Miscellanies. 399 
it more or less, at an expense of one dollar and a half yearly for each. 
The flame is large, but not so strong, or brilliant as that from gas in our 
Cities : it is however in high favor with the inhabitants. The gazom- 
eter I found on measurement, collected eighty eight cubic feet in 
twelve hours during the day : but the man who has charge of it told 
me that more might be procured with a larger apparatus. About a 
mile from the village, and in the same stream, it comes up in quanti- 
ties four or five times as great. The contractor for the light house 
purchased the right to it and laid pipes to the lake, but found it im- 
possible to make it descend, the difference in elevation being very 
great. It preferred its old natural channels, and bubbled up beyond 
the reach of his gazometer. The gas is carburetted Du ee and 
is supposed to come from beds of bituminous coal: the only rock 
visible, however, both here, and toa great extent on both sides, along 
the southern shore of the lake, is fetid limestone. 
5. Sheet Caoutchouc.—A specimen of sheet caoutchouc has been 
sent to the Editor, by Dr. I. K. Mitchell of Philadelphia. 
Dr. Mitchell’s process is as follows. Steep a bag of caoutchouc 
in sulphuric ether until quite. soft, say from four to twelve hours, or any 
longer term. ‘Take it out and quickly attach to its neck, by a flat 
string a stop cock, and inflate with the mouth. This process suc- 
ceds best ina cold room. When well prepared the balloon will rise 
with hydrogen, by means of which it should, me: such Jogi be 
inflated. 
Cake caoutchouc soaked in ether until soft, is easily cut with a wet 
knife, or under water, and may thus be made as thin as required. 
By soaking in ether for some days, massive caoutchouc may be mould- 
ed by hand into any shape whatever, and is nearly as manageable as. 
dough 
Dr. Mitchell h Iso di d that tial o dof sassalras will dis- 
solve caoutchouc readily after being softened in ether, and that after 
evaporation of the solvent the caoutchouc remains unaltered. 
The very various uses to which hoe discoveries may be sealied 
need not be insisted on. 
When two pieces are laid together and cut with scissors, they unite 
at the line of section. 
We are happy to see this interesting art introduced into this coun- 
try. The specimen forwarded by Dr. Mitchell is very perfect, and 
there can be no doubt, that the interests of both science and the arts 
