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Variety

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Parent Issue
Day
1
Month
August
Year
1846
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

India Rubber Bridge. - Mentionhas been made of an order given for theconstructioir óf nn India uubber Bridge for the Army in Mexico. It appears that a similar bridge was inventad somc time ngo, and used during the Creek war in Ala bnma scme tèn yearK ago. Tlie following is a descriplion of it: "It consisted of large bags or pontons, something like coltod bags in shape, made cf india rubber clolh whicli being filled with air and ultached laterally together, formed a bridge of fourteen feet in width, and of any lengtb, according to the r.umber of bags used; upon these wero laid Üght timbers to support boards placed l.iterally, which forming a smooth, level sujface, admitted the rrassngc of wagon?, h'orscs, &c. A detatchment of six huhdred men, with nll their arms and accoutermonts, including the field oflicers mounted upon their hoise.s, marched on it at once, and afier remaining a quarter of an hour, going Jhrough the evolutions to test its strenth, they counter-marchcd with as much facility as if on' terra firma. Field pieces wilh complement of matrosse?, and their caissons filled with amunition, and loaded wvngons, were also drivcn over with the same ease. It was said, that a troop of horse arnved at night where ibis bridge yas, and seeihg it stretched, crossed it under the impression that it was a common bridge. The greai advanlage of this bridge is its poriableness, all the pontons and coriage for a bridge of three hundred and fifty feet being capable of trans'portafion" in a single wajon; whereas, the former ponton equipages consisted of cumbrous and bulky pontons of wood, sheot iron and copper." IFaltening Turkeys. - Éxpenments have been successfully tricd of shutting up turkeys in a small apartmeht made perfectlydark. They were fattened,it is said in one quarcer of the usualti'mè. The recson assigned s, that they are thus kept stijl] and havo nothlng to attract their attent ion.Parsnips for faltcning Pigs. - A correspondent of ihe London Agricultural Gazetto, says: "My pigsare fed once a day with wash from the house, and three times a day with parsnips, asthey were drawn from the earth, neitlier washëd, cooked, nor cut. I calcúlate that the produce from 2 1-2 rods is quite sufficient to fatten one pig. The last animal I killed weighed 21stone 5 Ibs., (341 lbs.) and was between 9 and 10 months old. The pork was declared by all to be excellent, very tender and delicate." Kii.l on Gure.- ''Torn a word with yo-j." "Be qnick then, for I'm in a hurry." "What did you give your sick horso tother d.i) ?" "A pint o' turpenline." John hurries home and administers the same dose to a favorite hunter, which, slrange to say, drops off defunct in half an hour. His opinión of lus friend Tom's veterinary ability is somewhat staggered. He meets him the next day. " Well, Tom! " "Well, John! what is it?" I gave my horse a pint o' turpentine, and killed him as dead as Julius Caesar!" "So it did mine." Shrewd Ohscrvalion. - I always listen with pleasure to the remarks made by country peopleon the habits of animáis. A countryman wnsshownGainsborough's celebraJed picture of the pigs. "To be sure," said he, "they be deadly like the pigs; but there is one fauli; nobody ever saw three pigs feeding logether, but what one on 'urn had a foot in the trough." TlIREE Sl,AVLHOI.DlNG BlSIlOPS. We areinformed by the "Western Christian Advócate" that three out of four of the Methodist Episcopal Church South are large slaveholders, and one of them, Dr. Paine, has serenty-five slaves. It seems that holding slaves is hereafter to be considered a virtue, and a reeommendation to office in that proslavery body. Well, let them exalt it and sanctify it as much nsthey please, it will only hasten its overthrow, and make its downfall the more manifest. - Rcligious Telcscope. A Company has recently been formed in Connecticut for the purpose of insuring" health.