The National tribune., 1885-12-17
SCIENTIFIC CHAT.

The amount of power wasted by shaftng being
out OF line, of insufficient size. and iinperfect!y
coupled, says the Industrial american, can hardly
be estimated. Great is this loss, that from badly
laced crooked, stiff and generally outrageous belt
ing. is but little less In establishments belt
lacing of sufficient size for the main belt of the es
tabishment is considered plenty good enough to
lace three-inch belt with and is used accordingly.
punch large enough to make holes for the big
gest lacng is of course necessary, and it has the
advantage of answering for all sizes of belt. The
apparent advantage of having but one size in a
large establishment is captivating the result in
belt efficiency, however. is something which would
astonieh the counting house, If 1t could understand
the figures.
- The Chemist and DrugCist gives the results of
DR. Magner de la Sources investigations into the
adulteraton of French wines. The average annual
importation into Paris equals leo, ,0000GO gallons,
and the quantity Of sO-called wine sold there
amounts to 10 OG0 900 gallons The aduterants are
chiefly water alcohol and glucose, and the color
ing liquid is made largely from the heavy DRESSINGS
OF dry grapes More than 40 per cent. of the wines
were SO fortified during 1854 to contain Is per
cent of alcohol natural wines contain only about
10 per cent. Even of the very mild wines less than
four samples in a hundred contained less than per
cent. of alcohol. The conclusion is that the French
people are constantly demanding stronger wines.
and are growing less particular as to delicacy Of
flavor.
- Hemp has been recommended az a remedy FOR
the phylloxera in South Russia 1t is sufficient to
plant the hemp around the vineyard and place IL
near the infected vines. The insects attracted
by the strong odor of the hemp and the roots of the
hemp prove to be poisonous for them. The follow
Plant in the same barrel infected vine and q
hemp plant. In a few days the vine begins to re-
vive. and if yon pull the hemp carefully out you
will find its roots covered with phyloxera. But
there is danger of the hemp taking from the soil
the food necessary for the luxriant growth of the
vine. There are several very efficient remedies for
the destruction of phylloxera but they have nearly
all Of them the undesirable incidental property Of
Kidding the vineyard of any prospect of luscious
grapes as well.
"A new hypnotic-urethan--has made It's ap-
pearance. Its discoverer believes that it agrees
with the patient" AMI produces a sleep closely
resembling physiological sleep" But they say
these things of all hypnotics whilst they are new
Prof. Wagner publishes analyses in support OF
his conclusion that steamed potatoes are far more
nutritious than boiled ones. In the process of boil
ing, the vegetables give up considerable portions of
nutritious salts. while they also take up more
water than when steamed, and become proportion
ately weaker.
There appears to be an agreement among re-
cent medical writer's that water is fattening, at
least favors fullness and roundness of the body.
1t should be drunk at its natural temperature and
in considerable quantities.