The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-10-23
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Humboldt calculated the mean level
OF North America to be 74S feet above
the sea, and he found that in $500 00C
years the whole of North America
might be worn down to the sea level
"A strong wind prevents the forma-
ton of dew, by keeping the air well
mixed, and leaving no part of it in con-
tact with the ground long enough to
become cool and deposit moisture.
Oregon farmers are coming to the
conclusion that there is more money to
be made in horticulture than in any
other branch of farming and arerapidly
turning their grain fields into orchards.
1t is estimated that the total ton
mage which will pass through the
be ten million tons per annum. This
is equal to five large ships, and fifteen
ahips of ordinary size day.
Some plants appear to be able to
grow and develop in total darkness. A
committee of the Royal Horticultural
society has been told of hyacinths that
developed colored flowers, although pre-
vented by some accident from coming
above the ground.
New Orleans agents of Louisiana
and Mississippi lumber mills have con-
tracted for the delivery of $4,000, 900
feet of pine lumber to the German gov
eminent within eighteen months. This
enormous amount is said to be for the
construction of railroads in that coun-
try.
In sandy soil the greatest success is
met with in utilizing stream of water
from hose to bore the way for the
sinking of piles. The nozzle is secured
to the heel Of the pile and the stream
turned on. The pile sinks rapidly, and
the sand packing about it renders it per-
fcctly solid.
In Japan the artists are more num-
erous than the artisans, and receive less
pay. The great wood carvers earn 81
a day, but capa BILE carvers of less bril-
liancy are satisfied with % or 80 cents,
upon which they can live satisfactorily
The entire Japanese race is of artistic
taste. and wood carvers have in recent
times entered upon a new era of pros
perity.
"A long study of the parallax of
Arcturus has led DR. Elllin of Yale uni
versity to conclude that this star travels
with the uncomfortable velocity of 3S1
miles a second, or twenty-one times
faster than the earth moves in it's orbit
round the sun. Arcturus proves to be
so distant, that its light, travelling
al
years to reach us.
The aquatic plant, the bladderwort,
feeds on animal life. The tiny bladders
attached to the leaves and leaf stalks
are each furnished with a door, the
whole acting on the cel-trap principle.
Any small water creature that ventures
to peep in is seized in the clutches of
the murderous plant, and is at once
swallowed and assimilated.
"A new departure is being made on
some of the leading railway lines. 1t
is found that the great fault of the flag
man is to waste his time and divert his
attention in conversation with his Gro
MES, and at various highway crossings
two-story towers are being erected for
the gatekeepers. From these pncu-
matte gates will be worked, and the
services of the flagmen, though deprived
of their amenities, will be more trust
worthy from the exalted perch.
-Considera olive oil is manufac-
tured IN Northern Persia in the prov
ince of Gillian. There are about one
hundred thousand olive trees and these
produce from six to nine pounds of
olives yearly. Only about seventeen
per cent. of the weight of the olives of
good oil can be obtained by the Persian
presses. This gives a crop of about
one hundred and twenty-seven thousand
pounds. After the good oil is extracted,
the olives are pressed again and the oil
is used in making soap The residue is
used as manure around the trees.
The laughing plant is the name of
plant growing in Arabia. and. accord
ing to the Medical Times, is so called
by reason of the effect produced upon
those who eat it's seeds. The plant is
of moderate size, with bright yellow
flowers, and soft velvety seed-pods, each
of which contains two or three seeds re-
sembling black beans. The natives of
the district where the plant grows dry
these seeds and reduce them to powder.
A dose of this powder has similar effects
to those arising from the inhalation of
laughing gas. 1t causes the most sober
person to dance, shout, and laugh with
the boisterous excitement of mailman,
and to rush about cutting the most re-
diculous capers for about an hour. At
the expiration of this time exhaustion
sets in, and the excited person falls
asleep, to awake after several hours
with no recollection of his antics.
Too Old.