17. For a cheap preparation of aniline colors.......Silver Medal. 18. For a cheap preparation of metallic calcium....Silver Medal. 19. For a cheap preparation of silicium.. 20. For a cheap preparation of magnesium. 21. For the best mode of constructing fire buildings ..Silver Medal. ....Silver Medal. proof 22. For a simple method of crystallizing sugar from sorghum... 23. For the best water meter... .Silver Medal. . Silver Medal. ...Silver Medal. 24. For the best lamp to burn kerosene oil, producing perfect combustion... 25. For the best plan for burning kerosene oil for heating purposes... Silver Medal. Silver Medal. Three discretionary premiums (gold or silver medals), to be determined by the Board of Managers. The grains and vegetables will be required to be exhibited at the Farmers' Club, on Tuesday, the 15th day of December next. Those deemed entitled to the premium will become the property of the Institute, and will be distributed at the Farmers' Club. The new seedling fruit must possess sufficient merit to warrant their general cultivation. They may be presented at any meeting of the Club. The essays must be designated by a nom de plume, which is also to be superscribed on an envelope, inclosing the name of the author. After the judges have decided upon those entitled to the premium, . the rejected essays will be returned to the authors, with their accompanying envelopes unopened. The successful essays will be pub-· lished in the Transactions of the American Institute; but the copyrights will remain with the authors. Inventors and others wishing to bring before either of the Clubs herein named, any article for examination and competition, may present it at the rooms of the Institute, to Mr. John W. Chambers, Recording Secretary of the Board, at any time during business hours. Suggestions are especially invited from manufacturers, as to improvements desired in their own experience. All communications addressed to James Renwick, LL. D., Corresponding Secretary of the Institute, will meet with immediate attention. The Polytechnic Association meets every Thursday, at 7 o'clock, P. M., and the Farmers' Club every Tuesday afternoon at 1 o'clock, at which times the articles or subjects presented will receive the attention and examination of the respective clubs. The applications for the premiums were not so numerous as we anticipated, from which we are led to conclude that the public mind has been more absorbed on the subject of war than the more peaceful pursuits of science and agriculture. The Polytechnic Association, to whom was referred the subjects appertaining to science, made a report recommending a number of premiums, but on account of some informalities was referred back for completion. The Farmers' Club have not yet completed their labors, but it is expected that they will be able to report complete in a few days. We respectfully ask that we may be discharged from the further consideration of the subject, and that the new Board of Managers to be elected on the 12th inst., have full powers to receive the reports. and award the necessary premiums. The Board of Managers cannot conclude their report without returning their thanks to the Polytechnic Association and to the Farmers' Club, for the attention which they have bestowed upon the various articles submitted to them. All of which is respectfully submitted. WM. H. BUTLER, ANDREW BRIDGEMAN, JOHN B. PECK, T. B. STILLMAN, GEORGE PEYTON JAS. R. SMITH, CLARKSON CROLIUS, F. W. GEISSENHAINER, JR., GEO. C. MANN, REPORT OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL FAIR OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. The Board of Managers of the Thirty-fifth Annual Fair of the American Institute respectfully report: That on the fifth day of February, 1863, the Board of Managers of the Thirty-fourth Annual Fair made a report to the American Institute, stating that they were unable to make a final report of their proceedings, and asked that permission be given to the new Board of Managers to be elected on the 12th of February, to act upon the reports and the premiums, and conclude the proceedings of the year. The American Institute considered the recommendation and referred the whole subject to the new Board of Managers, and they herewith submit the reports made, and the premiums they have awarded, consisting of one gold medal and six silver medals. Respectfully submitted, JOHN W. CHAMBERS, Secretary. WM. H. BUTLER, Chairman. NEW YORK, April 29, 1863. REPORT OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. The Polytechnic Association of the American Institute report: That in conformity to the circular issued by the Board of Managers, a number of articles were submitted to the Association for examination. These several articles were referred to the mechanical and chemical sections of the Association. The accompanying reports were made by the sections to a meeting on the 25th day of January last, and were adopted as the report of the Polytechnic Association to your Board. Respectfully submitted. SAMUEL D. TILLMAN, Chairman of the Polytechnic Association. February 19, 1863. REPORT OF THE CHEMICAL SECTION. The chemical section respectfully report that they have attended to the duty assigned them in the examination of the following subjects and instruments submitted to them as having been presented for premium in the chemical department. One essay on the artificial formation of saltpeter, entered for premium No. 14. Two sizes of Vidal's coal oil lamps for burning kerosene oil without chimneys, entered for premium No. 24. One of Fish's nursery lamps and boiler, and one of Fish's tea and coffee boilers and cooking apparatus, both employing kerosene oil as the fuel for producing the heat. Part of an apparatus illustrating Prof. Seely's plan for burning kerosene oil as a fuel. These three last named articles were entered for premium No. 25. There were also entered four instruments for testing the volatility of coal oils and burning fluids, to compete for a discretionary premium. One by T. Godwin, one by John Tagliabue, one by Prof. Seely, and one by Giuseppe Tagliabue. As regards the essay on the artificial formation of saltpeter the section are of the opinion that it does not contain sufficient original practical matter to fulfill the requirements of the offer for premium No. 14. In the experiments with Vidal's lamps it was found that they did not produce perfect combustion when burning kerosene oil, and therefore they do not meet the requirements of the offer for premium No. 24. The section have examined the apparatus illustrating the plan for burning kerosene oil for heating purposes, invented and presented by Prof. Seely. It appears to be based upon correct principles; there also appears to be a large amount of ingenuity displayed in this method of producing heat from the burning of kerosene oil; and the section are of the opinion, from the examination of the part of the apparatus that was exhibited to them, that Prof. Seely has done himself and his invention great injustice in not having exhibited his apparatus in such form that would have enabled the section to practically test its value. The two apparatus presented by Mr. Fish, severally called |