The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-03-21
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

In a careful investigation by TIVE
italian meteorologists, it has beer
found that veil of cirrus clouds alb
| serbs as much as 30 per cent. of the
suns rays, Will a slight fog. equally
diffused in all elections, may intercept
from So to 90 per cent. of the solar rays
that would be II lnsmitted with a cleal
sky.
1t is said that the weaving o
threads of aluminium in textile fabric.
| results in practically non-oXidizabl
inexpensive material that is free from
chemical action, and can be washed
without fear of injury. 1t can be ap
piled to the finest and heaviest fabrics
as the thread can be drawn to any de
gree of thinness. and may be made
round or fiat, or in any shape conve
nient for wearing.
Hardwood manufacturers are turn
ing their attention toward Aitkin
Grand Rapids, Brainerd and other
points in northern Minnesota, and al
of these towns are stirring themselves
to secure valuable wood working in
dustries for their respective places
The boards of trade have taken the
matter up and no little rivalry is being
caused. The northern section of the
state abounds in rich hardwood timber
and there is no doubt but that in the
near future many industries consuming
hardwoods will be found there.-Min
neapolis Lumberman.
The imports into Great Britain OF
raw cotton amounted to 1.7Ss, 600, O0C
pounds for 1894, or 373, 900, 900 pounds
over those of 1893, being $4,000 0OC
pounds above the average for the last
fifteen years. The exports for 1894
were 336, 100000 pounds. or 30, 000,0
pounds over those of 1893: and the eX-
port of cotton piece goods amounted to
5,312, 900, 600 yards, being go, 900, DOC
yards over those of 1895. These figures
provement in the manufacture of cot
ton goods in Great Britain.-Boston
journal of Commerce.
According to some recent statistics
published by Lloyd's Register it appears
that during 1894, exclusive of war
ships, GA vessels of 1.O46 sos tons gross
$40 steamers Of 964, 996 tons and 65
sailing vessels of s1.5S2 tons were
launched in the United Kingdom. The
warships lau" he'd at both government
and private yards amounted to 81 of
32,971 tons displacement. The total
output of the United Kingdom for the
year, therefore, was GAS vessels of
1,O79, 479 tons. This exceeds that of
1898 by more than 210, 900 tons, and the
proportion of steam tonnage to the
total tonnage launched was much
higher.
"A new industry has been added to
California's many sources of wealth.
This is the cultivation of the yellow
dock, botanically known as the
canagua, the root of which is used for
tanning leather. This root contains 81
per cent of strong fannie acid. The
wild dock grows all through the San
Joaquin valley, and with cultivation
the root may be increased fourfold.
AS the supply of oak for tanning is
running low, both here and abroad,
the Importance of this despised weed
may OG "A COulDdnY mas
been organized to plant five thousand
acres of the dock in MERGED, and big
tannery will be built.
We hear of flying fishes, but flying
crustacea are novelty. DR.. Ostrou-
moff states that on a calm morning in
July, while cruising along the Cher
sonese peninsula, numbers of a tiny
green copepod (Pontellina Mediter-
ranea) We're observed flying just over
the surface of the sea. MANY of these
copepods were resting on the surface
film, took springs into the air, where
they described long curve, and fell
down again upon the water surface "
1t is thought that this very exceptional
habit is due to the mode of exuviation
that this species probably shares with
certain other pelagic Entomostraca (e.
2, Evadne and Pleopis), which cast
their skins at the surface of the water
''by the help of the air, which becomes
entangled in their rejected coverings. "