82 f, ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



car containing 16 steers and 22 sheep, killed and dressed at New- 

 ark, Ohio, has reached New York city in 4 days, delivering the 

 meat fresh and sound as when first shipped. The car in which 

 the meat was transported resembles a common freight car on the 

 outside. The sides are double, with a space of 3 inches between 

 the outer and inner sides. This space is filled with strips of cork 

 packed tightly together. At each end, near the top of the car, is 

 a chamber filled with ice. A large fan or wind-wheel works in a 

 circular opening at the top of the car, forcing a current of air 

 down the ice. The cold air then rises up at the bottom, and cir- 

 culates all through among the carcasses. As the ice melts, the 

 water and the impure air escape through the bottom of the car. 



PROCESS FOR PRESERVING WOOD. 



This process was invented by Mr. J. L. Samuels, who has ap- 

 plied for a patent. The wood to be operated upon is first placed 

 in an air-tight cylinder, and thoroughly steamed, in order to 

 vaporize the sap in the wood ; the air is then withdrawn from the 

 cylinder, by means of an air-pump, until a perfect vacuum, or 

 nearly so, is created, which opens and frees the pores in the wood, 

 when a solution of sulphate of iron is forced into the cylinder, 

 under a pressure of 175 pounds to the inch, which forces the solu- 

 tion through the pores. This pressure is kept up for half an hour, 

 giving the solution time to percolate or permeate every portion of 

 the wood ; then a solution of carbonate of lime is forced into the 

 cylinder, which has the effect to precipitate the iron, forming a 

 sulphate of lime ; thus coating or filling all the minute cells of the 

 wood with a mixture of oxide of iron and sulphate of lime. The 

 wood is then thoroughly cleansed and dried, when it is found to 

 have, attained an extraordinary degree of toughness, and capable 

 of receiving a beautiful polish, besides being rendered completely 

 impervious to rot of any kind, and impenetrable to insects. 



The invention is one long needed, and 6ne which many have 

 often vainly endeavored to effect, and will be of immense value to 

 this city for preserving piles, which are rendered useless in a few 

 years from the ravages of the teredo navalis, when the wood is 

 used as at present. The inventor claims that wood thus treated 

 will not only be useful when placed in the water, but will be 

 equally available for railroad ties and street pavements, while 

 from the hardening and drying process the wood is prevented 

 from swelling or shrinking, thus providing a suitable wood for 

 shoe-pegs, and various other purposes where strength and dura- 

 bility are desired. The wood thus prepared is capable of resisting 

 a crushing pressure, when compared with the unprepared wood, of 

 8 to 1, and the pressure required to break it transversely is as 13 to 1. 



Preserving Cereals. M. A. E. Blavier, of France, has patented 

 a process for preserving cereals in large chambers filled with pure 

 and dry carbonic acid. This^gas being incombustible, economically 

 produced, and heavier than atmospheric air, is admirably adapted 

 for the purpose. For wheat in large masses, he estimates the cost 

 of applying his process at 2d. yearly for every 22 imperial gallons. 



