466 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



the unimmersed hot portion must contract with the portion 

 rapidly cooled, with a'corresponding condensation of material, 

 and consequent permanent diminution of diameter, and in the 

 second operation a similar effect is produced on the other 

 half. By these two operations an interior diameter of 34 

 inches can be reduced a quarter of an inch, and by four op- 

 erations half an inch. The method given is not confined to 

 tires, an instance being given where a ring of Bessemer steel, 

 to be used as a flange-ring, had been entirely misshaped by 

 an inexperienced workman, and was drawn into shape by 

 heating fifteen times and cooling different portions. 



ARTESIAN W r ELLS. 



The irregularity of flow of artesian wells has been studied 

 of late by Judge Caton, who has presented a paper on this 

 subject to the Academy of Sciences of Chicago, in which he 

 adduces some interesting phenomena, and very truly states 

 that it is necessary to explain these phenomena in all their 

 details in order that we shall become able to use the artesian 

 wells to irrigate the great arid plains of the West; and with- 

 out attempting a profound inquiry himself, he hopes at last 

 to stimulate inquiry in this direction. He states that a well 

 sunk by him at Ottawa, Illinois, at the foot of a bluff, passed 

 first through 12 feet of earth, then 140 feet'of sandstone, then 

 120 feet of lime rock, and, finally, 95 feet of Potsdam sand- 

 stone in all 36V feet. During the boring of the w v ell through 

 the lime rock the water commenced flowing over its mouth, 

 and every day the rate of discharge increased, until at the 

 conclusion of the operation the flow was found to be about 

 64 gallons per minute, while if the head of the well was raised 

 15 inches higher, the flow was 55 gallons j3er minute. After 

 piping the well and leading it into a tank, he soon observed 

 that the water would sometimes onlv rise to the height of 

 11 inches above the floor of the tank, and he became satisfied 

 that there was an irregularity in the flow of the well, and, in 

 consequence, he ordered measures to be taken of the height 

 of the water three times a day, which measures he presents 

 for consideration, in full, during the months of October and 

 November. The average of the former month shows that 

 the water stood on the average highest at noon, while in the 

 evening it was two inches lower, and in the morning one 



