form of black oxide, and charcoal, are then placed etching iron with acids. After many experitogether in a plumbago crucible, which is covered ments with the different acids and some other over with charcoal, and exposed to a great heat. When the whole is melted, the heat is allowed to etching solutions, Prof. Kick found that a mixtsubside gradually, and the alloy of zinc and copper ure of equal parts of hydrochloric acid and is added when the temperature is just sufficient to water with a drop of chloride of antimony to melt it. This done, the crucible is taken from the every quart of the mixture was the best etchfire, and its contents stirred with a hazel-stick. The ing solution. Some kinds of iron showed what tin is next added, first being wrapped in paper and then dropped into the crucible. The alloy is again is called a passive state, acids not acting upon stirred, and finally poured into the mould; it is then it until this condition has been destroyed by ready to be rolled and wrought just like silver. A heating, and then the surfaces seemed quick great portion of the zinc is volatilized in the act of to rust; but the action of the chloride in the fusion, so that a very little remains in the alloy." The superiority of this metal is said to depend prin- solution appears to arrest this tendency. The cipally on the cobalt, to which is due its peculiar smooth surface to be etched is surrounded with argentine lustre. a ridge of wax, and the acid is poured into the disk thus formed. At a temperature of 55° to 65° Fahr. the action soon begins, as shown by the gas evolved; in winter the etching is poor. The time required is from one to two hours, but the etching should go on until the texture is visible. Every half-hour the acid can be poured off without removing the wax, the carbon rinsed off, and the surface examined. If too much chloride of antimony is added to the acid, a black precipitate will soon form, which can easily be distinguished from the carbon. When the etching is finished, the wax rim is removed, the iron washed, first in water containing a little alkali, then in clean water, brushed, dried, and varnished. If in a few hours it begins to rust, the varnish should be removed with turpentine, which will also take off the rust, and then varnish again. Ornamentation of Metals.-Metals can be easily colored by forming on their surface a film of sulphide, which is deposited by placing the article to be colored in some solution containing sulphur. In a few minutes brass or gun-metal articles can be given the color of gold, of copper, of carmine, dark red, bright blue, pale blue, or pinky white, according to the thickness of the coat, which depends on the length of time the metal remains in the solution used. The colors possess a very good lustre, and if the articles to be colored have been previously well cleaned by means of acids and alkalies, they adhere so firmly that they may be polished without injury. To prepare the solution, dissolve 1 ounce of hyposulphite of soda in 1 pound of water, and add 1 ounce of acetate of lead dissolved in pound of water. When this clear solution is heated to from 100° to 210° Fahr., it decomposes slowly, and precipitates sulphide of lead in brown flakes. If some metal or article to be colored is now present, a part of the sulphide of lead is deposited thereon, and, according to the thickness of the deposited sulphide of lead, the above colors are produced. To produce an even coloring the articles must be evenly heated. Iron treated with this solution takes a steel-blue color; zinc, a brown color; in the case of copper objects, the gold-color does not at first appear; lead and zinc are entirely indifferent. If, instead of the acetate of lead, an equal weight of sulphuric acid is added to the hyposulphite of soda, and the process carried on as before, the brass is covered with a very beautiful red, which is followed by a green (which is not in the first-mentioned scale of colors), and changes finally to a splendid brown, with green and red iris-glitter. This last is a very durable coating, and may find special attention in manufactures, especially as some of the others are not very permanent. Very beautiful marble designs can be produced by using a lead solution thickened with gum-tragacanth, on brass which has been heated to 210° Fahr., and is afterward treated by the usual solution of sulphide of lead. The solution may be used several times. Much time and attention have been devoted by Prof. Kick, of Prague, to the subject of The appearance of different kinds of iron when etched is essentially as follows: Soft or sinewy wrought-iron of excellent quality is attacked so equally by the acid, and so little carbon is separated, even after several hours' action, that the surface remains bright and smooth. Fine-grained iron acts the same; the surface is still smoother, but a little darker. Coarse-grained and cold-short iron is attacked much more violently by acid than the above. In ten minutes, especially with the latter, the surface is black. After thirty minutes a black slime can be washed off, and the surface will remain black in spite of repeated washings, and exhibits numerous little holes. Certain parts of the iron are usually eaten deeper, while others, although black and porous, offer more resistance. By allowing the acid to act for an hour or so, then washing, drying, and polishing with a file, a distinct picture is obtained. Malleable cast-iron rusts more easily than wrought-iron, and it is interesting to know that the action of acids is also violent, the surface being attacked more vigorously. Gray pig-iron acts like steel; the etched surfaces have quite a uniform gray color. In puddled steel the color, after etching and washing, is gray, with quite a uniform shade, and the lines are scarcely visible. Cement steel has a very similar appearance, the lines being very weak. In Bessemer and caststeel the etched surfaces are of a perfectly uniform gray color, with few, if any, uneven places. The softer the steel the lighter the color On etching, the finest hair-like fractures are rendered prominent. A piece of steel which looked perfect before etching, afterward exhibited a hair-like fracture throughout its whole length. When different kinds of iron are mixed, the acid attacks that for which it has the greater affinity, while the other is less acted upon than if it were alone. Etching is exceedingly valuable to all who deal largely in iron, as it enables them to determine with comparative accuracy the method of preparing the iron, as in the case of rails, etc., as well as the kinds employed. Iron can be plated or coated with silver or gold by a direct process, i. e., without the use of copper as an auxiliary, according to the present custom of electro-platers. As an essential preliminary, the iron must previously be alloyed with nickel and manganese; the iron being melted and then mixed with those metals in the proportion of 12 lbs. nickel and half a pound of manganese to 1,000 lbs. of iron. Such mangano-nickelized iron may then be silvered or gilt in baths of suitable solutions; it is first hand-rubbed and immersed in a limebath, containing 1 lb. of slaked lime for every 100 lbs. or pints of water, and is thence transferred at once to the plating-bath, which is prepared as follows: For gilding, 100 lbs. or pints of water, 4 lbs. bicarbonate of soda, 13 Îb. pyrophosphate of soda, 1 oz. cyanide of sodium, 2 drops hydrocyanic acid, and 1 oz. neutral chloride of gold: for silvering, to the same quantity of water add 2 lbs. bicarbonate of soda, 6 oz. cyanide of potassium or of sodium, 10 drops of hydrocyanic acid, and 2 oz. of neutral nitrate or chloride of silver. METHODISTS. The Methodist Almanac for 1875 gives the following general summary, compiled from authentic sources, of the Methodist churches in the United States and in the world: African Methodist Episcopal Church... African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.. I. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.-The annual minutes of the conferences for 1874 give the details of the statistics of this Church (see table on next page). The statistics of the West Texas Conference, after the number of traveling preachers, are included with those of the Texas Conference. The traveling preachers are classified as follows: On trial, 1,383; in full connection, 7,733; superannuary, 679; superannuated, 1,060. The number of local preachers is given at 12,581; number of Sunday-schools, 18,628; of officers and teachers in the same, 200,492; of Sunday-school scholars, 1,363,870. The 19,156 24,512 3,031,988 1,715 13,720 376,439 152 760 20.740 28 96 2,012 348 1,438 66,686 1,020 14,838 164,660 240 number of baptisms during the year was: of children, 58,911; of adults, 71,915. The number of churches is 15,010; probable value of the same, $69,288,815. Number of parsonages, 4,893; probable value, $9,604,230. The contributions for benevolent purposes were: For conference claimants, $159,881.54; Missionary Society (from churches, $424,267.03, from Sunday schools, $187,687.51), $611,954.54; Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, $55,406.26; Church extension, $83,347.52; Tract Society, $19,840.09; Sunday-school Union, $20,196.61; Freedmen's Aid Society, $37,029.65; education, $23,754.68. Mississippi. 121 26.446 3,897 30,343 Missouri.. 124 14,609 4,057 18,666 Nebraska 89 7,444 1,249 17 411 85 208 29,993 Nevada... Newark. New England.. New Hampshire. New York.. New York East. Northwest Iowa... Philadelphia.. 264 26,296 2,975 12,136 6,337 Adding the statistics of the Methodist Episcopal churches in Germany (Germany and 8,396 Switzerland Conference), the whole strength 2,032 of German Methodism is shown to be seven 11,787 13,340 conferences, 534 traveling preachers, 426 local preachers, 45,099 members, and 43,673 Sunday-school scholars. 8,693 496 36,330 3,860 30,156 2,135 14,408 5,823 35,101 273 38,447 5,863 44.310 206 36,841 5,421 42.262 The annual meeting of the General Missionary Committee was held November 11th. The treasurer reported the receipts to the 31st of October to have been $675,080.32, showing a decrease from the previous year of $5,756.32. The decrease was not regarded as excessive, provided the great financial stringency which had marked the year be taken into consideration. The disbursements had been: On account of foreign missions, $243,607.75; of domestic missions, $409,249.03; of incidental, office, and other expenses, $50,998.48: total, $703,713 3,725 855.26. A balance of $13,288.86 remained in 7,689 43,667 the treasury on the 1st of November. The 298 51,438 11,467 62,905 debt of the Society was stated to be $115,000. 181 17,904 8,022 2281 23,116 The following appropriations were made for 1875: 26,052 31,884 21,994 5,028 25,080 4,301 39,835 20,926 Oregon... Pittsburg 694 20,676 25,877 438 92 4. Germany and Switzerland.. 29,280 00 77 15,014 2.881 17,895 234 5. Scandinavian (Denmark, Norway, and 61,200 00 191 17,427 Virginia... Washington... 1,874 19,301 6. India (India Conference, and Bombay 76.819 20 6,407 7. Bulgaria... 9,600 00 26,202 8. Italy...... 15,600 00 Western New York. 9. Mexico... 22,200 00 8,057 3,389 11,446 10,854 1,345,089 218,432 1,563,521 10,571 1.288,704 175,323 1,464,027 IV. FOR MISCELLANEOUS PURPOSES. V. FOR THE LIQUIDATION OF THE DEBT.... Grand total..... 16,200 00 42,125 00 7,500 00 MISSIONS IN THE TERRITORIES. Misslona- Local ries. Preachers. Members. Probationers. $65,975 00 Arizona New Mexico.. පිය 1 13 10 4 124 15 Twenty-three missionaries of the Women's Foreign Missionary Society are included in the column of American missionaries and assistant missionaries. They were distributed as follows: In South America, 2; in East China, 3; in Central China, 3; in North China, 2; in India, 9; in Japan, 1; in Mexico, 3. The number of teachers was 1,785, distributed as follows: In Central China, 3; in North China, 3; in Germany and Switzerland, 1,051; in Denmark, 61; in Norway, 168; in Sweden, 292; in India, 204. Number of churches, 135; probable value of the same, $588,802.99. Number of parsonages, 78; probable value, $91,495. Amount of missionary collections, $3,967.46; of other benevolent contributions, $56,945.72. Number of Sunday-schools, 420; of scholars in the same, 22,940. Number of day-schools, 259; of scholars, 8,960. Total missionaries... 415 The seventh annual meeting of the FreedChurch was held at Cincinnati, Ohio, Decemmen's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal ber 29th. The corresponding secretary reported the receipts for the year to have been $55,134.98, showing an average contribution of four cents by each member of the Church. Complaints were made of the smallness of the sum. The plans of the Society for the year had been based upon estimates that the contributions would reach $100,000. It had been embarrassed by the failure to realize that amount, and involved in debts amounting to $17,778. Quite $100,000 would be required to liquidate its debts and carry on its operations for the ensuing year. The Society had helped to establish and support the following institutions: Central Tennessee College, Nashville, Tenn.; Shaw University, Holly Springs, Miss.; Claflin University and Baker Institute, Orangeburg, S. C.; Clark University and Theological Seminary, Atlanta, Ga.; Haven Normal School, Waynesboro', Ga; Baldwin Seminary, Baldwin, La.; New Orleans University and Thomson Biblical Institute, New Orleans, La.; Rust Biblical and Normal Institute, Huntsville, Ala.; Richmond Normal School, Richmond, Va.; Centenary Biblical Institute, Baltimore, Md.; Wiley University, Marshall, Texas; Cookman Institute, Jacksonville, Florida; Bennett Seminary, Greensboro', N. C. It had also aided in the support of schools taught by the ministers of the Church in consand pupils had been enrolled in all the schools, of whom 1,000 were preparing to be teachers or preachers. nection with their mission-work. Three thou The ninth anniversary meeting of the Board of Church Extension was held November 12th. The receipts for the year were reported to have been: By balance from the previous year, $1,321.71; on general account, $75,546.59; on loan-fund account, $19,931.80: total, $96,800.10. The disbursements had been: On general account, $64,046.25; on loan-fund account, $17,475.90: total, $96,800.10. A net balance remained, after deducting the amount of drafts due, of $9,146.79. The board had, however, made grants not yet paid, amounting to $12,275. If these should be required immediately, the existing cash balances would be overdrawn to the amount of $3,128.21. During the nine years of its active work, ending November 1, 1874, the board had collected and disbursed $804,763.94, of which $200,541.03 belonged to the loan-fund. Of The total number of infants baptized during the year was given at 22,755; number of adults baptized, 37,454. Number of Sunday-schools, 7,019; teachers in the same, 48,530; scholars, 321,572. Total amount of collections in the churches for conference claimants, $64,013.70; collections for missions, $96,644.31. The agent of the Publishing-House at Nashville, Tenn., reported to the General Conference that the concern possessed assets to the amount of $533,577.92, of which $220,597.55 consisted of real estate; and that its liabilities amounted to $219,540.81, leaving an unincumbered balance in its favor of $314,037.11. The clear value of the assets of the house had increased $37,920.78 since the 1st of July, 1873. The following comparative statement was made of the value of the property, after deducting all liabilities, year by year, since 1870: This shows an increase in value, in less than four years, of $125,684.66. The General Conference authorized the book agent, with the Book Committee, to negotiate for the transfer of the property of the Southwestern Book and Publishing Company, at St. Louis, to the Southern Methodist PublishingHouse, provided it can be made without damage to the publishing interests of the Church, and without increasing the debts and liabilities of the Publishing-House. Reports were made to the General Conference, of the condition of sixty-one educational institutions. Many of the reports were incomplete in regard to the value of property and funds, and the number of their students, so that the aggregate of values could not fairly be given. Of the institutions, one (the Southern University, Greensboro', Ala.,) was designated as a university; 48 were classed as colJuly 1, 1871..... 216,517 55 April 1, 1874... 314,037 13 leges, eight as high-schools, two as academic July 1, 1870..... $188.352 45 | July 1, 1873..... $276,117 41 schools, one as a collegiate school, and one as |