The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-03-18
USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.

! USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.
GLUCOSE FROM RAGs.-The Journal
| Of Applsed Science says: "a manufac-
tory IN Germany turns out one thousand
pounds OF grape-sugar day made from
old linen. The old linen, which is pure
vegetable fibrine, is treated with sui
phuric acid and converted into dextrine
This is washed with ime-water, and
then treated with more acid, and almost
immediately it changes and crystallizes
into glucose-or grape-sugar-which is
highly valued in the making of rich
preserves and jellies. The process is
said to be economical, and the sugar is
chemically the same as that found in the
grape. Why the product should be
objected to on the. score of its origin is
not clear, if one reflects that grapes are
nourished by materials more offensive
than old rags, and that there is prac-
tically no. difference between trans
formation in Natures laboratory and
one in the laboratory of the chemist.
Still there is great outcry over the
German sugar-rag factory, and consid-
erahle danger of the enterprise being
stopped by the German Government.
A VALUABLE FIBRoUs PLANT.-Prof.
s. Waterhouse, of the Washington Uni
yersity, st. Louis, says: "The recent
experiments of Mr.. Lefranc seem to
prove that the Abutilon avicena con-
tains valuable fiber for textile use.
This plant abounds throughout the West,
and has with rapid spread and rank
luxuriance taken exclusive possession of
whole fields. Its aggressive depravity
has earned for it the irreverent title of
"Devil's Plant But what has hereto
fore been regarded as noxius weed
may yet become an important addition
to our domestic fbers. 1t is already
worth $S ton in the market. Farmers
can judge for themselves whether this
price will afford a margin of profit.
When the plant is raised in large GUAM
titles, and when factories, erected in the
neighborhood of production, save the
cost of distant transportation, the culti-
walton of this fiber will become more
remunerative. Next year extensive
trials will be made in the raising of the
:" Devils Ptant;' and it is the object of
this note, through the courtesy Of your
columns, to ask Western farmers to col
lect as large quantity of the seed as
possible, in order to facilitate expert
ments which may yet greatly rebound
to their own interests
THE VELOCITY OF SOUND. "A memoir
is published by William w. jacques, in
the american Journal Of Science and Arts,
on the velocity of very loud sounds.
The author gives, an account of expert
ments, made at the United States Arsen-
al at Watertown, Mass, for the purpose
OF obtaining automatic$ measurements
OF the velocity of sound near cannon.
Behind the cannon-a six-pounder brass
ield-piece-he placed, at a distance of
10, 80, so, 80, and 100 feet from its
mouth, ingeniously constructed men,
branes. having an electrical connection
with a chronograph capable of record
ing .O0OOl of second. He found that
the velocity of the sound was
not greatest at the immediate
rear of the cannon, but at some
distance from it, where it rose to
maximum 8 considerably above the or
dinary velocity, and then fell gradually
to about the velocity usually received. !"
When the cannon was turned at right
angles to the line of the series of men,
branes the distance of the maximum
velocity of the sound came nearer the
cannon. From these facts the author
concludes that the velocity of sound is
function of its intensity, and that the.
experiments upon the velocity of sound
in which a cannon is used contain an
error, probably due to the bodily motion
of the air near the cannon. The employ
ment of musical note of slow intensity
is, therefore, recommended to correctly
determine the velocity Of sound.
+ sg9s3 ssiss -----; a.s .yfe .ss s@l
ONE OF THE SMALLER INDUSTRIES
The manufacture of thimbles has now
been SO far perfected by means of inn
proved machinery and processes, as to
involve a complete revolution in this
comparatively small but useful industry.
In the first operation, lot of bright sill
yer dollars, fresh from the mint, are put
into crucibles and melted into solid
ingots. They are then rolled into the
required thickness, and cut by stamp
into circular pieces of the desired size. 4
These circular disks are placed under
solid metal bar of the proportion of the
inside of the projected thimble, which,
moved by powerful machinery, descends
in a bettomless mold of the outside of
the thimble, and presses the metal into
the needed shape at single blow. The
remaining operations Of Frightening,
IL L 4