TO EXTIRPATE SORREL. 
An exchange gives the following direc¬ 
tions : 
The presence of sorrel indicates an acid 
soil. It is a sour plant, and thrives only on 
such lands as are destitute of calcareous 
matters; consequently tho application of 
the latter in sufficient quantities to correct 
tho acidity suggests itself as tho most effec¬ 
tual method of getting rid of it, and render¬ 
ing tho soil fit for profitable cultivation in 
other and more desirable crops. Yet tho 
quantity of soil on which this plant is natu¬ 
rally produced precludes the hope that it 
will ever be entirely eradicated, and it hence 
becomes a part of farming to know in what 
manner it can be most successfully econo¬ 
mized, and rendered valuable as an article 
of animal sustenance or food. 
There are, indeed, but few vegetables, 
however mean or valueless they may be con 
siderod, which do not possess some quality 
capable of redeeming them from the hasty 
yet common charge of utter worthlessness, 
and of this order we regard sorrel. As food 
for horses and sheep, it not only possesses 
considerable value, but if chaffed and mixed 
with meal, it will fatten them as readily, per¬ 
haps, as English hay prepared in the same 
manner. Fed to these animals in its natu¬ 
ral stato, and without any accompaniment, 
it is found to retain them in health and 
heart, and tho seed, ground and made into 
“ mush,” is said by thoso who have had ex¬ 
perience in feeding it to be equal to Indian 
corn. Yet no farmer will ever cultivate 
sorrel as a farm product. It is exhausting 
in the extreme, and it is only when it ob¬ 
trudes itself on him spontaneously that ho 
should endeavor to render it of any ac¬ 
count. 
Tho only effectual method of extirpating 
it is to sweeten the soil by liming, or to in¬ 
crease tho staplo to a degree that will pro¬ 
mote tho development of a moro valuable 
herbagdfand cleanse tho soil thoroughly by 
a succession of manured crops, such as corn, 
potatoes, or some other vegetable which is 
cultivated exclusively with tho hoe. The 
seed of tho sorrel is not abundant, hut it is 
iuvested in an integument, or horny involu¬ 
cre, which possesses the power of preserv¬ 
ing the vital power unimpaired for years, 
when placed by circumstances so deep in 
the soil as to be beyond the influence of 
those vitalizing principles upon which ger¬ 
mination is found mainly to depend. 
This peculiarity of the seed explains why 
sorrel so often appears after long pasturage, 
and the disappearance of tho plant from tiio 
surface of the soil where it has previously 
grown. 
LAYING- OUT SURFACES. 
A few simplo rules are oftentimes con¬ 
venient to those who are not conversant 
with surveying operations, and a writer in 
tho Western Horticultural Review, has com¬ 
municated to that work some very good 
ones, some of which wo copy, and to which 
wo add a few others. 
To lay out an acre in a circle. —First fix 
a centre, and with a rope as a radius, seven 
rods, throe links and three-eighths long, one 
end attached to the centre, and kept uni¬ 
formly stretched, the swoop of it at the oth¬ 
er end will lay out the acre. 
For ono quarter of an acre, a rope throe 
rods and fourteen links will bo the right 
length. 
For one-eighth of an acre, a rope two rods 
and thirteen links will bo enough. 
Triangles. —If you wish a triangle to con¬ 
tain just an acre, mako each side nineteen 
rods, five and a half links long. 
A triangle whose sides are six rods and 
twenty links long each, will contain one- 
eighth of an acre. 
To lay out an ellipse or oval. —Sot three 
stakes in a triangular position. Around 
these stretch a rope. Take away the stake 
at the apex of tho triangle, which will be 
where the side of tho oval is to come—move 
tho stake along against tho ropo, keeping it 
tight, and it will traco out tho oval. 
A square, to contain an acre, or just ono 
hundred and sixty rods, should havooach of 
its sides just twelve rods, ten foot and seven- 
tenths long. 
To draw an oval of a given size. —The 
long and the short diameter being given— 
say twenty feet for the shorter, and ono 
hundred for tho longer—divide tho short 
diameter into any number of equal parts— 
say ten—and from oach point draw a line 
parallel to the long diameter; then divide 
tho long diameter into the samo number of 
equal parts, (ten) and from each point draw 
a line parallel to tho short diameter. Then 
draw a lino from point to point where each 
corresponding lino cuts the other, on tho 
outside, and this connecting mark will de¬ 
scribe the oval or ellipso required.—. Maine 
Farmer. 
New York Tobacco. — Tho Syracuse 
Journal statos that about 1.G00 acres of to¬ 
bacco wore grown in Onondaga county the 
past season, and that the average crop is 
about 1,400 pounds per acre, though 2,000 
pounds are often produced. The entire 
crop of the county is estimated at 2.240.000 
pounds, which at ten cents makes the snug 
sum of $224,000 gained by the cultivators, 
but totally lost, wasted and thrown away by 
the consumers. Last year the best quality, 
known as seed leaf, brought fifteen cents 
per pound. At present rates, or oven six 
or seven cents, it is considered a profitable 
crop. 
Clovering. —Nover spare the seed when 
you sow clover. Four quarts are not 
enough to tho acre; put on not loss than 
six, and bo not frightened if you scattor a 
pock! The great superiority of thickly 
sown clover fields over others for feed and 
manure, is too manifest to need demonstra¬ 
tion. 
arti mto 
ECONOMICAL GREEN HOUSE. 
KEEPING GRAPES FOR WINTER. 
Graces having become abundant in most 
parts of Western New York, as they will 
soon be in all the Western States, it is a 
matter of some importance to be able to 
put them down so as to preserve them as 
nearly fresh as possible, for winter uso. 
Tho method most practiced is to put them 
down with cotton hatting in alternate lay¬ 
ers, but many object to this method, as tho 
grapes often taste of tho cotton, particu¬ 
larly if an inferior or unclean articlo is used. 
Wo have seen grapes put down in turners’ 
chips, but from our experience little could 
bo said in its favor. Tho chips adhere to 
the bunches, and give them a soiled appear¬ 
ance. If the bunches are first wrapped in 
a sheot of clean paper, before being laid 
down in either batting or chips, it will be 
found an improvement. White printing 
paper, or a thin white wrapping papor is 
best for this uso. The batting and chips 
should bo thoroughly dried before using, 
and the grapes be as dry and clean as prac¬ 
ticable. 
From what we loarn, there is no doubt 
but white wadding is better than batting.— 
Cut it in sheets of a size to fit the box de¬ 
signed for packing, dry it thoroughly, and 
put tho grapes down in layers. If first 
wrapped in paper as before stated, we have 
little doubt they will keep until spring with¬ 
out injury. During winter they should 
stand in a dry place and bo kept as cool as 
practicable, without freezing. They are a 
luxury few would bo willing to dispense with, 
after having enjoyed them a few winter 
evenings. f 
• GARDEN WORK FOR JANUARY. 
Orchard. — Grapo vines and fruit trees 
may bo pruned. Apples, &c., may be root- 
grafted. Caterpillers’ eggs may bo cut off 
from the ends of twigs and burned. 
Apply guano around tho roots of choice 
trees, which did not fruit well last yoar, and 
dig tho guano slightly under the surface.— 
The rains and molting snows will carry it 
into tho ground before Spring, whilst its 
dilution will prevent it from injuring tho 
young spongiolos when they start in the 
Spring. Mulch around sluggish trees, and 
lime old apple trees which fruited badly last 
season. 
Kitchen Garden. —Attend to collecting a 
full supply of fertilizing materials. Look 
to tho hot-bod frames that they are in good 
order. Prepare tan, leaves, and horso ma- 
nuro for hot-beds, turning the mass suffi¬ 
ciently often to have it in proper condition 
for the beds in time. 
Look well to lettuco, parsley, &c., grow¬ 
ing in frames; attend to cabbage, cauliflow¬ 
er, broccoli, and other plants, in cold frames 
for early Spring planting. Procure a full 
supply of seeds for Spring uso. Mulch 
tho ground you intend using earliest in tho 
Spring. 
The Flower Garden. —Goneral pruning 
should be postponed until March 1st, for if 
dono now, the severe frosts will render its 
repetition necessary in Spring. The more 
hardy shrubs may be pruned now, such as 
eratoegus. sorbus, spirea, and even althoa in 
the middle States. (The double white al- 
thea is vory tender.) If the snow bo heavy, 
shake it off from these shrubs which would 
bo injured in shape by its weight. Prepare 
tallies and stakes for Spring and Summer 
use .—Working Farmer. 
PEACH BORER PLASTERED UP. 
Having in my garden a very vigorous 
poach tree, and observing that it was very 
much affected by borers, cspecialy in the 
forks of its limbs, I began to cut them out. 
Still I was afaid that this operation, to he 
performed in many places, might injure the 
tree, and as 1 had some vory fine, almost 
puro white clay prepared, I plastered the 
limbs of the treo with it, and closed, when 
the plastering cracked in becoming dry, the 
cracks by rubbing them over with a painter’s 
brush dipped in wator. 
Tho plastering became hard enough to 
withstand tho effects of rain for several 
weeks, after the elapso of which all the bor¬ 
ers were dead. The wound caused by them, 
healed qhickly over, and the treo is as 
healthy as it can bo. 
This experiment corroborates the fact, 
relating to tho destruction of tho applo bor- 
or, before communicated in the New Eng¬ 
land Farmer. 
Hints to Lovers of Flowers. — A most 
beautiful and easily attained show of over¬ 
greens may bo had by a very simple plan, 
which has been found to answer remarkably 
well on a small scale. If geranium branch¬ 
es taken from luxuriant trees just beforetho 
winter sets in, bo cut as for slips and im¬ 
mersed in soap wator, they will, after droop¬ 
ing for a few days shod their leaves, put 
forth fresh ones, and continue in tho finest 
vigor all tho winter. By placing a number 
of bottles thus filled in a flowor-baskot, with 
moss to concoal tho bottles, a show of ever¬ 
greens is easily insured for tho whole sea¬ 
son. They require no fresh wator. 
Fofr hundred years havo elapsed since 
the invention of printing, yet books are not 
in circulation all over the globe ; while tho 
uso of tobacco became universal within fifty 
years of its discovery. 
Much of the produce of tho green houso 
may be procured at half tho expense, by tho 
use of tho pit, which requires no other glass 
than tho sashe3 which form its roof. The 
amusement and the products which such a 
pit, in tho hands of an ingenious amateur, 
is calculated to afford, aro almost without 
end. Small salading may bo produced in 
it throughout tho wholo winter. Chickory 
roots (though this may be accomplished in 
a common collar,) may be made t* threw 
out their blanched leaves, which form the 
most delightful of all winter salads; tart, 
rhubarb, or sea-kale, may be forced in pots; 
as may bo parsley, mint and other herbs.— 
Bulbs may be forced, and a bloom of China- 
roses may be kept up throughout the win¬ 
ter. But, perhaps, the most important use 
to which such a pit can be applied, in a small 
suburban garden, is to preserve throughout 
the winter, and to bring forward in spring 
—fuschias, salvias, verbenas and other fine 
exotic flowers; and also half-hardy and ten¬ 
der annuals, for turning out into the flower- 
garden or in the miscellaneous border, in 
tho beginning of summer.— Exchange. 
STAKING FRUIT TREES. 
We have for years practiced but one 
method of supporting young fruit'trees, and 
like the way so well, we shall continuo it till 
we see something better than has yet come 
to our notice. Wo drive a stake, which we 
usually mako of a strip of board or plank, 
strong enough to support the tree, but elas¬ 
tic to allow it considerable motion, about 
six or eight inches from the treo, on the 
south or west side, and fasten tho tree to it 
by a strip of waste leather, forming a single 
loop, so as to allow the tree to move a little 
in the wind, fastening the ends of the leath¬ 
er on top of tho stako by a shingle nail.— 
By this method the young tree has sufficient 
play to induce it to throw down its roots, 
which it will very soon, and stand erect 
without any support. This never mars or 
prevents the growth of the tree by stopping 
the circulation of the sap, and is the cheap¬ 
est manner a tree can bo stayed up. Dur¬ 
ing the summer months, it is well to cast off 
this leather, lotting the tree depend upon 
its own energies, which will thus be greatly 
increased, replacing it in fall after driving 
the stako firmly, or changing its position as 
may be required to train up the treo in the 
way it should grow .—Jefferson Farmer. 
Rapid Growth of Apple Trees. —Four 
trees, planted in soil of moderate fertility 
in Massachusetts, measured, when three 
years old from the bud, at one foot above 
the ground, fifteen inches each in circumfer¬ 
ence. This was owing to care in saving all 
the small roots in transplanting, good till¬ 
age, mulching, and washing with ley. 
ecjnmtc %xU, h. 
MACHINERY FOR DRESSING FLAX. 
CURS FOR DIARRHOEA. 
Various experiments detailed in an ex¬ 
change, go to prove that this troublesome 
disease may bo effectually cured by the uso 
of strawberry leaves. In tho most severe 
casos, and after other well tried remedies 
have failed, a tea of strawberry loaves has 
checked tho disease in a few hours and re¬ 
stored tho patient to health. For light at¬ 
tacks instead of calling a physician, let the 
pationts eat a few green loaves of tho straw¬ 
berry plant, and cure themselves. 
Substitute for Yeast. —A patent was 
granted in England, to Mr. Richard Tyler 
Blunt for his new invented composition to be 
used instead of Yeast. The substance of the 
specification, according to tho Reperatory 
of Arts, is as follows: 
To mako a Yeast gallon of the above men¬ 
tioned composition, containing eight beer 
quarts, boil in common water eight pounds 
of potatoes as for eating: bruise them per¬ 
fectly smooth, and mix with them two oun¬ 
ces of honey, or any other sweet substance; 
and one quart (being the eighth part of a gal¬ 
lon of yoast) of common yeast. And, for 
making bread, mix three beer pints of the 
above composition with a bushel of flour, 
using warm water in making the bread; tho 
water to be warmed in winter, and the com¬ 
position to be used in a few hours after it is 
made; and as soon as the sponge [the mix¬ 
ture of the composition, with the flour] be¬ 
gins to fall the first timo, the bread should 
be made, and put into tho oven. 
Butter. —The following is given as an 
improved method of preventing the bitter 
taste which butter has from cattle feeding on 
turnips, cabbages, leaves of trees, &c. Boil 
two ounces of saltpetre in a quart of water, 
and put two or more spoonfuls according to 
the quantity of milk, into a pail before 
milking; if this is dono constantly, it will 
prevent tho taste of turnips, but it will not 
no effected if even once neglected. This 
has been proved by twenty years experience, 
and if it doos not succeed the farmers may 
rest assured that tho fault arises from tho 
noglect of thoir dairy maid.— Am. Farmer. 
Recife for Joining Glass. —Melt a little 
isinglass in spirits of wine, and add a small 
quantity of water. Warm tho mixture gent¬ 
ly over a moderate fire. When mixed by 
thoroughly melting, it will form glue per¬ 
fectly transparent, and which will unite bro- 
kon glass so nicely and firmly that the join¬ 
ing will scarcely bo perceptiblo to the most 
critical eye. Lime mixed with the white of 
an egg forms a very strong cement for glass, 
porcelain, &c., but must be done neatly, as, 
when hard, tho superfluous part cannot ea¬ 
sily bo smoothod down or taken off. 
LIST OF PATENT CLAIMS 
ISSUED from the united states patent office 
For the week ending December 28, 1852. 
Daniel S. Bayles, of Brooklyn, N. Y., for im¬ 
proved parrel for yards of vessels. 
M. A. Bertolet, L. Kirk and A. M. De Hart, of 
Reading, Pa., for improvements in the method of 
obtaining gold, etc., by amalgamation. 
Samuel Carrby, of Ellicott’s Mills, Md., for im¬ 
provement in winnowing machines. 
Geo. Danre, Pascal Nicolas and Felix Lopez, of 
Marseilles, France, for improvement in the pro¬ 
cess of making illuminating gas. Patented in 
France, Sept. 27, 1851. 
Elihu & Warren W. Dutcher, of North Benning¬ 
ton, Vt., for improvement in temples for looms. 
Johu P. Farnam, of Andover, Mass., assignor to 
himself, Jacob Jenkins and Chas. B. Clark, of the 
same place, for improvement in cutting paper. 
Pierre Saulnier, of New York. N. Y., assignor 
to John T. Bruen, of same place, for improved 
mode of mounting the cutters of machines for 
planing metals, etc. 
Royal E. House, of New York, N. Y., for im¬ 
provement in magnetic priuting telegraph. 
Edward Paye, of Albany, N. Y., for machinery 
for heading bolts, etc. 
Wm. Tucker, of Blackstone, Mass., for improve¬ 
ment in shuttles for looms. 
Win. E. Ward, of Port Chester, N. Y., for im¬ 
proved method of heading screw blanks, rivets, 
etc. 
Henry Waterman, of Williamsburgh, N. Y., for 
improved safety apparatus for steam boilers. 
John F. Winslow and John Snyder, of Troy, N. 
Y., for machinery for making railroad chairs. 
Wm. Yainall, of Newark, Ohio, for improve¬ 
ment in daguerreotyping. 
DESIGN. 
Robert E. Dietz, of New York, N. Y.,for design 
for a girandole. 
ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE AGE. 
We aro informed that a largo number of 
workmen aro employed in completing tho 
Suspension Bridge across Niagara River, at 
Bellevue. To an eye unskilled in science, 
the gulf there seems impassable, yet the 
frame-work to be suspended between the 
heavens and the surging billows below, will 
sustain the weight of over a thousand tons. 
Imagine a span 800 feet in length, forming 
a straight hollow beam 20 feet wide, and 
about 18 feet deep, with top, bottom and 
sides. There will bo an upper floor to sup¬ 
port tho railroad and cars, 20 feet wide be¬ 
tween the railings, and suspended by two 
wire cables, assisted by stays. 
The lower floor, 10 feet wide and 15 feet 
high in tho clear, is connected to the upper 
floor by vertical trusses. The cohesion of 
good iron wire, when properly united into 
cables, or ropes, is found to bo from 90,000 
to 130,000 lbs. per square inch, according to 
quality. The limestone used in construct¬ 
ing tho towers, will bear a pressure of fifty 
tons upon overy foot square. These towers 
are 60 feet high, 15 feet square at the base, 
and 8 at the top. When this bridge is cov¬ 
ered with a train of cars tho whole length, 
it will sustain a pressure of not less than 
405 tons. The speed is supposed to add 15 
per cent, to the pressure, equal to 61 tons. 
The weight of the superstructure added, 
estimated at 782 tons, makes tho total ag¬ 
gregate weight sustained, 1,273 tons. 
Assuming 2,000 tons as tho greatest ten¬ 
sion to which the cables can be subjected, it 
is considered safe to allow five times the 
regular strength, and providing for a weight 
of 10,000. For this 15,000 miles of wire are 
required. The number of wires in one cable 
is 3.390. The diameter of cablo 9| inches. 
This bridge, wo behove, is tho longest be¬ 
tween the points of support in the world.—• 
Lockport Journal. 
PLASTERING MACHINE. 
A machine for the purpose of superseding 
manual labor in the operation of plastering 
walls, has been invented by Isaac Hussey, of 
Harveysburgh, Ohio, who has taken meas¬ 
ures to secure a patent. It consists of a 
movable frame upon rollers that can be ad¬ 
justed to suit any height, and of a smaller 
framo sliding within it. The latter serves 
to support a mortar box containing the trow¬ 
el, which is raised and lowered by means of 
a drum and endless chain. When in opera¬ 
tion tho trowel is supplied with mortar by 
a rod and follower, which are worked by a 
lever, the quantity being regulated or shut 
off, as required, by a slido that covers tho 
opening in the box. For plastering ceiling 
it is only requisite to raise tho mortar box 
to the tqp of tho frame, and for side walls 
it is adjusted accordingly by turning it to a 
proper position. For this last-named oper¬ 
ation tho box is shifted by the sliding frame, 
which is moved back and forth for that pur¬ 
pose by means of the already-mentioned lev¬ 
er. There are also various cords and pul¬ 
leys attached to tho machine for facilitating 
the operations of tho different parts, which 
are included in the invention and form a 
part of it. 
A New Wheel for Railroad Cars. —Mr. 
Janies C. Bell, of Albany, has taken out a 
patent for a new icrought iron wheel for 
railroad cars and engines, which is said to 
be very ingenious. As a large portion of 
tho accidents on railroads are caused by 
the breaking of cast iron wheels, particu¬ 
larly in frosty weather, it is to bo hoped 
engineers will look at this invention, and if 
valuable, adopt it at once, without regard to 
cost. What is value of a few dollars in the 
cost of a set of wheels to a car, when the 
lives of a hundred citizens are in joopardy ? 
E. L. Norfolk, of Salem, Mass., has taken 
measures to secure a patent for various im¬ 
provements in machinery lor dressing flax. 
To effect the operation of separating, clean¬ 
ing, and drawing out the fibres, tho inventor 
uses ono or more toothed cylinders similar 
to the breaking or heckling cylinders used in 
flax mils. They are placed singly between 
a pair of feeding and a pair of drawing rol¬ 
lers and are made to revolve at a greater 
speed than tho former; thoy are, moreover, 
so arranged that their teeth will draw tho 
fibres forward in the direction of theso 
samo feed rollers. It is possible to employ 
this combination of cylinders and rollers so 
multiplied and arranged that “doubling” 
may be performed repeatedly in the samo 
machine, and the operations of drawing and 
heckling practiced after every doubling. 
The mechanism employed effects the vari¬ 
ous requisite processes with an extraordina¬ 
ry degree of perfection and rapidity, especi¬ 
ally bv separating the feed which supplies 
tho machiuo in the first instance, and then 
by drawing and afterwards doubling repeat¬ 
edly. Tho “silver” thus produced is com¬ 
paratively uniform as to thickness, but to 
mako it moro perfect, it is necessary to 
equalize as much as possible the feed from 
each set of rollers, which end is attained by 
attaching a trunk to each set, which is 
placod inclose proximity before tho rollers, 
and open the back and front, to allow a free 
passago to tho flax. A movable mouth¬ 
piece is attacliod to each trunk, and the 
wholo is so arranged that any increase or 
decrcaso in the quantity of foed will cause 
an inversely corresponding decrease or in¬ 
crease in the distance of tho said move¬ 
ments.— Scientific American. 
VARNISH FOR IRON WORK. 
Locksmiths and others working at tho 
forge are accustomed to blacken the articles 
intended for railroads by making them red 
hot and burning on them some linseed oil. 
This plan, which is practiced to improve the 
appearance of the articles, and to protect 
them from rusting, is not economical nor al¬ 
ways successful, it fails when the combus¬ 
tion of the oil has been to great. 
By the following process a varnish is 
made without the above disadvantages, and 
which gives too articles a better appear¬ 
ance : 
Dissolve, in about 2 lbs. of tar oil, some¬ 
thing more than half a pound of aspbaltum 
and a like quantity of pounded rosin; tho 
mixing is performed hot in an iron ket¬ 
tle, care being taken to prevent any contact 
with the flame. When cold the varnish is 
poured into a vessel and kept for use.— 
These varnishes are for out-door wood and 
iron work, not for japanning, leather, or 
cloth. Oil varnishes aro used for patont 
leather; and copal for japanning metal. 
NEW GRAIN REAPER. 
A machine has been invented by Mr. 
John H. Smith, of New York city, which 
the Evening Post thinks is superior to any 
now in use. The grain is cut by the samo 
kind of a stroke made with a hand-cradle. 
Four scythes, each with a cradle-frame, are 
fastened to the rim of a drum or cylinder, 
having a vertical or rotary motion. Tho 
scytho and cradle fingers are so arranged 
that every revolution simultaneously cuts 
and lodges the grain in a standing gravel 
inside the drum whence thoso who tend the 
machine can conveniently bind, and dispose 
of the bundles of grain, wholly dispensing 
with raking. The machine is light, and can 
bo operated with a singlo horse, cutting 
twenty-five acres per day, and more than 
that if two horses are used, and the speed 
increased. It is supported on a single pair 
of truck wheels, that may bo disconnected 
and used for other farm purposes. 
An English barber claims to havo invent¬ 
ed a now touch in tho hair restorative art. 
Not any of your lotions, &c., hut a real tri e 
blue mechanical operation. It consists of a 
machine containing combs and brushes, so 
arranged and constructed as to produce a 
galvanic current when used. The teeth of 
tho comb are mado of copper and zinc, al¬ 
ternately, and continued back to a chamber 
in the hind part of the comb, in which is 
placed a flannel saturated with saltwater as 
an excitant. Tho object of the invention is 
to excite an electric current when the combs 
or brushes are used. The brushes are mado 
of fine copper and zinc in place of bristles. 
New Varnish. —A majority of varnishes 
are composed of gum and water colors.— 
Made in this manner they are easily changed 
by*vater. The following does not possess 
this inconvenience. It is composed of wa¬ 
ter, potash, and gum lac in tho following 
proportions:—Water 3 quarts, gum lac 2 
lbs., potash mixed with lime 4 ounces. If 
desired, other resinous bodies less expen¬ 
sive may be substituted for the gum lac. 
At Nottingham, England, the great cen¬ 
tre of tho lace manufacture, they are now 
manufacturing a most beautiful fabric of 
lace for window curtains, bod curtains, etc., 
of iron wire. Iron houses, iron ships, and 
now iron capes for tho ladies 1 Won't they 
attract tho lightning, and shan’t we have 
women of metal for our wives ? 
Theodore S. Minnis, of Meadville, Pa., 
has recently taken out a patent for a new 
Lubricating machine, which bids fair to su¬ 
percede everything of a like character. It 
is designed to effectually do away with fric¬ 
tion upon all kinds of axles and spindles, 
and its applicability is almost unlimited. 
It is believed, from observations made by 
the Craig telescope, that the rings of Saturn 
aro not what they have been supposed ; but 
that they are arches of the most perfect ge¬ 
ometrical formation. 
