Huntsville gazette., 1883-11-03
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

"A new mineral found in Missouri Is
called Adamscobite. 1t is said to take
a fine edge that will cut stone rapidly
without'impairing the edge.
The experimental field of sorghum
cultivated near Washington by the De-
partment of Agriculture gives twelve
per cent of crystalizable sugar from
fifty per cent of juice which the cane
produced. - Washington Star.
Paper is now made in Sweden from
the bleached and blanched remains Of
of mosses that lived centuries ago, and
are now found in enormous quantities.
The paper is turned out in all degrees
of excellence, from tissue to sheets
three-fourths of an inch thick.
Steel betting is, according to report
now being made in Germany. The
belts are made exclusively of steel wire,
and are so constructed that they are
flexible, easily fastened, and may be
frightened at pleasure. The pulley up
on which the betting runs must be COW
cred with leather or other suitable ma
terial for securing the necessary amount
of adhesion. The betting is well adapt
ed for heavy work, it is claimed, and is
not affected by dampness or change
of temperature, as is leather.
George Mexcur, a middle-aged
farmer of Bloomfield, Conn.,, takes the
prize as a patient man. After nine
years. assduous work he has just finish
ed writing desk and book case COM
bined that contains so many thousand
pieces of wood that it was found next to
impossible to keep the number exact.
Fifty-two kinds of wood were used in
this unique piece of furniture and there
is scarcely square inch that is not in
laid The designs are of very wide
range and take in animals, flowers,
trees, agricultural implements, articles
of household use, etc. The novelty of
the thing is that every bit of the inlay
ing was done with a jack-knife, and
Mr.. MeXcur says he wore out nineteen
blades in the work.-Boston Post.
"A curious fact about water is that it
is the rust of metal known as hydro
genium. When oxygen combines with
iron it forms reddish rust, and the
metal becomes in time disintegrated.
In this condition it is said to be oxidiz-
ed. Now, water is simply oxidized
hydrogenium. This metal is present in
the sun and all the planets in enormous
quantities. Indeed, it is said that the
human body is composed of five and
half pals of water, mingled with some
lime, iron and certain salts. Chemistry
has revealed to us many mavels, but
none greater than the composition of
common water.
Captain J. A. Nichols, of Duluth.
Mimi, formerly of Port Arthur, Super
intendent of the mine on Lusie Island,
north shore, has copper knife which
he found in one of the old mines on Isle
Royale. This knife, with the exception
of three small pieces in the blade, is
made e Entirely Of copper, and the cap
tain says that it is highly tempered and
cuts and wears as well as any steel
knife he ever saw 1t is about six inches
in length, and the captain is inclined to
think that it was made by the Indians
who first discovered and worked these
mines, but how they succeeded in tenn
pering copper is something that the
present race is yet to find out. A re-
porter who visited Isle Royale last sea-
son saw this knife. There are men who
would give a good deal to know how to
temper copper now.