and mortification, he opened the window and threw bottle after bottle on to the pavement of the street below. As otto of roses is an oil, many seem to suppose that the more oily it is the better the otto, even if it is as unctuous as bear's grease.

America is probably a larger consumer of otto than any country of the same amount of population, but no indication can be found in this of the strong attachment the ladies may have for costly aromas. For one pound of otto of roses that is sold to the perfumer, a hundred pounds are sold to the snuff manufacturers, to scent therewith their best snuffs!

The water that has been employed in the process of distillation to obtain the oil of roses, furnishes what is called rose-water. It is brought abundantly to the city in barrels like wine, and sold about as cheap, costing not more than eight or ten cents a quart. Constant use is made of it on festival occasions in the Greek and Armenian churches, and it is also sprinkled on guests as a token of welcome by the members of the family.

COAL MINES OF THE UNITED STATES.

The coal mines of the United States are of unknown extent, and incalculable value. The coal-producing States are as follows, as stated in R. Taylor's well-known work: -Alabama has 3,400 square miles of coal; Georgia 150 miles; Tennessee 4,300; Knetucky 13,500; Virginia 21,195; Maryland 550; Ohio 11,900; Indiana 7,700; Illinois 44,000; Pennsylvania 15,437; Michigan 5,000; Missouri 6,000. Total square miles of coal in twelve States, 133,132.

Of this Illinois has the largest surface, being one third of the whole; but her mining lands are undeveloped. Illinois contains 43,960 square miles, equal to 28,134,400 acres. The greatest developments have been in the mines of Pennsylvania. The greatest amount of capital and labor has been spent on them, and in providing by canals and railroads conduits to market. These mines also have been in course of working the longest period. The areas in this State, occupied by anthracite, semibituminous coals, are equal to 9,879,680 acres; over one third of the superficies of Pennsylvania is covered by productive coal formations, a proportion more than three times greater relatively than great Britain, the most productive of the European countries.

The production and use of coal in this country is of very late date. The first anthracite coal found its way from Pottsville to Philadelphia, in the year 1812, only forty years ago; from the Lehigh region in 1814, from Wilkesbarre in 1820. The first bituminous coal reached tide-water down the Susquehanna only in 1804; less than half a century since.

In England coal has been consumed for fuel from the beginning of the thirteenth century. In Scotland only from the close of the last century. In France, from the beginning of the fifteenth century; and in Belgium from the year 1198. The Belgian coal mines therefore are of the most ancient date as to their working.

The coal of Pennsylvania lies on the surface, or nearly so, an advantage which the coal of Europe does not possess, as that has to be dug out from very low depths.

The strata of the great bituminous coal region of the Alleghany Mountains closely approximates to a horizontal state; no coal region in the world offers more ready facilities for cheap mining than does that of Pennsylvania: where it is found rather on the surface, or at a very insignificant depth below it. The great Alleghany or Appalachian coal-field extends through eight States, 750 miles long, and 173 broad at its greatest breadth, but averaging a breadth of 85 miles, giving an area of 65,000 square miles of bituminous coal.

The three divisions of the area of anthracite coal formations in Pennsylvania are

The most southern coal-field of Pennsylvania is that of the Dauphin, which abuts on the Schuylkill at Port Lyon or Dauphin, and is connected with the Pennsylvania

Central Railroad, and with the Schuylkill Canal, and has an outlet to tide-water at Havre de Grace. This is the least developed of the coal regions of Pennsylvania, but will be found quite as rich as any when more fully worked. The approaching connection by railroad to join the Reading Railroad, will give it also a northern outlet. We have, therefore, east of the Alleghanies, first, the west and northwestern section, including the Wyoming coal-field and Lackawanna region. We have, secondly, the middle region, the Shamokin basin east of the Mahony mountain; thirdly, the great Schuylkill region, the center of which is Pottsville, which puts its coal in circulation by the great Reading Railroad; and, fourthly, the Dauphin region, which stretches in a direction from southeast to northwest, and joining the Schuylkill.

The companies working the mines combine the double object of mining and transporting coal. The obvious distinction between carrying and producing is not maintained as separate business. The Lackawanna and Pennsylvania coal companies draw their supplies from the Northernmost wing of the coal-field, Wyoming.

The Reading Railroad Company, the Schuylkill Navigation Company, the Lehigh Company, all occupy the Schuylkill and Middle Coal regions; while the Dauphin Coal Company works its own estates in the southeastern portion of the coal-field, but towards the Southern market of Baltimore.

The coal fields of British America are equal to an area of 18,000 square miles. The coal fields of Europe have been estimated as follows:-Great Britain, 11,850 square miles; Spain 3,408; France 1,719; Belgium 518. But the actual yearly product of coal in different countries is as follows:-Great Britain 31,500,000 tons; Belgium 4,960,000 tons; United States 4,400,000 tons; France 4,140,000 tons. These facts are worth preserving for future reference.

A SPANISH CIGAR FACTORY AT VALENCIA.

A correspondent writing from Valencia, Spain, thus describes a visit to a cigar factory:

Valencia is an object of particular interest to the Spanish, from its being the place where is located one of the three or four government manufactories of tobacco and cigars. As in most countries of continental Europe, tobacco is a government monopoly, from which a very considerable amount of revenue is derived, and one of the sources of income which disturbances and revolution do not distroy. The Spaniard has no objection to a pronunciamento occasionally, always provided it does not deprive him of his cigar. The latter is a necessary of life, while the former is a luxury in which he can only indulge at uncertain intervals. Official documents now before us show that the government income from the tobacco monopoly last year amounted to the sum of 199,000,000 reals, minus 46,000,000 reals expense, leaving 144,000,000 reals-or about $7,200,000-clear income. If we take the gross revenue, we find that no less than $9,000,000 worth of tobacco is consumed in Spain yearly, exclusive of the amount smuggled into the country, which, owing to the inferior quality of the gov ernment tobacco, is enormous-so enormous indeed, that when a few years since the yellow fever was raging at Gibraltar, so fearfully as nearly to put a stop to smuggling, from that great depot of smuggled goods, it was necessary to employ several thousand extra hands in the government establishments; and even then the demand was greater than the supply. How large the amount of contraband tobacco is, I have no means of judging, but it must amount to at least a couple of million of dollars worth yearly; for you can always buy at the hotels, and of persons who accost you mysteriously in the street, smuggled cigars, said to be of excellent quality. But to return to the factory of Valencia. I found no difficulty in gaming access to it, though there is constantly a guard at the door to see that nothing is carried out unlawfully. I went first to the snuff department, where work had ceased, but I was seized with such a fit of sneezing, that I was glad to escape with my head still remaining on my shoulders. But in the cigar depart ent the scene was a different one; here, in four large rooms communicating with one another, were assembled no less than 3,500 females of all ages, jabbering as fast as their tongues could move, and, without a single exception, destitute of the first element of beauty. They were working at tables ir regularly placed, and each with a basket at her side, so that we had some difficulty in picking our way among them. As we entered each room a murmur, "Hush!" ran through it, which my companion insisted was one of astonishment at the rashness of two "coat-tails" in venturing among thirty five hundred "little-coats," (for be it known

my friend was a modest man, and refused to pronounce the word "petti," in that connection.) However this may be, the jabbering recommenced as soon as we passed, with an activity which indicated a laudable desire to make up for lost time. It is astonishing to see the rapidity with which they work; a little tobacco is taken from the basket, rapidly rolled and broken in the hand, a nice leaf selected as a cover, which is quickly rolled over the broken pieces, one end is fastened with a little gum, and when clipped to the proper size the product appears quite a respectable cigar, though, if rumor is to be believed, here, as in many other things, appearances are in the highest degree deceptive. Much of the tobacco used comes from the Philippine Islands, but Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky, supply their share, and Havana does the same, at least in name. The girls are paid by the package, and the best of them earn about five reals, or twenty five cents per day, of about eight hours, for they seldom work longer than that. I was surprised, however, to find that the woman who accompanied us about the establishment refused any fee, and by the offer of it, I obviously offended her "pundonor," point of honor.

This is not the first time that it has occurred to me in Spain, and I confess that, though it sometimes embarrasses me, there is something pleasant in finding that every one is not trying to get as much money out of you as possible. There seems to be, among a certain class of Spaniards a feeling of pride, which prevents the acceptance of money in return for little services, which does not exist among similar classes in other countries of Europe.

THE SCHUYLKILL COAL TRADE.

Mr. Zieber, the agent of the Merchants' Magazine in Philadephia, has published a Table, entitled, The Coal Trade of Schuylkill Co., Pennsylvania. It was compiled by C. W. Peale and J. M. Wetherill, for the World's Fair at New York, and it furnishes much valuable information. The region embraced includes the Little Schuylkill, the West Branch, the West Norwegian, the East Norwegian, Mill Creek, and Schuylkill Valley; and it comprises within its limits one hundred and eleven collieries, of which 58 are red-ash coal, and 43 white ash coal. Seven of the red and four of the white ash collieries were not in operation during the year 1852-being new ones. Of these collieries 62 are working coal out above water level, and 49 below water level. 48 of the red-ash collieries shipped during the year 1852, 776,675 tons, and 40 whiteash collieries shipped 1,520,744 tons, making a total of 2,297,419 tons. This is not the whole amount of coal shipped during the year 1852, as there were collieries in operation during that year that are not now in operation; consequently this collection does not include them. There was shipped from this region, including the Little Schuylkill district, via Reading Railroad, 1,650,912 tons, and via Schuylkill Canal 800,038 tons, making a total of 2,450,950 tons. The Little Schuylkill region sent of this amount 325,099 tons. There are 1224 miles of under-ground railroads, 6 miles of which are through rock tunnels, and 1163 miles in gangways through coal. There are 210 steam engines employed directly at the various collieries; 3,805 horse-power for hoisting coal and pumping water from slopes and shafts, the deepest of which is 353 yards and the shortest 33 yards; 1,375 horse-power for pumping water only, and 1,891 horse power for preparing the coal for market; making an aggregate of 7,071 horse-power. There are employed, inside and outside, at the various mines, 9,792 hands, 468 horses, and 569 mules. There are 2,756 miners' houses, exclusive of houses occupied by miners and laborers in the large towns. The amount of individual capital invested in the coal business $3,462,000. This amount does not include that invested by the landowners, which is also very large. The thickest vein worked is eighty feet, and the smallest two feet.

SUBSTITUTE FOR GUTTA PERCHA.

Dr. Riddell, of India, in making experiments on the Muddar plant of India, (asclepia gigantea, found that its milky juice, when dried, became tough and hard like gutta percha, and precisely analogous to it. It is charred by sulphuric acid, converted into a yellow resinous substance by nitric acid, and but little or not at all acted on by muriatic or ascetic acid or alcohol. Spirits of Turpentine dissolves it into a viscid glue, which, when it is taken between the thumb and finger, pressed together and then separated, shows numberless minute threads, all which results exactly correspond with those of gutta percha. In hot water it becomes plastic, and has been moulded

into cups and vessels. It will also unite with the true gutta percha. The muddar also produces an excellent fiber useful in the place of hemp and flax. An acre of land cultivated with it would produce a large quantity of both fiber and juice. The poorest land suffices for its growth. A nearly similar substance is procurable from the juice of the euphorbia tirucalli, only when it hardens after boiling it becomes brittle. The subject is most important, as the demand for gutta percha is so certain quickly to exceed the supply of it that can be procured.

MANUFACTURED GOODS.

The London Spectator makes the following remarks in an article urging upon English manufacturers to look well to the quality of their goods, if they would secure themselves from foreign competition, which may yet drive out many of their goods from the markets of the world. The same advice is suited to our own market, and we hope our manufacturers are shrewd enough to see of themselves wherein lies their security for the largest and most permanent profits:

Some years ago, there was a stuff well known in this country as Nankin cloth, colloquially "nankeen," which had the recommendation of being a wholesome summer wear, and of being exceedingly durable. It was used in various cases for jackets, trowsers and children's clothing, as combining lightness and durability; and those qualities extended a use which could not have accorded to any beauty that it possessed. The consumption was great, and at a certain period it expanded considerably. The merchant and the manufacturer probably thought that their profits could be increased by diminishing the original cost and substituting an inferior article; at all events, it was found in practice that naukeen did not possess the quality of durability which was originally thought to be implied in the very name; the article fell into discredit, into disuse, and the trade declined. Attempts were made to recover it, by the only legitimate means-by restoring the sterling quality of the stuff; and that was done, but the lost traffic was not regained; and the trade, which was once as sterling as the bloth itself, is extinct.

There is no imperishable immunity for English trade; its tenure can only be fairly earned by doing suit and service in the way of sterling work; and if English commodities follow the example of nankeen in foreign markets, the trade will undergo a like fate. We could parallel the story of nankeen cloth in anecdotes of needles without eyes, watches warranted to go for 24 hours, with other examples of practice; and indeed these tricks, although not hazardous to the same degree, are to a certain extent copied very extensively through the deterioration of English wares in other things than woolen cloths. Much of the iron manufacture has been observed of late years to show traces of flaws in the manufacture, at which the vender must have winked. The frauds in this building trade are notorious, but as we do not export houses, the discredit and the discomfort are luckily kept at home. It is in the export commodities that the deterioration is most mischievous; and while we look with pride to the enormous expansion of our exports during the present year, we may well ask ourselves whether it is safe to send abroad so many samples, as there must be in these exports of fraudulent cheapness?

AMERICAN SEWING MACHINES IN SCOTLAND.

The following compliment to American sewing machines, nearly all of which have been illustrated in the columns of the Scientific American, is taken from the Glasgow Chronicle:

A machine of American invention has been introduced into this country by Mr. Darling, of Glasgow, at whose manufactory numerous examples of it are now in operation, which carries the mechanical principle into a fresh departinent of human labor-namely, that of common hand sewing. The patent sewing machine promises to produce a revolution in the business of the seamstress as great as the power-loom effected in that of the weaver. This is, in truth, a moderate statement, for the capabilities of the machine have not yet been fully tested, and it is impossible to say how far its influence on the labor market may yet extend. By the hand the machine may be driven at the rate of 500 stitches per minute; by the foot, at nearly twice that

rate. Nor must it be supposed that the work executed at this extraordinary rapid rate is loose, irregular slop sort of work. On the contrary, it is strong, close sewing, beautifully regular, such as it would require a very firm and well-practiced hand to equal. Now, after all that has been said about American reaping machines, what will be said about this new American sewing machine, which seems likely to do still more towards facilitating indoor labor than the larger invention towards abridging the work of the field? We do not wish to exaggerate the probabilities of the case, but it must be remembered that the invention has so far passed the period of probation that it is in very extensive operation in America, that such trial as it has had in this country has been extremely successful, and that already its inventors are improving on it and adapting it still more carefully and completely to its end. Looking at it when at work, it is impossible to resist the conclusion that it is destined completely to supersede all ordinary plain hand sewing, and that sewing, as an occupa tion for either men or women, tailors or seamstresses, is gone forever.

STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE, &c.

THE TOBACCO CROP OF CUBA.

TRINIDAD DE CUBA, September 29th, 1853.

To FREEMAN HUNT, Editor of the Merchants' Maagzine:

SIR-I send you herewith some observations upon the Tobacco crop of this Island, which are taken from an intelligent source, and may be of interest to some of your readers.

The Tobacco plats are generally upon the margin of rivers, yet there is a large quantity of good Tobacco raised upon high lands distant from rivers, but the former situation is preferable.

The quantity of land cultivated depends altogether upon the means of the cultiva tor, and the product of the crop differs in value according to quantity and quality; as high as $30,000 has been realized by some of the heaviest Planters from a single crop of Tobacco, whilst the expenses attending its cultivation are considerably less than those incident to the raising of sugar-cane.

When the Tobacco is gathered, it is hung upon poles about fifteen feet in length to dry ; the leaf is allowed to remain a short time in the air after it is ripe, to dry a little, but not so much as to cause it to break during the operation of hanging.

As soon as the Tobacco is dry it is piled, selecting a day for this purpose a little damp, that the leaf may not be liable to be broken in the handling; the pile when made is carefully closed from the air; the floor of the piling house is made of wood and elevated from the ground that the moisture may not rot the Tobacco; the pile is formed with symmetry and in such a manner that the leaf may not be broken. This operation of piling is made that the Tobacco may acquire a good color, and it is never allowed to remain more than two months in this way, when, by this time and often much before, the selection and preparation for market is made.

The preparation of the Tobacco for market is as follows, viz: the largest, most perfect and best quality leaves are first selected and are called Libra, and are superior to all the others; the next is called Primera, and is nearly equal to the former; then comes the Segunda, a little inferior to the Primera, and so on down to the Sexta, or sixth, which is the last selection of the Tobacco called Principal. From this there is likewise taken the Quebrado, or damaged, to which class belongs all the large leaf which is broken, or worm eaten in the field.

The Principal is composed of all the Tobacco taken from the plants for the first