to the framing; the groove being so formed with indentations as to cause the moveable half, at the required time, to recede from the centre of the wheel, and, having deposited the seed, gradually to regain its former position.

Or the opening of the dibble may be effected by making the extreme end of each dibble in the form of a plug, to fit into and stop the end of the hollow tube of the dibble, and form a blunt-pointed end thereto; which plug, by sliding out from the centre of the dibbling wheel, will open a passage for the seed to drop out at the end of the tube around the plug.

The opening of the ends of the dibbles may likewise be effected, by causing each dibble to turn round, after it has penetrated into the earth, so that an aperture, at one side of the pointed end of the dibble, may be exposed, or turned away from a shield which covered it, in order to let out the seed.

Secondly, This invention consists in placing several dibbling wheels, side by side, in one machine, each wheel turning in a framing of its own, hinged at one end, and at the other end supported by chains; thus each wheel is urged into the ground by its own weight, and is, at the same time, capable of rising or falling, independently of the others. [Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, June, 1840.]

TO PIERRE DUFAURE DE MONTMIRAIL, formerly of London Wall, in the city of London, but now of Pantonsquare, Haymarket, gent., for an invention of certain improvements in the manufacture of bread.-[Sealed 2nd June, 1840.]

THIS invention consists, first, in an improved liquid for moistening the flour, in order to make the dough; secondly,

VOL. XVIII.

2 R

in an improved mode of adding salt to the flour; and thirdly, in an improved apparatus for making the dough.

First, The liquid with which the flour is moistened, instead of using pure water, as in the usual way, is made as follows:-To eight quarts of boiling water four ounces of gum arabic is added; when the gum is completely dissolved, the liquor is run off into a vessel to cool, to about bloodheat, when it is fit to use, instead of pure water; and in the same manner in order to make the dough.

Secondly,Instead of adding whatever salt is to be put into bread, as is usual, by mixing it with the water to be used to wet the dough, the quantity of salt required is highly dried before the fire, or in an oven, taking care not to burn it; and then pulverized as fine as possible, and in that state mixed thoroughly with the dry flour which is to be made into dough, and before it is wetted at all; this adds to the absorbent property of the flour, and causes the new liquid to mix more intimately with it.

The apparatus employed for carrying these improvements into effect, is shewn in Plate XV. A, is a closed boiler for heating and preparing the moistening liquid; B, is the cooler into which it is to be run when sufficiently heated, and the gum entirely dissolved; and c, is the kneading trough.

The patentee states, that bread made with this fluid, in the ordinary manner, and baked carefully, will yield a greater weight from the same quantity of flour, than when made on the old plan; and will be lighter, more wholesome, and more nutritious.

He claims, as his invention, the following improvements; that is to say, first, the use of the liquid or mixture, hereinbefore described, instead of water only, to wet up the dough; secondly, the mixing of the salt, in a very dry and minutely pulverized state, with the dry flour, and not with

the dough, or the water usually used to wet up or make the dough, as heretofore; and thirdly, the apparatus described. -[Inrolled in the Rolls Chapel Office, December, 1840.

To JOHN GORDON CAMPBELL, of the city of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, merchant, and JOHN GIBSON, of the same city and county, throwster, for their invention of a new or improved process or manufacture of silk; and silk, in combination with certain other substances. -[Sealed 19th November, 1836.]

THE subjects of which this invention is said to consist, are stated under eight heads; firstly,-discharging the gummy matter from waste silk, when it has been brought into the states called sliver, or rove; secondly,-dyeing the silk when in those states; thirdly,-spinning the dross or heckle waste silk, of long fibre; fourthly,-mixing the same with flax of equal fibre; fifthly,-mixing the same with wool; sixthly,-spinning this kind of silk in a throstle frame; seventhly, certain improvements in the throstle frame; and eighthly, applying of water to the waste silk for the purpose of spinning it with a long ratch.

In proceeding to explain the details of these several heads of the invention, the patentees commence by describing the old process of treating waste silk, in order, we presume, that their improvements may appear by comparison; but to us they are by no means obvious.

Under the improved process, the waste silk is to be prepared by heckling machinery, in the same manner as flax is usually treated and brought into the state of roving. After this it is passed through systems of drawing rollers,

to undergo the ordinary drawing process, by which the fibres are drawn out and the roving elongated, which may then be wound into hanks.

Several hanks of roved silk, thus prepared, are to be tied up in bags and boiled with an alkaline solution, for the purpose of discharging the gum; and after being washed clean and dried, are to be reeled or wound upon bobbins.

In this state the prepared silk is to be placed in the drawing and doubling machines, where the fibres are further elongated, and the threads or yarns doubled; the pressing rollers being partially immersed in water, which will communicate moisture to the fibres at the bite, and produce adhesion, as they are doubled and twisted.

The dyeing process may be performed after the gum has been removed from the silk, either in the form of sliver or roving, or in the doubled state, tied up in a hank;—the preparation having rendered it more susceptible of receiving the dye. And the advantages of dyeing in this preparatory stage of the silk is, that the fibres will not be broken, as in the ordinary operation of dyeing; and, therefore, the surface of the silk, when finished, will be more glossy than if dyed afterwards.

When this prepared roving of silk is mixed with flax or wool, it may be spun in any of the old constructions of throstle machinery. But those preferred by the patentees are their improved throstles, in which the points of the spindles are placed nearer to the bite of the front drawing rollers than usual.

In these improved throstles, beside placing the points of the spindles nearer to the drawing rollers than usual, there are to be brass bosses on the drawing rollers. These we take to be brass pressing rollers on the top of the drawing

rollers; as the patentees say they are to prevent the stains which are sometimes produced by the wet material coming in contact with the iron rollers.

Owing to the closeness of the spindle points to the bite of the rollers, the yarns or threads will not be so subject to vibrate; and finer numbers of yarn may be thinly spun with facility. Another advantage is, that the silk thus produced from waste, will have a much more smooth and wiry appearance than has heretofore been obtained from spun waste silk, and will more nearly resemble Tram or Organzine.

Such is the description of the invention given by the patentees, and from which it does not appear, very clearly, that there is any invention or novelty whatever. The summing up states, that they disclaim any thing which has been known before, and claim only the subjects described under the eight heads first set forth.—[Inrolled in the Inrolment Office, May, 1837.]

To HARRISON BLAIR, of Kearsley, in the county of Lancaster, manufacturing chemist, and HENRY HOUGH WATSON, of Little Bolton, in the county of Lancaster, chemist, for certain improvements in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, crystallized soda, and soda ash, and the recovery of a residuum or residuums applicable to various useful purposes.-[Sealed 6th April, 1840.]

THESE improvements in the manufacture of sulphuric acid, crystallized soda, and soda ash, consist,

Firstly, In the application of the refuse lime which has been employed in the purification of coal gas; such refuse lime, impregnated with sulphur, being a material hitherto