278 Progress in Science. [April, 
as a substitute for hydraulic cement in the Spanish American dominions. It 
is regularly known in Cuba as an article of commerce, and sold in barrels, by 
all dealers in such articles, at the same price as cement. The proportions 
used in general practice are one of brick-dust and one of lime to two of sand, 
mixed together dry, and tempered with water in the usual way. 
For curiosity’s sake we quote the following account of a series of experi- 
ments made on January 27th last at Fort de Montrouge, in the presence of 
His Majesty Don Pedro II., Emperor of Brazil, for the purpose of testing 
dynamite :—‘ An iron-hooped, well-made, oaken cask, of 2 hectolitres (rather 
more than 44 gallons) cubic capacity, was placed in a vertical position, then 
filled with water, and a square hole left in the lid, the size of the hole being 
sufficient to admit of throwing through it a parcel of four cartridges, each 
containing 20 grms. of dynamite, care being taken to light the fuses previous 
to casting the cartridges into the water. After the explosion not a trace even 
of the cask was to be seen, and on the spot where it had been standing a 
funnel-shaped hole was formed, 4 decimetres (15°748 inches) deep.” 
According to Dr. Sézille’s new process of panification, which is spoken very 
highly of on the Continent, the wheat is first deprived of its outer cover, or 
husk, by means of properly constructed machinery; the decorticated grain is 
next acted upon several times by tepid water (about 80° for the first bath and 
40° for the subsequent ones), whereby the gummo-resinous cover of the grain 
is dissolved and removed. This removal is necessary on account of the fa@ 
that this substance becomes very deep brown, almost blackish, coloured by 
fermentation of the dough; the grain at the same time absorbs from 65 to 70 
per cent of water, and is then reduced to a paste by means of machinery very 
similar to that used in chocolate mills. This perfectly white paste is next 
leavened, and after fermentation is ready for baking. By this process, from 
the same quantity of grain which by the usual process only yields 108 to 110 
kilos. of bread, the yield is increased to 145 kilos. of very superior quality and 
far greater nutritive power}; moreover, a very considerable saving of labour 
and expenses connected therewith is effected by the application of this new 
process, which has been thoroughly tested by competent and independent 
scientific as well as practical men. 
M. Deligny’s process for the preparation of pyrophosphate of lime for 
agricultural purposes is as follows:—The coprolite, or other native tribasic 
phosphate, or bone-ash, is first treated with hydrochloric acid, and the mixture 
thus obtained dried in a reverberatory furnace, leaving a pyrophosphate of 
lime, which, according to the author, contains 55 per cent of phosphoric acid, 
while the hydrochloric acid used is—at least in a great measure—recovered. 
The reaction is based upon the faé& observed by the author, that from a mixture 
of acid phosphate of lime and chloride of calcium, when heated to 100°, the 
hydrochloric acid is driven off by the acid phosphate, leaving a bibasic phos- 
phate, which is very readily assimilated by plants. 
Dr. Louvel has experimented on the large scale on a process of preserving 
grain, ship-biscuits, and flour, and especially preventing these articles being 
damaged by insects, rats, and mice, by placing the same into strongly-made 
iron (boiler-plate) vessels of sufficient capacity to contain ro cubic metres 
(27°512 bushels) of grain or flour, and next, after having hermetically closed 
the man-hole of this vessel, producing a vacuum in it by the aid of an air- 
pump, it being sufficient for practical purposes that the vacuum be from ro to 
I2 centimetres of mercury, that is, a reduction of about from one-sixth to 
one-seventh of the ordinary atmospheric pressure. The results of these 
experiments (sufficient time having been amply given to test their real value) 
is satisfactory in every respe@. The cost of the apparatus, including air- 
pump, gauges, tubing, and fittings, is about £64, but one air-pump can be used 
for a number of these vessels. It should be observed that the quantity of 
grain lost or rendered unfit for human food by the ravages of insects, rats, 
mice, worms, &c., amounts on an average to fully 13 per cent of a crop, while, 
moreover, by this mode of preserving, much labour required for shovelling 
grain about in the granaries is rendered unnecessary. 
