384 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



Thus it appears that, in the Irish experiment, the potash pro- 

 cured was scarcely one-twentieth part of that which was said to 

 have been obtained in the French; while, in the two expe- 

 riments made in Scotland, the produce, in one instance, was 

 only the half, and, in another, only the quarter of that which 

 was obtained from the trial made in Ireland. 



It is probable that the Irish acre, if computed according to 

 the lazy-bed system of cultivation, contained more plants than 

 the drilled Scotch acre ; and thus the differences of produce 

 between Mr. Rice's acre, and that at King's Meadows, will not 

 be very difficult to reconcile ; while the scantiness of the second 

 crop, tried in Scotland, may also suffice to account for the still 

 greater diminution of the alkaline product in that case. Both 

 these trials therefore sufficiently confirm each other ; particu- 

 larly when we further consider the differences in the proportion 

 of saline ingredients which the same plant exhibits in different 

 situations and circumstances, and those further differences in 

 the alkaline product which arise from variations in the treatment 

 previous to burning and during combustion. The French ex- 

 periment, however, leaves them at an incalculable and incredible 

 distance. 



Taking a mean result then from the experiments made in Ire- 

 land and Scotland, or even admitting the former to afford a 

 better standard, there is evidently no temptation for agricul- 

 turists to repeat these trials with a view to profit. It appears 

 on analysis, that the dry saline residuum, here called in com- 

 pliance with the French statement, impure potash, does not 

 contain above ten per cent of pure alkali, the remainder con- 

 sisting of muriate of potash and other ingredients ; and it is 

 evident that a much larger quantity would not repay the ex- 

 penses incurred in the operation, 



I am yours, &c., 



J. Mac Culloch. 



5. Apple Bread. M. Duduit de Maizieres, a French officer of 

 the king's household, has invented, and practised with great 

 success, a method of making bread with common apples very 

 far superior to potato bread. After having boiled one-third 

 of peeled apples, he bruised them while quite warm into two- 

 thirds of flour, including the proper quantity of yeast, and 

 kneaded the whole without water, the juice of the fruit being 

 quite sufficient. When this mixture had acquired the consis- 

 tency of paste he put it into a vessel, in which he allowed it to 

 rise for about twelve hours. By this process he obtained a 

 very excellent bread, full of eyes and extremely palatable and 

 light. New Monthly Mag. 



6. New Musical Instrument. A musical instrument is now in 



