Scientific Intelligence, — Arts, 199 



thick and two feet square ; over this they pnt some of the Tel or 

 Sesamum seed wetted, about two inches thick and two feet square ; 

 on this again is placed another layer of flowers, about four inches 

 thick, as in the first instance; the whole is then covered with a 

 sheet, which is held down by weights at the ends and sides. In 

 this state it is allowed to remain from twelve to eighteen hours ; 

 after this the flowers are removed, and other layers placed in the 

 same way; this also is a third time repeated, if it is desired to have 

 the scent very strong. After the last process, the seeds are taken 

 in their swollen state and placed in a mill ; the oil is then expressed, 

 and possesses most fully the scent of th^ flower. The oil is kept 

 in prepared skins, called dubbers, and is sold at so much per seer. 

 The Jasmine and Bela (Jasminum zamba) are the two flowers from 

 which the natives in this district chiefly produce their scented oil; the 

 Chumbul (Jasminum grandiflorum) is another, buti have been un- 

 able to procure any of this. The season for manufacture is coming 

 on. The present oils were manufactured a year ago, and do not 

 possess the powerful scent of that which has been recently prepared. 

 Distillation is never made use of for this purpose, as it is with the 

 roses, for the extreme heat (from its being in the middle of the rains 

 when the trees come into flower) would most likely carry oft' all the 

 scent. The Jasmine, or Chymhele^ as it is called, is used very largely 

 amongst the women, the hair of the head and the body being daily 

 smeared with some of it. The specimen I send you costs at the 

 rate of two rupees per seer. 



21. Preservation of Timher. — M. Bouchirie has lately presented 

 to the Royal Academy of Paris a memoir on the preservation of 

 timber, in which he describes a process which he has invented, and 

 which promises to be highly important. We have no space for 

 details, but now remark that the process consists in imbuing, by 

 means of absorption, the tissue of the wood with the pyrolignite of 

 iron, immediately after the tree is felled, or even while still stand- 

 ing. This very simple operation is, it would appear, possessed of 

 very extraordinary efficiency, 1*^, In protecting timber against dry 

 and humid rot; ^Id, In augmenting its hardness; 3</, In preserving 

 and increasing its flexibility and elasticity ; 4M, In rendering its 

 warpings, and consequently the fissures and disijointings which are 

 so often witnessed after it has been wrought, nearly impossible, 

 though freely exposed to great atmospheric changes of tempera- 

 ture ; bth. In greatly reducing its inflammability and combustibility; 

 6M, In conferring upon it colours and odours which are various 

 and persistent. M. Bouchirie exhibited to the Academy a variety 

 of specimens prepared according to his method^ which were in> 

 trusted to a committee for examination. 



