d air
lodged between the interstices of the snow crystals by application of
heat. This theory, if carefully followed out, may perchance give a
clew to a simple and perfectly innocuous method of raising bread and
pastry." And stop the discussion as to whether alum in baking powders
is deleterious to health or otherwise.

* * * * *

NEW AGRICULTURAL INVENTIONS.

An improved gate, invented by Messrs. P. W. McKinley and George L.
Ellis, of Ripley, O., is designed for general use. It is operated by
cords and pulleys, and can be opened without dismounting from the
horse. It is constructed so that it cannot sag, and is not liable to
get out of order.

An improved apparatus for pressing tobacco has been patented by Mr. F.
B. Deane, of Lynchburg, Va. It consists mainly in the construction of
a suspended jack, arranged to travel over a row of hogsheads, so that
a single jack gives successively to each hogshead the desired
pressure.

An improved combined harrow and corn planter has been patented by Mr.
M. McNitt, of Hanover, Kan. In this machine the opening, pulverizing,
planting, and covering teeth are combined with a single frame.

A machine, which is adapted to the thrashing and cleaning of peas and
seeds, and for cleaning all kinds of grain, has been patented by Mr.
J. J. Sweatt, of Conyersville, Tenn.

Mr. Amos M. Gooch, of Farmington, W. Va., has patented an improved
corn planter, which drops the fertilizer simultaneously with the seed,
and is provided with a device for pressing the soil around the seed,
leaving over the seed a portion of loose earth.

An improved machine for harvesting cotton has been patented by R. H.
Pirtle, of Lowe's, Ky. This machine carries two vertical cylinders
armed with teeth or spurs, and two inclined endless belts provided
with teeth. The teeth of the cylinders and the belts remove the cotton
from the plants, and deliver it to a receptacle carried by the
machine.

Messrs. Julius Fern and Samuel Bligh, of Oneonta, N. Y., have patented
an improved power for churning and other purposes where little power
is required. It consists in the combination of a drum and weight, a
train of gearing, and a pallet wheel arranged to oscillate a balanced
beam.

An improvement in the class of feed cutters in which two or more
knives work between parallel bars attached to the cutter box, has been
patented by Messrs. J. N. Tatum and R. C. Harvey, of Danville, Va. T