Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-10-29
AI.riA. GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER

WHAT A LEAF DoEs.-A leaf, says the
American Eutomologist and Botanist," pumps
water from the ground through thousands Of
mfcs in the stem of the tree, and sends it to
the atmosphere in the form of unseen mist to
be condensed and fall in showers very wa
ter that, were it not for the leaf would sink
into the earth and find its way, pe1chance,
through subterrAnean channels to the sea.
And thus it is that we see it works to give
Us the "early and the latter rain" 1t works
10 send the little rllS and streams, like lines of
silver, down the mountain and across the plain.
1t works to pour down the larger brooks which
turn the wheels that energize the machinery
which gives employment to millions-com-
merce stimulated, wealth accumulated and in
telligcnce disseminated through the agency of
this wealth The leaf does 1t all.
1t has been demonstrated that every square
inch ofleaf lifts $40 of an ounce every "A hours.
Now, a large forest tree has about five acres of
foliage, or 6,272, GAO square inches. This being
mu]tipiied by $500 1.-THE amount pumped by
every iuch, gives US the result-2, 352 ounces,
or ,le6 quarts or 294 gallous or eight barrels
in twenty-tour hours. Au acre OF grass, or
clover, or grain, would yield about the same
result. ;
The leaf is worker, too, in another field Of
labor, where we seldom look-Where 1t works
for the good Of man IN most wonderful man
uer 1t carries immense quantities Of electricity
from the earth TO the clouds, and from the
clouds to the Garth. Rather dangerous way Of
transporting lightning but it is particularly
entire as to its edges? 1t is always pointed,
and these points, whether they be large or small,
are just fitted to handle this dangerous agent.
These tiny fingers seize upon and carry 1t away
with ease and wonderful dispatch. There must
be no delay; it is time freight" True, some
times it gathers up mere than the trunk eau
carry and in the attempt to crowd aud pack
tie baggage the trunk gets terribly shattered,
and We say that iighteuing struck the tree. But
it had been struck a thousand times before.
This time is was over worked.
MINOR Works oE ART-It is singular how
important to the world are many of the little
things we pass by unnoticed. A young En-
gllSh manufacturer was once asked by a German
firm to take charge Of the glass eyes manufac-
,ured exclusively by them for dolls. He was
about to decline the commission as likely to
give more trouble than it was worth, when he
was shown by the foreign firm that the trade
usl ass eyes amounted to some twenty thou
sand dollars annually. The man who invents
ue" Wy tiat oeeomeS Popu'ai, honoS "pio
fortune, though the mechanism may be OF the
slightest and cheapest; the man who writes
taking song, however foolish it may be, is GER
tain also OF his five or ten thousand dollars.
From children to men we must be amused, and
We are willing to pay the price. Look at the
little ivory billiard balls: they are very simple,
perfectly round ah there's the defect. Any
one who remedies it can sit down at his ease
aud have money poured into his pocket Balls
made of ivory. even when they are quite new
are not of the same density throughout and
consequently do not run perfectly true. Making
II em of glass and steel has been tried, but
without success. Collender, the billiard table
manufacturer, has standing offer of $4,000
unclaimed for ten years, to any one who invents
u proper substitute for the present billiard ball.
The nearest approach to the genuine ele-
phant" thus far is the composition balls made
Of compressed paper for core. with an outer
eating of colodion and other materials. Ivory
hliuks exactly the same as wood, Z. e, with the
vain, and the knowledge Of this fact led to
tie aboishiug Of all ivory scales formerly used
10 the British Survey Offices. Various means
have been proposed to season the ivory in addi-
ton to that in general use-keeping in pertorat-
ed boxes, or in nettiDg-buJ the result Is only
skin deep seasoning Mr.. Colender had
the first chemists 10 this country experiment.
ihg with various methods OF seasoning the
ivory used in making billiard balls, aud without
material success Another plan is now on trial
with indications of ultimate success; but the
Process is trade secret.-Bok. Gazette.
A WoULD.BE MoNARcH's ABODE. The
Count of Chamboard, with an-income Of e2O.
ooo, is coutent to iuhabit the ground floor OF
frohsd dorf Castle, his residence. His reception
room is plain. The furniture represents the
style OF the latter part of the last century, the
Proprietor having an extreme dislike of what
he calls "gcwgaws" The prospect from the
windows is splendid, embracing range of
hills thickiy wooded with fir tress. His closet
contains large variety of heavy walking
sticks, their owner being lame, aud an equally
Varied assortment Of sporting impliments, the
r"un having inherited from his grandfather,
Charles \, who was the crack shot Of his time,
decided taste for sporting. His favorite seat
easy chair, made entirely from gigantic
stay. horns and upholstered with stag skins.
llIs father, the Duke of Berri, was very corpu-
ent and the Count ipherits the paternal obesl-
y, His statue is less than five feet uine incbes
aud his age is ftty-three. He speaks good
zeal Of Versailles, and thinks that the bed OF