The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16

AMONG the new applications of cotton
Is its use. in part, in the construction OF
houses. the material employed for this
purpose being the refuse, which, when
groung up with about an equal amount
of straw and asbestos, is converted into
paste, and this is formed into large
bricks. which acquire, it is said, the
hardness of stone, and furnish really
valuable building stock.
ARTIFICIAL cork is among the recent
German inventions. The method of
production consists of mixing powdered
cork with starch and water, and knead-
ing the mass while boiling hot until it
is thoroughly mixed. The substance is
then poured into molds for forming the
articles, and afterward dyed at very
high temperature The material is de-
scribed rs quite light, and possesses
non-conducting properties.
GoURDs are highly useful as well as
ornamental. Gourd shells are largely
used in the south for dipping water,
and in place of drinking-cups. They,
may be raised in this latitude by plant
ing the seed very early and training the
vines on at lis or on trees or bushes.
The plants eau be started in box In
the house during cold weather, and
transferred to the open ground wheu'
the weather becomes warm.
In the island of San Domingo there.
is remarkable salt mountain, a mass
OF crystalline salt nearly four niles
long, estimated to contain SJ33160Ol
tons, and so clear that type Gamble read'
through a block a foot thick. The
mountain. biologists say. was once. q
plain at the bottom of the sea, and, as
the island rose from the ocean, tbs
plain formed the bottom of shallow
lagoon. where the salt wasdeposited. 4
MANGANESE has been found near
Batesville, Arkansas, inlargeuuantities.s.
Albeit of it, fifteentmiles by" six niilesa
has recently been discovered near the,
town. and is one of the'largestdepositsl
known, the manganese at the sameAtimeJ
it is said, being the Observation-Disclosures
has ever been found .anywhere's, The
mines have been opened, and work has
been going on for some time.As The
supply is said to be inexhaustiblei and
is being shipped daily'to Pittsburghs
Pennsylvania, and other manufacturing
cities.
GLUE is made of hides, horns, skins,
hoofs, and ears of horses, oxen, calves,
and sheep. These are first cleansedsoS
grease and dirt in lime-water, then
stepped in clean water and the water,
pressed out They are then boiled in
clean water and the skimmings taken
of, after which they are strained. The
liquid thus obtained is then boiled down
until it is thick enough to be pouredin-:
to moulds, where it hardens and is cut
into cakes. The cakes, while still soft,i
are cut into thin slices. The slices are
dried and are ready for sale--JVOodI
Worker.
Dr.. PooRE, of London, in contrasting
coffee andftea, says the formerscoftains
more allaloidal stimulant andthe Infer,
more tannin. Tea,cails for less sdiges-;
tive efforts'than Coffee, but. the tafiniw
of tea Injuries digestion after timed
Out of ninety samples of ground, c6fee
purchased in London shops only five
were found to be wholly genuine. ~ 1t Is
often remarked that 1.-TWO wrongs ydon't
make right" but here at least Isl arI
illustration showing how one'eyil, adnl-
iteration with harmless grains, may,
counteract another, an excessiye'use of
coffee Cor what is thought to be cofsey
as beverage.-Dr. Foote's HEALTH
Monthly.