New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-26
APPLIED SCIENCE.

be produced, which VIII halueh lu "io w. ,,.o4
or eight hours The addition of powdered Suipn''.'
of anthony will give rise to black mass su'o' e.
BILE of high polish and capable OF TeeehiIS oss n of
luster. Fine irOn-dust gives gray =; sod be
great hardness Zinc castings can, ~ -, 80 nd zinc
readily repaired by paste Oh soi"'V e
dust.
TEMPERrNG STEEL GRivERs, DRILLS ~C'-A00o i"-
ing 70 Schiitgleder of G6sling watchmaKors tempe,
che ,o;nts of drills Sc, that they can DO used
upon steel tempered in the ordinary way py heuins
them 20 q white heat and inserting them into hard
sooIincvvax allowing them TO remain but second
Then 5usbing them into another part OF the way
and again quickly Withdrawing To repeat me opeIa-
ron In N fresh spot. until they are 100 cool 10 poI
troie the wax The tool is 20 be moistened WIN
tnrpentine when used
IMPROVEMENT IL PUDpLING IRoN,-According TO
Tb, ,Jonyncl Of he Franklin Institute, a successful
experiment has been made in Germany in the direc-
ZION of improving the qualities of pig iron by pud-
ding in contact with small percentage of tuor-
spar The object Of this is to remove the phosphorus
Of the iron. TO which its Objectionable qualities are
dine and the result ii is said, has been 20 produce
fbrous bar iron, not at al eold-Snolt al'iousn tae
pig iron employed was OF poor qualli[, ln cohse-
quence Oh containing a large proportion Oh PhoS-
phorus
ADUITER lTION OF BONE-DUST By VEGETABLE
IvoRY.--It has been asceTained that tho powder OF
the vegetable vorynUJ is used very largely for the
adulteration If bone-dust being so similar as to be
very difficult of distinction. Even the microscope
scarcely furnishes a satisfactory means of dotermn-
ing the facts in the case especially if the external
envelope of the fruit has been carefully removed.
The best method, however short OF chemical
analysis is said to consist in throwing the suspected
substance upon hot Goals. If vegetable ivory be
present pleasant odOr like that of roasted coffee,
viii be Immediately diitused white Done-diss
proportion Of the two substances can only be deter
mined by chemical analysis
PRESENTATION OF HAIRS FOR THE HATTER.-A
method of treating animal hair for the uses of the
halter, which has been kept secret for long time,
is now known to consist in the application of solu-
ton of the nitrate Of mercury for the purpose OF
preventng the putrefactiOn of the fiber. This sub
stance however, is known to be very deletor0us
both to the health of the workmen and TO the I'M
plements Of the trade and, quite recently carbohc
acid or creosote has been used TO great ADVANTAGE
as a substitute This has the property not only OF
preserving the animal matter hut OF CAUSING ene
hairs to contract. thus rendering them more apt 10
felt The subsequent treatment OF the hoeT Is ac
corfinr TO the usual process and the carbolc acid
oT the carbOlates if prefeTred may be adGed 10 le
Oeaginous or asiIingent elements used by hatterS'
Production OF NITRITEs IN THE SoIL-ln an art-
Gle by Dr. Jeannel upon the production of nitTtes III
the soil and upon the function of humus it is stated
that the calcareous humus the vegetable earth, IN
driving determines the combination OF the elements
of the atmosphere in the form Of nitric acid, which
is Immediately saturated by the lime In this way
NAV be explained the bauennesS of land destitute
Of lime and hat of pure peat and the necessity OF
adding calcareous substances, Independently Oh the
recognized requirements of lime as an element III the
constitution of the plants.
The renewal of the oxygenated combinations OF
nitrogen in the calcareous humus is an important
fertility of lands
alternating between frequent rains and dry heat, as
in the season of 1872 these alterations being in
fact equivalent to an addition OF manure. IHls re-
iterated renewal and the singular ahnlty Oh the hu-
mus for the soluble salts, especially those OF am
mOnia explain the effect of fertilizng substances IN
fallow lands. 1t also elucdates the 1eruhzlng IN
fuences of tlage which multplles the surfaces eX-
,,osed 70 the alterations of moisture and dryneSs.
The ntrates and ntrites formed at the expense OF
the atmosphere by the cacareous humus are reduced
by the humus itself, and the vegetable matter IN
general to condition of inferior OXldatOn, Whlcn
probably paves the way for the absorption OF nitro
gen by the roots and il is highly probable that the
nitric acid is replaced, little by LITTLE by the car
bOnic acid In the air.
EXPERIMENTS on SUBSTITUTE FOR PERUVIAN
GU1NO-In experiments made by Prof J0rgeDsen
phosphate of lime Baker guano) soda, potash,
sulphates of magnesia hme and ammonia, and sta
BILE manure, in different combinations, it was found
that with barley the best results were obtained by
the simultaneous application of sulphate Of am
mOnia phosphate of lime, the akalies, and suphates
of lime and magnesia. About the same followed the
use of stable manure The preparations of sulphate
of ammonia and phosphate of lime came next, the
ntrOgenOus matter seeming TO assist in the solution
of the mineral ingredients Of the soil. The results
with other combinations were better than on I'M
snanured portions. The average results were very
good as the soil was naturally good one had been
well MANFRED in previous years, was thoroughly
drained and kept Clean and it was only in the last
years of the experiments that the above differences
manifested themselves In one particularly Dry
season the portion treated with stable manure was
most productive, and the unmanured portion next IN
dicating, that dry seasons concentrated artificial
fertilizers had an injurious rather than Denehclal
effect. Stable manure, on the contrary, seemed not
only TO generate moisture in its decomposition, but
also TO attract moisture from the atmosphere. With
beans the second best crop was obtained by the use
of alkalies alone OF combined with other manures
The general results seem TO substanlate the oDser
walton that the use OF mixture OF all the tertlzers
essential 70 plant growth especially OF the three IN
which the soil is deficient, viz. nitrogen potash and
.phOsphoric acid is better than employing them
separately; since one, by reason OF the accidental
TO exert its full effect. The author concludes that
il is possible, by mixture of the active ingredients
Of Peruvian guano, to produce substitute Tor that
fertilizer.
COMPARATIVE TEMPERATURE OF SoLs.-A me-
moir was published by Beequerel in November 1872
upon the comparative temperature of soils at given
depth, and of the same composition; but the one
covered with a short vegetation and the other bare
and sandy. The observations were made with the
electric thermometer by which it shown that
from the Autumn of 1871 to the Summer of 1872, the
mean temperature. at depth from inches to "a,
der a turfed and under a bare soil, was always
different in the two; and that. during all the months
of the year. the temperature of the sOdded soil was
generally higher than that under the denuded sur
face.
further inquiry was entered into as to the effect