99 



I Kl MJ K^M. V 



ill v^ a XI J 



WIii'ii combined wi'.Ii lime, sulpliiirle acid forms sulphate of limi- or gypsum. 

 It is found in great abundance in many parts, in the neighbourhood of Paris 

 as plaster-stone, where it is rendered anhydrous by burning, converting il into 

 plaster of Paris, as it is termed. It crystallizes beautifully as selenite. found 

 ill clay districts. Satin spar is also a very beautiful variety of this sub- 

 stance. It is found anhydrous also, but not frequently. It e.\ists in con- 

 siderable quantity in the rock salt of Cheshire. In some countries it is 

 found to form so large a portion of the rock salt, even of some kinds which 

 are eaten at table, that if the table salt be dissolved from it, it still retains its 

 form, as a spongy mass. In this way whole mountains are said to be disin- 

 tegrated. This will also serve to explain an expression of scripture, which is 

 otherwise obscure to us who use salt in a state of purity, respecting salt losing 

 Us savour ; if a mass of rock salt containing much sulphate of lime, be 

 exposed to heavy showers, the table salt is dissolved out, the original shape 

 still being retained ; and thus salt may be said to lose its savour. Of the 

 virtues of gypsHm as a manure, the agriculturist has lately heard a great 

 deal, but there is no doubt that its virtues have been highly exaggerated. 

 There is very little proof of its being useful to any plants which do not in- 

 clude sulphate of lime in their composition ; but as lucerne, saintfoin, clover, 

 qnd turnips contain a portion, there is no doubt it is of use to them, when 

 applied as a top dressing. There are cases in which red clover may spring 

 up, promisingluxurianlly.but ultimately die away— the soil is tired of clover, 

 as the farmer says ; in this case sulphate of lime is frequently of great ser- 

 vice, though it is by no means the only substance clover requires. We have 

 .Johnstone's evidence that clover and vetches are both improved by its use- 

 Indivd the ashes of many plants show that they require it, as their sulphates 

 frequently amount to as much as 10 per cent, of the ash. A wagon load of 

 gypsum is said to be sufficient for 30 or 40 acres. The water falling on the 

 surface slightly dissolves it, one part requiring 500 or 600 of water for solu- 

 tion. It may be owing to its sparing solubility in water, that we have so 

 many contradictory statements of its efficacy, as the farmer «ho uses it on 

 very dry land, or during a very dry season, would perhaps derive but little 

 benefit from it. 



The consideration of the phosphates, of bone manure, with the relation of 

 the inorganic to the organic constituents of plants, will form the subject of 

 the next lecture. 



REGISTER OF PATENTS. 



MACHINERY FOR CUTTING STONE. 



Cii.\Ri.TnN J.4MES WoLi.AsTON, of Welling, Kent, Gentleman, for " Impnve- 

 meiits in machiiterii for culling mnrhle and .s/6He."— Granted August 1. 1843; 

 sealed February 1, 1844. 



The first part of these improvements consists in a machine or apparatus for 

 cutting blocks of marble or stone ; the machine consists of a rectangular or 

 oblong table of iron or other suitable material, supported upon the framing of 

 the machine in a horizontal position upon two V slides, and is capable of 

 being moved thereon in a direction of its length. On each side of the machine, 

 and about the middle thereof, there is a vertical frame, and to this frame are 

 attached the cutters, which are set at some distance apart, and stand ofl from 

 the edge of the frame at different distances, so that each cutter, beginning 

 from the lower one, will make its cut further and further into the block of 

 marble or stone (which block is placed and secured by set screws upon the 

 table of the machine), so that the cuts in the side of the stone will form a 

 succession of steps, which peculiar arrangement of the cutters forms the prin- 

 cipal feature in lliis part of the invention. The frames and cutlers are moved 

 up and down in a vertical direction by means of two connecling rods, each of 

 which are attached by one end to the cutter frame, and at the other or lower 

 end to a stud fi.ved into the face of the wlieel, keyed on the end of a horizon- 

 tal shaft, running under the table of the machine, the rotary motion of which 

 gives the necessary motion to the cutter frame ; the extent or range of the 

 cutler frame can be regulated by putting the pin into certain holes drilled in 

 the face of tlie wheel, at different distances from the centre thereof. There 

 are also certain arrangements for moving the table upon which the block is 

 fixed, so that the stone on the return stroke of the cutter frame moves back 

 for giving clearance to the cutters, but when Ihe same are about to cut 

 into the sides of the block of stone, the table is moved forwards equal to the 

 distance given for the clearance, and the depth intended for the next cut, all 

 of which movements are self-acting or governed by the mechanical arrange- 

 ments of the machine, — The second improvementconsists in a mode of making 

 stone pipes. The block of stone intended to Lf bored out is placed with its 

 end upon a table ; below the table, and in a vertical position, there Is a metal 

 tube, on the upper end of which is fixed several cutters ; the table upon which 

 the block of stone is fixed can be lowered by means of a screw, upon the end 



of the tubular cutter, which cutter, having a rotary motion given to it, bores 

 a hole into the end of the stone equal in diameter to Ihe cutter, the portion 

 of stone cut out passes through the tubular cutter. 



BLACK DYEING. 



Fredebick Steiner, of Hyndburn Cotl.age, near Accrington, Lancashire, 

 Turkey Red Dyer, for " A new mamtfacluri' of a ceilain colouring vtaltcr, coni- 

 monlfi cnlled gwancine:'—Gt3.n\ei Augusts, 1843; enrolled February 7, 1844. 



This invention relates to a mode of obtaining a colouring matter commonly 

 called garancine. from spent madder, or madder alter it has been used for 

 dyeing, and is performed as follows:— The inventor constructs a large filter 

 of brickwork, but without mortar, outside the dye-house, that is to say, a 

 hole is to be dug in the ground, and lined with bricks, and upon the bricks is 

 placed a quantity of stones or gravel, and a piece of fabric, such as common 

 wrappering, and below the filter there is a drain to take off the water which 

 p.asses through. A quantity of diluted sulphuric acid, of the specific gravity 

 of 105°, water being 100". is kept in a vessel near the filter ; the spent madder 

 which has been used for dyeing is allowed to pass, by means of a channel, 

 from the dye pan to the filter, and when running in a portion of the dilute 

 sulphuric acid, is allowed to run in with it, which changes the colour of the 

 madder to an orange tint; after the water is drained off, the residue is put 

 into bags, and the same put into an hydraulic press, and afterwards passed 

 through a sieve, the madder is then put into a wooden or leaden vessel.and to 

 every 5 cwt, of madder 1 cwt. of sulphuric acid of commerce is added by 

 sprinkling, and the whole thoroughly mixed together. The madder in this 

 stage is [ilaced on a perforated lead plate, fixed about six inches from the 

 bottom of a vessel, and between the bottom of the said vessel and the per- 

 forated plate, a qu.antity of steam is introduced, which passes through ihe 

 said perforated plate and mixture contained in the vessel ; a substance will 

 now be obtained of a dark brown colour, approaching to a black, this sub- 

 stance is garancine .and insoluble carbonized matter. The substance after 

 being thrown out to cool, is washed with a quantity of clear cold water until 

 all the .icid is destroyed ; it is then submitted to pressure, and after being 

 dried in a stove is ground between a pair of ordinary madder stones, after 

 which from 41b. to 5 lb, of carbonate of soda to every 100 cwt. of the mixture 

 may be .added to neutralize any aciil which may remain. The patentee claims 

 the manufacture of garancine from spent madder, or madder after it has been 

 used for dyeing. 



A NEW SUBSTANCE FOR PAPER. 



RicHAEn ARCiiiBAi-n Bkoom.\n, of IGG, Fleet Street, London, Gentleman, 

 {or [\n' " Munufaclurc of paper, cordage, nmlling, and olher textile fiilnics, as 

 ah-ofor Ihe appliealion of Ihe said materials to Ihe stuffing of cushions and mat- 

 tresses." Granted August 10, 1843 ; enrolled February 10, 1844.— Communi- 

 cated. 



This invention consists in a mode of manufacturing papir from the convol- 

 vuli of the cissus genus of (ilants, which are found in Guiana, co.ast of Africa 

 West India islands, and other p.arts. The mode of converting ihis vegetable' 

 into paper is as follows :— The bark or rind is in the first place stripped off 

 the stems, and the fibres separated by being bruised, after which the fibres 

 are to be ilried in a stove, or by other suitable means, to free them from the 

 sap ; they are then boiled for some hours with a quantity of American 

 potass, and afterwards washed, .and then bleached by Ihe appliealion of chlo- 

 rine or other suitable matter; the next process, .after the fibres have been 

 properly bleached, is to card them wilhamelal comb, after which they are 

 reduced by suitable machinery into a pulp, and may then be manufactured by 

 the ordinary process into j-aper. The inventor states that Ihe above may be 

 combined with rag pulp, or other suitable material. There are also oilier 

 herbs, known in the West Indian islands by the name of herbs conpunts, and 

 also the bark of the West Indian pear tree, from which a good [lapcr may be 

 manufactured. That part of the specificalion, which lelaies (u the manufac- 

 ture of cordage, malting, and other textile fabrics, consists merely in the ap- 

 plication of the herbs before referred to, which arc rendered into filaments 

 and then manufactured in the same manner as Hax or hempen ropes. And 

 lastly, this invention rel.ites to the application of the aforesaid material, 

 when reduced into fibres, to stuffing chair cushions, mattresses, liic. The 

 patentee claims the application of the aluresaid material to Ihe manufacture 

 of paper, cordage, matting. Sec, as above described. 



PRESERVING OF PROVISIONS. 



.Iames Cooper, of St, .lohn's Street, C^lerkenwell, Middlesex, Provision 

 Merchant, lor " I'essels of peculiar construction, and an apparatus for the purpose 

 of preseruing various articles of provisions for the use o/'/amiV/ts.''— Granted 

 December 5. 1843 : enrolled February 5, 1843, 



This invention, in the first place, relates simply to the arrangement and 



