Miscellanies. 399 



water, as though all earthy ingredients were separated. Of this I have 

 some doubts, and think that distilled water will contain as much earthy 

 matter as plants require in ordinary cases. Our water in this section of 

 country as you are well aware, contains large quantities of sulphate or 

 carbonate of lime in solution, while the water is as transparent as air. 

 A short time since from the steam pipe of an old distillery, a pipe through 

 which nothing but steam had ever passed, I cut a section of the wood, 

 and this disclosed a perfect tube of stone nearly three eighths of an inch 

 in thickness, smooth and solid. The base of it is lime, as it effervesces 

 freely in muriatic acid ; and of course it must have been arrested from 

 the steam in its passage, by condensation against the sides of the tube. I 

 have no doubt that silex when in a state of solution would also pass over 

 in all the necessary quantities required to perfect plants ; and hence deem 

 the doctrine that the earths found in plants watered with distilled water, 

 is created by them, absurd. Your answer confirmed me that my suspi- 

 cions were correct ; and that the theories built on distilled water are in 

 the main untenable. 



65. New Hall of the Academy of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia. — 

 We are happy to observe that this early and most respectable institution 

 is soon to be accommodated by a new fire proof building forty five feet 

 front by eighty five deep, which will contain " a single saloon with ranges 

 of galleries, beneath which, in the basement, will be a lecture room for 

 five hundred persons." 



William Maclure, long known for his great munificence to objects of 

 science and benevolence, has contributed twenty thousand dollars* to the 

 society during the last two years, seventeen thousand of which have been 

 reserved for the erection of the building, and this sum has been greatly 

 enlarged by the liberal subscriptions of members and others friendly to the 

 cause of science. 



The foundation stone of the building was laid May 25, 1839, and a 

 very appropriate discourse delivered by Walter R. Johnson, A. M., M. A. 

 N. S., &c. &c. 



Philadelphia and New York may now vie with each other in the ac- 

 commodations of their respective academies ; the younger sister having 

 been laudably emulous of the fame and worthy deeds of the elder. 



66. Dr. Hare's method of removing the resin which contaminates the 

 best Oil of Turpentine of commerce hy an alcoholic solution of Chloride 

 of Calcium. — Mr. Guthrie recommended some years since in an article 

 published by us, the employment of diluted sulphuric acid to remove resin 

 from Oil of Turpentine. Dr. Hare has for the same purpose used suc- 



* An invaluable library and many specimens in natural history had been before 

 given to the Academy by Mr. Maclure. 



