728 Transactions op the American Institute. 



NEW FIBER. 

 Mr. Hoflfrnan presented a mass of long fibers from the leaves of 

 a plant which grows in Nicaraiigua. These fibers resemble hemp, 

 but are lighter colored, and said to be much stronger than that 

 material. He stated that it could be reduced to the state of fiber 

 from the green leaf, and that the natives would collect it at the 

 wages of forty cents per day. The plant is plenteous, and grows 

 spontaneously. It undoubtedly belongs to the Agave family. 



Adjourned. 



October 31, 1867. 

 Prof. S. D. Tillman in the chair; J. Wtatt Reid, Esq., Secretary. 

 The Chairman presented the following notes on novelties in 

 acience and art: 



PETROLELTVI IN CffiNA. 



An oil-bearing stratum, three hundred miles square, yielding 



petroleum of a superior quality, has been discovered not far from 



Pekin, China. 



LmnA. 



The celebrated spring on the Gettysburg battle-field contains the 

 oxide of lithium {Jithemat). The same alkali is found in small 

 quantity in some of the famous mineral springs of France and 

 Germany, 



WINE CONTAINING ZINC. 



Dr. Wittstein has recently found that European wines may con- 

 tain zinc, in the form of salts, and that its presence is due to the 

 fact that the isinglass use4 in purifying the wine was adulterated 

 with about two and a half per cent of the oxide of zinc {zinavruxCj. 

 Isinglass of this description is not transparent, but opaque. 



ANATOIVnCAL PREPARATIONS. 



Glycerine has been found to be a valuable ingredient in prevent- 

 ing putrefaction. The subject to be preserved is immersed in a 

 mixture of fourteen parts of glycerine, two parts of brown sugar, 

 and one part of nitrate of potash, until a slight deposit begins to 

 be formed in the bottom of the vessel. When removed from the 

 solution, the muscles and articulations are perfectly rigid, but they 

 will recover their pliancy after exposure to warm, dry air. 



