Volume 20 (1870) (454 pages)

83 SCIENTIFIC @PRESS: [Fesruary 5,1870. ‘Comméeunitcations. Sale of Mineral Lands. [Written for the Scientific Press.] Epirors Press:—Surveyor-General Bost recommends in his report that the Legislature memorialize Congress to have the mineral, as well as tha other public lands of the State, surveycd and opened to preémption and sale. While many of his suggestions are good, this oue, regarding the sale of the mineral lands, is looked npon by the miners as ill-timed. There is in El Dorado county a belt of mineral land some twenty miles in width, from east to west,and running through the county from north to south, which should never he disposed of, so as to exclude prospecting and mining for gold, by any one who is willing to embark in that euterprise. Having resided nearly twenty years in this county, and having had practical experienca in hoth mining and agriculture, my opinion is—and I think a majority of tha legal voters of the county agree with me— that no further restrictions shonld be placed on mining than are now imposed by laws aud hy the decisions of our Courts. When a patent or fea simpla is obtained by the agriculturist, he becomes the owner, not only of the soil, but of what is in or under it; hence the miner is excluded from prospecting, or, if he does, and makes valuable discoveries, it must be for the henefit of the owuers of the land. One case of the many in this county I will meution. One mau has some 1,000 acres fenced with a substantial board fence, and has for tha aast fifteen years been anxious to obtain a title to it; has wished to exclude prospectors and miners from operating within his inclosure. Bat miners prospected, found pay, located claims, brought water on the ground, and within the last threa years haye mined up some teu acres, from which they took $35,000 to $40,000; and this is prohably only a part of the good miniug ground within his inclosure. If this individual, with thousands of others, could have ohtaiued a title to this land twelve years ago, millions that have been sent from this couutry iu that time would now be hid in the soil, with no prospect ofits being pntincirculation. From the best iuformation I can obtain, the amount of gold mined out and put in circulation from this county from 1549 to 1859, was more than $4,000,000 per annum, and from 1859 to 1868, more than $1,700,000 per annum. At the present time it cannot be less than $100,000 per month, and this without being a hindrance, but really a great benefit to the agriculturist, for it gives him cash for his hay, beef, pork, mutton, milk and bnitter, frnit and vegetables, Another important question is, if the mineral lands are disposed of, and fall into the hands of agricultnrists, which they are quite sure to, what means will ba resorted to to keep up the canals and ditches for irrigation? The agriculturists could not do it, it would he too extensive; capitalists would not inyest where their money would hring them no returns; miners could not, because they would not exist to any extent. About eight months of the year the ditches and canals pay owners something ahove expenses for water used in mining, but the other four months, while most of the water is used for irrigation, according to my experienee, they are not remunerative. Investments iu canal property in this county have not becn profitable, as your correspondent knows to his sorrow, Tha ahandonment of the canals for miuing purposes would give the mining counties to the wandering stock-raiser in the spring, to Digger Indians, grasshoppera and fires in the dry season. Jfruit and vegetahles must have irrigation in the foothill counties, or they will be small, insipid in taate, and unsaleable. The argument that the sale of the mineral lands would increase the amount of taxes, is not good; for our experiance ia, that the possessory title and improvements are now assessed at more than the title in fee aud improvements would bring under tha hammer. Sargent’s bill, now before Congress, in many respects is vary good, but, iu the opinion of tha miuers, fails to meet their wants. Supposing nnder Sargent’s biil A, Band ©, take up claims above and below me, andI have to purehase the right of way over A’s claim to get water io work my ground. B, helow ma, says, yon can not run your debris ou ov over my ground, aud C, still lower, says tha sama thing; now what chanca have I with my claim but to be frozen out by this littla combination of A, Band C, no matter how valuahle my claim may be? And have I any protection un ler that bill? and, if passed, will it not lead toeudless litigatiou ? Thera are plenty of ‘‘land sharks,” who wonld control tha mouth of avery ravine, cajiou, gulch or creek, where they could jreeze out an owner of a good claim, or levy black-mail on him. Had not the title of tha bill bettar be changed so as to read, “A Bill to Fae Lawyers and Officers of Courts?” Miners here hope that no such bill will pass. If the mineral lands ara to be sold, let it so be done that the mineral shall ha subject to the prospector and miner on znimproved lands, as they are at tha present time. To show that tha agriculturist is fully protected in his rights, as against miners and all other persons, I giva a few extracts from the many decisions mada by our Supreme Court. This first quotation shows what the minev’s.chance wonld be if tha title was complete in the occupant of these mineral lands: ‘‘ Miners hava no right to enter upon privata land and snbjact it to such nses as may ba necessary to extract the precious metals which it contains.”— Hinshaw vs. Clark, 14 Cal., 460. In the ease of Livaroni vs. Miller, which went to the Suprema Court from this county, tha Court said, that a miner had noright to wash the debris from tha hill above on to the premises of the plaintiff, therehy materially injuring plaintiff's garden, fruit trees and buildings. In such cases, the right of tha defendant to mine in aud to use therefor tha ravine above plaintiff's premisas must he exercised in such a manner as not to damage the prior right of tha plaintiff to inhabit and cultiyate his premises. Again: ‘‘The miner is liabla for thedamage to the growing crops caused by his acts, and if tha owner of tha crops ahould demand of the miner payment of the damages caused to the crops, and the miner should refusa to pay, a Court of Equity will restrain him from further working.”— Rupely vs, Weleh, 23 Cal, 452. In the case of Smith vs, Doe, 15 Cal., 100, the Court says: ‘‘As a general rule, the publie mineral lands of tha State are open to the ocenpation of every persou, who, in good faith, choosa to enter upon them for the purpose of mining. But this rule has its limitation, to he fixed hy the facts of each particular case. Certain possessory rights and rights of praperty in the mining region, though uot founded on valid legal title, will be protected against the miner—valuable parmanent improvements, such as houses, orchards, vineyards, growing crops,” ete. When the agricultnrist can sall, mortgage, and dispose of his possessory title, what need is there of more protaction than is given iu the decisions above quoted ? My last letter, as published, read ‘‘ the Pacific, etc., paid dividends prior to 1850,” which should have been 1859. Iu regard to “‘rebellious” ores, mentioned in my last, I have to ‘‘go back on it,” and say that I was misinformed; for I am told by a practical assayer, who has had much to do with minerals in this connty, that there are no rebellious ores here. If rebellious, it is for the want of gold. If Itrod on the gentleman’s toes iu mentioning “rebellious,” I hopa this will cure the wound. Placerville, Jan. 21, 1870. E. N.S. 0 +) om oe VALUABLE Minzs haye been discevered within the past year in the Himalayas. There are fonnd silver, lead, antimony zine-blende, copper and some gold. One mine at Shigri, on the old bonudary of Northern India, is described as an enormous lode, in which the ore is several feet thick, and solid. The others are principelly in the country of the Vazeers, or the Vazeori Rupi as it is generaliy named in maps. A Lares Buackserry Buse.—The Humboldt Times has had 2 blackberry vine brought to its oftioe in Bureka, that is forty feet in length. Treating Ores. . Written for the Scientific Press.] Enprrors Press:—Beiug a coustant reader of your valuabla paper, my attention has been attractad by a communication from C. H.A., which appaared in your issue of Dec. 4th, 1869, the reply of J. S., in your issue of the 25th, and the rejoinder of C. H. A. in your last number. A discussion of this kind naturally attracts those who interest themselves in the very vexed metallurgy. Giving both of thosa gentlemen credit for acquirements in the scienea which their communicatious sufi. ciently substantiate, it wonld appear to me that tha individual interests of each may, in some way unknown to me, ha antagonistic. Atany rata, the subject is not sufficiently ventilatad, from the fact that both seem to labor under a feeling of dissatisfaction. The manner of the communications it is not my inte nt further to refer to, but in the matter which C. H. A. refers to, may I be permitted to maka a few remarks ? . Wa avail ourselves of this remark, to omit the first objection, which does refer rather to the manner than to the matter. —Eps. Press.]. C. H, A. makes the hroad assertion that . he believes ‘‘there is not an ora of gold or silver in this country that cannot ba worked to a reasonable parcentage—say 80 to 90 per cent. of common fira assay—by some one of the known processes.” (The italics ara mine.) Now have yet to learn that the “ Triunfo ores,” of Lower California, hava been successfully worked! I do not mean as achemical snecess, but asa remunerative process, which is the main point in view. The Shaha ore, which your correapondent refars to as being similar to that of tha Triunfo, involves, so far as I know, similar difficulties, Can ©. H. A. overcoma thesa by auy of the known processes ao as to leave (if worked here) a margin of profit? A silver ore containing antimony, which is frequently ona of the constituents of the ao callad refractory ores, at a high temperature forms antimonic acid; this, attacking the silver, produces au insoluhle compound (antimouiata of silver), Uan C. H. A. evade this diffienlty by-any of the known processes? or will the electric processes refered to hy J. 8. ramove it? A few facts are wanted to induce the speculation of capitalists to aid experimental science. Such would go further to induce the assistance of thinking meu than the gasconading of tyros and humhugs. To auch men as C. H. A. aud J. S., we anxiously look for the result of their experience as contributing to the advaucement of the mjuiug interests. J. G. See es Forms For Tr,EcrRaPHic Mrssaces.— The British postoffice authorities have prepared, for the use of the public, forms for telagraphic messages, to be used when the whole’ system of inland telegraphs is acquired by the government. A separate space in lines is allotted to each word, and the corresponding charge is printed elcarly on the margin, so that the sender can see at a glanca how much he has to pay, and the receiving clerk need he at no trouble in calculating how much he has to charge. Tach of the forms thus divided into spaces is prepared for a message of fifty words, which is assumed to be sufficient iu the majority of instances. Iu the right hand upper coruer of the page a blank space is left for the stamps, which will prohably be almost exclnsively used to cover the charges of transmissiou. Attached to tha form are directions for the guidauce of the sender, with a tariff of charges, and full information as to the artangements for porterage. Ganvanizep Wiyxv.—The story is going round that tha house of a vineyard man somewhere in Europe was recently struck by lightniug, and that tha wine in the cellar thereof was immensely improved in flavor thereby. ‘“‘ This,”—saya the atory, — ‘came tothe knowledge of General Marey-Monge, who cauaed a series of experiments to be instituted with various kinds of wine, the reault being that a galvanic currant applied to the liquid in the casks eminently improves even very inferior kinds.” Items from Boise City, I. T. [Written for the Scientific Press J Epirors Press:—The winter has been a mild one hera, but in tha mountains tha snow is unusually deap aud heavy. Miners look forward to a prosperous season, Around here, a large quantity of mining ground hitherto considared as non-paying, is uow being prepared for work, and o some, operations are to begin next week, . Placers paying only $4 to $6 per day can points so often occurriug in the science of . now ba profitably worked, as provisions and clothing ara down to a living prica, and there are hnndreds of claims in Ada county and on Boise river that can be worked for ten to aleven months in the ‘year that will yield from $3 to $6 a day. The great want in many places is water after the dry season sets in. Since the fire, contracts have been alraady made for several fiue fire-proof brick buildings, and this, with tha work on the penitentiary and Government assay office, shortly to be commenced, will ereate a demand for brick masons at fair wages. ” Real estate is increasing in valua and demand in Boise City aa business increases, H. W. 0. M. January 28th, 1870. +e oe Tae True Srreir or Ixvention,—Three hundred years ago, when man had just begun to gain control over the forcas of nature, and while ha was yet fighting against religious intolerance for the bare liberty to study them, there was one great mind that soared abova his fellows, with the capacity and will to look into the future, and form an appreciativa estimate of what was in store for man througli the genius of invention, which was theu just beginning to make itself felt. Lord Bacon must have had a full understanding of the true spirit of invention, anda just appreciation of the influence which it was to exert on hnman affairs, when he wrote the following paragraph: Tha introduction of new inventiona scemeth to be the very chief of all human actions. The henefits of new inventions may exteud to all mankind universally, but the good of political achievements can respect hut some particular cantons of men; these latter do not endure above a few ages, the former forever. Inventionsmake all men happy without either injury or damage to any one single person, Furthermore, new inventions are, as it were, new erections and imitations of God’a own works. THe Rurber Trape.—Thare are now in America and Europe more than a hundred and fifty manufactories of india rubber articles, employing from four to five hnndred operativas each, and consuming more than ten millions of pounds of gum per annum. ‘The business, too, is considered to ha still in its iufancy. Certainly it is increasing. Nevertheless, there is no possibility of the demand exceeding the supply. The helt of laud around the globe, five hundred miles uorth and five hundred miles south of the equator, abounds in trees producing tha gnm; and they can be tapped, it is said, for twenty snccesaive seasons. Forty-three thousand of theae traea have heen counted in a tract of couutry thirty milea long and eight wide. Each tree yields an average of three tableapoonfuls of sap daily, but the treea are so close together that one man can gather the sap of eighty in a day.—-North American Review. Firr-proor FiLoors anpD Wauis.—The following is from the report of the U. 8. Commissioner to the Paris Exposition. This mode of building is commended to especial attentiou: ‘‘ Lay a floor of seasoned hemlock boards upon the timbers or floor-joists, aud then lay a coat of cement, alaxyge proportion of which may be aand, entirely over this floor, from wall to wall, of one inch thick; then let the cement become thoroughly dried, over whieh lay a floor of matched boarda, nailed with ‘fortypenny’ nails, If there are wood partitions, there should he laid two courses of brick between the studs, and plastered to the hase-board, to prevent all circulation of air, A floor laid aa ahove will resist an immense yolume of flame in a room for one hour beforo breaking through the cemented floor ahove; and the expenae of eement is only ten to twelve cents per square yard,”

83 SCIENTIFIC @PRESS: [Fesruary 5,1870. ‘Comméeunitcations. Sale of Mineral Lands. [Written for the Scientific Press.] Epirors Press:—Surveyor-General Bost recommends in his report that the Legislature memorialize Congress to have the mineral, as well as tha other public lands of the State, surveycd and opened to preémption and sale. While many of his suggestions are good, this oue, regarding the sale of the mineral lands, is looked npon by the miners as ill-timed. There is in El Dorado county a belt of mineral land some twenty miles in width, from east to west,and running through the county from north to south, which should never he disposed of, so as to exclude prospecting and mining for gold, by any one who is willing to embark in that euterprise. Having resided nearly twenty years in this county, and having had practical experienca in hoth mining and agriculture, my opinion is—and I think a majority of tha legal voters of the county agree with me— that no further restrictions shonld be placed on mining than are now imposed by laws aud hy the decisions of our Courts. When a patent or fea simpla is obtained by the agriculturist, he becomes the owner, not only of the soil, but of what is in or under it; hence the miner is excluded from prospecting, or, if he does, and makes valuable discoveries, it must be for the henefit of the owuers of the land. One case of the many in this county I will meution. One mau has some 1,000 acres fenced with a substantial board fence, and has for tha aast fifteen years been anxious to obtain a title to it; has wished to exclude prospectors and miners from operating within his inclosure. Bat miners prospected, found pay, located claims, brought water on the ground, and within the last threa years haye mined up some teu acres, from which they took $35,000 to $40,000; and this is prohably only a part of the good miniug ground within his inclosure. If this individual, with thousands of others, could have ohtaiued a title to this land twelve years ago, millions that have been sent from this couutry iu that time would now be hid in the soil, with no prospect ofits being pntincirculation. From the best iuformation I can obtain, the amount of gold mined out and put in circulation from this county from 1549 to 1859, was more than $4,000,000 per annum, and from 1859 to 1868, more than $1,700,000 per annum. At the present time it cannot be less than $100,000 per month, and this without being a hindrance, but really a great benefit to the agriculturist, for it gives him cash for his hay, beef, pork, mutton, milk and bnitter, frnit and vegetables, Another important question is, if the mineral lands are disposed of, and fall into the hands of agricultnrists, which they are quite sure to, what means will ba resorted to to keep up the canals and ditches for irrigation? The agriculturists could not do it, it would he too extensive; capitalists would not inyest where their money would hring them no returns; miners could not, because they would not exist to any extent. About eight months of the year the ditches and canals pay owners something ahove expenses for water used in mining, but the other four months, while most of the water is used for irrigation, according to my experienee, they are not remunerative. Investments iu canal property in this county have not becn profitable, as your correspondent knows to his sorrow, Tha ahandonment of the canals for miuing purposes would give the mining counties to the wandering stock-raiser in the spring, to Digger Indians, grasshoppera and fires in the dry season. Jfruit and vegetahles must have irrigation in the foothill counties, or they will be small, insipid in taate, and unsaleable. The argument that the sale of the mineral lands would increase the amount of taxes, is not good; for our experiance ia, that the possessory title and improvements are now assessed at more than the title in fee aud improvements would bring under tha hammer. Sargent’s bill, now before Congress, in many respects is vary good, but, iu the opinion of tha miuers, fails to meet their wants. Supposing nnder Sargent’s biil A, Band ©, take up claims above and below me, andI have to purehase the right of way over A’s claim to get water io work my ground. B, helow ma, says, yon can not run your debris ou ov over my ground, aud C, still lower, says tha sama thing; now what chanca have I with my claim but to be frozen out by this littla combination of A, Band C, no matter how valuahle my claim may be? And have I any protection un ler that bill? and, if passed, will it not lead toeudless litigatiou ? Thera are plenty of ‘‘land sharks,” who wonld control tha mouth of avery ravine, cajiou, gulch or creek, where they could jreeze out an owner of a good claim, or levy black-mail on him. Had not the title of tha bill bettar be changed so as to read, “A Bill to Fae Lawyers and Officers of Courts?” Miners here hope that no such bill will pass. If the mineral lands ara to be sold, let it so be done that the mineral shall ha subject to the prospector and miner on znimproved lands, as they are at tha present time. To show that tha agriculturist is fully protected in his rights, as against miners and all other persons, I giva a few extracts from the many decisions mada by our Supreme Court. This first quotation shows what the minev’s.chance wonld be if tha title was complete in the occupant of these mineral lands: ‘‘ Miners hava no right to enter upon privata land and snbjact it to such nses as may ba necessary to extract the precious metals which it contains.”— Hinshaw vs. Clark, 14 Cal., 460. In the ease of Livaroni vs. Miller, which went to the Suprema Court from this county, tha Court said, that a miner had noright to wash the debris from tha hill above on to the premises of the plaintiff, therehy materially injuring plaintiff's garden, fruit trees and buildings. In such cases, the right of tha defendant to mine in aud to use therefor tha ravine above plaintiff's premisas must he exercised in such a manner as not to damage the prior right of tha plaintiff to inhabit and cultiyate his premises. Again: ‘‘The miner is liabla for thedamage to the growing crops caused by his acts, and if tha owner of tha crops ahould demand of the miner payment of the damages caused to the crops, and the miner should refusa to pay, a Court of Equity will restrain him from further working.”— Rupely vs, Weleh, 23 Cal, 452. In the case of Smith vs, Doe, 15 Cal., 100, the Court says: ‘‘As a general rule, the publie mineral lands of tha State are open to the ocenpation of every persou, who, in good faith, choosa to enter upon them for the purpose of mining. But this rule has its limitation, to he fixed hy the facts of each particular case. Certain possessory rights and rights of praperty in the mining region, though uot founded on valid legal title, will be protected against the miner—valuable parmanent improvements, such as houses, orchards, vineyards, growing crops,” ete. When the agricultnrist can sall, mortgage, and dispose of his possessory title, what need is there of more protaction than is given iu the decisions above quoted ? My last letter, as published, read ‘‘ the Pacific, etc., paid dividends prior to 1850,” which should have been 1859. Iu regard to “‘rebellious” ores, mentioned in my last, I have to ‘‘go back on it,” and say that I was misinformed; for I am told by a practical assayer, who has had much to do with minerals in this connty, that there are no rebellious ores here. If rebellious, it is for the want of gold. If Itrod on the gentleman’s toes iu mentioning “rebellious,” I hopa this will cure the wound. Placerville, Jan. 21, 1870. E. N.S. 0 +) om oe VALUABLE Minzs haye been discevered within the past year in the Himalayas. There are fonnd silver, lead, antimony zine-blende, copper and some gold. One mine at Shigri, on the old bonudary of Northern India, is described as an enormous lode, in which the ore is several feet thick, and solid. The others are principelly in the country of the Vazeers, or the Vazeori Rupi as it is generaliy named in

maps. A Lares Buackserry Buse.—The Humboldt Times has had 2 blackberry vine brought to its oftioe in Bureka, that is forty feet in length. Treating Ores. . Written for the Scientific Press.] Enprrors Press:—Beiug a coustant reader of your valuabla paper, my attention has been attractad by a communication from C. H.A., which appaared in your issue of Dec. 4th, 1869, the reply of J. S., in your issue of the 25th, and the rejoinder of C. H. A. in your last number. A discussion of this kind naturally attracts those who interest themselves in the very vexed metallurgy. Giving both of thosa gentlemen credit for acquirements in the scienea which their communicatious sufi. ciently substantiate, it wonld appear to me that tha individual interests of each may, in some way unknown to me, ha antagonistic. Atany rata, the subject is not sufficiently ventilatad, from the fact that both seem to labor under a feeling of dissatisfaction. The manner of the communications it is not my inte nt further to refer to, but in the matter which C. H. A. refers to, may I be permitted to maka a few remarks ? . Wa avail ourselves of this remark, to omit the first objection, which does refer rather to the manner than to the matter. —Eps. Press.]. C. H, A. makes the hroad assertion that . he believes ‘‘there is not an ora of gold or silver in this country that cannot ba worked to a reasonable parcentage—say 80 to 90 per cent. of common fira assay—by some one of the known processes.” (The italics ara mine.) Now have yet to learn that the “ Triunfo ores,” of Lower California, hava been successfully worked! I do not mean as achemical snecess, but asa remunerative process, which is the main point in view. The Shaha ore, which your correapondent refars to as being similar to that of tha Triunfo, involves, so far as I know, similar difficulties, Can ©. H. A. overcoma thesa by auy of the known processes ao as to leave (if worked here) a margin of profit? A silver ore containing antimony, which is frequently ona of the constituents of the ao callad refractory ores, at a high temperature forms antimonic acid; this, attacking the silver, produces au insoluhle compound (antimouiata of silver), Uan C. H. A. evade this diffienlty by-any of the known processes? or will the electric processes refered to hy J. 8. ramove it? A few facts are wanted to induce the speculation of capitalists to aid experimental science. Such would go further to induce the assistance of thinking meu than the gasconading of tyros and humhugs. To auch men as C. H. A. aud J. S., we anxiously look for the result of their experience as contributing to the advaucement of the mjuiug interests. J. G. See es Forms For Tr,EcrRaPHic Mrssaces.— The British postoffice authorities have prepared, for the use of the public, forms for telagraphic messages, to be used when the whole’ system of inland telegraphs is acquired by the government. A separate space in lines is allotted to each word, and the corresponding charge is printed elcarly on the margin, so that the sender can see at a glanca how much he has to pay, and the receiving clerk need he at no trouble in calculating how much he has to charge. Tach of the forms thus divided into spaces is prepared for a message of fifty words, which is assumed to be sufficient iu the majority of instances. Iu the right hand upper coruer of the page a blank space is left for the stamps, which will prohably be almost exclnsively used to cover the charges of transmissiou. Attached to tha form are directions for the guidauce of the sender, with a tariff of charges, and full information as to the artangements for porterage. Ganvanizep Wiyxv.—The story is going round that tha house of a vineyard man somewhere in Europe was recently struck by lightniug, and that tha wine in the cellar thereof was immensely improved in flavor thereby. ‘“‘ This,”—saya the atory, — ‘came tothe knowledge of General Marey-Monge, who cauaed a series of experiments to be instituted with various kinds of wine, the reault being that a galvanic currant applied to the liquid in the casks eminently improves even very inferior kinds.” Items from Boise City, I. T. [Written for the Scientific Press J Epirors Press:—The winter has been a mild one hera, but in tha mountains tha snow is unusually deap aud heavy. Miners look forward to a prosperous season, Around here, a large quantity of mining ground hitherto considared as non-paying, is uow being prepared for work, and o some, operations are to begin next week, . Placers paying only $4 to $6 per day can points so often occurriug in the science of . now ba profitably worked, as provisions and clothing ara down to a living prica, and there are hnndreds of claims in Ada county and on Boise river that can be worked for ten to aleven months in the ‘year that will yield from $3 to $6 a day. The great want in many places is water after the dry season sets in. Since the fire, contracts have been alraady made for several fiue fire-proof brick buildings, and this, with tha work on the penitentiary and Government assay office, shortly to be commenced, will ereate a demand for brick masons at fair wages. ” Real estate is increasing in valua and demand in Boise City aa business increases, H. W. 0. M. January 28th, 1870. +e oe Tae True Srreir or Ixvention,—Three hundred years ago, when man had just begun to gain control over the forcas of nature, and while ha was yet fighting against religious intolerance for the bare liberty to study them, there was one great mind that soared abova his fellows, with the capacity and will to look into the future, and form an appreciativa estimate of what was in store for man througli the genius of invention, which was theu just beginning to make itself felt. Lord Bacon must have had a full understanding of the true spirit of invention, anda just appreciation of the influence which it was to exert on hnman affairs, when he wrote the following paragraph: Tha introduction of new inventiona scemeth to be the very chief of all human actions. The henefits of new inventions may exteud to all mankind universally, but the good of political achievements can respect hut some particular cantons of men; these latter do not endure above a few ages, the former forever. Inventionsmake all men happy without either injury or damage to any one single person, Furthermore, new inventions are, as it were, new erections and imitations of God’a own works. THe Rurber Trape.—Thare are now in America and Europe more than a hundred and fifty manufactories of india rubber articles, employing from four to five hnndred operativas each, and consuming more than ten millions of pounds of gum per annum. ‘The business, too, is considered to ha still in its iufancy. Certainly it is increasing. Nevertheless, there is no possibility of the demand exceeding the supply. The helt of laud around the globe, five hundred miles uorth and five hundred miles south of the equator, abounds in trees producing tha gnm; and they can be tapped, it is said, for twenty snccesaive seasons. Forty-three thousand of theae traea have heen counted in a tract of couutry thirty milea long and eight wide. Each tree yields an average of three tableapoonfuls of sap daily, but the treea are so close together that one man can gather the sap of eighty in a day.—-North American Review. Firr-proor FiLoors anpD Wauis.—The following is from the report of the U. 8. Commissioner to the Paris Exposition. This mode of building is commended to especial attentiou: ‘‘ Lay a floor of seasoned hemlock boards upon the timbers or floor-joists, aud then lay a coat of cement, alaxyge proportion of which may be aand, entirely over this floor, from wall to wall, of one inch thick; then let the cement become thoroughly dried, over whieh lay a floor of matched boarda, nailed with ‘fortypenny’ nails, If there are wood partitions, there should he laid two courses of brick between the studs, and plastered to the hase-board, to prevent all circulation of air, A floor laid aa ahove will resist an immense yolume of flame in a room for one hour beforo breaking through the cemented floor ahove; and the expenae of eement is only ten to twelve cents per square yard,”