Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-01-25
Scientific N0lca.

Scientific Notes.
MoRE than 1000 tons of ore are an
nually consumed in Statfordshire, Eng
land, in tho manufacture of cast-lron
nails, which are tempered in oxide OF
iron after they arc taken from the
moulds, and made mnlleable.
The latest report from Tasmania in
regard to the experiments for intro
ducing salmon and front into that coun
try shows that while the success of the
cultivation of both is extremely proba.
bic, the existence of trout of large size
is unmistakable.
Mn. SIEMENs, the wcll.known tele-
graphist, has invented n photometer,
by which it has been shown that the
SUMS rays penetrate to u depth of 100
fathOms beneath the surface OF the sea,
instead of only 80 lathoms, as had been
supposed.
PRoF. WURTz announces his convic-
ton, founded on induction from known
facts, that throughout the middle tier
of counties of Western New York, and
in other large sections of the United
States, every house ought to be warmed
and lighted by gus drawn from the
earth, "without money and without
price"
ARTIFICIAL GR1NDsroNEs.-Ane new ap-
pllcation of the method of manufacture
ing artificial stone by the Ransom pro
cess, lately introduced, consists in sub
,pks, fn,s kNn1r 0f
which emery discs Of great hardness
are now constructed, which are doing
excellent service in sharpen ing saws
and other implements.
Mr.. GREBAuT states that fishes
breathe in part through their skin, like
insects. He finds nearly as great a
change in the composition of the gases
contained in water, when fish is sus-
pended up to his g;Ils, as when it is
wholly immersed. The presence or ab,
sence of the swimming bladder does
not perceptibly affect the products of
respiration.
IMPROVING THE QUARRY OF SoAP.-A
patent has been taken out in England
for the preparation of an improved
quality of soap from the poorer, yellow
or brown kinds, For this purpose a
solution OF % pounds of hypo sulphite
of soda, in four gallons of water, is to
be heated with two and half hundred
weight of raw soap The product OBJ
tanned is lighter in color than the COM
mon article, hard and firm, and of SUI
perior quality.
The HoosAc TUNNEL, according to a
roc ent official ronort hoo IN, IN Nooon,
her 81, 1871, required an expenditure
of sc, 1916, 1872, exclusive of interest,"
When the present contractors assumed
the management, 9,341 feet had been
opened, and on December l, 1874, the
work hnl been advanced by 1887 feet,
making total of IL. O78 feet, and leav-
ing 1858 feet to be excavated. The
central shaft has been finished, aud
DETECTING ADU1rERAr1oN OF SILK
GooDs. easy method of detecting
authorizations of silk goods with other
tibres consists in immersing sample
of the article in question in hydroch-
loric acid. This is an energetic solvent
of silk, aud removes it in q very short
time, leaving the wool or cotton unaf-
fected, ut least for considerable per-
|
end consists in dropping little of the
acid on the sample, when, if pure silk,
hole will be made, if impure threads
left will indicate the nature and extent
of the adulteration,
A CITIZEN of Vermont has made q
discovery in tanning leather, which he
claims will revolutionlze the business.
The material he uses is dye from forest
leaves. He has been experimenting
with leaves for the past two months,
and the result is SAID to be entirely
satisfactory. One ton of leaves will
tan Us much leather as five cords of
hemlock bark, and will do the work in
one-half that time. By mixing the
leaves and bark in equal proportions,
one fourth the time is saved. The
leather tanned BY. this process is ssmooth
er and more flexible, and yet retains
the strength of the raw hide in a great
er degree than that TANNED by bark.
A CEMENT to resist sulpburic acid, it
is reported, may be made by melting
caoutchouc by gentle heat, and
adding f,om six to eight per cent. OF
the weight of tallow, keeping the whole
we'll stirred. Then mix in enough dry
slalked lime to make the whole of the
consistency of soft paste, and finally
add twenty per cent. of red lead, where
by the mass, which would otherwise re.
main soft, becomes hard and dry. This
cement, it is asserted, resists boiling
sulphuric acid. A solution of caout-
chouc in twice its weight of raw inseed
oil, aided by heating, and the addition
of an equal weight of pipe clay, yields
plastic mass, which also resists most
acids.
HYDRoFua1NE.-As substance called
hydrofugine, hasrecently been brough,
into use for the purpose of rendering
fabrics waterproof, without interfering
with the circulation of the air through
them. The method of preparing the
compound is as follows In one of two
pans, each of a capacity of about five
alumina cut in thin slices; into the 9th
er pour eight pounds of oleic acid, anG
about gallon and half of alcohol
Stir in order to properly mix them, ani
then pour gradually the contents of til.
second pan into the first, stirring nj
the time with a wooden pallet for about
twenty minutes. When the mixture
is complete, allow it to settle for abou
p hours. The alcohol and the olei,
acid, which floats on the top, can b,
poured of, and the precipiate is placed
in q felt filter, and submitted to .
strong pressure in order to obtain 8
solid cake. This cake is removed ant
dried in moderately hot stove, ant
afterwards reduced to powder. Thi
powder is prepared for use for woolel
fabrics by mixing and dissolving on,
pound in about 20 gallons of water. -
For silk, linen and other fabrics, ON
and a half pounds of the powder vii
be required for every 20 gallons of wa
ter. The solutions are to be passe,
through sieve before dipping the ia
brics, which should be completely sat
urated and afterwards removed IN.
dried, when, it is asserted, they will b.
found to be impervious to water, bu
not to air.
A Singular Fowl.
Recently, while two men were hunt
ing in Allegan county, Michigan, the
came to place Is miles north of ALE
gan, in a big pine forest, several mile
from any house, and met with fow
tracks, which from their size they sup
posed to be wild turkey tracks. Fol
lowing them little way they sighted
queer-lookin8 black fowl, and Symond
blazed away, killing it. 1t proved t.
be big Poland hen, but so marked a