208 Scientific Intelligence. 



blackened. The washing should be done when we perceive that 

 grey and black spots are forming. For this purpose, river water is 

 used, or better still, distilled water slightly acidulated either with vin- 

 egar or with one of the acids which enter into the above mixtures, in 

 the proportion of a spoonful of acid to a litre of water. — Jinn, de L"* In- 

 dustrie JVat. Avril, 1820. — Translated and abstracted by the Editor. 



24. Albany Institute. — In our No. for April last, we quoted at 

 length, from the first number of the Transactions of the Albany In- 

 stitute for June 1828, an interesting paper on the variation of the 

 magnetic needle, including a very important document, shewing the 

 rate of the variation at Boston, Falmouth, and Penobscot, for one 

 hundred and twenty eight years, and which would alone have given 

 importance to the number, had the other communications in it been 

 less valuable and interesting than they were. Their titles are 



On the luminous appearance of the Ocean, by Lt. T. R. Ingalls. 



On the Geographical Botany of the United States, Part I. by Dr. 

 L. C. Beck. 



On some modifications of the electro-magnetic apparatus, (with a 

 plate,) by Prof. Henry. 



The Institute has, the present summer, (1829,) published a second 

 number, containing valuable papers, of which the following are the 

 titles : 



Notes on Mr. Pickering's " Vocabulary of Words and Phrases, 

 which have been supposed to be peculiar to the United States," with 

 preliminary observations, by T. R. Beck. 



On the Uvularia grandiflora, as a remedy for the bite of a Rattle- 

 snake, by J. G. Tracy. 



An examination of the question, whether the climate of the valley 

 of the Mississippi, under similar parallels of latitude, is warmer than 

 than that of the Atlantic ocean, by L. C. Beck, M. D. 



Observations on the Geological features of the south side of the 

 Ontario valley, in a letter to T. R. Beck, M, D., by J. Geddes, 

 Civil Engineer. 



An appendix contains the Charter of the Society, for the promo- 

 tion of useful Arts, and of the Albany Lyceum of Natural History, 

 which institutions have been united to form the Albany Institute. 

 The valuable papers which have been already published, are in ac- 

 cordance with the design of the Institute, to embrace both " Science 

 and Literature," in its plan. 



