Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-10-29
CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.


CURIOUS AND SCIENTIFIC.
CABBAGE DYES.
a French chemist has extracted a
whole series of dyes from common red
cabbage. ..s. .r
NEW OIL PLANT.
A lew oil plant from Persia, the Lal-
7emaatia Iberica, has been acclimated at
Cherson, South Russia It is about 2.5
feet high, and bears about $500 seed
grains, from which very pure oil is OBJ
tanned.
sUPERHEATED STEAM.
In the distillation of the liquid and
solid hydrocarbons from Ignite, tar,
petroleum, resin oils, etc., the introduce
ton of steam is useful to prevent unde-
sirable decomp position. Camdohr has
contrived device for heating the steam
inside the still, its temperature agreeing
with the boiling point of the contents.
ANTIDoTE FOR IVY POISONING.
DR.. J. M. Ward, in the Medical Record,
recommends in all cases of poisoning by
poison ivy the use of Labarraque's solu-
ton of chloride of soda. When the skin
is unbroken it may be used clear three OR
four times day, or in other cases
diluted with from three to six parts of
water. It is good local application in
erysipelas, burns and scalds.
OLD TIMBER.
The oldest timber in the world, which
has been used is supposed to be that
found in the ancient temples of Egypt.
It is found as dowelpins in connection
with stonework which is known to be at
least four thousand years old. These
bowels appear to be Of tamarisk or shit
tim-wood, of which the ark is said to
have been constructed, a sacred tree in
ancient Egypt, and now rarely found in
the valley of the Nile.
PLATE GLASS MANUFACTURING
Only two manufactures devoted ex-
clusively to making plate glass exist in
this country-one at New Albany, Ind,
and the other at Lenox, Mass. This
probably arises from the fact that men Of
limited means are debarred from embark
ing in this branch of the business owing
to the large capital required, over a
million dollars being necessary to fit up
factory with appliances suitable for
the purpose, and the houses named have
from three to four millions each invested
PARASITES In EGGS.
Various instances have been recorded
of the discovery in hens eggs of minute
specimens of the d5stonaa ovatuna. They
appear like small speck, the size of a
millet seed or a pins head. 1t is be-
ieved by helninthologists that these
will develop into one of the varieties of
tape worm, and it is wise, therefore, to
take eggs hard boiled or otherwise well
cooked. A writer in one of the late
numbers of the Mature cites several in
stances where these parasitic bodies have
been found.
THE FLAX INDUSTRY.
The Scientific american says that be.
fore the advent of cheap cotton the pro-
duction and manufacture of fax were
important industries in this country.
In 1915, when the population was little
more than 100000, there were produced
IN the United States over 100000
wards of faxen cloth made in families.
At the present time, when the popula-
ton is believed to be 50, 900, 600, the total
annual production of fax and linen
fabrics is probably not over 5000, 900
yards, aud not yard of fine linen is
mace in the country.
IGNITING WOOD BY STEAM PIPES.
1t is usually regarded impossible for a
steam pipe to set fire to wood. In q
Pittsburg steel works a steam pipe two
and half inches in diameter, carrying
from 80 to 100 pounds pressure, was laid
underground about three years ago, in
cased in common pine boards about one
inch thick. A few days ago since occa-
sion was had to dig up the pipe, and the
whole length Of the wooden drain was
found to be charred, and apparently
burned, about three-fourths of the thick
ness Of the wood, the other fourth being
partially rotted. The whole inside of
The drain was turned to charcoal, with
here and there spots of white ashes,
showing that ignition had actually taken
place. 1t seems possible that if the cas-
ing had not been excluded from the air
10y the earth covering it would have
blazed and been entirely consumed.
TALKING BY MACHINERY.
A speaking machine was recently
made by Mr.. Faber M. Cartel writes
of it in the journal de Physique that it
consists essentially of three psrts-a
blowing arrangement, an apparatus for
producing sound, and an calculating
apparatus. The first sends a current of
air through the larynx. The latter is
an iron reed, the length of which can be
varied within certain limits, so as to