64 WISCONSIN AGRICULTUEE. 



10. — Great cheapness : for the first time bringing the cost of 

 the Force Pump into the neighborhood of the common Suction 

 and Chain Pumps, while it is immeasurably superior to both," 



44. — The Force Pump and Fire Engine aims at the same ob- 

 jects, but appears to be less simple in its construction than the 



last. 



37. — ^The model of Ericsson's Caloric Engine appeared to be 

 well calculated to exhibit the principles upon which this new 

 invention acts. 



38. — Among the ornamental things exhibited, was a Street 

 Lamp, which would not discredit the finest streets of Paris. 



43. — Messrs. Piper, Hastings & Co., of Ixonia, in Jefferson 

 county, Wisconsin, exhibited a box of Saleratus, which appeared 

 to be very fine and pure. Much of the bread and biscuit 

 brought to the tables in the Western States is spoiled, or mate- 

 rially injured, both in agreeableness of taste and in healthful- 

 ness, by the excessive use of impure saleratus. This article 

 should only be used to correct the acidity or sourness of bread, 

 and not to make it light. Only so much should be used as is 

 necessary to absorb the acid in the bread ; all beyond this is not 

 only useless, but injurious. The acid of the bread (having a 

 stronger affinity for the alkali of the Salaratus, or carbonate of 

 potash, than the carbonic), unites with the alkali, and liberates 

 the carbonic acid or fixed air, allowing it to escape in the form 

 of bubbles. But if an excess of Saleratus is used, this change 

 is not effected, and it remains in its crude state, vitiating the 

 quality of the bread. If our good housewives could be induced 

 to study a little chemistry, it would enable them to correct this 

 abuse, and many others that are too common in the country. 



46-7. — Platina Pointed Lightning Rods and Silver Pointed 

 Lightning Eods were exhibited by C. L. Herring ; and also a 

 " Manifold Twisted Lightning Rod without couplings," consist- 

 ing of a number of wires twisted together, and rolled into a 

 coil. This rod is cut to any desired length, so that no coupling 

 or joints are needed. As the electric fluid passes almost entirely 

 on the surface of the rod, it has been an object with inventors 

 to obtain the greatest amount of surface with a given quantity 



