414 



FARMERS' REGISTER— NEW USES OF INDIA RUBBER. 



tion. It seemed about four feet in height and the 

 same in Avidth; and contained ovens, 'roasting fire,' 

 pots, pans, kettles, &c. &c. &c., sufficient to dress 

 a dinner lor seventy or eighty men. The con- 

 sumption of fijel is very smallj about two bushels, 

 we are told, in 24 hours; and yet, by the internal 

 application of the heated air, by means of spiral 

 and circular tubes surrounding the various parts 

 of the machine, roasting, boiling, and baking 

 were carried on with the utmost regularity and 

 precision. Here alone Avould be a valuable addi- 

 tion to the conveniences and comforts of life, whe- 

 ther ashore or afloat; and, even without the far 

 greater improvement yet remaining to be decided, 

 would entitle Mr, Well's invention to high enco- 

 mmm and general adoption. Whilst the'^cooking 

 is proceeding, the sea water is gradually supplied 

 from a cask or tank, as may be most ready, and, 

 passing into the interior of the machine, is there 

 submitted to distillation. In its distilled state it 

 then flows into a pipe of cast iron, or of copper 

 tinned, which pipe is led over the bow of the ves- 

 sel and along the cut water into the sea; and thence 

 along the bottom of the ship till it returns into the 

 hold with a common stop cock to draw off the wa- 

 ter. The grand improvement in this, is the makmg 

 the element in which the vessel floats the con- 

 denser of the altered liquid which runs off at the 

 rate of about a quart a minute, perfectly fit for 

 drinking, for washing, and for every other purpose 

 for which fresh Avater is employed. 



We tasted it both before and after undergoing 

 the process, and we used soap in washing ou^ 

 hands with it; and we can truly declare, that in 

 the first instance it Avas sAveet and palatable, and- 

 in the second soft and pleasing. The patentee, 

 however, proceeds to filter it througli charcoal, in 

 order to restore the carbon which is lost' in the dis- 

 tilling, and you have the pure and sparkling ele- 

 ment, equal in every respect to spring water. W e 

 have thus minutely stated what we saAv and 

 tasted; and we do so with great satisfiiction, since 

 it is hardly possible to imagine any economic dis- 

 covery of such vast importance to the navy and to 

 the nation. All the Avatering of ships rendered 

 unnecessaiy, and the ocean itself converted into 

 one abundant and everlasting fountain of supply, 

 forma indeed an epoch in the history of navigation. 

 We need here no more of the sufferings of'^brave 

 and hardy sailors, from the want of this essential 

 article of human subsistence. The room required 

 in merchantmen for the stoAvage of water for the 

 voyage, may noAv be filled Avith goods of any 

 kind. In fine, it Avould be difficult to overrate the 

 value of this admirable invention, which, there can 

 be no doubt, will be speedily and universally 

 adopted and Avill we also trust amply reward the 

 inventor of a benefit to his country and felloAv 

 creatures, the Avorth of Avhich can hardly be ex- 

 celled in the annals of useful humanity. The sea 

 water around a ship is incessantly converted into 

 excellent freshwater, fit for every purpose, and the 

 ocean itself is made the chief agent in this meta- 

 morphosis. Jt is a great and Avonderful achieve- 

 ment. 



SAVING PEAS AND BEANS FROIM MICE. 



Chop up the tops of last year's shoots of furze, 

 and sow them in the drill. — Gardener'' s and Fores- 

 ter'' 8 Record No. 3 . 



From tlic National luteiligencer. 

 NEW USES OF CAOUTCHOUC, OR INDIA RUB- 

 BER. 



Messrs Gales and Seaton: — During a late visit 

 of business to the Eastern States, I took an oppor- 

 tunity of examining some of the many public and 

 private improvements made in various places, and 

 as they all have reference to our comfort and con- 

 venience, I Avould take the liberty, through your 

 paper, of giving a brief account of them. 



The long knoAvn and valuable properties of the 

 Caoutchouc, or India Rubber, has occasioned 

 many attempts to convert this gum into its original 

 or fluid state so as to enable it to be applied as a 

 coating to various surfaces, when its utility would 

 be made more manifest; but the efibrt long proved 

 unaA^ailing, to any extent, until lately, Avhen the 

 fortunate discovery of a cheap solvent was made 



by , of Boston. The value of this 



discovery was duly appreciated by the citizens of 

 that city, for a company was soon after formed to 

 enter largely into the manufacture of various arti- 

 cles coated Avith this gum, and Avhen I visited the 

 factory, it was in full operation, and very extensive- 

 ly patronized. 



" The Rubber Factory," as it is called, is situ- 

 ated in Roxbury, a beautiful village about a mile 

 from Boston, and embraces several buildings. One 



of the proprietors. Captain D , to whom 



I had a letter, was fortunately present, and kindly 

 went through the Avhole establishment Avith me, 

 except one room, Avhich contained the secret of the 

 mode of dissolving the gum elastic, only knoAvn to 

 the inventor, who now has charge of "the ftictory. 

 He prudently reserves to himself the exclusive 

 right of Avorking up the ingredients, the secret be- 

 ing underseal and depositedin bank, in case of the 

 inventor's death. The first room we entered was 

 the lady's shoe factory, Avhere numbers of prunel- 

 la shoes were making, without the use of either 

 needle or thread, the tops, bottoms, and lining, all 

 cemented together with the rubber. These shoes 

 Avere of the handsomest shape, and Avarranted to 

 be completely water proof 



This improvement ]iromises to be a valuable ac- 

 quisition to the ladies, as they suffer much by 

 Avearing shoes that are pervious to water. I was 

 informed that these shoes Avould last out three pair 

 of the common prunella, and would cost no more. 



The next room we entered was the garment 

 factory, where we saw a number of girls cutting 

 out various garments, coats, jackets, pantaloons, 

 &c. and putting them together without thread or 

 needle; the coating of rubber, Avhich they had, 

 forming a perfect cement to the seams. Others 

 were making an article Avhich aa^II be very accepta- 

 ble to mothers and nurses, namely, waterproof" 

 aprons, some of them handsomely ornamented 

 and with pockets. 



The third room we visited Avas filled Avith men's 

 garments; coats, ])antaloons, overcoats, capes, life- 

 preservers, and many other articles, all finished 

 and ready for sale. Here persons may fit them- 

 selves Avith complete suits of Avaterproof clothes: 

 the sportsman will here find the means to enable 

 him to wade through water and mud Avithout fear 

 of getting Avet; the AA'eather beaten mariner, the 

 watchman, coachman, fisherman, may now bid 

 defiance to Avet or cold, if ensconced in these wa- 

 terproof robes; and shipwrecked sailors and others, 

 cast upon the mighty deep, if girt Avith these life- 



