830 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



liarity of the climate of EnGflancI is a great enemy. On certain 

 da^'s the acids formed by combustion rise rapidly, but, as a rule, 

 they fall. Great extremes of dryness and of rain are the best pro- 

 tectives. During heavy showers, the air of Manchester is not 

 unpleasant to breathe. The amount of sulphurous acid sent out is 

 enormous ; it cannot be less than 180 tons per day. The rain is 

 acid. It falls on living grass and puts it out. Young plants 

 struggle against it, but they cannot do so long. It is scarcely 

 known how much of the beautiful and useful is destroyed by this 

 acid. The fine arts cannot flourish in an atmosphere which attacks 

 without fear a great building which ought to remain sound for 

 centuries. 



The only sure way of diminishing the amount of acid given out 

 by chimneys is by burning less sulphur. This can be done to 

 some extent by burning less coal and Inn-ning it more economi- 

 cally. Next, by not allowing the most sulphurous of the coals to 

 be burned in large towns. 



The whole argument of Dr. Smith convinces us that two-thirds 

 of the nuisance — so far as dwellings are concerned — can be 

 removed by following the American plan of using stoves instead 

 of fire places. 



* 



Fae3I Gate. 

 Mr. A. Buckman, of East Greenbush, Rensselaer county, exhi- 

 bited a model farm gate. It consists of two narrow strips of 

 boards at the top and bottom, between which are held the pickets 

 or perpendicular strips of boards forming the gate. It sets 

 between two posts, the upper bars sliding upon two rollers or 

 pulleys, and when pushed back half way may be swung round. 

 The gate turns either w^ay, and there is no sagging upon the post 

 or liability to get out of order. It makes a very neat and handy 

 gate, and, with this arrangement, no farm need have an excuse for 

 bars, as the expense can be only a trifle more, while the conven- 

 ience of opening and shutting should commend it to all. 



Beoadw^ay UndeUground Railway. 

 Mr. Samuel Nowlan exhibited a drawing and explained the 

 advantages of the proposed Broadway underground railroad, which 

 provides, also, sheltered sidewalks and another series of stores 

 below the present grade. 



