Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-06-19
Scientific Notes.


A STRONG solution of chloride of zinc
will dissolve all the silk threads from
fabric, and leave the cotton threads un-
touched.
AN experiment in the use of gas for
heating locomotives has been made ON
the railway between Rouen and Or
leans, in France. The result is said to
favorable.
The liquor known as vermouth was
the subject of paper by NJ E. De.
cais1e, recently read before the Paris
Academy Of Sciences, in which it is
recommended that tho use of this
compound Us a drink should be aban-
doned.
The co)ors of natural flowers exposed
to the smoke of cigar are so effected
by it that blue and violet flowers turn
green, carnaine red flowers turn yellow.
So says the American Chemist, on the
authority of German technical Jour-
nal.
DURING the past winter the ventila-
ton OF the Mount Gents tunnel was
found to be bad, and persons connected
with the trains have suffered on this
account. This matter would hardly
seem to have had the attention from
engineers which it deserves.
One of the most valuable veins of
iron>o ore in this country has been re-
Gently opened at Baskerville, Va. The
ore is hematite, yielding fit per cent.
iron, and requiring only ton and a
quarter Of coal to produce ton of
metal. There is no silica or sulphur
in it.
EMANUEL, in his work on diamonds
and precious stones, tells us that in
order to ascertain when any defect or
color exists in a stone, it is sufficient to
breathe upon it. Professor Orion says
that the imperfections may be readily
detected by putting it into oil of cassia.
The death of the young hippopota-
mus in the geological gardens at Am
sterlam, leaves Guy Fawkes," of Re-
gents Park, London, the only living
specimen of this animal born in Eu-
rope. He is in excellent health, and it
is hoped that he may live to attain
maturity.
The Information of flies in Russia
presents some curious phenomena,
which have lately been investigated by
NJ. Goubareff. He found that perfectly
torpid flies became active on exposure
to warmth of one hundred and six
and quarter degrees Fahrenheit, and
were again reduced to their torpid
condition on lowering the temperature.
THE Journal OF the Franklin. Institute
says that French inventor proposes
to photograph dispatches to micro
scOpic fineness, and blow them through
o tube sunk in the streets of Dover.
When at their destination the dis
patches could be enlarged again. BY
this method long dispatches could be
sent about as cheaply and expeditions.
" as short ones.
A CONVENIENT ink for the use of trav.
elers was exhibited at recent meeting
of the Frakfort Polytechnic Associa.
ton. 1t consists OF sheets of white
blotting paper saturated with aniline
black, dried and pasted together SO az
to form o pad. To prepare it for use,
q small piece is torn off and soaked il
little water, thus forming excellen,
ink.
IT is said that o well made steel raj
will last as long as sixteen iron ones,
the traffic over them being the same.
The Louisville, Nashville and Great
Southern, as we'll as many other rail
roads running to Louisville, are rapid
" replacing the old iron rails on theil
lines with those of steel. Steel rails
are usually imported direct from Car
diff; Wales.
The points of drills, etc., used by
watchmakers to use upon ordinary
steel are tempered by heating them tc
q white heat and inserting them into
hard sealing wax, allowing them to
remain but a second, and then pushing
them into another part of the wax and
again quickly withdrawing, to repeat
the operation in fresh spot until they
are too cool to penetrate the wax. The
tool is to be moistened with turpentine
when used.
DIR. ANDERSON, who accompanied the
British expedition in 1868 to the valley
of the Tapping, mentions very singu.
lar method by which the natives OF
Sanda Valley contrive to conceal gold
and precious stones. Sits are made
through the skin of their chests or
necks, and the coins or stones forced
beneath, che wound being allowed to
heal. When the valuable objects are
wanted, second cut is made upon
the spot, and they are extracted.
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