The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-10-06
SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL

The eyes Of poisonous snakes have
been found by DR. Benjamin Sharp to
have elliptical pupils while in the harm
less species they are circular.
1t is said that only about one-third Of
the buried city of Pompeii has yet been
unearthed. The Italian Government is
pushing the excavations with great vigor,
and very interesting remains are being
constantly brought to light.
1t is familiar and yet it always strike
one as a marvellous fact that worlds may
have been for years in existence, the
light of which has not yet had time to
reach our earth, and that we may con-
tinue TO see the light of the stars that
have been for long time extinct.
To distinguish wrought iron from steel
produce a bright surface by polishing or
nlling, and apply drop of nitric acid,
which should be allowed to remain there
for one or two minutes; then wash oil
with water, and the spot will look pale
gray on wrought iron, brownish black
on Steel q deep black on cast iron. 1t
is the carbon present in various proper
tions which produces the different ap-
pearance.
Some one suggests that trees after
transplanting may be kept alive by bury
ing a row of flower pots filled with water
around the body and over the roots of
the trees. The moisture which will per-
colate through the bottom and sides of
the pots will be so gradual that two-gal-
lon ones will hold enough so as not to
require refilling for some time, and the
roots will be kept moist till such time as
they begin to sprout afresh.
A French entomologist has described
the bird-spider of tropical America, the
largest of the several hundred known
species of spiders, as a formidable crea.
ture having body four and quarter
inches long, or a diameter of seven
inches with the legs extended. It's nest,
in the center of which its 1900 or 9, 600
eggs are deposited, is so strengthened as
to be capable of arresting a small bird !;
and the spider is sufficiently powerful to
destroy not only young birds and adult
humming birds, but large lizards and
reptiles.
Captain McGregor, of the English
steamer Albano, reports that he used oil
on recent passage from Baltimore to
Dublin. Experienced very heavy gales
and seas from westward in latitude forty
four degrees ten minutes north, longitude
twenty nine degrees twelve minutes west.
Placed two oil bags astern, filled with
linseed oil and oakum. Previous to
placing the bags over the stern, had taken
heavy seas aboard. flooding the decks !;
but after towing the bags no more water
came aboard. The gale lasted three
days, with very heavy seas, but owing
to the oil, ran quite easily and took no
water. Used about seven gallons of oil
all together.
Accounts are given in the German'tech-
nical journals of some interesting expert
ments which have been made, and it
appear with success, in the employment
of paper in piano construction. The
case is made entirely of paper, as a sub
stitute, for wood, the material being so
compressed as to be susceptible of the
high polish which is required for such
instruments. AS described the color is a
creamy white; the tone is reported to be
characterized by sweetness rather than
loudness-the sound emitted, unlike the
short broken note of the ordinary piano,
being soft, full, and slightly continuous,
somewhat resembling that of the organ.
This modification of tone, which must
be considered an attractive feature, is at
tributed to the evenness of texture of the
compressed paper.
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