The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-04-03
SCIENCE AND ART,


HOW CORN is PRESERVED IN RUSSIA.
At late meeting of the Academy of Sciences,
heldln Paris, a letter from NJ. de Semchotf-a Rus
sian landhoder-was read, describing the manner
IN which corn pits made in that country. The
pit is dug in drv soil and instead of masonry, the
sides are hardened by long continued exposure to a
wood fire. Before the corn is introduced, the air
IN the pit is rarifed by burning some straw IN 1t,
after which the grain is thrown IN, packed close,
and the pit tightly enclosed. Corn has been pre-
served in such pits for forty years. Some of our
western farmers who raise large crops of wheat
and corn should try this methodo preserving grain
during years when there is great yield, IN order
to lay up store for seasons of an inferior yleld
GLUCOSE AND SYRUp-Messrs. Editors: l have
seen it stated in papers that glucose or grape
sugar never crystalized This is a mistake. Gu
cose is made in large quantities from potatoes, in
France and England, and has as fine and crystalline
an appearance as any sugar For a long time only
syrup could be produced; but it was found at last
that if the purified syrup was rapidly evaporaed to
density of 45o Baume, and then left to cool slowly
in warm place, it all crystallized in solid mass
but if stirred occasionally, granular crystals
were obtained. This sugar is much used to
adulterate other sugar, but its sweetening proper
ties greatly inferior to sugar. the ratio be-
ing variously estimated at from two three to five.
Honey is mixture of grape sugar and fruit sugar.
The grape sugar in it is mostly capable of crystal
lzation; it often separates from the fluid por-
ton, and is then said to be candied. This
sugar is often found in raisins in the form OF
small gritty crystals, hence its name As to the
value of the SOrgho Saccharum syrup as a market.
able article, am not prepared to speak, but | dc
not think it can be sold here. People buy some Of
it from curiosity, but seldom more than once.
have been assured by those who have the most of it
that they find market for it, and they intenC
to dist it, for which purpose it is very well suited
As many as 225 gallons of moderately concentrated
syrup been produced here from an acre grount
planted with the cane.
Interesting reports on the optical and other rela
amOrphOuS
and on the other varieties have been made during tn
past year by Dubrunfait, Blot, and Bechamp, il
France, and by Erdman and Kobill, in Germany.
Dayton, Ohio, March, 1858.
SCIENTIFIC BURGLARY.-During the last few
months several of the ordinary iron safes have beef
burgariously opened in London and Manchester, BY
means of a powerful instrument employed by thu
thieves in cutting large holes through the irol
doors, whereby they have gained access to the work
ofthe lock- The construction and operation THE in
strument were unknown until few weeks since
when happily one of them, with all its loose applian
ces secured by the police 1t would be obviously
wrong to publish description of the apparatus
but, having inspected it infinitely, and seen it il
operation, enabled to state that great ingen
uity and mechanical skill have been bestowed upon
its continuance. Of course the discovery has rem
dered counter improvement in the safe itself abso
lutely essential to security; and it is with much
pleasure that we are in position to announce the
introduction of such Improvement. By the
courtesy of the Metropolitan Police authorities, Mr.
Chubb, the eminent lock and safe manufacturer, OF
st. Paus churchyard, has been allowed to examine
and experiment with the instrument, and he has sue
ceeded completely in providing simple method Of
battling its operation The Improvement consists in
placing throughout that portion of the door which is
in front of the lock- number of hardened screw stee
plugs sufficiently close to each to prevent either an
ordinary drill or circular hollow cutter from pass
ing through without encountering several of the
plugs These plugs of hardened steel have the effect
of utterly destroying the edge of every description
of cutter which can be used with the burglars APP
paratus, and consequently render the safes secure
from its operation. All Chubbs fire-proof safes ant
'strong-room" doors now made with the above
Improvement, and old safes may readily have it ap
piled. 1t has been protected by Letters Patent =
London Mechanics Magazine.
GoLD WAsHEs.-God will not dissolve in muriat
ic acid alone, although it will be attacked by chic
rine. To dissolve it in muriatic acid, therefore,
substance must be added to liberate the chlorine
Peroxyd of manganese does this, and the gold dis
solved in such solution is sub-choride. The mos
useful and important vehicle for dissolving gold il
agar regia, (royal WATER composed of two parts
hydrochlorc (muriatic) acid, and part of nitric
(aquatortis). Gold is dissolved readily in thi
liquid; the nitrous gas escapes in dense vel
low fumes while the gold is being eaten up, or dis
solved and the chlorine is set Free and unites will
the gold, forming the per-chloride of the metal
The per-chlorde of gold dissolves in alcohol anC
ether, in which condition it is employed as golC
steel instrument into ethereal solution of gold
the evaporation of the ether, the metal is found in
pure state adhering in fine thin coat delicate cut
ting instruments are gilt in this manner.
hackers are sometimes called gold washes, but
there is not particle of gold in them. They are
made of lac varnish, colored yellow with turmeric
or gamboge: Applied to polished metal or wood
they resemble bright brass more than gold. They
are made by dissolving lac in alcohol-about half
pound to the gallon of spirits adding half pound
of turmeric and one ounce of gamboge, then strain
ing the mixture, after it is about day DID, through
clean piece of cotton cloth. 1t is then ready fol
use, to be put on with brush, the article to b.
lacqueyed dipped into it.