PRESERVING FRUIT.

Fruit of almost every description may be preserved simply by packing it in kiln-dried bran. Sand is frequently used for the same purpose; but it is a ponderous article, and on several accounts far less eligible than bran. Dr. Underhill, of the New York Farmers' Club, stated some years since, that a friend of his obtained a quantity of ground cork, in which grapes had been imported. He dried it thoroughly in a kiln, and packed some grapes in it, which kept sound and good till the following July. He also remarked that he had succeeded in preserving grapes in kiln-dried wheat bran; and that, in preserving all fruits, they should be kept as cool as possible, without incurring danger from frost. The temperature, therefore, ought never to be below 32 degrees nor above 35 degrees.

Mr. Hall, at one of the meetings of this "Club," remarked that the Spaniards export more grapes than all the rest of the world, and that they preserve them by packing in kiln-dried oak sawdust, and hermetically sealing the vessels in which they are deposited. Noah Webster, of lexicon and spelling-book memory, was accustomed to preserve his apples in sand. Plaster of Paris is also had recourse to by many for the same purpose, but it is no less objectionable than the latter article, being heavy and difficult to handle. I have known apples and pears preserved in an excellent state till August, in the following manner: as soon as the weather becomes cool, pick the fruit carefully from the boughs by hand, placing them one by one in a basket, to prevent bruising. Spread them for a week or two in a cool place, and then enclose each apple closely in an envelope of paper. Have a clean barrel, well lined with cotton batting or old newspapers, and pack in the enveloped fruit as closely as it can be placed; head the barrel carefully, and set it away in a cool place. In this way, fruit will generally keep sound and good.-Germantown (Pa.) Telegraph.

JOURNAL OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

HANNIBAL AND ST. JOSEPH RAILROAD.

The friends of this important enterprise held a meeting at Hannibal on the 27th ultimo, and appointed delegates to attend a convention at St. Josephs on the 7th instant. The meeting was addressed by Col. R. F. Richmond and Wm. P. Harrison, Esq., and a series of resolutions were adopted evincing the interest and confidence which is felt in the final consummation of the work.

We are much gratified that the people of north Missouri have become awakened to the subject of internal improvements. The people of no part of the United States have more at stake on the policy of opening easy and cheap communications to market, than those of north Missouri; for it can scarcely be doubted that a railroad from Hannibal to St. Josephs would double the present aggregate value of the real estate, north of the Missouri river.

But it is scarcely to be expected that a district of country purely agricultural, and withal, so thinly inhabited, can furnish the means necessary to accomplish a work of such magnitude without aid from some other quarter. And seeing that the success of the enterprise must depend, in a great degree, upon the aid of the general government, we trust that our citizens of the North will adopt active and efficient measures to bring the subject before Congress at its approaching session; and that nothing calculated to insure the favorable action of that body will be left undone. It is not sufficient that the people meet and adopt resolutions-they should select one or more intelligent and able individuals to attend the next session of Congress at Washington. Not because our members are wanting in devotion to the interests of their State; nor that they are deficient in ability; but, that by reason of the multiplicity of subjects which claim their attention, they may be greatly assisted by one who is charged with no other duty than that of looking after the interest of this great measure.

From the Alton Telegraph and Democratic Review.

ALTON AND SANGAMON RAILROAD.

The following items of interest in relation to this road, are extracted from a circular just issued to the stockholders of the company: "The contractors have commenced the graduation and masonry in the city of Alton, at Brighton, at Coup's Creek, and at Carlinville, and are now employing a force of three hundred and fifty men and sixty horses, which is increasing daily, and which will, before the end of the present month, reach to a constant force of five hundred men, and one hundred horses; besides this, contracts for the cross-ties are in rapid execution, and twenty thousand are expected to be delivered at Alton early in November; and contracts for all the engines, cars, and six thousand tons of iron, and two thousand tons of spikes, necessary for the whole road, have also been entered into." The work in this city is progressing very rapidly.

EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN RAILROAD. Except the great Pacific railway, there has been no work proposed which, in our opinion, is calculated to produce such important results as that designed to connect our great commercial cities with the eastern coast of Nova Scotia. It is estimated that by this route the transit across the Atlantic will be shortened one-third, and, the time of travel between New York and London will be lessened at least two days. Indeed, it is confidently believed by many well informed individuals that the voyage will be made from Nova Scotia to Galway, on the western coast of Ireland, in five days.

We can scarcely imagine the extent to which the intercourse between the two continents will be enlarged by thus shortening the voyage. As this country increases in population, wealth and national power, it becomes more attractive in the estimation of all classes of Europeans; and were the voyage across the Atlantic reduced to five days, a very large portion of those who travel for pleasure, would come here as a matter of recreation. To the Englishman, a trip to the Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains will be almost as convenient as to the Rhine and the Alps, and, it may be safely predicted that traveling for pleasure will follow in the direction of emigration westward.

A Convention was held at Portland, Me., on the 31st of July, last, for the purpose of adopting measures calculated to carry this great work into effect. This convention was attended by many influential individuals from the British provinces, who We learn that a evinced a deep interest in the enterprise. lively interest is felt in its success in Great Britain, and little doubt is entertained that sufficient capital can be obtained across the water, if necessary, to complete the work.

The Legislature of Maine have incorporated a company to build that part of the line running through that State, and have appropriated $5,000 for a survey of the route. This is a liberal step on the part of Maine; for in a commercial point of view she is not likely to receive as large a share of the benefits accruing from the work as her southern neighbors. Indeed the enterprise is most intimately connected with the social progress of the age, and its accomplishment may be regarded as certain, whether it receives any material aid from the region in which it is located or not.

BUSINESS OF THE OHIO AND BALTIMORE RAILROAD.

The following are memoranda of the business upon the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, for the month of September, 1850. The transportation eastwardly into the city of Baltimore, of some of the principal staples has been as follows:

The revenue for the month has been as follows:

For Passengers. For Freight.

Main Stem,

Washington branch,

$33,637 35

24,300 50

$94,355 00

12,921 68

$57,937 40

$106,276 68

Making an aggregate of $127,792 35 on the main stem, and $36,221 73 on the Washington branch-the total being $164,214 08.

The above shows an increase over the corresponding month of last year of $16,258 15, being $8,126 92 on the main stem, and $8,131 23 on the Washington branch.-[Patriot.

MADISON AND INDIANAPOLIS RAILROAD.

The receipts of this road for the month of September 1850, show an increase of $,6948,69.

23,895 08

16,946 41

Increase,

6,948 69

[Railroad Journal.

INDIANAPOLIS AND BELLEFONTAINE RAILROAD. The cars passed over this road from Indianapolis to Pendleton, a distance of about 28 miles, on the 15th instant. We learn from the Indiana State Journal that the executive committee embraced the occasion of opening the road to address themselves to the stock-holders. We learn from this address that "the road is built with gravel basis, oak superstructure, and the heavy Trail." That it is "well and permanently located, entirely above the reach of high water, upon low governing grade of 30 feet to the mile-76 out of 83 miles are straight lines. All curves over 5,000 feet radius, permitting the highest rate of speed, passing through a country of unsurpassed fertility, with no other outlet for its productions-connecting with the Ohio line, with the travel and business passing West of some five or six railroads, and of the capitol of the State with the business and travel passing East of as many more, and costing only about $10,000 per mile, ready for the motive power,"

From this account we conclude that the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine railroad must become in time, the best dividend daying improvement in the United States. For besides the advantages above enumerated, it is destined to constitute a section of what we esteem the most important of all the routes from the Atlantic to the Mississippi river.

ނ

STARCH FROM INDIAN CORN.

Many of our readers are not aware of the extent of this new branch of manufacture, which we hope soon to see take the place of whisky distilleries in the consumption of our great American staple, Indian corn. There is now in operation, at Oswego, New York, a manufactory that consumes 2,000 bushels of corn a week, which makes 40,000 pounds of the whitest and most beautiful starch for all domestic purposes, whether for the laundry or pantry. The building is 130 by 190 feet, five stories high (to which an addition is about being erected,) and contains 200 cisterns for precipitating the starch, eleven furnaces with drying rooms, and employs about 70 men, and manufactures upward of $120,000 worth of starch annually. There are two other similar establishments in the United States, and yet the demand is constantly increasing.

It is found that the kind of starch is superior to any other for culinary purposes, because it is always made from clean, sweet corn, the gluten of which is separated by a peculiar process of grinding and washing, the corn being first steeped in a chemical liquor, then reduced to pulp, sifted, and filtrated, and, passed into huge cisterns, whence it flows through long, narrow troughs, draining off the water through coarse cotton cloths. In twelve hours, the starch becomes like wet