The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-01-08
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
Since ESQ sla 600. 900 has been ex-
pended in constructing 1900 miles Of
canals and H. 600 miles of distributing
ditches which now furnish irrigation
for 6. 900, 900 acres of land.
Aluminium promises to be of great
value in the construction of sounding
boards 1t seems possible from its Free
dom from the metallic tone-color to inn
prove very much the quality of the tone
of the phonograph, by getting rid Of
the metallic sound so offensive to tha
ear. III
1t is said that half the tin of tho
world is exported from the Malay PEI
ninsula, where mining is carried on al
most exclusively by the Chinese. Tho
mining is that of food tin, and the
metal is taken from the lowlands near
the mountains where it is found in
pockets ten to twenty feet or more be-
low the surface.
The length Of the structure over the
Mississippi at Memphis is to be 5000
feet-bridge, 1900; iron viaduct, $500
feet; timber trestle, 3,10O feet Its eight
piers are to be III to 1917 feet in height.
The deepest foundation is 1871 feet be-
low low-water mark. The central span
is to be 821 feet in length, with canti-
lever arms 1869 feet in length.
1T has been proposed that the carr
bonic acid gas that is liberated during
the process of fermentation in brew
cries be utilized by condensing 1t into
liquid form that can be sold for eight
cents q pound. II is estimated that
25, 900. 900, 900 gallons of this gas ara
produced annually In the breweries Of
Great Britain.
Chlorine in water indicates pollu-
ton. The state board of health Of
Massachusetts has sent out q map show
ing the normal amount of chlorine in
the water supply throughout the state.
II in the future the chlorine exceeds the
normal, it Is. with some limitations, to
be considered as an indication that the
water has been polluted by sewage or
household waste.
An interesting archaeological dis
covery has just been made in the forest
of Eawy, near Saint-Saens The exca-
vations undertaken by Mr.. CASTOR Le
Breton have recently brought to light
the walls of building seeming to be
the remains of a little antique temple
belonging to the second or third GEN.
fury. 1t is quadrangular in form, and
stands completely alone. Among the
debris they have found some statues Of
the Venus Anadyomene in baked earth.
Paris La Nature.
German scientists, who have re-
Gently investigated the subject, assert
that the heart of the oak begins to de-
cay at the age of 800 years The pine
tree Ives to the average age of 500, but
some of them have fourished for 700
years. They assign 425 years to the
silver fir, 275 years to the larch, GAS
years to the red beech, 210 to the aspen.
200 to the birch, ITO to the ash, las to
the alder, and 1870 to the elm.
Contrary to the general belief that
the dragon fly is dangerous and has q
vicious sting, Prof Bickmore says that
1t is not only harmless but good friend
to man, because it skins over the stag
nant pools and quiet lakes where NOS
quitoes breed and cats them. Some exc
periments had been made to ascertain
If dragon flies could not be bred in suffi-
cient numbers to completely extermi-
nate the mosquito but they had not
been successful.
Iowa, 331, 500, 900 bushels of corn;
Illinois, PAL, O76 900; Missouri, POI, 176, 900;
Kansas, 1853, 1853, 900; Nebraska, las, OO4,-
900; Indiana. 49, 400, 900; Ohio, 96, $780,
900; Texas, 90, 1872, 900; Kentucky, S.
04o, 600, and Tennessee, sl,S24,0 are
the ten leading corn-growing states ac-
cording to the estimates of the depart
ment OF agriculture. Iowa is also at tho
head of the list in point of average
yield, her rate being 1857 bushels per
acre; Ohio's average is placed at 1877,
Indiana's 80, Illinois 31.2, Missouris
| 30. %, Kansas % 2, Nebraska's 1873.