No. 144.1 181 



We have before given full directions for the mode of preparing 

 guano by admixture with charcoal dust, or black soil moistened 

 with dilute sulphuric acid a few days before use. So prepared, 

 guano will not desert corn before the completion of the ears, nor 

 will it all evaporate from the soil during the growth of a single 

 «rop. These directions shouM not be confused with deepening of 

 soils by the burying of coarse manures, &c., so as to assist in the 

 admission of atmosphere -and the consequent freeing of the inor- 

 ganic constituents of the soil, which, without such assistance, may 

 remain pent wp in the particles without ever coming in contact 

 with the roots of plants, nor with the use of lime, potash, and 

 other alkalies, when used for the purpose of fornjing the soluble 

 silicates, and not as food for plants in their natural state. Such 

 amendments should always be placed near the surface by simple 

 harrowing, and they will gradually descend as dissolved. 



Dr. 0. S. Leavitt exhibited various samples of unrotted flax 

 in various stages of preparation, from the flax straw to fine linen 

 yarn. He remarked that hetetofare there had been numerous 

 difficulties in the way of manufacturing linen from unrotted flax, 

 and which difficulties had now been entirely overcome by his in- 

 ventions. Heretofore it has been considered impossible to break 

 flax in its unrotted condition so as to make it pay, on account of 

 the great imperfection of the machinery that has been used. It 

 would either do too little work, injure the fibre, or make too 

 much waste. Many of the machines heretofore used have been 

 found to break more owners than flax. He exhibited flax as it 

 came from his machine, which breaks two tons of flax straw a 

 day without injury to the fibre, and without making any waste 

 whatever. The machine delivers the flax in a sliver, endless, 

 contmuous, being fed into the machine by lapping one handful of 

 flax straw upon another in the feed table. It has thus, in ihe 

 most convenient form possible, to pass through subsequent ma- 

 chineiy for dividing the fibres and diverting the flax moje com- 

 pletely of shives. This flax, when broken and cleaned, the flax 

 straw being $10 per ton, is laid down at less than 3 cents per lb. 

 Ten tons of straw make about one of fibre in its crude condition, 

 containing the gluten, so that th« manufacturer has to pay the 



