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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1877)
December. THE WEST SHORE. 59 THE GREAT FLORAS OF AMERICA The first fniiti of last summer'.- visit of dis tinguished scientists to our coast, under the auspices of Prof. Hsyduu's survey, are buri,,. ning to appear, We have had the advantage of examining an advance alutract of l'rof. Hay den's report of the summer's work, and thus gain for our readers the earliest information on a very interesting and imwrt.nt subject The botany of the survey was represented the past season by the two great masters of that depart ment, Sir Joseph D. Hooker, Director of the G aniens of kew, England, and President of the Rond Society ol London, end Prof. Asa 11 of Oambrldm, Massaohnjette. Their eiaralnV ti.m extended over a great portion of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada ami California. Their investigation into the alpine Noras and tree veg etation of the Rocky mountains and Sierra Ne vada enabled them to give a .-lear idea of the relation and influence of the climatic conditions on both aides of the great mountain ranges. Sir Joseph Hooker, whose botanical researches em brace the gteatn pari ol r.uro ; the Indies, from the Bay of Bengal across the Himalayas to Ihibet ;,the Antarctic region ami the south ere part of South America New Zealand, Aus. traha, South Africa, Morocco and Asia Minor presents m the English periodical Mirers fr October 29th, an outline of his studies during the season, and this outline, when tilled out, will form a most important report for the elev enth annual report of the llavden Survey. It will be seen at a glanco that the report will be of a most comprehensive character, and cannot fall to be of the highest interest to our iiooplc. The tree vegetation, and especially the oonifene were made special objects of study, and many obscure points were cleared up. Of a section of the Rockv mountains, com prising Colorado, Wyoming ami Utah, Dr. Hooker says: "Such a section of the Rocky taracal geography of North America; but the relations of the dry intermediate region, either to these or to the floras of other countries, had not been similarly treated, and this we hone that we have now materials for discussing. nr. Hooker sums up the results of the lolnl investigation, of Dr. Dray ami himsclf-anled Hi . -v l,ri'l'usly intimate knowledge of the elements of the American flora -from the Mississippi to the Pacific coast: "that the vege tation of the middle latitudes of the continent resolves itself into three principal meridional Uoras, incomparably more diverse than IhoM presented by any similar meridians in the Old World, being, In fact, as far as the trees, shrub, and many genera of herbaceous plants are con corned, absolutely distinct. These are the two unrald and the dry Intermediate regions, als.vo indicated. Each of these, again, is subdiviislilc into three, as follows: J-,.1'!"', Atlantic slope plus Mississippi region, subdivisible into (A) . Atlantic, (Hi a Missis, sippi valley and (V) an interposed mountain re (Ion with a temperate and sub alpine flora a The Pacific .lope, ItlMlrlelble into ( ) a very humid, cool forot-clad coast range IB t he great hot, drier California valley formed by the Sail Juan river flowing to the north and the Sacramento river flowing to the loath, both into the Hay of San Francisco; and (V) the Si erra tvevada flora, temperate, sub-aliiiue and alpine. 1 3. The Rocky mountain region (in its wildest sense extending from the Mississippi beyond its forest region to the Sierra Nevada, uhdi visible Into (A) a prairie flora; (11) a desert or laline flora; ( ) a Rocky mountain proper tlora, teni perate, sub-alpiue und alpiue. As above stated, the difference between the floras of the first and second of theee region,, is specifically, ami to a great extent generic-ally absolute; not a pine or oak, maple, elm, plane or birch of Eastern America extends to West ern, and genera of 80 to oil ,ecios are confined STEAM CULTIVATION. The telegraph announces that Congressman Horace Davis, of San Francisco, has introduced a bill at Washington allowing the importation of tackle, etc., for steam cultivation free of duties for the coming two years. Although wo have no fuller information ol Mr. Davis' meas ure other than the mere statement of tho above fact, we imagine that the removal of duty will lie advocated on the ground that experiment of steam cultivation is one very desirable to make in tin, country, and the tools to conduct tho ex periments must lie had abroad. Therefore to THK ART OF THK DUE S1NKKR. When a die is require,, for a ooin or medals, the engraver takes a piece of soft steel of suit able dimensions, generally throe or four iuehes ill length, ami about an mob greater in diameter than the ooln or other article required; on this he hollows out the exact form of the desired impression by cutting away the steel by do grees, with small, well -tempered, case-hardened tools. As soon as this work is thoroughly ac complished the steel is hardened by Wing betted red-hot in a crucible with charcoal am! oil or bone-dust, and then plunged into cold water. When a great number of coins of one sort are reiiured, tho original die is termed the matrix, and I'liiiion itM mule, fwuet ii 1... I noiu ib in oil aieei, WDlQQ is in rcliet, - hiwwiw and is called the puncheon, ami from which, timiof the experimental machinery, will not do when it has been burden-sl, other dies are pro- injury to home manufactures, but rather will dueed hy pressure exactly similar to the matrix, widen their liehl. for if steam cultivation ho ami m ,,tjh which an- case-hardened in their proved adaptable to our conditions, our machine turn betore they are tit to transmit an impres- ihopi can then nerve themselves to supply , sion to any metal UMd for money. The metal recognized need, an.l the whole army of 'liter- used for our iNuna.e, whether fold, tflvwr, OOp- mUSu invent. rs miv strive together to frame per or nroiie , stannu-d in a cold and solid the best apparatus. ThlM it seems to u.'the stat,-, hut medals and easts can also w pro- measure which opeus the way for experiment is im;cd bV a method tailed casting tn cVAr, in a gmxl one. even for manufacturer,., in its wnieh the metal is used inn solt state. For great future possibilities of demand for what Uns purine an alloy isnMd, e isling of one- they must ultimately furnish, if succor ealla fourth lead, om-fouith tin. and onclmlf his- for it. The concession whioh Mr. DaWa aska muth.w uch uses readdy at tho boiling point, for was granted for a time bv a former Congrew. -l- f all. hen the metal in soft, resembling hut cxperimentera did not avail themsel.es o( paste in cons.steucy. the die is placed upon it. it very largely. We trust if it preva.l tins timo and the impression pn-duced by a smart blow there will be wider interest and full trials trom a mallet the surface of the metal sets in- ' made. stantly from coining into contact with the cold Wo look upon si cam cultivation as f.,11 of lie. and thus readily retains the form that has promise to our gram growers and producers of been given to it. Copies of medals may Ihj other cultivated croits. The luvor which it is readily made in tins way, but each face will be ! winning in Kngland, ami the increase of its obtained m a separate piece, and these must bo employment trom year to vear, certainly joliml to give representations of the coin in a teaches that we should not fail to give it prao- complete form Ornamental work is produced tical trial. Our liclds are admii ably adapted to in thm metal for gaahttiug. cornices, parts of ' the working of steam machinery in the moot by means of a pair of OKNTKNNIAL PREMIUM EEREFORD BULI inountaiiia must hence eontam certain repre aentatives of three very distinct American Uoras, each characteristic of immense areas of the con tinent There are two temperate and two cold or mountain floras, viz. : I. A prairie flora, derived from the eastward. 2. A so-called uesert and saline tlora, derived trom the west. -the "SUCCF.SS.' 3. A sub-alpine ; and, 4, an alpiue tlora wo lauer ot wnieiy different .origin, ami in one sense proper to the llocky mountain ranges.' The pnuciial American regions with which the comparison will have lirst to bo instituted are four. Two of theso are, in a broad sense, humid ; one, that of the Atlantic coAt, and wiucii BXUBU1I UWMM west to the .Mississippi to each. The ltocky mmintaiu region again, though abundantly distiuct from both, lias a few elements of the eastern region and still more of the western. -Many interesting facts connected with the or igin and distribution of American plants and the introduction of various tyjes into tho three regions, presented themselves to our observa tion or our minds during our wanderings; many of these are suggestive of comparative study with the admirable results uf Heer's and Us quereui's investigations into the pliocene and mioceiie plants of tho north temperate and frigid zones, and which haul already engaged " RHeWMWUf H may IK! lOUIIH in nu nver. including tho forested shores of that various publications. No less interesting are live and most econ ical manner. and th depth and thoroughness of tho work which nan be done at a low rate, wdl, in most eases, both cheapen the cost of production and increase the volume of the product. This will be a double source of protit toourgrain pnslucers, It will Ihi equivalent to strengthening the foundation and raising the rt.of.it the productive- structure at a single operation. Tins would be indeed most desirable. It would induce new strength in our soil and new spirit in our cultivators, and would lie just tho stimulus which our producers need now that new tields in India and elsewhere are being brought into couqiotition with thein in the production ot hieadstufl's. As the subject is no for discussion wo have taken from this week s receipts of BoglUh x changes two paragiaphs; one giving tho experience of a pra. tical larmer fnuu his own work, and the other the general dediio tion of an agricultural writer In. in a wider r;n;e of experience. A Hulfordfliiro farm er, in a letter to the LoadoO I'imf, says: "Within a distance of lour miles from where I am writing, there were six sets of Fowler'e double-eiii-ino tackle at work on Wednesday. Neither is it necessary for farms to iuereaao in ie, in order that mdiistiy, capital and steam may ba applied to the Intnl. 1 myself ,ieciipy barely :UK acres, and jet I have tho plcaioiro of seeing the rubbn.li torn from the ground by the steam culivatnrs. 1 entmetl upou the farm, which had been iiiuch ueglecte.l, two years ago, and but for steam know not what 1 ihottM have done." The ailvantages of steam work when the anil is too hard and tlry for home plowing commend tbeinselvos most forcibly to our farmers Wo qttote from the Aijiinilhunl KQ0MlM concern ing the present seonou m Knglal: "The p., seisors of steam tackle have certainly bat a good time ol it, while many farmers have had to submit to the annoyance of Heeiug their horses idle so far an the breaking of laud was ON ceriied. We do not re uicuihei- no uolnom which has been so favorabl.i for clearing laud, dies, oil one of which the nattnrn in ttfmmA relief, and on the other In tmhtitlln Ui. m(1 ! wheru the power has I.. . i, coual to thu work Iwing placed botweon them, ami brought into 1 An ,iWl of '"if "f llowanl's farmer's euginei the desired sbane hv nieasiira III... Iwm l MM tackle told us the other dav thai HnUiUa Dudt iii metal for forming articles in guttn- """I'l have given bun greater satisfaction than perclis ami leather, ami producin eml hgures on the eloth covers of books, as well on card-board, jiajier, etc. HEREFORD CATTLE We herewith give an illustration of the (Vn- L-( tho work he hal been able to accomplish this Hcason, won.) an amiimi him his uoiglihors had bora oMnpoUod to JMptnd plowiog Iweauso d the dry, har.1 condition of the soil. Nothing can prove such a pIMtlotl iTgaOMOt in favor of steam power pfOWrlj applied as a walk over a (arm under aleain cultivatioi river's westeru atlliienta ; the other that of the Pacific side, from the Sierra Nevada to the western ocean ; and two inland, that of the northern part of the continent, extending to the polar regions, aud that of the southern part, extending through New .Mexico to the t'ordil lera of Mexico proper. The first and second (Atlantic plua Missis ippi and the Pacific regions are traversed by meridional chains of mountains approximately lrallel to the Rocky inountaias; namely, on the Atlantic side, by tho various systems often included under thu fteraJ erm Appalachian, which extend irom .Maine to tonrgia, ami on the Pacific aide by the Sierra Nevada, which 1 - California on the east. The third and fourth of the regions present a continuation of the ftocky mountains of Colorado and Utah, flanked for a certain distance by an eastern prairie flora extending fmm the British posses ions to Texas, and a western desert or saline flora, extending from the .Snake river to Ari zona and .Mexico. Thua the Colorado at.d Utah floras might be expected to contain represent tivea of all the various vegetations of North America, except the small tropical region of Pl'irnta, which is confined tothe extreme sooth east of the continent. The most singular botanical feature nf North America is oniuestionibly the marked contrast hetween it two humid til ras, namely, those of the Atlantic plus Mississippi, and the Pacific one; this has been ably illustrated and diacnaaed ty Or. dray in varinua oommunicationa to the American Academy of Sciences and elsewhere, d he haa further largely traced the peculiar ities of each to their source, thus laying the foundations of all future reeuurcee into the bo th traces of the influence of a glacial and a warmer period in directing the course of migra tion of Arctic forms southward, and Mexican forms northward in the continent, and of the effect of the great Uly of water thatoccu-icd wnoio saune regiuii during as it would ap. pear) a ulacial period. latly, curious information was obtained re- attecting the ages of not only the big trees of ( antenna, out of equally ai;ed pines ami jihii pen, which are proofs of that duration of tX istiug conditions of climate, for which evidence has hitherto leen sought rather amongst fossil in. in amongst living organisms. IsOCATIHO AS OlMTIirtTIort IS A IN Kf MA Tic Tt'BK. The French have a very inirenious plan for locating an obstruction, thus overcoming a dimculty in pneumatic tranauiiasnm that has often been a source of great expense. It ai jieara, when an obstruction exists anywhere in the underground tunes, it location is deter mined by liriuii a pistol into the tube: tht re suiting wave of compressed air, traversing the tube at the rate of 1,000 feet a second, strike the obstruction, and is then reflected hack to it origin, where it strikes against a delicate diaphragm, aud it arrival is recorded electric ally upon a very aensitive chronograph, on which also the instant of tiring the pistol had lioen duly recorded. The Wave of sound, on reaching the diaphragm, is recorded, and thence reflected back, and a second time atrikeathe ob stacle and returns to the diaphragm. This op eration is several times repeated, so that several Bucceaaive measurement can be made of the time required by the sound wave to traverse to and fro within the pneumatic tuba. tcmiia premium bull "Succ wlneh has ado. ui.inv victories. The rivals of theSiiiithtield show, in Kifgland, havo btM tho Short Moms and the llerefords. A few ywira ago each had taken the same, nuui bf f timt premiums for fat bullocks, and now the friends of llerefords ulaim the victory. Ol the career of the llerefords in this country m iimy iu naoi niai mey nave made a khh ree ord at the State fairs in New York for nearly 4(1 years, aa also in Ohio (or 86 years ast. At the northern Ohio fair, in l7(!, they took the sweepstakes premium for the lest breeders' herd ol a null and lour heifers bred and owned by the exhibitor, ami for the eit herd of bull and four cows or heifers. Another herd of llerwlonls, in took the tfnrd inemiom from seven Short-horn henls at the Michigan State fair. tivatloii at this ton.. Steam hat enabled farmeri to take tune bv t), an animal forelock, and to utilize the hard, dry weather AdRIft'l.Tt'KK H OlKMANr. Mr. II. M. Kennedy, who is stu lying in Cerinany, writes as follows : "They are farther behind in ag riculture here than I thought. eatMieiallv aa r. garda iiuplemenU. The plows and wagons re- mum one oi itarnaruus ages, and they drive the workhorses which are noble an i mala with a piece of rope, instead of lines. Ifut vear after year thryget magnificent enqst of potatoes, rye, oat, wheat aud vegetable. No sooner are the crnm of in the fall than thev turn ovar t.. stuhble for the next crop. Hut they take cate oi inn man ore. i ney save it in the cities and Tillages, and rot tho atraw. They go around with cylindrical carta in the city, and pump up the coutent of all the water clrweto, and spread them upon the eotl Hv auch means thv ae able to make the conntry one oooipact maae of vegeUtion with village thickly scattered be tweeu the rows. The oowi are nearly alf Hob eteins, and goata' milk is alao f aahumable. " hy hreukiug stubbles ami g g on with all .-.nv oporuti ami thus ! awnv u.il. all grans ami weodri; while farms under the or dinary plow are only partially ami imperfectly w bhu Mm . i i inn , in an eyesore to tlie oo cuniers until the spring is far advanced." Is not this a deduction from uxjHtrieneo with steam plowing which is of ihsrp application to our general conditions! It would give us the mastery of the soil at a season when there is abundant time to work it, ami it would leave i in such condition that the earliest of the fall rains OOtld ll.k deep nd deH.sit themselves for tho future needs of the plant. Uuder con ditions which do not favor dry sowing, thu ad vantage would t... alinont as great, (or if tho soil were thoroughly stirred Mnruhsnd, a very slight cultivation would prepare the seed lied f;ir later sowing. Theadvantage of plowing tho summer-fallow, even in spile of the dilliciilty with which it is now accomplished, is generally recognised. It would he direeUy productive uf protit, then, if the engines, when not driving the threshers, could lie kept employed 111 work ing the fallow aa well aa nluwiuir Urn ,1,,. . Seeding. We hoiie that a thorough and careful U.I ..f ateam cultivating machuiery will be mido Iwth in iU effect upon aoila which have I,. . ,', long cropi.e.1 under the old ayatem, and in the HI..H- I oi conjtaraine exiieuse of ifoiug (he work and other matters rulatiog theretu, V should not ees untried pregreaeive ideas which are demonstrating their value elsewhere. The Government of Colombia has mule a contract with an Kngluhman named Koes for the construction the Central railroad WfJO, . OOU.OOO. Panama iulcnhea grtl,0U0 per an num aa a subsidy, it is reported.