The Russellville Democrat., 1879-12-18
POPULAR SCIENCE.

T f phide. and to some extent also in efhers 1t cannot be dissolved in spirits of wine
 THE first stone of the Cologne Cathed- ral was laid Aurust 18th, 124s, and it is thought it will be completed m another year. t9
 TIE BeIcher mine of the Comstock lode, Virginia City, Nevada, has now reached the great and remarkable depth of2,920 feet
 THE Scientific Ameriedp gives no en- couragement to the efforts now in pro gress to raise an anti-vaccination feeling in this country. fv k@ LA Mature reports that serious prepare tions are now being made in France for the construction of railroad into the interior of Africa.
 LA Naf,Te learns from Gran that the French officers of the staff in Algeria per ceived for the first time, on September 9, the electric light from the Spanish sta- ton of Tetica, at distance of PIP llilo- metres.
 TIE important statement is made by Professor C. V. Riley that for the feeding of silk worms there is no appreciabe difference between the leaves of the osage orange and the mulberry, provided care is taken to reject the more tender and milky leaves of the former, IS they are apt to produce flaccidity and disease. PROF. KLINKERFuEs, the director of the Gottingen Observatory, has it IS said, taken out a patent for new invention in telegraphy. The Professor has dis covered method by which up to eight messages may be sent simultaneously by the same wire, an apparatus at the re- ceiving end printing the messages sepa- rately and all at the same time.
 NJ. DE MoLoN has submitted paper to the French Academy of Sciences on a manure equal to the requirements af ag- riculture. Layers of see-weed are placed in pits with enough pulycrized phos- phate of lime 10 cause fermentation, and allowed to remain until the decomposi- ton is completed. This manure con tains a large number of substances neces- sary for vegetation. "H
 To drill holes in glass take common drill run little fast do not press on, the weight of the drill-press is enough. Drill from both sides, keeping the glass and drill wet with turpentine. Be very careful when the two holes meet not to let the drill catch. After a hGle is made large enough for a small round file, file to the desired size, keeping the file and glass wet with turpentine.
 THE catalogue describing the agrieul- tnral products shown at the Sydney ex- hibition by the Imperial College of Ag- riculture at lrokio, Japan, states that su- gar-starch is prepared by treating steam cd rice with portion of rice, wheat or barley which has already undergone fer mentation. After digesting for several hours at fixed temperature, the solu- ton is strained and evaporated either to syrup or to a solid condition
 A WRITER in Nature suggest the em- ployment of carrier pigeons in the Brit ish meteorological serylce as means of bringing accounts of the weather at diff ferent points in the Atlantic ocean, 300, 400 or even 300 miles out, the pigeons being dispatched on outward voyages of ships leaving such ports as Queenstown, Southampton, etc. Toe present great difficulty of the meteorological service of Europe is that storms reach the coast unannounced over the Atlantic. W e
 NJ. A. DuPRE has published letter challenging thee claim of Nj. T. Beehamp as to the discovery of the presence of af- cohol in animal tissues during life. He says: Wears ago tho late DrsAustie and myself showed that animal tissues, when distilled with water, yield a distiihte containing traces of substance which gives all the characteristic reactions oi alcohol In our researches on the elim- ination of alcohol we had not only re- cognized this, but made allowance for the presence of this natural alcohol"
 DR. c. STEIN employs the following method in the analysis of Turkey oil Ten grammes of the oil are put into a porcelain capsule with 75 cubic eenti- metres of saturated solution of com mon salt and 20 graInmes of dry wax When heat is applied by means of the water-bath the Turkey -red-oil rises to the surface and combines with the wax The wax is then cooled. carefully dried and weighed The difference between the weight of the wax now and when il was put into the capsule gives the quan- tity of the oil. 70
 TIE control which good locomotive engineer has over his engine is some thing remarkable. A long time ago some of the depot attaches noticed that the 1:l5 train from the South seemed to stop dai- ly at the sellsame spot when coming to a standstill at the depot, and about three months ago mark was made to desig- nate the precise locality. Since that time the train has not varied six inches from the mark, and some of the friends of the engineer have presented him a bouquet in acknowledgment of his skill -Sprinatfeld (Mdss.) Union. 't*a
 WE take great pleasure in recording the fact that President Barnard and Pro. lessor Loomis have both written to the Post retracting their assertions as to the inability of ice yachts to outspeed the wind that drives them They find on ex- animation, as every one must, that such result is not only mechanical possi. bility, but has been practically demon strated scores of time by Hudson river yachtsmen whose testimony cannot be gainsaid. The moral of controversies of this nature was happily expressed by the Yankee poet, long ago: Don't never prophecy unless you know !"-.ScientgiC American.
 One of Bismark's Love Affairs.