Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 323 
68. ‘‘ On the Preparation of Malic Acid from Culinary Rhubarb,” 
by Thomas Everitt, Esq., will shortly be transferred to our pages. 
February 21.--The following communications were read :— 
69. “A short Notice from Mr. Francis announcing the separation 
of Theine from the /ler Paraguayensis or Paraguay Tea,” by Dr. 
Stenhouse. 
70. Extract from a letter from Professor Henry Croft, ‘‘ On the 
Manufacture of Sugar from the Zea Mays.” 
Experiments have been made in the State of Indiana which seem 
fully to prove that,the stalks of the maize may be employed advan- 
tageously for the manufacture of sugar. It is well known that the 
sugar-cane, as grown in Louisiana, does not produce above one-third 
as much saccharine matter as when raised in Cuba and other tropical 
situations. In Louisiana one acre yields from 900 to 1000 lbs. of 
sugar, and it appears that 1000 Ibs. may be obtained from the stalks 
of the maize. The juice of the latter contains more than three 
times as much sugar as the juice of the beet-root, and five times that 
of the maple. By plucking off the ears of the maize as they begin 
to form, the saccharine matter of the stalk is greatly increased. 
The maize-stalks require less pressure, and the whole of the stalk can 
be used, afterwards affording a good fodder for cattle. The plant 
can be raised with the greatest ease in from seventy to ninety days, 
whereas the sugar-cane requires much care and attention, and does 
not arrive at maturity in less than eighteen months. 
LVI. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 
THE COMET. 
We have been favoured by the Rev. W. R. Dawes, R.A.S., with 
the following particulars : 
A large Comet has become visible in the evening, soon after sun- 
set. It appears to have been first seen in this country on Thursday 
the 16th inst. by Mr. Shorts of Christchurch, Hants. But it had 
been observed on board the Tay, West Indian Mail Steamer, on her 
homeward voyage, as early as the 6th, and.at Nice by Mr. Cooper, 
on the 12th. On the 14th Mr. C. detected the nucleus, which he 
found to be stellar, and equal to a star of the sixth magnitude; but 
its situation could not be correctly ascertained. At Paris it was 
first noticed on the 16th. On that day Mr. Cooper obtained, at 
Nice, a rough observation of the nucleus, from which he concluded 
that its right ascension was about 2 hours 30 minutes, and south 
declination 15 degrees. He also determined its geocentric motion 
to be direct, and northward. 
Its appearance is remarkable; the tail being of great length, 
nearly uniform in brilliancy, and its lateral limits almost exactly 
parallel, while its breadth scarcely exceeds one degree anc a half. 
On the 17th it was observed by Sir John Herschel as a vivid lumi- 
nous streak, commencing close beneath the stars « and \ Leporis, and 
thence stretching obliquely westward and downward between y and 
6 Eridani, till the vapours of the horizon rendered it invisible. On 
Friday the 24th it was well seen. At about eight o'clock it was 
distinctly observed to extend from a little to the west of the star 
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