The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-06-11
CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.

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CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.
AT the iron-works belonging to Sir J
Browne & Co., at Sheffield England
iron nails are now cut by means of
| circular, toothless disc of iron, which i.
driven at the rate of from 1000 to 8, OOC
revolutions per minute. The same sys
TEN was tried in some of the Londor
works many years ago, bit for some
reason it was abandoned. It appears
now likely to become more generally
employed.
THE lifting strain of balloon is prin
cipally on the net. If a balloon will
stand imitation, it is safe in mid-air. In
winter the atmosphere is warmer one
mile above the clouds than it is at the
earth's surface. The weight of bal.
loon to carry one man including net and
basket, shouldnot exceed eighty pounds.
A cotton balloon will last for about sixty
ascensious. A balloon thirty feet in
diameter undefgoes q strain of II TBS.
to the SQUARE foot Of surface. Gas,
which at the earth fills the bag only
half full, will, at an elevation of 81
miles. expand SO as to fill it completely.
One thousand feet of coal gas will raise
50 TBS. Gas which gives poor light is
the best for aerostatics. Kites can be
used to steer balloons by sending them
up or lowering them into currents of air
travelling in different directions rom
that in which the balloon is sailing.
THE GREAT CLOCK 1T VENICE On
the dial plate of the great rCL tLa
twenty-four hours are market vltL til
signs of the zodiac and the hs4eO of
the moon. Above this is nc M1]orna,
sitting in state upon p1atforra between
two doors. On grand religious festi-
walls, such as Epiphany and Ascension,
the door on the right of the Virgin
opens, and out walks an angel with a
big trumpet, which he blows, and then
bowling to Madonna, passes on; he is
followed by three gentlemen represent
ing three Moorish monarchs, or three
wise men, or the three sacred kings,
one of whom is black as night. These
all pause and bow before the Virgin
and the whole party pass through the
door on her left, which Immediately
closes after them. On the platform is
a huge bell, beside which stand two
giant figures, who strike the hour with
sledge- hammers, while above all is the
lion of s.. Mark, with outstretched
wings.
NATURAL CURTosITtEs IN Ell DORADO
CANYoN.-The Virginia Enterprise has
the following interesting account of
sfme natural curiosities in the Ell Do
RADIO Canon. The rocks forming the
walls OF the canon, and the whole region
of country through which the canon
holds its course, at once attract the
the attention of the visitor as being
sedimentary, while On all sides volcanic
rocks cover the face of the country.
The rock prevailing along and about
Ell Dorado Canyon is a course species OF
sandstone, and this, in many place
has been carved by time and til
elements into all manner of fanciluI
shapes. In passing up the canon. .
first curious object seen is what strik-
ingly resembles q wharf with 8everal
rows of grain in sacks piled thereon
The rocks thus piled up in rows IRE of
the shape. size and color of r6c S of
grain. The resemblance is SC ctri, ing
that no one who sees it ever thnx of
calling it any thing else than a whar,
or levee. Some distance above this is
seen in the rocks large cavern. This,
in the early days, was called Winnie
mucca's cave. What name it may now
bear we do not know. It is simply
huge oven-shaped cavity in the face of
a tall rock forming the east wall of the
canyon. A short distance above this
cave is beautiful natural bridge or
arch of rock. II stands some distance
up the bank from the channel of the
canon, End is thirty or forty feet in
height 1t would pass very welt for the
ruins of a triumphal arch, there being
what seems to be the remains of ttlrrets
rising above the two massive columns
the arch. In several places
are seen cliffs of rock which benr a
striking resemblance to ruined castles
and old abheys. It is in this sand stone
region that the Virginia City Coal COM
pany have opened what appears to be
an almost inexhaustible mine of Iigni'e
or brown coal. In 1860, when few
white men had explored the canyon, we
found in the little flats along it's course,
up toward its head, numer-
Gus patches of wild flax-fax precisely
similar in every respect TO that so long
cultivated in all parts of the
civilized world. At the time we saw it,
the fax was in full bloom, and we
gathered some stocks of it and sent
them to an agricultural society in Iowa.
where they are still preserved, together
with dozen or more varieties of clover |
Indigenous to this state, and many new |
grasses and flowers. The only respec |
IN which this Wild fax differs from the
tame" or cultivated is that it spring
Up from the root year after year til
same as timothy and some other grasses,
whereas the cultivated variety must be |
'Own every year. We have always beer
aught to believe that fax was orr,
nally brought from Egypt, but it would
'eem that it has bloomed in Washoa as
ong as in the land of the Pharaohs.
The Piutes for agss have used its lint
n spinning Irvine for use in making
let's for taking fish and rabbits