MAGAZINE OF SCIENCE'AND ART. 
273 
EXTRACTS. 
Hay Tea.—M. Isidore Pierre has read to the 
French Academy of Sciences, a paper on the chemical 
ingredients of what agronomists call the “De Foin, 
or Hay Tea,” being an infusion of hay, which is admi¬ 
nistered to calves in order to make them gradually pass 
from milk to solid food. To analyse this liquid, M. 
Pierre made an infusion of 16 Jib. of good hay in dis¬ 
tilled water, keeping it for a space of six hours at a 
temperature of about 90 deg. centigrade (194 deg. 
Fahr.), then drawing ofF the water, nnd renewing the 
infusion on the residue- On evaporating the liquids, 
he obtained 1310 grammes (nearly 31b.) of a dry ex¬ 
tract entirely soluble in water, being 15*9-4 per cent, of 
the weight of hay employed. The latter retained its 
natural colour after the operation, and on being dried 
emitted very nearly the same sweet smell it had before, 
and might have passed for common hay of good quality. 
It was found to have lost 28 centigrammes (43 grains) 
of azote, oat of 14G which it had contained before. In 
a second operation, in which the infusion was continued 
for twelve hours at a temperature of about 25 deg, 
centigrade (72-50 deg. Fahr.), the quantity of dry- 
extract obtained was 16*57 per cent., and the hay lost 
20per cent, of its azote. The extract, on being analysed, 
was found to contain 2 per cent, of siiex, J of phosphoric 
acid, H of lime, 1J of soda, 1J of potash, and one-fifth 
per cent, of magnesia. 31. Pierre hence concludes that 
hay tea is an excellent beverage for cattle ; that hay 
may lose one-third of its nutritive qualities by infusion'; 
and that consequently, when hay has been'exposed to 
continual rains, the effect inust'be to deprive it of a 
considerable quantity of nutritive matter. 
Causes of Fires.— A paper has been read to the 
Institute of Architects, by31r G. G. Fothergill, “On 
the causes of fires in London from 1833 to 1856 inclu¬ 
sively.” It appears that the total number of tires 
attended by the Fire Brigade during these 24 years 
have been 17,810, giving an average of 7*42 in a year, 
or very nearly 2 in every twenty-four hours. The 
average number of fires in each year from 1833 to 1848 
was—totally destroyed, 26*4; considerably damaged, 
194*2; slightly damaged, 433 5; total, 654*1 ; and 
during the 8 years 1840 to 1856—totally destroyed, 
26*7; considerably damaged, 273*9 ; slightly damaged, 
618; total, 918*6. Hence it appears that while the 
total yearly average has advanced in the last 8 years 
by about 40 per cent, as compared with the preceding 
16 years, the number involving entire destruction has 
remained almost stationary. Of fires caused by candles, 
curtains, and gas, those in drapers* shops were 
61*8 per cent,; at lodgings, 52*7 ; at private houses, 
47 9 ; while in 22 trades out of 96 no fires have been 
traced to such a cause. A very considerable per centage 
of total destruction was observed in churches—viz., 8*8 ; 
a higher proportion than that among caTpenteis, japan- 
ners* lampblack makers, musical instrument makers, 
and varnish makers. One reason for this may he, that 
places of worship are left unwas hed and unoccupied 
when not in use. A large proportion of the cases of 
total destruction of this class of buildings arose from 
the heating apparatus. No instances of total destruc¬ 
tion occurred among colour-makers, illicit distillers, 
or lucifcr match-makers. Six fives among printers* 
ink-makers had all been either total or considerable, 
and 34 fires in theatres showed no medium between 
absolute destruction and slight damage. 
N OF YOLUME I. 
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