Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-02-02
MECHANICAL AND SCIENTIFIC.

Mr.. Hossock, an English horticultur-
list, grated the tomato on common po-
tato-both plants being species OF Soda
mum. The result was curious IN this,
that the potato roots under these circum-
stances refused to form taOerS.
A piece of carbonlzed rough basket
or waffle work has been discovered in the
interglacial coal-bed at Wetziken, Swift
zerland, giving what seems to be clear
evidence OF the existence OF man during
one of the warm intervals Of the glacial
epoch.
Magnets prepared by compress sing
iron filings in tubes have been exhibited
to the French Academy by NJ. Jamin.
When soft iron filings are forcibly COM
pressed by hydraulic pressure they ac-
quire a coerclve power equal to that of
steel.
According to Mr.. John Young, the
sandstone bottoms of iron furnaces as
slime, from the long-continued action of
heat, distinctly coumnar form, the old
lines of qualification being obliterated,
thus showing that heat, as well as cleo
tricity and mechanical force, was an
agent in the production OF the columnar
form of rocks.
The new aeronautical invention, the
parakite, has been exhibited to the public
at the Alexandra Park; but, as it was
represented only by small specimen, the
results Of the eyhi bition are not very tam
gible. The parakile, which resembles an
ordinary kite in many details, assembled
to an altitude Of Loco feet or thereabouts,
remaining steady while held by the string;
but It's descent was too rapid to suggest an
idea that it would be safe or comfortable
for human being to trust himself to it as
passenger.
M. Treve has submitted to the French
Academy new system OF signaling, with
the object Of diminishing the frequency of
collisions at sea. lie proposes to employ
signal which will permit the officer of
the watch, on perceiving a vessel short
distance ahead to make known 10 those
on board OF her the tack on which he in
tends to pass her, and that instantaneously.
The method by which this is to be accom-
plished consists in the use of green or
red fire, ignited by electricity, the means
OF joining contact beng close at hand.
The green fire would show that the helm
is put to starboard and the red that it is
put tc port This is to avoid the danger
OF collisions Through both vessels going
on the same tack.
According to a writer in the Les
W0ndes, a valuable method of eXtinguish-
ing the flames Of petroleum consists in
applying to them-when water would be
without etiect-a certain quantity Of chic
reform, the latter being absolutely unin-
hammable, and mixed with petroleum IN
the proportion of one-sixth will render
the oil also incombustible. More than
this, If litre of petroleum be poured into
shallow dish so rs TO expose the surface
OF 100 square centimeters, and then ig-
nited, fifty cubic centimeters of chloro-
form cast upon the flames will eXtinguish
them and render the remainder incapable
OF reignition. In this case, as will be
seen, the quantity of petroleum would be
nearly fifteen times that of the chloro-
form; and if similar results can be OBJ
tanned on large scale it would be .b-
vlously desirable for vessels laden with
petroleum to carry also a supply of chic
reform. For, notwithstanding the cost of
the latter substance as a preventive, it
would OF course be more advantageous to
eNpend reasonable sum in this way than
to lose much larger amount in ,he flames.