The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-04-20
POPULAR SCIENCE.

ACCORDING to DR.. Wiedehold, fungus
growths in cellars may be combated
either by burning sulphur or by pour
ing two parts of concentrated sulphuric
acid over one part of common salt, and
SO closing all openings as to prevent any
escape of the vapors.
WATER made slightly salt, and to
which Iran to the proportion of one
quart to every gallon has been added, is
said 10 increase the yield OF mflk by 20
per cent. if it is given to COWS as their
ordinary drink. After short time the
COWS will refuse pure water, unless they
are very thirsty.
WHEN potatoes are frozen the amount
of sugar they contain is doubled, the
starch undergoing corresponding DIM
mutton while part Of the protein passes
from the coagulable into the soluble
form. During the process of rotting,
the potato loses half its nitrogenous con-
stituents and the whole of the sugar.
IT is found that sawdust can be con-
verted into "liquid wood, and after
ward into solid, flexible, and almost
indestructible mass, which, when
incorporated with animal matter, rolled
and dried, can be used fer the most deli
cate impressions, as well as for the form
alton of solid and durable articles. To
accomplish the method pursued is to
immerse the dust of any kind of wood in
diluted sulphuric acid, sufficiently
strong to affect the fibers, for some
days, the finer parts being then passed
through sieve, we'll stirred, and al
lowed to settle. The liquid is drained
from the sediment and the latter mixed
with proportionate quantity of animal
matter, similar to that used for glue
the mass is then rolled, packed in
molds, and allowed to dry.
AN automatic brick. making machine
of great efficiency and power is among
the recent English inventions. The
driving pulleys move at a high speed;
and the first shaft, which is carried on
an outside bracket, gears by means of a
pinion into two equal cog-wheels-these
driving, respectively, one the upright
plugging shaft and top 1oold, and the
other the final finishing press. The lat
ter is formed by an overhead cross-head
carrying stamp, aod connected with
the shaft oclow by two cranks and con-
Meeting rods--this cross-head and stamp
descending i-ito the die in the table be-
low, into which the brick has been de-
livered, and finally compressing and
hardening it. Underneath tine table
and die is .noth er revolving crank or
cam, which. rs 1t rises, pushes fhe fin
ishad bricE fru the mold, ready for
delivery.
TIE b. autifuI and far-famed rose and
red shades; OF FIRE leil glass are produced
LII OiiC iO1Ap"kA, -lo~AASAs ~ SS'oesAAs
amonnt Of :.,.rih 70, Is glass is prepared
beforehal d and lun in thin plates, and
fragments. Of the ese plates are used by
the glass blower to iuse upon his work,
thus 81, ng it ). SC perfic.d COZ ,ration.
It often happens that ono and the same
compos tioa, OF aurife'ous crystal gives
plates If very .iffereat shades-some
cclorle.ss, others ti1ged more or less
.leepl- wit rose and rcd, and some al
most b 'ack the u, differences being due
to two cam es. sH timely, the temperature
of the mol, int. which the melted metal
is run, and the temperaturs Of the fur
mace a which the fusion. has been effect
ed. For light-colored plates, the tenn
pera, ars, is made low and the mold very
COLI. Blue plates are sometimes pro-
duoeGl. under the same circm distances,
whicla, if rehe.ted, take the normal
color.