The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-10-16
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

line prOQucJlOn OF mOldSSeS IN LOUIS
lana is so great that it does not pay to
buy barrels to ship it. Arrangements
are now being made to burn it, mixed
with some other substance, and thus
save a great amount of coal.
In Great Britain, where dews are
heavy, it is estimated that the whole
amount deposited in a year would be
equal to a depth of several inches of
water. In some tropical regions dew
is deposited so fast as to be equal to
light rain.
Official reports of the great manu-
featuring centers of Russia show that
21,Sl0 persons are employed in the
various factories, and of this number
only 6.S per cent are able to read and
write, 932 per cent being illiterate.
One-t third of the educated laborers are
foreigners.
"A handful of raw pig iron, weighing
| about five pounds, is worth five cents.
1t would make about 80 table knife
blades, worth Sl5; converted into steel
watch springs, there would be about
10, 200 of these little coils, which, at
the rate of 81. rs dozen, would be
valued at SIC, GROSS
"A deposit of what is known as
fossil flour" has been recently discov-
cred in Maine which will resist the
action of acids alkalies and oils and is
a remarkable non-conductor of heat.
1t will be used in the manufacture of
rubber goods. 1t contains ninety-fye
per cent. of pure silica, and when mined
it comes out as fine powder.
Mayer has calculated that, if the
motion of the earth were suddenly ar
rested, the temperature produced would
be sufficient 10 melt and even to volatil.
ize it; while if it fell into the sun, as
much heat would be produced as re.
suits from the combustion of 5000
spheres of carbon the size of our globe.
"A good illustration of the expansion
of the world s trade during the past thirty
years is afforded by the production OF
petroleum in the United States. In 1859,
$4,000 gallons were produced in the
Pennsylvania and New York oil fields,
and IN 1870, GS9, O29, $50 gallons were ex-
ported from the various states which
now produce the oil.
Imitation gold is new compound
which was recently discovered and
which puzzles the best jewelers. to de-
tect. Its weight is that of gold and the
acid tests are the same, except that the
acid boils a trifle when applied to it,
although when it is wiped off no spot is
left. 1t is cheap and it is easily worked
Its chief factor is aluminium composite,
from to per cent.
The new departure in photography,
as recently applied to telescopes, has
extended our information to most
wonderful degree already, especially in
the delineation of the moons surface,
and has opened wide field for astron-
omers Many points are clearly shown
on the negative that can not be seen
the powerful Lick telescope.
The effect of adding alumni mum to
steel ingots has recently been discussed
by the American Institute of Mining
Engineers, and, according to Professor
Arnold, it's effect in rendering steel
castings perfectly sound is very marked.
1t is twenty times as powerful as sill
con, and the resulting steel is tougher.
By using it, manganese can be dis
carded, and a considerable saving in
time and fuel effected.
The danger of using arsenical
preparations for the poisoning of plants
is illustrated by the fact that Dr. b. L.
Robinson, assistant in the Gray Herb
arium, Cambridge, has been compelled
to resign his position owing to ill-health
resulting from this cause 1t is stated
that the poisoning of plants has now
been entirely abandoned in the herb
arium; the tightness of the cases and
the constant handling of the sheets be-
ing relied on to preserve the specimens.
IS. c. Rees, mining man, proposes
to revolutionize mining on inaccessible
lodges by ascending to them in a bal
loon. He says that large balloon will
be inflated in the bottom of the canyon
and secured by ropes there to prevent
its escape, when It'll proposed to initiate
it and make the ascent to the point in
the walls of the canyon where the ledge
is, and foothold will be worked into
il from the balloon