The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-09-19
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


queen of Sheba have not been found in
Mashonalaud, whence the wonderful
gold OF ophir is supposed to have come.
But the Iimball ruins show that this
strange country was once the scene OF
o mighty civilization.
The water of the central basin OF
the Mediterranean has been found to
be warmer, denser and richer in dis
solved salts than the western. While
white disk was easily visible at forty
three metres, Photographic plates were
affected at 800 metres.
Machines for opening and cleaning
cotton have recently been improved by
an automatic feeding apparatus. applied
TO the feed apron, and by means of
which one man can tend two machines
when being fed with raw or bail cotton
easier than he could heretofore tend
one. A large amount of seeds and leaf
is extracted by this device.
"A German botanist, Mr. Regel has
recently given to the public the result
of his researches as to the causes of the
perfumes of plants, and the factors
which diminish or increase them. Light
and heat naturally plays Il very import
ant role. Darkness prevented the de-
velopment of perfume in flowers of
which the buds were only slightly adj
vanced when submitted to its influence,
and even the plants whose flowers ey-
hailed perfume only at night lost their
odor if compelled to live in continued
darkness. Paris Revue Scientiique.
1t has been claimed that the seeds
taken from ancient Egyptian tombs are
capable of growth, but proof of the
claim is lacking. 1t has been demon
started, however, that seeds of very
great age are capable of development
Raspberries have been raised from seed
taken from the stomach of a man who
died during the time of Emperor Had
rian, who reigned in the second century
of our era. Think of it, seed spring.
ing into new life, after lying dormant
sixteen centuries.
Some idea of the faith and patience
which the California miner displays
may be gained from the case of the Cen
tennial gravel mine in Nevada county.
For eighteen years work has been car.
ried on in a tunnel which is now one
third of mile into the mountain to n
large vein of blue gravel that always
carries large amount of gold. About
Sl30,00O has been spent in these years
without a cent in return, yet the stock
holders are confident that when divi-
dends begin they will soon compensate
for the long delay.
1t is reported that recent borings for
artesian wells in South Dakota have
disclosed an extraordinary variety of
clays, gravels and qulchsands, hundreds
of feet deep, beneath which is a hard
rock resembling granite. The cretaceous
formation abounds with remains oi
plants animals and fossils, among
which are those of fig tree and five
new species of fish, three of them here
tofore unknown to science. This of
itself is interesting but most eXtraor
dinary is the conclusion drawn by
scientific men that the area lying be-
tween the quartz line and the Lauren
tianH Huronian line was once the bed OF
u sea. N. Y. Recorder.
Paper is fighting wood hard in the
manufacture of boxes, buckets and even
packing cases, and so perfect is the
manufacturing process that in many in
stances nothing but the wonderful diff.
ference in weight can afford a clue to
the presence of paper in the manufac'
ture. Paper packing cases are indie
structible, apparently, and the saving
they effect in freight is enormous
Thousands of dollars are already in
vested in this comparatively new indus
try, and new company with S1,250, 0O(
capital has been organized to introduce
paper boards into other lines.
The successful voyage of the whale
back steamer, Charles w. Wetmore
from Duluth to Liverpool, with a cargo
of wheat, is an event of unusual inter
est, and brings the plans of the lakC
shipbuilders to the front. Capt. Nc
Dougal says that his company will lay
the keels for ten more whalebacll boat
for service on the Atlantic Soon the
captain also says that they will build a
least one high h-Speed whale back stcame
for service during the worlds fair
This will be $50 feet long, with ac
commodations for 1000 passengers. -
Railroad Gazette.
"A writer in the Chemical News says
''While analyzing qualitatively mix
ture containing iodides and bromides, i
occurred to me, as my starched pape
was gone, and 1 was disinclined t.
break off my work to make more, that
1 might find an efficient substitute il
ordinary white writing paper. l triec
this, after moistening with water, ant
found to my delight that it did as wei
as the best starch-paper that ever was
prepared; and why not, seeing that, il
the process of manufacture, writing
paper-or, indeed, any common paper
is finished with size, which contains
notable quantity of starch?"