258 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



long run, cheaper than wood. The posts are 

 set in the ground diagonally or cornerwise. A 

 tenon is made on the top of each post, on which 

 is placed a coupling block to which the top rail 

 is secured by pins or nails. The fence is thus 

 secure and firm, not liable to rot. The inventor 

 is Captain Joseph Stevens, of Northumberland, 

 Saratoga county, New York. Specimens may 

 be seen and rights purchased, at the Mechanics' 

 and Farmers' Agency, 34 Ann street. — Scientific 

 American. 



TO ASCERTAIN THE SPEED OR VELOCITY 

 OF MACHINERY. 



In all ordinary machinery, the motion of some 

 part thereof is sufficiently moderate to admit of 

 the counting of the revolutions or vibrations 

 thereof. Having compared the motion with 

 time, and ascertained the number of revolutions 

 per minute, of a driving wheel or drum, multiply 

 that number by the quotient obtained by dividing 

 the diameter of this wheel by the policy or 

 pinion which receives a motion directly there- 

 from. But if these two diameters are such that 

 one cannot be divided by the other without a 

 remainder, then reduce each to inches and deci- 

 mals, and apply the rule of proportion, multiply 

 the diameter of the first wheel by the number 

 of its revolutions per minute, and divide the pro- 

 duct by the diameter of the small wheel, pulley, 

 or pinion, and the quotient will show the velo- 

 city thereof, in revolutions per minute. If an- 

 other drum or gear wheel is mounted on the 

 shaft of this second rotary, and motion is com- 

 municated therefrom to a third axle pulley, the 

 same process may be repeated to ascertain the 

 velocity of the third shaft. In this way the ve- 

 locity of the mandrills of the most violent mo- 

 tion may be accurately ascertained. — Selected. 



From the Eureka. 

 VINEGAR MAKING. 



BY PROF. L. D. GALE. 



Good vinegar is not universally found amongst 

 the farmers of our country. In the Western 

 States it is rare to meet with a good article, and 

 yet it is as easy and practicable as any other 

 product of the farm. In New England, vinegar 

 is generally made from apples, by throwing 

 aside into an empty cider barrel stationed in the 

 garret, all the drippings of cider, sour beer, &c, 

 and drawing out from time to time for the uses 

 of the table, and for pickling. 



In the Western States it is often made of di- 

 luted whiskey, mixed with sour beer and other 

 fermenting liquors. 



In Texas it is frequently made by sour or 

 green grapes, and the washings of whiskey bar- 

 rels. This makes an inferior article, being a 



mixture of acetic acid or true vinegar, and a 

 combination of tartaric acid and potash. Vine- 

 gar is an article of great antiquity, it is often 

 mentioned in the Old Testament, and is manu- 

 factured both here and in Europe, by two gen- 

 eral processes, all others are but modifications of 

 the one or the other of these. The first is the 

 distillation of wood in iron cylinders, and con- 

 densing the acetic vapor by cold water: the se- 

 cond consists in the acetic fermentation of sac- 

 charine or alcoholic liquids. 



In England the vinegar is made either from 

 the distillation of wood, or from the fermentation 

 of malted liquors. 



In France it is manufactured from sour wines, 

 and hence the name vin-aigre — wine-sour. 



In Germany it is made both from sour wines 

 and from whiskey. English vinegar generally 

 contains sulphuric acid. Indeed, this is allowed 

 by government to the amount of two to five per 

 cent. As this prevents the formation of mother, 

 which is a vegetable substance, I presume this 

 object must constitute the basis of the permis- 

 sion. I am somewhat strengthened in this view 

 from having been applied to by an American, 

 who had shipped vinegar to England, desiring 

 to know how he could prevent the formation of 

 " mother" in vinegar, as much had accumulated 

 in the article sent out, which could not be sold 

 on that account. The remedy in such a case 

 is sulphuric acid two or three per cent. 



Many } T ears ago it required months to make 

 good vinegar, but by the aid of science and 

 much practical skill, the Germans have intro- 

 duced a process by which the work of months 

 is brought within the compass of a few hours. 

 The best of vinegar is now made in from two 

 to four hours. 



In a standing cask eight feet high, and four 

 feet in diameter, it is practicable to make thirty 

 to forty gallons in a day of twenty-four hours. 



The apparatus used in the quick, or German 

 process, is very simple in its construction, and is 

 easily made. 



It may be made of one length of stave, as 

 here represented, or of two whiskey, or molasses 

 hogsheads; or, lastly, it may be made of two 

 wine butts : the latter, perhaps, is preferable. — 

 The chines of the lower one, and the lower 

 chine of the upper, are to be trimmed off, so that 

 the upper cask may be received into the lower 

 one. But previous to this operation, the upper 

 part of the lower cask, and both heads of the 

 upper one should be removed, and the cask 

 made clean. Now set it in its place, and bore 

 eight small holes, say half an inch in diameter 

 obliquely downwards, for the purpose of supply- 

 ing air to acidify the vinegar stock. The direc- 

 tion being for the purpose of preventing any 

 vinegar from running out at the holes. 



We will suppose the stand set up in its place, 

 the next step is to fill it with beech or other 



