The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-06-20
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

INDIA is said to possess q convenient
tree, called the @kapas," which is used
as telegraph post. When cut down,
its branches partially removed and stuck
in the ground, it readily takes root,
thus checking the ravages of the white
ants and becoming living telegraph
post.
A CORRESPONDENT of the Rural Neu
Yorker says: IL have seen salt recon-
mended to be eaten with walnuts, 30 as
to prevent indigestion, but / think
prefer eating the walnuts without any
such condiment. If lovers of nuts of
any kind will drink cup of sweet milk
after eating them, they will not expert
ence any unpleasant sensations, and can
eat great many more with impunity."
n GERMAN periodical is responsible
for the following method of making
malleable brass: Thirty-three parts of
copper and twenty-five of zinc are al
loyed, the copper being first put into
the crucible, which is loosely covered.
AS soon as the copper is melted, zinc
purified by sulphur is added. The al
10y is then cast into molding sand in
the shape of bars, which, when still hot,
will be found to be malleable and cap
able OF being brought into any shape
without showing cracks.
M. TERQUEM, French artisan, has
originated method of writing on glass
with common or India ink. The glass
Is heated over spirit lamp, or gas, until
steam ceases to be deposited on it, that
is to say, so deg. to 60 deg. Cent. and
varnish, composed of eighty grammes
OF alcohol at 50 deg, four grammes of
mastic in drops, and a gramme of gum
sandarac heated together In a flask. is
then applied to the glass, after the fl
terlng OF the varnish; the latter is very
hard. and becomes brilliant and com
pletely transparent, but, if applied cold
TO the surface of glass, it remains
Opaque and absorbs ink. A sheet of
glass thus prepared may be written up
On with ink, but must afterward be |
tipped in very thin gum water.
Few persons familiar with old books
nave failed to observe dark specks here
md there upon, or rather within, the
substance of the paper, which, upon
lose examination, especially with a
ems, are seen to have the same dendritic
appearance that we find in moss agates,
md upon the naturally-fractured sur
ace OF other compact rocks. 1t is well
inown that such markings on the stone
re generally produced by an oxide of
manganese; and the similar markings
lpon the paper are doubtless due to the
anne cause The followingis suggested
an explanation: Bioxide of man
anese is sometimes used in some of the
PROCESSES OF bleaching the pulp. Mi
ute portions Of the mineral would nat.
rally remain in the manufactured pa
er, which by slow reaction would be
estored to an oxide again, in the pro-
ess of which it would assume its
Characteristic dendritic form.
PERIoDIcITY IN COMMERCIAL CRISES.
1t may be accepted as pretty well de-
'rmlned that there is periodicity of
and industrial crises; that
icy occur with singular regularity
ter certain lapse of time. Prof.
tanley Jevons has found that in Pc
Cd OF 100 years crisis took place :
very ten years. Why crises thus occur :
yet unknown. In Jevon's opinion
either wars, trades unions, excessive !
regulations, luxurious living or any :
her OF the commonly assigned causes !
n be regarded as sufficient. Any :
lysical explanation is yet merely I
eculative. In examining problem !
this kind it appears to he difficult for
ost writer's to avoid confounding the
asa cognoscenti with the ca,lsa es- .
ndi. Others, departing altogether :,
om the semblance even of scientific =
ethod, lay the responsibility of {
isis on the shoulders of some class of L
rsons who are really as unable of 81 -
to arrest or occasion it as '.
de to Influence the inclination of the g
rth's axis. Most of the pseudo ex- Il u
nations can be readily exposed by - -
owing that they do not take into ac- -
ant all the facts-that what may ap- - -
'ently suffice for what is local and ma &c
nal fails when applied over the whole ~
a of crisis. The peliodicity of a. q:
ses is yet an unsolved problem of o. o.
ysics and politics. ~
FoOtman Who Wouldn't Announce nc