Perfect drainage must be secured; and to that end the ditches must be deep and wide, and good sluices wherever water crosses the road. This is the important point-drain perfectly.

As to the cost of such a road, I will answer you by giving you a copy of my estimate for the Salina road, which very considerably exceeded the actual cost. It is proper to inform you that this road was made upon the bed of an old road, filled in many places with stone and logs. The right of way cost us nothing. The estimate was for plank three or four inches thick. Where we laid two tracks, we laid one of them with three inch plank, but the main track was four inches thick. It is economy to use thick plank if the travel is sufficient to wear out the road; but if it is to rot before it is worn out, then of course thin plank should be used. The Canada roads are generally three inches thick, and are made of pine, and last about eight years.

ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF A SINGLE TRACK PLANK ROAD EIGHT FEET WIDE, FOR ONE

Mr. Geddes also remarks in another letter: "The more level the road, of course the better: but a plank road may be made upon an even grade. Horses will hold with their feet where the planks are laid across the road nearly as well as they can hold upon earth. If the elevation be not more than one foot to the rod, you can carry very large loads. As to the value of plank roads to the public, and to the owners, I can best answer you by saying that I have seen a McAdam road taken up eight feet in width for a

plank track; and also by informing you, that persons who have travelled over the best constructed roads in England, say they much prefer the Salina plank road."

The British Museum.

To anybody who is fond of books, or is a student, or even believes himself a student, nothing can be more delightful than a visit to the reading-room of the British Museum. Not that the reading in the museum is altogether without its inconveniences, for it is not quite so easy as taking down a book from your own shelves; but there you are rewarded by the feeling of reverential awe for the mass of learning with which yon are surrounded, and by the very air that you breathe. On entering the door of this far-famed temple of literature, you find yourself between two good-sized rooms, in each of which fifty to seventy people may be sitting at the tables, reading and copying. The walls are covered with books, each room holding, at a guess, fifteen to twenty thousand volumes-a number that any where else would be thought a good library of itself; but here that number only contains the dictionaries, cyclopædias, gazetteers, and other works of reference that should be always at hand. On asking for the catalogue, one of the attendants points to it at a desk by itself, where it stands most conveniently for the use of every body, in above forty volumes folio. Near this stands the catalogue of the King's library, which is kept separate from the rest of the collection, in about ten folios more; and, most wonderful to say, the new catalogue, which is now in the course of printing, and which already extends to fifteen large folios, though it has not yet got beyond the letter A. This, however, large as the library is, is stating the case rather boastfully; for these fifteen folios are interleaved, showing as mnch the gigantic intention of the librarians, as the present size of the library.

A reader of experience will not go to the museum unnecessarily; he will wait till he has three or four objects of search, or books to look at, noted down in his memorandum book, to save time. With these he goes up to the catalogue, and beginning with a book, about the title of which he has no doubt, readily finds it, as the catalogue is formed on that simplest and best of all arrangemeuts, the A, B, C. He then copies the title, together

with its number, on one of the slips of paper which hang ready at hand; this he signs, and takes to a window at the further end of the room, where an attendant receives it, and delivers it to the librarian to be searched for. In the meanwhile the economist of time returns to the catalogue, to copy out the titles of the other books that he may have occasion for, and then, with them, returns to the window, in hopes that the first book may by that time have arrived. But, alas! he must wait a little longer; and, though he sees a librarian come up, dragging a light truck laden with learning in all forms and shapes, his book has not yet arrived. However, at last it comes, and he sits down to make his extracts, and in due time the other books are, one by one, brought to him by the attendants. You may order any number of volumes you choose; there is no limit to the heaps of learning by which you may be surrounded, but your own dislike to giv ing trouble, and that fast wears off after a second visit. But, perhaps, one of the books you want is not in either of the catalogues; you ask an attendant to help you in your difficulty, and he takes you into the next room into the presence of the head of the department. He, judging by the look of your countenance, that you know what you are asking for, says,

"You think that there is such a book? we have not got it." You answer hesitatingly, that you have no doubt of it; it is published at Paris. The librarian drily replies, "then I will order a copy, sir ;" and you return to the reading room, praising in your mind the excellence of the management. To those who can only read in solitude, certainly the museum reading room is not the best of places; but those of a more social nature, who at home study among the prattle of children and the bustle of a family, only feel their earnestness increased by the number of students that surround them. The tread of an attendant quietly and silently carrying a load of folios, only strengthens his attention, rather than calls it off from his book; the very air of the place adds fresh zeal to his love of knowledge; and the only interruption that he feels is, perhaps, perceiving that his neighbor is reading "Guy Mannering," or that a flirtation is going forward between a polite, attentive, handsome attendant, and one of the numerous lady-authors who employ

their mornings in making extracts in the museum. Admission to the reading-room is easily obtained. The librarians admit. on the recommendation of anybody who is known to them, either personally or by reputation; and as they have the largest circle of acquaintance of all men in London, nobody who tries can ever find a difficulty in getting an introduction to one of them.-Chambers' Edinburg Journal.

BARREL MAKING.-Barrel making forms no inconsiderable item of the mechanical business of Oswego and vicinity. Probably from 600,000 to 800,000 barrels will be required to supply the Oswego Mills this year; and the amount of money that will be paid out for this article alone, will not probably, fall much short of $250,000. The number of workmen thus employed, is, of course, very large. While on this subject, we will venture to remark, that the practice which our farmers have taken themselves to, for years past, of turning their attention more or less to barrel making, cannot fail to work an injury as well to farmers as to meehanics. There is no similarity in the two pursuits; nor can the two, in our opinion, be carried on profitably in connection; and we think those farmers who have done more or less at barrel making, will finally come to view the subject in the same light, and will relinquish the business, and turn their attention to the cultivation of the soil. By doing so, we are certain their fortunes and farms will be improved.

The application of machinery to barrel-making, within the last few years, has been very successfully undertaken. We see it in the papers that a machine has been invented, and is now in successful operation in Albany, that will make 7000 hogshead staves in ten hours. It was but yesterday that we visited the barrel factory of Mr. Thomas Wentworth, in this village, situated on the "Cove." This establishment was recently partly destroyed by fire, and has just commenced. Mr. Wentworth has his business so perfected, by "labor saving machines," that we apprehend the old way of making barrels will not very successfully compete with him. In one shop his staves are cut and dressed by machinery, propelled by a steam engine. The staves are cut from the block,

at the rate of 8000 a day. The steaming process is done by the steam from the engine. After the staves are cut they are sawed by two buzz saws, all of one length, and then dressed and joined in a very expeditious manner on a large wheel, into which knives are inserted. The stave is then fit for use. Six men will

cut and dress 8000 in a day. In another shop the barrels are put together. The establishment turns out from one thousand to fifteen hundred barrels weekly, and gives employment to about thirtyfive workmen. Mr. Russel Francis is the foreman of the establishment, and we venture to say the barrels made under his superintendence will bear inspection in any market, at home or abroad. The workmen employed by Mr. Wentworth understand their business, as any one will discover plainly enough who drops in among them.-Oswego Times.

Alexander Humboldt.

Alexander Von Humboldt, the traveller, the author, the philosopher, the statesman, (says the Berlin correspondent of the Providence Journal,) is now in his 72d year, but he is still hale and active, and his blue eye sparkles as brightly as when he stood upon the heights of the Andes, and traversed the steppes of Siberia. Born to a noble name and hereditary wealth, he resolved to devote himself to intellectual pursuits. He chose the dangerous and fatiguing path of a scientific traveller. To behold with his own eyes the organism of the world, to judge by patient, ocular investigation, of the philosophy of creation-this was his task. In the accomplishment of this object, he made voyages and journeys of years' duration, and some of the most difficult and unfrequented portions of Europe, Asia and America, were trodden by his footsteps. It has been remarked by Professor Ritter that America has been twice discovered actually, objectively by Christopher Columbus, scientifically by Alexander Von Humboldt. Besides this, Humboldt is one of the most voluminous living authors, and has long been the chief confidant, and most influential counsellor of the Prussian monarch. All the honors which royalty could bestow have been he ped upon him, and but a few months since what is generally considered the crowning honor, viz: the Order of the Black Eagle, which heretofore has

been almost exclusively confined to members of royal houses. When young he was exceedingly wealthy, but he has expended immense sums in travel, and at present his books, of which "Cosmos" is the last, whose second volume has recently been published, and which in itself forms a new epoch in the philosophy of natural science, constitute the principal source of his income. Rich, however, in a nobler sense of the word, in the honor and respect of mankind, in the consciousness of a life devoted successfully to great and high pursuits, he stands a kind of scientific patriarch, the Nestor of learning and letters, one of the chiefest of those who, next to the teachers of true righteousness, merit most of the gratitude of men:

-Seeing ignorance is like a curse; Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven."

His correspondence is immense, and though still pursuing his own profound investigations, nothing which concerns learning and true science at home or abroad, escapes his vigilant eye. I lately saw a letter from him, in which he speaks of our author Prescott in terms of unqualified praise, calling him, without reservation, one of the first living historians. All who know this truly great man testify to the simplicity of his life, the urbanity of his manners, and the goodness of his heart. Prussia is often called a poor kingdom, but when she can boast of such a man as Alexander Von Humboldt, and of others almost equally distinguished, wherein does her poverty consist? Would that all nations might place more value upon those purer and profounder resources of intellectual wealth, which yield their immortal revenues at all seasons and under all circumstances!

THE WEEPING WILLOW. This tree has claims to our admiration, which are generally acknowledged. It possesses peculiar beauties, which many persons are attracted by who have never taken pains particularly to consider.

If one should analyse them, on the plan of Hogarth, and attend to the forms of the leaves, their arrangement on the twigs, the disposition of these upon the branches, the masses of foliage' which thus are formed, and the beautiful outlines which are displayed, he would begin to perceive some of the marked peculiarities of the tree. The twig is so long and slender, that it is wholly incapable of sustaining itself in an upright, a horizontal or even a slanting position; and, its gravity drawing it downwards, it bends with an uniform curve till it finds that direcion, and then extends its extremity far towards the earth, not unfrequently mingling itself with herbage below.

The uniformity with which twigs springing from the same branch curve outward and then downward, and mingle their slender and verdant pendants, gives the whole tree that beauty and variety of form which, render it an object of such beauty at a distance. Every bough supports a mass of unbroken green, rounded on the upper part like a dome, and delicately marked by curving stripes, which proceed from the summit, elegantly arch. ing to the right and left, till interrupted by another beautiful dome which swells from below. The effect of light and

shade on the weeping willow are remarkably fine; and to watch the changing appearance of a large tree of this species, in the slanting light of morning or evening, will repay the trouble of visiting the spot at the favored hour. Wherever the light falls strongly, it strikes upon a hemisphere of close-set leaves, and illuminates the summit and side of a compact and well defined nodular mass. As at the same time it leaves in deep shade the opposite side of each, a mass of darkness is provided to stand behind every mass of light; and thus the peculiar and beautiful forms of the parts of the tree, are exhibited with the greatest distinctness, and make the strongest impression.

It often happens, also, that the largest mass of shade is that shown under the tree and around the trunk, where the termination of the thick foliage, or a broad opening through it, exposes the broad space enveloped and deeply shaded by the entire tree. Such an extent and depth of shadow are sufficient to relieve the whole, and often increases the effect of the minor shades above, and gives a completeness to the whole, as one of the finest combinations of beauty in the whole range of our northern vegetable kingdom.

We may perhaps hereafter enlarge a little further, on the beauties of motion, which often enhance those of form, and, under the variations of light and shade, breeze and storm, are often distinct and peculiar. We have had our eyes particularly fixed on the weeping willow, for many years, and would gladly contribute to the multiplication of so fine a tree, wherever it is wanting in our country. It is so easily propagated by shoots, and is of such remarkably rapid growth, that we think we shall be able in future to extend its culture, with the aid of our obliging readers and friends in near and distant counties and towns.

One of the most striking features of the extensive willow tribe is the calyx of the minute flowers, which is an amentum or catkin. In the spring the twigs put forth multitudes of long, soft, caterpillar-like objects, which are so unlike most flowers, that the inexperienced eye does not readily perceive their nature. Small scales are arranged about a flexible rod, for the protection of the minute stamina or pistils, which are disposed between them. The willow belongs to the 22d class, and 2d order of Linnæus.

Whoever begins to form a collection of coins, naturally feels a peculiar gratification when he receives from a friend a specimen of Chinese money. It has peculiarities in its appearance, as different from our own as most other products of Chinese hands, and bears witness, even to a superficial observer, of several facts illustrative of China. The above cut is an original Chinese specimen of wood engraving, and the 'Foreign Missionary,' a paper in which it has been printed, accompanies it with the following remarks.

“When you get a string of tungsteen, or Chinese coins, if you will take the trouble to look over them, you will commonly find several that have no letters on the back. These are either old coins,

cast before the Tartar emperors ruled in China, and you will often find some that are five or six hundred years old,- or else they are coins cast in foreign countries, which have been brought here by merchants. In the strings of tungtseen that one gets at Ningpo there are almost always several with the name of "Kwan Yung.” These are all Japanese coin; and the reason why there are so many here, is because Ningpo is not far from Chapoo, from which port there are several ships that trade to Japan every year. In this way Japanese money is brought to China, and no doubt Chinese money is carried to Japan.

All the letters on these Japanese coins are Chinese. The Japanese have a lan