1844-41 arrivals. Otter, Harris, first boat, April 6th. Geese and ducks flying, March 6th. Mississippi opened March 20th; closed November 23d, 1843. 1845-48 arrivals. Otter, Harris, April 6th, first boat. Geese and ducks flying, March 6th. Mississippi closed 26th November. Coldest day Feb. 19th, 18 degrees below zero. 1846-24 arrivals. Lynx, Atchison, March 31st, first boat. Ducks and geese flying March 1st. Coldest day January 25th, 19 degress below zero. Mississippi closed Dec. 5th. 1847-47 arrivals. First boat, Cora, Throckmorton, April 17th. -Mississippi closed November 29th. Geese and ducks flying March 17th. Coldest day February 18th, 37 degrees below zero. 1848-63 arrivals. First boat Senator, Harris, April 7th. Mississippi closed Dec. 4th. Feb. 18th, 26 degrees below zero. Geese and ducks flying March 6th. 1849-85 arrivals. Highland Mary, Atchison, first boat April 9th.-November 18th, first snow. Dec. 7th, Mississippi closed. December 30th, coldest day, 28 degrees below zero. ducks flying March 4th. Geese and 1850-104 arrivals. Highland Mary, April 19th. Nov. 15th first snow. Coldest day, February 3d, 28 degrees below zero. Geese and ducks flying March 10th. Dec. 4th, closed the Mississippi at St. Anthony. April 19th. Steamboats Highland Mary and Nominee arrived through the ice at St. Paul landing. May 24th. The steamboat Gov. Ramsey made her first trip from the Falls of St. Anthony to Sauk Rapids, 100 miles. This was the first attempt ever made to run a steamboat above the falls. July. Great flood this month in the Upper Mississippi and its tributaries; the steamers Yankee, Nominee and Anthony Wayne, taking advantage of it, ascended the St. Peters river, from 100 to 200 miles further than its waters had ever been rippled by the paddle-wheels of a steamboat. July 25th. The annual trading caravan from the half-breed settlements on the Red river of the North-in latitude 49 degrees -arrived in St. Paul. The distance travelled was over 600 miles. The caravan consisted of some two hundred ox carts, heavily laden with furs, &c., and attended by several hundred men, women and children. Dec. 3. The Mississippi river closed at St. Paul. The last boat of the season left this port on the 19th of November. A number of schools have been established in Minnesota, and to the imperishable honor of the Legislature we are informed that it has “made ample provision for the education of every child in or to come into the Territory." ARTICLE VI. REGULATION OF INTERNAL COMMERCE. It appears from a circular, addressed to W. W. Green, Esq., Collector of the port of St. Louis, that the treasury department of the United States has requested the collectors of customs, and perhaps others, to suggest suitable plans for obtaining and arranging for publication the statistics of the internal commerce of the Nation; for the purpose, as it seems, of presenting the subject to the consideration of Congress at its next session. And regarding the measure in contemplation as highly important to all the leading interests of the country, we are moved by a sense of duty to offer a few remarks in favor of its adoption. Owing to the vast extent of the United States and the rapid development of the resources of newly settled districts, there is, perhaps, no other nation where full and correct information respecting the production and consumption of every part of the country is so necessary as here; and no where else, we imagine, do intelligent men generally entertain such crude and vague ideas respecting their own commerce. Nor can it be expected that more enlightened and consistent views can be entertained until an efficient system of collecting and publishing facts shall have been adopted and reduced to practice. It is owing chiefly to the want of correct information on this subject that so many conflicting opinions relating to the tariff, and also the excitement growing out of its discussion have prevailed— threatening, at times, even the dissolution of the Union. The importance of systematising the facts relating to our internal commerce, is becoming more apparent every year. Until within a few years past, almost the entire surplus products of the West were destined for the eastern and European markets; and the state of the demand and supply in our seaports and abroad, embraced the principal facts important to be known by the merchant and producer-the economy of the entire nation was involved in one system of commerce, the centre and controlling power of which was established in London. But a new commercial system is being developed in the valley of the Mississippi, based chiefly upon its manufactures and mineral resources; and, to the end that we may comprehend its operations and give it a wise direction, we must note all the principal facts as they occur. These facts, when collected and made public by authority of the general government, will arrest the attention of manufacturers and capitalists of other countries, and will doubtless be the means of inducing many to transfer their business to this region. The commercial and manufacturing statistics of western cities have hitherto been too imperfect to afford the kind of information which is most necessary to enable us to understand the true nature and extent of our commerce. We need a regulation, by act of Congress, that shall provide for the registration of all commodities received, by public conveyance at least, at the principal cities, designating the state in which they are produced; and the quantity and place of destination of all commodities exported by rivers, canals, or railroads. The facts thus preserved would exhibit the annual progress of each State in agriculture, mining, and manufactures, with a sufficient degree of accuracy for most practical purposes; and would show very nearly the gross amount of provisions and other raw material consumed in the cities. We are not advised that the civic government of any of our western towns, except St. Louis, has provided for the registration of imports; and here we believe no account is taken of the exports. No one can tell what proportion of our imports are consumed at this place or what part is exported to New Orleans, the Ohio river, or other markets. We know that the number of steamboat arrivals from the Ohio river is increasing annually: and that the number of arrivals from N. Orleans has been decreasing for several years past; but whether the actual quantity and value of produce and general merchandize have increased or diminished, is left to conjecture, and so in respect to almost every thing relating to our internal commerce. Amidst such confusion of facts, it is not to be expected that either the people or their representatives can arrive at just conclusions touching the national or local interests. Such a regulation may add considerably to the labors of the Custom House officers, and increase, perhaps, the cost of that branch of the public service; but these are matters which should not be regarded as objections to a measure of such general importance. Indeed we can scarcely imagine that objections can be raised to its adoption by any party or from any quarter of the country; but it does not therefore follow as a matter of course that Congress will act favorably upon the subject. Measures that are not calculated to produce some degree of excitement, are always in danger of being neglected; and it is the duty of those most interested to urge them upon the attention of their representatives. It is rare that members of Congress take an active interest in measures that have not been discussed by their constituents; and, therefore, that the western delegation may be left without excuse in regard to this, we trust that the press will discharge its duty by bringing the subject fully before the country, with a view to the action of the next Congress. The measure is one that should not be delayed. For the information which it is calculated to impart will, in many respects, be highly useful to the projectors of schemes of internal improvement and be the means of not only indicating the best systems, but of securing the confidence and encouragement of capitalists. It will constitute the materials of which may be constructed a more enlightened system of impost duties on foreign commerce, and lead to a more permanent and uniform state of prosperity, than has heretofore been enjoyed by the people of this country. ANALYSIS OF GRASSES. [From the Genesee Farmer.] Very few farmers duly appreciate the value of grass when turned to the best possible account. Broad acres have been too cheap, with their almost spontaneous herbage ready to be cropped by the domesticated animals of man, in this country, for him to study closely how to make two spires grow where only one grew before. In all the older States, however, this native abundance of nutritious forage and grazing is either gone or fast departing, never to return except through the art and science of the husbandman. The time has come when the study of the grasses is called for by every consideration of private interest and the public good. In his account of the "Geographical Distribution of Grasses,' Schouw remarks: "Persoon's Synopsis contains 812 species1-26th part of all the plants therein enumerated. In the system of Romer and Sheiltes there are 1800; and since this work, were it brought to a conclusion, the family would probably contain forty thousand in all." This learned author adds: "The distribution of cultivated grasses is one of the most interesting of all subjects. It is determined not merely by climate, but depends on the civilization, industry, and traffic of the people, and often on historical events." The herdsmen of Switzerland find pastures for their cattle on mountain slopes above the range of forests; and the same is true on the high plateau of Central Asia. One of the most valuable books for reference, on this and all kindred topics, is Prof. Lindley's "Vegetable Kingdom"-a work which will pay well to reprint in this country. Prof. Emmons has given the results of his analyses of several varieties of grasses grown in the United States, and of red and white clover, in his "Agriculture of New York," which furnish many new and valuable facts. On page 70, vol. 2, he says: "Timothy Grass-(Phleum pratensis)-First specimen, collected May 30, 1848. Stalk 24 inches long, head not visible. Proportions-Stalk..... Leaf.... ...65.30 ...34.70 100.00 As specimen No. 1 varies not from the above, we omit it. 100 parts of the ash of timothy hay gave the following results: By the above figures it will be seen that over 72 per cent. of the earthy matter removed from a meadow or pasture in the plant called timothy, is silica and potash—both of which are of course dissolved in water before they enter the roots of the plant. The stems of all grasses are large consumers of these minerals, which in a soluble condition are seldom abundant in any soil. As in wheat, rye, oats, barley, and maize straw, the quantity of ash varies considerably in different samples grown on unlike soils, so in timothy, red top, orchard and other cultivated grasses, the proportion of earthy matter varies in an equal degree. Nearly all meadows contain several species of this numerous family of social plants, besides more or less of clover. Probably 6 per cent of ash per 100 pounds of dry hay will be a fair estimate. This gives 120 pounds per ton of hay removed from the soil. The ash of Red Top (Agrostis Vulgaris) differs especially from that of timothy. It contains much less potash and far more lime, as the following analysis by Prof. Emmons indicates : Silica ............41.90 |