The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-07
Curious and Scientific.

ORCHILLA is peculiar moss found on
bushes near the sea in Lower Califor-
MIA, from which brilliant red dye is
procured.
An inventive genius in Mound City,
Ill, has built Efe-boat, which he
claims cannot be kept upside down
IN the water. 1t balls itself automati-
cally.
A wooDMAN, in telling tree in Owen
county, Indiana, found at the base the
skeleton of bear, which evidently had
been there for half century.
The River Atrato, in Darien, is cross
ed by curious natural floating bridge
of thick grass, the roots interlacing
two feet below the surface of the water
The cock of the rock, South Ameri-
can bird, found on the western slope of
the Andes, is noted for it's trick of fall
ing, MS if killed, when shot at and nm
hurt, and subsequently flying off.
ONE Won Hochstetter, of Vienna, has
been putting himself to considerable
trouble In getting up experimental vol
canoes for scientific illustration. He
puts quantity Of melted sulphur in a
deep vessel, and as crust is formed by
cooling from without, he keeps hole
open to the still molten mass within.
On the top of a large granite bould-
er lying apparently on the surface of
the ground in Sheffield, is spherical
excavation constantly filled with water
even in the dryest time, yet with no
visible inlet. What makes it the more
curious is the fact that it never was
known to run over, but is always full.
If the water is dipped out it imme-
diately regains its usual fullness.
TIE microscope rcvals the fact that a
speck of potato-rot the size of pin
head contains about two hundred fe-
rocious little animals, biting and claw
ing each other savagely; and micro
scopists find in every teaspoonful of
raw sugar about a thousand of the ug-
Hest little wretches wriggling about,
with horns and daggcrs ready TO poke
them through our vitals at any moment,
and without the slightest conjunction;
in fact, they rather like it.
PROF. +. GRACE CALVERT, of Eng
land, has discovered that the carbon
ates of potash and soda possess the
same property of protecting iron and
IL
caustic state. If an iron blade is half
immersed in Il solution of either of the
above named carbonates, it eXerts SO
protective an action that that portion
of the iron which is exposed to the in
fluence of the damp atmospheric air
does not OXidizC, even after period of
two years. Similar results have been
obtained with sea water, to which have
been added the carbonatcs of potash
or soda. The application of this fact
are numerous and important.
A FOREIGN gentleman on. Basin pro-
poses TO improve the half-tints of pilot
ographic pictures by allowing some rays
of red light to enter the camera at the
same time as the rays which produce
the Photographic image To this end
four holes are made in front of the
camera, which are fitted with pieces of
glass colored red by solution of car
mine in ammonia. The red lights enter
by these holes greatly improves, it is
stated, the character of the half.tints,
and also diminishes by one-third the
time necessary for taking the impress
sion.
To AVERT EVIL is one Of the grandest
triumphs of human skill. This triumph
is achieved by DIR. Walkers VEGETA-
BILE VINEGAR BITTERs. They build up,
fortify and renovate the feeble system,
thus enabling it to defy the elemental
causes of disease. Hence their efficacy
as a protective medicine, in districts
where the air and water are impure
The weakest and most susceptible or
ganization is rendered proof against
all malarions disorders by taking one
or two doses daily as preventive.
The white of an egg has proved of
late the most cfficacious remedy for
burns. Seven or eight successive APP.
plications of this substance soothc pain,
and effectually exclude the burn from
the air. This simple remedy seems
preferable to colodion, or even cotton
Extraordinary stories are told of the
healing properties of new oil, which
is easily made from the yolk of hens
eggs. The eggs are first boiled hard,
and the yolks are then removed, crush
ed and placed over fire, where they
are carefully stirred until the whole
substance is just on the point of catch
ing fire, when the oil separates and
may be poured OIL. One yolk will yield
nearly two teaspoonfuls of oil. 1t is in
general use among the colonists of
South Russia rs a means of curing cuts,
bruises and scratches.