102 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



EXTRACTING JUIOE FROM SUGAR CANE. 



Messrs. Manifold and Lowndes, patentees, Liverpool. The patent 

 obtained is simply for reducing the cane into very minute pieces, then sub- 

 jecting these pieces to the action of steam in close vessels, and after this 

 pressing out the juice in a hydrostatic press. The sugar cane is reduced 

 to fine pieces, like dye-wood chips, by a series of circular saws. 

 / 



COLORATION OF HORN. 



The following is from the " Polytechnisches Centralblatt," by Prof. A. 

 Lindner, (German) : The process employed in France to stain horn in 

 imitation of tortoise-shell, by which a fiery-red color is produced, which is 

 exceedingly agreeable by transmitted light, is quite different from the old 

 method with lime, soda, and red lead. The horn is first prepared by soak- 

 ing in dilute nitric acid, consisting of one part of acid and three of water, 

 at a temperature of from 88 to 100 degrees Fahr. It is then treated with 

 a mixture, consisting of one part of fresh burnt lime, two parts of carbon- 

 ate of soda, and one part of white lead, for not more than from ten to 

 fifteen minutes, in order that the spots shoxild only assume a yellowish 

 brown tint, and not a dark brown. The pieces of horn are now washed 

 with water, and wiped from adhering moisture with a cloth, and intro- 

 duced into a cold bath, consisting of a decoction of Brazil wood, marking 

 10 degrees of Baume's hydrometer, and one part of caiistic soda, marked 

 20 degrees. As soon as the color is properly developed, it is to be re- 

 moved and washed with water, and carefully pressed between cloths, and 

 laid aside from 12 to 16 hours, and then polished. The decoction of dye- 

 wood may be made by boiling one pound of the Brazil wood in two to 

 three quarts of water, and the caustic soda may be obtained from any soap- 

 boiler, or it may be produced by heating a solution of carbonate of soda 

 to the boiling point, and adding slaked lime in powder, until a drop of 

 the liquid, on being filtered, does not effervesce, and setting it aside, care- 

 fully covered, until the sediment has deposited. If a little oxide of zinc 

 be added to the white lead employed as a mordant, bluish-red shades will 

 be obtained, while salts of tin give fine scarlet tints. Archil may be used 

 instead of the dye-woods, and still finer tints may be produced with cochi- 

 neal. The characteristic feature of this process is the use of the caustic 

 soda in the dye-bath ; and this fact accounts for Prof. Wagner not having 

 been able to succeed in staining horn with any vegetable or animal dyeing 

 material. 



SAL-AMMONIAC FROM GAS WORKS. 



The Industrial Society of Mxilhausen offers, annually, a number of 

 prizes for inventions and improvements made during the year : and it 



