The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-19
POPULAR SCIENCE.

Geese cannot live at temperature un
der sixty-four below zero.
The solanlne in unripe potatoes is sup
posed to have caused the recent poison.
ing of many French soldiers.
All plants contain sugar, but only
four-the sugar palm of the Indies, thu
maple tree, the sorghum and the sugal
corn-are all used industrially for its ex.
traction.
Where a furnace is used, situated out
side of room, it it has proper q fresh-ail
box, it supplies fresh heated air to tht
room. If this is brought in without dust
or too much dryness, it is q good kind OF
heated air.
Astronomers calculate that the new
comet discovered by Professor Barnard
September ,, is 100, ,000,0 900 miles from
the earth and ITO, 900, 900 miles from the
sun. 1t will probably reach the peri
helion about Dec. 10.
Chloride of lime is an infallible pre-
ventive for rats, as they fee from it,
odor as from pestilence. 1t should b.
thrown down their holes and spreac
about wherever they are likely to come
and should be renewed every two weeks,
The telephonograph expresses in legi'
bic characters articulated and musica
sounds. It has a flexible diaphragm
which is vibrated by the impact OF sound
waves. and thereupon vibrates an ink
charged pen, which marks upon a paper
ribbon.
Captain Holstein, Danish officer, has
invented a portable bullet-proof shield
for two soldiers, which may be easily
carried, and the men then cody blaze
away from behind either with rifles OF
machine guns, without being picked of
by anything less than o cannon ball.
"Bone china" the very finest sort,
which comes in Mlnton, Wedgcwood,
Crown Derby, Royal Worcester, IN fact,
all the best makes, gets its name from
the fact that phosphate of lime from
calcined bones goes into its compost
tion, and helps not little to produce its
creamy, translucent and velvety glaze.
The pract ce of having night lights il
children's bedrooms is pronounced very
injurious by we'll know physician. In
stead of allowing the optic nerves the
perfect rest afforded by darkness, the
light keeps them in perpetual stimula
ton, with the result of causing the brain
and the rest of the nervous system to
suffer.
Cork is the bark of an oak, perforated
by the power Of plant construction
passing through the bark. This condition
of bark is found only where the growth
of the forest trees is very rapid, and
always on the shore of deep bodies of
water. The electric current of the earth
is caused to pour out more violently in
such places.
Ever since the telephone came into
general use electricians have been busy
trying to devise a means by which tele
phonic and Geographic messages can be
sent over the same wire simultaneously.
Dr. W. W. Jacques has invented sys'
tenn by which the two wires of q metallic
or double wire main circuit can be
operated satisfactorily, providing there
is an earth branch at both ends.
Mr.. Maries, superintendent of the
gardens of the Mahars 'ah of Durbunga,
India, has succeeded in reclaiming a
tract of waste saline soil, in which not
even weeds would grow, by digging
down to the depth OF two feet and plant
ing thickly at the beginning Of the rainy
season with trees that had been grown in
pots. In three years the ground was
filled with roots, and to all appearances
the salt had gone. When the trees were
thinned out in 1897 the soil was found to
be in good condition. Similar expert
ments have been successfully carried out
in other places. Various kinds of trees
were employed in the retaining opera
items.