The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-12-25
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL.

Measurements by Captain MOBILES have
shown that explosion is transmitted
through trains of dynamite at the rate of
20, 90 to 1000 feet per second.
A sample of preserved tomato exam
ned by a French chemist seemed to be
chiefly composed OF carrots and pump
kins colored with some analine dye.
A colossal plant specimen exists in the
garden of Mr.. j. b. TORY, at Summing
dale, England. 1t is vine or tree of
Wistaria which covers a wall nine feet
high for distance of $40 feet
Probably the best way to ascertain
what particular stone will withstand ex-
posture to the atmosphere in any partcu-
lar locality is to step into the graveyards
of the district and observe the condition
of the stones employed for monumental
purposes.
A new industry in Italy is the man
ufacture Of grapeseed oil, which is used
for purposes of illumination. The ex-
traction is principally effected in Mode
ma. 1t has also long been used for sim
liar purposes in Germany and the Le-
want. Thirty three pounds of seed will
yield about thirteen quarts of oil.
A new method of preserving fruit is
practiccd in England. Pears, apples,
and other fruits are reduced to paste,
which is then pressed into cakes and
gently dried. When required for use it
is only necessary to pour four times their
weight of boiling water over them. and
allow them to soak for twenty minutes,
and then add sugar to suit the taste.
The fine flavor of the fruit is said to be
retained to perfection. The cost of the
prepared product is said to be but little
greater than that of the original fruit.
One of the most beautiful processes
in enameling, according to German
paper, is accomplished by using gold
thread rubbed with the Juice of an onion,
which causes it to adhere to the surfaces,
the figures being afterward filled out
with enamel. This is the art known as
cloisonne, the method pursued being to
! bake the article in furnace until the
enamel exhibits lus ter or glossy sur
/ face, which is an indication that it is
melted. The process has to be conducted
with care, for if it is overbaked the en-
amel burns and falls off; it may also
happen that. in places where the enamel
! burns it thinner, it also burns. When
cool, the roughness is removed by care
/ full hand polishing, with fine sand
stone, and lastly the enamel receives its
finishing polish.
The improved kind of explosive re-
Gently brought to notice in foreign Jour
nails, and known as cocoa powder, is
said to possess such superior value for
many purposes that it has been intro
duced in the famous krupp factory 1t
is asserted that, with equal pressure, this
substance gives greater velocity to ball
than can be attained with ordinary pow
der, while its smoke is found to be less
dense and to clear off more quickly. 1t
is brown, or, rather, chocolate colored.
In sundrY tests about one-scventh less
of it was required than Of the ordinary
kind of powder to produce given re-
suits. The merit which is especially ad
vanced IN its favor is, briefly, that OF
beginning its combustion moderately
aud steadily, and then. when the pro-
jectle has started through the bore,
burning with great rapidity, and with,
of course, tremendous impelling force.
The method of preparation and the cost
as compared with other explosives are
not stated.