The Republican., 1891-09-25
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

1dlI VI dDOul lc6b DelHetH
Lake Superior and Lake Huron at Sault
Ste. Maria gives probably one of the
greatest water powers in the world 1t
to be utilized on the Canadian side by a
race and on the American side by a
canal Loco feet wide, and giving 236, ,0OG
horse power.
1t has been concluded that whatever
preservative is to be applied, the timber
for piles, subjected to the action of sea-
worm, should first be charred, so as to
kill any germs near the surface, open
the pores of the wood for the antiseptic
and destroy the nutritive matter upon
which the worms live. Scientific
American.
AT a recent meeting of the Ioolog-
ical society, of London, Mr.. Boulenger
exhibited young specimens and eggs of
a South African siluroid fish (Galeich-
thys feliceps). They had been taken
from the mouth of the male parent,
which carries in this extraordinary
manner the eggs laid by the female.
The treasury department estimates
that 500, 900, 900 pounds of sugar will be
produced in the United States this year
and that $40, 900, 900 will be required to
pay the bounty. Ninety-three per cent.
of the yield is from sugar cane, per
cent. from the beet, about 4 per cent.
from the maple and the rest from
sorghum.
The watermelon business in south
western Georgia has been overdone and
many growers will change their crops.
The man who bought the first carload
of melons in Fort Valley. the past season
paid $50 for them, and he thought he
was going to make a small fortune on
the transaction. When the melons
were shipped the parties to whom they
were consigned surprised him by draw
ing on him for SIS. He was out just
that much on the speculation.
A curious and interesting calcula-
tion has been made by Professor Rogers,
of Washington, d. c., on the dynamic
power of coal. According to the pro-
fessor single pound of good steam
coal has within it dynamic power
equivalent to the work of one man for
one day. Three tons of the same coal
represent mans labor for period of
twenty years, and one square mile of a
seam of coal, having depth of four
feet only, represent as much work as
1000, 900 men can perform in twenty
years.
The average weight of the brain of
man bears a definite relation to the
climate in which he lives, heavier
brain weight being found in cold than
in warm countries. In proportion to
their stature the Lapps have the largest
heads in Europe, the Norwegians next,
then come the Swedes Germans French
and Italians In the Arab the head is
found to be smaller than any of the
above, while in the far north there exists
IL people called Chugatshes, whose heads
are remarkably large.
In an article on ''Infection Due to
Shaving" a physician says, with regard
to selecting a barber: Whatever he is
not, he must be clean and careful. 1t
should not be forgotten that there are
possible safeguards well within the
reach of this class of tradesmen, which
customer may fairly exact for his
own security as part1of the common
law of shaving. These include the use
of perfectly fresh water and soap, or
prefera bly, shaving cream as admitting
of exclusive use, clean brush, and
clean razor for each person shaved.
The rapidity with which steel rails
have continued to replace those of iron
in the railways of this country is re-
markable. In 1850 there were down
SO, $50 miles of steel rails, out of 1l5, ,647
miles of road reported upon, or 90. l per
cent. In 1855 the steel rails had in
creased to 105. 724 miles, or 62.9 per
cent, and at the end of 1890 according
to Poor's Manual the steel rail milage
had reached 167,606 miles, or SO.4 per
cent. of the whole milage reported in
cluding sidings and other tracks The
increase seems to have averaged more
than per cent. each year, and at that
rate it will take only about two years
to remove the last iron rails used on
railways in the United States Rail
way Age.
If coming events cast their shadows
before, it is safe to predict that during
the next few years the southern states
will take the place heretofore occupied
by the western states in the construction
of new lines of railway, as well as the ex-
tension of the old ones. Investigations
in the southern and southeastern states
have revealed coal and other mineral
deposits of great richness and as a con-
sequence investors are turning their
attention to that region: and in those
states where legislation is not likely to
hamper such projects it is probable that
the development of new railroads will
be rapid as well as protita BILE. e.-Chicago
Railway Review.
a NEEDED REFORM.