Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-07-11
CURIOUS, USEFUL AND SCIENTIFIC.
HONEY-MAKING ANTS.

HONEY MAKING ANTS.
The Freie Presso, Of San Antonio,
Texas, tells Of a specie of ants found In
that state which make honey equal to
any that is produced by bees. The lit
tie insects store the honey, as they gath
Ell it, IN pouch about the size of q small
pea that is attached to their bodies.
When this pouch is full they march into
the cell Of their subterranean babita-
tions, and there unload. The Presse
says that these ant hills are as full of
honey as bee hives, and suggests that
they could be turned to the same prac-
teal food-producing use if similar care
were taken in breeding and cy,ltivating
the insect,
SNAKE ANTIDOTES,
Prof. Binz, speaking of the various
antidotes to the poison of serpents, tells
the lower Rhenish philosophical and
medical association that in India spirits
can only alleviate the spasms of suaoca-
ton induced by the action of the poison
upon the respiratory nerves. The same
is more or less true of artropine and
other specifics. The most favorable re-
suits have been with chloride of lime, O
filtered solution Of which is injected into
the wound. In seventeen consecutive
trials the patient was saved. In five
cases where an insufficient dose was
given. the chloride of lime merely re-
tarded the fatal results. Prof. Binz rec
ommends the same antidote for hydro
phobia.
A NEW BOOK.
James w. See, of Hamilton, O., who
for O long time has been contributing to
the American Machinist under the head,
ing of Chordals Letters "has gathered
many of the best into book of about
400 pages. Although they are "shop
letters, written for shop men by shop
man" the author finds that they have
been read by people who as a rule never
read anything. There is a basis of
thorough knowledge and Intelligent APP
probation of the needs of the shop in
all that Mr.. See writes, but the mode of
treatment is charmingly graphic ana
humorous, reminding one not 6 little of
Architect Gardner in this respect. The
book is illustrated by Charles f. Taylor.
ELECTRIC DANGER SIGNAL.
A new danger signal has recently been
invented for railroads. 1t requires an
extra wire to be stretched between each
two stations and terminating in a ground
connection. At intervals of about six
poles are electric lights with red globe.
The tram is provided with a storage
electric battery, and a small wire con-
nected with 1t. When an accident oc-
ours on account of hot box, broken
rail, bursted Lose, etc, to warn an APP
preaching train, instead of sending a
man with lantern, the engineer would
take the battery-wife and cast it over
the main wire, when each of the red
globes would be instantaneously i'll UNI
mated and notice given to both stations.
By making and breaking the connection
the conductor could signal for help.
HARDENING CONCRETE.
A new method of Fastening the hard
ening of concrete blocks is reported from
one of the English societies. This meth
Cd requires that the concrete lie made
and rammed into the moIds In the usual
manner, after which the molds are placed
in chamber, which is maintained at o
heat of about loo degrees Fahren-
heit By this means the capitalization
Or settling of the cement is favored and
ii allows the blocks to be removed from
the molds III the course of a few hours.
The concrete is then immersed in g bath
composed Of one part silicate of soda, and
twelve parts of water, raised to a tenn
perature of about 10 degrees Fahren-
heit. The solution penetrates to the
center of the block, which is thus har-
dened throughout instead of merely on
the surface, as in the usual process. It
is claimed that in three or four days the
blocks attain the strength of ordinary
cement three or four months old.
MEAT PRESERVES.
Prof. Johnson of Yale College finds
that the antiseptic known to the trade as