Papers selected from the Transactions of Philosophical Societies, &c. Page Recipe for making Family Wine. By Mr. W. MATTHEWS, An Enquiry into the Causes of the Decay of Wood, and the Means of preventing it. By Dr. PARRY, Remarks on a Method of making a Composition for Painting, in Imitation of the ancient Grecian Manner. On the Cultivation of the Poppy. By T. COGAN, M. D. 109, 165 The Bakerian Lecture, on some new Phenomena of chemical Changes produced by Electricity, particularly the Decom- position of the fixed Alkalies, and the Exhibition of the new Substances which constitute their Bases; and on the general Nature of alkaline Bodies. By HUMPHRY DAVY, Esq. An Account of a Method of hastening the Maturation of Grapes. Description of a Capstan, which works without requiring the - 123, 175 An Account of the Application of the Gas from Coal to eco- nomical Purposes. By Mr. WILLIAM MURDOCH, On the Cultivation of the Common Flax, (Linum Usitatissi- mum of Linné,) as an ornamental Plant in the Flower-Gar- Questions proposed by the Commissioners of Naval Revision respecting the State of Oak Timber; with Answers by THOMAS DAVIS, Steward to the Marquis of Bath, Description of an Apparatus to secure Persons from sinking in · On On the Use of Tar for Cattle swelled by eating Clover; and on An Account of the Method of cultivating the American Cran- berry (Vaccinium Macrocarpum), at Spring Grove. By the Right Hon. Sir JOSEPH BANKS, Bart. K. B. P. R. S. &c. 325 On the Means of giving to the Wheels of heavy Carriages the Account of the Wheat Moth, or Virginia Fly; as it appeared in France in the Year 1755; and which damaged the Grain in Report from the Committee on the re-committed Report re- 1 and 2. Machines and Machinery for preparing and spinning Wool, Cotton, Hemp, and other filamentous Substances, 4. Improvements in the Construction of Watches and Chro- 6. Machine for finishing, glazing, and glossing of Leather, Specification of the Patent granted to SAMUEL WILLIAMS,' of Finsbury Square, in the City of London, Merchant, for an Invention, communicated to him by a Foreigner residing abroad, of new and improved Machines and Machinery for preparing and spinning Wool, Cotton, Hemp, and other filamentous Substances. Dated April 8, 1807. With Plates. To all to whom these presents shall come, &e. NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I the said Samuel Williams do hereby declare that my said invention consists in and is founded on principles. hitherto unemployed in these arts, and so different from the methods now in use, that to describe it will be to distinguish it fully from those methods. It is well known that when a cylinder rolls on a plane, every point in the circumference of that cylinder deVOL. XIII.-SECOND SERIES. B scribes scribes a curve called a cycloid; and that if a cone turns on its axis, while the latter gyrates round a given centre coinciding with the summit of the cone, then every point in the circumference of the cone will describe a spherical cycloid; and in fine, that if a cylinder of a smaller diameter revolves round its axis, and rolls within a hollow cylinder of a larger diameter, then every point of the smaller cylinder will describe an epicycloid within the larger cylinder. On this principle then is founded the first branch of the invention. The surfaces of the contiguous bodies are to be furnished with a great number of hooks or card wires adapted to this kind of motion; and every time they meet, if there is wool between them, the hooks of both surfaces will seize each one-half of the whole, and divide it each time that such contact takes place, so that after a certain number of turns the wool will be fully opened and prepared for the further operations preparatory to spinning. A little observation will lead to the reflection that if while a smaller cylinder rolls on a plane, a larger fixed to it be considered with respect to its surface, any point in the latter surface will describe a curve of the nature of the cycloid, but forming a loop so as to move backward for a moment, while the common centre of the two cylinders is moving forward. For example, if in Fig. 8, (Pl. I.) the cylinder a roll on theplane bc, every point in the circumference of the cylinder d d, will describe a looped curve efg as before stated. A new system of opening or carding filamentous substances is founded then on the general principle of cycloidal and epicycloidal motions, so modified as to rub to any degree by the relative diameter of the gyrating cylinder compared with that of the wheel which gives it motion, Το |