260 Miscellaneous. 
with lye and added to rag pulp, are suitable for making packing 
paper. ‘The product possesses a certain tenacity not offered by 
that of other straws. ‘This substance may then answer very well 
in countries where it grows in sufficient quantities to allow of its 
employment in the arts. In some paper-mills, and especially 
that of Cusset, attempts have been made to convert into paper 
the inferior qualities of hay produced in marshy soils. The pro- 
duct obtained was of a dingy green tinge, and had little consis- 
tency. It may, however, answer common printing paper. The 
composition adopted for the pulp was :— 
500 parts of hay. 
12°5 ;, ) tarred rope. 
12-5 », linen and woollen. 
25°0 “ cottons. 
I00°O 
Boiling hay in lye is an easy operation, and the unbleached 
pulp may be used for wrapping papers. The paper made of this 
material is more supple than that obtained from straw. A Swedish 
newspaper has been printed for several years past upon paper 
made with horse dung. By washing, all the soluble parts are 
carried off and used for manure, and the parts of the hay which 
have not been assimilated by the organism of the animal, having 
undergone a previous bleaching by means of the gastric and other 
juices, require a smaller proportion of chemical agents to effect 
their transformation into pulp.—‘ Paper Trade Revtew.’ 
TRAMWAYS AT SYDNEY.—A select committee, appointed by the 
colonial parliament to inquire into the tramway in Pitt street, 
Sydney, completed their inquiry shortly before the end of last 
session, and it appears to be proved that the tramway is of no 
practical use as a means of increasing the traffic of the Govern- 
ment railways. At no time since its construction hasit been used 
for the removal of country produce of any kind, or merchandize, 
for the interior, nor does it appear to be regarded as a great con- 
venience to the general body of railway passengers, though it is 
held in value on this account by the suburban residents of the 
line, who daily come into the city to attend to business. The 
rails, as at present laid down, are objected to as dangerous to 
ordinary carriages crossing over them. It is admitted, on the 
other hand, that the tramway has been of much service to the 
Government in removing railway stock from the wharf and the 
railway station. ‘The committee have stated that the rails will be 
finally taken up at the end of the present year.—“‘ Journal of the 
Society of Arts.” : 
BOOKS RECEIVED. 
‘Hardwicke’s Science Gossip” for November. No. XXIII, 
‘The Artizan’ for November, . 
