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EVERY SATURD.xy, BY JAMES McCAFFERTY, MACINTOSH-STREET, OPPOSITE POST OFFICE. Terms of Paper. —For a single copy, one year, Two Dollars: for six copies, Ten Dollars; for thirteen copies, Twen ty Dollars, pay&Ole in advance. Advertisements will be inserted at 50 ■cents per square for tlie first insertion, and 25 cents for each continuance — Twelve lines toconstitute a square. A liberal deduction to yearly advertisers. ?jp No letters taken from the Post Office unless postage free. O.Hears Augusta *V. T. A Society. Dr. JOS. A. EVE, President. Dr. DANIEL HOOK, i Rev. WM. J. HARD, > Vice Presidents HAWKINS HUFF, Esq. WM. HAINES, Jr. Secretarv. L. D. LALLERSTEDT, Treasurer. MANAGERS.' Jamas Harper, E. E. ScoSelJ, Rev. C. S. Dod, James Goiiby, John Milled^e, From the Southern Cultivator. Potatoes. Mr. Editor: —l have been of opinion for several years, that the potatoe crop was too much neglected in this section of | country. The crop that I have made this year, has confirmed mo in that opin ion. I planted a fraction more,th in two j acres. Threo-fiiurths of the land was of second year’s tending, and was so full of; roots and stumps that we could not pre pare it for planting to my satisfaction ; but after breaking up the land a time or two, the rows were run off’ in a horizon tal position and beds thrown up with a turning plow, then a hand with a hoc; made holes for every eighteen or twenty inches, in which the seed were dropped j and covered—these were of the Spanish kind. The land is thin grey soil; j growth post-oak and black-jack inter mixed with pine. The other fourth of the ground planted, is old grey land, on which cows had been penned. This, and a small part of the fresh land was plant ed with yarn-slips. (I here remark, that I have found out long since that the richest land is not the best lor potatoes.) We hauled home and put away six hun-1 sired and forty bushels,and I suppose there 5 were fifty bushels lef on the ground for j the hogs to get, and we must have dug s at least ten bushels previously for table i use, Ac. At tins, my crop from a little , over two acres, is seven hundred bushels; but I will take it at 600 bushels, which at 20 cents per bushel, amounts to >sl2o. The same land in corn, under the most j favorable seasons and best mode of cul-, ture, could not have made more that 80 bushels, that at 86 cents per bushel, {which is the settlement price,) amounts j to S3O 40. 1 will allow $lO for the; value of labor ( which is more than enough ) expended on the potatoes, more than \ would have been required-on the same j land had it been in a corn crop ; and ■ will allow $5 for fodder that might have j been procured with the corn. At this, calculation, there is a balance left in fa vor of potatoes of $74 60. I may have i priced the potatoes too high, but will leave it to the readers of the Southern Cultivator to put their own prices on each article—make their own calcula tions —draw their own inferences, and come to their own decisions as to the j propriety of our planting more potatoes than we have heretofore; and what we do plant, be sure to cultivate well, as they are a crop that is well worth our attention, if they were but to feed our stock on. They will fatten a hog quick er than corn ; and for fattening an old ox or cow, I have never found their equal; as a change of food and for milch cows, there is scarcely any thing better; and for children, both white and black, they are the most healthy food we can give them. I am, sir, yours respectfully dzc., JOHN FARRAR. MiiTOigyLi^iEiOiyig^ l l.ord Kosse’s Telescope. At a late meeting of the British asso ciation, Lord Rosse gave the following account of his gigantic reflecting teles cope : “He explained the difficulties with which he had to contend in making his i reflector. In the first place, ordinary ! speculum-metal is more brittle than glass; and it is so greatly expanded by heat, that it is with the utmost difficulty a large speculum can be cooled without splitting. In Lord Rosse’s first attempts, he made one hundred castings without being suc cessful. This difficulty is avoided in in ferior instruments by varying the propor tionsof tin and copper which form the speculum-metal, also by the addition of zinc; but the brilliancy of the polish and the reflective powers are thereby greatly diminished. An attempt was next made to cast a speculum of a baser compound, which would not be brittle, and afterwards to plate the surface with the best specu lum-metal. This answered the purpose tolerably well; but the unequal junctions AUGUSTA WASHINGTONIAN. VWXVWVWVX\W\ XVW\w WV\ VWA VWtVWX VWWVW xvvI TAvtWV\XW>\W'\WiVW V VXVt\\WVIVWI VW\WV\\W»vw» A WEEKLY PAPER: DEVOTED TO TEMPERANCE, AGRICULTURE, & MISCELLANEOUS READINGS. - - \i ■ Vol. III.] jof the plated metal caused diffraction of i the light injurious to the distinctiveness lof the image. It then occurred to him, that as the splitting of speculum-metal in cooling, must be caused by the irregular . manner in which the different portions ! of the mass contracted in cooling, if that j process could he regulated so as to make 1 the metal cool gradually on one side the difficulty might be overcome. To effect this, the lower part of the mould was made of iron, whilst the sides were of sand ; bv which means the heated mass cooled below at a quicker rate than in any other part that being comparatively (lie only cooling surface. By this means, speculum-metal of the required size could he cast without splitting ; but there was found to be a defect in the metal arising from air-bubbles rising through the metal. To overcome the new difficulty, the under surface of the mould was made of vertical plates of iron placed closely to. gather; and through those lamina of iron the air escaped, instead of rising through the melted metal/ The proportions of which the speculum-metal consisted were 56,9 parts of tin and 126,4 of copper. So many minutiae are required to be at tended to, that even the composition of the melting-pots was found to he essen tial to the perfection of the process. In the ordinary iron melting-pots the min ute holes, through which some portions of the tin of the speculum-metal flows when melted, and deteriorates the alloy; these holes arc prevented from being formed by casting the melting-pots in an inverted position, instead of erect. In grinding the speculum, which weighs three tons and three-quarters, and is six feet in diameter, it was placed in a tank of water, in which it was kept revolving; and the polishing-tooi, moved with two eccentrics and worked by steam-power, was applied on the top. The required focus was obtained by observation, not by measurement. The speculum, when completed, had a focus of fifty-three feet; and the telescope was fitted on the New tonian plan, the image being reflected to a hole in the side of the tube, near tnxs top, into which the spectator looks, In stead of looking towards the object. The immense tube weighs six tons and a half; and the joint and aparatus on which it rests weighs three tons and a half. To support this great weight two high and massive walls have been built ; and are fitted to them, to elevate the spectator, and enable him to look through tliKeye-glass at all el evations. It is Attains a transit instru ment, and has scarcely any other than a vertical movement, as it is intended for making observations when stars come to the meridian. To compensate in some degree for the want of a traversing mo tion, a reflection is used ; by which means any heavenly body may be seen an hour before it comes to the meridian. In supporting the tube, so as to render it manageable by one man, large counter poise weights are employed, which di minish, by resting on the ground as the tube is elevated. The actual weight to he moved, therefore, does not exceed three hundred weight, and one person can elevate it with great ease. The lowest angle to which the tube can be inclined is ten degrees, and it may be raised to four or five degrees below the pole. It was the examination of the nebulous bo dies in the heavens that he principally had in view when he commenced the construction of the telescope, fifteen j years ago. He exhibited the drawing of I a nebulous cluster examined through the great telescope; (ho stnrs composing it appeared as large as stars of the first magnitude, though the whole cluster of them, seen through a moderately good telescope, appears only as a white patch in the heavens. In most of the nebula; i are seen filaments of light issuing from ; their sides; and Lord Rosse conceives, that when he brings his great telescope to hear on these filaments, they will he found to be composed of stars. In this manner he will be able to verify the ideas of astronomers and not limiting his dis coveries to new satellites or planets, he will make known the existence of suns and of planetary systems, compared with which our celestial system, is but a speck.in the universe. From the Georgia Pioneer. My Fair Friends : —Will any of us hesitate for a moment, to defend our sex against the numerous imputations that have been cast upon it, by those who should rather be its defenders than ac cusers ? Surely a task sufficiently ex- 1 AUGUSTA, GA. DECEMBER 28, 1844. alted to occupy the mind, and employ the pen of every female whose heart vibrates with a desire that woman should be promoted, and not degraded to shame. That a number of females have confer red no honor on the sex, i; a truth, of which we are too assuredly apprised. But alas, for them ! How limited were their moments of reason, reflection, and discretion; inexperience and suscepti bility blinded them to the insidiousness of their “ false, designing friends.”— However, for the follv, imprudence, and capriciousness of a p&rt,, entire sex should not be indiscriminately implicated. Seldom are we allowed the gratification of perusing a Periodical of any descrip tion but that our sensil>iiiti.;s are paraly zed by the charge of cgrcgiously ignoble offences. We are incessantly assailed and mortified by sarcasms of tne most humiliating kind. Eccentricity, insta bility, 'pugnacity , and a ho i of other de fects, are abundantly ascribed tons —and these superlatively magnified and depict ed to the eye of the world in the most odious manner. i “The constitution of sdciatjr, like the waters of a river, is constancy varying, and those variations are distinguished bv the bestowmont and recession of peculiar advantages.” However, * iiaJfcver may be the improvements of t/.o present pe riod, none appear to conduce In the in trinsic edification of woman. The most debased, most corrupt, most infamous, seem to esteem the privilege of-speaking degradingly of woman, n prerogative to which they are unreservedly entitled. Frequently too, do many of our sex, in stead ofan effort “to hide tlie faults they see,” appear to realize a peculiar delight in exposing and “feeding on the detects of others.” Oh ! ignobly, diabolical in clination ! But let us contemplate woman as she was intended to be, a beiiig all purity, all love, “destined to live ng\in and shine” —a being as fair, as immaculate, as the snow from Heaven. E \r ready and by benevolent exerlions.jwhile she her self is happily edified byt rtje design.— “The proper sphere cf woman is so strongly delineated by a Divine finger, ! that it must be apparent to every eye, which is not wilfully blif.d. Those who question or deny it, start aside from their orbit, and by their irregularities, give and receive a disastrous influence, while those who move in the circle assigned them, not only fulfill tlie will of their Creator, but, in silence, and without ob servation, like the moon in Heaven, are shedding around them a refreshing sym pathy, that shall exhileraje many a heart and a gentle light that [shall guide and confirm many a hesitating footstep.” In referring to the anrlalsof all coun tries, we find that where Ivoutm was pro moted to her “ proper sUhlc,” and her virtues and humanities cat • ily and ex tensively cultivated, the (bit.-rest of the nation was Writers, who have assumed to themselves the honor of comprehending the female heart, have observed (hat woman is as unstable as water—consequently caiinot excel.— Whence have they incurred this accusa tion? Does not both ancient and mod ern History furnish us with many ex amples of female application and p. -se vering constancy. Many have tonelra trated the most intricate depths of the most abstruse sciences. It may be trmt. that caprieiousness is one of the weak nesses belonging to our sex, or is incul-; cated by a defective mode of instroctirm, | at so early an age, as to pass current fbr an innate propensity. And let us on-1 quire, is those very qualities mosti'for- 1 eign to female consistency and stabi ity, are not frequently the exclusive oh ects of masculine admiration and applaus r. — This is one reason for which we afford ! so few proofs of solid utility*, and ai 2 so j deficient in strength of character. Jne ; faculty of the mind is improved at the | iminent destruction of another, which | renders it impossible that our minds j should ever possess that efficiency which j extensive erudition can alone bestow. We are necessarily confined to a kind | of rnonotonous seclusion, while the other sex have constant va ieties from their daily intercourse with the world at large. Thus they acquire a di ersity of thought of which woman is cmsequently desti tute. However, to do well under many disadvantages, is an aciievement which promises reward—“aid to bear, is to conquer our fates.” Let the lords of creation indulge their pusillanimous re marks, and exhaust fleir accrimonious aspersions upon us; it is true, they occa sionally give excruciating shocks to our sensibility—yet we go on trying to a- I chieve deeds of excellence, and live for high purposes of existence. “Envying, ■fearing, hating none.” To those who have been profuse in their sarcasms at us, ; w e would simply suggest the expediency of reflecting on the near relationship which man sustains to woman. In de ; grading her, he deliberately and unequiv ocally degrades his mother, his sisters, j and probably bis wife. Suppose we are precisely what they : usually represent us to be, will those in ! whom are combined magnanimity, noble ! principles, and a superabundance of oth jer great qualities, so far impair their i dignity, as to adopt an inferior and con ; tcmptible subject, for want of a better I one ? We do net desire their sympathy. ; we repudiate every consideration so re pugnant to dignity. All we ask—all wc desire, is impartial justice. MARY. African Exqu-it . The gentle reader has doubtless but little idea of the length to which our ne gro or servile population carry their so cial distinctions. They have their cir cles, their classes and their castes—iheir exclusives and their non exclusives; each revolving within its own sphere, and all jealously tenatious of any ob trusion within its orbit on the part of any ol the others. The boundaries be tween them are so wide that the instan ces are few in which they are ever over stepped ; and should one of them ever have the temerity to ascend from a low er to a higher circle, he is immediately “ cut” by all “ hands,’ unless he had pre viously paved the way for his due intro duction. In this respect, the aristocra tic clubs of London are not more con servative of their exclusive identity. In an altercation between two negroes to which we once listened, we heard one of them remark to the other; “Now you go away, nigger! You’s not on an elevation ob society wid dis I .1, iffil ■ j. your’s is nuffin more dan a common dray man.” It is well known that the negroes of 1 many of our citizens who do not them | selves keep house, arc boarded by their ! owners, in several of the hotels, their ta j hie being the same as thut of tlie colored | ; servants of the establishment: “How is you, Jake?” said one of ; these, the other day, to a brother darkey, who like himself, “boarded out.” “ Wtd, Brutus,” said Jake, “ I feels an indelicacy’bout being imperlite; but I dosen’t (ink it ’comes you to ask me de question. I boards at de Exchange, and does not; slop at de resterat. Them as does, shop Id know dere place.” “But one of the greatest stretches of African aristocracy “on record” is that perhaps, to which we listened yesterday. Two negroes met nearly opposite the St. Charles, wlio, it appeared, Iqid been spen ding the summer North—that is, they travelled with t/ieir respective masters. “Why, Saijlpson, how is you?” said one. / “Well, Vt well, tank you,” said the I other. j “ You’s been to the North, has you ?” said Jeffer/on. “ I’s ju/t corn’d home,” said Sampson. “ Aint the free niggers mighty mean ?” said Jefferson. “Ob course dey is,” said Sampson, “ but dat comes ob der habin’ nomas \“Certainly,” said Jefferson, “ dey’s [laboring under de abolition ob intelli (gence. Mbit whardidyou stop when you ! was Norty, Samp ?” “ Why,fee’ is, Jes,” said Sampson, “I jspent most ob my time at the Wirginy ! Springs.” \ ‘ , “ You did, did you ?” said Jefferson. < “ Wal, I reckdiis I did,” said Sampson, i “Den you is’nt ’ciety for dis nigga,” i | said Jefferson. “Bs been ’mong de re iclusives, at We dan jeesde Polka dere: I reckons Wirginy i i break-downs can’t shine. Good by, < ! nigga! But look bea, when you meets I \ a color’d gem’man wots (bank de con- < gress water, you passes hira by wid si- < lent dispect—dat’s all.” And saying i this, Jefferson’s round eye dilated and his I thick lip swelled at the idea of being ac- 1 costed and conversed with in the public ; street by a negro who never mixed in f more fashionable society than he con- r >idered he must have met with at 4? I Virginia Springs, who never had e Congress water, and who was perfectly c ignorant of the Polka!— Picayune. t [No. 24 I WASIIIXGTONIAX TOTAL ABSTINENCE PLEDGE. „ We, whose names are hereunto an nexed, desirous of forming a Society for our mutual benefit, and to guard against a pernicious practice, which is injurious to our health, standing and families, d<» pledge ourselves as GENH.E»iEN, not to i drink any Spirituous or Malt I.iquors, I I Fine or Cider. Thoughts for*Youth. Force of Habit.— On the const of Norway there is an immense whirlpool, called bv the natives, Maelstrom, which signifies the navel, or the centre of the sea. The body of waters which form this whirlpool, is extended in a circle a hont thirteen miles in circumference.— : In the midst thereof, stands a rock, against ; which the tide, in its ebb, is washed with | inconceivable fury; when it instantly swallows up all things which comes j within the sphere of its violence. No skill of the mariner, nor strength of rowing can work an escape. The | sen-beaten sailor at the helm, finds the ship at first go in a current opposite his j intentions; his vessel’s motion, though ! slow in the beginning, becomes every moment, more rapid ; it goes round in circles, still narrower, till at last it is dashed against the rock, and entirely dis appears forever. And thus it fares with the thoughtless and hapless youth, that falls under the power of any vicious habits. At first he indulged with caution and timidity, and struggles against the stream of vicious inclinations. But every relapse carries him down the current, the violence of which increases and brings him still near er to the fatal rock in the midst of the whirlpool; till at length, stupified and subdued, he yields without a struggle, and makes shipwreck of conscienc, of interest, of reputation, and of every thing that is dear and valuable in the human character. Good habits, on the other hand, are powerful as bad ones; therefore no bet ter advice can we give to youth, than the following:—“Choose the more rational and best way of living, and habit will soon make it the most agreeable.” The Chinese mode of taking wild fowl, with which the neighborhood of Canton abonds, is curious and some what unsport man like. There is no • oaipfas&tuvi.'fagui i_ nothing hut sport, and no “mistake.”— Whenever they see a quantity of ducks settled in any particular piece of \Vhter, they send half a dozen gourds to float among them. These gourds resemble the pumpkins in England ; but being hollowed out, they float on the surface of the water. On large pools they leave twenty or thirty afloat. At first the fowl are ghy at coming near them, but by degrees they get courage ; and as all birds at length grow familiar with a scare crow, they soon gather around them, and amuse themselves bv “ whetting their bill” against them. When the birds j get pretty familiar with them, to deceive them more effectually, a Chinese hollows lout a pumpkin which in pretty large,and i after making holes in it to see and breathe I through, he claps it on his head. Thus accoutred, he wades slowly into the wa ter, keeping his body under, and letting nothing be seen above the surface hut the ; pumpkin, in which is his head. In this manner he moves imperceptibly towards the fowl, which suspects no danger. At last he fairly gets in amongst the fowl, ! they take not the least alarm, even when I the enemy is in the very midst of them ; who, whenever he approaches a fowl seizes it by the legs, and draws it with a sportmanlike (?) jerk under the water. He then fastens it to his girdle, and pro ceeds on to the next victim, till he has loaded himself with as many as he can fairly (?) walk off with.— From Captain Pidding’s Chinese Olio and Tea Table Talk, No. 14. Home-Made Thunder. —A genius who lives in the vicinity of the Grand Rap ids, being informed that thunder was death to cut worms, and being much troubled with their works in his garden, and despairing, too, of any thunder of Nature’s Manufacture, resolved to have some of domestic production. Pursu ant to this determination, he charged an old musket to the muzzle full, took a bucket of water and a lantern, proceed ed to the garden, rained on the plants copiously from his bucket, made the lan tern open and shut sesame byway of lightning, and then in hot haste let off “old Copenhagen” for thunder. Tho worms “cut and run,” while the manu facturer, of the “domestic thunder” tri ed the full virtue of his experiment, by being knocked flat upon his back on the earth, rendered oblivious from the knock caused by the re-percussivo actio# of the thunder machine.