it with care to a cloth laid in the field, and beat out the seed, the heads open; therefore if great care be not taken, the seed will be lost.

"You will, I am persuaded, excuse my troubling you with this, and do me the favour to communicate any thing fresh that you may have learnt upon the cultivation or uses of this article. In America, I understand, they grow the large sun-flower to express its oil. I have grown some, but there seems an insuperable objection in harvesting that; at least I have no idea how it can be done.

According to the above statement it appears, that the poppy oil is less palatable than was represented in the former paper. But as there are various degrees of excellency in the olive oil, this may be the case with the other. It is also probable that the poppy oil may maintain an uniformity more than the olive, which depends greatly upon favourable seasons for its acquiring its pleasant flavour; and without those advantages it may become much inferior to the former. This, however, is merely a conjecture, which future experience alone can confirm or confute.

It is acknowledged that the Dutch, whose domestic consumption of oil greatly exceeds our own, are not so delicate in their taste concerning that article. But as it is an indubitable truth that poppy oil is frequently mixed with the olive by the venders, when sold for culinary purposes, as it will correct the rancidity which

olive oil may have acquired by age; and as the price of the best olive oil is increasing daily, and may become too costly for common use; it is desirable to have a substitute, though of a quality somewhat inferior. If the gentleman who threw the cruet from him with contempt was an Englishman, I should not much wonder at his conduct; as the prejudices of an Englishman in the article of food are proverbial upon the continent.

But supposing that this oil should be found totally unfit for our palates, it will not be necessary to have it cold drawn, and thus it may be extracted at a much cheaper rate for other purposes, which the present situ ation of public affairs renders most desirable. The greater the impediments to importation of the necessities of life, the more strenuous should we be to render ourselves as independent of the continent as possible. The consumption of oils in Great-Britain, both for manufactures and for lamps, is immense; nor can we be assured of imports equal to the demand.

Since the article in the preceding volume was written, I have received information from a friend, that the poppy oil is used in France and other places, in the counting-houses of merchants, in preference to any other. It is said to give a more vivid light, and to be much freer from fuliginous vapours.

CHARLES

List of Patents for Inventions, &c.

(Continued from Page 288.)

HARLES GOSTLING TOWNLEY, of Ramsgate, in the county of Kent, Esquire; for a key which regulates the tone of the flute, or other musical instrument capable of the improvement, by causing the box of it to lengthen or contract at pleasure; which key may be called The Tone regulating Key. Dated August 9, 1808. Specification to be enrolled within one month.

JAMES GALE, of Shadwell, in the county of Middlesex, Ropemaker; for certain improvements in ropemaking. Dated August 18, 1808. Specification to be enrolled within one month.

ALEXANDER TILLOCH, of Barnsbury-street, Islington, in the county of Middlesex, Gentleman; for a new physico-mechanical power, or, in other words, improved machinery or apparatus capable of being employed as a moving power to work or drive machinery and millwork, and applicable to other useful purposes. Dated August 20, 1808. Specification to be enrolled within six months.

THOMAS PRICE, of Bilston, in the county of Stafford, Coal-master; for improvements in the application of steam for useful purposes, and in the apparatus required to effect the same. Dated August 24, 1808. Specification to be enrolled within one month.

THOMAS MEAD, of Scott-street, in the parish of Sculcoates, in the county of York, Engineer; for a method or methods of making and constructing circular or rotative steam-engines upon an entire new principle, and employing the elastic or expansive force of steam in a

much

much more efficacious and advantageous manner than has hitherto been done. Dated August 24, 1808. Specification to be enrolled within one month.

WILLIAM CONGREVE, of Garden-court, in the Temple, in the county of Middlesex, Esquire; for a new principle of measuring time, and constructing clocks and chronometers. Dated August 24, 1808, Spécifica tion to be enrolled within one month. !

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JOSEPH CUFF, the younger, of Whitechapel, in the county of Middlesex, Cheesemonger and Bacon Merchant; for certain machinery for the more easy, expe, ditious, and better method of slaughtering hogs, bullocks, and other cattle, whereby much labour will be saved, and the flesh of such cattle greatly improved in quality, and will be more easily and better cured and preserved. Dated August 25, 1808, Specification to be enrolled within six months.

JOHN DUMBELL, of Mersey Mills, in the parish of Warrington, and county palatine of Lancaster, Miller; for a method or methods of flax-spinning, and of preparing or making a special twist thread, furniture, cloth, frills or attire, which he calls Telary Teguments, from silk, wool, cotton, flax, hemp or tow, as well as from a great variety of other articles (in a combined or uncombined state); and for a method or methods of refabricating or renovating the same, and of producing or reproducing from tatters in general a new body. Dated August 25, 1808. Specification to be enrolled within six months.

ERRATUM. Page 297, line 5, for 1808 read 1806.

Specification of the Patent granted to JOHN WATSON, late of Bury-place, Bloomsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman; for certain Improvements in the Art of Soap-making, by which the Article is in several Respects ameliorated. Dated May 10, 1808.

To all to whom these presents shall come, &c.

NOW KNOW YE, that, in compliance with the said proviso, I the said John Watson do hereby declare that the nature of my said invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and ascertained as follows; that is to say: After the soap has been formed or made in the usual manner, by boiling fat or oil with soap lees, or the solution of a considerably pure alkaline salt, and separated by the addition of common culinary salt, I do not put the same into the forms in order that it may become indu#ated for sale, but I diffuse the same in a large quantity VOL. XIII.-SECOND SERIES. A aa

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