RECEPTACLES FOR STORING WHEAT. 165 



going from the interior to the outside. In order to per- 

 form this process I used drainage pipes of O m 035 in 

 diameter, in price 25 francs a thousand. As these drain- 

 age pipes are only O m> 35 in length, I caused some to be 

 made double that size, which were pierced with a number 

 of small holes. These pipes do not cost more than 6 francs 

 a hundred. The process of which I speak being as yet little 

 known, it would be very difficult to find pipes similar to 

 those which I use. Persons wishing to procure them 

 would do well to order them beforehand, before winter. 

 When this process is better known, as it cannot fail to be 

 at some time, it is not unlikely that tile-makers will con- 

 struct pipes for the purpose." 



27. Storing up of Wheat, Receptacles for. On the sup- 

 position that we have got our wheat in good sound condition, 

 the next question is, how can it be preserved 1 We may 

 make it dry, but can we keep it so 1 or we may put it in 

 only partially dry, can we make it while there, wholly, or 

 nearly so 1 or we may put in a portion damp or wet, can 

 we prevent this from influencing the portion that is already 

 sound ? These are questions, the answer to which will in- 

 volve some details that may be considered interesting as well 

 as useful. We shall direct attention in the meantime to 

 the last of these. 



28. It has always appeared to us an interesting problem, 

 whether there could be some means devised for preventing 

 the spread of disease or unsoundness in collections of grain 

 without involving either much manual labour or expensive 

 constructions. The patent granted to Edward Larudant 

 Bellford professes to give a solution of this problem. The 

 means by which he does so are exceedingly simple, and are 

 based on the following theory : " In vegetable substances, 

 which contain only a small quantity of moisture, the pro- 

 cess of decay always, or almost invariably, commences at 

 the centre of the mass, and from thence extends in all di- 

 rections. It is well known to millers and others engaged 

 in the manufacture, storage, or transportation of flour, meal, 

 and grain, that in those substances such is the case, the 



