The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-08-28
INDUSTRIAL.

diaries of the United States is in ex-
cellent favor in the markets of En-
gland, but just at this particular flush
and warm season Of the year prices in
the English market leave no margin
of profit for the producer.
PAPER is now substituted for wood
in Germany in the manufacture of lead
pencils. 1t is stepped in an adhesive
liquid, and rolled round the core of lead
to the requisite thickness. After dry
ing it is colored, and resembles an ordi-
nary cedar pencil. The pencils sell in
London to retailers at about sixty-six
cents a gross.
ONE of the new industries of Ger
many, reported by DIR. Strtzer to be
"now in q fourishing condition." is
the manufacture of artificial clover
seed. Fragments of gravel are sifted
until particles of suitable size are
obtained, and the substitute for the
seed is then shaken up with some
coloring substance until it acquires the
desired hue. An ordinary pocket
microscope is quite sufficient, how
ever, to expose the cheat.
Mr.. CARD, the English agricultur-
list, says: "We are threatened with
good things from America in q pro-
fusion beyond past experience. The
cost of transport from the rich corn
lands of the interior has been vastly
diminished, and Liverpool is thus be-
ing brought as near the center of pro-
duction as New York was twenty years
ago. believe there is a serious COM
petition awaiting us from this cause,
to which it would be folly to close our
eyes," 5-
FOREMEN and overseers and superin-
tendents have taught themselves to be-
lieve that percentages of the wages
OF the people under them are legiti-
mate perquisites, and circumstances
are frequently such that they are able
to practice most cruel extortions with
almost absolute impunity. This is a
trick that the employers of men have
learned from the professional politi-
clans, for this kind of blackmailing is
practiced by politicians with an utterly
shameless disregard of wholesome pub
ic opinion. Philadelphia Telegraph
ABOUT three years ago the farmers
in the southern part of Ulster County,
N. Y, became convinced that they
could raise peaches as we'll as the peo-
pie of Delaware ard New Jersey, and
a mania for planting peach trees set in.
In 1877 not less than 100000 trees
were planted, and it is estimated that
nearly double that number were set out
last year. The trees last year produced
large crops of excellent fruit. Peaches
from Ulster sold in New York markets
at one time for eighteen dollars per
bushel. The average price received
was much in advance of that brought
by Southern fruit. The prospect for
this seasons yield was unusually fine,
the trees were loaded with well-devel-
oped green fruit, when a furious
hailstorm came and destroyed the
whole crop. The hail cut the fruit
by bushels from the limbs, and in many
instances nearly entire orchards were
uprooted by the wind.
ACCORDING to the various official re-
ports, of the most recent date, the
gross number of sleepers required for
the railways of the world is set down
at 25O, 100000. Taking the life of a
sleeper at an average of some eight
years, and allowing for the large in.
crease of mileage every year, it would
appear that above As, 600, 900 of sleep
ers must be the annual requirement.
or, making a deduction of about
5,OOO,O 900, on account of many rail.
roads being laid with cast and wrought
iron sleepers, the yearly destruction
now going on may. it is thought, bt
fairly calculated at 40,OO0,OOO. These
contain, on an average, about two ant
one-half cubic feet Of timber in eacl
sleeper, or about 100, OOO,O 900 of cubic
feet, and, even at the most moderate
estimate of their value, an enormous
sum is thus annually expended, and Z
vast industry represented, in this single
| item.