The Van Buren press., 1893-05-27
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

ALL the species of shellfsh draw
the carbonate of lime Of which their
shells are formed from the sea. After
the death of the animals the shells ac-
cumulate at the bottom of the ocean,
forming lofty mountains and vast beds
of chalk.
The beautiful shellfish called murex,
containing purple dye, was first dis
covered about $500 Il. c. by the Ph9ni-
clans, They travelled westward in
search of these fish, had large fishing
colonies, and became world renowned
for the purple dye.
The northwest is sending immense
quantities of shingles to the east Just
now. Fifteen to twenty carloads q
day was the average freightage of this
commodity passing through Seattle in
the first half of the month, and one
day solid train of thirty carloads Of
shingles left that point for the east.
There are now in Norway eleven
sulphite and four sulphate manufac-
tories. Several of these are also con-
nected with paper mills. The exports
during ls9a'of chemical wood pulp were
about 30, 900 tons dry, as compared with
II, 800 tons in 1891, and about $500 tons
wet, as compared with $500 tons in
1s91.-Scientifc American.
Georgia ranks as our first state in
the production Of watermelons, second
in that of rice and third in that of cot
ton. The melon acreage last year was
2s,540 acres; this crop is estimated as
netting the farmers about $3.50, ,00O and
giving the railroads gross revenue of
s1,0O0.0O0. The cotton crop was about
1000 bales. zz3-.
Some of the revelations of the CEN
sus will startlc u good many people.
For instance, there are now more than
100000 almond trees bearing in the
United States; there are hundreds of
thousands of bearing cocoanut trees;
there are more than a5O,O00 olive trees,
producing fruit equal to the best Med
iterranean varieties. There are more
than 500, 900 bearing banana plants, 2O0,-
900 bearing lemon trees, 100000 or
ange trees and s1 OO0. 600 pineapples.
"A French scientist writes the fol-
lowing concerning the large arb-weav-
ing spider of Madagascar He finds
that the spider furnishes the most silk
after she has laid her eggs. From one
spider there was obtained in 81 davs
nearly 1000 metres of silk-over three
miles. The silk was of golden yellow
color. He gives the plan of an appa-
ratus for winding the silk, which, how
ever, as he says, Is imperfect. Nothing,
however, was done as to the raising
and keeping of the spiders in large
numbers, undoubtedly the most serious
question. .5sa,iss lsaa rl4
The export of frozen mutton is be-
coming one of New Zealand's chief in
dustries. The export of frozen beef has
been declining of late years, but that
of mutton has largely increased. There
are now twenty-one freezing establish
ments in the colony, with capacity
not far short of 1000. 900 sheep year
Nearly all the frozen meat exported
from New Zealand and Australia goes
to England. A new storehouse recently
built on the Thames in London has q
capacity OF 200, 900 carcasses. New Zea-
land exports about twice rs much mutt
ton as does Australia
"A new smokeless powder, called
Apyrite, has given remarkable results
in trials at Stockholm. The powder is
claimed to burn without flame or
smoke, can be handled and transported
without danger, and is unaffected hyf
moisture or heat. Nitro-cellulose is
supposed to enter largely into its compo-
sition. Fifteen shots with ordinary
Swedish powder, or 10 shots with nitro
glycerine powder, did not heat the gun
SO much as 20 shots with Apyrite.,
After 500 shots the gun was still clean.
The manufacture of the powder is said
to require no special appliances or
buildings. ~,s.
The eleventh international con-
gress of medicine will meet In Rome,
September "a to October /, 1898, and
will be divided into nineteen sections.
The price Of membership for physicians
and men of other professions inter-
ested in the labors of the congress .
will be IS. The official languages of
the congress will be Italian, French.
English and German, and the ofiieial
bulletins Of proceedings will be pub
lished daily in those languages Papers
and communications for the congress
must be announced by June 30 and alb
stracts must be sent to the committees
by July 81. DR.. A. jacob, 1l0 West
Thirty-fourth street, New York, Is
chairman Of the American committee
IN the congress-