^> ;>i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) Vd^ .-ai. .0M|9fe4"*J*i EPITOME OF A LECTUUE 17 ON ^1 fl OTTAWA PRODUCTIONS, DELIVERED BEFORE THE BYTOWN MECHANICS' IMSTITUTE AND ATHEMUM, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15> 1853, By EDWARD V A N-C O RTX A V D T, Surgeon, HONORARY LIBRARIAN TO THE INfrriTUTE, |iil)li»]^e)r mrtttt % gnsjitts of % gratitatt, 'I B YTO WN : THE OFFICE OF THE « OTTAWA CITIZEN," LITTLE SUSSEX STREET. 1858. .\%«., a*^ VAMOTTS CONDITIONS TJHDEE WHICH lEON IS FOTOD. NATIVE IRON. It is generally supposed that Iron "ever exists i.he metallic state, but it is asserted ha^pure unaduUerated Iron has been discovered at Car aan in the United States. Native ron >» '''"V'«^ uroduced by the spontaneous ignition of Coal in rh^tigiblrhooj of Iron deports and jvhere. is known under the name of Native S eel. ine Lrealest quantity of Iron is found combined with I'ul ,hu1 3/ygen^r Carbonic AcjU, the firsUnovvn as Iron Pyrites, is never worked as an Ore. ine best iTon Ores ire Oxides, but the greatest port,on of British Iron Ore is a Carbonate. METEORIO IRON. The Histories of all ages acquaint "" «f huge masses of Iron being found in various parts of the G obe and which are considered to be of meteoric oriS and in point of fact two masses of such S Actually seen to fall at Hadrschina, near r/ramT in cfolia, in 1751. Several masses have STou nd in Africa, and in America and Siberia -!Se last mentioned was discovered by Professor Pallas, and weighed 1600 pounds. An enormous mas. weighing^ 15 tons was found »>,• hnni «t-cl and on this account it is mat EnglS weapons of superior description are alwHVs made of Swedish Iron. .-.u. :„ ^'X ore exists in ^^^^^^SZ^ -rrsJecCnb f^ ::":L obtained from I,ot N^ lT,7h concession of Hull, and only four m.l.. frnm the falls of the Chaudiere, where it consti- [r. abed 20 feet in .thickness, and there is a water power within 300 yards of it. . "tn fhe authority of Mr. Murray the ass st"^^ Provincial Geologist, we are enabl .a to ^^fj^^l ^on^Tr 'Sl^S^r t eTKoirceSn ^oT Sh Sc^,^;^X,.d. Mud Lake not^nirf^m uuB, "a- - i" Peru, by DonRubi^de Cells. Capt. Parry took some knives home which he obtained from the Esquimaux in one of his voyages, and which were made of Meteoriclron. f hire is a mass of it which weighs Jhree thousand pounds, deposited in the Natural H story Lyceum^ at New York, and ^hieh was found at lied River, Louisiana ; and a po/tion of a mass of Meteoric Iron.which fe 1 at Santa Rosa SeTr Bagota, was manufactured into u sword and presented to Bolivar. MAGNETIO OXIDE OP IRON. Oxydidoits Iron, Octahedral Iron. It is this variety of Iron Ore which produces the Native Loadstone. It occurs in various parts of The world, especially in the North of Europe, and s tS of which the best Swedish Iron IS made and it yields also the Wootz Steel of the East j iSes. It is of an Iron black colour, darker than common Iron ; its powder is pure J^-k-it e jer ts a decided action on the magnetic Needle, attract ?ng and repelling, according as the positive or «|aUve point, arl presented. This variety, which is found in several parts of ^hi* continent is called Native Loadstone. It i» •"f^^'';'^ ,^'?°'^,,„ ° blow-pipe, and soluble in Nitric Acid ; it occurs "n primiUve rocks, chiefly of mica and gnem ; it it is exceedingly rich in metal, yielding 80 per cent. It is very abundant in Sweden, and at GaUvara, beyond the Polar Circle it constitutes an entire mountain. In the United Slates it exis s Tn the greatest abundance, and is worked in severa DUcesf On the western side of Lake Champlam.it i found in beds of 20 feet thick. lis ore produces man that mi-ht be here obtained, the proximity Kood n abLdance for fuel, and the exis ence of water power at no great distance, combined with the advantage of a navigable canal, the wa er of «hich is in contact with the ore, render reToeality wcl worthy of attention to such as JeiispSTo altemp't the smelting of Iron in %KSgical formation yielding the magnetic ox-Ides of Canada and those of the fJnited State. rwherc they prevail in equal abundance) are £ cal .a^ys Mr. Logan, and it is P-^f ie/ ^ ^S^eSSSfin^s! ^Brtt^pTaSal^xpSels^" Sl'"o?:i are still so few t.at not ing can Canadian orea are bu.. ow •-- -•;-- "^ ^ r yet be proved from them.-He Ottawa country. OF THE WOODS OF THE OTTAWA- Amoncst the ordinary wants and prerequisites r,f Ihe human family, there is none involved m more doubt and di.rkness than the origin o( lire. \ud it is not known whether its first discovery vas referrable, lo the direct action of the buns ravs, to spontaneous combustion, to percussuin, 10 friction, or to on accidental mixture of diflcr- tnt substances. The generally received opinion, however, is that the most primitive mode of pro- .lucing it artificially was by rubbing two pieces of dry Wood togetlier, a means still resorteU to by the Aborigines of many continents a'ld Ocea- nic Isles. At all events, there is litile doubt that the first Fuel consisted of Wood, however ques- tionable the means by which fire was first obtain- ed, and it u quite certain that it was used as such, €ven at the most remote periods. Evergreen Trees — Pliics. RED PINE. PtHUS Resivosa, Pin Roiige. Is a large handsome Tree with scaly red bark. Its timber enters largely into commerce, and is fine grained and of close texture ; it is shipped in the form of squared logs, and as well undressed as Spars for Masts and Yards, for which purposes it is in great request, some deals are also manufac- tured from this wood. From its superior strength it is used for rafters in England, and is well a- dapted for supporting the slate and tile roofs of Britain, and owing to the great distance Lumber- ers have to go in search of it, it brings the highest jprice in the market. By far the largest quantity i)f Red Pine is derived from the Ottawa, and on Ihe banks of some of our tributaries, large tracts of sandy land are entirely covered with it. It con- .■slilutes the only open Wooded Tree in Canada. WHITE PINE. Pimis Strobtis, Fin Blanc. This is the commonest and most majestic of all our Pines, towers over all the other trees of the Forest, and attains a very great size. When growing in open situations, it is often feathered -down to the ground, and when loaded with its large pendulous cones assumes a very bcautitui and picturesque appearance. White Pine is easily '.vrn-.Uht. cnmparn lively free from knots atiQ very durable. Its timber is most in demand for ordi- nary domestic purposes, a fact fully demon- strated by the tens of thouj-ands of L^gs, V'* ee everywhere abr.ut our Saw Mills. From lU suueriorsize and lightness the lower masts of Sliips a e generally made of it, and Us possessing the property of not splitting by the sun. Ills it or t rir decks. This wood is our most extensive Video commei-ce and is shipped in the shape I- Masts, Planks, Boards, Shingles, Laths and Sauared Lo-rs. This is one of the trees which ?uTntsh the Cium with which the Indians pay over the seams of their Canoes. PITCH PINE. rimis liigida. Is the most symmetrical and beautiful of all the family of Pines, although it seldom attains a great i size and never thrives except on the most arid and sand? oils. As its name indicates, it is che.fly em- ployed for making Pitch, n is an extremely r.- nid erowing tree, and exists in large qnanlities at Sandv noiiit Torbolton, and although every t,-ee on thb locality was destroyed by fire about ten Jears^ince.they have ^^'^\J^\'TYf'lTZ bers and of sizes already, which, but for the in- disputable evidence of the neighbouring Farmers SouTd scarcely be believed. Tar and Lampblack are largely manufactured from this tree, in Ver mini by I very simple process. The knots beuiB "corruptible, are found abundantly in groves of this pTe which are collected and piled upon a stonJ.hearth, covered with sods ^"d earili^and sett on fire, the heat soon expels t»^« ^ar wh ch runs down a groove cut in the stone for that pur- nose. The Lampblack is only the condensed Ee of the same fire eolleeled in large Wooden Troughs. The only purpose this wood is convert- ed to when worked, is 1 imp-making. SPRVCESS. HendocJ: Spruce, AMes Ca7iadcmis, Pmctie. This tree is exceedingly abundant throughout Canada. It is a noble species rising to 80 or 100 fee" aid measuring often from 2 to 3 feet in dia- me er It is of slow growth and is supposed to re-^ 25 to 30 years old, its appearance is exceedingly fleSnt, but when older its large broken l.nribs de- t St from its svmmetry and beauty, and the na- Led stumps of the o.^ ii.bs^give the tre^e a„^ ap- 17nS"of g;ear^af^;:andis-chi;fly employed .or fathc- «nJ coareo Indoor work Tl,e b"k U Tcry f«l.iablc us a (.ub»tUulcf..r Ouk bark m Tunning, and s that almost exclusively employed -n our Tanneries. A dccoclion of il, I'- ^^ ,"^[,? "u", •uilorflc whilst a fomcnUition made by boilii>g us Snche's: is considered by f -'^ ";.-,;? ,^:,,! Panacea for llhcumalism, and . U «"'^'' "' •J'' ling,, and Iho " Sovcreign'sl thing on canhj for ■ green wound." BIi\OK SPIirOE. Abie* Nigra, Epinctte Noir. Is a native of the most inclement portions of our continent, growing most dense y ""J P^";"^' ing a very sombre appoarance ; and as large tracts of countrV are frequently covered exclusively with Jhis t cc it has gained for Ihem the appe lation of Black Wood Lands. It ia remarkable for he Jegularily and symmetry of ts branches which taocr in the most beautiful pyramidal manner f om the base to the summit. The timber is of rreTt value, and is used from its straightnes,, fightness and elasticity, for the yards of Slnps and to " bend like a Black Spruce topmast is a Common saying amongst Sailor.; •» V>«" "'f^ for the knees of Ships and other craft. From ,t is extracted the Essence of Spruce, so well known for its Antiscorbutic properties and »" l^K'^'y ^J"" ployed in the manufacture of Spruce Beer. Large j Suantilies of this timber arc annually shipped ofl from Quebec, chiefly for the Irish market. BALSAM SPRUCE. Silver Fir, Abies Btdsimea, Sapin. This is a beautiful ever green tree, rising in a pyramidal shape from 30 to 40 feet. In open and cultivated grounds it becomes feathered down to the bottom; it is consequently much •" demand as an Ornamental Tree. It is this tree which furn.>J- .„ the Gum de Sapin, or Canadian Balsam, sold lareely as a substitute for and under the name of Balm of Gilead,an article of Eastern production, and which brings a high price in the market. It is also in the chief ingredient in severa descriptions of Varnish, and particularly valuable for prepar- ing a transparent limped vornUh for water colour P'U ir?l?o branches and leaves of ^Ws tree which furnMh the Lumberer with a rude and p imltivo bed, when far removid from Ihc ab.Hlc. of man, hunting up Timber-groves in the forest. RKO CEDAR, Juniper Virginianae, Vcilar Rouge. ThcCunadian lied Cedar is identical with th« Bermuda Cedar, which is so '"/g'^'y «7' Xh„7 the Pencil makers. U grows from Cedar hl.in. Take Champlain. to as far south os the Gu f of Mexico. 1 attains a height of about b) feet, J^^ws on the most sterile regions and muy frcauently bo seen springing out of the crevitts of rocks growing most luxuriant y without any apparent i^urishment. In this section of the coun- ^S^ it is not applied to any part.cu ar use, but m ,e vcslern district is largely "'^J f°^ ^f""/^ ';• There is a peculiarity connected with this tree ^vhich although very ornamental, never produces rXedS alike', that is two t-s of t e s... shaoe. A resinous gum called Cum a.andarac i 8 ^b ained from tl^ Red Cedar, "h'ch when nulvcrizcd is known under the name of Pounce Snd used a, an absorbent of ink and to nrevent , r spreading T"..^'- ^.f^l'L^^'v^S ne^t^ auing over uic iiutxj \"'"~~. ^ ,. „. paper; it is° also largely employed byCab.net- Kers for making a seperior tran«paren var,a»h The essential oil is very fragrant and imparts a most agreeable odour to leather and to it books in Russia owe their inviting smell. WHITE CEDAR. Tliuya Occidentalis, Cedre Blcnc, Arbor Vila. The White Cedar never attains any great height and is so universally known as the occupant of Ce- HlrSwamns that any lengthend description is J^caSr.' Tt wo Jd is soV .-oth. «tre-e^ lieht, and possesses an aromatic smell. " reia ns Smanent shape, and is so extrem.ly durab e Js to have led to the saying, " as sound as aCedar nost » It is chiefly used for fences and the sleep- S?s of cellars, aiAom it the Indian Bliopcs the I ribs of his frail bark. r 8 VouN'o Mi.v or Bytown, — At the same time that the main object of our Lectures is to excite in you n taste for scientific an J useful knowledge, other means have not been overlooked of affording you facilities for their fur- ther cultivation. The President of Iho Institute told you in his clever Inaugural Address the num- ber and the nature of the Books which grace our •helves, and it is for you to show how far you op- preciatc the labors of the Managing Committee, both by a constant attendance upon the Lectures and a more or less uninterrupted attendance at the Reading Room and Library during the long winter evenings. This is the season for Early Shop Shutting, and when the labours of tho day arc over (to borrow a simile from tho sacred Psalmist,) you must iiot sit down " like a Pelican in the wilderness or an Owl in the desert." Try to merit a comparison to a more noble bird than one whose indolence and inactivity is only sur- passed by ita gluttony. Never be called tho Peli- cans of the Oyster Saloon, or be likened to the Owl, whose deeds are always associated with dar!»- ncjs and seclusion ; avoid the Pigeon-hole, and shun these secluded haunts of vice andinfnmy, the Nine-pin Alleys. Aspire to bo somebody and something, and by a proper application and well- directe(( study, at no distant day some of you, I havo no doubt, will fill and do justice to the post of honor which has, without any merit on my part, been assigned to me this evening. You must be up and doing while it is day; imitate the Spartan youths, and avoid sloth and luxury ;— for this is the summer of your day, and you know from good authority that " He who gathereth in Summer is a wise son." Wo live in utilitarian times ; the march of man is onwards. New re- velations are going on daily around us, and it would sccni as if the striking prophecy of Daniel, that " Men shall go to and fro on tho earth, and knowledge shall be increased," was about being literally fulfilled. On the part of the Managing Committee, I can answer for the readiness with which they will ever co-operate with you In any useful undertaking, and the cheerfulness with which they will acquiesce in any just and reason'' able dematid. ID •a -'ate^..