Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1880-02-12
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

They are beginning to import into
England fresh meat by the cargo from
Australia ola Suez
"A dye called cauline is extracted
from red cabbage, and used in the
manufacture of colOred feathers and
woolen goods.
-FOm a yield of 100000 in bullion
in 1865, the Georgia gold fields have
advanced to $1,00O00O per annum,
with promise of larger returns next
year.
The total quantity Of goods carried
on the canals of New York during the
past season was 5,362,430 tons, and
tolls amounting to 4l,54l.92 were
paid.
1t seems that our importation of
iron ore in 1880 will be larger than in
1879, large contracts having already
been made. Probably 500, 900 tons will
be imported.
The glucose manufacturers in Buf-
falo make from $50, 900 to $4,000 per
week. The stock in one concern, orig
inally valued at $100 each share, is now
worth $4,000.
"A Chicago chemist found poison in
twelve samples of sugar, in sirup, in
vinegar, in pickles, in baking powder
and in the Coloring matter of fourteen
samples Of cloth.
-Brevet Brigadier General H. L.
Abbott, in paper read at a recent
meeting of the United States Military
Service, declared that dynamite con-
sisting of seventy-fve per cent. of gly-
cerine and twenty-five per cent. Of Ker-
selguhr was the best explosive for sub
marine warfare.
The crOtOn bug (BlGtto GeTnungicGJ
docs, on the authority of Mr.. Weston
Flint, of the Boston American Library
Association, great injury to books by
attacking the starChy matter used in
binding and gliding. Pyrethrum pow
der sprinkled on the shelves is the most
effective preventive.
"A species of dwarf cactus abun-
dant in Lower California is rich in fibre,
said to be excellent for mattresses. 1t
is reported that an experimental ma
chine, costing only $40O, converts the
raw material into white, elastic fibre
with great rapidity, and promises to
reduce the cost and improve the quail
ty of such goods very materially.
Patent Office Work. Last year the
work of the Patent Office showed
falling off, the applications being S57
less than in the previous year, and the
receipts were reduced by $31, ,741.19. |
This decline is attributed by the SCI
e1atifc american TO the attempt in
Congress last winter to change the law
to the injury OF inventors, and the de-
termination expressed by inventors at
the time to withhold applications until
assured that their rights would not be
open to invasion.
-Contradicting work of some au-
thority, M, Andre says it is not correct
that no species Of frog known possesses
any poison organs, and states that
while engaged in scientific inquiries in
South America in 1875 and 1875 he dis
covered a frog in the northwest part of
that continent beneath whose skin lies
one of the most virulent poisOns. The
Indians of the region between the Bay
of BuOnaVentura and the Isthmus of
Darien extract this poison, which they
call neacra, by roasting the live frog,
and use it for poisoning arrows. The
effects of the administration of the
poison resemble hosefollowing the use
of curare.
--Cheapening Telegraphy. y.-Atten-
tion has been OF lateye constantly di-
rected to the discovery of modes and
means by which labor and cost may be
reduced in the working Of the telegraph
system, and with gratifying results. In
1873 the Western Union Telegraph
Company sent IA, 456, 1872 messages at
a cost of S6, ,575, ,055; in 1879 the cost of
transmitting 23,070, 106 messages was
only $6,100,20O The same company [
have after seven tests agreed to adopt I
dynamo electric machines in their
work, by which their floors will be re-
lieved Of a weight of sixty tons, the diff
ference between the weight Of the bat
teries and the new plan.
The California Courts have at last /
decided N favor of the trustees of the {
Lick estate, and with the $4,000 be-
queathed for the purpose they will at l
once proceed TO carry out the Observa- |
tory project, and push it forward as {
rapidly as possible. The directions
with regard to the purchase of tele- |
scope have been made quite difficult of [
fulfllment by the recent order of q /
thirty-inCh refractor for the PulkOwa s
Observatory. This will require that I
the instrument shall be the largest in (
the world. Unless the trustees await .
the success Of the attempt still doubt &
full, TO make thirty-inoh disk, they G
will have TO order one still larger, at c
the risk Of considerably impairing the il
bequest b
Il