The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-04-20
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

| Duo, OUO gallons Oh olive oil, Italy 81, 25O
! gallons, France rs. 80 gallons, and the
United States California; about II, 900
| gallons. The quality of cottonseed oil
mixed with these quantities is not
known.
| In Germany 200, 900 families are
supported from the care of the forests,
upon which about $4,000, 900 is ex-
pended annually, 5000, 900 people more
finding employment in the various
wood industries OF the empire. The
forest account shows an annual profit
OF between IS, 900, 900 and So, 900, 900.
Sea serpents, flying dragons, birds
with teeth, connecting links between
birds, fishes and reptiles, animals so
large and clumsy that second brain,
located near their tail, were necessary
to properly direct their movements-all
these have existed in past times and
have left the traces of their bodies in
the rocks for our instruction in these
latter days
| The blue color of the SKY is prob
ably merely the color of the air, seen
through the length of about forty-five
miles. 1t has been observed by those
who have assembled about five miles
above the earth's surface that the sky
appears OF Il dark, inky hue, owing to
the very small reflection and dispersion
of the light while the blue color no
longer appears above, but below them.
If, when Wellington won the battle
J of Waterloo, in 1915, the news could
have been telegraphed off Immediately,
there are some stars so remote that it
would not have reached them. If the
tidings of the first Christmas tide in
Bethlehem had been thus sent to the
stars, there are some orbits situated in
the furthermost depths of space which
could not receive the message for long
time yet.
The history of the earth is meas
ured by millions of years. and Richard
Proctor has ventured to predict mil
lions of years to come, unless some
catastrophe intervenes, of which there
is no sign of likelihood. He thinks
the earths decay is an assured fact.
The water supply, including the volume
Of the seas, is destined to diminish. The
action of the tidal wave is constantly
reducing the rate of the earth's rota-
ton, making longer day. The action
must be very minute, yet if it is real
the effect will be palpable enough after
lapse of millions of years
In Switzerland cultivation ceases at
1000 feet above the sea level Above
this height all forms of vegetation are
small and poor, consisting of low
scrubs, stunted frs and larches AS a
general rule vegetation reaches a
higher point in the east and south of
switzerland than in the northwest
The total area of land under cultiva-
ton is ), 37S, 900 acres, of which no 900
acres, or 81 per cent, are meadow land,
and l, 1858, 900 acres, or IS per cent, are
pasture. The arabic land covers l, $780,
300 acres, or 30 per cent, vineyards S.
200 acres, or l.6 per cent. while the
area devoted to gardening is about ~
per cent
In Switzerland the minute division
Of the land and the cheapness of labor
10 not justify the general use of mod
ern labor-saving agricultural imple-
nents. For cutting, threshing and
winnowing purposes the scythe, fail
and winnowing basket are used. The
,cythe is, apparently an exact counter
part of that which is seen in the hands
Of Time in the school primer. The
plow would adorn an archaeological
collection, requiring four horses and
three men to. work it. and cutting only
one furrow. Instead of the harrow or
cultivator, a number of women and
children, armed with clubs, go over the
ground after it is plowed and pulverize
the clods on the surface.
"A beautiful and instructive lecture
experiment. illustrative of the condi-
tions of the heated atmosphere which
give rise to the mirage is described III
The Annales de CHIME ct de Physique.
Water is poured into long rectangular
trough, with glass sides, and covered
with layer of alcohol about two CEN
timeters thick, containing trace of
huorescence. After a few hours. dur
ing which the alcohol diffuses slowly
through the water, fiat beam of light
S sent through the mixture at a very
slight inclination to the horizon. I'm
der these conditions kind of garland
Of light is seen to traverse the liquid,
iue to series of curvilinear reflections
Or ''mirages' in the less highly refrac-
tive water below and total reflections
at the upper surface of the alcohol
Popular Science News
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