The Russellville Democrat., 1877-07-26
NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE.
A BooouEr BAROMETER.


 has been turned to tasteful and in- genious purpose in France. Artihcial flowers are colored with a composition into which the chloride enters, and when the leaves are in dry and bright atmos- phere they turn deep blue, but when the air is moist and the day is dull they be- come deep purple. Thus vase of these flowers so colored forms tolerably ser viceable barometer.
 PHOTOGRAPHS AT NIGHT.
 The business of taking photographs at night is said to be gaining popularity in London. The Manutactarer and Builder states that the new process IS patronlzed by people on their way home from dinner or the opera. A son of the editor ot that paper is practically engaged in the busi- ness. which is scarcely likely to find much favor except in a foggy climate. The method might be useful, however, even here, when photographs for cngray- ings have to be made in haste on cloudy days.
 OLD WINE.
 The oldest wine in the world was re- gently discovered by M. Berthelot, in the Borelly museum, at Marseilles. Among the antiquities there he found class vessel which had been taken from an ancient Roman cemetery at Aries. The vessel had been closed by melting the upper portion. It contained colored liquid which analysis showed to be wine, with fair percentage Of alcohol and the other usual constituents of fer mented grape juice. It is supposed to have been an offering to the dead.
 EGYPTIAN PETROLEUM.
 It appears from the experiments oof Dr. We'll that Egyptian petroleum has a specific gravity of 0.953. The Pennsyl- yanian and Canadian oils have a specific gravity ranging from 0,790 to 0,S30. The Egvyptian variety gives very fine lu- bricating oil, free of all tarry matter; but as an Illuminating oil it is inferior to American oils. It is better adapted, however, to serve as fuel for steam generators, as it does not take fire until it attains temperature of 1856. ARTIFICIAL BUTTER. Oleamargarine, when sold as butter or employed to adulterate it, can easily be detected by the following simple methods suggested by Prof. G. Lechartfer: Ex- anime the butter under the microscope, and if it appears to be composed of ovoid granules without any crystals it IS both fresh and genuine. and it has never been melted to be mixed with grease. Melt the butter, and if it turns at once to clear oil, it is pure but oleamargarine, or butter containing it, will melt slowly at the same temperature and first form a whitish sort of sauce.
 LoCUsTs AND DEAD FISHES. This is great year for the study of natural history. The latest interesting problem is whether there is any connec- tion between the appearance of the sevcnteen-year locusts and the mortality among the fish in the Delaware river. In 1860, it is stated, the fish in that river and the ponds throughout the Delaware valley died in large numbers, and this year, with the return of the locust, the piscatory mortality is renewed. There is theory that the fish die from eating locusts which drop into the river, but large number of dead fish having been examined, in only one of them was a locust found; SO that it would appear that the recurrence of the fish-all is only a coincidence.
 FERN LORE.
 "The Fern World" is the title of new book by Mr. Heath, author of "The Fern Paradise" The volume, which is in the press, deals with the structure, classification, distribution, uses, and folklore" of ferns, fern culture, "fern hunting" etc. It will include descrip- tions oi rambles through the combes and glens of north Devon. Considerable I~o x~ Ln distribution, and culture Of British ferns, and the text will be illustrated through out by colored Autographs of fern groups, printed from nature, etc.
 DIvIsIBILITY OF GOLD.
 The divisibility of gold almost sur passes belief. MT. A. E. Outerbridge, IT,, of the Philadelphia assay office, recently exhibited before the Franklin institute some thin films of gold obtained by elec- tric deposition upon copper and alter ward detached. These pieces of gold leaf were transparent, and gave green color to transmitted light. Mir. Outer bridge has thus produced films of gold SO thin that one grain of the metal would cover nearly four square feet. This is ten thousand times thinner than ordinary writing paper, and 2,79S, coo of such films together would only make one inch.
 A PENNSYLVANIA INSECT.
 There is general notion that only tropical countries are infested with ants that are capable of doing serious damage. This. it appears, is mistake. There is black Carpenter ant" whose name, Forn,jca Pennsylcania, indicates it's resi- dence, that is capable ot eflectiHs much destruction in woodwork. The Rev. Dr. McCook has seen rafter which these ants had penetrated to an extent of five or six feet of its length, completely honey -cembing it. The rafter was in the roof of porch The attention of the Philadelphia academy of sciences was called to the matter, as it is evident that such penetration of wooden struc- lures, and especially bridges, might cause their unexpected fall Wooden bridges need at least as frequent and as thorough inspection as iron structures.
 PLANTING WHITE SKIN ON A BLACK MAN.
 Says the Ahhevlle, N. C., Medium: There is a coal black man in our icinitv who will soon have stomach covered with as white democratic skin as ever
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