Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-07-25
POPULAR SCIEN CE.

ACCORDING to DR.. 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.
WATER made slightly salt, and to
which bran to the proportion of ono
quart to every gallon has been added, is
said to increase the yield Of milk by %
per cent. If it is given to cows rs their
ordinary drink. After a 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 heterogeneous con.
stituents and the whole of the sugar.
IT is found that sawdust can be con.
verified into liquid wood, and after.
ward into solid, flexible, and almost
mdestructible mass, which, whcn
incorporated with animal matter, rullct,
and dried, can be used for the most deli
cate impressions, as well MS for the form.
alton Of solid and durable articles. To
accomplish the method pursued is 10
immcrse the dust of any kind Of wood in
diluted sulphuric acid, sufficiently
strong to affect the tibers, for some
days, the finer parts being then passed
through sieve, well stirred, and al.
lowed to settle. The liquid is drained
from the sediment and the latter mixed
with proport;onatc quantity Of animal
matter, similar to that used for glue
the mass is then rolled, packed in
molds, and allowed to dry.
AN automatic Matchmaking machine
of great efficiency and power is among
the recent English inventions. The
driving l,ulleys move at a high speed;
and the first shaft, which is carried on
an outside bracket, gears by means of
pinion into two equal cog-wheels-thesc
driving, respectively, one the upright
plugging shaft and top laold, and the
other the final finishing press. The lat
ter is formed by an overhead cioss-head
carrying a stamp, and connected with
the shaft below by two cranks and con-
necting-rods-this cross head and stamp
des cending into the die in the table be-
low, into which the brick has been de-
livered, and finally COMPRISING and
hardening it. Underneath tho table
and die is another revolving crank or
cam, which, US it rises, pushes the fin
ished brick from the mold, ready for
delivery.
THE beautiful and far-famcd rose and
red shades of French glass are produced
in the following manner. A certain
amount Of auriferous glass is prepared
beforehand and run in thin plates, and
fragments OF these plates are used by
the glass.blower to fuse upon his work,
thus giving it q superficial celebration.
1t often happens that one and the same
composition of auriferous crystal gives
plates Of very different shades--some
colorless, others tinged more or less
deeply with rose and red, and some al.
most black these differences being due
to two causes, namely, the temperature
of the mold into which the melted metal
is run, and the temperature Of the fur.
mace in which the fusion has been effect
ed. For light-colored plates, the tenn.
perature is made low and the mold very
cold. Blue plates are sometimes pro-
duced under the same circumstances,
which, if relocated, take the normal
color.