92 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



Among the many economies of municipal administration in 

 Paris is the sale of the yearly " mud crop." In 1823 this yielded 

 only 15,000. It now brings 120,000, and when left for some 

 time in rotting tanks is sold for manure, at the increased valua- 

 tion of 000,000. Scientific American. 



THE TALLOW-TREE. 



The tallow-tree of China, which gives rise to a vast trade in 

 the northern parts of that empire, has been introduced into 

 India. It grows with great luxuriance in the Dhoons and in the 

 Konistar of the north-western provinces and the Punjaub, and 

 there are now tens of thousands of trees in the government plan- 

 tations of Kowlagia, Hawar Baugh, and A} 7 ar Tolle, from which 

 tons of seeds are available for distribution. Dr. Jameson pre- 

 pared from the seeds 150 pounds of tallow, and forwarded 50 

 pounds to the Punjaub Railway, in order to have its properties as 

 a lubricator for railway machinery tested. For burning, the 

 tallow is excellent; it gives a clear, bright, inodorous flame, and 

 is without smoke. The tree fruits abundantly both in the Dhoons 

 and plains, and grows with great rapidity, many trees raised 

 from seeds introduced 8 years ago being now 6 feet in circumfer- 

 ence at 3 from the ground. The timber is white and close- 

 grained, and well fitted for printing-blocks. The leaves, too, are 

 valuable as a dye. 



USES OF THE PINE'TREE. 



A Paris correspondent writes to the ''Chemical News " thus : " We 

 are glad to hear that M. H. Schmidt-Missler's products of the pine- 

 tree, forest wool, and other substances, are at present in active in- 

 dustrial development in Paris. Let us enumerate them rapidly. 

 Vegetable Wadding. This preparation preserves all the properties 

 of the pine. It evolves an aroma eminently wholesome. Raw 

 Vegetable Wool. One-half cheaper than the ordinary wool mat- 

 tresses. Those stuffed with this wool do not attract humidity. 

 Its odor and the ozone due to its resinous principles keep off or kill 

 the insects. Schmidt-Missler Flannel. By reason of the resin, the 

 tannin, and the formic acid it contains, it aids the exercise of the 

 important functions of respiration, absorption, and perspiration, in a 

 greater degree than ordinary flannel. It is at the same time a pre- 

 servative and corrective agent, which merits to become popular in 

 Europe as it is in Germany, and can be woven into any of the 

 forms for which flannel is used, such as mittens, waistcoats, 

 drawers, socks, etc. 



GLASS FROM NATIVE ORE. 



In February, 1866, a patent was issued to Richard Washburn, 

 of Monsey, N. Y., for the manufacture of glass from the native 

 ore. This ore, or silicate of iron, in a crystallized and hence 

 opaque condition, exists in abundance in ninny parts of the -world, 

 as in the columnar basaltic rock of the Palisades of the Hudson, 



