Oct. 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST. 



CHEMISTRY. 123 



The articles exported from the province are :— Straw hats, like those 

 of Guyaquil, which are sold in Brazil at 3 dols.»each. Sarsaparilla, 

 growing chiefly in the environs of Sarayaco, where it is collected in 

 abundance. An arroba (25 lbs.) is exchanged for 3 or 4 yards of tocuyo 

 or grey shirting. In Nanta it is worth 3 dols. the arroba ; and in Para 

 it is sold as high as 14 or 15 dols. the arroba. Salt fish, which is sold 

 in Brazil under the name of piracucu at the price of 19 dols. to 20 dols. 

 the arroba. Tocuyo or grey shirting of the country is sold at 1 real or 

 about 6d. the yard. Bombanaje straw is sold at 1 real a pound. Bun- 

 dles of tobacco, 4 reals each. Tobacco in leaf is worth 18 dols. the 

 arroba. Coffee is sold in the province at 2 dols. the arroba, and in Para 

 3 dols. and 3 dols. reals. Cacao, 3 dols. the arroba. Flour, 5 dols. a 

 quintal of 25 lbs. 



In Moyobaniba, the capital of Loreto, more than 3,000 women are 

 occupied in spinning cotton, the clews or balls of which are current 

 money, so are also coffee and tobacco ; — lona, a texture wove very 

 strong ; condocillo, a species of woollen kerseymere ; coverlets, or counter- 

 panes, plain and worked, and other cloths ; straw hats, network very rich 

 for stuffs, and clothing for women, as fine and beautiful as the best lace. 

 Cigar cases and hats of the finest workmanship. The inhabitants are 

 also very skilful in the working of gold and silver and make exquisite 

 works of art, especially in filagree. 



CHEMISTRY. 



BY CAMPBELL MORFIT, M.D., F.C.S., 



LATE PROFESSOR OP ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY IN THE UNIVERSITY 



OF MARYLAND. 



In all the advances of either Civilisation or the Arts, and whether 

 pertaining to those which minister to the wants, the industry, or to the 

 protection of man, Chemistry has been a prevailing good, and has left 

 marks of its usefulness. It is, indeed, the Alma Mater of the sciences ; 

 a great store-house filled with knowledge suited to the wants of all ; its 

 boundaries being co-extensive with Nature itself. 



Chemistry is the only true socialist ; for while it furnishes benefits 

 to every community, it is upon fixed rules which neither policy, per- 

 suasion, nor legislation can change. She is immutable in her ways : 

 acting as naturally as astronomy, with nicer precision than mathematics, 

 greater certainty than human jurisprudence, and more industry than art 

 or handicraft, for her operations never cease. It acts, too, with as much 

 beneficence to mankind as all the theories of faith ; because in her 

 work she manifests, by unvarying attributes, and by her fruitfulness of 

 universal blessings, the unmistakable existence of a Great Great Cause 

 —a Providence. 



