The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-11 00:00:00

—lt was shown that galvanic action was being exten-
sively used in Berlin, for communicating between the
various Government offices and the fire and police sta-
tions; and at Boston, for a complete net-work of fire-
alarms to the different stations of the engines.
The origin of the idea of the submarine telegraph
was given, and the construction of the wire laid down
between England and France was described. It arp.
peered that on that station the common needle instru-
ment had hitherto been generally used, but that occa-.
*espy messages were recorded by means of Brett's
Printing Telegraph, which might eventually be made,
very neful.•

The discussion was adjourned until Tucacley,liarCh
16th, when, if. time permitted, the following papers
would be t*tad:—". On the 11.,,sults of the tHe of Tubular
Boilers, or of flue boilers of inadequate surface, or im-
perfect absolp:icin of heat.," by Admiral Lord Dundonald;
"On certain .Poiiits, the. Con*tillf:;tion cd' Marine
Boilers," by Mr. J.
:Scott Russell, M. Inst. C. E.; and
"D6Scription of a Diaphragm Seam Bailer," by M.
Bnutigny

HE SOCIETY ARTS.
Yesterday eveLiug a lecture on egricultural products
and implements in the Great Exhibition eels delivered
before the Society of Arts by Peofessor Wits on,
The lecture formed one on a course on the' Exhibition.
Sir John Boileau wee in the chair.
The learned professor commenced
i c h
deficient
had
by observing tt.at
his official position at the Exhibition had brought him
to
treat;
into
daily
yt
ChO's'llaecettewreithwtohueldnecessarilysubiects of e
in
paint
of novelty. In class 2at the Exhibition he found
an article which, though not an agricultural product, had
a close connexion to agriculture: he referred to an ex-
traction of potash from sea water. Potash te„, salt
peculiarly essential
.t.o vegetable life,.and to the agricul-
turist this new source of
supply was most important. It
might be found on•investigation that our brine springs
cpntained • sufficient: potash to' pay' for its extraction;
but at pieeeni the shores of :the Mediterranean were
the principle ..seat.. of the manufacture. It wan to
an enlightened Renck- chemist• that the aget..
cultural- -world was indebted for this invention.
In class •3 :• the— hyßid *heats were deserving
of apenica attentiera.• t • The advantage of _crossing._
,wheatst had been already pointed put to the
society, and they had been told that the process had not
yet been carried out to any great extent. Great credit
was due not only to .the botanist who had stated the-
theory, but to the farmer who had demonstrated the
practicability of the process in the field: The question
was being agitated amongst agriculturists whether Or
not the manufacture of beet-root sugar could be car-
ried on beneficially in this country. The history of the -
cultivation of " beet-root showed how readily science
lent her aid in the various exigencies which from
time to time arose. From the necessity of replacing
an article proscribed by Napoleon had arisen what was
now admitted on all hands to be a beneficial branch of
industry. In a specimen at the Eihibition, which came
from Valenciennes, every particle of the root was con-
verted into a mercantile commodity, by which the coat
of Manufacture
_was considerably reduced. How far
the cultivation could be introduced into this country
remained to be seen. Statistics might encourage atten-'
tion to it. In Belgium in 1848 and 1849, the make of
beet-root sugar was 4,300 tons; in 1850, 7,000 tons;
in the past year, 14,000 tons. In the Zollverein, in
1848, the quantity made was 26.000 tons, end in 1851 it
increased to 40,000 tons, the consumption of cane sugar
diminishing in nearly the same ratio. In Russia, about
85,000 tons were consumed annually, of which 35,000
were made from beet-root, and the manufacture was
rapidly increasing. Austria consumed about 40,000
tons in 1848, of which 30,000 were made from beet-
root. The quantity of beet-root sugar, in 1850, was
rather more than doubled. In France, according to the
Moniteur Industriel, the manufacture in 1850 reached
60,000 tons, half the whole consumption; and on the
Ist of December, 1861, the same paper stated that there
were 322 manufactories in fall operation, which showed
an increase of 23 on the number in the preceding year.
These facts claimed the attention of agriculturists in
this country; and it appeared to him that if they'
established a cross between the heavy crop mangel- -
wursel and the rich Silesian beet they would have all
the elements of success. This led him to another pro- ,
cess—the preservation of vegetables. This process,:
which it was most desirable to carry out in this country,
consisted of two parts—the evaporation of the con-
stituent water, and, afterwards, compression, for
the purpose ,of reducing 'the pulp to a state
of: security against contact with the tames- •
phere. The result was, that vegetables re-
mained uninjured for a considerable time. In class 4, a
coutrail medal wasgiven to M. Gros for a particular de-
scription of wool. The peculiar quality of the wool was
:the first result obtained .by the Exhibition. He subse-
quently turned his attention to the increase of the fieece
and also of the meat, and other points in the animal.
This was some six or eight years ago. The improve-
ments were now most satisfactory. In this country,
;where the consumption of mutton and of wool was so
'enormous, the relative value of the two had excited great
attention amongst farmers At present the relative
prices of the two articles were about equal ; hut circum--
stances connected with our wool-producing colonies
'render it probable that the supply, from them would not
be so great as it had been, and in that case the farmer
might find that he had been raanufacturtng.the wrong
Teis censideratiou wight requ,riN modifies-
tion of present uractic,. Again, l'lcs3rs. Brotherton ex-
hibited specimens of rapeseed oil, which they had p:e-
ply ed in large quar.titica annually for the lubrication of
machinery. Tads oil was particula:ly adapted for locomo-
tive engines on account of .he ::;acute 01 lorcign ingre- •
dients; and the inet that the North-Western I:9ilway
Company alone consumed more than 40,000 gallons of
oil annually, and wore offoring encouraging prices, might
well secure the attention,of agriculturists to tho subject.
Ho now camel° class 9 for agricultural implements.
The first implement which he should notice was the
reaping machine, which had excited so much interest in
the teaming community. In _ this class there were two

specitnens,two American and one English, though the
latter was identical with one of tho otheri. Now, on
this subject he was about to offer evidence against the
award made to an American, and fur that purpose he
must sketch the history of these machines. At the

commencement of the present century he found a ma-
chine introduced •by Mr. Boyce, in which a short
scythe, like knives, attached to a revolving contrivance;
was thb principle by which the cutting was effected.
After mentioning three or four succeeding inventions

—.- -
of the same character down to 1811, the lecturer
proceeded to speak of an improved reaping
machine invented by the late Mr. Smith, of Deanston,
for which, after a saccessful trial, the Dalkeith Club
awarded a premium to tho inventor. From that period, he
seid, down to 1835, this machine was tested occasionally
at different harvests, and received improvements. He
himself saw it at work, cutting an acro and a quarter of
h
corn per hour. As to Mr. litiCormick's machine, a • de-
iporrtaeanptinignvention of all machines, he re-
scription of it would be found in the MicLanies Maga-
zine in 1825. After tracing the history of other inven-
tions
that of the Rev. &Ir. Bell, in 1826, which had beenlrv"
andimtphreovmemoset m
improvements: in
marked
that
constant use in the north ever since; while the fact in
four machines of that kind were supplied to that
t e United
States about 1831 or 1832, would
eprobabl
the great similarity between M 17v-w
Mr. Bell's y account for
of those sxhrbited in the United stilt hine and one
tt e Exhibition.—(Laughter.) Lie then ea department at
rate diagrams of Bell's and 'liaise •, eu referred to sepa-
attention to the points of rezeuabi 3 machines, and drew
for Mr. Bell the chief merit in theauec.
After claiming
remarked at some length on the d matter, the lecturer
a
from the use of reaping machines, end
to be derived
that great improvements woulds, end expressed his belief
work-
ing and economy. Referencebe made both in
churning implements, and was then made to the
of increased attention to esprcially to the importance
power which often aro temperature; to the waste of
of engines; and to 54 from the defective construction
ling turnips.theHe
congratulated
advantages of machines for cut-
congratulated the company on the
greduat displaein waggons by carts; and in idustra
tiou observed that last of
matched against
leniu year five horses in
hinvecbarotrses weeerset,
the ten by two loads. Twhagfli'sand
with some
The lecture
remarks on the importance. extended education in re-
ference _ of .
a to the cultivation of the soil; and, as regarded
agriculture, it was observed that they should never rest
satisfied till it occupied the position which it ought to do
as a Scientific niautthieture, and es one of the most vital
and important of all our industrial resources.
On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Col.
CUALLobizn, a vote of thanks was given to the professor.