The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-08

been mainly coninsd to the homestead of his father in
New Hampshire where he had pursued the course OF
aDor common to that region. In the spring and
mer OF the following year recognise him with Mr.
Daniel Bunham, in Newbuport engaged in cultivating
garden vegetables and seeds upon an extensive scale
The seven succeeding years appear to have been chiefly
devoted to the requirement OF his academic education
During most OF this period he either studying or
employed in teaching yet making brief excursions at in
teryals in several of the Atlantic States with view of
learning Of their natural features internal improve
ments, farm operations, sc. In 1912, we find him
located In Boston, editing monthly publication called
"The Naturalist" aud ut the same time pursuing the
study OF the Romantic languages under Professor Bach
OF Harvard University and comparative anatomy under
the distinguished Drs. SpuTxheim and Warren In the
winter Of 1882 49, meet with him cruise In the
United States ship vandala In the West Indies in the
capacity Of naturalist, passing most of his time the
island of Cuba and the Florida Keys While in Cuba he
resided for several weeks tho coffee and sugar panta
tions where he carefully studied their economy and
management. In the September following we discover
him on the peak of Tenerfe whittier he was sent on
private expedition to study the climate and of
that mountain at different attitudes, and TO wit
ness the effects thereof vegetation, well to
determine the heights Of various points by instrumental
measurement, the results of which will be found in
his Letters from the Canary Islands" giving detail
cd account Of his excursions and the natural features
resources history and social condition of those islands
We next meet with him in the Merino sheep walks of
the south Of SPAIN where he elected from the shepherds
important information concerning the management of
theT locks ana again III The Huerta OF Alicante n
rich valley noted for containing the varied productions
which flourish to the best advantage in the south of that
peninsula, acquiring additional information in regard to
the different systems Of agriculture practised 10y the
Carhasenans, Romans, and Moors After visiting the
Baa,es and the south Of France he again makes his APP
peance on the Island of Sicily investigating its pro-
ductions. Towards the close Of 1884 we find him at
tached to the shipofwar Erie her passage to Rio de
Janeiro provided with meteorological and other instr
mens making physical observations and touching at Ma
deira and the Cape dc Verbs account of which is
published in the American Journal of Science, in
1886. Later in the season, again meet with him
on cruise in the ship up the Rio dc la Plata
ryng ut Montevideo and Buenos Ayres and making sew
ea journeys inland, which afforded him ample opportu-
mites for observation In the early part of 1885 we fol-
low him to the tea plantations Rio to the cotton
fields of Perambuco and to the sugar estates of Bahia
ndeatgably pursuing his researches there. In April
the same year again fall in with him on shipboard
with collection of tropical trees, plants, and Seeds
which he obtained in the last named province their
way to Drayton Island Lake George ST. John river in
Florida by way of New York, oi the late Mr.. Kings
ley then proprietor of that island In the December fol-
lowing observe him with interest before committee
of the Massachusetts legislature in the capacity of civil
engineer, with the plans and estimates of his
king, advocating the claims OF wealthy company for
strucng railroad between Boston and Newburypor Du-
ring the autumn of 1886 find him surveying
and sounding portion of the river Niagara preparatory to
making chart of it and the adjacent shores for the East
Boston Timber Company. In the winter following he is
engaged in the laboratory of DR., Jackson in Boston
prosecuting certain inquiries in geology and agricultural
chemistry During the spring, summer, and autumn of
1897 he again attracts attention on the Niagara
making surveys for the company experimenting
with bone earth taken from ancient tmulus Tona-
wanda Island and eRting its efficacy in the production
of turnips. The two years following he was employed
by the State of New York resident engineer on the
western division of the Erie canal Enlargement While
thus occupied he aided in perectng the plan for con
strucng the double combined canal locks ut Lockport
drained some Thousand of overflowed lands by
tIri han, ,aft1
conducting the accumulated waters Of the adjacent farms
into the niagara by opening large drains. In con
nexon with these duties It became necessary to con
struct large wellculvert under the Erie canal and
to rebuild and extend in midwinter the dam across
Tonawanda creek. The drainage of these lands has
been regarded, in agricultural point Of view as the
most Important work OF the kind ever performed in that
State The greater part of 1910 we notice him at Schc-
nectay employed by the Prussian government report
the railroads of the United States During the follow
ing winter Spring he is occupied in preparing for
eral bankers in New York series of tables for faca-
ting the computation of interest exchanges annutes
&c also in contributing several articles the currency
the tariff and other subjects connected with political
Monty, to the Merchants Magazine For year preced-
ing July, 1912, again meet him in Brooklyn az an
engineer in constructing the Atlantic Dock During
another year find him the island of Cuba pursuing
the same profession, making railroad and pcrfectng
the plan for large ingeno steam sugar mill J also
experimenting in sugar boiling with the view of deter
mining the most economical agent for absorbing the free
acids in the cane juice and studying the properties and
uses OF the native trees the habits and economy OF the
honey bee, and the effects of the climate the domestic
animals and exotic plants For the next two years he
was engaged in the preparation of his treatise on the
Trees OF America, making several journeys through
Massachusetts, New York. and other States visiting gar
dcns nurseries, and celebrated trees, well dock
yards manufactures, and other places where timber is
wrought to obtain minute information for cnrchng his
work Within this period he served a member of the
Board of Agriculture of the American Institute Of New
York; and also as corresponding secretary of the Ame
can Agricultural Association Towards the close of lS45
we find him Independently renqushng the post of res
ident engineer on the Northern railroad in New Hamp-
shire the ground that if THE road were built on the
route insisted upon by the directors would prove dis
asrous to the Stockholders position he was justified
in and which confirmed by the result For nearly
six years preceding the autumn of 1851 we meet with
him in the large agricultural warehouse present CON
Quoted by Mcssrs. II. L. Allen Co.. in New York per-
forming the editorial duties of the American Agricul-
turst preparing catalogues in several languages and
attending to other business connected with the establish
mcnt independent of which he also carried through the
press several volumes treating subjects appeanng
agriculture and rural economy During most of the year
preceding the 9th of june 1853 when he took charge
the agricultural division Of the Patent Office, find him
in the United States census Office, chiefly occupied
agricultural statistics and in experimenting the printing
OF the preliminary or abstract reports.
In September, 1854 and again in 1855, Mr. Browne
sent to Europe by the United States Patent Office
subjects, and for making arrangements TO procure in
future Seeds cuttings &c. from the most reliable sources
and upon the most advantageous terms not only in
Britain, but ON the continent well from other parts
of the globe The first year during absence of only
nine weeks he travelled through portions of England and