The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-09-20
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
Steel, when hardened, decreases In
specific gravity, contracts in length,
and increases in diameter.
There are $50, miles of rail-
road in the United States, or about
half the mileage of the world. They
have cost So, 100000, and employ
more than amillion persons.
i The direct action of steam at two
hundred and twelve degrees is suffi-
cient to destroy all germs in from five to
fifteen minutes. The efficacy of heated
| dry air is uncertain.
"A Milltown, Me-, mechanic has in
vented a log-sawing apparatus which
has an upward as well as downward
motion. The scheme has not been
fully tested yet, but, if successful, will
be great time-saving invention to
lumber dealers.
There is about one pound of iron
in the blood of seventy-five men, but
small as is the quantity-about one
hundred grains in each mamie could
not live without it, and he ought to
get it from his food, which obtained it
from the earth.
Attention has just been called in a
scientific paper to two races of men
that must soon become extinct. 1t is
confidently predicted that at the pres
ent rate of decrease the Maoris OF New
Zealand, now reduced to less than 49,
600 men, from 100, 900 in Captain Cooks
days, must have disappeared by the year
2000. The Laplanders are estimated
not to exceed $4,000 in numbers, and
are gradually becoming fewer.
Following the disappearance of the
upper limb of the SUMS disk at sunset,
there has been observed the phenome-
non of beautiful green ray, its fash
being as rapid as that of lightning, and
only visible under rare conditions of
clearness of the sky. The explanation
ffered for its appearance is that of the
simultaneous contrast of colors, the
theory propounded originally by M.
Chevreul
The frequent need of diffusing light
in the studios of photographers, either
from the direct rays of the sun or from
the reflection of colored light from high
buildings, is well known. Waxed
paper of the tissue sort, is now be-
lieved to be one of the best mediums
for this purpose, since it allows large
percentage of light to pass, the latter
being at the same time equally diffused.
Pictures may this way be made as
| quickly as if there were no medium in.
| terposed.
Experiments made by electricians
seem to demonstrate that the atmos-
phere, when free from foreign matter,
can not hold electricity, nor serve as q
conductor. The floating particles of
dust are, 1t would appear, an impor-
tant element in the phenomena of a
thunder storm, the passage of which
always leaves the air SO clear and clean.
| The peculiar danger from lightning in
a manufacturing town, with its smoke
laded atmosphere, seems thus to be
scientifically confirmed.
"A highly important industry is
springing up in the United States, that
of ''muzzling" oysters, by which they
can be sent long distances in their
shells with perfect safety. Until re-
Gently, the general practice was to
pack the raw oysters in ice, but sud-
den rise of temperature is liable to
render whole weeks supply useless.
/ Oysters feed twice a day; and never
open their shells except at feeding
time. When taken out of their natural
element, they attempt to feed at regu-
lar intervals, and SO soon as the shells
open, the liquor they contain is all lost,
the air takes its place, and the first stage
of decomposition sets in. As long as
the shells are closed, the oyster is
fit to eat; it feeds on the liquor in the
shell, and will thus keep in good con-
dition for a considerable time. To Sc
cure the keeping of the shells closed,
a method has been invented of tying
("muzzling''O them with stout wire,
which can be done with great rapidity,
and now arrangements are being made
for dispatching American oysters in
their natural condition all over the
civilized world.
o. ~-------