The record-union., 1897-11-14

SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

Port Blakely, Washington. is practi-
cally owned by the sawmill company
operating there and which is said to
be the largest in the world. The plant
is novel, in that electricity furnishes
the motive power in the sawmill, the
blacksmith's shop, planning and finishing
works, and d gristmill which is run in
connection with the plant for the BEN
eft of the residents of the logging
camps all about the country.
California's total vintage this year, it
is now estimated, Will surely reach 20,-
0UO,000 gallons, the largest since 1898.
1t is predicted by the winemakers that
the quality will be the finest since the
crop of 1892, one of the best California
ever produced.
Although the possibilities of the pro-
duction of aniline dyes from coal TAR
are by no means fully developed, &C.
cording to chemists, it has already
yielded sixteen shades of blue, sixteen
yellow tints, twelve orange tints, nine
shades of violet, and over two-score
other colors, shades, and tints. Be-
sides the dyes, it has yielded the uni
versally used vaseline, the medicinals
of the anti-pyrine, anti-fabrine, phen-
acetine and allied classes, a much used
lubricant, and other articles of value
for manufacturing purposes. Little
wonder, then, that in a recent lecture
before a class at the Columbia School
of Mines the students were advised that
this one substance-coa tar refuse
!
stant study, and that original research
in lines not yet touched for develop
ment would unquestionably reveal
sources for the making of immense for
tunes for the investigator who hit upon
the right leads.
The jumping bean of Mexico has a
rival in a South African cocoon recent
| ly described in The Entomologist.
The cocoon is very hard, and its habits
| of jumping about Is due to the effort
of the pupa to force its way out. This
| pupa has a chisel-like head, which it
| hammers against the wall of the CO.
coon until it forces an opening through
which escape is possible. The violent
motions of the pupa make the cocoon
seem TO jump about just as the spas
modic motions of the insect inhabftant
of the seed vessel makes What is COM
monty called the jumping bean hop and
roll about.
| In the several California groves
where the giant redwoods have been
| found there are many trees from 40
| to $50 feet high, and from % to 81 feet
/ in diameter The area of Mariposa
Grove is two miles square, and it con-
tains 427 of the monster trees. The
| largest in the Calaveras Grove is THE
keystone State and is 80 feet high,
and its girth six feet from the ground
| is 45 feet. There are some in the Mar
iposa Grove which are not SO high, but
which have a greater circumference,
THE Grizzly Giant" being SO feet al
the ground and over 64 feet IL feet
above. Some dozen miles south Of the
Mariposa Grove is the Fresno Grove,
which is said to contain about Coz
trees. the largest 81 feet in circumfer-
ence: while about fifty miles north OF
| the Calaveras, in Placer County, a
small grove has been discovered.
At a ladies' night at the London
M1Cr0ScOplCdl SutiCts iCSSiisis Aoi ie'N'Ae-
sat about high-powered instruments
and listened to a lecturer. All were
expert microscopists, and several Were
possessor of titles and prominent fig
ures in the social life Of the British cap
ital
Sea water is suggested by 'The
American Druggist as the best posi-
BILE disinfectant for use in street sprink-
ling. because all chemicals are either
| too expensive or dangerous. The or
ganic dust of the streets is one Of the
most potent factors in the spread of dis
ease in cities. While the use of water
settles the dust, it also converts it int
the most favorable sort of culture
ground for the development of all kinds
Of bacteria. Salt water If used, would
remedy that danger.
A cedar famine, and that within
very few wears. seems a certainty un-
less some substitute is devised for poles
for use in electric light, power, and
long distance telephone plants. Under
ground conduits are too expensive, and
nothing else seems as suitable as ce-
/ dar. Large consignments of the poles
| are being shipped to South America.
! and the demand there coupled with
| that at home. is rapidly denuding ths
cedar swamps.