The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-12
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Interesting Scientific Notes.

Interesting Scientific Notes.
R1Nas.-Springs are formed by the
intervention of clay and sand strata.
the former holding water, and the latter
permitting it's free passage.
SE1F-W1NDMa C1ooK.-An inventor
describes an automatic clock, in which
the winding machinery is operated by
the alternate expansion and contraction
of glycerine, or other suitable iquid.
A piston, on the surface of the glycerine
is so connected with ratchet wheels and
toothed racks that motion in either di
rection will wind up the weight. BE
thinks that the contrivance will be es'
pecially valuable for self.registering me-
neurological Instruments.
YELLOW GLASS FOR SPEoTAonEs. -
Yellow glass gives greater rest to the
eyes than either blue or green, and OBJ
jects at distance can be seen more dis
tinctly with than without it. At rifle
practice the yellow glass was found te
take off all the glare Of the light without
impeding vision, and allowed the men
to see the targets most distinctly. Yel'
low glass cuts off chemical rays, and,
perhaps, on that account has less in.
furious effect on the eyes. .....
PROCURING FRESH WATER FROM SEA
WATER.-A method of procuring fresh
water from sea water through the direct
action of the suns rays is among the
foreign Inventions. The apparatus con-
sists of box of wood one inch thick,
about fourteen feet long, two feet wide,
and of an average depth of slx inches.
The upper part Of the box is closed with
ordinary glass, which has an inclination
of an inch and o half. At the lower
edge of the glass there is semi-circular
channel, destined to receive the fresh
water which is condensed on the inte-
rior surface of the glass. The operation
is entirely simple. The salt water is let
into the box for about an inch in depth,
and is then exposed to the rays Of the
sun. A very active evaporation then
begins, and it is found that square
metre of glass will condense daily the
amount Of two gallons Of pure water.
A CHEAP TE1RPHoNR.-Professor Bar
rett, in recent lecture on the telephone,
gave (says Naturs) recipe for making
cheap one. Take q wooden tooth
powder box and make hole about the
size of half:crown in the lid and the
bottom. Take disc of timed iron, such
as can be had from preserved meat tin,
and place it on the outside of the bottom
of the box, and fix the cover on the
other side of it. Then take small bar
magnet, place on one end a small cotton
or silk reel, and round the reel wind
some iron wire, leaving the ends loose.
Fix one end of the magnet near-as near
as possible without touching-to the
disc, and then one part of the telephone
is complete. A similar arrangement is
needed for the other end. The two are
connected by the wire, and with this
Professor Barrett says he has been able
10 converse at q distance of about 100
yards.
ARTIFICIAL GEMs.-What We popular
ly call paste is technically known as
strass; this is also the French word for
the same substance (from M. Strass, its
repuied inventory. Paste, then, is a
material with which diamonds are i'm
itated, and by mixing up with it metallic
oxides of different kinds, cclors in great
variety are impaired to the paste, by
which it serves as representative OF the
various colored gems. Strass is prepared
from silica, potash, borax and oxide OF
lead, and sometimes arsenic. The cru
chile in which the materials are melted
claims particular attention, since, if the
substance of which it is formed contains
metallic particles, color would be i'm.
parted to the strass. Hard porcelain
and Hessian clay arc the best materials
for this purpose. When the crucibles
are supplied with lie proper quantity OF
ingredients. they are placed in q porce-
lain furnace. where they are exposed to
a steady heat for twenty.four hours, and
then allowed to cool very slowly, 80 that
q kind OF annealing goes on. By this
means is produced a strass or paste
which, after passing through the hands
of the lapidary, who gives it the form
necessary for setting, presents us with
an imitation of the diamond.
Far m Notes.
Use only tin pals fer milking.
Sunaower seed is good for poultry.
Keep the poultry house clean and
tidy.
For lawns SOW grass seed without
grain.
Clover is one OF the best and cheapest
fertilizers.
Uabuckle a harness before cleaning
and oiling it.
Good wheat produces seventy-four pei
cent. OF fine flour.
There is no certain remedy yet known
for the pear blight.
Mulching is nearly as good as cultiva-
ton for strawberry plants.
If you would clear your house OF rats,
kerosene one and let him 90.
A dose Of paint is a preventive Of
loose-jointed farm implements.
Apple trees, when planted in good
soil, should be set forty feet apart.
Never, under any circumstances, leave
your milk-strainer at the barn over
night.
Plant peas deeper than has been the
custom, as they are less likely to mildeW
and will be more productive.
Make your fences high and strong SC
they will keep cattle and pigs out. Ii
YOU have brush make your lots strong
and secure, and keep the hogs from the
corn.
When rainy, bad weather comes, &C &c
you can't work out of doors, cut, split
and pile your wood, make your RACKS,
fix your fences or gates, and patch the
roof of your barn or house.
Plant grape vines, for there are few
plants that do so well in q variety OF
soils and climates, while there is no
more delicious fruit, or that may be cul-
tivated with less trouble; and yet none
is more commonly neglected by the
farming community.
Medical Hints.
How TO SOFTEN THE HANDs.-Iake
equal portions Of glycerine and alcohol
mix we'll before retiring at night wash
the hands in warm water and rub well
with the lotion.
HAIR ToN1c.-Bay rum, one pint
alcohol, half pint {; castor oil, half an
ounce carbonate of ammonia, quar-
ter of an ounce tincture of cantharides,
halt an ounce. Mix them well. This
mixture is said to promote the growth OF
the hair, and prevent it from falling out.