The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-11-10
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

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Sir John Lubbock, speaking OF
bees before the British Association.
said that there ''seems strong evidence
that the mother can control the sex of
the egg"
About 100000 sponges per year
are taken from the sea around the
Bahamas. Their value is $3.50, 900.
Twenty-foot poles with hooks on the
end are used to pull the sponges from
the rocks.
The question is now raised whether
the distinction which is made between
force and matter is not fallacious. ard
whether matter should not be consid-
cred to be force itself, manifested in
endless diversity of adaptation to our
nature and wants.
Experiments have been made in
Russia on the culture of minute para
site plants for the destruction of iniu-
rious insects. Caterpillars feeding on
the beet-root were abundantly Destroy
ed. Various other parasites have been
known to produce epidemics in insects.
The inventive Japanese have be-
gun to use wOman's hair in @ manner
not predicted by either prophets or
poets. Ropes are now made of it for
building purposes, more than 1000
pounds having been used in the con-
sruction of the new Buddhist temple
at Kioto.
"A Spanish physician in Brazil
rAlInks he has discovered that many of
the symptoms of yellow fever are like
those developed in persons who have
been bitten by poisonous reptiles. In
proof of his discovery he ayers that he
has successfully used in cases of yellow
fever certain remedies for snake bites
that he got from the Indians.
In the matter of the use of galvan-
lied iron water-pipes or reservoirs,
Science NeWS takes the ground that it
is practice attended with danger to
health, on account Of the action Of
water upon the zinc coating, forming
soluble and poisonous salts. Certain
cases have come to its knowledge
where sickness and even death have
undoubtedly occurred from this cause.
Experience shows that new CHM
ney hues for boilers should be made
not less than eight inches square; they
should be straight, and to prevent any
elbow down" ought to rise completely
above all roofs and objects Immediately
surrounding; long iron smoke-pipe
connections are to be avoided, and as
few elbows used as possible, the fact
being that each elbow and extra length
of pipe is a detriment to the draft and
a damage to the working capacity OF
the boiler.
-Colored relief impressions are now
manufactured by an ingenious German
process. 1t consists in coating the
sheet metal with certain isolating
coat, and on this is painted an elastic
back ground, capable of absorbing
colors, and on which the desired pat
tern is placed. By this means the
metal plates can be pressed into reliefs
without any displacement Of the color
ing matters, and the latter are not
afterwards affected by chemical action
of their constituents with the metal.
The Buenos Ayres Herald says the
Feeds and PUSHES of the Parana are
destined to become of great value for
paper pulp and as d fiber for textile
fabrics. By a recent invention wool
and silk are made from reeds, and the
Herald remarks: 1--WE have examined
heavy goods for overcoats, blankets
and gentleman's wear, lettings and
black silk dress goods, all made out of
the fiber of these rushes, which for
texture. for finish, for strength and for
holding colors we could not distinguish
from similar goods made from wool
and silk"