St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-03-31
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

Venus, the morning star. IL
brighter than it ever appeared to any
man now living. and nearer to the
earth than it will be again for $40
years.
German experiments have showL
that cast-iron pillars remain nearly up
right and sustain their load in very hot
fires. while those of wrought iron bend
to such . degree as to be valueless As
supporters.
Cherry tree gum is an exudation
from the trees Of that name, and occurs
in shiny red Jumps. With water. in
which it is only partially soluble. It
forms q thick mucilagc. This IS not
used commercially.
Electricity on railroads will surely
not be long in coming. We are at the
eve Of greater changes than we have
vet seen. The New York street ear
lines are experimenting with promise
of immediate action. The ''Ju!ien
SYSTEM" at present. meets with most
favor. In Europe electric lines are =
decided success on . small scale.
An important announcement to
chemists is the recent synthesis OF
glucose, or graps.sugar.. by Drs.
Fischer and Tafel. at the University oi
Wurzburg. A remarkable attribute oi
the artificial product is that. unlike
other sugars Of the same composition.
it will not rotate . beam OF polarized
light
Since the first appearance Of the
great red spot on the planet Jupiter
some nine years ago. Mr.. w. +. Dem
ming, the well-known English astron-
omcr. has made about three hundred
observations Of the phenomenon. He
believes the red spot to be feature o.
Jupiter's atmosphere. and not OF th'
surface Of the planet
/ 1t still seems to be an unsettled
question whether wood can be ignitet
by the heat Of steam pipe in contac
with it. 1t is admitted. theoretically
that it is impossible for wood to taxi
fire at temperature Of 21z degrees. o.
somewhat higher; but it Is we'll know'
that there have been . large number
of cases Of fire reported rs occurin:
from this cause. and the evidence i
very conflicting.
| According to Besnier. leprosy ]
spreading rapidly. Since the extension
Of the French colonial possessions. sol
diers, sailors. traders and missionarie
have fallen victims tn it in large mum
bers. Besnicr. therefore. exhOrts phys
icians in all countries to study tho fel
disease in order to find means of coun
\ teracting itsravagcs. for n has -acssv
, focuses Of infec ton in every part OF th
globe.
An electrical heating stove. II
|, vented in France. presents some intel
esting points Of arrangement an
operation. In it tho conducting wire
are led through apertures in plates
refractory clay and plumbago. and
which wire bobbins are placed as pal
, of the electric circuit. To carry o,
this plan the bobbins are heated by th
passage Of the current, and in tur
heat the air, which is allowed to pas
freely through the apparatus
Scientists are asked to tell VIII
land that has been densely shaded. I
protected from the sun BY piles of lun
ber, brick. wool. stone or any thin
else. for a few years. always become
richer than adjacent land that has NJ
been thus shaded or protected 1t
alleged that y great number of fac
, have been collected showing thas thel
Is no doubt Of the enrichment OF Ian
thus protected from the sun for an
, considerable period Of time. but tn;
no explanation Of the phenomenon b.
vet been reached.