Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-07-22
CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.

] MONEN DAubs-tAu LII SAlbA lAfCh-
tor has Just patented an improvement
in weaving bags without any side
seam. 1t does this by having two
sheds of warp, and the shuttle carry
ing the weft passes through one shed,
and back through the other. This has
been done for some years in this
country; it is therefore difficult to see
Of what avail the English patent can
be II contested.
SILK IN AUsTRALIA-The Accli-
matization and Agricultural Societies
Of Great Britain have been directing
their attention to Australia as q coun-
try supposed to he well adapted to the
cultivation OF silk. 1t is now an
nounced that specimens Of japanese
cocoons, with eggs, implements, etc.,
have been forwarded to Sidney by
Sir Henry Parkes, from Yokohama,
and experiments to estthe adaptation
Of the country to silk growing will at
once be instituted.
Foo SIGNALS, An instrument pa
tented recently in England is, accord
ing to the English Mechanic, great
addition to former means OF signal
ling vessels in fogs, or by night, when
lights are not at hand. 1t is a fog
horn, with double tongues or reeds,
the tongues being tuned in unison
with each other, and vibrated by air
passed through a bellows. Small sizes
for use at ferries, easily worked by
hand, are said to make roar that
will penetrate: the densest fog to q
long distance.
PRESERVING WoOD.-A New Or
leans inventor las patented process
for preserving wood, which is des-
cribed as consisting in treating the
wood with rosin. 1t is claimed to
protect wood not only from decay, but
from insects and the teredo navals, so
that ships bottoms, if made of wood
so prepared, need not be coppereJ.
Cross-ties for railways are preserved,
it is stated, for cents each, which is
cheaper than can be done by many
other processes.
PROPELLING STREET CARS.-A New
Orleans inventor thinks he has solved
the problem of street car propulsion
by the use of tracing rope worked
along the track, either above or under
ground, the rope to be moved by the
fraction of the rope upon the traction
wheels The rope engages the wheels
in the following manner:-Three
wheels are used and the rope passing
under the two out side ones of the
group passed over the centre one,
making loop which holds very
strongly. We see very many practi.
cal difficulties in this plan, and do not
believe itean be successfully worked.
A NEW THEORY OF CoLOR.-The
three primary colors We're formerly
thought to be red, blue and yellow.
1t has been lately disputed that this
is correct, and recent experiments
have been performed to show that the
real primaries are red, green, and blue.
1t is stated by the advocates of the
new theory that yellow may be pro-
duced by the admixture Of red and
green, or rather by the production
simultaneously of the sensations of
red and green on the retina of the eye.
They claim, also, that the simultane-
Gus sensations ofred, green and blue
will produce the sensation of white.
Whether the formerly received no.
tions of color will be overthroWn by
these experiments remains to be seen.
! They will, however, doubtless serve
to show that in this field, as well as
all Others, we are very far from having
penetrated the secrets of nature.
SOMETHING NEW IN THE CANDLE
TRADE.-A London firm proposes TO
introduce into market a novel firm
candle. According to the Scientific
Review, they-"form lateral apertures
near the lower ends of candles, COM
municating from the outside with
internal longitudinal passages, which
in issuing in close proximity to the
flame, will produce q more perfect
combustion, and thus increase the
luminosity Of the candle. The lateral
apertures may be formed either by the
aid ofdrilling instruments, or by any
other suitable means; and when the
candles have enlarged, ribbed, OF
grooved lower ends, the apertures
may conveniently be made in the
grooves thereof. The Longitudinal
/ passages may extend either nearly up
to the top otthe candle, or they may
pass right through the candle.
IMPROVEMENT IN CARPETs.-Ac,
cording to the American Artisan, two
Philadelphia inventors have patented
an improved carpet 1t is thus de-
scribed:-"The carpet is composed OF
warp threads, and alternate thick and
thin filling Of welt threads usually EN-.
ployed in making carpets of this class,
The warp threads, however, in pro-
ducing the improved carpet, are raised
in couples for the thick filling, and
sihgly for the thin filling, as fully ex-
planned hereafter, so that the fabric
may be more compacted in texture
and may have a finer surface than
ordinary damask carpet, without the
consumption of more material thar
the latter requires. The sound part o,
this invention, consists in the use Of
certain shafts in combination with
the jacquard, whereby the war;
threads may be raised singly, Wills
| the jacquard raises the warp in couple.
alternately"