The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-25
THE ROANOKE TIMES, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1896
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

transmitted to the latter.
There are about 60, 900, GOO parts in
n single feather OF an eagle. 1t is stated
g, 600 rami, 5, 500, 900 radii and 81, 600, oOo
chilia and hooklssa.
1t is stated on good authority that
the factories OF England. France. Ger.
many and Holland produce about IT,.
600, 600 pins daily. But whore do they
all go to?
-Sovon varieties of fishes examined
by naturalists of tho Challenger expedi.
ton are found totally blind in the deep
sea. but have eyes when inhabiting
shallow water.
The State geologist of New Jcrsey
says tho coast of that State is sinking at
tho rate of at least two feet in century.
Other observers hold that tho rate is
much moro rapid.
Moro women in proportion TO popu-
lation are employed in industrial occu-
pations in England than in any other
European country. Twelve per cent. Of
tho industrial classes are females.
A large voin Of pure white sand,
suitable for making glass, has been
found near Pittsburgh, Pa. Tho dis.
covory will savo tho glass manufact-
urers of that city thousands Of dollars
annually, rs they have hitherto boon
Obliged to send across tho Allegheny
Mountains for their sand.
An engineer OF MANCHESTER, En-
gland, is introducing q novelty in paper,
viz, paper file-hafts and tool-handles,
which are said to DO practically inde-
structiblo and much cheaper than wood
or malleablo iron hats. Placed under
steam-hammer, although they can be
hattencd. they can not be split or
cracked.
"A sample OF oranges plucked from
trees grown on the place of Thomas F..
Halle, at Kanapha, Fla, arc of the early
variety, just commenced to ripon, and
will weigh about ono pound each. Mr.
iailo's grove covers several acres. and
tho trees are so loaded with fruit that it
hiss become necessary 10 prop Thorn up.
Tho crop is simply wonderful.
Sometimes" writes correspond
ent Of y trade paper. 81 have had to
make holes in steel that was too hard to
cut or file easily. Then make mix
turc that will cut a hole. I mix one
an ounce of alum, half tcaspoonful of
powdered salt gill of vinegar and
twenty drops Of nitric acid. This will
mako 4 hole"
Victor Meyer, an eminent German
chemist believes two may reasonably
hope that chemistry will yet teach us to
make tho fiber OF wood u source of
human food This fiber, as we'll as
that Of grass and straw, is chemically
closely allied to starch, but is not al
tered like starch. in boiling water, yet
both the wood fiber and the starch can
be transformed into glucose. In short,
NO may some day DO break fasting on
sawdust porridgc.
For some timo past efforts have boon
mado to consolidate, and virtually place
under one homogeneous, tho American
glass factories manufacturing tableware.
1t is announced that arrangements are
in progress by which at loast thirty-one
a tho factories engaged in this line will
be united. The accredited agents of
tho movement, while they givo but lit
Ito information. state that tho capital
does not come from distinctively foreign
sources American Manufacturers
Aluminium and alloys arc now pro-
iuccd in considerable quantities by
throo distinct methods from certain
clays. corundnm, otc. In one case tho
metallic sodium rotorting process is en-
employed, in another the electrical
smelling furnace process and in third
tho direct smelling substitution process
is resortod to. Tho last-namcd method.
which has proved very successful, con-
5ists in producing chemical alloy
within a water acketed furnace and a
motal fume condenser = without any
metallic sodium or electricity =. the
product being cqualed by only ono
other, which may DO classcd as the
solidihcd solution OF ono metal into
another.
"A Belgian che mist is said to have
devised method of rendering fabrics
proof against the. ravages of decay for
an indefinite period. Noting tho fact
that resin played an important part in
tho wonderful preservation of Egyptian
mummics, he mado numerous expert
ments with substances extracted from
birch bark, to which the peculiar aroma
Of Russian leather Is duo. He found
that the green tar which is left over
after tho oil used in tanning has been
extracted from tho white bark of the
birch troo yields neither acid nor aka
old, and that In solution with alcohol it
forms q liquid OF remarkable fuidity,
which has the powor Of resisting when
dry the action OF evcn alcohol. It Is
claimed that this preservation possesses
tho property OF uniting with the most
delicate and brilliant colors aud render
ing them apparently imporishable.
Kolressss fin Mexico.
1t is considered a disgrace for 4 Mox-
lean lady to earn her own 1;vinc ILL.,