Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-04-04
SCIENTIFIC GLEANINGS.

To remove the screw tops of fruit jars
chat cannot be started by hand, dip a
cloth ia very hot water and apply TO the
outside of the cap; this will cause 1t to
expand.
Pyrofuscine, the new tanning agent, is
obtained by digesting coal tar with caus
ito soda at boil, and neutraliziug the
resulting liquor With hydruchloric acid.
The inventor claims it only half as costly
az the bark process and from 20 to 20 per
cent. cheaper than the alum process.
According to an English authority, the
world consumes annually 100000 tons of
coffee, which, at an average price OF $500,
represents value of S260,0000 900. ia
maica grows the best coffee; next in order
comes Ceylon ana East India, lava, Bra
iii, Costa RIGA, and the other Central
American states. Java produces the
largest crop.
In a recent Chinese procession at Ssn
Francisco there was a great dragon in
etligy which manipulated by electricity,
On pressing a bptton the current oaussd
the huge jaws of the monster 20 fly open,
displaying frightful fangs, and forked
tongues darting fire. Another series of
wires produced frightful fapgs, contor
tions and emitted a sheet of fire from the
nostris.
Mr.. Overend of Boston, is said to have
introduced simple method OF getting
rid of electricity in the press room. lie
saturates the fingers or sticks of the fly
with glycerlne and water This is nut on
with a sponge while the press is at rest.
The next time it is stopped it is again
set, until finally the wood is completely
saturated and there is no longer any need
of repeating the process.
A pumping plant has been installed in
an English mine which raises the water
nearly 900 feet at a single lift, the liquid
being delivered at the rate of 1900 gal
long per hour. The electric current
averages sc ampires per hour, the tension
of the dynamo terminals is 600 volts, on
the motor 575 volts, and about 33-horse
power Is used in raising water at the rate
of 100 gallons per minute through a SOC
feet lift. The output of the dyamo is
35-horse power, and the efficiency is
nearly 60 per cent.
4 curious combat between two hawks
and an owl is described in Major General
NeWhal's Highlands of India" The
'AADN hAANo A'oV PDAAtAAA a plNl1IllIHl
series of upward gyrations, each endeav-
oriug to get a position of advantage
above the other. Finally one of the
hawks made good his stroke and both
birds fell to the ground. When the
author rode up the little hawk was stand
ing in the attitude of a conqueror on the
owls body, the head of which he had
twisted off and held in his claw.
TO provide means of heating steam
heated passenger cars when the locOmo-
tive is detached "a blizzard heater" SO
called, has been devised, consisting of a |
FIRE brick pot and a telescope chimney,
on the principle of the travellers pocket
cup When not in use the whole |
thing occupies only ten and one half |
inches OF space, and may be showed IN
der a seat and ont OF the way. It is hung
by chains from the car roof and floor.
Both in China and Japan soapstone has
long been largely used for protecting
structures built OF soft stone and other |
materials specially liable to atmospheric /
influences. 1t has been found that pow /
dered sOapstOue in the form Of paint has |
preserved obelisks formed of stone for |
hundreds of years which would unpro-
tected, long ago have crumbled away. /
For the inside painting of steel and iron
ships 1t is found to be excellent. It has |
no autifouling quality, but Is anti cor
rosive.