The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-13

or foot. The top of each hole was reameo
with knife leaving the mouth of the hole
funnel shaped and smooth. As soon as the
| wheat was cut about quart of water was
| poured into each hole and topped
with small quantity of coal oil
next to the wheatfeld and close
to the salt line. AS soon as the bugs meet
| the salt line they follow it each way until
| they come to the holes, into which they
| tumble by the thousand. As the successful
experimental with this simple trap de-
scribes it: They don't crawl into the hole,
but as soon as they strike the smooth sur
| face at the top they loose their first hold
and roll over; and as there is constant
pressure from the enormous line to-
ward the hole they look like wheat
| going into a hopper as they are
poured over the brink" A boy should
be in attendance on the line to dip
out the dead bugs before the hole becomes
too full and to replenish the water and
/ oil in the holes when necessary. A little
coal oil should be poured on the line once
day, and the line should be remade after
each rain. The mouth of the hole should
be kept smooth. If it is dry and cracked
handful of dust should be sprinkled
around the edges occasionally. The bugs
cannot cling to it and tumble in as soon as
they touch it.
A FIRE CURTAIN OF WATER FOR Pro
TECTING BUILDINGs.-An effectiye device for
the protection of buildings from fires in
adjacent structures has been successfully
tested in Boston. The idea worked out in
the apparatus is to maintain a sheet of
water between the fire ana the buildings
to be protected. This is done by placing on
every open side of the building near the
top a line of perforated piping for carrying
the water. The complete apparatus con-
sists of tive-inch stand pipe, extending
over the upper story. From it runs another
pipe around the sides and front, from 81
to 4 inches in diameter. On the front are
three revolving sprinklers, and zone is
placed at each exposed side in the center.
The arms are of bronze metal slightly
curved. At each end of the arms is a
ball nozzle. such as is used by Fire Depart
ments on regular hose lines. At the base
of the stand pipe is a Siamese connection
for four lines OF two-inch hose. At the
Boston test a Fire Department steamer
furnished the power, and for about fifteen
minutes poured through the sprinklers
delivery of 1000 gallons a minute, COM
pletely drenching the walls and keeping a
continuous sheet of water from top to bot
tom.
THE MIRACLE OF THE RED SEA.-A most
interesting piece of scientific testimony
bearing on an event recorded in biblical
history has been given before the Victoria
Institute, in London. Maior-General rul-
loch gave an account of that part of Egypt
in which he lately carried out a War Office
survey, and through which the route of
the Exodus was said to have lain. The
conformation of the country had some
what altered since that event took place.
34O0 years ago. but what especially came
under his notice was the action of gale
Of wind, which had stopped all survey
work on the borders of Lake Menzahleh,
carrying the waters of the lake beyond the
horizon IN few hours and leaving all sail
ing vessels resting on the damp bed of the
lake. In the discussion which ensued it
was pointed out that, wherever the passage
OF the lsraelites took place, the possibility
OF water being influenced by wind to so
great an extent was demonstrated.
CATERPILLARs AND EYE DIsEAsEs.-It will
be surprise to many people to know that
caterplllars are responsible for an affection
OF the eyes which may entail prolonged
suffering, and even result in serious dam
age to vision. That such is the case has
been abundantly proved by a number OF
instances on record, in which more or less
lntractable Inflammation of the eyes has
oeen found to be associated with the pres
ence OF hairs which after removal, nave
been identified as belonging to the genus
caterpillar A case is related IN which
lad was struck in the eye by caterpillar
thrown at him by playful schoolfellow.
he picked up the insect to examine IL. ana