Scientific Intelligence, <§~c. 
91 
Bengal deal, Norway deal, and American ash. The pieces experimented on 
were each 72 inches in length, 2 inches square, and 60 indies between the 
points of support. Amongst other results it appears that the Bengal deal, though 
unseasoned, was equal to the Norway, each breaking with 72fllbs. and a deflection 
of 2§ inches. The great range in the strength of teak is one of the most curious 
t and valuable of the results. The extremes are Rangoon and Bombay or Malabar, 
1175 and 591 lbs. giving a ratio of 2 : 1- Both woods were seasoned. The highest 
value ot Bombay teak was 889lbs Bengal Sundri is the strongest wood tried, and 
required 1384lbs. to break it. Muraug Sal is the next, 1319. Itappcars in general, 
that the woods were stronger for being seasoned ; in the case of Sundri the difference 
was remarkable, 1384 and 992, or 7 : 5- The greatest range of Sal Chaokars and 
Daokars, was 1319 to 1179, when seasoned : unseasoned, it did not go helow 1085. 
Murang Sal Battis gave only 787- Tun not seasoned 677, and American ash 483. 
2 . — Comparative Value of Cements. 
A very valuable paper was published in the Oriental Quarterly Magazine, being 
an extract from the proceedings of the Renares Literary Society ; giving an ana- 
lysis of the various limestones used in India for making lime, and the results of 
some experiments on the comparative value of the cements prepared from them. 
The method of analysis was rather different from that usually employed The 
limestone in powder, “ was exposed in small covered cupels to the regulated heat of 
an assay furnace. When the first heating was not sufficient to expel all the 
carbonic acid, they were again submitted to the fire ; and to jirove that all the 
gas had been driven off, a few of the musters were further heated without loss of 
weight in a forge.” 
A very ingenious method was adopted to prove the correctness of this mode of 
analysis. The lime, rendered caustic by the preceding operation was converted 
into a hydrate. The increase of weight was found to correspond with the car- 
bonic acid driven off. 
The employment of this method of verification has afforded a very valuable hint 
towards the solution of the very difficult problem of separating lime from magne- 
sia, or rather of estimating their respective quantities. It appears that magnesia 
does not form a hydrate, so that the increase of weight is an index to the quantity 
of lime in any magnesian limestone*. 
The results of the analyses are given in a table, from which it appears, 
that the several kinds of Kuukur limestone vary from 54 per cent, carbonate of 
lime to 97. The Silhet limestone used in Calcutta, it appears, is pure carbonate 
of lime. 
The following results were established by the experiments on cements. . 
1. That the half burnt brick-dust answers as well as the best baked, in mix. 
ture with lime for a dry or water cement. 
2. For substantial work there should never be more than an equal weight of 
Soorkhee, even if the lime is thoroughly calcined. 
3. That the hardest mortar, and that least pervious to water, was composed of 
one part of lime, and two parts pounded strong Kunkur. 
We strongly recommend the original article to the attention of those of our 
readers who are interested in the subject. 
3 . — On producing Early Grapes. 
The following extract is from a letter by- a gentleman in the upper provinces, 
addressed to his friend in Calcutta. 
I see that you are now a member of the Horticultural Society ; in that I should 
delight were I an inhabitant of Calcutta. 
In the practical part of gardening, I made some progress while I sojourned at Coel, 
for I succeeded in getting my grapes ripe during the first week of March, though a 
mistake was committed in the management of the vines during a temporary ab- 
* The author has promised to follow up his views on this subject by some fur. 
ther experiments. Those who have read the papers of Vr. Daubeny and Mr. 
Phillips will acknowledge the value of the above hint. 
