Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-07-08
SCIENTIFIC MISCELLANY.
Compiled for the SPECTATOR. ]

Compiled for the SPECTATOR.
DRY RoT.-A Russian experimenter has
found that thorough dryness maintained for
twenty-four hours will destroy the parasite
producing dry rot in wood. A concentrat-
ed solution of common salt is very efficaci-
Gus, and still better is strong solution of
blue vitriol; but he considers the best,
cheapest and most convenient material to
be the tar obtained when birch wood is dis
titled for acetic acid.
Correcting existing misapprehensions,
Mr.. Pryor, the traveller who recently visit
ed the bird caves of North Borneo, states
that the edible birds nests so highly priced
by the Chinese are made from algae work
ed up in the bird s mouth with saliva. They
cannot be formed from saliva alone. The
nests are of two colors, the black nests be-
ing simply white ones grown old and fire.
quently repaired.
A remarkable illustration Of wind fertil-
zation of ground is found by Mons Alluard
in the fertile T rench valley of Limagne.-
From the chain of the Domes the wind
brings vast quantities of volcanic dust-rich
in phosphoric acid, potash and lime-the
annual deposit i'll the valley being estimat-
ed at about three-fourths of pound per
square yard.
An observatory for public use has been
opened in Christiania. 1t is provided with
great refractor-said to be the fifth in size
in the world-together with numerous,
charts and diagrams of the heavens.
A gigantic stone spear-head has been un-
earthed in northern Italy. 1t is too large to
have been used in war, and arch biologists
conjecture that the primitive people of the
n ;,r;o IL
A sample of preserved tomato examined
by French chemist seemed to be chiefly
composed of carrots and pumpkins colored
with some aniline dye.
SAFETY OF FIRE PROOF PILLARs.-Prus-
sian authorities regard cast-iron pillars as
very dangerous III case of fire, and have for
hidden their use in inhabited buildings,
while allowing wrought-iron to be employ
ed. This has led Prof. Bauschinger, of
Munich, to make long series of actual
trials, which have shown him that cast-iron
is really much the more reliable material of
the two. He loaded pillars of these sub
stances with the weights they are usually
expected to bear in buildings, and heated
them successfully to various temperatures
up to red head, letting stream of cold
water play on them, exactly as would be the
case in a fire being extiDguished by fire. en-
gines. The cast-iron pillars were much
cracked and damaged by this treatment,
but continued to sustain their loads safely,
while those of wrought-iron were much bent
before redness was reached, and so twisted
when cold water struck them that they
could not carry their loads. In expert
ments with other materials, concrete resist
ed fire of three hours duration, ordinary
brick stood very well, but less resistance
was shown by granite, sandstone and other
natural stones.
ELECTRICITY IN METALLURGY-The re-
markable effect of electric discharges in
causing dust and smoke in the air to settle
was some time ago pointed out by Profess
tor Lodge This led to Investigations by
an English lead smelter, Alfred o. Walker,
which have resulted in the important dis
covery that constant discharge of cleo
trlcity in the flues of lead works causes the
lead fume to condense and settle very rapid
ly. Much time is thus saved, while the loss
of lead fume is greatly reduced. The dis
coyery applies to other volatlizable metals
besides lead
Since 1885, it is stated, 1909 persons have
been struck dead by lightning in France,
1000 have received fatal injuries, 1000 have
been seized with momentary and temporary
paralysis, and 20, 600 have been struck with
out receiving any injury.
Scorpions, spiders and various insects have
been observed to remain motionless if any
person blows strongly upon them in YER
teal direction.
SELF-FED ELECTRIC LAMPs.-In recent
electric lighting experiments it has been at
tempted to give each lamp its own battery.
Perfect success is reported, and portability
has been gained by the use of battery of
great power and small size. The elements
are small packet of chloride of silver and
two plates of zinc, which are placed in the
cell with a weak solution of caustic potash,
forming what is known as the Skrivanoff
primary battery. After time the chloride
of silver is reduced to metallic silver when
it is easily restored by washing in mixture
of nitric and hydrochloric acids. With each
renewal, small batte4y will feed a glow
lamp twelve hours.
In communication to the London Royal
Society, Shelford Bidwell has shown that
iron bars are elongated by magnetization;
that steel bars are elongated, but not to the
same extent, soft steel being elongated more
than hard steel; and that nickel is shorten
ed.
The favorite cosmetic of the Japanese, &C
cording to report by F. Sakaye, consists
chiefly ofcarbonate of lead and rice powder
starch, which compound has been used by
Women-apparently without poisonous eff
1ects-slnce early in the eighth century.
French scientific authority states that
hens, ducks and geese having dark pluma ee
lay earlier and more frequently than those
of light color-this difference onlv hold |
ing good, however, when the birds live in
the open air and are freely exposed to the
sun.
The flora of Ceylon includes 5000 flower
ing plants and $50 ferns, 100 genera of the
Towering plants not being found in the
peninsular of India.
First Citizen-"R Rough times? Well, l !!
should say l do know something about |
rough times.' Second Citizen-"Don't !
think your experience can equal mine. -
First Citizen-"You don't, eh? Well, I
went to California in 40, was SHOT seven
teen times in three v eeks, drified into the
Rockies, got lost in eight snowstorms, was
half devoured by bears, scaiped by Indians,
and was finally blown five miles by cy-
clone" Second Citizen-s'Pooh, that's
nothing. I once ran for President