The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1851-05-29

De Bows Southern Review for April notices
pamphlet, by A. +. Omsied, A. NJ. iiipstfa.ed
by an engraving, showing the exIaofdinafy Va
riety of whiri.inds oecasioned by the burning OF
cane-brake in North Alabama. The flames
and smoke ascend after most singular manner,
and give rise 10 some curicns Investigations
which we have not space TO follow xith the in
genious author. From this work the ''2eview''
extracts description Of the cane brake:
.'The cane, as well known, belong 10 the ss-
der Of grasses. 1t grows to height Of ,hirty-iye
forty feet, although but an inch or two in diar
eter at base, and has round, hollow stem. with
knots every twelve or fourteen inches. At The
top there is head Of foliage, brusl, like in ap-
pearance, made UP of long linear leaves. The
canes met with on the hanks Of all the MYERS
in the extreme Southern and Southwestern States.
particularly 10 the States of,Aiabana, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Texas. The rapidly Of their
growth is wonderful. 1t is reported i!,at young
plants sometimes increase ten inches il length in
single night, and large tract Of lad 10 a f;s-
vorabie situation will become covered with fail
grown canes in an incredibly short period. They
form dense thickets, the stems often stumbling but
an inch or two apart, although rising tnirty-Gve
or forty feet. They thus constitute barrier M
penetrable by man and large animals, and eonss-
quentiy become a refuge for, all kinds Of small
animals. Through the ,hickets there are ocea-
variation of soil. There are occasional largo
trees here and there IN cane-brake, W ich prob
ably started before the cane covered the iaad,
but almost all other vegetation is excluded. la
clearing such land only few simple tools are
employed-as 4 carpenters adze, or axe. or a
heavy hind Of hoe, called 'cane-hoe'--aDd a
single bow is sufficient to divide the stalk. The
laborer grasps the cane with one hand, and, as be
cuts it, throws it behind him and passes On. In
this way acre Of land is soon cleared. To
prepare it for the plough, is only necessary to
fire the cane: the roots are, for the part,
near the surfi,ce, they are consumed at the same
time, and the land is then ready for Immediate
tiage. From the ease with which it Is cleared,
and from the fertility Of tbe soil, (whri, may 30
accurately determined by ale size Of iha canes, ,
caneland is preferred above ali others 10 the re
gion.
"The canes lie for a month or six weeks TO dry,
and then are gathered into heaps and set on FIRE
in several places at once. As soon az the burn-
ing begins, the air that is confined in the hollow
Jolnted stalks, and also the watery vaFof, expand
and burst the canes asunder with loud report.
These explosions occurring from a vast number
of canes at the same time, produce continued
roar like the discharge Of muskrtry from i'm
inense army, while the flames roll on wT;h great
rapdhy. No other sosnd besides This continued
roaring is heard in the progress Of the lire Ths
scene, therefore, differs widely from fires Of bra.i.
and timber, such as those described IN the s6th
volume Of the Journal Of Sciences, which pro-
duced whTlwinds accompanied by thvnaer.'