The Republican., 1890-12-05
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

An excellent crop of cocoons is ex-
pected to be gathered in Cashmere from
the silkworm eggs imported from Italy
last December.
Three locomotives, helpers to the
great DIR. Schliemann in his work of
excavation, are now putting about the
ruins of Troy, where once the feet
chariot Of Achilles dragged the body Of
Hector.
"A writer in the London Spectator
thinks that if parrots could be made to
breed in captivity, the parent birds
might teach their young to talk, just as
the canaries teach their accomplishment
to their little ones.
The balloon proposed for polar ex-
plorations is ninety-nine feet in diane
ter and 500, cubic feet in volume.
The journey is to be begun from Spitz-
bergen, and with q favorable wind is
expected to last four or five days.
The welding Of copper is considered
as among the lost arts. We have re-
ceived, nevertheless, from the Connery
Boiler Co., of West Philadelphia, Pa,
some samples of copper-welding which
appear to have been accomplished very
successfully.-Power.
"A number of ornithologists residing
in the vicinity of Philadelphia have
organized the Delaware Valley Orni-
biological Club" for the study of the
birds of southeastern Pennsylvania and
southern New Jersey, with special refer
ence to their migration in the valley of
the Delaware River
The projected new way up the Mat
terhorn is interesting engineers. The
rails will cease at the base of the
''sugarloaf" and the ascent is to be ac-
complished by succession of elevators
from one point to another. 1t is sup
posed that the work of construction
vail occupy about four years.
In a field not far from Austerlitz, at
a depth of about eight feet, the skeleton
of tall, powerful man has Deen dis
covered, lying with the skull towards
the west. Under the left arm was
found sword, almost yard long, with
signs of having had the hilt covered
with wood A naturalist thinks it has
lain in the earth for over / GOO years.
AN important innovation has been
introduced in the shape of machine
for preparing molds for casting. The
machine is designed to produce COM
plete mold at one operation, and thus to
replace skilled hand labor in making
molds for pattern plates. 1t is claimed
that lad can operate the machine with
the assistance of laborer, and is able
to ram and mold as many as 1000 boxes
per day.
Seal catchers say that the business
is one of continual hardship from the
beginning of trip to the end. The cli-
mate during the season is most disa-
greeable. 1t is damp and rainy and
heavy fogs settle down without mo-
ments warning. Often and often boats
have been separated from the schooner
and have wandered about for several
days before being picked up. The boat
stays out as long as it is light enough
to see the seals. The work is tedious
and very rough.
Paper manufacturers have for
long time been much exercised with the
problem of procuring at reduced cost
the caustic soda and the chloride of
lime, or bleaching powder, which con-
stitute items of considerable expense in
paper mills. 1t has been hoped that
these two chemicals would be obtained
directly and economically from common
salt by the aid of electricity, and at
length this hope has been realized. The
apparatus which has been devised for
this process is automatic, the salt solu-
ton passing regularly, and the caustic
soda being drawn off at any strength up
to ten or twelve per cent. of pure caus-
tic soda. The chlorine, which can also
be used direct for bleaching, is absorbed
by Stacked lime, and bleaching powder
is thus produced. BY this process,
which is simply the passing of an cleo
trio current through common salt, an in
creased proportion Of bleaching powder
is secured and the quality of the caustic
soda is greatly improved.-N. Y. Sun.