The Colfax chronicle., 1890-11-01
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

-Prunes are very profitable crop in,
California One grower expects to get.
$f1. 900 for his crop.
There are $50. 900. 600, 600 feet of un--
cut lumber in the basin tributary to-
Gray's Harbor, Wash.
The owner of new tire, made Of
hollow spring steel, circular, oval, or
square, thinks that it will succeed rub
Der tires for wagons or bicycles. 1t can
be fixed on so that it can never come of.
Carleton College Observatory has
issued star catalogue giving the exact
places of GA companion stars" as de-
termined by original Observations. 1t
represents two and half years of work,
and is a valuable contribution to astro-
nomical science
Two French biologists have con-
cluded that microbes are not killed di-
rectly by the electric currents ordinarily
used in medical work, but that the OBJ
served destruction of bacteria has been
due to the disengagement of acids or of
oxygen.
AN enthusiastic entomologist is re-
ceiving daily from the local lineman the
moths which find their way into the arc
lamp globe in an adjacent street during
the night. Birds are fearlsssly build
ing their nests in the hoods of tha
lamps. and we are told that an electric
light superintendent in Na;,hville re-
ceived unique present from colored
workman in the form of sack full of
honey bees. The swarm was found in
the hood of an electric lamp, where it
had settled the day before.
Some months age Prof. Schia parelli
announced the astonishing conclusion
that the planet Mercury rotates on its
axis in the same period OF time in which
it revolves around the sun, and the
eminent Italian astronomer has now
brought forward evidence tending to a
similar conclusion with regard to Venus
If these views prove correct both bIer-
curry and Venus must turn one side con-
stantly to the sun, just as our moon al
ways turns the same side toward the
earth.-Arkansaw Traveller.
"A recent communication to the
Academic de Medicine respecting DR..
Mesnet's Investigations as to stigu,ata,
or cliches, as they are now often cal led,
shows that il pressure on tho ski of
susceptible subjects is made in the orm
of letters, such letters are clearly dis
tipguishable when nervous dera nge-
ment causes the skin to change CO lor.
In one experiment the words la INA
ture" were traced out on a patien t's
neck, and the letters in few minut4 IS
developed in color. 1t is observed tha t
people susceptible to stigmata are hys-
terical or epileptic, and frequently cx-
perience local want of sensation.-En- =
glish Mechanic.
Great Britain is the center Of the
small fruit industry of the world. Ac-
cording to recent statistics, the areas
devoted to small fruit culture there, in
including the cultivation between the
trees in orchards, aggregate 4S,612 acres.
The annual valne to the growers aver
ages from SIS, 000, 900 to $40. 600, 900. The
industry has been veritable boon to
English agriculturists- Small fruit
growing is taking the place of unprofit-
able root and grain crops. In the coun-
ty of Kent alone there are about S0.-
900 persons engaged as growers, picilers
and packers in the production Of jams,
and over 10000 tons of sugar is used
annually in the industry.-San Fran
cisco Bulletin.
Wood brought to q mirror polish is
coming into use for ornamental pur-
poses in Germany, and has this advan-
tage. that, unlike metal, it is not af-
fected by moisture. The stuff is first
treated with bath of caustic alkali for
two or three days, at a temperature be-
tween 164 degrees and 1877 degrees f.
Next comes dip in hydrosulphate of
calcium, for from twenty-four to thirty
six hours. after which concentrated
solution of sulphur is added. After
another soak in an acetate of lead solu-
tion, at 95 degrees to 12o degrees F.. it
is thoroughly dried and polished with
lead, tin or zinc, as may be desired,
when it resembles shining metaL-Sci.
entifc American.