The Bossier banner., 1894-06-21
NUMBER II.
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

= The Hessian fly is gradually ex-
tending its ravages in Europe, as, in
the summer of 1898, it was recorded,
according to Nature, as occurring in
Norway, and injuring barley.
Among the products which science
has put to valuable service is the net
tie, weed which is now being culti-
waited in some parts of Europe, its fiber
proving useful for variety of textile
fabrics. In Dresden thread is pro-
duced from it so fine that a length of
sixty miles weighs only 21S pounds.
The various manufactures of flax,
hemp, jute and other vegetable fiber
imported during the month of Feb
ruary were valued at 81, 462, 2SS, COM
pared with 50, ,22S, sos for the same
month last year. For the eight months
ended with February the total impor-
tations amounted to S13, 333, ,O26, against
$40, 105, ,979 for the corresponding period
last year.
According to Meehan's Monthly,
the large majority of plants are scent
less, and probably not one-tenth of the
hundred thousand Towering plants
known to botanists are odorous. OF
the fifty known species of the mignon-
cite family, only the one so highly
priced in our gardens is fragrant, and
only about dozen of the one hundred
species of violet are scented. In many
large genera the scentless varieties
are as one hundred to one.
"A report from the Belgian consul
at Nouma states that two-fifths of the
total area of New Caledonia contains
nickel, and one-tenth of this has been
conceded to mining companies, about
12O square miles being already worked.
The ore is said to contain to 10 per
cent. nickel. The annual returns show
that 6, 1000 tons nickel ore, ], 500 tons
chrome iron, 700 tons cobalt and 21G
tons auriferous quartz were exported
during the past year.
When the petals of the great aurel
magnolia are touched, however light
ly, the result is brown spot, which
develops in a few hours. This fact is
taken advantage of by lover, who
pulls magnolia flower, and on one OF
its pure white petals writes motto or
message with a hard, sharp-pointod
pencil Then he sends the flower, the
young lady puts it in vase of water
and in three or four hours the message
written on the leaf becomes visible
and remains so.
Cattle breeding is leading indus
try in Honduras, the total value of cat
tie in the republic being estimated at
i'll
are of the long-horned Audalusian
race, the cows only yielding enough
milk to maintain their respective
calves with very little surplus for
dairy purposes. Stock of improved
breeds can be safely imported only as
calves, which become acclimated to
the southern fever, SO deadly to adult
animals. Prices for dairy products are
very high.
Among the tropical productions in
troduced into Ceylon from South Amer
lea is the Erythroxylon coca. 1t is
shrub indigenous to the elevated re.
gions of tropical South America, where
its leaves were used as nerve stimu-
liant by the aborigines as they are now
by the whites. The annual production
of the leaves is estimated at thirty mil
lion pounds, and is likely to increase
since the extensive employment in the
materia medica, either as plain extract
or the alkaloid cocaine. 1t does well
in Ceylon so far.
Mr.. Bruce, of the Dundee Antarctic
whaling fleet, describes the whole of
the district south of go degrees south
latitude as strewn with ice ebergs, which
become very numerous south of 63 de-
grees. The base of the bergs was col.
ored pale brown by marine organisms,
and other brown streaks were seen be-
yond the water level. No luminous
glow was observed Clothed in mist
they raise their mighty snow-clad
shoulders to stately height or shine
forth brilliantly in the sun. Although
they are of the purest white, yet they
glow with color. The crevices exhibit
rich cobaltic blue. and everywhere are
splashes of emerald green.
Recent experiments made in Prus-
sia show that the temperature of the
earth increases on an average at the
rate of one degree for about sixty-two
feet in depth, but the rate of Increase
of temperature is not the same in all
cases, for example. at Schladebach,
where the depth is 5736.3 feet, the rate
of increase is one degree in 67.21 feet;
at Sounewitz the hole is 3646.5 feet
deep, and the rate of increase one de-
gree in &C. so feet; at Leith hole, 43S9.s
feet deep, the increase is 63.92 At
Sudenberg, 1929. feet deep, the in
crease is one in So. 90 feet, and at Sperm
berg, which is 4176.6 feet deep, the
ratio of increase is one degree for $3.50
feet increase of depth.
Quick Transit.
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