The morning call., 1892-12-28
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

There are more than 2000 varieties of
apples raised in the United States.
In the last fifty years the number of ZOO
logical gardens has more than doubled.
France viii spend nearly S2,OO0.OOo for
arms and ammunition for the cavalry alone
next year.
The State of Washington is one of the
heaviest consumers OF condensed milk III the
country.
The English clergy was at first very bitter
against the FORK, one man declaring that its
use was impious.
FouE-fifths Of the engines now working in
the world have been constructed during the
last twenty-five years.
The people of many of the South Sea
Islands manufacture their entire suits from
the product OF palm trees.
Cuban BARRIERS iather their patrons with
their hands from bowl made TO ut under
the chin. No brush is used.
The accuracy of surveying in ancient en-
gineerlng is marvellous considering the rude
ness OF the instruments.
A number of NJ. P.'s are understood to
be in favor of having an official verbatim
report of the proceedings of Parliament
Among the Saxons. when drinking
healths, as many cups were drunk as there
were letters in the name of the person COM
plimented.
The modern Italian wine Jars, holding
about twenty quarts, are almost Identical in
shape and size with the amph0ras found in
Pompeii.
A New York paper solemnly announces
that one of the hotels of that city is TO "be
enlarged by reducing the size Of its immense
rooms"
Champagne owes its quality to the sell,
mixture OF chalk. silica. light clay and oxide
OF iron. and TO the great care and delicate
manlpu alton IN manufacture.
A fast penman will write at the rate of
thirty words minute, which means that in
an hours steady writing he has drawn his
pen along space of 300 yards.
The BARRIERS of Trenton, Mo-, attempted
to charge Republicans % cents for a shave
on account OF the long faces they wore for
several days after the election.
During the last year the number of elec-
tric railways increased from 3S5 to 400, the
capital stock from S155, ,067, ,973 to S205. S7O.-
600 and the mileage from 1916 10 5446 miles.
A baby boa constructor fell out of a lot of
bananas unloaded at Washington, ID. c., the
other day, and after the boa had become
cold it was captured for the geological
gardens.
A test case brought by the city of Provi-
dence against man for selling adulterated
milk was lost. 1t is alleged that the Jury
was confused with technical terms and
Latin words.
1t is estimated that it costs the well to-do
people in this country S125000,Ooo annually
least S5O0. .000, 900 are invested in permanent
buildings where the needy are cared for.
The best lighted city in Europe is Milan.
American machines only is employed ia
its two central stations, A curious feature
of the system of distribution is that the
wires, instead OF being carried on poles, are
suspended from the brackets under the
caves OF the houses.
Not many people stop to think about 1t,
but the outside of lemon is anything but
clean. III you will look at IL you will see
tiny spots. like scales, all over it, These
are the eggs of an insect. and if a lemon is
not washed they are likely to become an
ingredient IN whatever dish the lemon is
used for.
The population of the Indian Empire has
risen within the memory of the present
generation from 220, 100000 to 2s9 oe0, coo; it
has been increasing at the rate of 9, 800 600
annually, and is now rising at the rate of
100000. If no large fanines occur it will
considerably exceed 800, 100000 at the end of
the century.
The city of Avignon, France, inherited
almost half million francs recently from
man named MarcehD, who had lived in the
place as beggar for decades. In prepar-
ing his body Tor burial the bonds and
money were found in his clothes. The
"beggar" allowed his sister to starve to
death year ago.
A great change may come over the dreams
OF our winter tourists if the Mexican Gen.
tral Railroad ever get completed to the
mountain paradise of OAXsca, where winter
resembles rainless May. and the Sierras
exhibit every variety of vegetation from
the pines OF the summit forests to the
palms and orange groves of the foothills
What is believed to be the fastest time on
record was made by compound locomotive
oil the Naucla!n type on the Bound Brook
route between Philadelphia and New York
on November Is. The record was broken
between Plainfield and Elizabeth, where
one mile was run in 80 seconds, and two
successive miles In IS seconds, or at the
rate OF 81 miles per hour.
The superstition about the number Is be-
ing uniucky is put into multiplied t. st in the
new 25-cent piece On one side of the coin
then are no less than ten repetitions of the
nhmDer lo. There are 13 stars, Is letters
IN the scroll held in the eagles beak, IS mar
glnai feathers in each wing. 13tail feathers.
Is parallel lines in the shield, Is horizontal
bars. l3 arrow-heads in one claw, 13 leaves
on the branch 10 the other claw and l3 let
tegs In the words quarter dollar"
The plan of curing pulmonary complaints
Dy the influence of a low temperature has
been tried with success in the case OF many
Iar-gone consumptiveS, and has made the
fortunes of several Colorado and New
Hampshire hotel-keepers. But there is
strong probability that winter frusts would
serve the purpose as well as the cold air of
the Sierras and that thousands of health
seekers could find relief at home by opening
their bedroom windows