The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1893-02-04

species and is a varlet, of the plant
which Yields the Sisal hemp of Mex
leo. The leaves Of the Cuban plant
have resisted the ordioary methods Of
liberalization, but in new machine,
the invention Of Mr. w. H Death, the
fibre is rapidly separated in bath Of
gently flowing water, which is neccs
sarlly applied Just after the leav are
broken up by the beaters. The Cuban
hemp is admirably adapted for cordagc,
floor coverings, etc.
! BACTERIA AND FLAy oRs Re
searches of Suchsland show that the
process of Sweating" to which tobac-
CO leaves are subjected in preparing
them for use gives rise to fermenta
tive changes that are not due to
purely chemical action, as has been
supposed, but are effected by micro
organisms. The species vary in diff.
ferent kinds Of tobacco. But what is
most important is that pure culture
of the bacteria have been made, and
with them it mas been found to be
possible to transfer tho peculiar taste
and aroma of one kind of tobacco TO
aoother kind, and thus to RAISE the
quality of inferior grades, Other
German Investigations during the last
few months prove that the character
of wine varies with the east employed
AS the qualities of butter and cheese
depend also upon micro organisms, is
it not possible to improve dairy
products as we'll by inoculations with
cultures of carefully selected bacteria?
SOUNDING THE ATMOSPHERE BE.
You'd $4,000 Jeet above sea level, the
height reached by Glaisher in 1862,
man has never been able to navigate
the air Various problems concerning
the region farther awAy-such as the
temperature, the pressure, the guam
tity OF moisture, the composition of
the air, etc have attracted the at
tention Of physicians, and have at
last led to the experiments of NJ.
Hermite, woo during the past few
months has been sending up pilot bal.
looms carrying registering apparatus.
These balloons are very light, with Il
capacity Of about 100 to 200 cubic
feet. Falling at distances from Paris
ranging ny to 200 miles, the balloons
have nearly all beef returned by their
finders as requested on card attached
to each, aud one has brought down
records from height of 10000 feet.
The instruments used are very light
and simple. With larger balloons and
systematic exploration, it is hoped that
the secrets OF the air up to at least
10000 feet may be made as familiar
to us those of the deepest and dark
est depths of the sea are gradually be.
coming
ARTIFICIAL Ice FOR SKATING -
The beautiful sheet of artificial ice on
which SO many Parisiaus have tkatcd
during the preseat season, is the result
of careful working out Of syste m
that proved unsuccessful some three
years ago. The machinery consists Of
two ammonia ice machines driven by
two fifty horse power steam eng ines.
The ice machiues are pumps which
force ammoniacal gas into water
cooled condeDsers, liquefylng the gas
which then passes into large reser
voirs, where 1t expands with the pro
duction Of cold The same gas is
pumped back and used continuously
The rink is about sixty bv one hun
bred feet in size, With floor of cork
and cement, upon which la laid three
miles of connected iron pipe.
Through this pipe circulates solution
of chloride of calcium, an uncongesla =
bic liquid which by passage through
spirals in the refrige rating reservoirs,
is cooled tc five degrees to twenty
degrees below zero, according to
necessity. The water over the pipe
is thus kept frozen and daily sweeping
and flooding preserves the smooth
ness Of the ice.
HORTICULTURAL PROGRESS. =. Amer.
ic,n horticulture, according 10 Mr. l.
II Bailey, may be said 10 Rave begun
with the century, and it has yielded
wonderful results. During this time
varities of all the leading species OF
cultivated plants have multiplied in
this country from 200 per cent. 70