The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-13
Scientific Notns.


Croatian bread. recommended for use
In time of famine, is prepared by bak.
ing a mixture of eUrn, maize and beech
wood -four. the latter being soaked in
water.
NJ. Duet maintains that the forces OF
induction developed in bodies by the sun
through its rotation vary, all other things
being equal, in inverse ratio TO the
square of the distance.
Sheffield Eng, is about to endeayor
to secure from Parliament, through the
corporation. full power to light the
streets, public buildings and private
residences with electricity.
1t is estimated that the annual iron
production of the world is 19, 4S7, GIG
tons. and of this Great Britain, the Unit
ed States, Germany, and France contri-
butte 1874 per cent.-the first two 64.S
per cent.
One of the munificent patrons of sci
ence, Mr.. Thomas Coates, of Ferguslie,
Scotland, has just presented the Paisley
Philosophical Institute with an observa-
tory on Oakshaw Hill worth about &c.,
600.
OF the 1000 known species of plants
NJ. dc Candolle finds that mankind
makes use of only about 300 at most. He
states also that the cherry was known
both in Greece and Italy long before the
time of Lucutlus.
Fusei oil is always obtained duringfhe
distillation of ethyl alcohol, but, saws NJ.
Maerker. the extent TO which il oecars
is dependent OH the crude material enl-
p!oyed, ON the treatment of that materi-
nj. and on the yeast.
Frozen meat trade Ia. xeen Australia
a a "a
progress One cHt,,., fact is To be
noted. While Australian meat is sold at
a profit in London nj Old, prime joints
in Melbourne cannot be had less than Sd
a pound.
Denmark has been provided with the
first of several heavy guns which had
been ordered from Herr Krupp, of rs.
sen. The one finished and delivered is
81 1T 8 inches long. 4 # inches Diane
ter at breech. and weighs SIS tons. The
carriage alone is 26 tons.
The Swedish journals are urging
with much enthusiasm the propriety OF
forwarding subscription towards the
Darwin memorial. They say that
Great Britain does not want money as
such. but an indication of = asFNssl-sr-
ed tribute fo one OF The most ofiKtDsa1
thinkers and eminent scientists Of the
time.
The blood of crabs and other erusta.
ceans has been proved by M Frederick
to have the same saline constitution and
the same strong and bitter taste as the
waters they inhabit. But the blood of
sea fishes is very ditiereat. II has not
the same constitution AS the water, and
thus shows marked superiority over
that of crabs. 1883
Portland cement has for its principal
constituent and most active agent In it's
setting. caicie siicate. This, BY contact
with water, produces, among other com
pounds, q substance, the compositien OF
which has not yet been ascertained,
which crystallizes in hexagonal fplates
and plays chief part in the hardening
of the cement
Nanadium has been detected by M
q. Witt and L. 0smond in many ores
of iron. They have noticed that the
Notwithstanding slags. simply treated
with hydrochloric. acid, are successfully
used in printing Of calicoes instead 81
pure vanadium salts and it appears that
The foreign substances present do not
give rise to any inconvenience.