The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-27
POPULAR SCIENCE.
Always eat salt with nuts. 1t rem
ders them easy of digestion,

Always eat salt with nuts. 1t rem
ders them easy of digestion.
A new fibre for paper making has
been discovered in the dwarf palm Of
Algeria. Means have been found for
utilizing the whole of it above the
roots.
Freedom from the risk of lead
poisoning by using glazed earthen-
ware is said to be secured from
vanishing the glazed surface with
boro silicate of lime.
1t is stated in the Journal Of Science
that prominent Observation-Disclosures
has committed suicide as a sequel to
the death of his wife and three of his
children from smallpox.
Many COWS in France are fed upon
beet-pulp. An investigation into the
physiological effects Of the food shows
that it causes the milk to increase in
quantity, but deteriorate in quality.
A tribe of Indians, having tails
from six to eight inches in length, is
quay. This intelligence is well calcu-
lated to ill the heart of the missing
link" hunters with joy.
Mr.. Ralph Copeland, during the first
half Of this year, saw at La PaZ, in
Bolivia, at an elevation of 1900 feet,
! with the full moon in the sky, ten
stars in the Pleiades with the naked
eye, and also two stars in the head of
the Bull which are not in Argeland-
er's "UranOmetria Nova"
For several years past the Swedish
government employed an entomolo-
gist to assist the farmers in distin-
gushing and destroying insects that
prove hurtful to the crops. The de-
| mand for his services has been so very
great, and the work he has done has
been so useful, that the Office of gov
! ornrno,,t nrto.aae,lessi4sS- 20 to TIC IIdu6
permanent one.
Those who use brass letters on glass
| windows know how often they drop
off from unequal expansion, or from
the too energetic efforts of window
cleaners. They will be glad to have
the following recipe: Lithage, two
parts; white lead, one part; boiled lin
seed oil, three parts; gum copal, one
part. Mixed just before using, this
forms quick-drying and secure ce-
ment.
| PerOsmic acid is new remedy en-
ployed by Pr. Wimwater in cancer
Gus and SCI ''l0us swellings. 1t is
used by injeC, & daily three drops of
a per cent solution of the acid. T Il
treatment causes the tumor to soften
and decrease in size. In about month
the dead tissue is thrown off aud the
tumor disappears. No curative effect
upon the cancer has been observed
from this remedy.
1t is said that canvass may be made
as impervious to moisture as leather
by Sleeping it in a concoction Of one
pound of oak bark with fourteen
pounds of boiling water. This guam
tity is sufficient for eight yards of stuff.
The cloak has to soak tWenty-four
hours, when it Is taken out, passed
through running water and hung up
to dry. The fax and hemp fibres. in
absorbing the tannin, are at the same
time better fitted to resist wear.
Prof. Edward Hull considers that
throughout the early geographical
epochs known as arch@n silurian, and
carboniferous, the sea covered North
America, the British Isles and West
ern Europe, while large part of the
North Atlantic area existed as dry
land. He urges that if his conclu-
sions prove to be well grounded, the
doctrine Of the permanent of the
oceans and continents, as tested by
the case of the North Atlantic, must
be discarded.
A new parlor and sleeping car has
no isle rushing through the centre.
Instead there is corridor at the side,
into which the doors of the various
compartments open. The sofas with
which the compartments are furnish
ed are at night transformed into beds.
The beds are made up with the head
next the corridor partition, "bringing
the vital parts of the body in the mid
die of the car, safer position than
along the sides Of the windows" The
beds are longer than those of other
cars.
at Fraserburg, few weeks ago,
was observed a remarkable meteor. 1t
appeared at first nearly overhead, and
| thence flashed across the sky in a
northwesterly direction. Its main
body appeared to be about half the
size Of the moon, and il yisibly lighted
up the country for miles around,
causing great alarm to those who be-
held it. 1t was preceded by lumi-
nous body of blush color, which ia
pered in series of balls Of light.
The meteor finally disappeared from
sight over the horizon.
A method of signalling by means
of electric balloons was recently
tried in Paris by MN. Mangin and
Baudet. The balloon, made of paper,
rendered translucent, was about eight
feet in diameter, and was filed with
pure hydrogen. a Swan lamp was
titted inside, and light rope carrying
Two copper wires were attached.
When the circuit was completed the
whole balloon appeared to be globe
of fire. By switching the current off
and on the Morse code can be spilled
out, and thus captive balloons of this
kind can be used for signaling pur-
poses.