The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-09-04
USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.

through a bed of sand and gravel to
separate all the oxide of iron which is
formed.
ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF
SPoNGEs.-It is proposed to propagate
sponges by cutting the live sponge into
small pieces, attaching them to pieces of
rock, and sinking them to proper depths
in suitable locations. Professor Schmidt
reports that in three Years each piece
will attain marketable size. He esti-
mates the cost of raising 1000 spOnges
at S45, which will be worth $50, leaving
a net profit of $50. This subject is of
peculiar interest to the United States, as
a large stretch of the Floridian and the
Gulf Coast is suited to the growth of
sponges, and Welded in 1878 product
valued at 100000; with this plan of ar
tifcial breeding it is probable that this
field could be considerably increased.
WHITE bricks are manufactured from
common red clays at Hull, England.
AZ cheap material, chiefly magnetism
limestone reduced to powder by being
burned and Stacked, is ground into the
common clay. This mixture is passed
through series of mixing and grinding
mills, and then falls into the molds of
powerful steam pressing machine, and
is thence laid on the delivery table, a
complete and almost dry pressed brick,
which, when turned in the kiln, pro-
duces white brick. The change effect
ed in the color of the red clay on being
burned is due to the presence of the
substance added to it. The oxide of
iron combines with the silica to form sill
cate of iron.
To HAVE GREEN CORN THE YEAR
ROUND.-Gather it with the husks on,
put in the bottom of clean barrel some
salt, proceed and fill the barrel as with
pork, a laYer of corn, then Il layer of
salt; when full put on large stone for
pressure. add Il little pickle of salt and
water. Set the barrel in Il cool place
in the cellar: do not let it freeze, and it
will keep perfect year or more. When
Won wish to use it, take off the husks,
soak it twenty hours in cold water, boil
it and eat. Some days in February you
can eat succotaSh and laugh at the storm.
For this purpose Stowell's Evergreen is
the best, but any good sweet corn will
do. Used in this way it can be enjoyed,
rs it is never hurtful
THE experiment has been made Of
sowing oats and wheat together with
view to obtaining a winter covering for
tnv wheat The seed, in the proper
tlons of one part of oats to two parts OF
wheat, was Sown in the fall, and the oats
sprang up quickly and were killed by
the early frost, the stalks and leaves ~
ing on the ground all winter, keeping
the snow from blowing away and pre-
venting the sun from thawing the
frozen ground. In the spring the dead
oats made Il good top-dressing for the
growing wheat. The crop OF wheat Sc
| cured the following season was reported
to be excellent, while wheat on adjoin-
inc land, planted in the usual man
ner. was of no value. -ScTibRer for Sep
! teHber.
! DISCOVERIES of an exceedingly inter-
esting nature were made in 1878 by MIR.
| RaSSan, Il Syrian scholar, in the mounds
| which mark the site of ancient Nineveh.
| Among them were tables of alabaSter
| contained in a chest of the same upon
which were engraved historical infOrma-
! ton of great Importance. Two large
]
! formed portions of door turning on
pivots, and engraved in high relief with
/ designs that portray various customs
/ and manners of the ancient NinevlteS.
! In the chest were tablets covered with
hieroglyphic engravings by which the
! entire history of one of the early kings
of Assvria can be read. The discoveries
are regarded as of the utmost interest
and Importance.
AN interesting article in the JOurRdt
of the Franklin Institute discusses, from
| the standpoint of ProfS. Thomson and
Houston, the practicability of the trans
mission of power to long distances by
means of electricity. 1t has been de
clared by an eminent electrician that the
thickness of the cable required to con-
vev the current that could be produced
| bv the power of Niagara would neceS-
state more copper than exists in the
enormous deposits of the Lake Superior
region: and others estimate the cost OF
the cable at about $50 per lineal foot.
Profs. Thomson and Houston assert, on
the contrary, that it is possible to con-
vev the total power of Niagara dis
lance of some 500 miles or more, by
simple copper cable not exceeding one
half of an inch in thickness.
HARD VS.. SOFT WATER.-I 1t may be
pleasant to those who live in region OF
our country where nothing but hard wa
ter is to be had, to be informed, by 50
GOOD authority rs DR.. Tidy, the well
known chemist. of the results of his OBJ
servatiOns on the use of hard water fol-
culinary and domestic purposes: l.
Hard water is the best Electrically, be-
cause of the lime. 2. 1t makes better
tea, although not so dark colOred, ow-
inc to the fact that soft water dis
solves the bitter eXtractive matters
which color the tea, but ruin the aroma.
3. 1t relieves thirst, which soft water
does not. 4. 1t does not dissolve lead
OF organic matter, which soft water
does. 5. 1t is generally good colOred,
soft water being as a rule dark colored
and unpleasant looking; hence, in places
like Manchester, supplied with soft wa
ter, they always put it I'm hotels IN
dark bottles, to hide the color. A soft
water. however, is better detergent,
and requires less soap. For a residen-
tial town a water which has over 10 de-
prees of hardness would be best. Fol-
manufacturing towns a soft water would
be the most advisable, for commercial
considerations only.-Scientifc Amert-
can.
SUSPENDED ANIMATION.-The nltritt
of anvil being powerful agent in quick,
enino the heartbeat, few drops of thi'
drug have powerful influence IN re-
storing the functions OF the heart II
cases Of drowning, hanging or faln1ting