PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 53 
use by the writer, there were three floating cylinders, whose sec- 
tional areas bore the following ratios to the ring of water by 
measurement : 
MS GB URGRE? 2,502.5. . ddan vineans th erapanes Te 0925 
eae CP IRMOT VTE. |. 642.4. 2. 1s Soensiging eruanes 1 =..20°610 
OT SER WG mete ey Ce eee ee a 1: 492°6 
In actually testing, by means of a chemical balance, the relation 
between the weights of water drawn off and the weights put upon 
a fibre, the following numbers were found :— 
Large cylinder... 0°926 gr. water = 1 gr. strain. 
Medium cylinder 21°09 gr. ,, = 1 gr. BS 
Smaller cylinder 476:10 gr. ,, = 1 gr. p? 
The large discrepancy in the case of the smaller cylinder is owing 
to the difficulty of measuring it correctly ; its sectional area was 
computed to be 0:001989 inch. 
This apparatus has several advantages: the strain is put on in 
the most gradual manner, without jerks or shocks; it can be put 
on at any rate per minute or hour, and there is hardly any assign- 
able limits to either its power or delicacy. By the smaller float- 
ing cylinder a strain of 0-0002 grain can be measured, and by in- 
ereasing the size of the apparatus a strain of a hundred tons could 
be put on with the most perfect gradation. . 
Mr. O’Neill also read a paper, entitled ‘‘ Experiments and 
Observations upon Cotton.” 
(1) The author began to make experiments upon the chemis- 
try of cotton-dyeing, but found himself compelled to abandon ex- 
periments upon manufactured cotton, and to come down to the 
primary fibre or hairs of cotton. 
(2) He has made very numerous experiments upon seventeen 
samples of cotton supplied to him from reliable sources, and com- 
pared their physical and chemical properties. 
(3) He has given about 400 experiments upon the length of 
cotton-hairs, measured separately by a simple process, which he 
fully described, and exhibited a diagram upon an enlarged scale, 
showing the mean, maximum, and mivimum lengths of the seven- 
teen qualities of cotton experimented upon. The table below isa 
résumé of the experiments, but the author furnishes it in this ab- 
stract with the caution; that, taken apart from the detailed 
measurements as given in the full paper, it may give rise to incor- 
rect conclusions. 
Longest Mean Shortest 
NAME. Price. Date. Fibre. Length. ‘Fibre. 
In. in. In. 
Sea Island Edisto ............... 96d. ...Dec., 1860...2°00...... 680.275: 135 
Ben TSANG... sis. car e.c cress dives 54d. ...Mar., 1863...1°95...... 1501s. 1:10 
Queensland Cotton ............ 180s. a2 PARTS; 1:20 
EOD yas calsecacvocnccter + sbGdi97; Dees, 1860, :.2°05) 7.0 1:444......1°10 
0 SS SS 9id: to: 94d. Wo. ESD pee 0:95 
Deyptian (fair) ...ccscscssses. 22d. ...Mar., 1863...1°50,.....1°185,,,.,.0°85 
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