PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION, 937 



should be ground Avitli equal parts of water and skimmed milk 

 before they are mixed with the soluble glass. It is applied with 

 a stiff brush, and as it dries quickly, a second coaling may be put 

 on in half an hour. It is said a brilliant polish is secured by fin- 

 ishing with a coating of oil. This process protects the wood and 

 renders it almost fire-proof, and when colors are used is highly 

 ornamental. It is reported to be well adapted for stores, offices, 

 and public buildings. 



A Complex Clock. 

 The Paris Exposition contains a fine piece of mechanism from 

 the Silesian Capital, Breslau, made by Horr E. Sholz. The clock 

 shows on a large dial-plnte, artistically decorated, the time of 

 Breslau, and on a smaller plate immediately underneath, the Berlin 

 time, with seconds' stroke. On the back of the case, which is 

 made of graj' marble, and before which the pendulum swings, are 

 on the right and left two vertical rows, each of twelve dial-plates, 

 showing the corresponding time of twenty-four of the most import- 

 ant towns of the world, viz.: Pekin, Sydney, Calcutta, Moscow, 

 St. Petersburg, Constantinople, Rome, Paris, Marseilles, London, 

 New York, Washington, San Francisco, &c. On each of these 

 dials the minute hands move all at once, a minute on, after the 

 lapse of a minute. Under the dials, and over a mirror, a nicely 

 finished globe revolves once in twenty-four hours. The weights 

 moving the whole clockwork are curiously arranged, and are con- 

 nected with an almanac giving the month, day of the week, and 

 date. The pendulum is made to serve the purpose of a thermome- 

 ter, and connected with it is a metallic barometer. This clock is 

 one of the most complete ever constructed, and has been admired 

 by scholars as a real work of genius. 



CORAL-LlGNIN. 



This is the name given to a new artificial substance by the 

 inventor. It is said various articles of the new manufacture will 

 be shown in the Paris exposition. The material is made by mace- 

 rating potatoes, turnips and carrots in water containing about eight 

 per cent of sulphuric acid for 24 or 36 hours. The acid is then 

 washed out by repeated applications of fresh water; this must be 

 continued until the center of the vegetable will not redden litmus 

 paper. When potatoes are used, it will be found that considerable 

 disorganization has taken place; they are whiter and soft. They 



