The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1883-02-22
POPULAR SCIENCE.

ACCORDING to DIR. 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. 49,
WATER made slightly salt, and to
which bran to the proportion of one
quart to every gallon has been added, is
said to increase the yield Of milk by 25
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 "iilcil 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 lis. 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 a 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 raold, and the
other the final finishing press. The lat
ter is formed by an overhead cross-head
carrying stamp, and connected with
the shaft below by two cranks and con-
Meeting -rotib-tilis cross. head and stamp
deacending iato the die in the table be-
low, into which the brick has been de-
Iivered, and finally COMPRISING and
hardening it. Underneath the table
aud die is another revolving crank or
cam, Which, as it rises, pushes the fin
ished brick from the mold, ready for
delivery.
The beautiful and far-famed rose and
red shades Of French glass are produced
in the following manner. 4 certain
amount Of auriferous glass is prepared
beforehand and run in thin plates, and
fragments Of these plates are used by
the g!ass,blover TO fuse upon his work,
thus giving It superficial coloration.
1t cfton happens that one and the same
com mposj;i,n of aui;ferous crystal gives
plates OF very different shades-some
cclorloss, others tingod more or less
deeply with rose ana red, and some al
most black these differences being due
to two causes, namely, the temperature
of the moll iato which the melted metal
is ran, AID the temperature Ct The fur
nace in which the fus;oa has been effect
ed. For ligAt-cologed plates, the tenn
peratura is made loa and the mold very
coid. B.na plates are sometimes pro-
4uced u,lder the same circumstances,
which, if reLeatad, take the normal
color.