The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-05-09
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

-Four negatives were recently taken
of cannon ball that occupied only
one-third of a second in passing given
space.
The tensile strength and elastic
limit of certain classes of iron increase
during rest after stress beyond the
elastic limit.
Experiments carried on at Astra-
kan show that the culture of the silk
worm could be carried on as far north
rs the mouth of the Volga.
Prof Riley, the entomologist, has
discovered an insect which preys upon
boots and shoes. 1t can be destroyed
by vapor of bisulphide of carbon.
-''Sperrylite." new discovery, is
said to be the first mineral yet found
containing platinum as an important
constituent other than the natural al-
loys with various metals of the platinum
group.
DIR. Rutgers, of England, after an
extended series of dietetic experiments,
declares that vegetable diet can
easily be lived on, and that vegetable
albumen is, weight for weight, equal
to animal albumen.
When nearest to the earth the
planet Mars is about S6.O0O.000 miles
away, distance (which is, says Prof.
Young, ins Popular Science News,
''about $50 times that of the moon, and
a centurys journey for a celestial
limited running forty miles an hour,
without stops"
Brick is, as ever, the favorite build
ing material. A trade paper says;
"There is no material that can be used
for construction equal to brick Every
brick bears it's own weight. Bricks
have already passed the fiery ordeal
before they are used in buildings, and
are tempered"
In the new method for obtaining
gas for balloons the hydrogen is gotten
by heating slaked lime and powdered
zinc, to be inclosed in the cartridges
for safe transportation; by heating this
cartridge in an apparatus provided foI
the purpose, hydrogen gas is obtained
in sufficient quantities to initiate an or
dinary military balloon in three hours
"A Swedish scientist claims to have
discovered the secret Of artifcially pet
rifying wood, by which means he be
lieves edifces may be built of wOoG
and converted into stone. At present
the cost is about $500 per cubic inch
SO that the discovery does not promise
an immediate revolution in building.
Thomas A. Edison says he is nov
experimenting on an invention where.
by electricity would be produced direc
from coal, dispensing with boilers, en-
gines, dynamos, etc. Besides, he said
this would use nearly the entire hea
of coal, instead of only about FIVE PEI
cent, as done by the present system o
burning.
"A still body of water at tempera
ture of from rs degrees to 80 de
grees, which is about the ordinar,
summer temperature, will evaporat,
about three-elghts OF an inch IN z
hours if there be no wind. With tn,
wind blowing at 20 miles an hour tn,
evaporation will be about an inch
The amount will vary considerabl,
with the variations in moisture of th
air.
The application of electricity t
the production of brilliant effects o.
the dramatic and operatic stage open
new era in scenic representation
The sun, moon and stars, clouds, hail
rain and snow, sandstorms of the des
ert, flower gardens, fre-fiies and al
most everything involving color, ligh
or shade, are represented with a veri
similitude which has never before bee
equalled.