270 Caricography. 
In this state of uncertainty, I began the operation and filled the 
Syphon ; but, as I said before, it failed. On the second trial, I ob- 
served that when the syphon was full, the water in the filling branch 
rose and fell alternately, and so much, that as water has but little 
elasticity, I concluded that there was air in the tube, and it was 
therefore emptied. Then, to charge it anew, and at the same time 
to exclude the air, it was proposed to perforate the lower end 
of the long branch, at the bottom of the receiving well with a fork, 
just above the cork which closed it. These small holes allowed the 
air to escape as it was driven before the water, without losing 
enough water to prevent the filling the tube with ease. ‘Thus was 
the air excluded, and the syphon put into operation, and continued 
for a long time, with some occasional obstruction, arising from the 
smallness of the tube, and the want of water at the source. 
I should suppose that there were many situations, where water 
might be brought from one valley to another, over any hill not ex- 
ceeding thirty two feet, or which could without too much expense, 
be reduced to that point, for the purposes of irrigation, or manufac- 
turing. Large quantities of water as well as small, may be raised 
by means of iron mains of large dimensions ; and the cutting down 
hills to procure levels, or surrounding them, and thus increasing the 
length of acqueducts, at a great expense ; and loss of water by per- 
colation and evaporation may be avoided. Mountain swamps may 
be drained, or any swamps, where a lower level is not too far distant 
for the place of issue, or even in a level country, provided some vein 
of loose gravel can be found into which a place of discharge may 
be dug below the surface of the swamp. The ingenuity of our coun- 
trymen, will, I am confident, yet find many other useful purposes to 
which the principle may be applied. 
P. S. Have you any knowledge of the process whereby the Chi- 
nese convert rice into a substance resembling pearl? If it were not 
expensive many useful articles might be made of it. 
Arr. XII.—Caricography; by Prof. C. Dewey. 
Appendix, continued from Vol. xxv11, page 342. 
Carices of the Northern regions of America. 
On the return of Dr. J. Torrey, one of the most active members 
of the New York Lyceum, from England the last year, he brought 
