The Republican., 1891-09-18
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

gOlu OF Ophlr IS supposed TO nave come.
But the Zimball ruins show that this
strange country was once the scene of
a 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. aai 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 a very import
ant role. Darkness prevented the de-
se.2Tpment of perfume in flowers of
wGich the buds were only slightly ad-
vanced when submitted to its influence,
and even the plants whose flowers ex-
hailed perfume only at night lost their
odor if compelled to live in continued
darkness. Paris Revue Scientitique.
1t has been claimed that the seeds
taken from ancient Egyptian tombs are
capable of growth, out 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 reigncd in the second century
of our era. Think of it. Il 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 q mile into the mountain to
large vein of blue gravel that always
carries large amount of gold. About
Sl30,000 has been spent in these years
without 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 quicisauds, hundreds
of feet deep beneath which is hard
hi inn 40 70
formation abounds with remains of
plants, animals and fossils among
which are those of a 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
tian-liuronian line was once the bed OF
a 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 clue to
the presence of paper in the manufac-
ture. Paper packing cases are inde-
structible, apparently, and the saving
they effect in freight i. enormous.
Thousands of dollars are already in
vested in this comparatively new indus
try, and q new company with 1850, 900
capital has been organized to introduce
paper boards into other lines.
Tie 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 lake
shipbuilders to the front. Capt. Nc
Dougal says that his company will lay
the lleels for ten more whale back boats
for service on the Atlantic. Soon the
captain also says that they will build at
least one high speed whaleb back steamer
for service during the worlds fair.
This will be 430 feet long, with ac-
commodations for 1000 passengers.
Railroad Gazette.
"A writer in the Chemical News says:
"While analyzing qualitatively a mix
ture containing iodides and bromides, it
occurred to me, as my starched paper
was gone, and | was disinclined to
break off my work to make more, that
| might find an efficient substitute in
ordinary white writing paper. tried
this, after moistening with water, and
found to my delight that it did as well
as the best starch-paper that ever was
prepared; and why not, seeing that, in
the process of manufacture, writing
paper-or, indeed, any common paper
is finished with size, which contains
notable quantity of starch?'
Curious Instincts.
That birds can foresee hard winter
is belief too general to be founded en-
tirely ON fancy but it seems as if GER
tain species of water fowl were even
able to anticipate storms not preceded
by any symptoms known to our weather
augurs. The captain of Russian
steamer plying between Astrakhan and
Baku reports having passed through
gale that broke about noon of day al
most cloudlcss till 9 a. m, at which
time large flocks of sea birds were seen
fastening towards the rocky shores OF
Derbend, though the sailors suspected