4:2 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



air in a chamber heated by its own combination, was introduced 

 by M. M. Busson, at Rouen, twenty years ago, in France ; and 

 that of correcting one flame by another, by Prof. Hare, between 

 1819 and 1824, on inventing burning fluid. The vertical cur- 

 rents used in No. 1 are found in No. 6 of earlier date, and the 

 admission of air on a level with the top of the wick, is found in 

 lamps of Nibbs & Birmingham, lampraakers, patented in 1858. 



If originality in invention must be successfully developed to 

 deserve a gold medal of the Institute, the lamps do not come up 

 to this standard ; they may be distinguished thus : 



No. 1 gives the largest flame ; 



No. 2, a flame as white, of better form, but smaller ; 



No. 3 is the cheapest ; 



No. 4 gives, when well trimmed, a very grateful reading light ; 



No. 5, a very small light without smoke ; 



No. 6, a light similar to No. 4, but smaller. 



The propriety of the reference to this section will be appa- 

 rent. With chemists, the phenomena of flame are a frequent study, 

 and the manipulation of lamps is part of their daily practice, but 

 the mechanical section may Avell be asked, whether stamping and 

 spinning should not be expected to furnish more exact and dura- 

 ble work than appears in Nos. 1, 4 and 6. 



JOHN HARTLEY CHURCHILL, 



Sub-committee. 



FARMERS' CLUB. 



Report on Cahoon's Patent Broadcast Seed-sower. 



The special committee, to whom was refgrred the examination 

 of Cahoon's Patent Broadcast Seed-sower, respectfully report : 



That they have examined the two kinds of this machine ; the 

 first, or hand-sower, is composed of a breast-plate suspended 

 from the neck, armed with a hopper and surmounted by a seed 

 bag. In front of this hopper is a register plate which may be 

 set to regulate the delivery, varying from one peck to ten bushels 

 per acre. On the side of the hopper is a set of gearing with a 

 crank-handle, which may be worked by the sewer while walking 

 across the field. By this handle, a trumpet-shaped disc which 

 receives the seed from the hopper is caused to revolve, to throw 



