II.-Amount of the Grains used for Food, consumed in the United States, showing surplus left for exportation. In estimating the domestic consumption of grains in the United States during the present year, we begin, first, with the quantity of each kind used for seed. And in relation to this item of consumption it is proper to remark, that we have taken for the basis of our calculations the estimates of intelligent practical agriculturists, residing in different parts of the Union, to whom we have personally applied for information. Making due allowance for different localities, soils and climates, it is believed they may be relied upon as very nearly accurate: Note. In this estimate we have allowed a gross amount for the seed used in the cultivation of Indian corn. For wheat we have allowed in the proportion of one bushel of seed to ten bushels of grain produced. Of rye, one bushel to eight; and of buckwheat, one bushel to sixteen. These proportions of seed to the quantities produced are greater than those allowed by the statistical writers of France for the crops of that country, and less than those allowed in England. As oats are not used for human food in this country, we have not included that crop in the table above. The proportion, however, of seed to the quantity produced is about one bushel to twenty. Thus, after deducting from the crops of the various grains used for breadstuffs in the United States, in 1847, the quantity used for seed, 672,691,220 bushels remain for the use of men and animals, and for exportation to foreign countries. In estimating the consumption of breadstuffs, English and French writers usually allow five bushels of wheat to each individual. In this country Indian corn enters largely into the consumption of nearly every class of the community. It is the principal food of the slave population, and is consumed in much greater proportion than wheat by the agricultural population of the New England states. The general use, therefore, of Indian corn, in the United States, as an article of human food, very much reduces the quantity of wheat consumed. Another cause which tends to diminish the quantity of breadstuffs consumed by the people of the United States, is the large amount of animal food consumed by them, which can easily be obtained, and which forms a large item in the consumption of every class of the population of the Union, not excepting the slave population. Making an allowance for the use of Indian corn and animal food, it will appear that the quantity of wheat consumed by the people of the United States is much less, in proportion, than the quantity consumed by the people of other civilized countries. We do not believe it will exceed three bushels for each individual of the whole population of the Union, free and slave. As the slaves consume but very little wheat, of course the quantity for each white person would be greater. POST OFFICE STATISTICS. The following table exhibits the money paid by each state of the Union, for the postage of letters, newspapers, and pamphlets, during the year ending June 30th, 1847. In contrast to the above, we give another table exhibiting the amounts paid by the government for transporting the mail in each of the several states: By these tables it will be seen that the northern states pay much the greatest proportion of the expense of transporting the mails. 229,307 Kentucky 89,581 Tennessee 55,298 Alabama 136.499 7.862 Mississippi 58,451 133,751 Arkansas 39.996 192,615 Louisiana 41,795 24.102 9,722 153,001 Wisconsin 15,043 Aggregate amount $2,485,819 TEMPERATURE. (From the Journal of Education.) It is an interesting subject to observe and illustrate the influence of temperature upon the works of nature and art. The following extract is from a table prepared by Thomas Fisher, of Philadelphia. Professor Farraday, availing himself of the intense cold produced by evaporation of the mixture of solid carbonic acid and ether, under an exhausted receiver of an air pump, and assisted by a pressure equal to fifty atmospheres, produced the greatest degree of cold yet known to chemists-viz: 166° of Fahrenheit below zero. 146 Degree of cold below zero, produced by Dr. J. K. Mitchell, of Philadel phia-alcohol becomes syrup. 103 Ammonia becomes a transparent solid of greater specific gravity than when liquid.-Farraday. 90 Greatest artificial cold produced by Mr. Walker of Liverpool. 78 Cold produced by mixing sulphuric acid and snow. 70 Natural temperature observed by Capt. Back, at Fort Reliance, north lat. 62° 46', lon. 109° west. 65 4 parts alcohol, 1 water became viscid-2 parts, 1 water, froze into ice. 58 Estimated temperature of planetary space.-Fourier. 57 Pyroligneous acid freezes. 55 Lowest degree registered by the thermometer of Capt. Sabine, during the winter of 1819, spent at Winter Harbor, Melville Island, north lat. 74° 47', lon. 110° 48' west. The mean temperature for six months, from November to April, inclusive, was 214 below zero. 55 Strong nitric acid freezes. 50 Natural temperature observed by Mr. Hutchins at Hudson's Bay. 46 Ether and liquid ammonia freeze. 45 Nitric acid freezes.-Cavendish. 39 Mercury freezes. Melting point of quicksilver. 36 Sulphuric acid freezes.-Thompson. 17 Creosote fluid. 11 2 parts alcohol, 1 part water, freeze. 7 alcohol, water, i. e. brandy, freezes. 3 Is the mean temperature of the coldest day ever known in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Zero is nearly the greatest extreme of cold known at Philadelphia. Equal portions of snow and salt produce zero. +7 1 part alcohol, 3 parts water, freezes. 16 Spirit of turpentine freezes. 20 The strongest kinds of wine freeze. 23 Hydro-fluoric acid freezes. 23 Coldest monthly mean temperature known for many years at Phila delphia. 25 Human blood freezes. 28 Vinegar freezes. 30 Milk freezes. 32 FREEZING POINT OF WATER. Ice melts. 36 Olive oil freezes. 40 Vegetable life awakens in the Spring, is suspended in the autumn. From 40 to 140 comprises the range of vegetable temperatures. 52 Mean annual temperature at Philadelphia. Monthly temperature of April and October, and of water in wells, at Philadelphia. 59 Vinous fermentation commences. All vegetable processes in art, brewers, bakers, all decomposition and reorganization in Nature com mence. 62 Is the temperature which is most suitable for churning butter of the best quality. 62 The favorite or most proper temperature of apartments. Dr. Cullen. 68 The most proper temperature of apartments-Dr. Physick. 70 Best point of temperature for brewers, and fermentation of bread. 76 Mean annual temperature at the Tropics. 77 Vinous fermentation is rapid. Vegetation and vegetable decomposition rapid. Acetous fermentation begins. 80 Greatest monthly mean temperature ever known at Philadelphia. This was July, in the hot and dry summer of 1838. It is stated that the yellow fever has never occurred at Philadelphia, unless after a continuous average heat of 794° for three weeks. This degree of heat is esteemed necessary to its production, and occurs only in seasons of great drought and heat. 88 Acetification ceases. According to other authorities it is said to continue seven degrees higher, up to 95. 88 Mean annual temperature at the Equator. 96 to 100 Animal temperature in all climates. coldest temperature 70, warmest, 112. 97 Lard melts. 98 Ether boils. 100 Phosphorus melts. Warm blooded animals, 112 Fever heat. This temperature (of the body), produces death in all the warm-blooded animals. 112 Spermaceti melts. 120 Heat of the Summer sun's light at Philadelphia. 120 Oxidation of lead. White lead works. 120 Bleaching temperatures commence, terminating at 212. 122 Phosphorus burns. 124 to 126 Greatest heat at which De La Roche and Berger existed for a few minutes in watery vapor. 127 Tallow melts. 140 Liquid ammonia boils. 140 Greatest heat of the vertical sunlight on the Equator. This temperature is the greatest natural atmospheric temperature which exists, and, when they are fully exposed to it, is sufficient to cause the death of all animals in a comparatively short time. 145 Camphor sublimes. 145 Ambergris melts. 165 Albumen coagulates-eggs are cooked. 170 Sulphur evaporates. 176 Alcohol boils. 201 Rose's Metal melts. 8 parts bismuth, 5 parts lead, 3 parts tin. 211 Newton's metal melts. 4 parts bismuth, 2 parts lead, 3 parts tin. 210 Young man remained in a stove for twenty minutes.-Dobson's Experiments, Liverpool. 212 Water boils, and watery compounds boil. As a general rule the dissolving of anything in water increases the temperature required to produce boiling. 218 Water saturated with salt boils. 226 Sulphur melts. 230 Saturated solution of muriate of lime, (chloride of calcium), boils. 230 Water saturated with sugar-syrup of sugar boils. 242 Nitric acid boils. 240 to 260 Dr. Blagden at Liverpool sustained this temperature eight minutes. 264 A baker's daughter is said to have remained in an oven, thus heated, for twelve minutes.-Tillet and Duhamel, 1760. Camphor melts, and boils at 400.-Turner. 300 The surfaces of all furnaces, whether of iron, brick, or other material, designed for heating air for warming rooms, should never exceed this degree. Where they do, the purity and salubrity of the air is sensibly and seriously affected, a peculiar "baked" odor is imparted to it, so often the case in public assemblies, churches and private dwellings. To obviate this, furnaces or stoves should be of large size in propor tion to the rooms to be warmed, a large quantity of air should be ad mitted in proportion to the fuel consumed, which will of course be the means of a more equable and moderate heat, and better ventilation. 303 Sulphur burns slowly. Heat of baking ovens may be readily determined by the ignition of sulphur. 320 Volatile oils boil generally as high as 320, many of them 100 degrees higher. 300 to 350 comprise the temperatures proper for baking vegetable substances -bread, pies, meat, fruits, &c. The heat of a baking oven may, with a little practice, be excellently well determined by the quick or slow ignition of a sulphur match tied to a stick and held in the centre of the oven. 397 Creosote boils. 442 Tin melts, most easily of the metals. 460 The surface of polished steel acquires a pale straw color, and takes a slight degree of "temper" when suddenly chilled. 476 Bismuth melts. 554 Phosphorus boils. 560 Spirit of turpentine boils. 570 Sulphur boils. 580 The surface of polished steel acquires a uniform deep blue color, and when suddenly chilled, takes a high "temper." 590 Sulphuric acid boils. 600 Linseed oil boils. 612 Lead melts. 635 Iron begins to show light of ignition in the dark. For the higher furnace temperatures, we can offer no measurement but those of Wedgwood's pyrometer, which is admitted to be far from a satisfactory one. A good pyrometer is a great desideratum in science. 8487 Working heat of plate glass. 10177 Flint glass furnace, lowest heat. 11737 Carbonization of iron-steel manufacture. 12257 Liverpool ware baked. 12777 Lowest welding heat of iron. 13427 Greatest welding heat of iron. 13297 to 15637 Common sorts of China ware and porcelain vitrified. 15897 Flint glass furnace, strongest heat. 17327 Greatest heat of a common smith's forge. 17977 Cobalt melts. |