The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-09-02
SCIENTIFIC NOTES.

A Mr. Geddes, announces that the
gIIinea-f fowl is ssure cure" for the
Colorado potato beetle.
DR. Osborn has found that pledget
of cotton or lint saturated with COM
pound tincture of benzioD, and packed
we'll iuto the cavity of anaching tooth
will give relief.
Sick headache can often be greatly
relieved, and sometimes entirely cured
by the application of mustard plas-
ter ut the base OF the neck. The plas-
ter should not be kept OH more than a
quarter of an hour.
A coat of gum copal varnish ap-
plied to the soles of boots and shoes,
and repeated as it dries until the pores
are filled and the surface shines like
polished mahogany, will make the sole
Waterproof. and make it last three
times Longer.
Running to seed in plants can be
avoided by drawing a knife through
one half of the stem to which the head
is attached The sap, or. as they say
i'll Germany, the milk, will flow, and
rob the head OF the power to open !;
vet enough sap will remain to keep IL
fresh and growing for another week
or SO.
Coyerlets filled with cork waste are
said to be not only cheaper and
he.Ithier-sincee exh:ilatiOns from the
body do not adhere To it-than those
filed with feathers, but also for the
same weight to be warmer than those
of the finest down. a thickness of
only one and half inch Is sufficient to
keep the heat in. 1t is necessary To be
careful to sew up the cork filling in
sections, SO that 1t does not sctLle to
the lower parts.
Steel Springs.-Coiled springs of
steel wire are tempered by heating
them in piece of gas-pipe, i'll which
they are packed with bonc-dusJ OIL
animal charcoal, precisely as though
thev were To be heated for case-hard-
ening. When sufficiently hcated-that
is. to q deep red-reinove the spring,
or plunge the spring and its recepta-
Gle together into u bath OF animal
oil. The spring is to be tempered by
putting it In shallow pan with tai
low or animal oil, over the forge fire
and agitaiing the pan ami its contents
until the oil takes fire. Take the
suriues out, and, when the oil is burn
Ell oil, cool them III water.
Two Americans, Messrs. Prescott
profess to have discovered that under
ground currents OF electricity, flowing
In all directions, form the true
s4earths" of lightning discharges. They
assert that all houses, trees, etc., struck
bv lightning are underilowed by these
currents, aud that no houses, etc.
standing OH spots where there are liz
currents are ever struck. In protect
iny a house from lightning-stroke
therefore. their method Is TO test thi
ground underneath, and, ii there ar
no eartll-currenLs below, to take nC
further trouble, bnt, if these currents
are present, 10 earth the rod which
they erect in that part OF the groun,
below where they are strongest.
A Remedy for FOrgeries.-The for
series by erasing small Sums IN checks
and inserting larger ones are SO serious
that many remedies arc proposed.
SIR Henry Bessemer gives the most
DracticaI-,lamely, to take any pale
vegetable colOr-say, which
sh0uid be as sensitive to acid reaction
s@as iit,uus. and with this color print
over tile whole surface OF the check OF
other paper a fine engiue-turIe pat
tern, thus giving to its surface sonlc-
what the effect OF u pale tint extend
ing all over the paper. Ii any attempt
should be made ny means OF chemicals
to take out any portion ot the writing
on SUCH prepared paper, all the sur
rounding parts touched by the ACID
solution Will at once lose the whole vi
the blue printed pattern, which Is
more sensitive and much more easily
discharged than the cOnlmon writing
ink SIR Henry says the paper could
= l.a ,,roxtufsad yery ..ueiDly.