80 



for $-300, and this would insure the continuance of the experiments during six or eight 

 hours any way, and during that time any accident interfering with the water supply 

 might be overcome. 



As one of the most important points to be determined would be the capacity of the 

 battery for twenty-four consecutive hours, it would be unfortunate to have any stop- 

 page for water. 



Always glad to act on your suggestions, I am, 



Yours, truly, 



JOHN DYMOND, 



Of Advisory Committee. 



Hon. NORMAN J. COLMAN, 



Commissioner of Agriculture. 



BELAIR, LA., August 2, 1887. 



DEAR SIR : I have a letter from Mr. McCall, that he will go with me to Magnolia 

 August 12, and that he can not well go soouer. We shall then report at once to you 

 as fully as practicable. 



There is considerable apprehension of danger to the diffusion experiments now felt 

 here, owing to the newspaper report of the choking of the cutters used in Demerara, 

 which cutters are the same used, or contemplated using here. 



In response to your request for suggestions, would it not be well to promptly find, 

 by telegram or otherwise, what the exact cause of the trouble is, and whether or not 

 it can be remedied. 



This seems to be a serious matter. 

 Yours, truly, 



JOHN DY:.;OND. 

 Hon. N. J. COLMAN, 



Commissioner of Agriculture. 



NEW ORLEANS, August 15, 1887. 



DEAR SIR : Your favor of the 3d instant to Mr. Dymond came duly to hand, and 

 on the 12th instpnt we went to Magnolia and carefully inspected the work done and 

 now going on in the matter of the proposed experiments in diffusion, and we would 

 respectfully report: 



That we found the cane-cutter in position, as also the engine for driving it. The 

 shafting and counter-shafting are not yet in place. 



The boot of the chip conveyer is in position, but the conveyer is not yet erected, 

 nor is there yet any device to deliver the chips from the cutter to the boot of the con- 

 veyer, and we understand Mr. Bartheleny to say that none has been provided. 



The diffusers were all in position upon the foundations and columns, but were not 

 connected by any pipe-work, and no platforms or floors were yet constructed about 

 them. 



The cars for the discharge of the chips were there, but the circular track for them 

 was not yet down. 



The ccld- water-supply cistern is not erected. 



The carbonating tanks are in position and connected together and ready for con- 

 nection with the diffusion battery. 



The air-compressing pump and the air-receiver, to dry the exhausted chips, were 

 there, and the former in position. 



The lime-kiln is completed except the placing of the top casting in position and the 

 erecting of the house and platforms around it. 



The washing arrangement for the carbonic-acid gas and the pump to force the gas 

 into the carbonating tanks are all in position and connected. 



The pump to take the juice from the carbouating tanks and force the same through 

 the filter presses is in position, as are also the filter presses, except one, that we were. 



