Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-08-31
Curious. Useful and Scientific

and are the best counterfeits Of do
monds sold.
To CLEAN BLANKETS. A lady 70
commends the following mode ofcieans
ing blankets; Put two large. table
spoonfuls of borax and pint bowl ~
soft soap into tub of cold water
When dissolved, put in pair Of bon.
kets, and let them remain over nioht
Next day rub and drain them out and
rinse thoroughly IN two waters. and
hang them out to dry. Do not wrinc
them.
REMEDY FOR INSECTS, At this time
of the year many ladies are troubled 10
death with flies during the day, and
mosquitoes during the night. A very
simple remedy to disperse these an.
noying insects is to let few drops q;
carbohc acid evaporate in the room. 4
few drops poured upon the clothes will
keep the winged pests at a safe dis.
lance; and If the pure crystalized
acid is used no great annoyance will
result to human beings.
TAINTED MEAT. "A lady writes from
Virginia giving an improved method
of removing taints from meat, She
says taints may be removed by boiling
the meats with Il little soda in the wa.
ter, but it somewhat leaves a slight
soda taste, and if the meat be much
affected, will not remove all the faint
But if injured meat be well washed
then put it into cold water in which has
been put few humps of charcoal, and
brought to boil all the above defects are
removed so etlectually as to seem like
perfectly fresh meat. 1t even prevents
any offensive odor during the process
of boiling.
4 GREAT Improvement in electro
plating has recently been made. Upon
the surface of sheets of polished brass.
tin, copper, steel, or iron, OF the reGui-
site dementions, the letters, and num-
bers of the sign are laid off and cover.
ed with asphaltum, black varnish, or
any paint or material that will resist the
acids used in electro-plating. The
sheets thus prepared are covered with
a coat of nickel or silver plating, leav-
ing the letters intact, and not plated
then the signs are vanished, which re-
moves the paint, leaving the letters de-
pressed below The plating. They can
be painted to suit the taste, or, if
upon brass or copper, can be left with
out colOring.
THE CENTRE Of THE UNIVERSE Some
time ago much interest was created by
the announcement that M. Maedler, an
eminent German astronomer, had dis
covered that AlcyOne, the principal
star in the group of the pleiades, occu-
pies the centre of gravity of the mi
verse, and that around it revolve all
stars composing the vast astral system.
Now, it will at least interest the curious
to know that the distance Of Alcyoneis
50 immense that the light proceeding
from 1t would require period of 537
years to traverse the mighty interval
which separates it from the sun; and if
reliance may be had on the angular
motion of the sun, as determined ut the
end Of IS, 200, 900 years, this great lum-
mary, with all its attending planets,
satellites and comets, will have com.
DISEASE AMONG FARMERS. Many Of
the diseases among farmers are caused
by their manner of living. It is a no.
torious fact that farmers, gardeners,
and those who have had the largest IA
cilities for raising vegetables, use much
less than those who do not and cannot
raise them. If asked why they do not
eat more OF the peas, beans, and etc.
which they raise, their reply IS, they do
not care for them. Generally they
raise but one or two messes, their chef
diet being cheese, milk, butter and
meats. Now, in order to keep the
blood healthy, the system requires
plenty Of fresh vegetables. Lettuce,
beans, spinach, asparagus, peas, rad
ishes, cucumbers, green corn, etc, etc,
are what are needed, and every farmer
who wishes to live and not eXpend hall
lie makes III doctors bills should have
at least one acre in vegetable garden,
and two or three large hot beds, that
early plants and fresh salads may be
had for spring use.
A TRANSIT or Venus. The Saturday
Review (English) says that the eAtraof-
binary interest is already felt in Brit
ish scientific circles in regard to the
transit of Venus 1874, and that ar
for making the proper
observations are even now in progress
The problem which has to be solved Is
the suns distance from the earth
About the middle Of the last century
the amount OF this distance was set
down 10y accepted authorities at s.
900 miles. The first transit of VEINS,
in 1868. brought this up to IS, l73.ojO
miles--a number so near the one cD-
tanned in the next transit, that OF II,
80, that till quite recently some lonl
play was suspected in the observations
lnnln IN AZ ~ nnmnl rnnt To render