The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-01-27
Bits of Science.

4
al electric glow lamp at about $500
hours. This is very high average,
and the conditions under which it was
attained, in the case of the Swan lamp
at least, must have been exceptionally
favorable.
Suberine. the characteristic compo-
nent of cork, Is a true fat, saponifable
by alkalies and oxidizable by nitric
acid, which converts it into a mixture
of suberic acid and ceric acid. 1t is
composed of the mixed glycerides of
phellonic and stesric acids.
Vulcanized fibre has been employed
tor valves for marine condensers. 1t
is said to do much better than India
rubber. Valves of this fibre do not
skew or corrugate, withstand well the
action of water and oil, and give very
little trouble after they have been
carefully fitted in place.
Aseptol, a new antiseptic, says NJ.
+. Transer, has for its scientific name,
neutrality-suspicious. acid. 1t
is al acid phenol, capable of neutra-
lizing ammOniacal bases. 1t is said
to be preferable to phenoI, as an
antiseptic, because it possesses the de-
cided advantage of not being poison
Gus.
The elder duck does not, DR.. Sund-
strom, of Stockholm, has ascertained,
take her young during the summer
into the ocean, as is so generally sup
posed, but remains with them among
the islands on the coast. 1t appears
that the elder duck has greatly in
creased in the south of Sweden during
the last few years.
Snails in state of captivity can,
DR.. Rawitz, of Berlin, has discover
ed, be fed on paper. DR.. Kossel con-
firms this fact by a statement based
on his own observations. He says
that after feeding snails with highly
calcareous paper for sometime he
found abnormal calcareous deposits
in their monstrously developed shells.
1t is maintained by Herr s. Ralish-
er that no tests have established the
development of electricity during the
conversion of water into steam, and
that even upon electrified surface the
steam which arises is electrically
neutral. He also states that it can
be experimentally demonstrated that
no electricity results from the con-
densatiou of the vapor of the
atmosphere.
A first study on the parallax of the
sun by Mr.. Bouquet de la eyre has
been submitted to the Academy of
Sciences, Paris. This paper is found
ed upon the calculations made in |
Mexico by the author and M. F.
Arago during the late transit of
Venus. From the measurements then
taken there results mean parallax of
6,79. with an apparent approxima-
ton of one-hundreth of q second.
Prof. Hellriegel has made special
researches on the influence of heat
and light upon the development Of
plants. At q constant temperature of |
400 G. in the soil the roots of barley
cannot develop themselves. A con-
slant temperature of 800 is not de-
structive, but decidedly injurious. A
constant temperature of zoe is the
best adapted to the wants of the
plants. but one of 100 Is not distinct
ly injurious.
For the rapid preparation of stand
ard solutions of carbon disulphide,
NJ A. Livache takes solution of
soap, with which he Incorporates a |
certain quantity of petroleum. In
this solution he can dissolve on stir
ring more than 200 grams of disul4.i
phide OF carbon per litre for 80 grams
of soap. The solution so prepared,
after water is added, remains perfectly
limpid, the disulphide of carbon
not separating out.
1t must be of importance to dyers
to learn that M. A. Koechlin has /
published q new method of fixing
chromium oxide, founded on the !
property of alkaline solution of chrome
of giving of their oxide to organic
fbres on being left in contact for some
hours. Thus, if cotton is stepped in
q mixture of two parts acetate of
chrome at 160. (BesnmeO two parts
of caustic soda at $50, and one part
of water, and after twelve hours i'm
mersion the cotton is washed, the
mordanting is complete.
Sir Frederick Abel, chairman of
the Council of the Society of Arts,
London, believes the result of recent
tests seem to foreshadow a future for
the EMPLOYMENT of electricity as the