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demonstrated by Thillourier, that if either were applied to solid carbonic acid, the temperature could be reduced to even 105 degrees below Fahrenheit; but a lower degree was still required, and that was obtained by exhausting the air. His object, then, was to combine this extreme degree of cold with great pressure in his experiments on gases. The means by which he effected it he thus described a quantity of gas in a glass vessel was forced by a condensing pump into a tube inserted in the receiver of an air pump; that part of the tube inserted in the receiver was made of common bottle glass (the strongest kind for experiments, and capable of bearing an enormous pressure,) in the shape of a retort, and the bent or lower part of the tube lying immersed in the cold bath, (produced by solid carbonic acid combined with ether, after the air had been exhausted,) gas in a liquid, and by an increased degree of pressure, in a solid state, could be obtained. The learned professor illustrated the truth of the principle by producing olefiant gas in a liquid state, and observed that he had succeeded in obtaining in the same condition phosphoric hydrogen, hydriodic acid, hydrobromic acid, fluoboron and fluo. silicon; and in a solid form sulphurous acid, sulphuretted hydrogen, euchlorine, nitrous oxide, hydriodic acid, and hydrobromic acid. He had made carbonic acid the type of the others, but he thought that nitrous oxide would give a power of temperature as far below carbonic acid as that was below common ice. He saw no reason why the same result might not be obtained from oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen; in fact, he had hoped that evening to have shown oxygen in a liquefied state, but he had failed in his experiments, not because his principle was wrong, but from the porous, and hence imperfect nature of the vessels used. With respect to hydrogen, he had had indications in the course of his experiments that it would be found to be a metal of a most subtile nature.

NEW FORCING SYSTEM-APPLICATION OF ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY AS A PROMOTER OF VEGETATION.

In October last, Mr. Gordon, of NashHouse, announced to the Tring Agricultural Association, the then immature results, or rather prospects, of some experiments which had been instituted by Mr. Forster, of Findrassie, near Elgin, on the application of Atmospheric Electricity to the promotion of the growth of plants; those prospects (promising as they then were) have since more than realized the expectations then formed, inasmuch as Mr.

Forster has thrashed, weighed, and measured, fifteen bushels of chevalier barley, fifty-four pounds and a quarter to the bushel, from an electric area of twenty-three perches of land only, being at the rate of upwards of one hundred and four bushels to the acre, with more than three times the weight of the ordinary quantity of straw. The barley outside the insulated area, and therefore not within the influence of the artificially excited electricity, did not exceed a good average crop in either grain or straw. These facts will almost electrify some of our agricultural friends, and no doubt occasion distrust or suspicion in the minds of others, as to the correctness of the data and other accompanying circumstances. Our informant has inquired carefully into them, and has at present no reason whatever to question their accuracy. Mr. Forster, it will be seen, even prematurely announced his discovery in the most frank and disinterested manner; and, if he has stated anything incorrectly, he is open to contradiction from hundreds of his neighbours who watched the barley from the seed time to the harvest.

The idea of electricity as applied to vegetation is by no means new; and Mr. Forster does not arrogate to himself anything of the kind. The process, however, by which he has adapted it, is perfectly original, and obviously the result of good theoretical reasoning, and of legitimate induction from previously ascertained and well-established facts. We may add, that with the knowledge of those facts, it comes strongly recommended to us by its simplicity.

Mr. Forster first defines, or incloses as it were, a given area of land, in the form of a parallelogram, to be experimented on, (say a quarter of an acre, or about fifty.five yards by twenty-two) with common iron wire, of fourpence to the pound, which is buried in the ground at a depth of from two to three inches, and fastened at the corners by dry wooden pins. In the centre of this inclosed area he erects two stout poles, of dry pine or fir wood, fifteen feet above the surface of the ground, and forty-five yards apart, and placed magnetically North and South. Over the tops of these poles a stouter iron wire is extended, and descends from them at either extremity, like the fore stay of the mast of a ship, and is fastened to the ground by a strong dry wooden hooked stake, and, of course, in immediate communication with the buried wire. The cost of this apparatus, including labour, is only five shillings, and would be considerably less, in proportion, if applied to a greater extent. He thus establishes an insulated electric area, and having determined the principle, the extended application of it,

modified according to circumstances, becomes simply a question of degree.

One of the most interesting results which have come to our knowledge is, that barley under the central suspended wire, grew higher and more vigorous than the rest, as if every beard and blade of corn strove to attain the source of the arrested element.

In September last, Mr. Stevens, an artist of Elgin, stated to Mr. Gordon, that he had seen barley growing at Mr. Forster's, of Firdrassie, under the influence of atmospheric electricity, as strong and luxuriant as if it had been sown on a dunghill. Mr. Gordon having ascertained its correctness, seized upon the fact; and, with the hope of seconding the disinterested views of Mr. Forster, and making them more extensively known, liberally offered to give a prize of thirty pounds (through the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society) for the best Essay on Electro-culture. For reasons hitherto unexplained, the offer was declined, or otherwise disposed of. It has been said, that the subject was treated with ridicule, and something more; which, if it be true, we marvel at in some respects, for surely some of these wise councillors must know, that a suspension of this all-influential agent would be instantly attended by the extinction of all vegetable and animal life on the globe; and, that the death of nature would shroud with its universal pall even royal beef and pudding philosophers themselves. Surely, if those Royal Agriculturists, who can force and cram the nearly suffocated sheep, the plethoric pig, and the wretched unwieldy ox into the most disgusting and diseased obesity, be the grand objects of their acclamations, and the recipients of their most distinguished honours and rewards, the laborious and unobtrusive investigator of Nature's mysteries, merits some consideration at their hands, at least, if he can point out how two oil cakes, or two measures of meal or malt may be produced, where only one was obtained before; and that thus instead of fifty, a hecatomb of still more loathsome animals may at all future Christmas-tides be sacrificed, and in their augmented gravity essentially contribute to the future glory, grease, and gravy of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

We repeat, if it be true, the characteristic honesty and steady purpose of Mr. Gordon were not to be baffled by such rebuff; perhaps he knew that

"Folly loves the martyrdom of Fame," for to his generous exertions we attribute it, that experiments are now being cautiously and quietly made by practical and able men,

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in many parts of the kingdom, the results of which will doubtless in due time be made known.

Our readers would, perhaps, be disappointed, if we said nothing as to the operation of this universally diffused and allimportant agent, in thus increasing vegetable production to double and nearly triple the ordinary amount, as shown by Mr. Forster.

We regard electricity, then, as chiefly a disintegrating and analytic agent, from its most terrible and visible, to its most insig. nificant and imperceptible effects-it shivers the oak, and it rends the mountain; while, probably, no decomposition of the subtlest and most attenuated fluid can be effected without its agency. We repeat, it is more than probable, that no case of decomposition or interchange of union in the constituents of substances takes place without its interference. Omitting the mineral salts, carbon and nitrogen constitute the principal nutrition of plants, and these they must necessarily absorb from either the atmosphere or the soil-but neither carbon nor nitrogen exist in a pure uncombined state in either; they must therefore, in either case, be separated or detached from other admixtures before they can be perfectly assimilated by the plant, and whether this be effected during the process of secretion or digestion does not matter for our argument. All we contend for is, that without the aid of electricity, the organs would be powerless to secrete or digest, and the stomata and the pabulum, the mouths and the food, would be a mere adaptation of means without the power of assimilation. This, we take it, is the true rationale of the matter, and if by artificial appliances we can stimulate the energies of this wonderful medium of vegetable conversion to the amount adequate to our artificial systems of cultivation, we shall be so much more enabled (under the blessing of the Great Lawgiver of Nature) to deal out liberally their daily bread to all, and, more than all, shall be enabled to extend the dominion to which man, at his creation, was commissioned.-Bristol Mirror.

RECENT AMERICAN PATENTS. [Selected from Mr. Keller's Abstracts in the Franklin Journal.]

IMPROVEMENT IN THE TRUSS FRAMES OF BRIDGES. Thomas W. Pratt.-In each panel, or between every two posts, there are two diagonal tension braces, or screw rods, crossing, each extending from the bottom of one post to the top of the other; these rods pass through straining blocks at top and bot

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tom, against which the nuts, on the tension rods, act.

Claim.-"We claim the above-described method of constructing a truss, that is to say, the combination of two diagonal tension braces and straining blocks in each panel of the truss frame of a bridge, by means of which the camber may be regulated so as to increase, or diminish it, either in whole, or in sectional parts, of the bridge, the whole being constructed and operating substantially as set forth.".

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANNER OF FORMING RAILS FOR RAILROADS. James M. Bay. These rails are formed of quadrangular bars, cast on to small wrought iron bars, and at the ends they are formed with wings, brackets or flanches, by which they are bolted to the stringers, as a substitute for chairs; and for the purpose of retaining all the rails in ine, at one end the rail projects beyond its wings, or flanches, and is received between the wings or flanches, of the next section, which, for that purpose, project beyond it.

Claim.-"What I claim as new, is the particular manner of forming the bars at their ends, which is such, that the end of one bar, in its whole size, shall be received between the wings, or brackets, which form the chair, or that part which forms the next contiguous bar, is attached to the string piece, as described; by which improvement on a cast-iron rail, that has a wrought-iron rod inserted in it, I have rendered such bars, when resting on string pieces, perfectly safe, and am enabled to substitute a cheap for a costly rail."

The rod of wrought-iron within the castiron rail is not claimed.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINERY FOR SPLITTING STRIPES, OR PIECES OF LEATHER, FOR

THE USE OF HARNESS. Alpha Richardson. -This machine, like many of those in general use, consists of a feed roller, a gauge roller above it, and a knife, against which the leather to be split is forced by the rollersthe upper roller gauging the required thickness of the leather. We are informed by the patentee, that in the machines which have heretofore been used for the purpose above specified, the cutting edge of the knife has always been made of a wedge shape, that is, with a bevel both on the upper and under side, and the gauge and feed-rollers have always been arranged one above the other, with their axes in the same vertical plane, the edge of the knife being directed to the bite of the rollers on their line of contact, when brought close together. In these machines it has been found impossible to adjust the edge of the knite in such a manner as to cut a piece of leather evenly, so as to have

the cut of an uniform thickness, and, in fact, the strip of leather runs, or passes down on the underside of the knife without being operated upon by the same. The reason for this is that the bevelled faces of the knife come in contact with the surfaces of the rollers before the edges can be brought sufficiently near to the bite of the same, to prevent the effects aforesaid. This improvement will effectually prevent the bad results above set forth, and consists in forming a knife with its under side only bevelled, and in arranging the bilge of the under side of the upper, or gauge roller, directly over the edge of the knife, so as to guide the strip of leather accurately to the same; while the bilge of the upper side of the lower roller is placed at a little distance from the edge of the knife, so that the said edge may be brought very near to the surface of the said roller, and prevent the leather from passing down without being split."

Such are the views and the device set forth in the patent under consideration.

Claim." I claim the arrangement before specified of the gauge and feed-rollers of a leather-splitting machine, so that the bilge of the lower side, or the axis of the former shall be directly over, or in the same vertical plane with, the edge of the knife, while the axis of the latter is a little distance out of said vertical plane, and its upper bilge is a little above the level of the edge of the knife, for the purposes recited."

IMPROVED MODE OF CUTTING, FITTING, AND RIGGING SAILS TO SQUARE-RIGGED VESSELS. Warren C. Choate.-The sails are cut in two pieces, the starboard and larboard halves; the inner and upper edges are bent with rings, those of the upper edge to run on an iron rod called a jackyard, attached at each end to the yard-arm, and those on the inner edge running on a jackstay which extends from the jackyard down. The sails are unfurled and furled by means of out and in haulers.

Claim.-"What I claim as my invention, is constructing the sails of square rigged vessels in two separate parts, the starboard and larboard halves, being entirely separate from each other. I also claim the combination of the jackyards and rings, and out and in haulers, with the yards of vessels construc'ed and arranged in the manner and for the purpose set forth. I also claim, in combination with the above, what I denominate a jackstay, for the inner back of the sail to traverse on, as des ribed." IMPROVEMENT IN THE CYLINDER PRINTRichard M. Hoe.-In the cylinder-printing press, as ordinarily constructed, there occurs a slur, or slip, when

ING PRESS.

the cylinder arrives at the head and foot lines of the page in the forms occasioned by a slight sinking of the cylinder in passing those points, the consequence of which is. that the types, or stereotype plates, are subjected to a more rapid wear in those parts than elsewhere. The object of this improvement is the correction of this evil. For this purpose there is placed a bearer of iron, or of steel, oa each side of the bed of the press, upon which bearers the cylinder is to roll, and to be sustained during the whole time the blanket is not bearing on the type. These bearers may be about an inch and a half in width; and they are to be of a thickness equal to the length of the type, or the height of a stereotype. I also make an enlargement on each end of the cylinder around that part of it which is to rest on the bearers. This enlargement may be in width the same with that of the bearers, and the parts composing it are to rise above the general surface of the cylinder, to the thickness of the blanket which is to cover that portion of the cylinder which passes upon the form, by which means the two surfaces will work exactly together, and no slur can take place."

Claim. What I claim therein as new, is the employment of adjustable bearers on the sides of the bed, in combination with the enlargement of the cylinder, in the manner and for the purpose set forth; and it is to be understood that I do not intend to limit myself to the mode of adjusting the bearers by forming them of two wedge-like bars, as herein described, as such adjustment may be effected in other ways; but I have mentioned this mode as that which I have deemed the most simple, and the best."

IMPROVED MODE OF CALKING THE SEAMS OF SHIPS, CELLARS, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES. William Bennet.-"The nature of my invention," says the patentee, "consists in filling the seams, between the planks of which the sides and bottoms of ships and cellars are covered, with wooden wedges, so formed of a suitable width, thickness and taper, as that every alternate wedge being tapered towards the point edgewise and sidewise, and placed between intermediate wedges having their taper edgewise towards the head, but tapering sidewise, like the former, towards the point, are placed along in the seam at such distances apart, that, when driven, shall wedge each other edgewise, and against the plank sidewise simultaneously, and thus render the seam water-tight.'

Claim." What I claim as new, is the particular manner in which I combine the two kinds of wedges set forth, with the edges of the two contiguous planks forming a seam, by which the wedges so formed, as described,

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IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANNER OF GOVERNING THE FEED OF A DRILL, OR BORER, IN A MACHINE FOR DRILLING, OR BORING METAL. John R. Grout.-On the stem of the drill, which has a screw cut upon it, there is a nut, and in the frame, in which the drill works, there is a plate of metal, called a friction-piece, which can be pressed against the periphery of the nut by means of a thumb screw; when the friction piece is removed, and the nut is free to turn, the drill is not fed in, but when it is held tight by the friction-piece, and prevented from turning, the feed of the drill. as it is turned, will be in proportion to the thread of the screw; and the greater, or less, pressure or the nut, allowing it to turn more or less, will increase or lessen the feed.

Claim." What I claim therein as new, is the employment substantially in the manner, and under the combination herein made known, of a friction nut, and friction piece, so as to operate upon the mandril, or regulating screw, or shaft, of a drilling, boring, or other machine, requiring a similar kind of feed; and this I claim whether such machine be made in either of the forms represented, or in any other, where the same principle may be applied by equivalent means.'

MECHANICS' SATURDAY EVENINGS

THE LIVERPOOL NORTHERN MECHANICS'

INSTITUTION.

Liverpool has been long particularly favoured in possessing the most considerable and flourishing Mechanics' Institution in the kingdom. It is situated, however, at the south end of the town, and, notwithstanding the many advantages and great attractions it presents, it has been found possible to establish a Northern Mechanics' Institution, but on a more popular basis. The new institution of which we speak approaches more the character of the institutions known as Lyceums, intended wholly for the working c asses; and as such their pecuniary resources are met by low subscriptions, while their taste is gratified by instructive amusement rather than through the medium of refined and severe study. With this view, one night of each week, during the winter season, is devoted to what they call their "Saturday evening concerts, with literary and scientific recreations," under the direction of the Committee, who set forth that, "these recreations are intended to

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are

elevate the tastes, and improve the moral and intellectual character of the working classes; to lead such as would otherwise indulge in degrading and vicious pursuits to habits of virtue and temperance, and to provide for them the means of rational and elevating amusement at the cheapest possible rate." The Committee further state, that by availing themselves of such opportunities as offer of blending instruction with amusement, they hope to disseminate information on literary and scientific subjects; to instil into the minds of many a desire for knowledge; and, in the result, to confer a lasting blessing, not only on individuals, but on society at large.' These meetings take place in a commodious lecture theatre in Lord Nelson-street, Liverpool, and the proceeds, after defraying expenses, added to a building fund. They are conducted with great propriety, and much judgment is displayed by the Committee, who are indefatigable in their exertions, as well to provide as to sustain the attractive character of the mechanics' "Saturday evenings," as spent under their auspices. It is no wonder to find such praiseworthy activity amply repaid by abundant success and unbounded commendations. On Saturday, the 25th January, Mr. John Sibbald, the celebrated Scotch ventriloquist, introduced a variety of extraordinary and entertaining illusions in polyphony and ventriloquism. This entertainment, highly gratifying to all present, was preceded by a short but eloquent lecture, given by the secretary of a kindred institution, on the Imitative Art, with the view of explaining the peculiar powers of ventriloquists.

This establishment is under the special patronage of the Mayor; and to afford access to all, the prices of admission are arranged at 3d., 6d, and 1s. We cannot better express our sentiments, than by not only wishing the Liverpool Northern Mechanics' Institution every prosperity, but by adding, as advice to other popular institutions, the recommendation, Go and do likewise.

BUTLER'S REGISTERED MOVEABLE BRIDGE -REPLY OF MR. BUTLER TO MESSRS. DIRCKS AND CO.

Sir,-Seeing in your valuable Magazine, No. 1121, a letter from Dircks and Co., stating that my registered plan of a moveable bridge is a flagrant infringement of the patent of C. W. Williams, Esq., for his smokeless argand furnace, and casting some groundless personal reflections upon me, I must request that, in justice to myself, and for the information of the public, you will insert in your next these few lines in reply.

First, then, as to the alleged infringement of Mr. Williams's patent, the best answer I can make to this charge is to give Mr. Williams's own version of the object he had in view in his moveable bridge. "The object," he says, "of this separate bridge piece is to give an elevation at the end of the bars, to prevent the fuel from passing too far, and interfering with the distributors, where there may not happen to be space or capacity enough at the throat of the furnace to allow of the bridge being raised to the usual height. In such case the use of the false bridge allows of longer distributors being used, and by making it moveable it gives the means of extending or shortening the range of effective fuel.' By comparing this extract with the account given of my invention in your pages (No. 1120), the intelligent reader will see at once that, though it cannot be said that the two inventions are altogether different, yet that the one is a decided improvement on the other.

Dircks and Co. say, "It may afford some explanation of the course Mr. Butler has adopted, to mention that he was once in our employ as a bricklayer in Manchester and elsewhere." Now this statement Dircks and Co. know very well to be most incorrect. I think it no shame to have been once a bricklayer; but it is twenty-four years since I served any one in that capacity. When I was employed at Manchester, under Dircks and Co., it was in making drawings for the alteration of furnaces. Dircks and Co. had a foreman over their bricklayers, of the name of Benjamin Hickey, and I understand he is still in their service. The following letter to me from Mr. C. W. Williams (a much better authority than Dircks and Co., as they will themselves probably allow) will satisfy your readers that I am not assuming the name of "Furnace architect and engineer" undeservedly :

:

"City of Dublin Steam Packet Company's
Office, 15, Eden Quay, Dublin,
"December 6th, 1843.

"Mr. William Butler,

"Dear Sir,-In reply to your letter just received, I have to state that, having authorized you to issue licenses for the use of my patent argand furnaces in Scotland, on your having ceased to be employed by Mr. Dircks as his agent, and after I had given the free use of the same to Glasgow and Edinburgh, I need now only add, that I have made no alteration in that appointment, and that you are fully authorized to continue the issuing of such licenses, where the furnaces are cohstructed in conformity with the principle on which my patent is based, and whether they have been built, or altered under your own inspection, or by any other party.