[Illustration] SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN SUPPLEMENT NO. 595 NEW YORK, MAY 28, 1887. Scientific American Supplement. Vol. XXIII, No. 595. Scientific American established 1845 Scientific American Supplement, $5 a year. Scientific American and Supplement, $7 a year. * * * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS. I. BOTANY.--The Relation of Tabasheer to Mineral Substances.--The composition of this curious secretion of the bamboo.--Analyses and properties of the material, according to various observers.--Its appearance under the microscope. 1 illustration. II. CHEMISTRY.--Apparatus for Drying Flour.--An apparatus for determining the moisture in flour. 1 illustration. III. ELECTRICITY.--Automatic Commutator for Incandescent Lamps.--An apparatus for lighting automatically a new lamp to replace one that has failed. 1 illustration. Definitions and Designations in Electro-Technics.--Mr. Jamieson's proposed code of electric symbols--literal and graphic. 4 illustrations. IV. ENGINEERING.--New Dredging Machinery.--The dredger Ajax, recently built in California.--Its dimensions and capacity. 1 illustration. Reservoir Dams.--By DAVID GRAVELL.--The engineering details of dams.--Typical masonry and earthwork dams of the world. 23 illustrations. The Flexible Girder Tramway.--A new type of suspended railway--a modification of the wire tramway system. 21 illustrations. V. HYGIENE.--Climate in its Relation to Health.--By G.V. POORE, M.D.--The third lecture of this series.--Consideration of the floating matter of the air and diseases caused thereby.--Causation of hay fever. VI. MATHEMATICS.--Radii of Curvature Geometrically Determined.--By Prof. C.W. MACCORD, Sc.D.--No. VII. Path of a point on a connecting rod. 3 illustrations. VII. MICROSCOPY.--Improved Microscopical Settling Tube.--By F. VANDERPOEL.--New tubes for use in urinary analysis. 4 illustrations. VIII. MISCELLANEOUS.--Apparatus for Manufacturing Bouquets.--An ingenious machine for facilitating the construction of bouquets. 1 illustration. Bozerian's Refrigerant Punkas.--A fan worked by the feet, a substitute for the Indian punka. 2 illustrations. How to Make a Kite without a Tail.--An improved form of kite described and illustrated. 1 illustration. Punkas.--By J. WALLACE, C.E.--The mechanics of punkas; experiments on their rate of swing. The Edible Earth of Java.--An account of this curious substance, its taste and appearance. IX. NAVAL ENGINEERING.--Another Remarkable Torpedo Boat.--Over twenty-eight miles an hour.--Full particulars of the trial of one of the new Italian torpedo boats, built by Yarrow & Co. Copeman & Pinhey's Life Rafts.--A new life raft for use on steamers, folding into deck settees. 3 illustrations.