Scientific Intelligence. 
177 
The Secretary proposed to submit the specimen, now furnished from the Society’s 
garden, to the inspection of medical men and druggists, with the view of obtain- 
ing a report upon it, and allowing its intrinsic qualities to be as widely known as 
possible. He also, in reference to the above, submitted the plan of a machine 
(taken from the 4th vol. of the Mechanical Repository), which appeared admirably 
calculated for the purpose of reducing the bulbs to a pulp, thereby securing a 
complete separation of the farina ; and as the Society would possess, against next 
season, a large stock of roots and plants, it would he very desirable to have such a 
machine in the garden. 
Mr. Kyd, on examining the drawing, was also of opinion, that it would answer 
the purpose desired, and offered to construct the machine and present it to the 
Society. 
The offer of Mr. Kyd was most thankfully received. A small tin machine 
was laid on the table, resembling the mouth or spout of a gardener’s watering pan, 
which had been furnished by Mr. Hlacquiere, and was made by him for the 
purpose of being inserted by a bheestee (in an instant) into the mouth of his 
rnmsuck-, and thus enable him to water seedlings and plants of all kinds without 
deluging them, or disturbing the earth about their roots ; as it would be found on 
trial with this instrument, costing only seven annas, that when the water was at 
any distance from the plants to be watered, one bheestee could do the work of 
more than two men, so great is the loss of time of pouring from a mussuck into a 
watering pan, and from thence upon the plants. 
The hour of eight o’clock being considered too early in the hot season for the 
meetings of the Society, it was resolved, that, in future, the meetings should be 
held at half-past eight o’clock ; that is, from the 1st of March to the 1st of Novem- 
ber, and at eight o’clock from 1st November to 1st March ; the next meeting to be 
at half -past eight o'clock. 
It was resolved, that the first meeting of the Committee be held at nine o clock 
of the forenoon of Saturday, the 9th May, at the office of Mr. Kyd, in Clive 
Street Ghaut, who kindly offered a room there for that purpose ; and the Secretary 
was requested to have the books and papers in readiness there, for the inspection 
of the Committee. 
It was proposed and agreed to, that an Anniversary Dinner Meeting of the 
Societv, be held within the hall of the Asiatic Society, on Thursday evening, the 
14th May, at seven o’clock ; it being understood, that it was quite optional with 
members to attend the Anniversary Meeting, or not, as they felt disposed, and that 
each member be permitted to bring a guest. 
Baboo Ramcomul Sen was requested to supply the Committee with the list of 
members of the Society, and also of the names of such as were in arrear, that the 
Committee might report upon the same to the next meeting of the Society. 
The meeting adjourned to the second W ednesday ot June, being the next regu- 
«r Sleeting of the Society. 
VI.— Scientific Intelligence, Miscellaneous Notices, &c. 
1. Mechanical Contrivances described in JVo. 2. Objections answered. 
in No. 4 of this work a correspondent has shown, what he considers, the fallacy of 
the mechanical arrangement described in No. 2. His remarks apply strictly to the 
plate given in that number. Rut the author requests us to state, that in repeating 
the experiment for the satisfaction of a friend, long before seeing A. N.’s remarks, this 
source of fallacy was fully recognized and obviated; the strokes being made per- 
fectly free, and no counteraction allowed to the weights, as supposed by A. N. lie 
intended to have brought forward these experiments for publication in the 3d num- 
ber; considering them, as did three out of four of the spectators who witnessed them, 
perfectly decisive in favour of the beam filled with fluid. The objections of the 
fourth witness requiring a modification of the apparatus, the publication was de- 
ferred till the experiments could be repeated ; and such is the difficulty and delay at- 
tending the execution of any thing of this kind in Calcutta, that the proposed modi- 
tication has not been yet executed, or the experiment been repeated under such 
circumstances, as to warrant the author in coming forward after the objections that 
had been urged. In his own mind, however, he has no doubt of the utility of the 
