St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-06-29

tOrm0u Oy the breaking up Oh the
dried spray of the ocean into minute
particles. and by the infinitesimal di-
vision OF meteOric matter; but most Of
all this dust is produced from
the sulphur OF burnt Goals The
three hundred and fifty tons
OF sulphur thrown into the
every winter day in Lon
don are quite sufficient to account for
the density Of the fogs in that city.
One of the most brilliant discoveries of
our day is the numbering Of the dust
OF the air. 1.-The gay notes that peo-
pie the sunbeam" have been mechanic
ally enum Grated. 1t has been cOmput-
ed that in ordinary dry air there are
more than txo millions OF dust-par-
ticlcs in the cubic inch. and in an or
binary room there are no fewer than
nine thousand millions.
But the organic particles in the air
even more attention, for
they exercise very important influ-
ence upon the health and comfort OF
man and beast. Though unseen by
the naked eye. these are tie disease
germs and death germs which cause so
much sickness and mortality in the
world. Sd far as the material frames
are cOnce med, these micrO-organisms
are. far more real messengers OF evil
than poet or painter ever imagined.
We have only to realize the fact that
in the air of a bedroom have been
counted no less than six thousand or
ganisms per cubic yard. and that even
in fairly-hcalthy locality man must
breathe. along with the fifteen cubic
yards Of dusty air in twenty -four hours.
about forty thousand baneful bac-
terra. to be painfully struck
how he can escape disease.
or how his lungs are not. like
chimneys, soon lined with dust. Fort
unately, however. nature has provided
a wonderful means Of prevention. The
heat of the lung-surfaces repels the
colder dust particles, and prevents
them from alighting. The lungs. too.
moist as we'll as warm. and the constant
evaporation of moisture at the surface
of the air-tubes tends to ward OF the
dust
1t has been practically shown that in
tie bad-conducting property Of snow
there Is remarkable protecting power
in the economy of nature However
cold the air and the surface Of the
snow may be. if there is a considerable
thickness of snow. the temperature Of
the surface OF the soil underneath does
not fall below the freezing point Thus
the snow is actually a warm covering
to the vegetation, for on its removal
in Alpine slopes by the ethereal mild
ness of the spring, the surface OF the
earth is seen to be gOrgeously verdant
and studded with beautiful flower
bloom. But, though the snow is a
beneficent protection 10 the plant-world
in cold climates, it is chilling to the
atmosphere. The radiation from the
snow in a cloudless sky considerably
lowers the temperature OF the superin-
cumbent air: and in extensive snow
clad lands, when the winter is protract-
ed. the chilling effect is very manifest
The surface of the snow receives SO
little heat from the earth that it gets
cooled down to hoar-frost in q brilliant
layer. glistening in the weaker sum
light. Thus the ground may be OF tenn
perature above freezing when the
snow-surface is bitterly cold. How
ever. animals which live La the air
have the power OF locOmotion to keep
up the body's temperature by active
work. The plants in a cold winter
would die or become stunted without
me protection of the snow-mantle.
whereas animals that can keep them
selves in heat by exercise do not suffer
BY the necessary loss Of the heat of the
earth which is prevented b. the snow
covering from passing through to
them.
One of the most remarkable discOv'
cries of modern times is that OF the
products OF coal-,r. From that ap-
parently useless substance colOrs.
medicines. perfumes and sweeteners
have been abundantly extracted.
These products vic in power and bene'
fit with the rarest vegetable alkalOids.
The cOlors. of numberless variety. un'
equalcd beauty, trit,ing cost and we'll
tested permanency. are used in dress
and house-furnishings. The medicines.
useful and cheaper than quinine. can
assuase the violent fever and lessen
human suffering without any OF the
bad effects of the drug extracted from
the Peruvian bark. The perfumes. for
soaps and os..er purposes. are healthy
pleasant and moderate in price. The
sweeteners. two hundred and TWEEN
ty times the strength OF SUI
gar. with germ-killing power. are
useful for preserves and beneficial in
certain forms OF disease. The attain.
ment of such results might we'll be re
garded as savorins OF the chimerical
dreams of the alchemist rather than O
the real production Of the practical
chemist
Balloons have been so utilized 10!
war that the Laareate's dream may moi
be far distant in realization, when nc
saw The nations airy navics crap
ping in the central blue" BY the us<
Of electricity and captive balloons
signals can be flashed in the balloon
without the necessity OF having tn:
operator in it, The balloon is made q
a very transparent substance, and in<
it are placed several incandescent elec
trio lamps, in circuit with the source o
electricity on the ground. BY vary
inc ths, durasiOn Of ths, flashes IF 1irh