AMERICAN INSTITUTE, 541 



cocoa, ebony, rose, partridge and snake woods for pen knives, 

 (spring knives,) a new and cheap article is wanted. 



Forks of steel for digging gardens, &c., lately introduced, were 

 at first rejected by the laborers, who said they were only fit to toss 

 straw; but now they find that they can do more work with them 

 by twenty-five per cent, and with less fatigue, for they penetrate the 

 ground easily; and as this steel fork weighs two pounds less than 

 the old digger, and as he lifts it so often in a day's work, it is found 

 that he actually lifts several tons less. 



Messrs. Spear & Jackson sent for inspection table knives and 

 forks at forty-five cents for the dozen knives and dozen forks ; 

 wrought razors at thirty-seven cents the dozen. 



GREAT DIFFERENCES IN THE PRICE OF IRON. 



Common cast iron from <£4 to J£6 per ton ; the best Lowmoor 

 j£l8 per ton ; best Swedish, always used in Sheffield for best 

 manufactures <£36 per ton. Steel made in Shefiield, ranges from 

 .£20 to .£80 per ton. This is used for sword blades. The Paris 

 cutlers at the exhibition of Paris, were asked what steel they 

 used? They replied, for our best articles we use Huntsman'' s — 

 that is the oldest name in Sheffield I That was Swedish iron con- 

 verted by that house into steel. They said that the Crystal Palace 

 of 1851, had caused great advances in their manufacture of steel. 

 In Austria, part of Prussia, Belgium, natural steel was now ob- 

 tained. The Styrian steel is a natural steel — is something like 

 Swedish iron, a very fine production, and was extensively made 

 into scythes and other agricultural tools, in Austria. 



Some said that Sheffield was falling olf in her manufactures ! 

 That is not true — for her population of 24,000 upon a total of 

 138,000 since 1851 to 1856. 



Steel was exhibited, made in Australia. 



Mr. Wilson remarked that he held in his hand a knife marked 

 "J. Rodgers & Sons' patent, Sheffield," and another knife marked 

 "Rodgers Cutlers to Pier Majesty." Would not one half of you 

 be deceived 1 Not one of these articles was made by that firm ! 



Mr. Aikins of Berkshire, Tioga county, New- York, was intro- 

 duced by Mr. Secretary Leonard, to exhibit his new patent lock. 

 He opened it and fully explained its character. He has placed 



