New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-14
APPLIED SCIENCE.

PAPER IMITATION OF LEATHER.-A most deceptive
imitation of leather is manufactured according 10
nrocess discovered by Dawidowski, from parchment
naper II is as soft and pliabe as leather, and re-
sembes it perfectly in colcr and finish, and IKE u.
can be glued, pressed stamped, gilded. &C ~
therefore forms perfect substitute ios i"1 ~
leather for very many purposes. AS pn md - not
books it resists abrasion extremely u also free from
Affected by dirt even water - a st., since II
the objections 10 leather as hnihg ioi ""''' ''"
Is unaffected by perspiration.
wuyr,. WITH INDIA RUBBER TIRE.-Messrs. Bird
A. Co of London have lately brought into notice
now and improved wheel, with 1ndia-ubber tire
which is claimed to be capable of wearing as long as
ar longer than an iron tire and to have the great ao
vantage of perfect noseessncss and absence ol III
,urious Jar The draught of the carriage Is sald 10
be reduced by the use of this tire nearly one-thrd
Il appears to be simply tire OF soha Iuopf f,,
fastened ON the exterior Of an ordinary wheel Dy
hos sueh os are used with iron ties, and it may be
thinner than the usual kind merely serving the
pnrpose of band TO hold the WOODWORK hrhliy
together.
VALUE OF JUTE FOR FABRICs.-The place which
iute now occupies among raw materials wrought
into useful articles, in Great Britain, may be IN
ferred from the fact that tho quantity annually i'm
ported nearly equals that of flax. 1t is used not
saly for the production of various kinds of coarse
70 q very great extent for womens chignOns. Ac-
cordina TO Dr. Hodges. the difficulties hitherto eA-
perienced in bleaching Jute may De reinoSeu 10y ~
passing the raw material excessively through patns
of alkaline solutions and of hypOchlorlte OF nagneS
and soda In practice jute may be dlstlneusned
from hemp by its striking deep golden yellow Win
aDiline sulphate.
DECOMPOSITION OF EGGs.-According to Mr.. Will
liam Thompson of Manchester the decomposition OF
eggs may be brought about by any one OF three dit
mt 1x.xo q 1rtfp
CELL is generated from the yolk this swelling and
absorbing or mixing entirely with the white, and
ending with true putrefacton. The second is that
of the vbrio the germs of which floating as they do
through the atmosphere when settling on the moist
surface of an egg, readily penetrate into it, and set
in motion the putrefactive condition; but when the
shell is dry such penetration is Impossible. Tue
third is fungus decomposition, In when the spores
penetrate within the shell as before, sending ha-
mentS through the egg and converting the whlte INTO
the consistency of strong jelly the flaments being
sometimes so abundant as TO cause the whole con-
tents to resemble q hard-bolled egg.
VERY SIMPLE AND CHEAP FOUNTAIN PEN.-In
spite of the recognized deSirabllity of pen that
will retain supply of ink for some time, no one
of the various and more or less complicated forms
of so-caled fountain-pens has proved entirely sat-
isfactory although generally comparatively expen-
sive. According to the following plan suggested by
Engineer Klette any one can in few minutes con-
struct pen of the kind that will be perfectly sat
isfactory Two ordinary steel pens are fixed in the
same holder in such a way that they may be sepa-
rated by a space of about 195 of an inch. and that
the point of the upper one may be little above that
of the other. BY selecting Tor the upper pen one
with bend in the middle. this will be most readily
accomplished. In dipping into the ink, 10 rises aud
fills the space between the pens and nows down
gradually wanted IN writing
AMETHoD OF RAISING AND LOWERING TIE SCREW
sPA PROPEILER.-Mr. Harand of Belfast gave an
account before the British Association of his method
Cor raising and lowering the screw propeller in ships,
semarking that during some voyages and especially
across the Atlantic the line of the side OF the
ship was very often such as TO leave an ordinary
screw half exposed. Under those circumstances the
engine has only half work TO do. aud consequently
is apt to run OIL at such speed as to iDjure the
machinery. To prevent this he has devised q simple
method of lowering the screw enabling the engineer
IN heavy weather to keep the vessel going much
steadicr with very little reduced spced. large
amount of power was thus utilized, with the adj
vantage of a uniform motion. In the normal
position Of the screw the tip should be in line with
the keel bat when the vessel is in more water than
she really requires. the screw can be lowered IN
vOlving no change in the speed OF the engine. 10
prevent the screw coming in contact with fisher
mems nets, other obstacles, small shoe can be
slipped under it if necessary. Mr.. Harland's in
ventiOn includes also method OF elevatng the
screw, to avoid contact with Ice or other nOating
objects and to enable it to be repaired without the
necessity of actually taking the vessel into dock
The operation of raising and lowering the screw IS
Seadily and rapidly performed by means Of a small
engine on the deck. The invention of Mr. Harland
was regarded by experts present ut the meeting as
being one of the most important ever introduced
into steam navigation.
SUBSTITUTE FOR IvORY.-A substance under
the name of cellulod, the invention of Mr.. Hyatt
of Albany, orr gnally intended as a substitute for
ivory IN the manufacture of billiard balls, possesses
qualities which render it applicable to great va
riety of manufactures. As originally prepared it
consisted of a combination Of soluble cotton and
ether or alcohol, but it was subsequently, ascer-
tanned chat still satisfactory result could be
obtained by the addition of camphoF to the alco
bol and, finally, camphor alone was mixed with
the ground cotton pulp, which hardens in drying
and becomes "cellulod." This substance-which
rs maintained by the inventor to be truly chemi
cal compound and not mechanical mixture-can
be colored in any way desired. The varying de-
gIees of soidty and fexibility required are OBJ
tanned bv the different proportions of the camphor.
The substance j. naturally of pale amber color,
but NAV be made of any tint by the application OF
mineral pigments dyes soluble in alcohol, or any
of the auilIne culOrS may be employed.
Cellrlc.d is hard and elastic, ranging in hardness
from that Of iron to ivory IL is as tough as whale
bone, elasticity being one OF ITS most prominent
characteristics In this respect il greatly exceeds
iyory Ii makes good lnsulatOrs for knobs of tele-
graphic instruments for insulating posts for electT
sal machines sld for teleCrapic wires a. although
n good ncn-c0nddctOr it Is rot perceptlby electric.
1t well adapted 10 the manufacture OF combs, ana
is largely used in the preparation OF dental plates
il can bo made OF precisely the color Of the
palate and gums st a temperature OF 2'O' TO 800.
companies have been started for the manufacture of
different objects from ceilulOd two IN Newark,