The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-10
CURIOUS. USEFUL AND sc1ENr 1FIc

An English horticultHrist, who is care
full observer of insect life, has noticed that
honey-bees rarely go near those flowers
which bumble-bees seem to like best.
A Minneapolis inventor is introducing a
method of conveying grain in pipes, in
which current of air is produced by ex-
haustion pumps at intervals along the line.
A paper watch has been exhibited by a
Dresden matchmaker. The paper is pre-
pared in such a manner that the watch is
said to be as serviceable of those in ordinary
use.
Matchmaking machinery has been
brought to such perfection that screws are
made with it having nearly 600 threads to
the inch. 1t takes la. 900 of them to weigh
a pound.
Moths that have been Immersed in
sulphuric ether will recover after the evspora-
ton of the ether; beetles will recover from
the effects of chloroform, and flies after hav-
ing spent whole day in a bottle of wine.
Balloonists have q unique method of tax
ing "soundings" to learn their distance from
the earth when travelling in the air at night
A loud shout is given and the seconds are
counted until the echo from the ground is
heard. From the time required for the re-
turn of the sound is easy to compute the
height of the balloon.
Mr.. Edisons recently patented electro
magnetic brake is designed for use on any
style of railroad vehicle, but is more es-
pecislly intended for use in connection with
system of electromagnetic railways. The
invention consists in placing an electro
magnet in such relation to some rotating
metallic portion of the running gear Of the
vehicle to be stopped that the magnet cir
cult shall be through the rotating metallic
portion, the electromagnetic being furnished
with movable heads, which may move
toward and clasp the rotating portion
whenever the circuit of the magnet is
closed. Upon an axle, and at or near its
centre, is rigidly fixed disk of iron, which
rotstes with the axle and between the polar
extremities on al electromagnetic supported
from the bottom of the car. The cores of
this electromagnetic are extended beyond the
coils, forming spindle, which is reduced
in size when necessary, the ends being
screw headed to receive nuts. Upon each
spindle is placed block of iron, forming q
polar extension, secured in place by the
nuts.
From the examination of book compiled
1000 years b. G. it has been ascertained
what has long been supposed, that Chaldes
was the parent of land astronomy; for it is
found, from this compilation and from other
bricks, that the Babylonians catalogued the
stars, and distinguished and named the con-
stellations They observed the seventh day
as one of rest. They invented the sun-dial
to mark the movements of the heavenly
bodies, the ater-clock TO measure time, and
they speak in this work of the spots on the
sun, fact they could only have known by
the aid o. telescopes, which it is supposed
they possessed, from observations that they
have noted down of the rising Of Venus and
the fact that Lsyard found crystal lens in
the ruins of Nineveh. These "bricks'
contain an account of the deluge
substantially the same as the nara
tive in the Bible. They disclose that houses
and lands were then sold, leased and mort
gagged, that money was loaned at interest
and that the market gardeners, to use al
American phrase, worked on shares" thai
the farmer, when blowing with his oxen
beguiled his labor with homely songs, two
of which have been found, and connect this
very remote civilization with the usages o.
to-day.