Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-13
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS.

| -IWelye average Tea plants Pio"uoo O1S
pound OF tea.
The diamond is said to keep of evil
spirits and insanity.
Mosquitoes have appeared in Paris Tor
the first time in many years, it is said.-
An American bark on the Pacific re-
Gently sailed for five hours through boiling
| water.
up in the West Virginia, mountains 600
snakes were found in one tree. Lumbermen
killed them all.
Berlin physicians now say that disease
communicated by beer, glasses, which are
seldom properly cleaned
"A vegetable cartridge she'll which is
entirely consumed in firing is now coming
| into use in the French army.
Clear, summer sunlight is said to pene-
trate the Mediterranean Sea to depth Of
l,2Oo feet: winter sunlight to only GOO feet.
4 In Japan, it is said, there are apple
trees growing four inches in height, which
| bear irui5 freely about the size OF currants.
"A Port Huron, Mich, factory is. said
to be making undeIelothes from wood hDer,
which :'rc equal in all respects to those made
of wool.
In Sicily pigs are used as the scavengers
| of the towns. They eat the fiIthiest OF
| street refuse over whicl Il little bran has
| been spread.
| The oil in grape seed is valuable enough
to warrant its extraction at considerable ex-
| pense, and it is ant to soon develop into
| permanent industry.
The hamlet of Foust situated in the
| Lower Pyrenees, belongs neither to France
nor spain. 1t has over 100 citizens. They
have no mayor nor other civil official.
Paris requires every vehicle traversing
| its streets at night, if only wheeIbarrow,
to carry liyhted lamp. Safety is secured,
and the avenues glitter as if swarming with
giant firefiies.
Sheep have two teeth in, the center Of
the jaw ut l year, and add two each year
until years old, when they have "full
mouth" After that time the age cannot be
told By the teeth.
-Berlins Society for the Homeless last
year provided shelter for 100000 men and 15.-
00l women. In the II years of its existence
it has furnished lodgings, food and medical
care to 100000 persons.
The German merchant marine stands
next to that of England. In 1899 the latest
year for which figures have been published,
German vessels made IS, ,934 voyages, carry
ing 2l,39S. .522 tons OF cargo.
IF you put cream into your cup before
the sugar it will "cross your love- so be
very careful II while the tea is being
made, the lid. removed to pour IN the water,
Is forgotten. it is a sure sign of a new ar
rival.
Earrings have been worn from time i'm
memorial, The Bible tells US that Abraham
presented his sons wife with pefr of ear
rings, and historians relate that Alexander
the Great found them suspended in'the ears
of the Babylonians.
An ancient copper mine, which was first
worked 1,ls3 years ago, is about to be re-
opened in Musashi, Japan. Old Japanese
manuscripts of undoubted authenticity
mention this mine. Its galleries and levels
are in some cases just as they were 700 years
ago.
One NAV get notion of the number of
pennies lost from a history of the old half
cents. OF these 100000 were issued few
years ago. Where are they now? A few are
in the cabinets OF coin collectors. None
have been returned to the MINI for recoinage
or are held by the Treasury. Nobody sees
them in circulation.
The United States has SS4 paper mills
and 1.1O6 paper machines; Germany. 800 mills
and s91 machines; France, 420 mills and SIS
machines; England, 36l mills and 541 ma
chimes; Scotland, SO mills and So machines:
Ireland, l3 mills and 13 machines; Russia, 133
mills and 1877 machines, and Austria, 20
mills and 30 machines.
Small singing birds live from to
100 years in captivity, and parrots lon
ger than that. Fowls live 10 to 20 years
(and are then sold as spring chickens
to young housekeepers). The wild goose
lives upward of 100 wears, and swans are said
to have attained the age of 800.
One thousand and forty yards is the
depth which miners in the lower workings
OF the Ashton Moss CoIliery descend to their
work every day. This is about eight times
the distance from the gilt cross and ball of
st. Paurs down to the pavement below. 1t
is the deepest mine in Lancashire, and Mr..
Garforth tells US that thetemperature in the
workings is S7o.
The Egyptians had a very remarkable
ordinance to prevent persons from borrow
ing imprudently. An Egyptian was not per-
mitted to borrow without giving to his
creditors in pledge the body OF his father.
1t was deeDed both an impiety and an in
fanny not to redeem SO sacred pledge. A
person who died without discharging that
duty was deprived of the customary honors
paid to the dead.
A cedar tree near Arlington, Snohomish
county. Wash, measures SO feet in circun-
ference. Around the knotty roots the tree
measures 90 feet. About 70 feet from the
ground it forks into four immense branches,
and just below the forks is a big knot hole.
Five men climed into the hole and explored
the in terror of the tree. 1t was found to be
would afford standing room for 40 men. The
tree is still green and a remarkable feature
is said to be that it is barked on the inside
and outside alike.
The King of Siam is said to have in
one of his country places wonderful pa
vilion. It was built by Chinese engineer
as q refuge for the King during the extreme
heat OF the summer. The walls, ceilings
and floors are formed OF pieces OF plate
VIZ ar Darfnltlv
ftted together with Il transparent cement
that the Joints are invisible, and no fluid can
penetrate. The pavilion is % feet long, IL
vide and stands i'll the middle of a huge
basir made Of beautifully colored marbles.
When the King enters the pavilion the
sincie door is closed and cemented. Then
the sIuice gates are opened and the basin
Is fiiIgt with water. Higher and higher il
rises until the pavilion is covered, and only
the yentilatorS connect it with the open air.