The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-03
SCIENTIFIC.

Close connection is traced by II. Luggin
between photo-voltaic currents set up in
silver salts and the decompoSitions giving
photographs.
In the streets of Portsmouth, England.
each of 240 lamp posts is provided with both
an arc and an incandescent lamp. 1t is de-
signed to use the weaker light at hours
when the other is not necessary and an
automatic switch on each post enables the
operator at the central station to extn-
guish instantly one set of lights and light
the other set.
The number of minor planets known be-
tween, Mars and Jupiter now considerably
exceeds four hundred of which NJ. Char
lois, of Nice, has discovered eighty-six,
while Herr Palisa, the Austrian astronomer,
has detected eighty-three. The maRnitudeS
of the first four hundred of these plants
have just been tabulated by Herr G. Huber.
All are telescope, only two being brighter
than the eighth magnitude, while of the
later diScoveries-the second two hundred
nearly all are of the twelfth magnitude or
smaller.
Timber used in mines is subject to de-
cay from various causes, such as warm
moist air; but the most serious cause, ac-
cording to a paper by Mr.. J. Bateman to
the British Society of Mining Students, is
the chemical action set up by the cotton
mold fungus This fungus is the white
fluffy material seen clinging to timbers, es-
pecially in return-air ways. Various meth
DDS of protecting the timber have been
tried, such as trickling water over it con-
stantly, sleeping in brine charring the sur
face and creosoting. The last is the most
effective. The timber is placed in a wrought
iron cylinder, the air is pumped out, and
creOSOte is forced in to a pressure of one
hundred pounds per square inch. Pine, fir,
etc, absorb ten to eleven pounds of creosote
per cubic foot and oak and other hard
woods about six pounds
The experiments of DR.. Folgheraiter have
shown that the magnetic dip" of terra
Gotta vases may help to fix the date of the
vases, or, conversely, may give the earth's
dip for that place and period. There are no
records of magnetic dip earlier than 1876.
Since then it reached a maximum of IA de-
grees AZ minutes in Italy in 1920, then grad
ually diminished to the present value of 81
degrees 30 minutes, while the vases exam
ined indicate a dip toward the south pole
about the eighth century b. e. 1t is now
of known date may have left magnetic rec
ordS. For example, the brick walls of the
council hall of the ducal palace in Venice,
burned in 1876, should be examined for
traces of remanent magnetism, and sub
stances at Herculaneum may be expected
to have retained magnetism impaired by
the lava in the direction of the earth'S dip
at the date of eruption.
The Swedish waterfall of Kraengede the
most powerful in Europe, is estimated at
100 600 horse power. DR.. Gustave de Laval.
the inventor of the famous turbine, and NJ.
Gin, the inventor Of the process for making
rubies, are arranging to put to work this
enormous store of long-wasted energy. For
what? is asked by M. F. Laur. This writer
Gisposes of the matter by assuming that a
few thousand horsepower will be needed
for aluminium, rubies, carbide of calcium,
cerium, carborundum and sodium, but that.
on the most plausible hypothesis from 140-
900 to 1850 900 horsepower will be used for
m AS 10
ticable to obtain electrically 10000 tons of
iron year with LOCO horsepower, the falls
100000 tons of iron or steel. What an
avalanche! and how all our plans may be
turned upside down by itl'
One of the most elaborate applications
of the 'penny-in-the-slot' idea is to be
seen in Berlin restaurant. This is
handsomely fitted up establishment, supply
ing several articles of food and various
drinks at counters running along the sides
of the room, and serving everything auto
matically when the proper coins-which are
plainly indicated for each article-are de-
posted. The articles of food are seen in
plates behind glass panels. The depositing
of the coin causes the plate to be lowered
TO the counter, within reach OF the custom
er, while another plate moves forward into
position for the next conner. ANY drink Sc
lected is similarly supplied, glass being
first taken from a peg, rinsed in a jet OF
water and placed under the tap, which
measures out just a SidSSlui.
The visitor finds the place cleanly and at
tractive. with every facility for helping
imsef, and tables at which he may stand
or sit while eating
Double trees are worshiped in India as di-
vine. OF these curious freaks. which are
two trees-usually of different species-that
have become accidentally united NJ Hector
Leveini mentions four examples now to be
seen. In each case one of the trees forming
tla union * a fip the adVputiVe roots lat
down by this tree from MS branches SEEM
ing to play an important part in causing
the plants to become joined. In the prin-
cipal street of Vellore Melia Azadirachta
IS completely surrounded by a Ficus re-
Iiriosa attracting much venerative atten-
ton at Courtalum a Borassus fiabeilifor-
mis- is entirely imprisoned by a Ficus Ben
raIensis; in the colonial garden of Pom
dicherry Ficus Bengalensis letting fall its
roots destined TO be transformed into
trunks form the top of palm tree. the
caroxta ureus. gives an exact idea Of the