which is colder, it is evident that unless there existed some permanent source of heat at the bottom and sides of the well, the distribution of temperature which has been observed could not continue for any length of time-and hence these experiments furnish convincing evidence of a regularly augmenting temperature in proportion to the depth. The well at the time of the first experiment was 34 inches in diameter, and 316 feet deep; filled with brackish stagnant water to the height of 294 feet. The external air being at 51° Fahrenheit, the thermometer after remaining at the bottom 24 hours stood at 61°. At eleven feet below the surface the water had a temperature of 56° 6. The same well being afterwards sunk to 370 feet the thermometer, after standing 25 hours, showed a temperature of 64° 6; making an increase of 3° 6 for an additional depth of 54 feet. A repetition of the observations gave precisely the same result. An Artesian Well in the neighborhood of Vi-portunity of obtaining a much wider extent of enna gave the following temperatures. Mean temperature at the surface. At a depth of 62 20 feet do. 111 68 do. 52 25 66 56 93 (( The observations hitherto made on the temperature of Artesian Wells, have, as we have already stated, been confined to Europe, and have embraced no very great range of depth. Many of the borings in the United States afford an op comparison, and would therefore, no doubt, furnish still more interesting results. Assuredly this con50° 44 Fahr. sideration ought to be sufficient to invite all who are favorably circumstanced to engage in the investigation. The time and labor necessary for such a course of observations, would be inconsiderable, when compared with the important bearings of the inquiry, and even supposing that a minute degree of accuracy should not be found practicable-great interest will attach to the rudest approximate result. The following hints as to the mode of observation will, it is hoped, be useful in furthering inquiry. At the depth of 30 37 feet 51° 8 Fahr. 177 76 do. 55 94 do. 219 45 do. 57 20 do. do. In these observations the depths were estimated in metres, and the temperatures measured on the Centigrade scale. I have reduced the former to English feet, and the latter to degrees of Fahrenheit, for the sake of a more convenient comparison, In order to discover the exact temperature of the water at any considerable depth, the thermometer which is let down ought, if possible, to be pro |