BOG Transactions of the American Institute. 



October 3, 1871. 



Nathan C. Ely, Esq., in the chair; Mr. John W. Chambers, Secretary. 



Aniline Dyes. 

 It was said by Professor H. E. Colton, in answer to an inquiry, 

 that the colors made from aniline embrace every known shade, and 

 are brilliant' and beautiful. They may be bought ready prepared for 

 home dying of any first-class druggist. In this connection, the pro- 

 fessor called attention to what he pronounced the splendid collection 

 of aniline dyes exhibited at the Institute fair by the School of Mines 

 of Columbia College. Aniline dyes, he further explained, are made 

 from coal tar; and in the case on exhibition, the original tar, the 

 crude aniline, and every other product or residuum is shown, so that 

 one there has the whole product before him. And not only is this 

 color shown, but iron, lead, zinc and copper ores, and all the details 

 of the process by which these metals are produced; then in the 

 department of drawings are well executed pictures of all the furnaces 

 and machinery which are used. The professor said he considered this 

 one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition, and reflected 

 credit upon our city as well as the college by which they are exhibited. 

 We are indebted to the great German chemist, Hoffmann, for the 

 discovery of these colors, and the process of making them was for a 

 long time a secret ; but with such instruction as this exhibit shows 

 our young chemists are receiving, we shall not long be indebted to 

 Europe for anything in that line. Young, when he first made oil 

 from coal, claimed, enthusiastically, that he had revealed the pent 

 up sunlight of ages gone. In these colors, one might say, were 

 brought to light the pent up rainbows of many centuries. 



Butter Factories . 

 Mr. Thomas Slater, Slatersville, ~N. Y., stated, in answer to a former 

 correspondent, that one of the best butter factories is probably that 

 located in Speeds ville, 1ST. Y. The proprietors manufacture butter 

 from the milk of 600 cows, and it is sold in the New York market 

 for from five to ten per cent more than the best State dairies. The 

 churning is done by steam. At Caroline, four miles from Speedsville, 

 is another factory, where they manufacture both butter and cheese. 

 They take about three-fourths of the cream from the milk, from 

 the balance they make what is termed skim cheese. The cheese is 

 not improved any by skimming the milk, but it is sold for about half 



